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Featured Features The Collector Car Market continuing its steady fall...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Brians53vicky, Nov 17, 2025 at 10:41 AM.

  1. Brians53vicky
    Joined: Oct 29, 2012
    Posts: 318

    Brians53vicky
    Member
    from Monroe, MI

    Article from Hagerty-
    www.hagerty.com/media/market-trends/hagerty-insider/is-the-collector-car-market-heading-into-winter-hibernation/

    Some info from above article;
    The Hagerty Market Index, a valuation of collector cars has dropped 34 of the past 36 months.
    The average #3 (good) condition value of all vehicles (over 39,000) in the guide has dropped to the lowest value since 2013 when inflation is also taken into account.

    This doesn't mean much to most of us who have no plans to sell our beloved cl***ics that we enjoy wrenching on & driving, but to those who have a project(s) they know they're not gonna get done...it may be smart to consider cashing it in. It is not gonna become more valuable over time as it sits. Demand dictates price and the demand for cl***ics is lower/decreasing a**** younger generations.
     
  2. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,945

    bchctybob
    Member

    Yeah, you can see it in the cl***ified ad sections, cars starting at $35,000 dropping in increments to $25, 000 and still not sold. All ‘32, ‘33-‘40 Fords seem to be holding up better but some ‘39-‘40s are getting more affordable. ‘55-‘57 Chevys are holding but other makes seem to be dropping.
    Just my observations, I don’t look at muscle cars, pickups and stuff that is all the rage.
     
  3. A much needed market correction
     
    mohr hp, Jimmy B, clem and 17 others like this.
  4. I'm storing a beautiful 1961 Thunderbird for a friend.It underwent a frame off restoration 11 years ago and still is a strong number 2 car,used mainly for shows and cruises.Original drivetrain.Real nice colour.....Palm Springs Pink with black leather interior. He started out asking $40k a year ago.Dropped it to $35k few months ago and is now thinking he might have to drop it to around $27-28k! The times they are a changing.And I think it's more than a market correction. Boomers are started to p*** or a lot of them are getting out of the hobby and selling their cars while they still can.
     
  5. And parts.
    Bought 4 straight 6 dual carb intakes the last few months.
    And reasonable enough I don’t think twice about buying em.
     
  6. guthriesmith
    Joined: Aug 17, 2006
    Posts: 11,873

    guthriesmith
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Seems like a good thing to me. :D But, that’s because I’m not trying to sell anything.
     
  7. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,380

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    I never could afford a $80K to $100K car and now I'm happy that I couldn't.
     
    clem, bchctybob, 40FORDPU and 10 others like this.
  8. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 5,716

    gene-koning
    Member

    There are lots of "old guys" that are starting to unload their collections, the current market is flush with many "new" cars being added to the market. When ever the markets become loaded with choices, the prices come down.
    Then add in a reduction of disposable income to spend, and then add in an older population of people wanting the cars available, and here we are.
    Supply and demand that over, large supply, lower demand, lower prices. I don't think values adjusted for inflation are going to increase as time moves forward.
     
  9. leon bee
    Joined: Mar 15, 2017
    Posts: 1,228

    leon bee
    Member

    I'm mostly a motorcycle guy. Vintage English bike parts is coming out all over, places like eBay. LOTS of guys turning **** loose.
     
  10. guthriesmith
    Joined: Aug 17, 2006
    Posts: 11,873

    guthriesmith
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yep, recently bought a panhead that I thought I would never be able to afford.
     
  11. RRanchero Rick
    Joined: Nov 20, 2016
    Posts: 148

    RRanchero Rick
    Member

    Losing customers to the graveyard. Sad, but true.
     
  12. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,496

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    I welcome news like this. I plan on losing all of the money I spend on cars, so the market dropping is allowing me access to cars that were previously unattainable. Cars are the literal definition of a financial liability.
     
    mohr hp, Jimmy B, Chucky and 5 others like this.
  13. Friend offered me a cool 40 ford coupe.
    1, I don’t need anymore projects
    2, seems these cars are settling down

    not an investment guy but breaking even is usually the plan.
     
    bchctybob likes this.
  14. RockyMtnWay
    Joined: Jan 6, 2015
    Posts: 599

    RockyMtnWay
    Member

    Once I retired, I needed something to do so I did a few cl***ic car/hot rod rehabs and spec builds to while away my time. Once I'm done the two I currently have underway, I think I’m going back to just playing golf. It’s getting cheaper to buy than to build(restore) certain cars.
    :p:p:p
     
    bchctybob, HemiDeuce and tractorguy like this.
  15. carbking
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 3,958

    carbking
    Member

    Don't know about cars, don't have any for sale.

    Demand for carburetors and carburetor kits is as high as ever. But demand for some of the performance factory stuff is waning; examples: dual quads for hemis, duel quads for 283's, tripower for Pontiacs. But demand for pre-WWII stuff is stronger than ever.

    Jon
     
  16. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 15,864

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I heard a nasty little rumor a few weeks ago that our area was losing another machine shop. That rumor gained strength today as a friend heard it from the owner himself. He tried to sell the business and had no takers, so he is closing at year's end. That is a big loss. I currently have two of his engines in my cars. Hell of a machinist. Sign of the times.

    Not to be a Debbie Downer, @Pist-n-Broke told me one of our favorite machinists is training his son to take over in his footsteps. So that's a positive going forward.
     
