The Herald is ridiculously overpriced IMO, and no more a classic in my mind than a Ford Pinto...it's really a pretty dreadful car to look at and drive. It would be a poor choice and a tragic investment.
The Tiger is an interesting collectible...again you have to watch for counterfeits (converted Alpines) and sadly, most Tigers have been heavily modified.The 302 engine is not correct. Most people put too powerful engines in them...they are hairy enough to drive with the stock 260. Last of all, the price seems high for a car that is not outstanding and not stock....maybe $3,000-5,000 overpriced. But of the two, the Tiger is the better choice IMO, both for fun and future value.
It was $7900. Website: Chicagocarexchange.com. After doing a little research last night, I found a couple price guides that said a show car would go for $4000-5000. Go figure.
I am looking for a roadster, and don't want to go the Miata route, due to the fact that I must want to suffer. Am leaning towards a late 80's Alfa.
Well, yes, I derive an '88 Alfa Spyder and have been very pleased with the run factor and the reliability...I think the 80s Alfa Spyders are the drop-dead absolute bargain of the roadster market right now...it's twice the car of the MGB for half the price. You should be able to find a near show quality late 80s Alfa Spyder for $5,500-7,500. They aren't fast cars per se, but very civilized (great heater and decent a/c if you aren't in Texas!)
Looking at a '64 Galaxies 500 El con. It's red I/ red interior. The current owner bought it in '75 from the second owner and has out about 50-100 miles on it (odometer reads 89000, original?). It has been sitting in his carport under traps for 25 years. One trip to a body shop to be re-painted red, and one trip to a top maker. During these trips someone stole part of the top, it appears to be the carriage' that the lid rests in when down. The framework for supporting the lid when up appears to be intact, but no canvas. All the electric motors (seat, windows, top) have been removed and are accounted for. Some of the interior is disassembled from the paint work. All upholstery is in great shape, as is the dash. All of the chrome is in good shape, but lightly pitted. Dash board intact I/ no cracks and has factory A/C. No rust visible. Car looks straight and clean, just needs some reassembly and clean up (that and a top!) Also curious if it would be wisest to put a new engine in as it has been sitting for a LONG time. Any thoughts or input would be great!
I should also note that we are looking at is as a daily driver for my wife and two kids (6 & 4) so if any one has info on seat belt availability, that would be great. We're thinking life is too much fun to keep driving a mini van! That and my wife drove a 67 Fair lane 500 con. in high school and then had a series of volkswagon convertibles. Thanks!
Sounds like a project car, worth maybe $1,200...you can buy these cars turn key local show quality for around $8K-10K, and even at $1,200 you've got a lot of work ahead of you.
I know of a good running '65, red, good body and paint and top, so-so interior (sun faded and patched here and there), so much, much further along than your car, for around $4K or less....also has factory air...it isn't an XL, so doesn't have a console. So this one can already be driven everyday...top motor not working, a/c not working, non-stock wooden steering wheel. It's in colorado if you are interested, at 970-925-3956 (friends of mine). They can send you an appraisal report.
Really, it sounds like your project car would be better for parts....big American convertibles are not cheap to restore, and top and electric motor hassles can really be a pain in the neck, too.
A good friend restored a 62 Triumph Sports 6 convertible a number of years ago. The Sports 6 was basically a Herald with a 1600 or 2000cc six cylinder. A rare car in the US only 900 imported. Anyway, the car was featured in a magazine and he got a phone call from a fellow who just HAD to have it. It went for somewhere north of $15k. The buyer then had it restored again! Go figure!
Unbelievable...that's about 3 times market price, and a rather unattractive and incompetent car to boot....I don't know what the buyer was thinking, but, hey, whatever floats your boat I guess.
I see these cars now and then, I think they were called the "Vitesse" as well, but they always go begging for a buyer...I've never seen one sell at auction even...no one would even bid on it. A classic case of rarity not translating into value.
Anyway, one sale (I'd LOVE to see the cancelled check!) doesn't make a market, so all you Vitesse owners, don't start loading up your cars on trailers and head for Pebble Beach.
