This is just one side of a coin we seem to flip week after week on this forum. Heads: The world is doomed and prices are falling. Tails: Prices are rising and the hobby is doomed. These prognostications are generally anecdotal: Tea leaf readings based on asking prices in a couple online ads, or something a friend saw at a swap meet. Let's be real: There will aways be abnormally low-priced cars, and there will always be abnormally high-priced cars. Until you see a car in person and learn the details, you're just speculating and filling in blanks with whatever narrative you currently believe. But that's OK. We'll flip the coin again next week.
I hear you that its always easy to call out one car as a price 'trend', but I've been seeing this decline in 30s - 50s era American car prices for a while now- It's not made up or speculative, and I'm hearing it from lots of traders out there. And based on what cars are actually selling for, not just what a seller thinks it's worth... Examples? https://www.hagerty.com/marketplace/auction/1940-Lincoln-Zephyr/4VrEdCKCtnVBh0obEjDMy4 https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/29...xe-woodie-station-wagon-ch***is-no-185793041/ https://www.cl***ic.com/veh/1955-ford-thunderbird-p5fh108197-pEQX2Dp/
175k jobs added in March, not quite as many as in months prior, unemployment 3.9% Gas prices up a dime over last year. I believe that the low car prices are due to the fact that people are aging out of the hobby. That prices are low hopefully leads to more younger people entering the hobby. Just my $0.02 worth.
Everything I hear is that jobs are way up, can’t get in a restaurant without a reservation, people are living their best lives around here. I have worked plenty, so not really looking for a job. I am ready for a nice dream car, might pick up a 1947 driver tudor to keep me occupied until that certain one comes along. There are some friend and family cars that I would be honoured to buy and take care of before I age out.
At 79 I've been downsizing for the last few years, I've sold 3 deuces and a Corvette. Still got 4 deuces and a 40. I'll sit tight for a while, I don't need the money and have had one of them over 40 years. I built my first car in 1962 (53 Bel Air Hardtop) and over the 60+ years seen drastic market fluctuations. No need to get excited unless a car comes along I can't live without (chopped 36 3 window) that possibly might entice me to sell one or two?
I personally think a large reason prices are down is because of posers and trend followers headed to the next trendy thing. What I mean by that is Muscle cars with twin turbo LS engines and C10 pickups are super trendy right now. The guys who are not true hot rodders to the core are abandoning their 32-34 fords So they can get a lowered C10 pickup and be cool like the one they see on the cover of what is now called Hot rod magazine. Alot of Shops who have been building early fords for years are tooling up making ch***is fixtures for new C10 frames and Frames for Camaros, Chevelles etc. I know alot of big name builders and I was speaking about this with one of them back in Feb. He said it is what it is. If your going to make a living building cars you have to follow the money. And right now the money is in highly modified muscle cars and c10's F100's etc. And don't get me started on whatever the hell a "G" body car is! Anyhow it is a good thing prices are down on early fords in my opinion because None of mine are for sale anyway I plan to keep them until they are worth nothing at all. And with prices being low that just means I can buy more...lol
There’s a done running and driving 34 roadster full fendered with a hopped up flathead selling local to me for 42k. I’ve seen a 36 3w sell dirt cheap recently. There a definitely deals out there right now.
stock flatheads are pretty flat patina cars are fading fast If you can buy a finished 32 - 40 at a good price you will be alright. Old Fords are still best value...look dang cool and cheap to repair relatively.
The auctions in Oz have seen a recent "trend" of cars not making reserve. Buyers can't/won't pay what the vendors think they're worth. Surely the market finds it's level.
Currently Boomers are dying off at 2.6 million per year, that is over 7000 per day. That will double to 4 million a year over the next 15 years. Lots of families selling "dads car" and the "dads" that are left don't need another and the "kids" are not interested making a small buying pool for a growing market of cars. $10K early Ford coupes and roadsters are coming if you can live long enough. Same will eventually happen with housing but it will take a few more decades. With the current low birth rate there will not be enough people to fill all the homes vacated by dead boomers. Good time to be in the funeral business, not the car flipping business.
Any Model T's for sale or Model T's being built ? Unfortunately time is marching on. Just enjoy what you like for the time you are here. Every day is a good day.
The market follows the trends, and what the TV shows put out and make "HIP" The builders will always follow the money as their shops are aiming to make profit not sit around money. I have recently toyed with getting out of my current rut, sell two to make 1 bad *** hotrod is in my thoughts. There is alot of folks getting out, some is due to the economy, some is due to their "love" is only whatever gets awards and magazine time. Its funny watching the fads of SEMA trickle down. Goes to show how many followers there are in this world!
It seems to me that prices are always changing on cars. Every once in a while a certain style is the hot thing. Sometimes Hemi cars are the crazy price car. Sometimes VW's. Right now square body Blazers ad Bronco's are crazy. All it takes is for the big money guys to decide a certain style of car is cheap. They will make the prices go up. Everything has it's moment. Buy what you enjoy.
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