Selling collector cars, how's the market for you?

steve from staten island said:

I don't understand it, I read all the time how great the economy is and how many jobs are unfilled, you'd think more people would have the disposable income to buy these cars.

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It's all about the age of those who are interested in cars of this era. Not many 30 year olds want this old iron even if they have the funds to afford them.

Richard Cranium said:

It's all about the age of those who are interested in cars of this era. Not many 30 year olds want this old iron even if they have the funds to afford them.

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Agreed. The economy is good, people do have money and are buying. They are just not buying old 60's or early 70's stuff. I read a lot about the collector car market. The stuff that is moving are old Broncos, Bandit era Trans-Am's, Mustang GT and LX 5.0's, Grand Nationals, C5 Corvettes, mid 90's Camaros and Trans Ams, etc, etc. That means more supply and less demand for our stuff. When that happens, prices fall. Then the guys who do want our old stuff have so much more to pick from. Why buy someone else's old project car when you can buy a nice driver for a fraction of what it will take to finish that old project?

Just saw a 1968 Bronco sell at a farm sale. It was in a row of two dozen Suburbans and AMC Eagles selling for $25 each. The Bronco had a 302 that ran quietly, was in original paint and had no dents or rust holes. It sold for $14,500

Not sure what the attraction is for those early bronco's but people sure seem to like them now.

I remember a couple short years ago you couldn't give away a 72-81 camaro or firebird (unless it was an SD).

About 3 years ago the trans ams started to go up. formulas are just barely starting to catch on but camaros, even z28s are not yet catching up.

In the past 5 or 6 years I've seen LRE prices going up too.
4-5 years ago you could pick up a relatively solid and mostly complete one for $2500.

Jerry Hall said:

I still refuse to join Facebook, even if I never sell anything. You might as well be reporting everything to the government. Invasion of privacy.

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I joined a group on facebook for fans of '71-'72 Road Runners and before the end of the day, the current owner of my parent's special order Bahama Yellow '71 383 auto air grabber RR commented that he now owned the car and had plans to restore it. Sent me some photes also, with the original California license plate still attached to the rear bumper. In other words, I'm glad I signed up with that group and decided to describe the first car I drove at 16 years-old.

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...arents-1971-special-order-road-runner.174851/

this isn't the best time of the year to sell
push it in the garage for the winter and break it out in the spring.

After 30 yrs in the hobby I see it as us Mopar guys an be pretty conservative in general. Guys on these internet Mopar sites can be brutal on $$. Anyone wanting to sell a classic should be a part of FB car sites.
The number of decent projects on FB Marketplace and CL is way down. They started charging for ads. Most projects are still way over priced. In comparison, some decent drivers are way more decently priced. Yes, Many times it is cheaper to by a done or partially done car than a total project.
People are tiring of buying a total project, putting all the $ into it and doing 95% of the labor themselves, and later selling and hardly getting their $ back out and nothing for their work. Prices of repop parts, shipping, quality of the parts at the local parts store, the costs of paint of a DIU guy, costs of interior!!!!! You got to love the hobby and enjoy spending $ you may never get back and work for free.
Around here is Gm and truck country. There will be 100 times more potential buy for a Chevy than a Mopar. So it sells 100 time faster, and easier to get more $ depending on what and where of course.
I am glad these old Mopars are still available and afforable.

Been on the hunt for a 71-72 Skylark to get some cowl metal for my 72 Stage 1 convertible. Although I did manage to get a 72 Cali Special that had decent fenders and a posi rear, everyone else thinks they are selling my Stage 1. Literal 350-2 barrel bench seat shitters and these people are asking $7k minimum on a $600 car.

Looked at a MACCO painted 65 300 the other day. No price but I checked it out anyway. Crappy running 383 and inop ac. Interior was trashed and the skirts were in the trunk because wheels were too wide. I offered $3500 because it was a 2 door but the guy was stuck on stupid at $13k. Lots of bondo on that one.

