NOT a very good sign for the value of mopar muscle cars

[jimharvard]

Barrett-Jackson is having their annual Scottsdale Arizona collector car auction right now and i'm sitting here watching all the beautiful cars getting sold.

There was just a beautiful, completely restored REAL hemi orange 69 1/2 A-12 Roadrunner 440 6 pack 4 speed that went across the block and sold for $73,000. that is at least $40k LESS than the same car would have sold for in 2015 which was the most recent height of the muscle car auction market.

The cars that are now selling for over $100k on a regular basis at the BJ auction? they would be "resto-mods" of classic muscle cars. these cars are old muscle cars with modern engines, drive trains, suspensions and even interiors. even the owners of BJ that were interviewed about the state of the collector car market stated that the price leaders in the past - being original, numbers-matching muscle cars - are now being replaced by the resto-mod vehicles as the collector car market continues to change and evolve to new tastes with younger buyers.

BJ usually gets higher prices for the cars they sell than the same cars sold by Mecum. so the noted A-12 Roadrunner might have sold for even less than $73k at a Mecum auction. just for comparison to other cars than mopars, a PERFECT NCRS judged original red 1965 fuel injected 327 4 speed Corvette convertible just sold for $117k. THAT car in 2015 would have been $130k all day long. all the commentators are remarking how the "original" cars are not bringing the money that the resto-mod cars are.

i will continue to enjoy my old mopars because i never bought them with the idea that they would be my "retirement" income some day. anyone who is still buying muscle cars to "flip for big money" will likely get burned with significant loses.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Yup, it's happening. When I worked with Matt, we did two 62 Corvettes. One 300HP 327 4 speed and one 340HP 4 speed. Both numbers cars. Matt twisted both customers' arms into a full blown resto mod restore. Mustang II fronts, IFS rears, LS motors with OD transmissions....the works. Both cars had the complete numbers drivetrains and both ran.....though the 340HP car had been in a garage fire, it still ran and had really no bad damage. I didn't like doing those cars like that. Matt even convinced both of them that they didn't need to keep any of the original parts off the cars.

But, that's the direction everything is going.

 

[Mtrhead]

Hopefully maybe 70 Cudas will go down significantly and I can finally bring one home....been patiently waiting since the 80's....they were always out of my reach....but the abodies were very affordable....still are!!

 

[pishta]

730HP and air conditining? Sure! And it still fits under the hood and starts in one crank and no pedal.

 

[3406pk]

The pickups with new LS engines are bringing stupid money. Broncos are way out there. I agree that Mopar values are down.

 

[RustyRatRod]

730HP and air conditining? Sure! And it still fits under the hood and starts in one crank and no pedal.

No denying it! I love the modern stuff.....I just don't like when people tear up original cars to get it. But hey, they're not mine and I'll never be able to afford one. I'm pretty happy doin what I'm doin.

 

[jonn6464]

Let the MOPARs come down in price. Hell, let them plummet in price. That just means us MOPAR guys have a shot at them.

This was briefly discussed in a post a couple of months ago. My opinion is that the guys with $40-$60K to spend on a muscle car also want stroker motors, A/C, upgraded brakes, upgraded suspension, aftermarket wheels/tires, custom paint color, and modern comforts galore.
That's not a knock on that type of buyer, to each his own. It's just to say that high dollar cars today are not bone stock.
With the exception of ultra-rare factory cars.
ie. Hemi Cuda/Challenger/Charger/GTX, LS-6 Chevelle, Boss Mustang, GS455 Skylark, 442 Cutlass. Stuff like that always keeps it's value in being original.

 

[65Val]

Resto-mod seems to be the order of the day. As with Pro-Street, I hope it is a fad and fades away.