Sorry Shifty. Off topic, but sometimes your comments make me laugh like hell. For some reason, I just had a vision of one of those 50's Simcas with the little Ford V860 motor with finned heads and chrome acorn nuts on a trailer to Pebble Beach... Must've been something I ate last night.
Funny you should mention Simca. I've been to Pebble Beach most of years since '77 and a couple years ago there was a 52(?) Simca Ghia bodied one-off. Best way to describe it was imagine a 3/4 scale chopped 48 Merc in two tone with a big toothy Buick Grille. Pebble Beach was originally a new car show. I've seen photos from the first show in 1950 and it was all new (primarily foreign) cars.
Shifty, the Sports 6 (Vitesse 6) story is absolutely true as hard as it may seem to believe. And yes, a good Vitesse in the US is maybe $6-7k. They are very popular in the UK as a practical classic. After driving my friends years ago I was so impressed I found a complete original car that neede going through for $600.
OK, here's another one I've heard of. A "barn find" NSU Spider convertible with 16k miles, not run in 10 years. This is the Wankel engined car. What do you opine on that one?
My Dad bought this car new and I've had it for over a year. Unfortunitly I really don't have the room in my garage for this large car and I am thinking of selling it. It's in very good condition and has only 55000 miles. Can you give me an ideal of what it might be worth?
75 Eldo Coupe---I'd say if someone offered you $5,000 cash I'd sure take it...depending on how long you want to wait, you might get a little more for it.....but somewhere in there seems to me all the money in today's market.
NSU Spider....really? Now that is a rare bird in the US, although actually some 5,000 were made, so not really a rare, rare car by collector car standards. Can't say I've ever seen one--do I want to? But again, NSUs, like Simcas or Triumph Vitesses or other "oddities", are such hard sells in this country-- the buyers are there, but rarely at a high price....people collecting "curiosities" don't like to pay much. Certainly less than the cost of restoring them.
The problem is that none of these cars is historically significant...perhaps the Simca one-off could be rare enough and interesting enough for someone to pay a decent price.
It's true, many British cars will bring more money in the UK then they will here...understandably, since they are on "home turf" and more appreciated there, and repairs and spares more readily available. I'd hazard a guess than some US export models are even converted back to right hand drive.
British cars generally have a higher value in the UK than the US for one basic reason, supply. The collectible cars, mainly sports cars, were exported in huge numbers to the US because that's where the market was. In the case of Triumph, my marque of choice, upwards of 80% of sports car production came to the US. So we had far more cars to fill the demands of the collector market so our prices were lower. Also, the English climate is not kind to cars so the few that were sold in the home market had a much lower survival rate. We had the supply, they had the demand, so lots of Brit sports cars were re-imported to the homeland especially in the late '80s during the collector car craze. One fellow in our Triumph club had access to shipping manifests for LA harbor and said at one point that as many as 300 British cars a month were being shipped out to Europe. In most cases, converting to right hand drive is pretty simple. In the case of a Triumph TR2,3,3A,3B it only requires a different steering box, dash board a little plumbing and then moving components from one side to the other. All the holes and fittings are already in place from the factory. The later a car is the more difficult it is as safety laws began to be imposed by different countries.
For the most part, parts availability in the US is very good for the cars that were sold here in large numbers. For the oddballs, like a Vitesse, you have to get some parts out of the UK but these days with the internet and FedEx its actually pretty easy and not very expensive. Also, Triumph like all manufacurers shared components between models so many parts on the Vitesse were also used on the Spitfire and GT6. Some of the long time TR owners I know say that the parts availability today is actually better than when the cars were new and you could go to a dealer.
I am going to try and find time and look at the NSU this weekend. I don't have room for it but I just love the idea of a "barn find". I'll take a few snaps and then try and find it a good home.
Well, you know, maybe the NSU Spider is more popular than I thought with collectors, at least in Europe...there seems to be quite a few websites devoted to the car. Also, it might be rarer than I thought...there appears to be a raging dispute on numbers produced, anywhere from 5,000 down to some 2,500 or so.
