Well, I think there will be some collector interest in Lambert, for just the reason you cite - it's innovative nature. I'd buy a Lambert for much the same reason I just bought the Teledyne, i.e. the welded titanium Titan helped pioneer a trend, even if it is a trend that I think has become an undesirable one by marginalizing lugged steel frames. ALANs fall into the same category, plus I just like them on their own merits, though I can't say the same for modern aluminum frames. That said, I agree that the Lambert is more of the Corvair (some would say Edsel or AMC Pacer), while the Titan and ALAN are more the Mustang or DeLorean. So I agree than anything more than a couple of hundred $ for Lambert is too much, while the Titan and ALAN are worth more.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Harvey M Sachs wrote:
> I try to stay out of market value discussions, because I'm not active in
> the market, but I'd be surprised if Lamberts come to have serious collector
> value. Here are what I see as the reasons - and a reason why I could be wrong.
>
> --> Biggest problem: it was common but not a cult machine. It was Corvair
> (which I owned not too long ago), not Mustang. Few of us old geezers
> lusted to have a Viscount when they were new (IMHO).
> --> Not really high quality components, particulary the bespoke Viscount
> stuff. This also makes them hard to get parts for.
>
> The best reason why they might be collectable might be the serious effort
> to innovate, both in manufacturing and in marketing. In this, to me they
> resemble the Moultons, another British effort to do a really innovative
> product (almost 1/2 million were made, I think). I have a beat-up, much
> modified series 1 Moulton, with the parts to largely "restore" it. Would
> it have more value with its awful sheet steel side-pull brakes, rusting
> steel rims, crummy chromed cranks and handlebars than with the era-correct
> alloy stuff I've put on? Sure would be less fun...
>
> Just my 2c, and I happily keep my Viscount frame with the original fork,
> tapped out bb... hanging in the attic as a novelty to show friends.
>
> Thanks, huemax, for giving me the chance to have this one.
>
> harvey
>
> At 13:35 1/24/2001 -0800, David Van Hook wrote:
> >Dave,
> >I don't think I would ever pay more than $200 for
> >one, even in good shape. I have only one that I
> >paid that much for but it was owned and ridden by
> >a rather well known entertainer with some
> >interesting "Sicilian Family' ties, so I thought
> >it worth that because of it's interesting
> >history.
> >I have one I bought new in 1975 for about that
> >amount; it has a replacement fork. I have three
> >others in various states of reconditioning, two
> >have the original aluminum fork and one has a
> >nice replacement fork. I paid $55.00, $115.00,
> >and $175.00 for those respectively. I like them
> >that's why I buy them. I keep hoping their value
> >will increase, but I doubt if that will happen in
> >my lifetime.
> >Regards,
> >Dave Van Hook
> >Hershey
> >
> >
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