I was surfing the net looking at cars for sale on the net, even on this site, comparing to see if the price on the car I have for sale is priced right. I think I have been going about it all wrong selling my car for half of its worth. 40-50- even 75 thousand dollars for rods? Theres even a rod for 65k on this site. I guess $150,000 would be a fair price for my 53 Ford. Are these people nuts? Whats happening to our hobby? Don`t get me wrong, there probably are a choice few that have that kind of dough in them, but not the ones I see being advertised for these rediculous prices. Gee`s.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

hey, where is the problem with that...I've been telling my wife what a great investment opportunity street rods are. This sometimes seems the only way to get funds released for my project.
And besides anything is only worth what someone else will pay for it. I hope they keep going up in value, maybe by the time mine is done it will be worth what I have in it.
But, I'm just a car nut, what do I know?
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If it ain't broke, I haven't worked on it yet.

I guess if you are in the hobby for the money that makes perfect sense.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

If you are making money from a hobby, where does a business start and the hooby end?

When its your full means of support.
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Mike J

I also would like to have my Olds worth what I have into money and sweatwise when I'm done. Not because I would plan on selling it, but lets face it, none of us want to "lose" money on purpose. Before I bought project Big Olds I sat down and added up the cost of everything I could think of that it still needed, parts, labor, EVERYTHING. I added that figure to the price the seller wanted and came up with a total cost figure. If that figure was higher then I thought Big Olds was going to be worth when I was done, I would have passed on buying it. Luckly it wasn't! LOL In my opinion, rods increasing in value is a good thing for our hobby/sport. I look at it as an investment, just like stamp or coin collecting, you can enjoy it when your using it and hopefully when you go to sell you can make some money. :)

Speaking of big buck rod, the Barrett Jackson auction starts tomorrow night on Speedvision I believe. I heard thru the grape vine that Poteet's Sniper and the 57 wagon will both be there up for auction. I'd love to hear what they sold for, if I don't get a chance to watch it on TV. Please post it here if anyone hears what they went for.
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Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

Then what you are saying is I`m selling the car short, it should be 45k or better?
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

A couple years ago I told my wife I could build the 36 for around $15,000.00. I had just given up building Experimental aerobatic and F-1 raceplanes. I had a 200 h.p. Pitts that I had around $ 17,000.00 in it. The best you could own at that time. When I quit flying and went to cars for a hobby, 15,000.00 sounded like a fair price. Well needless to say $45,000.00 later the car was almost done. I could of had one heck of a plane for that money. Some will say "how could you have that much in it" EASY! would be my answer. Could I sell it for that? probably only in my dreams. But it is not for sale anyway. If you see me driving it, I'll have a $100,000.00 smile on my face,that $45,000.00 won't buy. Would I trade the car for a airplane NO!
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That's my story and I'm stickn to it

I think the key word in your statement is ADVERTISED.Most are not going to sell at half the price.I see cars that were super-duper show cars built by-insert your favorite famous builder-that are for sale for 1/3 what the original owner/builder paid to have it built.Weird and unusual "stuff" plays big in the magazines and at the 1st or 2nd outing at big shows but lets face it, they are just carnival wagons. They just do not stand up to the test of time and they are useless to drive and enjoy.People see these cars at these stupid prices and say if that car is worth XXXX then mine is worth XXX and it just goes crazy from there.A good number of people in the old car world today are whores, just in it for the fast buck. Misrepresenting cars,lying to prospective buyers and my favorite.... trading their junk for someone elses junk and running around telling anyone who will listen how much $money$ they made on the deal.These dealers have the attitude that there is a butt for every seat and they just need to find 1 dummy with the cash. The truth is that a lot of us are having a lot of fun and these other people want what we have, and think they can BUY IN and have what we have. Just look at the HARLEY WORLD and all the johnny come lately bikers. I purchased a new 2001 HD DEUCE in Nov.2001 but I also bought a Harley in 69,71- 1st Super Glide, 78 and others so I been there done that got the t-shirts to prove it.Now a HD is out of a lot of peoples range because of the BUY IN people have run the price up. MOST real people are not spending big bucks for this stuff. Go back and look to see how many of these sell and the number is very low and most of the ones who do sell...I would love to see the money counted cause I DO BELIEVE THE LIES!!
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Steeldeuce

