HU: What a beauty.

I think that plastic sync plug is salvageable. And the self timer lever, frameline preview lever, rewind knob, and a few screws here and there. :)
 
That is a well used M3! I checked the serial number - not one of mine! It looks like it has been dropped down a quarry or a long stone staircase.
Well, some Bondo and a bit of hammering on the top-plate should set it right and most likely a new chassi too.
The seller is a good friend of ours and he is one of the nicest guys you can deal with. He also is very straight forward about condition.
 
That would be a wonderful April 1st for a leica repair man.
Imagine his face when he opens the box after your small letter asking to go over the functions and bring it to specs..
 
Well isn't the seller the chairman of the German Leica Club?

If yes then this must be the Leica carried by Robert Capa when he stepped on a mine:cool:
 
the lens mount (on SLRs at least) is one of the strongest areas on any camera. my guess is that it was "de-commissioned" by putting it lens-up on the ground and smashed on the lens with a sledge hammer. those ridges on the 11 o' clock position of the lens mount might be caused by the aperture ring...

I think it's rather a sad sight.
 
Didn't James Bond use an M3 in Goldfinger? Because only a table-mounted lazer gun ("...No Mister Bond, I expect you to die..."), an Aston Martin crash at 70mph, a forcibly flung bar of 24kt gold, or a razor-sharp tophat hurled by rather large Japanese man could have inflicted that amount of damage.

Movie Prop/Memorabillia.

At least thats the story I'd tack on that POS--and I'd start the bidding at 1200 USD.
Will include with purchase:
a "Certificate of Authenticity"
and
a "signed" 8x10 glossy of Connery.
and
a swift kick in the jewels


....Congratulations! You're the Highest Bidder!
 
I should buy that and become the anticollector... A collection of once beautiful cameras that are now utterly destroyed! As opposed to the museum piece that you can't even breathe on, I could supply brick walls and invite people to have a throw!

Imagine how many spouse's would pay me for the chance to take out their frustration..
 
I reckon a sledgehammer - intentionally destoryed for some reason, someone was really cross ;)

I assumed the previous owner was just a sensitive soul. Some internet troll wrote dismissive things about the owner, calling him a 'fondler' and a 'gearhead', and the owner over-reacted with a sledge to the M3. He then cried for three days and three nights.


Nah, we all know deep down he was probably 'fishing' in the wrong pond, and the owner of the pond, the pond in which he should have limited using his fishing pole in, found out.

That's the story, and I'm sticking to it.
 
'The camera is heavily damaged, almost destroyed"..... I wonder what the "almost" part refers to.

That's one hell of an expensive ring to put on your leica lug for the neck strap :)
 
i had a similar crash-test-dummy camera but it's a Canonet.
After some polishing and hammering, replacing bursted glass windows, i am a happy user of it now.

OK i must admit, it was not THIS badly damaged. But it also did not cost me 209$.
 
That camera is toast, but I bet it goes for far more than a good condition M3 because someone will take the top plate off (with some work of course) and put it on a regular M3 and have an instant profit.

It looks like it was run over by something very heavy face up with a lens on it.
That top plate could never be worked up to one that would add value to another working M3 body.
 
I'd like to buy it just so I could send it to Youxin next year on April 1st ... requesting a CLA! :p
 
Someone is desperate to have an M3 panda to be willing to shell out almost 400 bucks for a rewind knob and a cocking lever.
 
the lens mount (on SLRs at least) is one of the strongest areas on any camera. my guess is that it was "de-commissioned" by putting it lens-up on the ground and smashed on the lens with a sledge hammer. those ridges on the 11 o' clock position of the lens mount might be caused by the aperture ring...

I think it's rather a sad sight.

I think this is a chilling example of spousal budget control.:)
 
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