I agree with you, I was lucky,I started out in the late 70s when you could find any bigblock for cheap, mopar bodies too. those days are gone forever,
so we make do with what we have or can find.
Agreed, I even remember in the late 90s when stuff was dirt cheap. Then something happened in about 2000 and the stuff got stupid overnight. Barret Jackson had something to do with that I think.
People have junk in their back yard and see a pristine one go for 100k. They think they are in for retirement prices...