My bud here in K.C. had one of the finest 31 Ford 2 door street rods in the world. Owned it for 20 years. First class car. He wanted to sell it, so I put it on the net for him. Asking $38,500.00 it was there for 6 months without a call. Then 2 calls, both came to look the one from Calif. brought the cash in a brief case ,which his wife held on to like it was her virginity. No sale wife said wrong color, rode too rough. Next came the man from down south, he lived a couple doors down from Richard Petty if I remember right. Took all of 10 seconds to make up his mind. He offered $28,000.00 and buddy took it.Both were happy. I guess the lesson here is, If a guy shows up to buy your car and his wife has her virginity in his brief case, don't waste your time ,sell to the guy from down south.
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That's my story and I'm stickn to it

He sold it for over 10 grand less-6 months later and it was not a carnival wagon. let's see..... that's about right. All us guys in the SOUTH love old Fords. It soulds like the fair market price was set by the current market demand. But it was a Model A. Very loved car and well accepted in the car world. On a somewhat different but same vein, Stu Sargent from Daytona Trophy told me to never put a pre 49 car or truck on a event shirt that was not reproduced in fiberglass. It will be a dud.People want the popular stuff in the street rod world plus 55 chevy and 69 camaro. Best sellers on shirts and the real car market too. Most people who build weird stuff try and sell it within a few years . Got a buddy who called his car RODNEY because it got no respect.Sold it to a guy who had never had a street rod before. There is a butt for every seat.
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Steeldeuce

I prey that the prices STOP GETTING HIGHER. I don't want this hobby to get too expensive for me to participate. You used to be able to buy your project car for $1000 or less up to 7 or 8 years ago. Now, bone stock rust buckets are bringing $5000 at flea markets. UNREAL!!

As far as how people get all that money into their rides, they're paying someone to do work. I will never have that kind of money in a ride, 'cause I'm not paying anyone 30K in labor, I do everything myself.

I really think the prices have gotten out of hand. And, I think it's the professional baby boomers, who have no mechanical talent whatsoever, that get their check books out to build a car, that have driven the prices out of site.

Not that there's anything wrong with that............
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MrWillys aka HRB

Paint don't make 'em any faster!

I had to chime in at least once on this. After going to many differing shows, the one element that I see, is the 50 to 65 crowd with too much money in hand and want to be a part of the hobby. They don't know squat about the car but can write the check just to forage among us.

MrWillys is correct too. The slightly younger crowd are well educated and have had high incomes for years and they too want to be apart of this foray, so they get their check books out too. I just was offered for my Dad's 55 sitting in my garage apart .....doing more interior and some other neat tricks on it, $38,000 for it! Now it's a very nice ride, but the guy who is a very good friend of mine and I love him to death, is a UPS career guy that got over 5 million with the public offering a few years back on UPS, and wants just to write the checks and go to the shows.

I have friends that spend over $150000 for a Scotty Canon Willys....pretty cool but sold it for only $100,000. Wow...take a $50,000 loss.....I can't afford to do that. Another friend, Ron Hassel, a major player in the performance parts business of many a year, just completed a 33 Roadster, yellow, super modified with all the tricks, and you may have seen it at Shades, or GGS Charlotte...beautiful car......are ya sitting down.....ready....have the pace maker handy.....$330,000!!! Wow, a third of a million Bucks! I can't believe it.

So, the money cars are getting out of hand....there is no doubt.

