Current musclecar market

[YY1]

Estimating "value" is a combination of science and art.

The science part is pretty straightforward-

Compile a list of "comps" and their selling prices (after a while you can also include asking prices of reasonably priced ones, but that requires your "value" to be determined)

This is very similar to real estate although finding the selling price is somewhat more difficult.

The art part is determining what a comp actually is, and the aforementioned "reasonable" asking price, if a selling price is not available.

Right now, I am seeing 20-25K as a midline reasonable value for a solid, small block (or 2 barrel big block in B body cars) with decent paint and with common options.

With that established, I'm a player in the 15-20K range, as I don't like to pay retail for my cars and have actually never done so.

 

[toolmanmike]

No politics.

 

[cosgig]

Trucks and Ramchargers have been hot for the past 5 years or so, but if you wait, and are patient, good deals are still out there. I bought this about a month ago for $5k, which is a really good deal for an original Ramcharger. It came from a flipper, and after talking to the original owner I found out that he paid $300 for it. So, deals are still out there. The $300 was an insult, but I don’t care, $5k is easily 1/2 of what it’s worth in todays market.

 

[MoparCowboy]

I can't figure it out, but I tend to think it's down. Some. I do have a thought on Muscle cars dropping in price in the future because I know of more than a few Mopar guys that are no longer with us, but, here is the deal and I see it on a near weekly basis now, and that is declining health of either people that I know personally or hear of someone liquidating or selling off cars and/or parts because they just flat can't do the maintenance, much less a restoration.

Take Model T Fords for instance, I inherited a 2 owner 1924 Model T roadster (including original sales invoice from 1924) 18 years ago. All original and in very, very good condition. At one point, I think my Dad turned down $30k, today I think it "might" be worth 8,000, probably less, because all of the guys that grew up with these are long gone. Same thing is happening to 60's era muscle cars. We aren't getting any younger, and I for one, find it slightly more difficult to crawl in and out from under a car these days. Now whether that means a substantial drop in price I can't answer, but there is definitely fewer of us than there was last year, or the year before, or the year before that.

 

[TF360]

I think it would be great to have that Model T. I agree with you somewhat, and I think 70's cars are going up in value because guys in their 50's now drove them, and are interested in them again. When time and money allow as we get older. After the 70's it will be the 80's (think Fox Body 5.0.) It's the time period. Then there are cars that gain in popularity just because they are so cool-like the Charger. All the companies modifying them has helping them become super popular.

 

[Dart Frog]

The economy is only tightening up for working middle class and beneath. There is a large part of society that are way above worrying about the cost of eggs or gas. Inflation is the real killer for most. Not every job or industry can afford to keep up with inflation labor costs just get too high. When it comes to classic car prices I think there somewhat reflective of all those factors and more. So the top echelons of classic muscle will be bought and paid for by the upper class who write checks for 2 years of you or my wages without batting an eye.

 

[MoparCowboy]

I think it would be great to have that Model T. I agree with you somewhat, and I think 70's cars are going up in value because guys in their 50's now drove them, and are interested in them again. When time and money allow as we get older. After the 70's it will be the 80's (think Fox Body 5.0.) It's the time period. Then there are cars that gain in popularity just because they are so cool-like the Charger. All the companies modifying them has helping them become super popular.

Funny that you mention fox body Mustangs. I left my thoughts out on those purposely because I happen to be a fox body enthusiast. I bought a 1993 5.0 because I was disenfranchised with Mopar in 1992 since the original announcement of the Viper was that it would have a low to mid 30 MSRP. I was plenty excited! I could swing that. I couldn't wait. Then to my dismay it showed up with a 50,000 + sticker. I could not swing that and disappointed doesn't even begin to cover it. I was disheartened. So much so that I ordered a 1993 Mustang Cobra and within the first three weeks it had a Vortech, line-lock, 3.55's and ET Streets, along with suspension mods followed shortly by bigger fuel pump and injectors, etc. And I had a blast showing my taillights to any Viper and most big block Mopars that I happened upon at the track or on the street. More than a few street races went by the wayside when they noticed the license plate mounted kill switch and 6-point roll bar. But, I regress, man what a blast I had in that car. Oh, and it just happens to sit next to my 70 440-6 Cuda to this day. Anyway, back to the price of muscle cars. I think 5.0 mustangs are at a near high because the 80's-90's kids that grew up with them now have the coin to get the 5.0 of their dreams. A low mileage 93 Cobra can fetch well over 6 figures. Crazy! It boggles my mind to think a 90's era 302 with 235hp can bring more than many 60's era Hemi cars, Makes no sense to me. oh well, there is my two-cents worth.