Can't say it is an attractive car, but I guess the rotary engine makes it interesting as a bit of "backshelf" history.
Thanks for the interesting post, and good hunting!
PS: Anyone who says it looks like an Alfa will have their wrists slapped!
(Actually, it does a little, but the Alfa is prettier by far IMO---also looks a little like a Sunbeam Alpine and a little like a Triumph Herald and a little like a Fiat...well, never mind...it;'s not bad looking, really....it could grow on me)
it looked like a 67 Datsun 1600 Roadster that had been worked over to look better by some Alfa designers-kinda like Alfa features and makeup applied to the Datsun [ugly] body. No insult to Alfas!
url's not supposed to have any spaces, but that $^&*$# 100 character limit...Can we get that repealed?
The current price is $18,500, and it says "reserve not yet met" I don't know who's crazier, the buyer that bid 18,5 or the guy that wanted more than that.
Amazingly enough, as hard as it is to believe, if that car is well-restored he could actually get more than $18K.......you know, like the car guys say "There an ___ for every seat".
I think that the bid that's up now is about market for a nice example.
Hey, I have a '71 corvette. Average miles and average condition. I know about 15 people who have all offered over $35,000.00 (US) for this car. Seems low to me. Could you give me your advice?
Sorry, could not resist. I just found this thread.:) LOL
i have a 71 vette coup that is a number matching 350/270hp/rock crucher 4speed its a middle 3 condition with a new paint and only 64,000 miles on itand only anout 500 miles on rebuild of motor. it needs a few little things but since i redone alot of it and the hp is now 300hp i was woundering what u might think i should try to sell it for. any info would greatly appreitated. thanks harry
Corvettes are really hard to guess without seeing them, as the value depends drastically on accuracy and condition and equipment. I wouldn't even want to try.
However, you might get a rough idea from this site:
I currently have the bug to go out and buy a Mopar muscle car (68-70 Charger R/T, 70-71 Challenger R/T, T/A or 70-71 Cuda). A co-worker, who has been a long time Mopar fan, said that the prices have recently exploded, and will come down sometime soon. Do you agree with this obervation, or do you think the prices will continue to rise?
As a teenager, I owned a 65 Belvedere and 71 Barracuda. Now that I am middle aged and can afford the insurance, I would like to have the car I always dreamed of. Sounds like a mid-life crisis?
Well, Bob, depends on what engine you want. If you are thinking Hemi or 440 six pack, there is no way prices are coming down, but if you'll settle for a 383, I think prices now are stable. I don't see prices coming down for really sharp cars, but for the bondo sleds or for cars that need restoration, perhaps the prices will drop a little.
Speaking of which, yesterday on the freeway I came up on a bright red Challenger R/T, license plate "71 RT". It had lots of gearing and didn't sound comfortable on the freeway. I pulled next to it and the hood plaque says 426 HEMI.
Well, there's a few fake hemis around, but this thing sounded like very few cars I've heard away from the strip. The gears were making the engine work pretty hard, so I got the full effect. I haven't heard enough hemis to know what they sound like but this engine had a deep edgy howl suggesting 7 liters of highly purposeful hp.
Assuming it's a numbers matching hemi, what would that car be worth?
Well, presuming matching numbers and presuming a really SHARP, ACCURATE, AUTHENTIC car (many of which are matching but not so nicely restored), around $50K-60K for show quality. A kind of so-so amateur restoration, you can knock off $20K (only the best muscle cars get the high prices).
Thanks, that's less than I thought. Somehow I thought they were close to $100k. Did they ever go that high in the late '80s?
What about a '70-72 Cuda or Challenger 340, clean original but not show? They were the best all-around drivers.
It's interesting that the E-bodies have such a mystique, because they're nothing more or less than a shortened Belvedere/Coronet. The only thing that saved my '70 Challenger from being truck-like was some very quick power steering. Mine had the base suspension and was clapped out, so maybe the 340 with handling package was more nimble.
