[justincampbell]

Just curious what everyone's opinion on this was.

Just as a point of reference, it is my opinion that prices for #3 or better old cars have been bat@#$% crazy since the pandemic began.

So, when gas gets to be $6, $7, $8, are people going to be measurably more likely to sell their cars for a more reasonable number?
OR
Are bat@#$% crazy prices here to stay since we are talking about collector vehicles as opposed to just used cars?

[mzbk2l]

I drive my old cars (car, now), so little that gas prices don't really affect my plans for it. However, my new car takes premium and gets about the same mileage as my old car, and I do pay a bit more attention to whether I really need to take that one out!

[Scarebird]

I do not think this will affect the prices of vintage cars very much if at all.

What I do hope is the high fuel prices thin the herd of these ridiculous BroDozers.

They infest the roads here in Albuquerque and seem to only have one speed - full ahead.

Perhaps single digit mileage and $5+/gallon fuel costs will subdue this nonsense.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

I do not think this will affect the prices of vintage cars very much if at all.

What I do hope is the high fuel prices thin the herd of these ridiculous BroDozers.

They infest the roads here in Albuquerque and seem to only have one speed - full ahead.

Perhaps single digit mileage and $5+/gallon fuel costs will subdue this nonsense.

It won't stop me from driving my trucks, that's for sure.

[HoovDaddy]

Values of collectibles and real assets of all types usually increase during periods of inflation. Also, collectors have money to spend after being couped up during the pandemic.

I think car values are based on what people are collecting at any given time and I think what cars people collect is all generational. Hemi cars skyrocketed in the 80s. Supply versus demand. There are too many variables to accurately predict future values no matter how much data you have. Baby boomers collected 60s muscle cars and many of those large collections are being sold off right now at no reserve which equates to higher prices. Millennials on the other hand want late 70s-80s cars, trucks, SUV's. I work part-time in the High School Auto Shop and today's generation wants any car with forced induction or any pickup truck, very little interest in cars older than the 80s. We are currently building a '65 Mustang, a T-bucket, and a LS powered BMW, all from the ground up. Hard to get kids interested in working on the old cars, but they are willing to work on the BMW.

I went back to a 1989 issue of Hemmings and found this ad. Kind of interesting.
The Challenger I circled below from an October 1989 issue of Hemmings has an asking price of $62k, that is $142k in today's dollars. Hagerty lists this car in #3 condition at $190k today. I thought the adjusted difference would be greater than $48k.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by justincampbell

Just curious what everyone's opinion on this was.

Just as a point of reference, it is my opinion that prices for #3 or better old cars have been bat@#$% crazy since the pandemic began.

So, when gas gets to be $6, $7, $8, are people going to be measurably more likely to sell their cars for a more reasonable number?
OR
Are bat@#$% crazy prices here to stay since we are talking about collector vehicles as opposed to just used cars?

Some was, is a place to keep money, out of the market, and questing they will still go up. There are still used car flippers asking huge money for cars that would NOT pass inspection.
This make take a few more months, but those cars will be sold at a loss to them eventually.

[grandam1979]

Personally I think the biggest problem is people see a total professional restoration go across the auction block and sell for big money now they think the driver quality car in the garage is worth almost the same. You see it all the time.

[GTOnly70]

Originally Posted by HoovDaddy

Values of collectibles and real assets of all types usually increase during periods of inflation. Also, collectors have money to spend after being couped up during the pandemic.

I think car values are based on what people are collecting at any given time and I think what cars people collect is all generational. Hemi cars skyrocketed in the 80s. Supply versus demand. There are too many variables to accurately predict future values no matter how much data you have. Baby boomers collected 60s muscle cars and many of those large collections are being sold off right now at no reserve which equates to higher prices. Millennials on the other hand want late 70s-80s cars, trucks, SUV's. I work part-time in the High School Auto Shop and today's generation wants any car with forced induction or any pickup truck, very little interest in cars older than the 80s. We are currently building a '65 Mustang, a T-bucket, and a LS powered BMW, all from the ground up. Hard to get kids interested in working on the old cars, but they are willing to work on the BMW.

I went back to a 1989 issue of Hemmings and found this ad. Kind of interesting.
The Challenger I circled below from an October 1989 issue of Hemmings has an asking price of $62k, that is $142k in today's dollars. Hagerty lists this car in #3 condition at $190k today. I thought the adjusted difference would be greater than $48k.

$62k for that Challenger in 1989 was a king's ransom, hemi or not. Right next to the Challenger ad is a a restored red '69 Charger RT, 4-sp, 440 for $8500.

[justincampbell]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

[COLOR="Navy"
What I do hope is the high fuel prices thin the herd of these ridiculous BroDozers.

