Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

I have been thinking of doubling the size of my Camaro collection, ok it's only from 1 car to 2, but still technically a double. I am looking for a 68 L78 to go with my 68 Z28. Granted, I will probably never find the car I want, but where do you guys see prices going in the foreseeable future. First let me state that I am not in this for the money, I just love the cars. But, on the other hand, these cars have had quite a run lately (probably dragged along by the COPO's) and I really can't afford to spend 40000+ for a car and find it to be worth considerably less down the road. Any opinions on where we are heading? Or anyone know of a good 68 Camaro L78 for sale? Or know what I should be prepared to spend if one can be found, Thanks

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

I think alot of the prices will come down for certain cars. Seeing 69 Z/28's in junkyard condition going for 12-18k will not last they are not very rare. Other than original fully documented cars such as most big block chevys, hemi cars, RA IV, Copo's and Yenkos,BB Vettes and low volume BB Rag Tops. the prices should be dropping soon. And if those Chevy number books come out there may be a glut of clones and fakes pushing the really rare cars through the roof even more. No one really knows but we shall all see soon where its headed.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

I am currently pursuing a 69 Camaro SS 396 (X-66)4 speed, seems to be an authentic SS, but I will find out in a couple of days when I look it over, to see if what the guy told me is true.
As for the 1st generation Camaro big blocks, the prices have been holding at a consistent level, that's if they are the real deal.I kind of compare classic car prices to the stock market. The prices can be high one year, and lower the next. We soon shall see.
As for what Sammy said about the fakes and clones coming out of the wordwork, I would definately agree that the prices would go up on a fully documented/date coded Camaro. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Bill,

Where do you live? I will try and keep an eye out for a 68 L78 for you. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

For example, here is a 68 Camaro SS396 that just sold, however it is a L35 not a L78. Nice car and not a bad price!

http://www.cars-on-line.com/68cam9877.html

And there was a 68 L-78 that was for sale not to long ago. Haven't heard if John sold it or not. It use to belong to Mr. Lillard! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

I am in CT, Also the car does not have to be pure. I can accept some modifications, but I do insist on a stock appearing car interior/exterior. I think this is what you guys call a day 2 car? Headers, traction bars, wheels, tires, etc. Basically, the way one of these cars would have looked in the late 60's early 70's

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

The picture did not come up, however, I am very familiar with the car, and the car is gone, the last I heard.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Yeah I caught that and deleted the picture. I am sure most of the members know what the car looked like.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Pricing !Great topic. Been doing this for a long time and mainly work with some of the biggest(rare) Muscle cars out there today.I tell my clients you cant get hurt buying top notch cars and sometimes you need to step up and pay for pedigree and top caliber cars. Paperwork means alot when paying big money. Projects su*^k and when you pay for a project car,plan on not seeing it for years in the resto shops and plan to pay 20%+ more then what they tell you.
Cars going down soon in prices? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif[/img] These cars are not getting cheaper to build and parts are impossible to find or hand them your wallet.
Most of the (rare)cars are owned by collectors with more than one car. These are people that don't need money. Can you see them paying 150,000 and two years selling for 75? I dont think so.
Supply and demand.
Supply is limited and demand is out of control.
Look in Hemmings 2-3 years back. Example: Hemi Cuda's
3 yrs ago there were plenty. Last week, Last month, Last year there was very few for sale at all.
ZL1 Camaro's then $100,000 now $300,000 Would someone here sell their ZL1 Camaro for $100,000 [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img] Doubtful.
I use what I call a food chain. These are all going up in prices.ZL1 Camaro 300 + or - Yenko Camaro $125-160 Look at COPO's. Nobody wanted to pay 75, now look when a killer Copo hits for 90's, the car is gone in 30 seconds.
Barratts couple years ago. TA and AAR sold for high 60's and 70's. Small block cars in that price !! Who would have predicted that. Its a food chain 71 Hemi Cuda convert $1,000,0000 Food chain down 71 Cuda hardtop $300,000 and going up for the right pedigree.What would make these cars go down in price's? Look where a 70 Judge convert is now !! 70 Hemi Cuda's, no one is selling a 4 speed under 130. Last year they were 100. Im getting calls from people who have paid over 80 for 70 Cuda 6 Packs. WOW Prices are not going down anytime soon.
Stock market makes money and people are spending more money on the toys they like.
Problem is there is a lot of people trying to cash in on these people and sell fakes and garbage cars. When paying for these expensive cars you need to hire an expert to inspect them. If you don't know better. Hire someone !!
I know half these people in this website have done a resto and ask them, its HELL.
UNLESS you find a VERY RARE car and production #'s are low(sometimes we dont have choices).Buy it !!
Sorry guys I can go on forever but I REALLY hate typing.
Jump in on the Muscle car market. Buy from your heart and you cant get hurt !!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

