Model A value

1

1965 Mustang

Member
Of course an old car is worth exactly what someone will pay. I see Model A's priced 30K and over. Sometimes sedans in need of serious help are priced 8K plus. Body style has a lot to do with it of course. How many of these actually change hands at those prices? I was in no hurry to get an A but finally found a really really good driver (1929 Fordor- older restoration-100% complete, everything works, looks and runs great & no rust or body damage) for $6500.


Since us old farts are going to die out (I'm a middle aged one at 55) I suspect values on pre 1930 cars will at most stay level and possibly decline. Some young people like real old cars but probably not enough of them to actually plunk down the cash for one say 25 years from now. Supply may exceed demand.
 
The only way I know to see what the cars actually sell for is to look at ebay completed sales looking for the green sold price. I don't know of anywhere else you can go and see a sold price (does hemmings have such a thing?).

$6500 seems to me to be a real good price. I would have expected to see that go for 10-12000.
 
Looking into the future, I see several dynamics....

one being that so many coupes and sedans are being chopped, that there will be more chopped cars then original
most guys buying a more expensive phaeton or rare model not chopping the cars, because of value
the dollar continuing to spiral down, so that the A prices will reach an equilibrium and never make it back to extremely low prices
clubs that will be called-unchop clubs to bring back original cars from the destruction
their former owners laid upon them.... :)
people eventually just making rods from fresh kits, rather then the old cars, because of supply and demand-such as Brooksville and Dynacorn
fuel costs staying high enough so as to deter owning the antiques (this being prevalent in Europe)
just some ideas....
 
1965 Mustang said:
Of course an old car is worth exactly what someone will pay. I see Model A's priced 30K and over. Sometimes sedans in need of serious help are priced 8K plus. Body style has a lot to do with it of course. How many of these actually change hands at those prices? I was in no hurry to get an A but finally found a really really good driver (1929 Fordor- older restoration-100% complete, everything works, looks and runs great & no rust or body damage) for $6500.


Since us old farts are going to die out (I'm a middle aged one at 55) I suspect values on pre 1930 cars will at most stay level and possibly decline. Some young people like real old cars but probably not enough of them to actually plunk down the cash for one say 25 years from now. Supply may exceed demand.
Click to expand...

To a novice, a '29 Fordor may seem like a 'value' at $6,500 but often it is realized the entire wooden infrastructure is deteriorated where the vehicle is closely inspected. Adding to that is a car which possibly has had many poor quality repro parts substituted over the years which makes the vehicle worth less.


I am a couple years your junior however I have been around the Model-A hobby my entire life of 5-plus decades. I remember in my pre-teen years, guys in the Model-A club made that same comment that the hobby would likely die with the next generation in 20-25 years. Well, 20 years passed and what do you know, there was still a demand for the beloved Model-A, ....AND the prices for the Model-A had increased during that 20 years. Oh but even then there were the naysayers who claimed doom was just another 20 years away and nobody would want a Model-A because of the old people dying off. Well, that "20 years later" is now and there is still a market for the Model-A it seems. So if history is any indication, 20 years from now it would likely be a safe bet that the Ford Model-A will be bringing more $$ than they were in 2013! ;)

One other thought to add to this $$ vs. Age suggestion, if someone has followed trends in brass-era cars and Model-T's, the popularity of these vehicles (along with prices) has remained rock solid throughout the years, --and with a younger age (30s-60's) of ownership. What would you attribute the younger age of ownership to?
 
I might have gotten lucky on mine. I bought the 31 Huckster on the avatar photo locally in Kentucky for $5200.
Sure, it needs a lot of stuff cosmetically, but the mechanicals are strong, and that's the part I was most worried about.
 
I got my '28 Leatherback for $6450. Body is amazing, but there was no interior, but I was fine with that. I've seen nastier cars go for more than $6k and I know I got a heck of a good deal.
 
Hahaha we bought ours for $400! It was just over 2 years ago. My old man paid the money so he took the body and I built mine on top of the original chassis.
 
A new engine for your Model A - $5000.

A new set of tires - $1000.

Driving the back country roads on a crisp Autumn day in your 1930 Coupe - priceless.
 
Who'd have thought we'd see the asking prices for brass Ts? Who'd have ever imagined a T worth $100K? I saw 2 at and near that price last year, one was a very early town car, the other was reportedly the oldest known. What's a nice 31 Deluxe Coupe in "Henry Award" condition worth? How about a roadster?

People thought Leo Gephart was crazy to ask $10,000 for a Dusenberg back in the late 60s/early 70s. Today that figure wouldn't buy a Duesy transmission. I'm with Brent, this chin music has been played in every generation. Still waiting for As to be sold by weight/scrap value. What's that saying about "Wish in one hand..."?
 
2028 will be the turning point where prices skyrocket. The Model A will be 100 years old and everyone will want one. That's only 15 years from now, so buy your $6,500 cars now!
 
willobs said:
In 2028 how many of us old guys will be driving A's?
Click to expand...
A few... but there will be "new" old guys by then. :)

The way it seems to me, Model A's in their original condition are "old-guy cars." But there's never a shortage of old guys.
 
I am 70 but most guys my age are into muscle cars, I am the odd one having liked A,s all my life. I remember when Model T,s were the in car then A,s then it was the 40 Ford before Mustangs. mabee focus will be next!
 
Dog:cool: here, Iffin' you gonna' PLAY, you gotta' PAY! Otherwise, jist git yo' self a RUBBER CHICKEN or a STUFFED RACOON or a "FAKE" SNAKE for AMUSEMENT.:D Buster T.:cool:
 
Ditto on Jeff's sentiment. One of the great pleasures of driving - and stopping with - my A is the questions and comments I get from kids. I encourage them to look closely and ask anything that comes to mind. Often, if they're not sticky from candy or ice cream, I'll let them sit in her.

The future A drivers need this encouragement.
 
I think Model As will go the way of Model Ts. Nice restorations, especially of rare body styles, will always bring high prices.
 
Remember, with inflation, that $25k restored Model A today may be a great deal 20 years from now. I remember buying a number of good Model A's back in the early 50's for a couple of hundred bucks, but I was only making fifty bucks a week back then.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
To a novice, a '29 Fordor may seem like a 'value' at $6,500 but often it is realized the entire wooden infrastructure is deteriorated where the vehicle is closely inspected. Adding to that is a car which possibly has had many poor quality repro parts substituted over the years which makes the vehicle worth less.


I am a couple years your junior however I have been around the Model-A hobby my entire life of 5-plus decades. I remember in my pre-teen years, guys in the Model-A club made that same comment that the hobby would likely die with the next generation in 20-25 years. Well, 20 years passed and what do you know, there was still a demand for the beloved Model-A, ....AND the prices for the Model-A had increased during that 20 years. Oh but even then there were the naysayers who claimed doom was just another 20 years away and nobody would want a Model-A because of the old people dying off. Well, that "20 years later" is now and there is still a market for the Model-A it seems. So if history is any indication, 20 years from now it would likely be a safe bet that the Ford Model-A will be bringing more $$ than they were in 2013! ;)

One other thought to add to this $$ vs. Age suggestion, if someone has followed trends in brass-era cars and Model-T's, the popularity of these vehicles (along with prices) has remained rock solid throughout the years, --and with a younger age (30s-60's) of ownership. What would you attribute the younger age of ownership to?
Click to expand...
Like I said mine is a driver. It would never win any fancy awards. However I have been around the old car field forever also. I know enough about old cars to do my due diligence.
Mine has no issues with rotten wood....
 
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