The money cars right now are the clean 04-06 GTOs. They are cheap as dirt right now but in 10 years they will be worth some cash.

Couple months ago I sold a running driving 71 Duster slant 3 on the floor. I had repaired all the rust, smoothed out all the dings, did the brakes, gas tank, priced at $3500 here in SE Tx GM land. The second guy bought it, no haggle, as it was the best car for the best price available. Advertised 2 months and 2 lookers! But I can look on CL, FB Marketplace, and see 6-8 Dusters, all total POS needing everything, all pried higher than they will ever bring. I know, you can always come down. But if I am hunting a car, I rarely ever call on stupid priced crap.
I could have lots of guys see my ad back East and say " nice car for the $, wish you were closer, wish I had the space, wish my wife would let me!"
Whats hot and whats not follows trends, the flavor of the month, thus interest in Smokey Bandit TA's and the rest. Part of what take away from the collector car market is NEW muscle cars, and my generation just getting older and woreout!

BeatersRus said:

where to start well...
facebook Marketplace..is to be considered a side forum of fb,
much like the buysell forum here would be a part of the site but not all of it.
you Dont have to wade thru anyones hamburger stories,its just cars.

the other forums on fb,like the mopar Swap Shop,is setup the same way,
its all run by car guys not drama queens.
however,on the private forums people can make comments on your for sales so best to have a thick skin.

so,you dont even have to read your own page nor comments from anyone,
you just click the marketplace and into car heaven.
hope this helps you guys out..fb Marketplace is not the devil.
fb itself may be lol ....

also,you will see a lot of regs and even some forum members there.
im pretty sure i know who you were on fb mopornocar,
esp after you mentioned the acclaims .
cheers.

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I've tried almost all those groups with my project 66 Charger, not even lowballers

barbee6043 said:

Couple months ago I sold a running driving 71 Duster slant 3 on the floor. I had repaired all the rust, smoothed out all the dings, did the brakes, gas tank, priced at $3500 here in SE Tx GM land. The second guy bought it, no haggle, as it was the best car for the best price available. Advertised 2 months and 2 lookers! But I can look on CL, FB Marketplace, and see 6-8 Dusters, all total POS needing everything, all pried higher than they will ever bring. I know, you can always come down. But if I am hunting a car, I rarely ever call on stupid priced crap.
I could have lots of guys see my ad back East and say " nice car for the $, wish you were closer, wish I had the space, wish my wife would let me!"
Whats hot and whats not follows trends, the flavor of the month, thus interest in Smokey Bandit TA's and the rest. Part of what take away from the collector car market is NEW muscle cars, and my generation just getting older and woreout!

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That's kinda my worry, I want to get back into classic cars ( and have) but seems younger generations are into other stuff

Johnpat said:

Have a frame on restored 66 Big Block
Vett.convertible for sale.
Have had it for 20 yrs.
Everything rebuilt,only around 400 miles on drive train.
A lot of Lookers,problem,they have no money.

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How long has it been for sale? Are you at the low end or high end price?

I believe what is going on is multiple factors all coming together at the same time;

1. the number of people interested in old cars (especially original type) is declining; younger buyers who do like old iron generally do not want what they see as archaic technology, however they do like the overall style.

2. the older buyers who do like old iron and have money are at points in their lives where they are not willing to spend large sums on something they probably have already had several times, nor do they have the time or energy to build a car.

3. media (social, TV, etc.) has romanticized muscle/collector cars wherein everyone with anything believes its is worth way more than it is. Cheap cars are rare but when they do appear they are met with a high degree of skepticism. I bought a complete basket case 70 challenger in 2000 for 5K (everything was there, but everything needed to be fixed); you would be hard pressed to find a roller gutted E body for that today. If it runs/drives its already in the 20's at least, got decent paint in the 30's, decent drive train paint and interior in the 40's at least. Hate to say it, but they are not worth that if the market will not pay it.

