Cars cost too much?

I guess a 32 has always been a dream of mine as well and maybe sticker shock is what spurred this conversation. Really reluctant to build a glass car but may be a good option or..... if I can find a decent model A shell that might work.
 
Another perspective...

Suppose you went out and spent $35,000 on an old Ford already built and immediately drivable. Probably a really nice car. You kept it for 5 years, put 10,000 miles on it and sold it for a reasonably good price to another hobbiest.

How different is that than paying $35,000 for a brand new rice burning import whatever and getting half your money back 5 years later on a trade? I'd rather have the old Ford for the same money.

Dunno, guys. It's an expensive hobby, but so is driving something new that will never be worth more than what it sold for the day you left the new car dealer.
 
According to the Inca calendar, the world will end in 2012.

With that in mind, let's start this discussion over again.
 
Everything is relative, while shopping for some supplies to make chili, they charged me $2.35 for a green pepper.
 
I agree with ole Ron, its all realitive. Alot of us old farts remember nickle candy bars, which now cost a dollar. So that 1960 500 dollar car now runs $10,000. ITs the same value, Its only the dollar that has shrunk.

The fly in the soup is if/when your income didn;t go up the same x20.

Being retired on a very small pension,(and getting smaller all the time, even though it stays the same) I probably shouldn;t even be trying to play with the big boys, but I love the old iron, so I keep tinkering, never do anything I can't do myself.

Ron, You are just to late, That pepper would have cost a 11 cents in 1960.
 
Lets face it, some of the prices guys are asking for their unrestored or restored cars are unreal. I am also going to believe that those cars never sell anyway and they can keep them for the stupid money they ask. Most of us are going to pay what they think the car is worth to them and if you want to pay $70k for a 32 ford than so be it, you win the prize for more money than brains. I pay no attention to those people asking un realistic prices. I also don't watch barrett-jackson auctions, Ricks Restorations, pawn stars, overhaulin or any of the other media hyped crap about building cars thats on sunday morning TV.
 
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I feel that a car is worth what you want to pay not what the owner thinks

it is worth. Once we stop paying these high prices and the sellers can not

sell the price will come down.

Do get me wrong some of these high price cars are worth it if you have

the money and can not restore them yourself.

That being said I have spotted a couple of good starters for a

reasonable price. Always seem to be too far off to go look at. I will not

buy a car that I can not look over before buying.

Been looking for a couple of years now and still hve not given up.
 
rhphotord said:
I guess a 32 has always been a dream of mine as well and maybe sticker shock is what spurred this conversation. Really reluctant to build a glass car but may be a good option or..... if I can find a decent model A shell that might work.
Click to expand...

You could look for a Brookville body to start with. Or a completed Brookville bodied car...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=603043&highlight=brookville

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=609201&highlight=brookville

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=611614&highlight=brookville

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=598622&highlight=brookville

'32 body
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=605931&highlight=brookville
 
Guess it just depends on who wants to buy it and actually has the money to back it. There's a guy down the street from me who owns a lot of older cars, he has a place that he sells them at. I tried to see if he would buy my dad's '29 Cabriolet and he really didn't think it was worth much at all. I don't think he is selling many of his cars at all either. I've tried Craigslist with no luck either and I thought the price was a steal.
Right now I have my GTO I am parting out. The parts are pretty much less than half of what other people are asking for them in this hobby and still no one is biting. Originally the car was up for sale but I lowered it down to hardly anything and no one wants it.
 
i think the last five `32 coupes offered on egay didn't meet reserve. the owners have to rethink what they thought they were worth, if they want to sell them.
even the most desirable cars have limits. and may be declining.
 
That junk 5 window circle track body on ebay was up into the $1200 range I believe when he pulled the auction last week.
 
I think it all depends on where you live. Down here if you are looking for a project you can usually find some good deals. They get harder to find every year. With all the old farms and ranches in my area that have been in the same family forever you can find some good stuff. I got a 49 shoebox a few years ago from a old guy for 300 dollars. All I did was stop and ask the old guy if it was for sale and he said he could get that much for it at the scrrap yard. There are some good one out there just have to look and ask. I have found that if you are not pushy they are usually nice about it. Plus it allso helps that my family has been here forever and I know ever old rancher in the area that does not care on bit about some old car that has been sitting for 50 years.
 
I believe I'm in the 'minority' here... Over the years, I see that many here have some pretty nice (hi $) stuff. I'm pretty much a 'border-line' player. (ok to call me cheap) To me, the hobby has always been 'what am I WILLING to afford'. Those of you that know me, know that I started a 32 project, and sold it awhile back. I could see where it was headed, dollar-wise. To me, this is supposed to be a fun hobby. And, again, to me, fun has a price. When the price gets too high, then I am no longer having fun. So, some of you know that I have a clapped-out 34, and a pretty nice 47, both of which I'm still able to have some fun with.
So, agreed, the hobby is pretty expensive, and I'm only willing to be a 'low-level' player. Nothing has changed very much -- 55-60 years ago, I felt the same way, and my old Ford's then were pretty much the same.
 
Hoop said:
According to the Inca calendar, the world will end in 2012.

With that in mind, let's start this discussion over again.
Click to expand...



According to the Inca calender, the calender will run out, that's all. The world will still keep spinning, just not on Inca time...:D:cool::rolleyes:
 
phartman said:
Another perspective...

Suppose you went out and spent $35,000 on an old Ford already built and immediately drivable. Probably a really nice car. You kept it for 5 years, put 10,000 miles on it and sold it for a reasonably good price to another hobbiest.

How different is that than paying $35,000 for a brand new rice burning import whatever and getting half your money back 5 years later on a trade? I'd rather have the old Ford for the same money.

Dunno, guys. It's an expensive hobby, but so is driving something new that will never be worth more than what it sold for the day you left the new car dealer.
Click to expand...



My philosophy as well, two of my cars are my daily drivers 38 Coupe (for when I put nice clothes on) and 36 Pickup for the other times.

I like the fact that my hobby is also one of my investments, as I drive, the price does not go down (in good times the price actually goes up). So I get to enjoy my cars for only the cost of running them, and not worrying about them depreciating in value, it also helps that I'm not precious about wear and tear.

Enjoyment + investment, sounds like a good idea to me.
 
I've told a lot of people it's not what it costs you to buy it, it's what it costs you to own it. I friend who is new to the hobby was all excited about a great buy on a 28 Pontiac. The car needs some work to be roadworthy. We all know that things that can't be seen, shocks, bearings, brakes, etc., are vital to a car but do almost nothing to increase the resale value. So my friend can buy the Pontiac, put lots of money into it, and when he's ready to sell it he's as desperate to unload it as the present seller is, thus taking a huge loss. What he really wants is a Ford roadster, year open. The Ford will obviously cost much more. He can drive it , keep it up, and when he gets tired of it likely sell it for at least what he has in it. That's what I'm saying when I say; "What it costs you to own it." I've used this formula for 40 years and I've been able to have some pretty nice cars, just no 32 Fords because I can't get to buy in price.

My other saying; "You can't own everything at one time, but you can own everything one at a time."
 
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