If We Only Knew Back Then On The Prices

[Paul B.]

Re: If We Only Knew Back Then On The Prices

...after I got my driver's license in Jan of '77, I use to scour the local newspaper(remember that's what we did "pre-Interweb" days)and in the local newspaper we had an Antiques & Classics section. Well, one day as I was paging through that section I came across a small, simple worded ad that said "1969 Camaro, white, 4spd, aluminum engine, $3500". Several decades later I came to find out that one of the 69 1969 ZL-1 Camaros did indeed sell brand new at Lyle Chevrolet in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I grew up about 10miles away from that dealership. But, $3500 to a 17yr old kid back then might have well have been $50,000!!! Always kicked myself in the butt for not going & looking. I forget what number ZL-1 car that is, but it is still in existence today somewhere as I saw it listed in the '69 ZL-1 registry years ago. Oh well.

[Timothy B.]

Re: If We Only Knew Back Then On The Prices

People with gobs of disposable income seek "hard" assets in times of inflation and they aren't always the ones that know the value of what they are purchasing....hence some of the silliness on Bring-A-Trailer of late. Same with gold, diamonds, collector comic books, etc..
The fact is that these cars have bcome less and less practical to drive as original parts availability and expertise to fix them moves on, retires, expires, etc.. Right now there are only about 3 people in the central Florida area I can recommned to work on original cars and they stay slammed.

I can do a lot of my own work (many can't) but I can't do everything. I suspect that the most recent round of buyers will barely drive the cars and they will be relegated to the occasional show or sit in a collection. Just my opinion and obserations.

Good to see you on the TDB, Frank, I agree with you comments.

[Daniel T.]

Re: If We Only Knew Back Then On The Prices

For comparison I ran a quick calculation on $3795 invested for 54 years, 5% return annualized would now be $49k, but 8% would be $238k, granted that would have needed to be tax deferred and I'd still rather have the 67, but I thought it was interesting when thinking of classic cars as toys vs investments. -Dan