Re: Mecum Auction COPOs everywhere
 

Yes... I am 44yrs old and I remember the days back when I was a teenager,and I first lived, ate and slept muscle cars, my very first car was a 1965 malibu ss I bought from the original owner in 1976.. people thought I was stupid for fixing up old worn out cars, but appreciated them when I was done..
I am a muscle car guy, have been all these years, and I like to own muscle cars because I like the way they look, I like the way they feel,and I appreciate the historical significance of them.
Fortunately, I still have a muscle car purchased prior to the price hikes. Unfortunately, I would never be able to justify spending the money it would take to buy some of the other muscle cars I would have liked to own...Actually, I couldn't justify spending the money to buy the one I already have if I didn't already own it.
That is the sad part about what the prices do to the hobby. It takes the cars out of the hands of those who appreciate the cars for what they are, not for what they are worth.
Mark. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif

Re: Mecum Auction COPOs everywhere
 

Someone asked what I like about the old stuff-- Uhh, get my hands dirty a few times a month; go to the garage, smoke a few cigarettes and drink some beer, and hang out. Maybe take a drive once a month when work and responsibility don't have the golden handcuffs on me. Fun a couple of times a month should not cost me $75K, which doesn't include garaging, parts, GAS (yikes!), etc... Doesn't quite seem worth it to me...

But, in reality, it goes even further than the stupid prices and non-drivability factor... I think the kids of today simply think that old people hoarding parts and treating them like idiots have caused them (the kids) to do their own thing. And maybe even out of spite, they purposefully steer clear of all things SS and v-8. Put simply, they have the choice to buy Mustangs, Camullets, and Corvettes-- Late models are priced similarly to the hot imports... But, they don't buy those cars. They're not interested. Even futher, they're flying their own flags, and that's that.

If you guys were smart, you'd all start buying early '70's imports, like BMWs, Porsches, VWs, Datsuns and Toyotas... Those cars are cheap, fun, modern construction, and the kids are all into modifying heritage cars of what they drive and hotrod today. I said it first-- King Midas, the Oracle.

I lived and worked through the dot-com crash, and do you know what one of the major factors was regarding the dominoes tumbling? All of those businesses were inner-connected-- They sold their stuff to each other. Once the market started to fall, they went like dominoes because they lost their business network. That is a likely analogy as to what will happen with musclecars.

And yes, my father taught me how cars worked and how to take care of them. How a cluster gear works, how to set point dwell, what abuse will break a u-joint, etc... I now know more than him, and I probably know more than some of you. But, does that mean that I'd step up to the plate to buy that 7-second '69 Z that gets 10 mpg, idles like it's mad at something, no A/C, and is akin to being in a relationship with a hot chick that you cannot trust, and though she looks great, she doesn't really run or handle all that well. Maybe if she were priced under $10K and you could actually have fun with it on a budget... At present prices, it's the old man vs. the kid-- That Z will be traded between home equity borrowers until the money runs out, and the last guy stuck with it will wear a frown.

There is still hope that I can pick up that Z for under $10K....

Re: Mecum Auction COPOs everywhere
 

If the musclecars are not worth it to you because of cost, parts hoarders, etc. why are you on this site? There must be plenty of sites for those more interested in newer muscle. Personally I don't see the connection between overvalued "smoke and mirror financials" dot-com companies and their resulting demise and a musclecar financial collapse. The supply of vintage musclecars is not changing and their demand will remain strong for years to come. Yes with the cooling of the housing markets people will be less likely to spend discretionary income on musclecars. I would love to see a crash in musclecar values, I'd just buy more! I don't see it happening anytime soon.
Admitted car & part hoarder,
Mark

Re: Mecum Auction COPOs everywhere
 

Another scenario may be that with the softening of the housing market, real estate investors may shift their money into muscle cars. Who knows and who cares. Mark you make a great point; why do some people who believe these cars are worthless continue to participate on a website designed for the true enthusiast. If you want to see some car fanatics, just visit the crew at this years Super Car Reunion. This is a group of diehard car guys/gals who are livin life to the fullest.

I admit getting into the market now is rather costly, but if you had been following the market over the last 5 years you could have had a rather large collection at a very reasonable cost. I bet the same people who complained about the price of cars 5 years ago are still the ones complaining today.

Re: Mecum Auction COPOs everywhere
 

It's only money, you can't take it with you!

Re: Mecum Auction COPOs everywhere
 

I look at it this way, I have a degree in Finacial Management. I trusted the stock market up until about the year 2000. There is as much fraud going on in the stock market as there is in #'s matching documented muscle cars. If you have all your eggs in one basket you are asking for trouble. Diversification is the key, I look at muscle cars as part of my investment portfolio. Additionally, when I was a kid I was observing the peak of the horsepower wars and all I thought about was cars and sports, until a few years later when girls entered the picture. So in addition to stocks and real estate, I have some money tied up into muscle cars. I have taken hits in the stock market and will probably see my real estate values go down over the next few years. I have the cars not only because of the investment potential but because I always, since I was about 9 years old, wanted a lot of different makes and models. If I buy a car now and the market takes a hit I will be stuck with a car I really like and will enjoy driving, showing, and tinkering with it for a long time. Those that are in it for the money better have the ability to take the loss or ride out a market correction if and when it happens. If you think this market will keep going up, up and away, you might want to reconsider. I understand there is a finite number of these cars but the pool of people who owned or wanted to own these cars is definitely getting older and they or their heirs will sell what they own. The $64,000 question is how long will the market continue going up, part two is how much of a correction will we see. I looked at the real estate market the last few years as an unhealthy trend that wasn't sustainable and now we are seeing the correction. Before that it was the dot com boom / bust. At this point I'm not selling my cars but I own them all free and clear. Probably the smart move to make right now is to sell the cars and poise to pick up real estate when all those interest only balloon loans start coming due. Either that or open up another damn Starbucks. My $.02 worth.