The styling is nice, especially the Cuda, and says "power" a lot more clearly than previous Baracudas, but it's derivative. I knew a guy whose back yard was planted in E-bodies and one day I happened to glance quickly at one and thought he'd bought a first-generation Camaro. The shape registered "Camaro" but when I looked at it again it was a Cuda.
Of course, that was Chrysler's plan in those days. "No more risks!". They were still in Exner withdrawal.
Somehow the mind boggles at 100K for a Plymouth, but if someone will pay it with real dollars, I guess that's what the best in the world is worth perhaps. I don't pretend to understand why some of these prices are what they are, I just follow and report...some I do understand, but not $100K Plymouths (or any mass produced car, for that matter, domestic or foreign). I don't believe these prices will hold over time.
If it's a Hemi Cuda CONVERTIBLE..... Then it is a very very rare car. A real one is worth 6-figures. I think the reason a lot of these musclecars have gotten expensive is simple.
If you go to the Kruse or Barrett-Jacksonor whatever auctions... go to car shows... It's the baby boomers buying them. These were the people that were 16 when that car was new and it was to them what a Porsche Boxster or M3 or Jaguar XKR is to my 16 year old cousin. It was the car they had plastered on the wall.
Now these guys have bucks. I tell ya one thing... grab a copy of "Sports Car Market" which analyzes the collector car auctions. You'll see that a lot of the older classics are tough to sell. The K-Series Lincolns, old 30s Packards, Cadillacs..etc... Let's face it. A 1931 Cadillac is 70 years old. How many people that remember those cars are even still around?
I bet when I'm 50, in 2025, that I'll be going to car shows and seeing restored 88 M3s, IROC-Zs, Maserati Biturbos..etc.. Who knows.... But it'll be GenX hitting middle age with money...
Yeah, Bill, I see your reasoning but in another way a Hemi Cuda convertible isn't RARE at all...it's just a Plymouth with another rare engine in it, right? That's very different than say a car of which only 10-50 exist in the whole word in any form whatsoever. And more than that, it's just a mass produced car, and a rather crude (although effective) machine. It's all vinyl and stampings and big old nuts and bolts.
Now true, I won't argue that the prices are being driven up by real desire--but the reason I don't feel the prices will hold is that this type of desire will not be understood in the future, and then the car will have to stand on its own merits...that is, what does it look like, how finely it is made?, etc. So you may end up with the next generation sobering up a bit and saying...wait a minute....a Plymouth for the same price as a vintage Alfa or Jaguar, with all that wood and leather and aluminum castings, etc.....no way I'm paying that for a Cuda!
Then again, I could be wrong. We'll just have to wait and see.
Good point. I think they'll hold value if only because there's such a limited supply vs a large number of Mopar enthusiasts who want one. Look at L88 Corvettes, 427-Engined Fairlanes..etc...
However! If I'm going to spend a lot on a Mopar Musclecar it's going to be a Plymouth Superbird or Dodge Daytona.
OTOH, Look at the XK150s. A 3.8S Roadster is a not uncommon at all car with a scarce engine. How many were made, 18 if I recall? Meanwhile there's hundreds of XK150 Roadsters and DHCs out there in nice shape. A 3.8S Roadster is worth well over $100K in nice shape, and $40K will get you a nice standard XK150 Roadster, and there's always at least a dozen or more on the market.
I oughta know, I got a nice one! After I sold the Show car I went out and found a nice BRG one in great shape to use as a driver. Took me no time at all.
True, true, but a Jaguar is not a Plymouth...you are talking about dohc engine, leather, woodwork and Lemans history.....a Hemi Cuda convertible is just an ordinary workaday sedan with a drop top and one hell of an engine. Take out the engine and you haven't got much left in terms of tradition or prestige or workmanship.
Is "Lemans history" worth more than Daytona, Talladega, etc.. history? I guarantee that there are just as many race wins by Plymouth as by Jaguar, just in a different venue. Lets not forget that NASCAR is one of the largest racing series in the world.