 

[abodyjoe]

After the 70's it will be the 80's (think Fox Body 5.0.)

**** they are already way up for clean unmolested ones..

had a 87 all original rag top peobably 10 years ago. real nice car.. even back they they were starting to rise in price. i warned the guys on various forums that if they wanted a nice one that they better get one before they can't affod one. they thought i was nuts. yea they went nuts..

hell i have a 13,000 mile 08 mustang gt. even those are coming up fast for clean unmolested originals...

i see that clean unmolested 80's camaro's (z28 & irocs) are climbing lately.

all the 80's GM Gbody cars are way up already too

 

[junkyardhero]

it's exactly this ^^^ guys (and gals) in my age bracket now have grown children and disposable income so they're out there buying what they had in highschool or college or the cars that they wanted then.

5.0's, camaros, G bodies, square body and OBS trucks, acuras, V8 lexus, and all the JDM stuff, it's all ticking up.

 

[matthon]

I owned a 1989 TTA 20th Anniversary Pace Car for 20 years.
I ruined that too.
Can't possibly list all the stuff I did to it, but it ran 13.1 bone stock and it was crazy stupid fast when done.

20 years of fantastic times.

Probably would have been worth more if I kept it bone stock <30k on the clock, but in the end I sold it and bought 3 Mopars.

Win, win, win win.

 

[YY1]

I see 8-12K asking prices for model t replicas.

Surely a real one is with that or more.

 

[Curt Betters]

Hagerty put out this article (below) a month or so ago on the car market. Several collector-type entities commented on the market. It's a long read but worth reading. Hard to tell how the market will go.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/marke...5110bcb1baa37b549e9ad1e183732b6162e3eecd35509

 

[Larsen74Dart]

It's soft if I'm selling, and high if I'm buying.....

Same...
Wanna buy my '74 Dart?

 

[ir3333]

high end '70 440 6 pack convertible 'cuda (clone) listed in my area currently asking $110K Cnd and a couple
of driver number matching A bodies in the 20's...they have been listed over a year.

 

[barbee6043]

I agree with Hagerty, projects are and have been really soft. Especially unless a complete and at least running project. I wonder when the average nitwit on FB or CL figures that out!?? The killer is not just the price of a so so project car, but like said, the cost of parts, inflation, lazy people, and the fact Joe has to sell his current car to be able to go buy something else! plus explain all this to his wife!

 

[TF360]

A-bodies are still the best though!

 

[Timothy Griffin]

I don’t perceive muscle cars prices dipping but I’m going by indirect observation and not trending actual sales prices over time as should be used to make a claim in either direction. And it really depends on the niche in the market we’re talking about when it comes to value, as previously discussed.

I’d love to find a nice 1968 Plymouth Barracuda that is still stock. Not interested in a race car or a resto mod. Just a clean old car.

Same for a 1970 AAR or a T/A.

In my observation the 68 A body seems harder to find and would cost less than either of the 70 E bodies.

If anyone wants to shill me a car for any of the above I’m interested. Can also be any original engine option for a 70 E body. Unmolested carries as much weight as highly optioned.

 

[Timothy Griffin]

Hagerty put out this article (below) a month or so ago on the car market. Several collector-type entities commented on the market. It's a long read but worth reading. Hard to tell how the market will go.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/marke...5110bcb1baa37b549e9ad1e183732b6162e3eecd35509

Good article, Curt.
I didn’t see it before I posted my brain droppings on the topic but I think it nails it.
Some parts are hot and some are not…and the market overall is “searching for a direction”.

 

[Curt Betters]

Good article, Curt.
I didn’t see it before I posted my brain droppings on the topic but I think it nails it.
Some parts are hot and some are not…and the market overall is “searching for a direction”.

Thanks Timothy and no worries on posting before seeing the article. I agree with you 100% on the parts and market overall.

 

[Curt Betters]

I don’t perceive muscle cars prices dipping but I’m going by indirect observation and not trending actual sales prices over time as should be used to make a claim in either direction. And it really depends on the niche in the market we’re talking about when it comes to value, as previously discussed.

