classic vehicles

[Case]

I thougth this was funny. My girlfriend and i were walking around a local auto dealer that has some old cars for sale. Some 60's corvettes, 50's fords. etc. She then made a good statement. It seems that most older vehicles are classics. People rebuild them how they want to, but who is going to take a 2000 grand am, or ford taurus and save it from a salvage yard in 10 or 20 years?? what are everyone ealses ideas on this. ( or as paul says, idears) ;D ;D

 

[67ster]

There isn't too much out there these days , most are plastic throw away cars . I see they are saving the last Oldsmobile produced , who cares ! Perhaps a handful of specialty models will survive but the run of the mill "Bubble" cars won't . My generation saw the same scenario with '57 Fords/Chebbies so perhaps I'm wrong .

 

[Skuzzlebutt]

She has a good point, or maybe she is a good point.
It's easy to take a glance into the past and decide what was a good or a bad idea. What requires some insight is deciding what is worthwhile now, and what will be worthwhile >30 years from now.
I think that the afore-mentioned girlfriend is a Keeper.
Come to think of it Case, disregard my previous statements. By the way, why don't you p.m. me her e-mail.
Do you think she likes older men?

 

[Nuke]

I think this is not only true about todays cars, but most cars since the end of the "muscle" car era, circa 1972. I says cars here, not trucks purposely. This is especially true for cars after 1980. There are a few here and there such as some Mercedes.

 

[weps]

i think we should all buy a pontiac aztec and squirrel it away for 30 years or so.

here are some smiliar thoughts on this topic http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44705

 

[Henrietta]

I completely agree that older cars that have Classic appeal will always be around. While crap cars will be melting down for years. At least steel will rust and eventually turn to dirt.
An interesting trend to me lately is the "sport utility cars". Most of you will be able to remember the old Eagle station wagons, that were billed as " a 4x4 car". Now all these high end sport utes look just like them...a car with a lift kit. I laugh every time I see these things on the road. To think Chrysler was actually ahead of their time in something...That is even funnier to me.
While I am complaining, does anyone else's local sale papers put the old Bronco's in with "Ford SUV's"?

 

[wildbill]

;D ;D ;D Of all cars weps that one is just BUTT UGLY ;D ;D ;D Bill %)

 

[74bronc]

Some cars that I think will survive are the ones that people buy and modify today and for which there is already a strong aftermarket following. There are a few cars around today and in the recent past that I think will be around for a long time. I think Saleen Mustangs, Bullitt Mustangs, Roush, COBRA, Corvette, Firebird/Camaro, ImpalaSS, BMW M5 and a few others.

 

[ballistic64]

20 yrs from now there probably wont be any gas available to run em.

 

[SACHEM]

If you want to have a good investement in a car made after 1980 look to the YUGO. Yes, they sucked but think how rare they will be. I haven't seen one in years.

 

[feitctaj]

Some cars that I think will survive are the ones that people buy and modify today and for which there is already a strong aftermarket following. There are a few cars around today and in the recent past that I think will be around for a long time. I think Saleen Mustangs, Bullitt Mustangs, Roush, COBRA, Corvette, Firebird/Camaro, ImpalaSS, BMW M5 and a few others.

Your kidding right?%)

 

[74bronc]

20 yrs from now there probably wont be any gas available to run em.

...isn't that what the naysayers said 20 years ago?

 

[74bronc]

Your kidding right?%)

no

 

[weps]

will rare really mean valuable though? i think there has to be some vehicle base to insure parts and appeal. id put the yugo in the same class as the trabant and many other econoshitboxes. interesting, but no real reason to value them at this time. i know some people like and do restore them, but do you see a run up on chevy citations any time soon?

 

[weps]

another aspect of all this that intrigues me, is how the hobbiest mechanic's tools and capabilites will change and grow in the next 20 years. i think that could have a huge impact on which cars are rebuilt and restored. if there are easy ways to deal with all the unibodys, molded plastics and electronics, maybe things wont be so tough.

but it still leaves the question of what traits make a car a "classic" and do they exist in todays vehicles.

 

[feitctaj]

no

You never heard the joke about THe difference between a porkupine and a BMW have you?

 

[j.r.nice]

disagree with some points ....agree with others. When WE were racing around in the late 60's and 70's no one ever thought that the cars we were cutting up were that important. Mustangs fell from trees. Good used ones went for $1000. No body drove a wagon! Big bodied cars were for the drive-ins. Everybody had Cragars, 4bbl carbs, dual exhaust, plenty of cubes, Hurst shifters and a tank full of Sunoco 260. Hell, I ran a tunnel ran on the street. Those days are gone. Now that they are, the cars have disappeared and those that remain are valuable. It changes with each generation. I had an '85 Mustang GT. It WILL be a classic. Last year of the carb... what's a carb?
What was ugly and undesireable in the current period becomes valuable several later as they become rare/scarce (for whatever reason). People want things because it reminds them of times gone by and fond memories. "Ya, those were cool. my Dad had one of those". My Mom had a 56 Chevy convertible with a 265cu/in, sold it for $125. Arrrgh.

Once consumers (i.e. gearheads) decide somethng is cool, we want it. We set the market. Just look at EBAY. Matter of fact, just look at our niche......early Broncos. They were neat in their day but were overlooked as "cool". They were utilitarian - workhorses. Nobody cruised in them to be cool. But now look at us.........

So yes, some of the current vehicles WILL become collectors cars, for what ever reason. Maybe because the IC engine has been replaced...........

 

[cjjhalfcab]

Sad part is, most of what drives these markets is appeal, and usually that appeal comes from folks who couldn't afford their favorite performance car at the time, or were too young to buy it. So guess what that leaves us in 20 years? Hondas and Toyotas. So if you want to make a wise investment, squirrel away a cherry Honda, Mitsubishi, or Toyota. And to be even smarter load you up a warehouse full of fart cannon tailpipes and porch swing deck spoilers. Those should be gold in 15 years or so.

 

[74bronc]

You never heard the joke about THe difference between a porkupine and a BMW have you?

yes I have, but that can also be applied to Porsche owners and others. I happen to have been into BMW's for many years. I would gladly put up the current M5 against almost anything on the road today, not to mention a Dinan charged one.

 

[BoltBuster]

yea I got a neighbor that built a $38000 dollar garage for a 75 front wheel drive 2 door Cadillac. what's wrong with this picture in time- =/