Well, yes, it's true that there was some racing heritage with at least the engines, but American companies only race for marketing...they race a few years and quit...they aren't committed to racing like say Ferrari or Porsche. So their racing "heritage" is not very long and not worldwide. In the 60s we had the Ford/British combo racing and now we have Viper/French connection. But they all leave after a few years or after a couple big wins.
And really, Talledaga is not a Lemans. At Lemans, you race "all comers", in other words, you beat the world. (as even Ford once did).
But I do agree that there is a "heritage" factor in the muscle cars, even though it's mostly mythology (in the sense of "legend", not in the sense that it is "false")...and heritage is one important factor in value. Another is rarity, and most American production cars are not rare at all...what you have is a rare engine in a common body. Your car with the Hemi looks like Uncle Fred's with the 6 cylinder automatic.
So I don't see all comparisons with foreign "collectibles" as equal, at least if we are talking about the really big buck cars.
Still, I was surprised to see a Plymouth approach 100K, so maybe I'll continue to be surprised. I don't pretend to always know what makes people spend their money.
I know it confuses people, but if the "coupe" is American and has a post, I call it 2-door sedan, whereas I call the American postless coupe a 2-door hardtop. But some people refer to all 2-door posts, American or foreign, as "sport coupes", so as to get away from the more historical term of 2-door sedan that used to be more common.
In any event, generally (with exceptions) the value of a car corresponds to convertibles being the highest, then 2-door hardtops, then 2-door coupes (post with small rear window), then 2-door sedans (post with larger rear window), then 4-doors and wagons. Of course a real Chrysler Corp. 426 Hemi in ANY body is worth at least $30K just for the engine these days. .
I own a 66 mercury 4 dr sedan, with 68K original miles, new leatherette interior and still in restoration processes. In CA many Classic cars are valued from $2500 to $45K at local Classic Car dealers in LA County and Orange County. It doesn't require a sports car to be a Classic vintage anywhere in the USA.Mine has the 390 Hp engine V8 and ourruns most 2001 new models on the freeway. Price is always what you will pay to own a Classic model automobile! Value is just mental.
Comments
The Tiger is an interesting collectible...again you have to watch for counterfeits (converted Alpines) and sadly, most Tigers have been heavily modified.The 302 engine is not correct. Most people put too powerful engines in them...they are hairy enough to drive with the stock 260. Last of all, the price seems high for a car that is not outstanding and not stock....maybe $3,000-5,000 overpriced. But of the two, the Tiger is the better choice IMO, both for fun and future value.
Imagine that!
I haven't seen one of those in years...
Are you sure it wasn't 790.00 ?
I am looking for a roadster, and don't want to go the Miata route, due to the fact that I must want to suffer. Am leaning towards a late 80's Alfa.
Any thoughts?
Translation: Will keep you cool in Alaska in December with the top down going 90 mph.
Rea98d-
Abilene, Texas
I should also note that we are looking at is as a daily driver for my wife and two kids (6 & 4) so if any one has info on seat belt availability, that would be great. We're thinking life is too much fun to keep driving a mini van! That and my wife drove a 67 Fair lane 500 con. in high school and then had a series of volkswagon convertibles.
Thanks!
I know of a good running '65, red, good body and paint and top, so-so interior (sun faded and patched here and there), so much, much further along than your car, for around $4K or less....also has factory air...it isn't an XL, so doesn't have a console. So this one can already be driven everyday...top motor not working, a/c not working, non-stock wooden steering wheel. It's in colorado if you are interested, at 970-925-3956 (friends of mine). They can send you an appraisal report.
Really, it sounds like your project car would be better for parts....big American convertibles are not cheap to restore, and top and electric motor hassles can really be a pain in the neck, too.
I see these cars now and then, I think they were called the "Vitesse" as well, but they always go begging for a buyer...I've never seen one sell at auction even...no one would even bid on it. A classic case of rarity not translating into value.
Anyway, one sale (I'd LOVE to see the cancelled check!) doesn't make a market, so all you Vitesse owners, don't start loading up your cars on trailers and head for Pebble Beach.
Must've been something I ate last night.