  17. All the custom shops I visit are busy

    but not building stuff you can post here
     
  18. JD Miller
    Joined: Nov 12, 2011
    Posts: 2,648

    JD Miller
    Member

    The Collector Car Market continuing its steady fall...

    This wont effect the Fakespook Marketplace Genius, Idiot, Glue Sniffers from posting their worthless rusted junkers for $$$ hunert K. .... "No lowballers" , "they knowz what they gotz" :D:cool:

    .
     
    51504bat, leon bee and guthriesmith like this.
  19. oldolds
    Joined: Oct 18, 2010
    Posts: 3,624

    oldolds
    Member

    It appears to me that things like this run in cycles. Usually about 8-10 years. The prices of cars were leveling off about 2018. Then Covid hit. Car prices went crazy. A family of 4 got a big check that let them buy things that they could not buy before. That changed the cycle. Everyone that wanted a car bought a car in the last few years. Now they are finding out what it costs to keep up an old car and how seldom they use it. Not to mention inflation. Now they want to sell. There are a lot of cars for sale. Just like real estate, supply, demand and interest rate affect prices.
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  20. lostn51
    Joined: Jan 24, 2008
    Posts: 3,281

    lostn51
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Tennessee

    I’ve noticed that the price of woodies have been dropping considerably over the last couple of years. That and if you watch the Barrett Jackson/Me*** auctions, most of the original restored cars in the 50’s back go pretty cheap. Not the tri five Chevys but your basic pro touring restomods are the ones bringing the money.

    Now since we are traditional guys the cars that we love and always wanted to own are more obtainable and that’s a good thing because I don’t plan on selling squat just buying!!!:D
     
  21. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 59,848

    squirrel
    Member

    not me...I buy high, and sell low, but I make up for it in volume.
     
  22. fastcar1953
    Joined: Oct 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,130

    fastcar1953
    Member

    That sounds about right. Sure is fun though. I could lose money on other things but this makes me happy.
     
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  23. guthriesmith
    Joined: Aug 17, 2006
    Posts: 11,873

    guthriesmith
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Also, is it just me, or have we had this conversation before? :D
     
    clem, Tim, lostn51 and 5 others like this.
  24. lake_harley
    Joined: Jun 4, 2017
    Posts: 2,401

    lake_harley
    Member

    I wish no one financial harm but I've been saying for years that people buying high-dollar cars are going to be terribly upside down as time goes on compared to what they paid. I know it's off topic from the '32 or '40 Ford examples but I sure would hate to have a Z28 Camaro sitting in my garage that I bought for $80,000 or $100,000 just a few years ago.

    The 30-something your old son of a friend of mine hit the nail on his head when he said of he and others in his age group that "We have our own thing"

    Lynn
     
    bchctybob, tractorguy and fastcar1953 like this.
  25. 57 Fargo
    Joined: Jan 22, 2012
    Posts: 6,168

    57 Fargo
    Member


    makes me feel better that it’s not just me that uses this strategy, except I don’t sell much.
     
  26. I’ll have students list their dream car.
    In 15 years I think only 1 student listed a 32 ford.
    Only a couple have mentioned the stuff that could fit here.
    Muscle cars are mentioned a lot, tuners, exotics, and 4x4s generally make up the highest percentage
     
    clem, bchctybob and guthriesmith like this.
  27. 2devilles
    Joined: Jul 16, 2021
    Posts: 754

    2devilles
    Member

    Depends on the "cl***ic" as to if they're up or down, like always. Tastes and prices change through the years. They're off topic, but I watch '67-'79 Ford pickups go for $40k-$80k plus all day long on BaT and CL. Those cars which shall not be mentioned here in their '87-'93 year range regularly bring $50k-$80k, and I saw one with basically delivery miles go for $250k last year. The trucks and those cars I could buy for around $5k-$10k just 5 years ago. I just sold a '72 F100 I had $2500 into for $10,200....is all that nuts? Hell yes, it's nuts, but it's what's popular right now.

    Check out these results and current listings of the trucks. I won't link the car's results, but you can look it up yourself. Just gotta stay ahead of the trends IF what you want to do is make money at the game. If not, don't worry about what your ride is worth, and enjoy the low prices if what you now want is in the "down market".

    https://bringatrailer.com/ford/f-series-1967-1972/

    https://bringatrailer.com/ford/f-series-1973-1979/
     
    bchctybob and tractorguy like this.
  28. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 15,864

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I told my wife occurrences like that are called "deja yu". Like when I tell her we have been to a particular restaurant or movie before only to realize that was not her. Awkward
     
    bchctybob, warbird1, lostn51 and 7 others like this.
  29. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,994

    oldiron 440
    Member

    From what I’ve seen over the last fifty years collector car market and I include everything that I might have an interest in or work on, is based on the economy pure and simple. When budgets get strained it isn’t the daily driver that matters it’s the toy. No matter how large the budget is, I’ve seen guys dump cars they have 200k in for 150k just to keep cash flowing for their business. I have a friend who sold his race car last January after finishing it in August for what the ch***is and paint work cost him and I know he had over 30k in the drive train.
    I’ve been looking on both Facebook and a few other websites and there are quite a few projects for sale.
     
    Squablow likes this.
  30. RodStRace
    Joined: Dec 7, 2007
    Posts: 8,664

    RodStRace
    Member

    My stuff isn't 'collectable', it's fun.
    When stuff went up in 21-22, I tried selling some of the stuff I was losing interest in. Seems others had lost interest too. It's still sitting around.
     

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