 

[DrEamer]

Like it or not, the resto-mods are here to stay. The are several factors driving it from what I can see. One, people that want to actually drive their cars, want them to be comfortable, reliable, and handle well. Two, not all cars deserve a numbers matching restoration. It does not make sense to throw 50k or more into an original slant/318 car in MOST cases. So, many times doing a resto-mod CAN add value to the car. Finely, it is easier many times to make one, verses a numbers car. There are only so many OE parts left, and the prices for those are getting crazy. Look, for example, how hard it is getting to find a usable 340. Now, consider how easy it is to find a 5.7 Gen 3 Hemi. The aftermarket keeps making the Gen 3 conversion easier, and less expensive.

 

[cojohnso]

The restomod trend has been going on for the past 3 years. And it's expanding. Boomer/GenX is losing ground to Gen Y/Z and now even Millennials. Pretty soon the tuners will be hot topics. And Muscle cars? Will be like 40s & 50s touring/gassers.

My dad hated my Muscle cars. In his world? If not the size of an aircraft carrier? It's not an automobile. To this generation? Muscle cars are the old boats.

 

[jos51700]

Pretty soon, most '60's/'70's muscle cars on the market will be for sale by someone called 'the widow', and the term survivor will mean 'his kid'.

 

[72bluNblu]

Whaaaaat? You say the buyers want to buy cars that they can actually drive and enjoy? Not polish with a diaper in a garage and never take outside for fear of reducing the value? They’re cars, your supposed to DRIVE them.

Here’s a thought, maybe the quality of the build and the performance of the car should have more to do with the price than some numbers stamped on a flimsy little tag on the dashboard.

The investors are killing this hobby. Doesn’t hurt my feelings one bit what these cars sell for at auction, that’s just douchebags comparing wallets. I’d rather see more of these cars back on the roads with modern power than factory original and sitting and rotting in a garage.

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

Yup, it's happening. When I worked with Matt, we did two 62 Corvettes. One 300HP 327 4 speed and one 340HP 4 speed. Both numbers cars. Matt twisted both customers' arms into a full blown resto mod restore. Mustang II fronts, IFS rears, LS motors with OD transmissions....the works. Both cars had the complete numbers drivetrains and both ran.....though the 340HP car had been in a garage fire, it still ran and had really no bad damage. I didn't like doing those cars like that. Matt even convinced both of them that they didn't need to keep any of the original parts off the cars.

But, that's the direction everything is going.

I've never been into #s matching and mostly into what is functional and trick...of factory intermingled with aftermarket.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I've never been into #s matching and mostly into what is functional and trick...of factory intermingled with aftermarket.

Me either....but I like and respect matchin stuff.

 

[stroked340]

Can't believe over $100k for a blazer and a Jimmy..but if you noticed a lot of these buyers are young they looked like they were in their 30's-40's..

 

[thesiren74]

My buddy just built in the last 4 yrs a 68 Hellcat swapped GTX he's had since 16 and a Hellcat swapped 68 coronet wagon just amazing cars! Yeah everyone drools over them wherever he goes and the numbers matching guy's are scratching their heads.

 

[thesiren74]

 

[Syleng1]

Let’s also take into consideration the dollar dropping value with all this fake money being printed and called stimulus.

i totally am amazed that stockers - numbers matching rides are only worth what a museum will pay. “Resto mods” are just that- modified for actual driving. You can run modern fuel with real power and have serious suspension and brakes for real world driving. BUT the coolness of a body style that does not look like it is wind tunnel tested into a flat bubble. Next gen resto cars will have backup sensors and lane detection. Heck most already have back up cameras and key fobs for electric start and locking .

All of those cars at B/J are over priced on purpose. B/J makes a percentage off the top number. They are running a business and a very good one at that. But I will add that finally the people building the resto mods are finally seeing their cars worth kinda close to what they have invested. But remember that even Gen 3 hemi will be old news sooner than later. Next stop Tesla conversion convertible 68’ Dodge Darts kits.