Shifty, the Sports 6 (Vitesse 6) story is absolutely true as hard as it may seem to believe. And yes, a good Vitesse in the US is maybe $6-7k. They are very popular in the UK as a practical classic. After driving my friends years ago I was so impressed I found a complete original car that neede going through for $600.
OK, here's another one I've heard of. A "barn find" NSU Spider convertible with 16k miles, not run in 10 years. This is the Wankel engined car. What do you opine on that one?
NSU Spider....really? Now that is a rare bird in the US, although actually some 5,000 were made, so not really a rare, rare car by collector car standards. Can't say I've ever seen one--do I want to? But again, NSUs, like Simcas or Triumph Vitesses or other "oddities", are such hard sells in this country-- the buyers are there, but rarely at a high price....people collecting "curiosities" don't like to pay much. Certainly less than the cost of restoring them.
The problem is that none of these cars is historically significant...perhaps the Simca one-off could be rare enough and interesting enough for someone to pay a decent price.
It's true, many British cars will bring more money in the UK then they will here...understandably, since they are on "home turf" and more appreciated there, and repairs and spares more readily available. I'd hazard a guess than some US export models are even converted back to right hand drive.
For the most part, parts availability in the US is very good for the cars that were sold here in large numbers. For the oddballs, like a Vitesse, you have to get some parts out of the UK but these days with the internet and FedEx its actually pretty easy and not very expensive. Also, Triumph like all manufacurers shared components between models so many parts on the Vitesse were also used on the Spitfire and GT6. Some of the long time TR owners I know say that the parts availability today is actually better than when the cars were new and you could go to a dealer.
I am going to try and find time and look at the NSU this weekend. I don't have room for it but I just love the idea of a "barn find". I'll take a few snaps and then try and find it a good home.
Can't say it is an attractive car, but I guess the rotary engine makes it interesting as a bit of "backshelf" history.
Thanks for the interesting post, and good hunting!
(Actually, it does a little, but the Alfa is prettier by far IMO---also looks a little like a Sunbeam Alpine and a little like a Triumph Herald and a little like a Fiat...well, never mind...it;'s not bad looking, really....it could grow on me)
I had a red Giulia and when I started scrolling down the page I thought it was her...
But, as you point out Giulia was much prettier - and Italian!
How about posting a picture so people can see for themselves?
http://cgi.ebay.com /ebaymotors /aw-cgi/e BayISAPI.dl l?ViewItem&item =561794931 &tc=photo6216
url's not supposed to have any spaces, but that $^&*$# 100 character limit...Can we get that repealed?
The current price is $18,500, and it says "reserve not yet met" I don't know who's crazier, the buyer that bid 18,5 or the guy that wanted more than that.
I think that the bid that's up now is about market for a nice example.
Sorry, could not resist. I just found this thread.:) LOL
However, you might get a rough idea from this site:
http://www.vmrintl.com/cctm/coll_frame.htm
best,
Host
I currently have the bug to go out and buy a Mopar muscle car (68-70 Charger R/T, 70-71 Challenger R/T, T/A or 70-71 Cuda). A co-worker, who has been a long time Mopar fan, said that the prices have recently exploded, and will come down sometime soon. Do you agree with this obervation, or do you think the prices will continue to rise?
As a teenager, I owned a 65 Belvedere and 71 Barracuda. Now that I am middle aged and can afford the insurance, I would like to have the car I always dreamed of. Sounds like a mid-life crisis?
Thanks,
Bob
Well, there's a few fake hemis around, but this thing sounded like very few cars I've heard away from the strip. The gears were making the engine work pretty hard, so I got the full effect. I haven't heard enough hemis to know what they sound like but this engine had a deep edgy howl suggesting 7 liters of highly purposeful hp.
Assuming it's a numbers matching hemi, what would that car be worth?
Well, presuming matching numbers and presuming a really SHARP, ACCURATE, AUTHENTIC car (many of which are matching but not so nicely restored), around $50K-60K for show quality. A kind of so-so amateur restoration, you can knock off $20K (only the best muscle cars get the high prices).
