Cars cost too much?

rhphotord

rhphotord

Senior Member
Just venting but....
Like a lot of car "nutz" I scan cars for sale on a regular basis on this, as well as many related sites. I don't live in a vacuum and I know market demand dictates price but tell me how we can sustain our hobby if finished cars are selling for $50-$70,000+ and rough builders are $10-$25,000. Most young people have been pushed out of the hobby or into a foreign car.
This hobby is expensive and I have way more $$ invested in my build than is prudent. (Actually have no idea and don't really want to know how much!)
Thoughts?
 
I agree it's expensive, but there are a lot of excellent cars available at reasonable prices but you have to search for them. Case in point, the cars Chris in Spokane is finding! Also, cheaper to buy one built than build it yourself. JMO
 
Keep in mind that the value of the dollar has gone down the tube in the last couple of years. Compare the cost of these cars vs your income with what they cost vs your income years ago. Still too high, but it accounts for a lot.
 
It is a pay to play hobby.

But if your handy and willing to work for it you can do it on a tight budget.
 
Depends on if the "Hobby" is owning 32 coupes, or if it is buying an old car to restore. There are a lot of years and models that are not as popular (yes that means less parts available) and therefore a lot cheaper. There was an article in Hemmings recently about how the hotrodding interest is shifting to model A's because they are more available for lower costs.
 
Toys cost money. A hobby is a passion that requiers money be spent over and above the normal everyday expenses. This is a pass time in which you can't ever get your money spent back out,not even counting labor, but your reward is the enjoyment received. Expenses increase as parts scarcity increase. NOS parts are becoming harder to find and useable used parts are also decreasing in availability. This means an increase in price. Not everything is reproduced ,at least not yet. What it would cost me today to restore my '46 convertable, using many NOS parts at the time, would now triple in cost today. Again not counting my labor. In todays market I would be hard pressed to do it again but due to my "passion" for old Fords I would. The biggest problem is a dollar just does'nt go as far as it used to.
 
Walking down memory lane...

We always hear about those $75.00 cars back in the 50s and 60s? What was the wage back then per hour?

My late Uncle and his wife rolled pennies to save up enough to by a 34 Dodge, it was like $700 which was alot of money for them back in the late 60's.


Yes today has changed some things, as mentioned the value of the dollar, the market, and the limited supply of real stuff. When I was 18 I could never afford a 32 and this is going back to 82. I ended up with a 39 Chevy Coupe for 2K and went on from there. Many years later I have worked up my finances to be able to build a few 32's.

I am a cheapskate. I look for the value in what I want to build, and know I can do all of the work helps the overall cost of the car. Certain cars will always be high buck. 36 Roadster for example. So you have to pick the right car to build.

And as for the folks "asking" for 55 to 75K for cars today, who is lining up to buy them? Its funny, when I own something its never worth as much as the other guy is willing to pay.

I see alot of good deals in hemmings, not turn keys but stuff to start with.

Thats even without getting into plastic cars.
 
jim1932 said:
Depends on if the "Hobby" is owning 32 coupes, or if it is buying an old car to restore. There are a lot of years and models that are not as popular (yes that means less parts available) and therefore a lot cheaper. There was an article in Hemmings recently about how the hotrodding interest is shifting to model A's because they are more available for lower costs.
Click to expand...

Yes, I see it also. Model A bodies are still plentiful for building A-v8's, so they are still somewhat affordable. Even nice original complete A's are affordable enough when not restored to hot-rod. The early V8's are just going out of sight, unless your talking fordoors. The demand is there because they are decent daily drivers.
 
LOTS of cars for sale, prices all over, BUT how many sell? I see same cars on ebay and the hamb 3,4,5,+ times unsold. Bidding never goes as high as the first time they post, or no bids at all. JMO
Paul in CT
 
I went with a 37 slantback because there was not as much demand but I still had to be re-sleeved afterpaying for it. If my wife figures out how much I have in parts, she would kill me in my sleep.
 
Looks like a buyer's market for a lot of cars.

But as flamingo says, there are cars priced all over the place and many are overpriced. I have seen several cars that have been repeatedly reduced over many months and are still for sale. And other guys are asking for the moon, and their cars are also still for sale on line.

Model A cars seem to be really inexpensive.

TM
 
37 fast backs are the next hot item. Most of them around here went on the round tracks. They are a great car to restore, plenty of room, well designed, light. will accept engines up to 53, and rear axle center sections up to 48. They drive well and are also easy to put hyd brakes on. I own two of them, had to go to IL for one and GA for the other one.
 
Like was said , demand influences price. It's always been that way and it always will be in the future too. Reallity just plain sucks sometimes. What I always seem to notice though is the same people that have a problem paying the going price for something most often want the going price for their stuff. We do live in a capitalist society don't we? But the biggest problem I see is wages definatly don't keep up with the prices. I think the prices are all relivent to available and buildable iron ratio to the population. Iron availability and demand is causing the younger people to build newer stuff and what were always considered orphan cars now due to quality of cars available diminishing and costing more and there are more available newer projects.
 
here is one car nobody would think of....i got this car in 2005 did not run for 18 years. got it to run mothers day 2005 and it's still running today and drives . what was the price you ask 1,500. i put around 2,000 in parts to get her back on the road! look at my avatar you will see this car i am talking about . it's a 1946 ford super deluxe 4 door. and yes it does have the correct flathead v8. i'm only the 3rd owner.
 
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I think there are those amongst us that are fairly well off(whatever that means) and are looking for alternate means to invest their $$. The hope is the market continues to remain stable or improves with time. Lord knows the R.E. market and most 401K's have tanked in the past few years! Have a car club member that sold most of his stock several years ago and bought five different cars. His thinking was he could always go out and look and drive his investment instead of it vanishing before his eyes. By the way his wife is not real happy about it but at least he can enjoy the cars!
 
Flamingo has a good point. I attended the NSRA show in Bakersfield ,Ca this spring and it seemed every other car had a for sale sign on it. Most were eye popping $$$ but how many really sold? Then again everything has a price and is for sale. Come to think of it, my 34 five window is for sale $500,000 and I'll deliver it for free!
 
talk about cars that just cost i just recalled one person i know has a 42 chrysler woody and i have no idea where to find some small parts for it . like it needs a fuel pump. and talk about price the wood on that thing is killer!
 
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There has sure been a lot of great comments on this subject, I gave up on buying a 32 also, they have always been out of my reach so I settled for a 50 Ford convert. You know what, I've been getting all kinds of positive responses and from all kinds of people besides car people. Its turning out to be a good move over my 32 dream car, my wife and I stumbled onto something good.
 
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