Man it's weird selling Mopars lately.

[rUNCHARGER]

So recently I've sold my green Challenger (well I have a large deposit on it anyway) and I've listed my Orange Challenger and I've had 3 lookie loos that seem quite serious look at the orange one. The thing I can't get over is the glazed look on their faces when I show them the cars, indicate the original parts, talk about the codes and show them the properly coated parts etc.
These people seem to have the money and desire to own these (to me anyway) high priced cars but they don't seem to know much about them. The orange car lookie loos were from as far away as Ontario and I don't believe they called me up to kill time. I get the feeling that if the cars were slant sixes originally and were totally incorrect that it would not matter as much as how shiny the paint is and how clean and imposing the engine is. Everyone seems to be a flipper too as two of these guys that laid eyes on the orange care were dealers and the third serious guy probably wanted to list it and drive it in the meantime.
Maybe true Mopar guys (myself included) only buy project cars?

Sheldon

[cudabob496]

A lot of people have Barret-Jackson-itis!  Hoping to flip a muscle car
for a big profit. That fact that they don't know much about the cars is a bad
sign, and prices may be due for a big drop.

Saw a 190 SL Mercedeis go for $140,000 at BJ. They said two years ago
it would have gone for $70,000.  That's nuts. Its a gutless 1.9 liter car!

Even now, perfect built muscle cars with all new modern equipment are only bringing $50,000.
Yet people on Craigslist want $20K for a pile of junk.

The day of reckoning is near. I say collect/build for your own enjoyment. But stay out of this market
if you are a flipper.

Also, the stock market has been really strong the last 8 years, and folks 401Ks are fat. This too will change. It always does.

[TelisSE440]

...

Even now, perfect built muscle cars with all new modern equipment are only bringing $50,000.
Yet people on Craigslist want $20K for a pile of junk.

The day of reckoning is near. I say collect/build for your own enjoyment. But stay out of this market
if you are a flipper.

  Build it for you, stay out if don't love the hobby.

[IMADreamer]

While we (car guys) see cars as cool and "get" them so to speak, the general public right now sees them as the cool thing to have.  That probably doesn't make sense.  Cars are hot right now, that's why you've got all these shows on TV about fixing them up and such.  So the guy who wants to be cool, you know he's got to have that status symbol he wants a classic car.  He can tell his buddies he's got a Dodge Challenger from 1970 and they will all say hey I saw one of those sell for 200k at the auction on TV.  They will tell stories about their buddy having one back in school and it beat everything and the guy who bought your Challenger will receive the desired effect of being cool to his circle of friends because he has a classic car.

Meanwhile, guys like us want these cars because we think they are cool, not because we think it is cool to own one.  This is why the price is inflated, every baby boomer with a decent pension is running out and buying what they think makes them cool.  I mean they will look so cool going to the pharmacy to get their Viagra in their classic muscle car! 

Someday they will be gone and the rest of us can claim their cars for less money.

[cudabob496]

could just be they want one, and remember it from their youth.  Not necessarily
because they want to look cool (or a vanity thing).

Maybe when you're in your 60's and 70's, and nearing death, a hot young blonde
and a nice muscle car make you forget the inevitable!

Also, I suspect a lot of folks there may be dealers who just want to resell the cars they buy.

[rUNCHARGER]

Yeah: It's just a different market and I'm not used to it. These are the older, lazy guys that want a shiny, bright coloured car and don't get their hands dirty. I identify with the Street Racer, Mopar types I knew in the 70's. We'd be changing a clutch by ourself at midnight so we could race some guy in a big block Chevelle at 1AM. I don't think these type of people have block sanded a quarter panel, degreed in a camshaft or rebuilt a 4 speed.

Sheldon

[msbaugh]

While we (car guys) see cars as cool and "get" them so to speak, the general public right now sees them as the cool thing to have.  That probably doesn't make sense.  Cars are hot right now, that's why you've got all these shows on TV about fixing them up and such.  So the guy who wants to be cool, you know he's got to have that status symbol he wants a classic car.  He can tell his buddies he's got a Dodge Challenger from 1970 and they will all say hey I saw one of those sell for 200k at the auction on TV.  They will tell stories about their buddy having one back in school and it beat everything and the guy who bought your Challenger will receive the desired effect of being cool to his circle of friends because he has a classic car.

Meanwhile, guys like us want these cars because we think they are cool, not because we think it is cool to own one.  This is why the price is inflated, every baby boomer with a decent pension is running out and buying what they think makes them cool.  I mean they will look so cool going to the pharmacy to get their Viagra in their classic muscle car! 

Someday they will be gone and the rest of us can claim their cars for less money.

Here's another thought though, you may get them for much less when the old farts (no offense) are gone, but what happens to the price and availability of repro. parts when the demand is suddenly gone?

Without the expert knowledge of our friends and their involvement, it's possible things will get much harder

[A93]

Sheldon: Clean out your PM box if you want me to get hold of you!
Dwight

[rUNCHARGER]

Sorry A93, I'll PM you, I just cleaned it out.

Sheldon

[IMADreamer]

Here's another thought though, you may get them for much less when the old farts (no offense) are gone, but what happens to the price and availability of repro. parts when the demand is suddenly gone?

Without the expert knowledge of our friends and their involvement, it's possible things will get much harder

Certainly possible. 

[rUNCHARGER]

My theory is that us old guys are not the ones keeping the prices up. The prices on most cars are dictated by the cost of body, paint, engine work, restoration parts etc. The cars aren't $3000 anymore because a paint job can be $20k in a blink of an eye.

Sheldon

[HP_Cuda]

Just watched a 1967 Mustang Fastback plain jane cloned into a GT350 get sold at BJ for 150K!!!

I nearly fell out of my seat, WTH!!!!!

[TelisSE440]

Just watched a 1967 Mustang Fastback plain jane cloned into a GT350 get sold at BJ for 150K!!!

I nearly fell out of my seat, WTH!!!!!

What!? 

[moparmaniac59]

I watch Gas Monkey Garage and have seen Richard Rawlings loose his shirt on some of their builds sold at auction. People don't realize there may easily be 50K alone in parts and paint & that's doesn't include the labor!  I agree that if you like them, buy it for the hobby and not to flip as you may loose your shirt as well! I've got probably 30K in my '74 but would be lucky to get 20K for it because it's a '74. But I love the car and will continue to spend money on it to suit my pleasure. 

                                                                                               Matt B.

[IMADreamer]

My theory is that us old guys are not the ones keeping the prices up. The prices on most cars are dictated by the cost of body, paint, engine work, restoration parts etc. The cars aren't $3000 anymore because a paint job can be $20k in a blink of an eye.

Sheldon

I disagree, because most people don't get that money back in a sale.  Yeah  A nicely done car might bump the price up some but rarely the full parts/paint/labor cost of the build.