Pricing - part 2

Tony Cording

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Many thanks to those who responded to my question regarding Vincent pricing, and of course the various Mars Bars, GDP, retail index etc. to calculate todays value.

However, I have another related question re. pricing. I e-mailed Watsonian to ask if they could give me an average price for a child/adult sidecar in the 1950 - 1952 era, so I could come up with a ballpark figure on what a new Rapide/sidecar outfit would have cost. Sadly they were not able to help. So the question of the day is - does anyone out there have an idea as to what a c/a chair would have cost back then?

We have all heard of the impact the Mini had on motorcycle sales when it was introduced, but little mention is made of car prices in the early fifites. I did some checking of my own and the "Motor" road tested a Morris Minor in 1950, with a retail price including taxes of 382.0.0, and in 1954 the Motor road tested a Ford Popular at 390.0.0 inlcuding taxes.

So looking at a Rapide priced at 323.17.00 in 1950, plus ???? will give me a ball park figure as to the overall cost of that lovely Rapide outfit pictured on the coast.

Many thanks once again for the previous replies.

Tony Cording
 

clevtrev

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Many thanks to those who responded to my question regarding Vincent pricing, and of course the various Mars Bars, GDP, retail index etc. to calculate todays value.

However, I have another related question re. pricing. I e-mailed Watsonian to ask if they could give me an average price for a child/adult sidecar in the 1950 - 1952 era, so I could come up with a ballpark figure on what a new Rapide/sidecar outfit would have cost. Sadly they were not able to help. So the question of the day is - does anyone out there have an idea as to what a c/a chair would have cost back then?

We have all heard of the impact the Mini had on motorcycle sales when it was introduced, but little mention is made of car prices in the early fifites. I did some checking of my own and the "Motor" road tested a Morris Minor in 1950, with a retail price including taxes of 382.0.0, and in 1954 the Motor road tested a Ford Popular at 390.0.0 inlcuding taxes.

So looking at a Rapide priced at 323.17.00 in 1950, plus ???? will give me a ball park figure as to the overall cost of that lovely Rapide outfit pictured on the coast.

Many thanks once again for the previous replies.

Tony Cording
Ask Fifi. Problem was that in the early fifties, cars were in very short supply, no steel, remember that about the bike ? As late at 1958 , no one in my road owned a car.
 

pifinch

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Non-VOC Member
According to Motor Cycle 1950, -
Watsonian Avon Body £30 + purchase tax of £8
Chassis £20 + £5 6s 8d p.t.
1950 Swallow sidecar £57 all in +£15 4s p.t.
1951 Swallow Jet 80 £70 13s 2d + £13 16s 10d p.t.
These are all single seat sidecars but the Swallows were of high spec. - I dont know if they were still connected/owned Jaguar at the time
 

ET43

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
sidecar pricing

Depending on the type of sidecar required, prices from 1950 to 1954 would be in the £54.00 to £68.00 price range. Funnily enough, like womens underwear, the smaller items cost more!
Cheers, Phil Primmer, late of West Country Sidecars.
 

Tom Gaynor

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VOC Member
Prices

The first minis cost (just) under £500 - £499-19-6d or some similar marketing inspired number. This was about the price of a mid-range 650 twin and sidecar, so in lieu of hard facts, a first approximation of £150 for a chair wouldn't be a mile out.
 

ET43

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
sidecar pricing again

The prices I quoted were taken from copies of The Motor Cycle and Motorcycling dated between 1950 and 1954 and were for coach built child adult models. Blacknell Bullets, Garrards and Steibs were approaching the £90.00 mark. If you need definitive prices Tony, please let me know.
Cheers,
ET43
 

pifinch

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Non-VOC Member
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't BMC make nearly a 50% loss on every Mini sold. (Bad maths is not a new problem!)
 

Len Matthews

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VOC Member
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't BMC make nearly a 50% loss on every Mini sold. (Bad maths is not a new problem!)
Poor old BMC! Even if they made a loss on the sale of a Mini just remember what a trend-setter that little car was. A large percentage of cars nowadays have transverse engines and FWD. Apparently, Vincent only made a fiver on the sale of a Comet, £10 on Rap and £15 on a Shadow so no wonder it all came to a sad end.:(
 

Hugo Myatt

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VOC Member
Outfit prices

According to MotorCycle Oct 6th 1949
Solo Rapide basic price £285. Total price £361 19s
Rapide and sidecar (unspecified) Basic price £360. Total Price £456 19s, Presumeably total price includes purchase tax.

According to MotorCycle Jan 4th 1951
Rapide £255 plus purchase tax £68 17s
Swallow Jet 80 £70 13s 2d plus purchase tax £18 16s 10d

According to Motor Cycling May 3rd 1951
Rapide (Touring) £265 plus PT £71 11s
Blacknell 'Sherwood' sidecar, child/ adult saloon.
Body £51 plus PT £13 12s
Chassis £32 15s 4d plus PT £8 14s 9d
 
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deejay499

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi Tony. here are some models and prices;
1951 Watsonian Avon single seater sports. £71.17.8 inc purchase tax
1951 Watsonian Albion single seater coachbuilt £57.10.0 and plus p/tax £72.16.8
1952 Watsonian Monarch single seater coachbuilt. £58.10.0 and £74.2.0 with p/tax.
Let me know if there are any others you want. See you at the N.A. rally.
Sidecar Grandpa.;)
 
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