Hey KC-TOM......I have built a few airplanes myself, I built a Starduster in the early 70s and also rebuilt a T-34, and then latched onto a Pitts S2(the most fun you can have with your clothes on...maybe off too)....got wrecked, and am currently mulling over a Cessna 195 that I found in Tennessee that is perfect, just needs to be redone! I sure like airplanes, but having fabric planes up north is expensive.....you know the routine.
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Steve Jack
Engineering & Marketing Technologies
ConceptOne Brackets and Pulleys

The way I see it you have too options if you want a car; 1) buy one and pay what the market will bare 2) build one. To buy one, you have the full range of quality and each car has a resume to justify it's value. To build one, you are paying what the market will bare on the car you start with, but only competing with other builders when buying that, then adding whatever degree of technology/cost you choose. I have never seen so much aftermarket competition, so after market parts are at an all time low. You can buy everything you need to make a car without even starting with a real car! Personally I have about $20,000 into my 32 Tudor, so far and probably have another $8,000 to go. If I HAD to sell it, it's resume would justify to a "Buy a car guy" that it is worth about $30,000. That would be based on comparing it to what they could buy with the similar goodies from some other builder. As far as profit, I would consider $30,000 a loss given the number of hours I put into it. To me it is purely a hobby and if I enjoyed building it, got satisifaction from driving it, then HAD to sell it and got the sum of the parts out of it, I would consider it a break even. I agree there are some people with more money than sense, but I only spend 1 minute talking to them at a show, then move on and spend an hour with a guy that has done the work themself. I guess I wouldn't complain if the prices shot through the roof, cause I might end up making $1.50/hr in the end instead of being a volunteer.

Down throgh the years i've built 18 airplanes.A Couple of the Oskosh winners. The First airplane I owned was a Cessna 195B. 275 Jake for power. I went to the 195 club show in FLA. back in the 70's. Bought the grand Champion for that year for $7500.00. Wish I had it today. My Pitts was a 200 h.p. SIS. My other best plane was a Cassutt F-1 race plane. It ran 260 m.p.h. on a modified Cont. 0200 putting out 150 h.p. at 4500 Rpm. If I can figure out how to post here again I'll post a picture of the two. Had to give up flying after 30 years. The medical thing.
TOM
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That's my story and I'm stickn to it

KCTOM.....Sorry to hear about the medical thing intervening in a cooooool hobby. There's nothing like an outside loop in a Pitts coming within a few hundred feet of the ground! It's awesome. Also, a great way to show off for you neighbors is to buss their chimney upside down at full throttle. It definitely gets the neighborhoods attention.

If my daughter gets into Aviation I am going to go back to building airplanes etal. I forgot to mention the Breezy that I built too. The first real type that led to all the ultra lights.


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Steve Jack
Engineering & Marketing Technologies
ConceptOne Brackets and Pulleys

Steve:
I can't even imagine how to justify $330,000 for a car...period. Much less a street rod. I could probably go through every catalog I own & pick out ALL the best stuff and it would still come nowhere near that much. Of course my labor is worth a lot these days. That's why I work free for GGs.LOL

Fred
We have a man here in town that had a 32 5window bult up north and we have heard the price at about $ 200.000.00 and maybe more.but i have some friends that have built almost the same car and to look at them together the average person couldn't tell the difference.
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A GOODGUYS REP

Do not forget John that this guy has a roadster going together at the same place now and will probably be $350,000
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Steeldeuce

Hi Randy
Yea i know must be nice to have that much money.Sure would my life better. I think he also has a 32 sedan delivery that is going to be built also.
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A GOODGUYS REP

The sedan delivery is up and going now. When Lee and I went over to look at some wheels he wanted to sell, He was driving it. He Paid $30 grand plus for it. It's the one that was in Anderson. Jag rear and all that 70's-early 80's stuff. He had it down at Myrtle Beach a few years back. You did not have to leave yesterday just because we got there. We where down the road too in about 15 minutes.
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Steeldeuce

I did all my flying in the 60`s, but it wasn`t in planes. Hey Steve, Send some of those checkbook boys here. I have a bargain for them.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

That is the reason the price is high, Harley is keeping the production numbers low, to keep the demand and price high..........
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Mike J

