is a 69 daytona really worth this much?

[Ghoste]

Certain musclecars like Daytonas and Hemi Cudas will be treasured like Duesenburg SJ's and others will just fall to the footnotes.  Daytona pricing may ease up once in awhile but I wouldn't look for any huge slide in values.

[maxwellwedge]

Certain musclecars like Daytonas and Hemi Cudas will be treasured like Duesenburg SJ's and others will just fall to the footnotes.  Daytona pricing may ease up once in awhile but I wouldn't look for any huge slide in values.

I agree - The rarest/coolest will always bring a decent price. There is an ass for every seat in any market for a really "good" car - be it an excellent survivor or all-out resto.

I buy all my stuff because I love it. Unfortunately(?) I love most of them. I really don't care much about "the market".  Deep down we keep an eyeball on prices to feel good about our purchases but that is about 1% of the time with me.

[Ghoste]

Feel good about the purchase or justify our "wise investments" to our lovely brides?... 

[maxwellwedge]

Feel good about the purchase or justify our "wise investments" to our lovely brides?... 

YES   

[69_500]

Not all of us. I know for me personally I could care less if my car drops in value to where I couldn't give it away. I didn't buy it to make money, or even to use as a savings account. I bought it because I love 500's and Daytona's. Paid more money for it then my wife would have liked, but she also knows that I wasn't throwing the money away. Odds are it won't lose money on what I paid for it, but if it does oh well. I bought it as a hobby/love, not as a money maker.

[maxwellwedge]

My wife actually likes this stuff and has always said that as long as we have a roof over our heads, food and clothing I could do whatever I want....So I bought a tent, a few cases of Kraft Dinner and some sweat pants - threw them through the tent flap and starting hunting for Hemi's!!!

[pettybird]

OK so who's going to find this car on Autabuy, Auto Trader, etc? 


let's see if we can get seven different threads on the car for the seven publications we use 


I'll have to let Matt know at work that the old writeup is still on dupont...

[pettybird]

I think that when the last of the Baby Boomers hit 65 there will be a big price adjustment down. Some of the next generation have the same love for the cars, the era etc. but their numbers are only a very small percentage of the people that lived it. I (regrettably) think our stuff will go the way of the Model T before 20 years from now....Some people think 10-15 years. Or do what I do - love what you have and buy more!!! 

i don't think this is the case for muscle cars, or anything built after 1955.  No one wants a model t because, well, they suck as cars.  I'd rather walk than drive one of those deathmobiles across country.  My bird, though, can go anywhere, quickly, and with a tolerable amount of comfort.  Repair parts are plentiful and the cars are easy to work on. 

they also kick ass in a way that prewar stuff just doesn't.  I see a Deusenberg as sculpture.  I see a 'bird as an outlet for frustration 

[pettybird]

For people like me and Doug we are hoping that there are more people into these cars in another 25-30 years or the shows will be only a small outing. And the reunion shows like Talladega might as well only happen at his house or mine. We need more people in my age bracket and younger to like these cars too.

yeah, we've whined at each other about this.  our only silver lining is that the chances of you running into another 500 or me another bird at a show is already nearly nil.  it's a treat to find one--I can't say the same for my '93 5 liter mustang.  Fox cars are disappearing quickly, especially 4 eyed cars like Doug S's.  it saddens me to see fewer and fewer of them...

[Ghoste]

I don't believe that will always be the case though.  The parts supply is slowly drying up and the generation coming up behind us lack many of the basic skills we take for granted with our "easy to work on" cars.  I see it at auctions many times where some guy has had his special musclecar for years and left it to his family and the kids just blow it out of there at no reserve because to them, it's just some stupid car that dad wasted all his time and money on.  Not in every case but in many.  This idea that the musclecars are special and will always be revered is just boomer arrogance IMO.  But I'm as guilty as anyone else when it comes to that.

[lisiecki1]

.........so i was thinking.............when i finish the 73..........it should be worth about $275,000............everyone start lining up to buy it at the BARGAIN BASEMENT price!!!!!!!!!!!

[pettybird]

when I sat 'parts' I mean the basics to keep the car running.  sure, there aren't going to be NOS trim parts, but a cap and rotor, spark plugs, hoses, etc. will be available for a long time.

and, i'm starting to throw NOTHING away.  i'm not even returning cores to the parts store.  i know i'm not the only one on here doing this 

[69_500]

Your definitely not the only one who throws nothing away. Ask my wife she will tell you that I throw absolutely nothing away, and that includes newspapers/magazines/receipts. I'm horrible at how much crap I collect and don't part with.

[maxwellwedge]

Funny how the rusty, pitted, crappy parts we used to ignore at the swaps 5-10 years ago now warrant a closer look. 

[68beepbeep]

If you owned that car and want to sell it, you to would ask this price, I know I would. ~Steve~   

[pettybird]

Your definitely not the only one who throws nothing away. Ask my wife she will tell you that I throw absolutely nothing away, and that includes newspapers/magazines/receipts. I'm horrible at how much crap I collect and don't part with.

<--currently cleaning the house, wondering what I'll ever do with this crap...

[68beepbeep]

Has anyone noticed that the nose in the reflection looks like the Concord jet. When it lands, the nose would adjust in a downward angle. Strange photography!!!

[Aero426]

I think that when the last of the Baby Boomers hit 65 there will be a big price adjustment down. Some of the next generation have the same love for the cars, the era etc. but their numbers are only a very small percentage of the people that lived it. I (regrettably) think our stuff will go the way of the Model T before 20 years from now....Some people think 10-15 years. Or do what I do - love what you have and buy more!!! 

