ir3333
Well-Known Member
In the past A bodies were relatively cheap to restore and the market now has an abundance, so the prices remain low compared to more collectable muscle cars.
current muscle car values
- Thread starter ir3333
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Dartnut
Don't hate me because i'm beautiful
There's a lot of good points made here.
My feeling is that if you are into the old car hobby whether it is G.M., Ford, Mopars, etc. and you are in it for the money, you are making a poor financial investment.
The exception of course is the rare and original survivor type cars, which will hold their value and appreciate somewhat in the next few years.
Resto-mods is where it's at right now, just look at what they are selling for at B.J. or other auctions versus matching numbers restored cars.
Personally, i don't care for them, but can appreciate what they would be like to own and drive.
I would rather drive a ratty old Mopar that doesn't handle and gets lousy gas mileage over one of these resto-mods.
Yeah, i'm old school, but it's what i grew up with.
And, we are a product of our times...........
My feeling is that if you are into the old car hobby whether it is G.M., Ford, Mopars, etc. and you are in it for the money, you are making a poor financial investment.
The exception of course is the rare and original survivor type cars, which will hold their value and appreciate somewhat in the next few years.
Resto-mods is where it's at right now, just look at what they are selling for at B.J. or other auctions versus matching numbers restored cars.
Personally, i don't care for them, but can appreciate what they would be like to own and drive.
I would rather drive a ratty old Mopar that doesn't handle and gets lousy gas mileage over one of these resto-mods.
Yeah, i'm old school, but it's what i grew up with.
And, we are a product of our times...........
Alaskan_TA
Well-Known Member
Hopefully the selling prices drop to rock bottom so we can get all the old Mopars we want. 
ir3333
Well-Known Member
..but a ratty old mopar with new or improved stock suspension components and stock 340 in good tune will drive nice and get good mileage.
Loggato
Well-Known Member
You can buy a brand new Ford F150 and spend $65k. Take it to the scrap yard the next day, They'll still give you $45 per ton for it! Same with those ultra-rare numbers matching specials.. And they dont even have bluetooth or heated seats...
That's why it doesn't bother me if my cars are worth close to nothing, because I never had to spend a lot on them!
That's why it doesn't bother me if my cars are worth close to nothing, because I never had to spend a lot on them!
There will always be people building some sort of hotrod. In the distant future, maybe all electric rods!!?
Today, the guy that pays a shop to build his dream rod, he either just wants what he wants and cares less about $$$$$ or he is the $ type guy that wants to enjoy that car he paid to have built, for awhile, then later sell it and maybe make a $. That is why he has $$$$$$$$$ anyway. He is successful and wants to be successful with his car hobby also. He is the guy probably into the resto rod deal. Like said, the auctions ar full of them and they bring some silly $.
Today, the guy that pays a shop to build his dream rod, he either just wants what he wants and cares less about $$$$$ or he is the $ type guy that wants to enjoy that car he paid to have built, for awhile, then later sell it and maybe make a $. That is why he has $$$$$$$$$ anyway. He is successful and wants to be successful with his car hobby also. He is the guy probably into the resto rod deal. Like said, the auctions ar full of them and they bring some silly $.
I agree with Alaskan T/A, the true value is in driving them. I want an old car, I want to hear the wind whistling through the windlace, the rattles, the feel of the road. I always say, my cars are free, they’re bought and paid for and that money is long gone. I spend money on them because I like them, and will enjoy them until I die. After that, I won’t care what happens to them, so I’m going to enjoy them now while I can.
Investments? Maybe, if you’re patient and smart, don’t pay full price and wait for a good deal instead of opening the catalog and whipping out the credit card.
Case in point...I just got my radiator back today. At Glen-Ray this radiator is $2300 without a core, $1800 with a core. I paid $400 to have an old school radiator shop by me recore it, and it’s oerfect. Had I just googled the part number and bought it from Glen-Ray?? Well, you do the math!
Investments? Maybe, if you’re patient and smart, don’t pay full price and wait for a good deal instead of opening the catalog and whipping out the credit card.