I’d love to find a nice 1968 Plymouth Barracuda that is still stock. Not interested in a race car or a resto mod. Just a clean old car.

Same for a 1970 AAR or a T/A.

In my observation the 68 A body seems harder to find and would cost less than either of the 70 E bodies.

If anyone wants to shill me a car for any of the above I’m interested. Can also be any original engine option for a 70 E body. Unmolested carries as much weight as highly optioned.

Timothy, there's a '68 Barracuda notch back for sale on Marketplace for $8K in Gaithersburg, MD. Looks pretty stock. Here's the link and hopefully it will get you to that particular car. Good luck!
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1255182236382447/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:c8f339f9-d0c2-4d61-830f-17f41b3559e0

 

[barbee6043]

Timothy, there's a '68 Barracuda notch back for sale on Marketplace for $8K in Gaithersburgh, MD. Looks pretty stock. Here's the link and hopefully it will get you to that particular car. Good luck!
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1255182236382447/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:c8f339f9-d0c2-4d61-830f-17f41b3559e0

Hardest car to sell is the "project" in boxes. Or the mostly parted out "project".

Some cars are dreams, and dreams usually never come true. Thus many "started" projects in boxes!

 

[Spadman]

Without the knowledge of buying and selling actual cars on a regular basis, how is one to accurately value a classic car, especially the junk my friends and I own?

Hagerty says they have access to actual sales. What do you guys think about their valuations?

 

[barbee6043]

I watch Hemmings on line auction results, auction with a reserve and their "make offer" sales.
I have insured with Hagerty for many years prior to now, they always suggested an idiot price to use for a valuation for me to use to insure my junk!
But, IF I had more than junk $$$ invested in my junk, I could not sleep at night!

 

[Jim Lusk]

In a word, NO. Good cars are still selling for a good price. For every one of us that is short on funds there are buyers out there flush with cash.

 

[briansb71]

My 2 cents: I have never been nor will probably ever be in “the big money club”. I just buy the nicest project cars I can get for the money but are still within my ability to undertake (I farm out very little) and spend years trying to put them together to the best of my budget and ability. Some days, it’s a fun hobby … other days, I question why I bother! I guess it averages out to the earlier’s favor because I am still here doing it! Cheap is a relative term! When I first started lusting after a first generation Barracuda (in high school circa 1989), I could pick up a very solid, nice running, and very presentable car for $2500-3,000.00 and the $200-500 rusty “project” cars back then were just parts cars because they were just not worth the time, effort, and money to restore. It was cheap but I was broke, so it still wasn’t obtainable at the time. Fast forward 35 years when I decided to either finally get my Barracuda or just forget about it, those $2500-3000 cars back in ‘89 are $15,000-25,000 every day on Marketplace today. Do they really bring those prices? It doesn’t matter because in today’s world you “pay up or do without”. Most would say, “What do you expect? You are comparing prices now with prices 35 years ago!” and that is true; but it doesn’t make the pill any easier to swallow! It’s still a hobby and I still have the same increasing monthly bills to pay on the same income I have had for years, so you do the best you can on what you got to get what you want. I am probably typical of someone that is “middle class in their mid 50s” in America these days … reasonably asset strong and cash strapped. I can’t afford (or at least; unwilling) to go out and buy a $50-100,000 antique or muscle car any more than I could/would a new car for the same money, so the value of either, personally, becomes somewhat of a moot point. What the changing market has taught me is to only buy what I really want (you are probably going to overpay for it no matter what it is) for cash and plan to keep it. If I can’t get excited about seeing my cars every time I walk into the garage then it’s just not worth my precious time and hard earned money to purchase, drag home, restore, or even maintain them. I personally don’t worry much about the value or collectability of my cars. I bought them because I wanted them and they are each meaningful to me for different reasons. I don’t intent to (and pray I am never so financially strapped that I am forced to) sell any of them. Once I have headed off to “that big junkyard up yonder” I hope my cars fall into the hands of people who love them and can preserve them. Of course there are folks who are able and willing to buy the nicest, most sought after cars for or above market value as short term investments and I wish them the best (these are the cars that I could never afford, anyway) … but that just isn’t what it’s all about for me … even if I hit the lottery tomorrow. When I was younger, I thought it would be cool to own a restored Tucker. Now, it just seems totally impractical.