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$25k vs $50k buy?

Cojohnso1

Cojohnso1

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3 years ago I had the choice of spending $20k on a condition 3 '69 GTX? (0-5 scale. 0 being basically a Vin and title. 5 being concourse level condition.) or $40k on a 4 level condition. (Probably $25k vs $50k today. Hammer price. Not asking price.) Both cars non numbers matching 4-speed. Neither had air grabber option. ☹ (Though $50k was closer to tag. $25k wasn't close considering interior and other fender tag discrepancies.) Exterior and interior conditions were closer than engine bay and underneath that shows the difference. $50k had buckets with console. $25k split bench no console. (Also, $50k had much better detailed cleaning.) As per attached pic. I chose the then $20k car. This was due to the fact that I could drive and even have some street abuse while risking far less? (Quick walk around vid of $25k car.)



Question of course. What would been your decision? Would you have paid twice the price? (Assuming of course either purchase wouldn’t crush you financially?)

440 comparison.jpg
 
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the cheaper one if the plan was just to have a driver to go shopping etc and not a show poodle
 
Right now I'm replacing the cowl top on a matching car.
I've already pulled the matching engine and built a replacement engine of the same date and size.
I even may replace the matching transmission with a spare Passon 4 speed overdrive.
I'm going to do only the modifications necessary like front disk.
In other words, I plan on building a semi rusty rat rod and having fun driving it.
Worse thing that can happen is it will get more body damage.
So you know my personal answer.
Not enough years left
Let other people have museum pieces and investments.
 
Color would have been a contributing factor in my decision. No black cars, ever again.
And if i can drive the cheap one, and only park and look at the expensive one...... no brainer.
 
I think you made the right choice with the 20K car, especially since you had a green one back in the day. Drive and enjoy without taking a hit if you decide to sell it later. Did the same thing with a '66 Corvette a decade back, bought a non numbers car for relatively cheap, like the colors and options, had fun with it for a short time, and didn't worry about the investment potential.

That being said, I own a numbers matching, prime colors, rotisserie restored car which I bought not as an investment, but because it was exactly, really exactly what I would have bought back in the day if I could have. But I would have been thrilled to get one that looked just like it, for half the money, with non numbers, and visible warts.
 
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33 IMP said:
Color would have been a contributing factor in my decision. No black cars, ever again.
Click to expand...
Both were same F8 Green. $50k was black interior and black vinyl top. $25k was camel tan interior, hard top. As per vid.
 
onlyone said:
Right now I'm replacing the cowl top on a matching car.
I've already pulled the matching engine and built a replacement engine of the same date and size.
I even may replace the matching transmission with a spare Passon 4 speed overdrive.
I'm going to do only the modifications necessary like front disk.
In other words, I plan on building a semi rusty rat rod and having fun driving it.
Worse thing that can happen is it will get more body damage.
So you know my personal answer.
Not enough years left
Let other people have museum pieces and investments.
Click to expand...
That was the ultimate decider for me. Much more upgradeable if I so chose.
 
Second comment... no black interiors either, if there is an alternative. I would definately choose the saddle!
 
33 IMP said:
Second comment... no black interiors either, if there is an alternative. I would definately choose the saddle!
Click to expand...
But DAMN that $50k car was nice. I haven't seen it for sale since. Lol. (Obviously still on my mind.) I couldn't afford both?
 
Cojohnso1 said:
3 years ago I had the choice of spending $20k on a condition 3 '69 GTX? (0-5 scale. 0 being basically a Vin and title. 5 being concourse level condition.) or $40k on a 4 level condition. (Probably $25k vs $50k today. Hammer price. Not asking price.) Both cars non numbers matching 4-speed. Neither had air grabber option. ☹ (Though $50k was closer to tag. $25k wasn't close considering interior and other fender tag discrepancies.) Exterior and interior conditions were closer than engine bay and underneath that shows the difference. $50k had buckets with console. $25k split bench no console. (Also, $50k had much better detailed cleaning.) As per attached pic. I chose the then $20k car. This was due to the fact that I could drive and even have some street abuse while risking far less? (Quick walk around vid of $25k car.)



Question of course. What would been your decision? Would you have paid twice the price? (Assuming of course either purchase wouldn’t crush you financially?)

View attachment 1059369
Click to expand...


Turn your camera horizontally next time you take pictures or make a video.



:)
 
Richard Cranium said:
Turn your camera horizontally next time you take pictures or make a video.
Click to expand...
Lol. I know. I just thought I would post the difference of a 3 of 5 car vs 4 of 5. I believe its pretty accurate. (But of course any scale is open to debate)
 
40K isn't that much money and 50k today still isn't that much. I wouldn't shy away from beating on a 50k car. Personally I'm not a big fan of factory correct or restored cars. What I am particular about is whatever work is done has to be done properly, neat and tidy. Then the overall package has to appeal to me - the year and body style, color, interior, add-ons, etc.. And then, whatever is deficient or damaged, can I do the work or can it be done without putting the investment too far above the actual value. I'd pay 25k in a heartbeat for a nicely done '64 or '65 Belvedere without an engine and tranny !
 
Stanton said:
40K isn't that much money and 50k today still isn't that much. I wouldn't shy away from beating on a 50k car. Personally I'm not a big fan of factory correct or restored cars. What I am particular about is whatever work is done has to be done properly, neat and tidy. Then the overall package has to appeal to me - the year and body style, color, interior, add-ons, etc.. And then, whatever is deficient or damaged, can I do the work or can it be done without putting the investment too far above the actual value. I'd pay 25k in a heartbeat for a nicely done '64 or '65 Belvedere without an engine and tranny !
Click to expand...
Yeah. Prices may very well have clips well past my description. May be both worth more than described. But (Twice as much) still applies?
 
If 50k would be pocket change for me and its a fair price for the car then i would purchase the expensive one AND drive it just like the cheap one.

Otherwise the 25k car.
 
I posted the difference of my GTX and a friend's '69 Charger. And how much Charger prices have gone nuts? A real R/T? Forget about it. My post was that I considered my GTX a better car than my friends base Charger 383 auto. (Both 3-5 condition cars) But still every indicatcation that he would get at least 10% more?
 
Michael_ said:
If 50k would be pocket change for me and its a fair price for the car then i would purchase the expensive one AND drive it just like the cheap one.

Otherwise the 25k car.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I guess it is a matter of prospective? I am assuming still mid to maybe upper middle class budgets? Of course now thats up for debate? Lol. Again. Perspective!
 
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Yes for me it just depends on my budget.
What i would not do is buying a fancy 1-2 condition car and then not driving it.
I would not buy it if i could not afford it and if i could afford it what would be the point in not driving it?
Investment? What about more boring and probably safer stuff like real estate, gold, silver, diamonds or expensive watches?

A friend bought a pretty much mint 15k miles lincoln mark 7 last year and paid serious money for it.
He plans on putting about 20k miles per year on it.
Could have bought a way cheaper (still nice) one for that but he could afford it and wanted the best one possible. So why not...
 
I agree the 25k one is what i would go for.
But if it was my original 69 Superbee it would be what ever it cost !
 
Pikser said:
I agree the 25k one is what i would go for.
But if it was my original 69 Superbee it would be what ever it cost !
Click to expand...
I of course didn't take personal history in consideration. That can certainly change motivation.
 
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