<VV> cars as investments

[Tony Underwood]

At 05:54 PM 6/5/2007, Bill H. wrote:
>                                      B"H
>
>Hmmm...if this thread is what will happen, it reminds
>me what happened with the A-body MoPars.


OH yes...


>Back in 80s, the Dusters and Demons weren't really
>worth much except as used cars, and the 340s weren't
>really worth much more than the Slant Six models.


...bought a '69 Cuda fastback some years ago, nicely equipped, rally 
dash, full power, sunfire yellow with that cop bait black stripe down 
the sides, dark green interior, nice shape and all original including 
paint.   Showing some wear but still very much presentable.    I gave 
the seller 500 bucks for it after the car ran in the trades for a 
couple months and didn't sell (they were asking a grand for 
it).     On a fringe element wager, I offered 500 bucks, said that if 
nobody else bit, give me a call.    They called a month anna half 
later and said come get it.

Surprised me that it didn't sell.    I kept the car several years, 
sold it (partly because I was pining away for another B-Body and 
because someone came up and offered me *considerably* more than I had 
in it), and shopped around to eventually turn up another '66 Satellite.   :)


I paid off a batch of bills, credit cards, etc with the profits from 
that 'Cuda.     It was a good investment...  I'd *Thought* I'd wanted 
it as a "CAR", but it just didn't fill the bill like the Satellite 
I'd sold earlier (Big mistake) which is why I went on a search and 
seizure mission for another Sat.

...which ended up being *Another* rude awakening about the explosive 
rise in prices for mid'60s Mopar muscle.



>Then suddenly one day, Demon prices went through the
>roof along with the original 340 models, and suddenly
>a $500. clunker was worth $6,000.

Even a Demon parts car can sell for four figures, especially if it 
was a 340 car.      Not many left; most have long since been snapped up.


>Only time will tell, but I CAN tell you that
>enthusiasm for more expensive Chevys has NOT put these
>cars into the hands of wealthy playboys who don't
>appreciate their value, there are plenty of
>grass-roots folks out there tooling around in their
>old Chevys on a daily basis.  They just don't sell
>them and if they did, they could get a lot more than
>what they paid back inte Eighties.


That's the point here.    The ones still driving the old cars are the 
people who still own them after many years.    They won't 
sell  because they love the cars.

Those who, for whatever reason, do finally sell, usually sell to the 
guys with bucks who have no qualms about paying through the nose 
because the car is a commodity.   They're not real likely to be seen 
driving it on a regular basis; too afraid they'll get splatted by a 
bird or a pebble might get kicked up and chip the paint...



>I'm rambling again...I also drive my Monza every day
>and I've never had so much fun behind the wheel with
>any other car before (I've owned cars for over 35
>years) so I hope to keep driving Susie, or whatever
>Vair, for a very long time, for the sheer fun of it.
>I have no interest in selling my car for a huge
>profit...Bill Hershkowitz, Brooklyn NY  69 Monza HT

I'm currently driving something else...  my regular daily driver '60 
4-door has been yanked off the streets and is slated for some 
cosmetic work...  a bit of lower cove and rocker sheet metal 
replacement, some epoxy primer and rust prep, etc.     Hopefully it's 
gonna get started in earnest by the end of this month, after some 
"service area" improvements are concluded.

(some of you bet I didn't have it in me)


...not that anyone would ever want it, but that '60 4-door is not for 
sale nor will it ever be for as long as I live.    And, I don't care 
what the markets do or whether it's gonna be "worth something", it's 
still staying.





tony..