4. the availability of cars in general is very high; a quick look at CL, eBay, etc. shows a large amount of pretty nice/cool cars on the market at relatively cheap prices. The buying population today grew up with supras, BMWs, etc. all of which are now available. They may like the look of classic muscle but usually understand imports better. Plus the availability of modern mustangs, challengers, chargers, etc. is very high. You can spend $40K + for a 50 y/o classic car or $20K for a modern Challenger RT or even $30K- for a SRT version. Sure the classic car is that, but the modern car has much of the sex appeal visually and is generally much more reliable. This is but one of the reasons Restomods are popular.

I love classic muscle as much as the next guy, but the hobby has worked against itself; the more popular it has gotten the more out of reach it has gotten, it is not a matter of musical chairs; who is going to get stuck with the expensive classic car no one will buy. I am sure this post will be met with all sorts of haters claiming the market is "alive and well", an honest look at it will tell you otherwise. Yes, the rare and unique examples of each breed will draw big money for awhile as they are seen more as "art" than cars, but the trickle down cars are the ones that are going to suffer and at some point the buyer pool will dissolve for the poorer quality examples other than as donors for the others. It will be the well done restomods that will receive a growing amount of attention and interest; doesn't matter the brand or breed.

steve from staten island said:

I don't understand it, I read all the time how great the economy is and how many jobs are unfilled, you'd think more people would have the disposable income to buy these cars.

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My income was fixed 3 years ago.

Richard Cranium said:

It's all about the age of those who are interested in cars of this era. Not many 30 year olds want this old iron even if they have the funds to afford them.

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Not many 30 somethings make enough money to buy them, either.

Moparnocar said:

How long has it been for sale? Are you at the low end or high end price?

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5 months,on Market Place.
Mid range for as equipped.
Less than auction prices

I do find the market for our older cars to be very slow. Prices are down. Now's a good time to buy. I did. I also see a lot of the same cars with price drops. I look constantly just to stay with the trends.

I was sent a picture of a white/white top in St Peters,MO. 4000.00. It is on FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE. I’m not on FACEBOOK.

Should have said white hat.

there's never been a huge market for an old 4 dr
that's a niche market to begin with
so are bas model cars

I don't see much wrong with the current market, at all
it comes & goes constantly, up & down
trends change, buyers & sellers change constantly

I see that the economy is thriving & great, people are spending
most people have more money & not everyone is into cars,
they spend on many other things, like travel or the newest cell phones
cloths, houses, home improvements etc.

high end "collector cars" will always have a better market
than a base model or a 4dr or even a wagon etc.

I know a few people that have recently
bought cars & sold "real collector cars" out here
none were MoPars thou
they got what they wanted, asking prices
they also paid what they thought was fair for a purchase too

Jeeps & trucks, even old 'SUV's'
Blazers, Broncos, Ramchargers, Traildusters etc.
are all 'sort of' hot right now
well better than they were a few years ago

you can't throw a blanket over the whole market
& say it's either slow or great

depends on the actual car, truck etc.

trends make a huge difference too

newer "muscle cars" are good right now they
that's attracting the younger buyers
especially when they can finance them, make payments
& not a huge initial investments, much easier
they don't tend to know how or to work on them
they just take them to the dealer or some other service too

old muscle car era cars/collector cars
61-71 BB 2 dr coupes or 30's, 40's & 50's era collector cars
really attract more of the Boomer generations
that owned them when young
regardless of income levels
they usually do have more indiscretion-ary income/savings
unless they didn't have a nest egg

it takes all types

depends on where you live too

depends on what you are trying to sell

IMO if it was a popular car to begin with it will have a much better
buyers market
low end cars, base or 4 dr cars, will always be "lower end" of the market cars
not as much market interests, far less sales to go by too
be it as it may, that's how it works

if you live in the rust belt, Midwest or NE
it's a far different market than the west coast/south west
especially when it starts to snow & turn cold

resto-mods & pro-touring market is hot, cars & trucks
even some into the late 70's, 80's & 90's cars/trucks

good luck what ever you're looking for