From the investment standpoint, the time to buy collectibles (art, stamps, Camaros) is now. In my opinion, the global and US economy is entering a reflation phase, and during periods of inflation, collectibles outperform most other assets. As you guys know, when the prices of Camaros go up, it takes the prices of all original equipment with it, so if you're buying a collectible, buy it as complete as possible; if you're currently restoring a collectible, buy as many of your parts now as you can (as opposed intermittently buying parts during a multi-year restoration).

But I could be wrong.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Rich P, Thanks for all the good info. I have done a complete restoration and hope I have the sense to never do it again. I can only speak about first gen camaros, but it is next to impossible to find NOS parts (at any price) and unless you are doing a super rare car, a restoration will find you financially upside down. Speaking of super rare, will the market ever split into two segments, or maybe it has already, with the super rare becoming an investement and the not so rare in most instances becoming a hobbyist car, for a guy like myself? Or do the not so rare cars get dragged along by the super rare cars?

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Sorry to say !!
Its a food chain down from the top to the bottom.
When someone owns a cheaper car(heavy production #'s) and they know a car with prodution #'s(rarer) they feel their car is worth what the last guy sold his for.When a car looks like the Best of the Best they can ask for what ever price they want.When I think its never going to get that, a buyer comes along and pays it.
I remember when 318 convertibles were 16,000 and people wouldnt pay that and know begging for one in the 30's.
I dont see these cars dropping soon.
Im sure people remember when the ASIANS were buying,have we seen any of those cars come back [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
Getting alot of calls from Europe wanting to buy [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Say goodbye to some of these rare cars. Very few coming back
Enjoy them while you can, you only live once. Step up and pay for the one you love and enjoy the car and dont think about the cars falling down in price.There is NO enjoyment in that. Thats why I say buy from the heart and you cant get hurt. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif[/img]
Just my opinion [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif[/img]
Just wanted to give shout out to Charlie [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Ask anyone who bought a 427 Cobra or L72 Corvette in the early 90's if prices ever drop. If history is any indicator of the future, you can expect prices to fluxuate widely. Over the last 15 years, the prices of great cars seems to have gone up, when the stock market went down...and visa versa.

Tribute car (clone) builders do not fear the discovery of GM documentation. My Yenko Tribute Car is just that. Nothing more, nothing less.

Fakes, however, is another story. If I had bought a high dollar car, especially if I bought it in the last couple of years, and it did not have a rock solid pedigree, I would be a little antsy.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

I've only been back in the hobby a little over a year now. (It all coincided with my then 16 year-old stepson telling me last summer that he wanted a 69 Camaro.) It was right around the time that GM announced they were putting the Camaro on hiatus, and classic Camaro prices when through the roof.

I can only relate to 67-69 Camaros because they are primarily what I follow. While prices have stabilized and I have actually even seen some even come down a little, the supercars and "real" factory Super Sports and Z/28's seem to be holding their value and in some cases even increasing.

It wasn't too long ago where just about every person selling an original 327-210HP powerglide car thought they had a $15K car. Now those prices have come back down to reality a little, however its still not uncommon to see $10K plus for even a modified plain Jane basket case, and $6K plus for a roller missing its entire drivetrain. At least that's the case out here in California.

I paid a little on the high side for both my 67's but quite frankly it was worth it IMO because they're both almost rust free and super straight. (Even here in sunny California its hard to find classic 60's musclecars that don't have rust problems in the most typical places.)

