Cars cost too much?

Most of the good cars are owned by, and desired by, us baby boomers, and lets face it, we will not be here that much longer. So, say, in 20 years, there will be lots of nice restored and rodded cars going begging on the market. My 29 year old son is a car nut like me, but he has no interst in my 48 short door Ford coupe, rather he has a rodded 70 Maverick. So, each to his own according to what they want and can afford!
 
Fearing the Inca/Mayan Calendar scenario could become a reality :eek: :p :confused:, I started looking for a '35 3w coupe like the first car I owned back in my high school days. I found one good deal here in the classifieds for a mostly original '35 3w but procrastinated too long and missed out on that one. Everything else I have found has been too much of a project for me to consider or way too costly. During this search I have found 4 or 5 nice 5 window coupes. I made a bid for one of those nice 5w coupes several weeks ago and yesterday the seller and I came to an agreement on terms and I am now the apparent owner of a nice, mostly original, '35 5w coupe. Do these old Fords cost too much? They probably do but so does most everything else in this life that's worth having. With the irregular ups and downs of my IRA/401K, I feel that investing this money in an old Ford that I can enjoy now is better for me than worrying about my investments in nonproductive areas. Now I just hope that Inca/Mayan calendar is wrong so I'll have more time to enjoy my new toy!! :^)
 
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E.G. I just saw a 32 5W I was watching on the bay. Old project abandoned in the late 50's. Nice car, but would definitely take alot more $ and time to get running(no motor). It did not make reserve at $26,655.
On the other side of the coin, there is a guy here that has been trying to sell a nice 36 coupe, original looking with a later flathead, turnkey. It's been for sale for at least a year and a half and has dropped from $30,000 down to $26,000.
I'd love to buy it if I had a spare 26K laying around. It would take many thousands more to build one from a "project"
 
Its alot harder here in Australia to pick up a cheap original 1920 - 30s car or project,so i bought a 1933 ford 5 window coupe rolling shell from America and had it shipped to Australia,due to the rareaty of these cars here i could not find one in my price range,and now i have to buy most of the parts i need via America,which postage is killing me,
 
Everything is relevant, it all depends on how much you have and/or want to spend. Back in the '60's when I was a teenager, I wanted a '62 Plymouth Convertible but couldn't afford it :mad:so I bought what I could afford, a '48 Ford TuDor Sedan for $100.00.;) The same is true today, I'd love to have a '46-'48 Ford Woody however, they are priced above what I have or want to spend. :( Vic
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
Fearing the Inca/Mayan Calendar scenario could become a reality :eek: :p :confused:, I started looking for a '35 3w coupe like the first car I owned back in my high school days. I found one good deal here in the classifieds for a mostly original '35 3w but procrastinated too long and missed out on that one. Everything else I have found has been too much of a project for me to consider or way too costly. During this search I have found 4 or 5 nice 5 window coupes. I made a bid for one of those nice 5w coupes several weeks ago and yesterday the seller and I came to an agreement on terms and I am now the apparent owner of a nice, mostly original, '35 5w coupe. Do these old Fords cost too much? They probably do but so does most everything else in this life that's worth having. With the irregular ups and downs of my IRA/401K, I feel that investing this money in an old Ford that I can enjoy now is better for me than worrying about my investments in nonproductive areas. Now I just hope that Inca/Mayan calendar is wrong so I'll have more time to enjoy my new toy!! :^)
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John, congrats on the new find. Vic
 
I can agree with this. I am one of those kids who grew up being into hot rods and classics. When it came time to get my first car I had to get a Civic. I have had a blast learning and working with it and it was not until I was older (25) that I finally got into something I wanted- my Model A speedster. It was cobbled together from 2 cars found in a field. But even so these rollers cost nearly 2 grand! I did not pay that for my nearly perfect Civic when it was only 5 years old!

I am a teachers and I really try to excite my kids by bringing my speedster to work every once in a while. I have even let some of my former students turn wrenches on the car just to get them hooked. I want to help them find good cheap projects so they can get started younger than i did.
 
I found a cheap model T 1927 pickup,which i offered to my 19 yr old son so that he could have the oppertunity to own his own piece of ford history,but his exacate words were (what do i want that piece of junk for).2 weeks later out of the blue my 10 yr old son asked me if he helped me to fix the 27 T could he have it .I said its all yours son,now we both go to swap meets to find parts and its coming together nicely,and now my 19yr old is kicking himself.its the only way to get younger people into the sport as built cars are way out of there reach unfortunatly.
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
Fearing the Inca/Mayan Calendar scenario could become a reality :eek: :p :confused:, I started looking for a '35 3w coupe like the first car I owned back in my high school days. I found one good deal here in the classifieds for a mostly original '35 3w but procrastinated too long and missed out on that one. Everything else I have found has been too much of a project for me to consider or way too costly. During this search I have found 4 or 5 nice 5 window coupes. I made a bid for one of those nice 5w coupes several weeks ago and yesterday the seller and I came to an agreement on terms and I am now the apparent owner of a nice, mostly original, '35 5w coupe. Do these old Fords cost too much? They probably do but so does most everything else in this life that's worth having. With the irregular ups and downs of my IRA/401K, I feel that investing this money in an old Ford that I can enjoy now is better for me than worrying about my investments in nonproductive areas. Now I just hope that Inca/Mayan calendar is wrong so I'll have more time to enjoy my new toy!! :^)
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This must be the one you were telling me about while in NY?? Congrats!
 
