E-bay gone mad???

[SwingWing]

No bargains here!!
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...6&category=2567&sspagename=STRK:MEBWA:IT&rd=1

 

[shockwaveriderz]

I don't think ebay has gone mad. perhaps the bidder(s) did though......

 

[vjp]

Bet he picked it up at a garage sale for $2.50

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Try this one...

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2567&item=3189578173&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

I actually saw one go the other day for over $90 (plus shipping)

 

[sandman]

Mine's not as nice as that one but, I only paid $12 for mine at a flea market!

Couldn't find any fleas!

sandman

 

[flying_silverad]

It would be interesting to watch all of those "collectors" if Estes decided to flood the market with a re-issue! I bet there would be some screamin!!

 

[Gus]

I have to tell you, it drives me nuts to see people paying way more than retail on eBay for rocketry items still in production. Seeing people who obviously like rockets like I do getting ripped off really bugs me. And I often thing it may be a spouse trying to buy something fun for a loved one who's getting taken advantage of.

As for the OOP stuff, well, it's their money and if it's worth it to them to have a shrink-wrapped box they're never going to open, all I can say is, hey, I lived through the crash of the beanie-baby market.

 

[sandman]

Ebay used to be fun...not any more...

Now it's a "buyer's market" and you had better have sniping software if you really want it!.

Now selling an old OOP model on Ebay...THAT's a riot!

sandman

 

[vjp]

Here's another "WOW".

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3186450970

 

[wscarvie]

Originally posted by vjp
Here's another "WOW".

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3186450970

An interesting note on that one: the Midget, while it's a very cool looking little two-stager, flies on a 1/2A6-0S booster and either a 1/4A3-4S or a 1/2A6-4S sustainer. Note the "S" suffix. If I remember right, these are the very old "short" 13mm motors. Not only doesn't Estes make 13mm booster motors anymore, but the "S" motors were considerably shorter than the existing 13mm motors. I can't think of a way to fly this model, stock, at all anymore.

Truly, a collector-only kit.

I considered cloning it at one point, but the motor length issue meant that my booster stage, at least, would have to be changed to accomodate the longer 13mm engines...assuming I could find some anymore.

 

[shockwaveriderz]

well some of these examples just go to show there are some seriously clueless people in our hobby..... or they have money an djust don't know what to do with it....

 

[Neil]

Makes you want to save all the kits you have right now! They might be worth something later! "A turn-of-the-century Gnome kit! $4000000!!!"

 

[powderburner]

Originally posted by wscarvie
the Midget, while it's a very cool looking little two-stager, flies on a 1/2A6-0S booster and either a 1/4A3-4S or a 1/2A6-4S sustainer. Note the "S" suffix. If I remember right, these are the very old "short" 13mm motors.

The S motors were 18 mm in diameter, and 1.75 inches long. They preceded the T-series motors but only lasted a few years.

 

[wscarvie]

Originally posted by powderburner
The S motors were 18 mm in diameter, and 1.75 inches long. They preceded the T-series motors but only lasted a few years.

Ah! This is just why I prefaced my comments with "if I remember right." For future reference, given my memory, this qualifier should be translated as "this is almost certainly wrong, but..."

Thanks powder.

 

[sandman]

I can't think of a way to fly this model, stock, at all anymore.

There is a way!!

Easiest is to buy a SEMROC Firefly. The Firefly was "sorta" a Centuri version, see how Carl solved this little problem.

Kinda clever really!

sandman

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

well some of these examples just go to show there are some seriously clueless people in our hobby..... or they have money an djust don't know what to do with it....

Two that will always seem to set off a bidding war:

An Estes Fin alignment guide (I've seen them go for $90)

Any Mars Lander

A certified, legal to ship USR Motor (sorry could not help it...)

I do have to wonder though, are any of you collectors of unfinished kits? I'd really like to understand that psyche.

 

[wscarvie]

Originally posted by sandman
There is a way!!

Easiest is to buy a SEMROC Firefly. The Firefly was "sorta" a Centuri version, see how Carl solved this little problem.

Kinda clever really!

sandman

Gotta link, sandman?

I'm intrigued.

 

[sandman]

Sorry, I guess I just assumed everybody has SEMROC and Fliskits bookmarked.

https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-31

sandman

 

[Juaru]

Check this one out:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2567&item=3187014564&rd=1

Hey! We've got 'em for 59.99! Only if you act now!

Seriously, I really kinda feel sorry for some of these people who way overpay on Ebay items. If the high bidder (or at least the high underbidder) had just spent about 3 minutes looking around, they would have seen that the same seller had 5 or 6 other Hydra's selling for about what they should cost.


John (not Jon) Arthur

www.JonRocket.com

 

[SwingWing]

Yeah, I saw that one too. I kinda felt the title of that auction was misleading, "from the 60's".
Every time one of these auctions goes this high, it took at least TWO people to bid it that high.

I wonder what the numbered Fliskits will be going for in 10 years..........

 

[wscarvie]

Originally posted by sandman
Sorry, I guess I just assumed everybody has SEMROC and Fliskits bookmarked.

https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-31

sandman

Thanks very much, sandman. Ooh! Lots of NICE kits available from these guys. Man, but I haven't even built my Deuce, Overdrive, Corona or Tumbleweed yet!!!

 

[vjp]

Originally posted by Juaru
Check this one out:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2567&item=3187014564&rd=1

Hey! We've got 'em for 59.99! Only if you act now!

www.JonRocket.com

..."pb1234tiger" (the 'winner') is a relatively new eBayer from Europe, according to his feedback, and many of his previous wins were for "DIY pyrotechnics, fireworks and rocket motors" type books (the kind often just printed out from a PDF). Some of which he actually got into a bidding war over (rolling eyes). My guess is, a newbie who doesn't have a firm understanding of what rocketry is, or how to effectively use eBay.

...the other noble bid-warrior (you should look at the bidding war these two engaged in!), "supertaz1701e", appears to have a much longer feedback history, and a genuine interest in clone kits. So I'm sure he knew what he was bidding on, but that doesn't explain why he'd bid this up so high.