[/COLOR]

Not familiar with the term "BroDozers"

[justincampbell]

Originally Posted by grandam1979

Personally I think the biggest problem is people see a total professional restoration go across the auction block and sell for big money now they think the driver quality car in the garage is worth almost the same. You see it all the time.

Don't forget the dealers also. They pretty much have insane prices relative to the condition of the cars IMO.
Pretty much the only time I have seen a dealer's price that seemed reasonable is when the car is rare enough that it is impossible to find something to compare it too.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by justincampbell

Not familiar with the term "BroDozers"

Jacked 10"+, oversized rimz protruding a foot, comical tow mirrors, never see dirt or non-pavement, bed covers...



this is a mild example around here

[Skip Fix]

You forgot the bright color anodized wheels and pastel powder coated suspension arms! Yea those guys don't '"do it in the dirt".

[bird72]

It has evolved over time to me putting 100-200 miles on the bird a year. Mostly due to the only day I can relax driving it is on Sundays. Roads have gotten too busy here with all the people moved here. And many drive fast, tailgate, cut in front of your fender by 3 feet, etc etc. So gas is like the least of it. Every big pee pee truck like you guys talked about wants to race or blow black smoke on you. But I do feel like some outlaw from the past driving it still. But it is getting to where letting it go wouldn't change my life that much either.

[will slow gto]

Agree with what ppl are saying here. Gas powered classic/collector vehicles are not going to drop in value due to inflated gas prices and a move toward electric vehicles. These types of cars provide a break from the mundane which is what modern/electric vehicles are, even the ones that do 0-60 in 3 seconds.

[HoovDaddy]

Originally Posted by bird72

And many drive fast, tailgate, cut in front of your fender by 3 feet, etc etc. So gas is like the least of it. Every big pee pee truck like you guys talked about wants to race or blow black smoke on you.

Yep. What makes it scary is people with new vehicles relying on automatic braking and other electronics to warn them of their mistakes when they are not paying attention. The big a#$ 4 wheel drives that think they own the road.

Gas prices don’t bother me much, I’ll still drive the old car.

[Mr_GTO]

People with means can afford gas. People without means might be forced to sell their cars if they are daily drivers. I personally don't think it will lower prices on the cars.

[mgarblik]

I think the OP's question is interesting and complicated. This gas price explosion is different than the last 3 giant jumps in the 80's and 2000's. We have a perfect storm this time. We have a mandate in place to force people into electric vehicles. The vast majority of folks don't want them and can not afford them. So if gasoline prices are jacked to the moon, for any reason, war in Ukraine, supply issues, unable to produce in US due to new excess regulation, any other excuse, real or imagined, or created, this makes electric cars more attractive to people who have regular gas powered ground TRANSPORTATION. That being said, muscle cars that are actually being used for daily transportation, and what we might refer to as drivers, will be worth less IF people choose to sell them, IMO. I think ordinary late model gas hogs will sell for less in the long term. But right now, decent cars new or used are in very short supply, so prices may not go down in the short term. High quality muscle cars/collector car's values will not be effected by any of this IMO. These cars are expensive to begin with. Even if gas was $10.00 a gallon, how much gas does it take to go out cruising for a couple hours every few weeks in the summer? Most really nice muscle cars don't have 40 gallons of gas run through them a year if that. The really nice ones get trailered everywhere they go. I drive mine, but they are not that nice. JMO

[bdk1976]

Define reality.

My bet is current prices are pretty much here to stay - at least when it comes to the better/iconic cars such as GTOs, Chevy SS, Plymouth RR/Cuda, etc.

The cost of fuel is a rounding error with respect to the overall cost of these cars today as the average vintage muscle car is very rarely driven.

Inflation is raging and cash is NOT the place to be.

More likely IMO is that the overall economy tanks/stagnates and luxury items like these will take a haircut, and then slowly climb back and beyond their current high points. I sincerely doubt they will ever be described as 'cheap' again - especially the more iconic cars.

[bdk1976]

Kids aren't interested in old cars very much as they are essentially unobtainable.

My bet is that kids of today would likely much prefer a 65 GTO over a pickup or boosted 4cylinder ****box if it were an actual choice, but it's not even in the realm of possibility for most. Their realistic choices are limited to the cars they are now working on - pickups and boosted ****boxes, so naturally that is where their primary interests will lie. Even a beat to hell mid 60s 2 door tempest is far beyond the means of most high schoolers these days. Besides, with all of the safety improvements in cars over the past 50+ years, how many of today's parents would let their teen use an old muscle car as a daily driver even if they could afford it?

[justincampbell]

Certainly not getting the answer I was hoping for here. LOL
But, that seems to be a general rule on 21st century planet Earth.