There is an old saying about collectibles that separates these wheat from the chaff:

"What was special then is special now.   What was ordinary then might be rare now, but it's still not special."

I've heard the claim that as the boomers pass, the demand will plummet. In the case of the wing cars, I have to disagree.   These cars are so strangely weird and have a wonderful history, that there will always be buyers for them.    There may be some price erosion, and we've possibly seen the last big run-up in prices; but how much decline we are in store for in 10-20 years will be anyones guess.    Compared to my 401k performance,  I'd rather have another car in the garage right now.

[maxwellwedge]

Just my little opinion based on the ratio of the people that lived the era vs. the next generation(s) that are into the stuff. No crystal ball. The math is just not there but I hope my opinion is wrong. The wings are indeed rare in quantity and wll be paid for and covetted.

But - who cares?

Like I said in my last sentence, "Or do what I do - love what you have and buy more!!!"

And boy-oh-boy do I ever agree with you about investments. I should have bought a couple more cars and left the investing to Warren Buffett - Yikes

I have waaaaaay toooo many cars - not wrecks - running, driving cars. I don't worry about the future (I just worry about space for them :^)  ). If I did I would have a few die-casts and be the annoying guy at the car shows showing a photocopy of a title of a car I owned 20 years ago.

Power to the hobbyists! Keep buying and fixing up those Mopes and give help to the newer hobbyists.   

[WingCharger]

Dont worry, I we young guns will keep MoPar alive. 
I will heavily invest in Six Packs and R/T's. Sounds like a good trading plan.

[pettybird]

Hey Doug was that your dad who came up with the "Dusenbergs of the future" line?  Mom and I still pull that one out when we get the "if only someone knew these things would be worth money someday."


they bought the cars, at a premium, as 6 year old used cars.  they weren't the only ones, either.   



I don't think we'll see nicely restored wing cars at 50 grand again, ever.  There might be more rats dragged out of the weeds for less, but not clean cars.  I don't even think our 'birds would sink that low in their current condition.  They're close but I think we're near the floor pricewise. 

[pettybird]

I see it at auctions many times where some guy has had his special musclecar for years and left it to his family and the kids just blow it out of there at no reserve because to them, it's just some stupid car that dad wasted all his time and money on.  Not in every case but in many.  This idea that the musclecars are special and will always be revered is just boomer arrogance IMO.  But I'm as guilty as anyone else when it comes to that.

I passed right through this on my first time around... 

I see this a LOT.  Mom and I are Porsche club members (her 911, my 925 turbo) and we generally hang out with people her age, even though they have kids.  it's totally aggravating. 

I know why, though.  Junior isn't allowed to touch mommy and daddy's car.  Why get attached to something you can't go near?  Because you don't feel is a part of you, you can grow to feel indifferent to it or even resent it. 

the best (or worst, as my habits go) thing mom did for me was give me access to the cars.  I couldn't take them everywhere, but it was close.  they didn't run well, so I learned from my older car friends how to work on them.  I invested myself in the car and we grew together.  They run 98% of the time and they're very special to me.  I learned about the cars because of that investment in time and my group of car related friends grew because of it. 

Imagine if she locked them away from me in a garage.  it's been nearly 20 years since Dad died (next March--I can't believe it) and if I hadn't learned to take care of the cars they'd still be there.  I'd want the auction money, too.

It really grates on me when people don't let their kids join in with the cars.  I know people with cars ranging from $5000 Porsche 944's through wing cars who don't let the kids drive, and by "kids" I mean "offspring" who are adults. 

I don't have kids, but I do want them.  They won't take the Petty car to driver's ed, but I won't be the only one behind the wheel or under the hood.  My kids will want the cars, and they'll know enough to maintain them, too.

The most valuable asset these cars have is the generation of caretakers who have them right now.  We pass on the knowledge and love or they'll lock these things away behind ropes in museums where no one can enjoy them.

[moparstuart]

I'm doing my part for the future of our cars and clubs  .

   They must be the mail mans kids though cause they dont look anything like me  LOL

[superbirdtom]

That is great Stuart i am sure they all want their own project to work on. I only bring my car out late at nite once every 3 months for a late nite run . most kids in this town have never seen the car. i cruise by the local mall hangout where the jids have their rice burner furious cars. They go nuts and their jaws drop and i will not stop but putt by.  my friends high school son says to me that the car heads try to describe it the next day but can't, they say ,wow this car had a giant wing  and on and on. one halloween I had a grim reaper robe on wearing a skeletor mask. and the locals thought it wsn't real and theyd seen an apparition.  pretty funny. when it ws the Black ice mobile we actually hoked up a fog machine inside and would fill it with fog before the band stepped out of it in front of a gig  very 80,s. Now that Im not going to new orleans till the 8th. i am going through the attic fpr the other pics , everyone eill find amusing.   But good work , the kids will carry the torch on!

[Aero426]

Hey Doug was that your dad who came up with the "Dusenbergs of the future" line?  Mom and I still pull that one out when we get the "if only someone knew these things would be worth money someday."

Actually, he stole that line from Michael Lamm who at the time (apx 1974) was writing for Motor Trend. 

Dad's background was really in antique cars.   When he bought the Superbird in '72, he quickly sold the old cars which all needed restoration.   At some point, around '73 he printed off an article from Esquire magazine that named some picks for future collector cars, all from the postwar era.   I came across the article recently, and it was interesting to see which of the picks made good, and which were comparitive duds.