A "fake" with a 383 is worth maybe $13.5K
What about a '70-72 Cuda or Challenger 340, clean original but not show? They were the best all-around drivers.
It's interesting that the E-bodies have such a mystique, because they're nothing more or less than a shortened Belvedere/Coronet. The only thing that saved my '70 Challenger from being truck-like was some very quick power steering. Mine had the base suspension and was clapped out, so maybe the 340 with handling package was more nimble.
The styling is nice, especially the Cuda, and says "power" a lot more clearly than previous Baracudas, but it's derivative. I knew a guy whose back yard was planted in E-bodies and one day I happened to glance quickly at one and thought he'd bought a first-generation Camaro. The shape registered "Camaro" but when I looked at it again it was a Cuda.
Of course, that was Chrysler's plan in those days. "No more risks!". They were still in Exner withdrawal.
If it's a Hemi Cuda CONVERTIBLE..... Then it is a very very rare car. A real one is worth 6-figures. I think the reason a lot of these musclecars have gotten expensive is simple.
If you go to the Kruse or Barrett-Jacksonor whatever auctions... go to car shows... It's the baby boomers buying them. These were the people that were 16 when that car was new and it was to them what a Porsche Boxster or M3 or Jaguar XKR is to my 16 year old cousin. It was the car they had plastered on the wall.
Now these guys have bucks. I tell ya one thing... grab a copy of "Sports Car Market" which analyzes the collector car auctions. You'll see that a lot of the older classics are tough to sell. The K-Series Lincolns, old 30s Packards, Cadillacs..etc... Let's face it. A 1931 Cadillac is 70 years old. How many people that remember those cars are even still around?
I bet when I'm 50, in 2025, that I'll be going to car shows and seeing restored 88 M3s, IROC-Zs, Maserati Biturbos..etc.. Who knows.... But it'll be GenX hitting middle age with money...
Bill
Now true, I won't argue that the prices are being driven up by real desire--but the reason I don't feel the prices will hold is that this type of desire will not be understood in the future, and then the car will have to stand on its own merits...that is, what does it look like, how finely it is made?, etc. So you may end up with the next generation sobering up a bit and saying...wait a minute....a Plymouth for the same price as a vintage Alfa or Jaguar, with all that wood and leather and aluminum castings, etc.....no way I'm paying that for a Cuda!
Then again, I could be wrong. We'll just have to wait and see.
However! If I'm going to spend a lot on a Mopar Musclecar it's going to be a Plymouth Superbird or Dodge Daytona.
OTOH, Look at the XK150s. A 3.8S Roadster is a not uncommon at all car with a scarce engine. How many were made, 18 if I recall? Meanwhile there's hundreds of XK150 Roadsters and DHCs out there in nice shape. A 3.8S Roadster is worth well over $100K in nice shape, and $40K will get you a nice standard XK150 Roadster, and there's always at least a dozen or more on the market.
I oughta know, I got a nice one! After I sold the Show car I went out and found a nice BRG one in great shape to use as a driver. Took me no time at all.
Bill
And really, Talledaga is not a Lemans. At Lemans, you race "all comers", in other words, you beat the world. (as even Ford once did).
But I do agree that there is a "heritage" factor in the muscle cars, even though it's mostly mythology (in the sense of "legend", not in the sense that it is "false")...and heritage is one important factor in value. Another is rarity, and most American production cars are not rare at all...what you have is a rare engine in a common body. Your car with the Hemi looks like Uncle Fred's with the 6 cylinder automatic.
So I don't see all comparisons with foreign "collectibles" as equal, at least if we are talking about the really big buck cars.
Still, I was surprised to see a Plymouth approach 100K, so maybe I'll continue to be surprised. I don't pretend to always know what makes people spend their money.
In any event, generally (with exceptions) the value of a car corresponds to convertibles being the highest, then 2-door hardtops, then 2-door coupes (post with small rear window), then 2-door sedans (post with larger rear window), then 4-doors and wagons. Of course a real Chrysler Corp. 426 Hemi in ANY body is worth at least $30K just for the engine these days. .