 

[thesiren74]

Let’s also take into consideration the dollar dropping value with all this fake money being printed and called stimulus.

i totally am amazed that stockers - numbers matching rides are only worth what a museum will pay. “Resto mods” are just that- modified for actual driving. You can run modern fuel with real power and have serious suspension and brakes for real world driving. BUT the coolness of a body style that does not look like it is wind tunnel tested into a flat bubble. Next gen resto cars will have backup sensors and lane detection. Heck most already have back up cameras and key fobs for electric start and locking .

All of those cars at B/J are over priced on purpose. B/J makes a percentage off the top number. They are running a business and a very good one at that. But I will add that finally the people building the resto mods are finally seeing their cars worth kinda close to what they have invested. But remember that even Gen 3 hemi will be old news sooner than later. Next stop Tesla conversion convertible 68’ Dodge Darts kits.

Nothing screams excitement like a electric motor! Lol

 

[Mr. Sinister]

Hey guys I am in agreement in some part on the drive ability of restomods but this isn’t the first time that this happened....who remembers the “Street Freaks” of the 70’s and then everyone realized during the 90’s that the Muscle cars were missing and needed to be found and brought back... Funny how things go.

 

[moparmat2000]

I guess someone can build whatever they want. If it's a numbers matching muscle car with odd options and they want to dumpster its pedigree, it's their money they can do what they want. I have never had what one would call a high end muscle car with a valuable vin number. Heck the 2 I have now were slant sux and 318 cars. I like old skool from the engines on down. My preference. I like to upgrade with stock parts from different vehicles mostly mopar. If done correctly only a die hard would know it's not correct. Kind of a sleeper "restification". To each their own. I am glad that muscle cars still generate a buzz among the younger generations even after 50 plus years, and are popular enough that the big 3 decided to bring them back in modern form.

 

[Swingn’71]

Hey guys I am in agreement in some part on the drive ability of restomods but this isn’t the first time that this happened....who remembers the “Street Freaks” of the 70’s and then everyone realized during the 90’s that the Muscle cars were missing and needed to be found and brought back... Funny how things go.

Yes 10-4 sinister..Lots of cars got cut up in the early 80’s for the “pro street” movement, some done for big bucks at the time. Big news then, not so much now. Some available these days for pennies on the dollar..Swingn’

 

[barbee6043]

Won't be long before a loaf of bread costs $20? A dollar that is printed out of thin air and the US then basically borrows it form the World Bank, with interest? Oh well.

 

[HemiSSDart]

I have been picking up Roadster Shop frames and old Corvettes and taking them to Florida where they are turned into resto-mods. Been doing that for a while now and am just happy that they are using Camaro's, shoebox Chivvy's, and Corvettes and not tearing up old Mopars...

 

[Super-Cuda]

Resto-mod seems to be the order of the day. As with Pro-Street, I hope it is a fad and fades away.

It is not a fad 65Val, its the future.

The prices for originals are way too high for something that will spend most of its life under a cover in a garage. I understand this and believe its mainly because of parts availability. Its easy to find a Mopar 5.7, 6.1 hemi powertrain and everything is available to transplant it into a classic Mopar. Also the aftermarket rack and pinion steering systems , coil overs multi link rear suspensions are readily available. Try to find parts for an original 340 ! Nuts in my part of the world!! Even Ma Mopar stopped making parts for the classic musclecars.

Look at the asking price for parts on this site!
500-700 for a fender for a 67-69 Cuda! and at that price you are still dealing with rust /damage repairs. Crazy!! Its cheaper to buy a complete car and part it out to get the parts you need than buy the parts separately.

Also, once you have driven a vehicle that's been restomodded, its almost impossible to go back. I'm a perfect example. This is the third reincarnation of my 68 Barracuda and I'm enjoying it more now than I ever did for the 44 years I've had it. If it was an M-Code, or a BO29, different story but it wouldn't get used as I would be afraid of damaging it .

In our lifetime , we are going to see further restomodding , to include electric conversions. Its happening now and wont be long until there are "crate" systems that can be installed in our classic muscle cars. I'll never have one but its coming.