Classic Mopar Market Health

[Marc70challenger]

I peruse this from Hagerty once in a while:  https://www.hagerty.com/apps/valuationtools/market-trends 

But if you look at the details of the indexes, there's not much for Mopar specifically except very high end/value like Superbirds.  In fact, I think some of their index choices for benchmarks are poor selections .... but what do I know - they certainly have the data on ownership, which cars, etc  But I digress.

We've all seen Mopars, especially, certain models like E bodies have a nice delta in value growth.  And not that I personally use our cars as "investment" vehicles. I am just curious as to what you all that watch the market have seen over past 12-24 months ... and where you think it's going ?

[Cuda Cody]

My buddy who sells a lot of cars at BJ uses a book put out by Black Book (by Hearst) and it's called "Cars of Particular Interest".  I think it costs like $100 a year but they track the auctions and other sites and their prices are really spot on.  It's not only big dollar cars either.  They have all the E-Bodies and the different models. 

[HP_Cuda]

Folks that drive the market are the ones with $$$ to burn. These same folks ride the wave of the stock market, bond market, etc and when times are good they are good and when they are bad....

[72 Challenger]

I think the biggest thing I have noticed since I started quasi watching is that the former drag race cars and factory lightweights seem to be losing traction? They are some of my favourites but I think as the age of people who own muscle cars shifts younger they have less connection to those vintage light weight cars.

Let's hope 72's are up overall!

[Marc70challenger]

My buddy who sells a lot of cars at BJ uses a book put out by Black Book (by Hearst) and it's called "Cars of Particular Interest".  I think it costs like $100 a year but they track the auctions and other sites and their prices are really spot on.  It's not only big dollar cars either.  They have all the E-Bodies and the different models.

Sounds like good, proper source.

[Marc70challenger]

I think the biggest thing I have noticed since I started quasi watching is that the former drag race cars and factory lightweights seem to be losing traction? They are some of my favourites but I think as the age of people who own muscle cars shifts younger they have less connection to those vintage light weight cars.

Let's hope 72's are up overall!

Good point. As we grow older, I think specific segments of this market will shift   

Big cat buyers may have some influence on the high end. But there's much more to the market than them.

If I remember correctly, Haggerty sees the average of the overall market somewhere +/-  $20 k. That's not where people who have large disposable incomes play.

[IRON MAN]

IMO Baby Boomers created the "Muscle Car Market." The Baby Boomers are now in their 60's and 70's....a dying breed. The market in another 10-15 years will be inundated with unsold muscle cars and this will cause a decline in value. Most millennials went to  high schools that did not offer auto shop classes. Forums like this are the learning centers. New cars are so darn reliable, safe, efficient, comfortable, fast, and warranties are ~100,000 miles, etc . With the retro style of the Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang what millennial wants an out-dated muscle car unless its free or inherited from their baby boomer Dad? The market will be flooded with muscle cars in less than 10- 15 years. Muscle cars may even be obsolete and not be allowed on public roads unless they have been converted to self driving cars. Hope I'm wrong. I would love to see my great grand children driving my Challenger.

[Roadman]

IMO Baby Boomers created the "Muscle Car Market." The Baby Boomers are now in their 60's and 70's....a dying breed. The market in another 10-15 years will be inundated with unsold muscle cars and this will cause a decline in value. Most millennials went to  high schools that did not offer auto shop classes. Forums like this are the learning centers. New cars are so darn reliable, safe, efficient, comfortable, fast, and warranties are ~100,000 miles, etc . With the retro style of the Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang what millennial wants an out-dated muscle car unless its free or inherited from their baby boomer Dad? The market will be flooded with muscle cars in less than 10- 15 years. Muscle cars may even be obsolete and not be allowed on public roads unless they have been converted to self driving cars. Hope I'm wrong. I would love to see my great grand children driving my Challenger.

                                          Just look at the baby birds that brought 100 to 500K fifteen years ago, now a nice Amos Minter car is in the 50s.

[RUNCHARGER]

Price 32-34 Fords, Duesenbergs, 30's Chryslers etc. lately? Cool cars are always expensive. I doubt many people that own Duesenbergs or 32 Fords remember them when they were new.

[JH27N0B]

Trying to forecast what vintage cars will be worth in the future is like trying to pick stocks.  There is no shortage of great forecasters who are self proclaimed geniuses and have it all figured out, until the future comes and most of them are wrong!
I've been watching car values since I was a teen in the late 70s and it seems like there is always something that is really "hot" at a given time.  The first ones I noticed, back in the days of Disco and the new Pink Floyd album "The Wall" coming out, was 55-57 T birds.  There have been a number of different car groups hot since then, and many seem to come pretty unexpectantly.  I'm amazed what forward look cars of the late 50s bring today for example.  Others that I see that seem hot today are SUVs like Broncos and Blazers, and step side pickups.  23 window early 60s VW buses are getting crazy money now is another example.  Who saw that coming a few years ago?
It's exciting to watch and see what gets hot, but as far as anyone being a wise sage who can predict the future, after 40 years watching the car market, I'm skeptical anyone like that exists!

[YellowThumper]

Price 32-34 Fords, Duesenbergs, 30's Chryslers etc. lately? Cool cars are always expensive. I doubt many people that own Duesenbergs or 32 Fords remember them when they were new.

These cars are all what they are for the cool factor. Now. When they were 20-40ish years old they were trash. Cool pieces of drat now with no expectation of real performance. Muscle cars on the other hand have the muscle image problem. With why own a muscle car that is slower than most sedans. IMHOP market trend as my boomers die off will be restomod over exacting oem. Most are no longer numbers matching. So make what you want steps in. Old style looks with all the creature comforts and reliability.

[Chryco Psycho]

from Hagarty
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-01-18/recovery-vintage-car-prices-crash-more-20089

[303 Mopar]

I think the market is trending to restomod's with the new crate engines and the options around FI.  The restomods are the best of both worlds; a new engine, some with even a warranty, in a classic muscle car.  You get the performance and reliability, and have a cool car that stands out for the 30k other Challengers and Camaros out there.

For FI, just look at how many choices we have now that did not exist just 3-4 years ago, and these swaps are becoming easier and more affordable every year.  The knowledge and experience of how to dial-in and tune a carbureted classic car is dying.  Along with no shop classes as mentioned earlier, the younger generations do not have the knowledge or willingness to learn.

[1 Wild R/T]

I wish the market would just hurry up & crash so I can afford a few more of the cars I want....

[750-h2]

Problem with restomods is that todays new crate engines will also become old engines down the road.  I think in the long run stock OEM cars will always prevail.