Case in point...I just got my radiator back today. At Glen-Ray this radiator is $2300 without a core, $1800 with a core. I paid $400 to have an old school radiator shop by me recore it, and it’s oerfect. Had I just googled the part number and bought it from Glen-Ray?? Well, you do the math!
DJC
Well-Known Member
Hagerty's would benefit from lower car values, right? They wouldn't have to pay out as much on a claim, even though I doubt we'll be hearing them that premiums are at a 5 year low.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
They will continue to drop as the guys who grew up with them die off or sell out for modern muscle but they aren't going to ever be cheap again.
DesertRat
Leading edge boomer
Cheap being relative to disposable income. I do not think any of these cars, builders or finished are a good value or cheap. They are only valuable to the owner/builder. If we were looking to build wealth there are a lot better ways to do it so that concept is out. I know a guy who goes to BJ every year and brings home 4-5 cars to put in his multiple buildings. Maybe there is value to him in showing his wealth and greed but
truly he cannot drive any of these cars-he is physically impaired. I know a few T and A guys and none of them are under 60. That hobby will die out except in museums.
I can only speak for myself and for me the value is finding a good builder and turning the wrenches myself (brand/model indifferent) until I can drive it daily. Other than that there is no value in any of them for me.
Reminds me of 2006/2007 when people were talking about how much their houses were worth.
truly he cannot drive any of these cars-he is physically impaired. I know a few T and A guys and none of them are under 60. That hobby will die out except in museums.
I can only speak for myself and for me the value is finding a good builder and turning the wrenches myself (brand/model indifferent) until I can drive it daily. Other than that there is no value in any of them for me.
Reminds me of 2006/2007 when people were talking about how much their houses were worth.
451Cuda
Well-Known Member
- People are selling off older muscle to buy new muscle
- What used to be the core demographic of older muscle owners is dying off or headed to nursing homes
- There's less demand for older muscle, as new muscle is faster/more comfortable/better driving, plus many of the newer non-performance cars can beat 90% of the older muscle
- In simple market terms: Supply of nice, restored old muscle is steadily rising, Demand for them is steadily dropping
451Cuda
Well-Known Member
Agree and I like it that way. Got my two A-bodies I wanted to build. I still want a couple B & E bodies but they'll have to wait.
The rarest muscle cars will always draw the big bucks because they are being bought by the rich throughout the world. The average cars will slowly drop in value as they continue to rust and continue to require maintenance. Parts are a problem. Cheap China parts may require mods to make them usable. And time is money when you pay somebody to do the work. Boneyards have crushed much of the old stuff when the price of steel skyrocketed. And finding mechanics who know how to repair old cars is getting tougher. The new generation doesn't seem to be interested in cars. [Uber me to the wine tasting event]. More people living in condos which don't allow any car work on site. The cost of tools. Fewer tools are being handed down from father to son.
…………….etc...……..
…………….etc...……..
Scamp Fasty
Going Nowhere Fast
Old Iron can be a good investment for some, like for those who take care or improve on their investments. Prices will depend on supply and demand like other goods and supplies right. I don't see our rides being reproduced to fill supply if demand rises. I can see folks selling their cars especially for getting funds for another new ride or just to cash in on the investment they made earlier to pay bills (especially if times are tuff like a recession), even if it is at a lower price. But 60 and 70 cars are a great platform for a cool project, no computers, lots of them and easy to slam V-8 motors in most of them. Seems like that would keep the demand going over time. Maybe selling prices will come down, after 2009 when everyone became wealthy again (lol) cars were being sold left and right for way to much, maybe it is catching up and people are not paying ridiculous prices either. Whatever causes it, values should hold or rise slightly over time. For me I like to buy low, sell nothing.