Vic Piano said:
John, congrats on the new find. Vic
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Thanks Vic! I'll make a post with some pics later. I'm maxed out for garage space now so something has got to give/go to fit this one in. It's going to be a driver but won't be ready for this October's BRP Tour/Moonshine Festival. The original little 221 engine runs well. Transmission/rear seems to be in good condition. Needs tires, brakes overhauled, shocks, door latch/window winder repaired and lots of little things here and there fixed. I'm really excited about getting it and bringing it home.
 
Cecil/WV said:
This must be the one you were telling me about while in NY?? Congrats!
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That's the one Cecil. Henry H went with me to look at it before we went to Saratoga. Henry said on the way home..."I think you are going to get that car". He also said if I did get it that 3W's would start coming out of the woodwork :) for fantastic prices. We'll see if that happens:rolleyes:
 
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Gary in La. said:
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.
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The things you say may be true --for you, but a lot us of have true passion for our old cars and drive them every day. I do not have a car newer than 1966 and I rarely drive that one because it is too modern.
I have driven my 39 pickup every day for 17 years using it to move more than 100 cars more than 100 miles each, plus maintaining 5 renthouses plus hauling in every piece to build my 40'X135' shop plus hauling 25 tons to scrap metal dealers and every thing else I have done.
My old cars are not toys or a hobby nor are they a pastime. They are a way of life and theres lots of guys like me. Will I ever 'get my money back'? Are you kidding? First consider that I've never had to pay $30,000 or $40,000 for a new car. My maintenance costs per year are about equal to your monthly payment on your new car plus call the pleasure I get from using my cars every day.
Its not about the money. At least not for me.
 
I think that cars do cost too much nowdays. But it's a Supply and Demand thing. When I first started buying old cars (early 60s), you could get a fairly nice car for what would be equalivent to a month's salary. Now, it is more like a year's salary.
I bought mine, back then and still have them. There would be no way that I could afford to buy my cars, nowdays !
MIKE :)
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
Thanks Vic! I'll make a post with some pics later. I'm maxed out for garage space now so something has got to give/go to fit this one in. It's going to be a driver but won't be ready for this October's BRP Tour/Moonshine Festival. The original little 221 engine runs well. Transmission/rear seems to be in good condition. Needs tires, brakes overhauled, shocks, door latch/window winder repaired and lots of little things here and there fixed. I'm really excited about getting it and bringing it home.
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John, I'll help you out;) I think I can make some room in my garage to hold one of your '35's, just as long as you leave me the keys...:D Looking forward to seeing you at the Moonshine Festival. Vic
 
Tinker said:
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.
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Last year I started a christmas club for my 39 project. I don't think about it and by october I got a nice amount to work with:D

Looks like rear brakes and getting that flathead running.
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
Fearing the Inca/Mayan Calendar scenario could become a reality :eek: :p :confused:, I started looking for a '35 3w coupe like the first car I owned back in my high school days. I found one good deal here in the classifieds for a mostly original '35 3w but procrastinated too long and missed out on that one. Everything else I have found has been too much of a project for me to consider or way too costly. During this search I have found 4 or 5 nice 5 window coupes. I made a bid for one of those nice 5w coupes several weeks ago and yesterday the seller and I came to an agreement on terms and I am now the apparent owner of a nice, mostly original, '35 5w coupe. Do these old Fords cost too much? They probably do but so does most everything else in this life that's worth having. With the irregular ups and downs of my IRA/401K, I feel that investing this money in an old Ford that I can enjoy now is better for me than worrying about my investments in nonproductive areas. Now I just hope that Inca/Mayan calendar is wrong so I'll have more time to enjoy my new toy!! :^)
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John,

Congrats on the 5 window coupe buy. I agree that old Fords are a better deal than IRA/401K funds today. At least you can enjoy the car every day. Besides you can't take the money with you when that time comes. On that note I recently purchased another one. Not quite as old, but just as fun.

I also don't think the Mayan calender thing is anything to worry about. They just got tired of hammering rock. LOL

Chuck
 

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39portlander said:
Last year I started a christmas club for my 39 project. I don't think about it and by october I got a nice amount to work with:D

Looks like rear brakes and getting that flathead running.
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Congrads.

Portlander, I'm getting better at it. When I first entered collecting I was getting whatever I could get my hands on (still do:rolleyes:). I have stuff now that I bought not knowing what I would need it for and now I need it! :p Granted I only bought flathead ford stuff. The knowledge I've gained here is more valuable then anything. But I still like to aquire if I can :eek: I have a lot of ideas but they don't always match with what I can realistically spend (don't we all). Always health and family first, nothing is more important.
 
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