Is it possible that all the affordable project cars are now taken?

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sireland67 said:
New truck prices are crazy, my 2017 ram stickered for 49K, two weeks ago I was getting the oil changed at the dealership, to kill time, walked around the lot, the same truck but a 2023, sticker price was 102K, WTF my wages have not gone up 50% in 6 years.
I am doing my best to keep the mileage low on my 2017, because it will be the last truck I buy new.
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my brother & i were hit in his work truck (16 F350 quad cab, long box 2WD, diesel AT) at the end of march of this year, truck was totaled.

so on the search to replace that with a new, comparable one, the RAM option was over 100K, the Ford was 92 and the chevy was high 80's. even the stripper options were mid 70's. for a work truck. unreal. and the used market wasn't much better.
 
junkyardhero said:
my brother & i were hit in his work truck (16 F350 quad cab, long box 2WD, diesel AT) at the end of march of this year, truck was totaled.

so on the search to replace that with a new, comparable one, the RAM option was over 100K, the Ford was 92 and the chevy was high 80's. even the stripper options were mid 70's. for a work truck. unreal. and the used market wasn't much better.
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I agree a good quality vehicle, people will not let go of, because it costs too much to replace it.
 
they are no longer on every corner but deals will still pop up. have to be patient. you also have to be quick to be the first there with cash. also depends on what you mean by a project car and what work you want to do to it.
 
gdrill said:
10 -15 years ago, new trucks were $60,000 CAD more or less. My Duramax as example. Now they are over $100,000.

It is only logical that all others follow the market. Is it correct? That is not what I stated, I didn't say it is right. But reality is the used car market is just as inflated as new.
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Yeah and ain't it funny that wages haven't followed along? In our country or yours. So that means fewer people are buying new vehicles.
 
abodyjoe said:
they are no longer on every corner but deals will still pop up. have to be patient. you also have to be quick to be the first there with cash. also depends on what you mean by a project car and what work you want to do to it.
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Yup. Right place, right time and "all that". Only thing is, you gotta have the money when the opportunity comes along.
 
I blame the auction shows. And of course the builder shop shows. What of course they don't discuss much is the cost and work involved. So now everyone thinks there junk is Barrett Jackson gold.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Yeah and ain't it funny that wages haven't followed along? In our country or yours. So that means fewer people are buying new vehicles.
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I don't understand how anyone can afford to buy a new car or truck at the prices currently, yet I still see plenty of newer vehicles, (usually 2) plus campers or boats in the driveways of newer homes. WTF? I have a pretty decent income but there's no way I could afford even a 7 or 8 year old vehicle today. **** I barely make it from paycheck to paycheck these days, it's crazy, half my income is going to groceries lately, plus I still have a mortgage and utility bills.
I figured I made an exceptional score last month when I picked a mint 1997 Thunderbird with a 4.6, around 120k miles and not a speck of rust on it for $700.00 delivered to my house from about 70 miles away. It wasn't running when I bought it, but it didn't take a lot to get it going. I spent about $1500.00 on it including tires and it drives fantastic.
 
I've had an ad in our local media a coupla years, saved a lotta junk cars, but finally scored a nice 67 Dart GT, for my grandson and I to restore together. $4500 Can , we just primered the ruf .
273 auto, it drives, rusty floor, frame needs minor attn in usual places. Got mosta the stuff to do it .

Get this, we went and looked at it, made a deal, shook hands, he owned a wrecker, and bringing to my place was part of the deal.
Next day he shows up, drops it, and as I'm paying him, he said if he hadn't shook hands, he had offers to $6500 .
While yakking , he spotted a steering wheel he had been looking for, I gave it to him, of course .
I praised him, and explained to my grandson standing there, - the importance of "your word" and a "handshake".
Not many honorable men anymore, it was a real pleasure .

Big thanks to @65Val , who was there at that time, - who also gave me the original heads-up !
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missing linc said:
I don't understand how anyone can afford to buy a new car or truck at the prices currently, yet I still see plenty of newer vehicles, (usually 2) plus campers or boats in the driveways of newer homes. WTF? I have a pretty decent income but there's no way I could afford even a 7 or 8 year old vehicle today. **** I barely make it from paycheck to paycheck these days, it's crazy, half my income is going to groceries lately, plus I still have a mortgage and utility bills.
I figured I made an exceptional score last month when I picked a mint 1997 Thunderbird with a 4.6, around 120k miles and not a speck of rust on it for $700.00 delivered to my house from about 70 miles away. It wasn't running when I bought it, but it didn't take a lot to get it going. I spent about $1500.00 on it including tires and it drives fantastic.
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I think these new vehicles you see today are lease vehicles, that are still overpriced. Don't know what the ratio is between bought and leased, but have to believe leasing is way more popular. Why people spend 60/70k on a new truck, when they are not using it as a work truck, or towing something, is beyond me. When I was a kid in my neighborhood, and someone had a new car, you thought, they have some big bucks. Today dealers find a way to finance any clown, whether they can afford it or not. Me, 2012 Impala LTZ, 88k and in great shape, it will carry me for some time to come. No payments, more money to throw at hobby cars. :):)
 
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Just got this burgundy 71 duster /6 for $2k...drive it every day...love it...can't decide rally or standard cluster....