Ed, I've seen your car on the web in a couple of different places, here for one. My 57 is probably of the same caliber and style. I think you're right on the button on the price. Mine was listed at 29.5. I just don't think a semi custom is selling right now. If mine doesn't sell I'm going to look for a trade for the car I want, a 40 Ford coupe. I really believe that the reason the prices are going NUTS is the fact that a lot of highrollers have taken a real s..t kicken in the market and are looking for anything that will A-preciate. Then it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy. I bought mine a 30K and you like the one you're looking at better than mine so it must be worth more. It's quite possible that neither of the buyers knew anything about rods before they bought that first one, and there is always someone ready to take that large profit on their car. Just something stumbling around in my feeble mind for a while now while watching the prices go HIGHER AND HIGHER.
Rochie

A year or two ago R&C listed some of the lower priced cars that are available for custom fodder. The 52-4 Ford was one of them.
Bottom line its just not an "In car" with the guys that got spare cash laying around. Back up a few years to a shoebox or foreward to a Crown Vic and you would get your price.

Actually Im suprised yours even got past 15K.

Before you get too upset, I have a custom 53 Vicky and figure its worth 10K. It even has a full dress flatty and all the 50's era custom goodies that seem to be the rage at shows. But I drive the pants off it and its no show car; 60K or so miles in the past 4 years.

OTOH Ive had people walk up to me in a parking lot and offer me $22-24K for my 68 Impala SS-396 convertible. Its a low mile # matching southern car but maybe its the bright Matador Red that gets them all excited!

Keep the faith, you may just get lucky.

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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

I wont get upset, I do know the car has well over 20k in brand new parts not including chassis and body. The interior has close to 5k in it. It too is a real driver, it is the best of two worlds. One can take it to any shows and do well or go cross country with it. Show and go. So I feel the price is more than fair, I was just wondering if the prices of rods was in a downward trend. I`m not looking to profit of the car obviously, I`m building a 36 Chevy master for my brother and selling this car will fund that project. I never sell any cars I build, I still have in my barn all the cars over the years I have built, so I`m not one of those "profit guys" The Ford is just a car I though someone else would enjoy because it would be a shame for it to live in the barn for most of its life.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

Ed it sounds like you're getting conscientious in your old age!! This big buck car thing is like anything else- a case of the wanna be's with the cash in hand-that's all.
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American by birth....Southern by the grace of god

What I want to know is is it that when I sell a car, none of those "want it now, got big bucks in hand" guys are never around?
The "lookers" always act like I must be nuts asking what I may actually have tied up in the car. Maybe that's the key....if you ask too little, they think somethings is up. Maybe we should all ask about 5 times what the cras are really worth, then some idiot with more money than sense will buy them.

The Lookers?....You may be on to something here.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

I don' think prices are taking a downward swing on the cars but I do believe the people in the price bracket your car appeals to, are not spending the extra right now. In this area, (Detroit), every night, the media is craming down our throats how poorly the big 3 are doing and how many layoff/forced retirements, etc will be taking place. It a domino effect around here. You might not work for the big 3 but most of the businesses are either directly or indirectly linked. I noticed it about 6 months ago in my business, women aren't spending on clothes like they usually do. No doubt it will come back around, but most are waiting to see if their jobs will be effected. Be patient, (difficult for you I'm sure, LOL) but springtime is just around the corner and isn't that the best time to SELL a car, with the fall being the best time to BUY a car? It will sell, just a matter of time. :)
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Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

Plain Jane '32 5 window resto-rod black, traditional flames steelies caps rings WWW Tires 350/350 Auto Disc all the way around Must. II 9" blue oval rear went off on Barrett-Jackson 1 hour ago for a kool $101,000.00

Am I missing something here?? Where are these guys getting these kinds of prices?? Looked to me that the car was MAYBE on a great day with the right person around with cash in hand worth 40K.

'32 full fendered roadster real similar to the coupe just went off the block 5 seconds ago for $47.500.00 now that I can see but 101 grand?

Somebody must have alotta Uncle Sam's tax money layin' around somewhere..thats all I gotta say! LOL

Later...
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Hold your ears folks...ITS SHOWTIME!!!