I always thought it was funny people always talk about the recession in 2008 but I am so poor I never noticed nothing for us poor folks change we just continue to get poorer as the prices increase just gotta learn to spend on what's important cars guns and food!! Haha
As for the car market I think the values are going down mostly because muscle cars are not as high in demand as they once were. The younger folks are more into super cars and imports. Gtr's, supra, coyote mustang's , nsx , Corvettes etc are all the rage now. That's fine with me tho. I hope the prices keep dropping I'd love to be able to afford another one soon. Before all these dickwads on Facebook part them all out. I hate that crap. I saw a guy the other day had a perfectly good drivable running 74 scamp and he would not sell it but he chopped it up and sold it for parts.
Preach it brother.
famous bob
mopar misfit
I was advised by my dad ,even back when I was a teenager, to invest in land cause ''they aint makin anymore of it.'' I didn`t take his advise, wish I had !
I have never in my life seen land get cheaper ANYWHWERE here , in town , or the country !
I agree that as time passes these cars will fade from importance to most all people , the young ones are already headed that direction.
Would I rather have a new hellcat that I could drive to okc and back and get decent mileage and be comfortable , or drive my barracuda there with bad gas mileage and no a.c. and feel like a drag car , with about the same h.p. ??
Also, chevys are still ''almost'' a dime a dozen around here , way cheaper than a mopar , just look at dragcars on craigslist.
The chevys are easier to make run , and a whole lot cheaper , about anyone can make one fast !
I don't think the insurance industry will benefit from lower values.
Their business is a calculated risk environment.
Higher values mean higher premiums, which is where the money comes from.
Payouts are minimized by them because it's their business and if that model didn't work, they would soon be out of business.
Their business is a calculated risk environment.
Higher values mean higher premiums, which is where the money comes from.
Payouts are minimized by them because it's their business and if that model didn't work, they would soon be out of business.
moper
Well-Known Member
Permanent trend.
Before all these dickwads on Facebook part them all out. I hate that crap. I saw a guy the other day had a perfectly good drivable running 74 scamp and he would not sell it but he chopped it up and sold it for parts.
You gotta be kidding me ? WTF ? Another thing I've noticed though it seems to me that certain muscle "icons" that the prices generally are on the up or stay relatively stable thinking Stang Eleanor or original camaro 396 and not forget the Bee can get quite pricey. Another thing here as others have mentioned like cosgig on the radiator. No one fixes stuff anymore, generally don't repair stuff and some of its easy stuff like alternator brushes or starter solenoids, most dealers and shops these days they all just a bunch of part changers.
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
I wish I was kidding
thesiren74
Well-Known Member
I wish they'd go down, just looked on market place at a rusted /6 74 duster they wanted $3500! No way.
I was just in a conversation with a group over a guy wanting to know the value of a 69 Polara 2 door. The OP and I were lambasted because he was asking about the value instead of just googling it, and I for suggesting that he was doing the right thing asking a large group about it. Since I’m old school, and that particular model is so rare to find, I pointed out that the only way to find info about that car was to do just what he was doing, asking a group of enthusiasts. The “googling” comment had me laughing to myself, because that’s what most of the entry level young enthusiasts are doing, relying on the internet for their information, or more pointedly, misinformation.
Nobody seems to want to do the legwork anymore, and my radiator example exemplifies that. Being old school, I know dozens of these mom and pop places to get things done, where they still repair your stuff instead of sell you a reconditioned part. That’s the fun of the hobby for me. How many posts have I seen where someone will ask where they can get a certain fastener, because Classic Industries doesnt have it. Because when you google it, that’s all that comes up. Those who pay attention know that there’s a number of companies that specialize in specific fasteners for these cars, but they never come up on a google search.
For the record, the radiator guy I used is in his 70’s, been there for almost 50 years. He knew what the radiator was as I was carrying it in the door, knew that I needed the numbers for my car, and was proud to be able to do a great job for me. I paid him in cash, and he gave me a discount because I did, another way to save money. That’s old school all the way!
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
not a ton of people recore radiators anymore because new alumn ones are so cheap. i prefer the look of the stock ones. had the one for our dart recored with a high efficiency core. ***** cost me 600 bucks but it works and looks right. could have done an alumn one for half or less...
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