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I bought this 74 Duster a few years ago locally for $900. It had a 440/ 727 combination, aluminum intake, 8.25" 4.56 posi, aftermarket shifter.

There are always deals around, but rarely on the internet.

Tom

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While prices of classics have risen, there are still decent buys out there. What I find is when a "buyer" says "everything is super high" I just offer them a car and say "Put up or shut up"... LOL. I've offered great running, solid Dusters for like 6k with V8's and 8.75 rear ends and those eager buyers just disappear into the fog... :D
 
318willrun said:
While prices of classics have risen, there are still decent buys out there. What I find is when a "buyer" says "everything is super high" I just offer them a car and say "Put up or shut up"... LOL. I've offered great running, solid Dusters for like 6k with V8's and 8.75 rear ends and those eager buyers just disappear into the fog... :D
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it's because lots of people that have disposable income now, still think that these cars should still be priced like they were in the 1980's when they had disposable income then!

****, the house you're in has probably doubled or tripled in price in the last 25 years, why wouldn't these cars come up too? the premium stuff is high and going to stay high, the middle of the road stuff is higher than it's been, but that also a result of supply, but that might see a slight correction. the bottom end benefits from the the other cars being more pricey, and they think they can ask more-- and will usually get more (circle back to supply).

but this is all besides the point, as shown there are still deals out there. it's just that old mopars aren't stacked up like cordwood any more is all.
 
Look at it this way - the cars are 50-60 years old. They still have a very strong following despite the doomsday "I can't afford car parts but have premium cable tv" crowd.

I think a lot of the price points are driven by TV/internet content and big $$$ collectors that are out there every day with teams of people scooping up entire collections. On one hand you have a lot of hype and the other you have big money collectors buying everything they can to ensure they set the prices. A lot of us are blue collar folks with automotive dreams. It is easy to forget that we are in competition with an entire faction of buyers that see our passion as nothing more than a commodity.

To paint the picture...say I show up at an old shut down salvage yard to look at a bunch of cars for sale. I drive up in my old 12v w250 pulling my open car trailer. Shortly afterwards a well known collector shows up with two semi tractor car haulers and about 8 of his guys roll up in new 4-door 4500 or 5500 Dodge rollback wreckers, all black. Suddenly the 10k I have to spend is looking very insignificant lol.

My point in all of that is to help remind us thst we are, as hobbyists, very small fish in what has become an ocean of hungry sharks looking for their next meal (flip).
 
^^^All of above on all 3 pages so true!
99% of projects on FB Marketplace, CL are way overpriced. It sometime takes weeks or months for the seller to learn that.
A project that does not run is a hard sell unless a really desirable model. Cheap enough.
A project apart in pieces and boxes is way cheaper. as it should be.
Best way to find a agood car project is networking friends that are NOT horders.\\\\\\

A neighbor down the road wanted a S10 project, certain year and color. He had to drive 5 hours to Dallas to get it but it was what he wanted and cost $2500. Like he said darn things are hard to find today and he actuallythoght he bought a bargain!!


Save a cowboy, ride a horse. Go cheap, buy a cheap model FORD!!! :thumbsup:
 
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The secret is to like stuff that nobody else really wants! I really like Buicks, but unless it's a GS or something, they're just not that popular. 1970 Firebirds are insane. 1974 Firebirds are not. 1968 Darts are popular. 1965 Darts, not so much. Nobody wants a '61-'63 Thunderbird. They might think they're cool, but a sluggish boat that gets 10 mpg is not the cup of tea for most. Heck, I own a Corvair. They have always been cheap.

With that being said, my daily driver is a 2012 Focus that I bought new, and I'm cringing about replacing it in a couple years.
 
Aaron65 said:
1974 Firebirds are not. 1968 Darts are popular. 1965 Darts, not so much
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these are starting to rise very quickly. still decent deals on F body mopars for now. though they are even going up fast. 90's camaos are out there at decent prices, 94-03 mustangs are affordable. even 05-12 mustangs you van find for good prices , they have mileage on them but parts are cheap and plentiful..
 
1. Supply and demand - enough said
2. Asking ain't getting
3. Take a drive, be ready to buy on the spot
4. Cash is King!!!
5. The rats are fast these days
6. Best of luck in your hunt!
7. Realistic expectation, I'm happy to find anything older these days and open to different models. Finding an AAR or hemi car that someone wants to sell reasonably would be a great thing, but hasn't happened with me, yet.
A recent find, non running ,1977 Monaco, 318 w 41k on it for under 2k. Last registered in 1981, I drove 4.5 hrs. for it. It's not my or anyone's dream car, but I'm having fun putting it together. Its a nice driving old Mopar!
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I've seen affordable (depending what you consider affordable i guess) prices on the earlier modern challengers and chargers too. again some mileage on them but they seem to run 200k+ and be a fun toy.
 
abodyjoe said:
these are starting to rise very quickly. still decent deals on F body mopars for now. though they are even going up fast. 90's camaos are out there at decent prices, 94-03 mustangs are affordable. even 05-12 mustangs you van find for good prices , they have mileage on them but parts are cheap and plentiful..
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I’ve got my eye out for an 03-04 Mach 1. The ones with around 100k miles are starting to get in my budget.
 
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