Those Barrett-Jackson auctions are the worst thing that could have ever happened to the automotive restoration industry from the stand point of the enthusiast. Everytime some nimrod with an old beater sees one like his selling for $30,000, he immediately starts thinking his is worth that too. "If I could get it to start, it would be worth $30,000, so that almost straight, rusty fender is $9,000 to you buddy". These auctions drive restoration prices up for everyone.
Those guys bidding crazy at those auctions pay more for their shoes than most of us are willing to pay for something we want to drive around. They, often as not, park their prize in a warehouse until they can run it back through the auction at a profit.
As far as that $31,000 Corvair Rampside goes, you are right about the price. A couple of them, fully restored, just like that one, sold on Ebay this past year for less than $10,000. Like magic, now you'll start seeing them for $20-30.
As far as the quality of the Corvair. The problem with the Corvair is that it takes a mechanic to work on one and most wrench turners, just aren't up to it. I bought a '65 Corvair Corsa 180 Turbo a couple of months back from a mechanic. The car was in his shop with the turbo on the bench with broken turbine fins. He simply didn't know that the turbine shaft has left hand threads. The engine heads on it are junk, because the last machine shop to touch them had no idea that these heads have to live in the 300-400 degree range under normal driving conditions. 450-500 is overheating.
Sunday I picked up some big valve 140 heads that I may put on the turbo. They came with some other parts and a complete engine for a great price. The engine is complete from the headers to the two 3BBL Webers sitting on top. Someone had to have spent at least $5,000 to get this engine together and they left off some of the critical air cooling tin from under the cylinders.
I have always liked those Rampsides. A 2800 LB truck with a 4600 GVW. One man could load a refrigerator or an engine with a dolly by himself and the load is carried low to the ground.
Sorry about the long response, but I really like the Corvair.
