for the past couple of years from time to time i check out ebay and try to gauge what stuff is worth... as just a casual observer it seems that prices on ebay have slowly become more realistic (and dropped a little)? ... it seems that last year stuff was bringing more money... not necessarily good stuff either... i remember watching some junk sell for over 15k, that looks like it was built with a bench grinder and welded with a car battery... do you think prices are coming down or are they still climbing? when i lived in so cal it was easier because pomona seemed to be a good reality check for what the market was bringing... but up here in VT i haven't even seen a hotrod yet so it's sort of hard to get a pulse on what the "market" is doing. what have you guys noticed?
seems to me the 'real desireable' stuff is still climbing. everything is 'car crazy' right now. - movies, shows, Barret Jackson gets everyone fired up.... people gettin into cars that didnt even know what one was a couple years ago. --- the car market is going strong as ever yet i think, but it will die back down some, except the desireable stuff & the serious guys will continue on as usual. - kinda like the Harley craze.
I have a problem with the stuff climbing as high as it is. I mean anything with the magic numbers "32" on it is perceived to be made of gold even if it was fished out of a stream. But as far as things leveling out, I think sellers seeing what they can get is indeed mellowing. Online stuff has come down a lot, especially being able to email pics to potential buyers.
not just the 32 stuff... i expect that to climb... but more the "rat rod" stuff on ebay... a while ago i remember a pieced together creation bringing 12k... i wondering if that same heap now a few years later would bring more or less?
Man its getting out of hand! Its getting where the normal guy cant play the game anymore. I'm into the graffiti coupe and some of these junk yard parts are going for unbelievable prices.
I see prices going down, lots of good stuff selling real cheap. At least, when I'm selling stuff, it ain't worth ****, and I've seen a lot of good deals happening on eBay that I'd get in on if I had the extra cash laying around. You'd be crazy to gauge the whole old car market by what 32 Ford **** goes for. I don't even like Deuces anymore. If you're in the market for a nice builder 40's-60's car, there's tons out there for sale and they're not bringing huge money. I would very much like to know where all these stories of huge money being paid for **** come from, and how I can contact these buyers. I'm currently drowning in stuff, both cars and parts, and I don't see how it's "getting out of control" unless you mean my yard, which is out of control. Look in the cl***ifieds. Lots of good stuff in there for sale cheap and not tons of people lining up to scoop it up. ****'s cheap.
Prices have gone down in some stuff, whereas other stuff climbs. Muscle cars seem to be hot right now, so those prices are definitely in favor of the seller. However, it seems like the prices of tri five chevies and even 57-58 plymouths have stabilized and even come down a bit. Human organs cost less than real 32 ford parts right now
Going up...look at Model A parts. I have seen rusted out rear fenders sell for 300 bucks at Pomona. I had all the guys on my block in my garage when I was building my tudor. Know they are looking for a weekend car, but they all tell me the same thing...I dont want to build it, just buy it and drive it. With that mind set, people will pay and people well sell to make the big bucks. America.
I agree with most of the comments. My observations are based on selling my cars, people I know and going to car auctions. Whether or not prices are going up, well..it depends. I think it's based on demographics more than anything. Baby boomers, whose kids have moved out have lots of disposable income to spend on toys they couldn't afford when they were younger. They are driving and changing the market. 1. Most of the "new" boomers don't know much about the cars they are buying. Therefore they buy what's popular, hence the price of '32-40 Fords, Muscle cars and tri-five Chevys, etc. is going through the roof. Price of this stuff is DEFINATELY going up. 2. More and more dealers in the game now, driving up prices to make their margin on anything remotely popular. 3. Most "new" buyers can't work on their own cars, so they're willing to pay for a mint, complete car. You can't give away project cars up here (Canada) unless it is one of the cars in #1. (i.e. '57 Chevy rag.) In the words of a friend of mine, "Here's the ****ing key. That's all you understand, there's your ****ing key!" No truer words said about boomer buyers who want to wash and wax their new cl***ic car. Demographics will also in my opinion drive DOWN prices on '20s-40s cl***ics, including Model As in the future. How many people do you think will be lining up to pay big$$ for a 1936 Pierce Arrrow roadster 15 years from now. Not many. With no parts supply, few people who know how to work on them, bad driving characteristics and sheer size make them 1:1 scale models for your garage collection. People tend to buy cars they remember growing up with. Add to that the price of real estate, at least here, who can afford to keep cars with a 120" wheel base? My friend is selling 3 car garage in Toronto for $180K and he's got people fighting over it!!! Just my 0.02
If I'm buying then things are out of control. If I'm selling the market has gotten real lousy. Come to think of it, it's always been that way. Just try to keep it in perspective...
Regular stuff seems to be down from a little to a lot. Incredible stuff is going up like a rocket. Why do I have so much regualar stuff?
Has anyone bought car stuff they couldn't afford? Have you ever sold something for less than you'd accept? We'll never run out of projects, every car project I've had found me, I didn't go looking for it.
The good stuff on Ebay seems to still fetch a high price, but the junk isn't moving - barley hitting reserve (if any). I think people have become better "shoppers" and are waiting for the right car or part to show up - then they jump on it - and the price jumps through the roof.
also people are tired of getting burned on stuff with touched up photos and in the end it's **** gotta few of those myself gotta keep em tho so wife cant say she was right Ken
I see the better quality cars doing more money than ever,now and in the future.A high quality muscle car is the best investment there is right now.{Make sure it is what it is!]The big old cars from the 30s and 40s are on their way down.A's and 32-40 Fords are strong as are GM coupes from that era.Newer stuff thats getting hot-Fox body Mustangs,IROC Zs,Trans Ams,Z28s.It looks like the tri 5 Chevys are getting cheaper unless they are really nice.All this mess is just my opinion from reading every swap sheet I can find,watching Ebay,going to collector car auctions{3-4 a year}and driving to swap meets within 5 hours of my house,not counting Charlotte,which is 12 hours,but I'm going anyway.!!I see that I probably put as much time in my hobby as I do my job,now that I have it typed out here.Yikes!!!!
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