And I cant send this car down the road for 23k
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

I'm seriously thinking of selling my 36Ford at York this year. I just finished it last year but you know how it goes get it done and looking for another. I know it's in DP 90 but it's done to me!
"wheels"
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I'am interested in the Early 40s style
look !

Hey Grant, saw Poteet's Sniper go for $150,000 but I missed what his 57 Wagon was auctioned for. Do you, or anyone else, happen to know? Thanks :)
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Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

Intruder went for $121K

It sorta makes my green machine a bargain.....
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

I think I passed out and missed the big $$$ jobs. Could someone point me in the right direction?
Actually these big buck rods make what I spend on mine look relatively small when I'm explaining things to my wife. :)

Denise, I think the wagon went for $121,000.00
As for big buck cars...we're doing a '57 Chevy 'vert for a customer right now. He started with a "restored" $41K US car and is completely re-doing the whole thing. I figure he'll have between $125-150K US in it by the time we're done. Very trick car, and he's doing it because he has the cash and he's always wanted one.
On the other side of the coin...I have around $5,000 US tied up in my '48. I might have another $5K into it by the time I'm done. Will it be a show truck? Hell no, but it's what I want. No fuss, no muss...3 bucks to "detail" it for a rod run at a spray wash...that kind of stuff.

See ya at BTTF!
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Boyd who?

1948 Chevy 1/2 ton (driver)
1927 Ford T roadster pickup (nostalgia highboy project car)

The way I look at it, my hobby is about the cheapest thing going. I have about $17,000 invested in my '33 Chev. This is over a perion of almost 40 years. How much would you have spent playing golf in those 40 years? Or bowling? You certainly don't count the garage time as money spent if you are doing it for the fun of it. After all, you don't count the time as lost that you spend on the golf course. I am reasonably sure that I can at least break even on the car and can count as profit the enjoyment I have gotten from driving it and working on it. Cash wise, I am sure the Studebaker will never be worth what I will have in it, but who cares, I am not building to sell.
Bob
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If it don't drag every now and then, chances are that it is not low enough.

I added up the investment of my ride, and roughly I have 4200 bucks in it. The interior is almost done, the engine and trans. are rebuilt, and the bodywork is in primer. I figure that when summer gets here, I'll be driving a five grand sled with new paint. Now if someone really liked my ride and offered some ridiculous price...............
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Life's too short to drive an ughly car!

They way that I justify my new project is looking at the projected cost. When it is done, I could have a new street rod or a nicely equipped 4X4 Silverado. It's a no-brainer for me. I guess the main difference between those of us who build cars and the checkbook rodder, is in the challenge and satisfaction in building a car. Yes, I love driving a rod and having people smile and wave at you as your cruise down the street, but knowing they are responding to a car that I built and sacrificed other things for doubles the reward. My 2 cents


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Lynn
'32 3W

Care to venture a guess at this one ? :

http://www.stevesautorestorations.com/project2.html
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BATTERED WOMEN ? No Thanks , I like mine plain.

A million five easy. I`m relisting my car at $750.000 Should get that easily. Ya think?
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

I want to know who the doctor is and whatthe prescription is because whatever it is it's gotta be good!!!!!
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a duck's quack doesn't echo,and no one knows why

Raule..... Down by the docks. Ya just gotta catch him at the right time..
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

Yet another satisfied High Times reader heard from!!!
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a duck's quack doesn't echo,and no one knows why

I guess you saw his ad too.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

Ed, im thinkin' if it aint gone by Charlotte or the Barrett Jackson (God forbid it better be for your sake) thing next year ya ought to shoot for it. Goodguys and BJ are together I think.

I'll slap the Ad on the back of "Speed Racer" and see what we can do for ya bud!

Grant
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Hold your ears folks...ITS SHOWTIME!!!

I just knew if anyone could sell it....It would be you. She`s ready to go.
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If it`s too loud...yer too freakin old

Insured for at least 500,000.00.I tried to get Steve to reveal the # of man hours that were put into it.NO DICE.Could have got close with a labor total anyway!