jeryst
Well-Known Member
When I was walking around the Car Corral at Carlisle, I noticed a guy with a clipboard, writing down information about a Charger. He then moved on to another vehicle and began taking the information for that vehicle as well.
Curious, I struck up a conversation with him because at first, I thought that he was some type of judge, or that maybe he was looking for stolen vehicles or something like that. He told me that he buys cars for overseas clients and exports them. During our conversation, he told me that business is booming and that he has exported more than 1000 vehicles in the last five years. He said the the vehicles of choice are B-Body Mopars (Chargers being #1), and 63-67 Corvettes. Also, any high dollar/rare muscle cars. He told me that he has people daily searching internet sites, car shows, local publications, want ads, etc, looking for cars. He even asked me if I would be interested in giving him information about any cars I know about personally, in exchange for a finders fee.
This got me to thinking. How many others are around, like him? If there are 10, that means that 10,000 similar vehicles have left the country, never to return, in that time frame. If there are 100 others, then that means 100,000 muscle cars have left the country. How many of his kind are actually out there? How many owners have privately sold their vehicles to foreign buyers? How many foreign buyers have actually traveled here and purchased a car on their own? And how many vehicles have actually left the country?
I'm not bringing this up to offend anyone, especially our foreign enthusiasts, because I am sure the cars go to good homes, and lead a pampered existence. And I can't say anything bad about anyone that shares my enthusiasm for muscle cars, especially B-Bodies. I'm looking at it more as a matter of a national treasure that is flowing out of our country, that will no longer be available for us, our children, and grandchildren to enjoy, and I was wondering if anyone has access to any type of relevant statistics?
Personally, I've noticed that B-Body Mopars are starting to get harder and harder to find, along with many other muscle cars. I would have thought it would be the opposite since over the last ten or twenty years, a huge number of them have been pulled out of junkyards, barns, garages, carports, or other hiding places, and restored. Years ago, they were all over the place, but now, not so much. In my opinion, that can mean one of three things: 1. People are holding onto their vehicles and not selling them, 2. Vehicles are disappearing into an increasing number of private collections. 3. The vehicles are leaving the country.
Am I paranoid, or is this really happening?
I'd be interested in any comments, discussions, etc, and once again, I am not trying to offend anyone.
Curious, I struck up a conversation with him because at first, I thought that he was some type of judge, or that maybe he was looking for stolen vehicles or something like that. He told me that he buys cars for overseas clients and exports them. During our conversation, he told me that business is booming and that he has exported more than 1000 vehicles in the last five years. He said the the vehicles of choice are B-Body Mopars (Chargers being #1), and 63-67 Corvettes. Also, any high dollar/rare muscle cars. He told me that he has people daily searching internet sites, car shows, local publications, want ads, etc, looking for cars. He even asked me if I would be interested in giving him information about any cars I know about personally, in exchange for a finders fee.
This got me to thinking. How many others are around, like him? If there are 10, that means that 10,000 similar vehicles have left the country, never to return, in that time frame. If there are 100 others, then that means 100,000 muscle cars have left the country. How many of his kind are actually out there? How many owners have privately sold their vehicles to foreign buyers? How many foreign buyers have actually traveled here and purchased a car on their own? And how many vehicles have actually left the country?
I'm not bringing this up to offend anyone, especially our foreign enthusiasts, because I am sure the cars go to good homes, and lead a pampered existence. And I can't say anything bad about anyone that shares my enthusiasm for muscle cars, especially B-Bodies. I'm looking at it more as a matter of a national treasure that is flowing out of our country, that will no longer be available for us, our children, and grandchildren to enjoy, and I was wondering if anyone has access to any type of relevant statistics?
Personally, I've noticed that B-Body Mopars are starting to get harder and harder to find, along with many other muscle cars. I would have thought it would be the opposite since over the last ten or twenty years, a huge number of them have been pulled out of junkyards, barns, garages, carports, or other hiding places, and restored. Years ago, they were all over the place, but now, not so much. In my opinion, that can mean one of three things: 1. People are holding onto their vehicles and not selling them, 2. Vehicles are disappearing into an increasing number of private collections. 3. The vehicles are leaving the country.
Am I paranoid, or is this really happening?
I'd be interested in any comments, discussions, etc, and once again, I am not trying to offend anyone.