Personally, I see the factory SS, Z/28 and Dealer Super Cars continuing to increase in value, especially if they're documented and original. And by original I don't neccessarily mean bone stock. I plan on making some minor changes to my 67 RS. However, I'm using period correct and numbers matching components as not to decrease its value. With my kid's 67 clone, its going to be a hotrod anyway so I'm not being as careful to "keep it factory."

I think the next big effect on pricing will happen when Chevrolet official announces the return of the Camaro in a couple years. (Yes it is coming back as a 2007 model.) Depending on how much fan-fare comes with that announcement it should drive prices up on most Camaros. However, it could also have the opposite effect. Only time will tell.

Anyway, just my 2¢. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Got to agree with you Rich! If you want a correct numbers matching car you are going to have to step up to the plate and pay the price. Trying to restore a car now is crazy, I should know after doing my Yenko Camaro and this car was in good shape with all original parts. I think these Super cars have pulled the market up for all other hipo cars. Look at the Z-28s, a couple of years ago they were 20K for a top notch resto, now I see up around 50K. I still see the market to stay strong for the high end cars. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

It is kinda sick but with some cars going for M prices it makes the K prices sound low.
1963 Grand Sport Corvette 5M
Found in barn 60s Shelbly Daytona Coupe 4M
There has been talk of it but not sure if any Corvettes hit the 1M mark yet.
Most Yenko's still under 200K

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

rare and unique will always hold, the average car that has risen will probably fluctuate. there seems to be more buyers than sellers. i agree with Rich, it can't just be the average car, it must be rare in numbers, unique in some facet and most of all desirable. we always pay more for something we really like or want, if not hesitate and its gone to someone that will make a decision. these cars are antiques and with age comes beauty! JMHO.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

I guess Rich sums it up pretty well when he says "Step up and pay for the one you love and enjoy the car and dont think about the cars falling down in price.There is NO enjoyment in that. Thats why I say buy from the heart and you cant get hurt". Now the trick is finding what I want. I am really crazy for 68 Camaros, with an L78 being at the top of the list, but, I am super picky.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

To me, muscle cars are pieces of American art from a special time in America's history...the rare and desireable cars will hold their value and the more plentiful cars will have more of a fluctuating value...

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

What do you consider rare? I know the Yenkos and ZL1 type cars are rare. I own a 68 Beaumont SD396, basically a Canadian version of a Chevelle SS396. There were 680 built and sold in Canada. There can't be more than 300 or so left. What do you think cars like this will do in the future?
James

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Hold on to it! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif[/img]

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

[ QUOTE ]
What do you consider rare? I know the Yenkos and ZL1 type cars are rare. I own a 68 Beaumont SD396, basically a Canadian version of a Chevelle SS396. There were 680 built and sold in Canada. There can't be more than 300 or so left. What do you think cars like this will do in the future?
James

[/ QUOTE ]


That car has a large following up here in Canada and it is starting to end up in a few big time collectors in the states. Whatever you do, don't wreck it because there are not any companies reproducing any of the distinct trim like the grill and tail panel trim. If you ever here about a wrecked car, grab the trim.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

It seems very difficult to find great cars . The people that have great cars seem to be holding on to them. There are always exceptions but to me the great cars seem alot scarcer than ever before. Ive checked the dealers lately to see whats up and for instance World Wide Muscle Cars has hardly any cars for sale at this time. Maybe everybody is waiting for Jim to have the docs together, so their real cars will go up in value and the others will decrease. My .02.

Re: Prices, Up, Down or Sideways
 

Or perhaps they like what they have and just want to keep them and have fun showing their cars and makeing you envious?? Stop to think that most of these cars were hoarded back many years ago. I came across mine back in the eary 70's. It is hard to find these cars and when I bought mine they were expensive for a car like that compared to something similar but not as collectable. Mine were just custom bodied Corvettes and original FI C1 & C2's were worth more to most of the buyers. I had no Idea that a Motion would be as sought after as they are nowadays. Most of all you just need to be very lucky if you find something collectable.