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Hot Rods Is the hot rod market really slow these days?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by trollst, Nov 28, 2017.

  1. ClarkH
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 1,412

    ClarkH
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I think Ryan needs to add a new topic header: Gloom and Doom. As for me, I’m not ready to forecast the demise of the car hobby based on one vehicle that won’t sell (two if you count the cool-looking T-bird:D).

    Like others, I want to preface the following with all respect to the OP, as well as my thanks for launching an entertaining thread:

    I think buyers at $20K either want a turn-key ride that’s fully done and ready to go, or an unfinished car that will be worth double the money after some work. The car in question doesn’t fit either category. So you’re hoping for the one guy who loves it just the way it is and has plenty of cash to throw around. It could take a while to find that guy.

    So, your options:
    1. Advertise it widely and be patient.
    2. Finish the car.
    3. Lower the price.

    Reading the thread, it sounds like you’re already planning a mix of 1 and 2.

    Gee, this advice is so easy when it’s not MY car… :rolleyes:
     
    Thor1, pitman and Squablow like this.
  2. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,799

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    To me it's a generation thing. The guys with nice 32's are have canes and walkers and the next generation likes to look at them but ride in late 40's- 50's any brand. The generation after that wants Chevelles so there are no winners or losers here just a lot of guys having what THEY wanted.
    As an observation, there are a lot of 29-32 $100k roadsters (owners dollars) that are for sale and under 40 will buy. If you wait long enough the widow will be getting 25 for it.
     
    Justin B and RMR&C like this.
  3. Love those T birds and yours looks killer. If I was in the market for another ride I'd be all over it.
    Sadly, I need to be selling not buying.
     
  4. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Gotta go with the market. Im not a fan of a track nose, not a banger fan either. Just have to find the one who likes what you have. Advertise it all over and youll find that guy. Id def not paint it blitz black, not only is that not a paint job, but its a paint to strip off and put a real paint job on
     
    BigDogSS likes this.
  5. If the market is slow all over with a strong economy then it's quite possible it's slow because it is in the process of adjusting itself to a lower price point and it is taking owners time to realize that they are not going to get what they expect or want out of these vehicles. Once prices get to a certain point across the board it very well may pick up again.
     
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  6. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,389

    Squablow
    Member

    ClarkH really nails it here. Especially about buyers over a certain dollar amount are going to want a car that is either totally finished, or are looking for a cheaper way to get into what would be a much more expensive car when finished.

     
  7. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    Toys like our cars are really an economy driven thing.
    For instance right now in Alberta there are regular auctions selling RVs and quads and snowmobiles, the toys are taking a hit with oil being way down and the economy in a slump.

    Since the OP lives in BC, that's another situation altogether. There are people with money there, but their economy also runs with a lot of people just making it as well.

    Overall the toy market is down.
     
    golferforpar and trollst like this.
  8. joeyesmen
    Joined: Dec 24, 2010
    Posts: 509

    joeyesmen
    Member

    As others have noted, I think it's cyclical. They said the hobby was almost dead in the 1970's when American Graffiti came out and rejuvenated interest with a whole new generation.

    We just need someone to make another blockbuster starring these cars, to reboot the cycle.

    In the 1980's I used to read a comic book called Xenozoic Tales (later known as Cadillacs & Dinosaurs) -- about a post-apocalyptic future where the world was in ruins and the dinosaurs came back. The hero was a mechanic who found a stash of old Cadillacs and converted them to steam power.

    Now, if only some hotshot producer would turn this thing into a Hollywood blockbuster, all would be right with the world. (Only throw some hot rods in with the 50's cars.) Think Mad Max: Fury Road meets Jurassic Park.

    Comic-Xenozoic-Tales-20170126184959.jpg Cadillacs Dinosaurs 1.jpg schultz xenozoic tales 9.jpg Cadillacs-and-Dinosaurs-cover.jpg

    Ok. I guess we are now officially off-topic.
     
    InstantT likes this.
  9. exterminator
    Joined: Apr 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,695

    exterminator
    Member

  10. Deucedreamer
    Joined: Jan 11, 2010
    Posts: 548

    Deucedreamer
    Member
    from BC Canada

    I'm not trying to be an antagonist, but I just read a thread about hot rods that cost less than $10K. The OP of this thread is in that thread listing the very car he has here stating he has less than $10K into it, but has openly stated he wants $18K. Now I'm not one to crap on a guy for wanting to make a buck or two, but maybe if you lowered your price to a reasonable amount(like others have said) you would sell it. You might not make much but hey it's supposed to be a hobby right? Is this another case of someone wanting a fortune for their stuff but not wanting or paying much for it in the first place?
     
  11. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Not at the core,I think its good,but the out skirts are clouded up with junky crap that live in the bubble of to days BS of rust,holes ,cross's etc. an no paint or flat ,junky n sloopy work.
     
    trollst likes this.
  12. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    Lets not get personal here, I'm not in this for "profit", I been building a long time, I build what I like and enjoy them. I build cars to drive and rarely finish them, too much fun driving them, I do all my own chassis work, this little car handles like a race car, looks like what I like, and isn't for sale for profit only. It is for sale to enable me to step up to a higher priced build, maybe a 32 five window, as guys here who build understand.
    I merely lament in this post that overall the sales of cars, regardless of model years or prices seems stagnant. I watch various sites, all seem to be loaded up with cars not moving. Funny though, the hot rod shows and snoop through your junk shows sell immediately for big money to a lineup of customers. TV? Maybe, maybe the hot rod hobby has reached saturation, maybe, overall prices are too high, hard to say. I'm 62, been doing this and motorcycles since I was twenty, seen fads come and go, seen prices rise constantly, but never seen an overall slowdown like this, so, decided to canvas you guys asking if you've noticed this trend.
    Duecedreamer, have you checked out the rod gods site? It's grown this year in listings by leaps and bounds, a good indication of what's happening.
     
    Bandit Billy and Blue One like this.
  13. ClarkH
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 1,412

    ClarkH
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yup, TV. I think the majority of shows purporting "spec" builds that miraculously sell at the end are actually a build-to-order job. In exchange for playing along the customer gets a disount and the chance to be on TV. Sometimes you see very particular choices that would be crazy on a spec build. (Just a theory.)

    And I want to be clear, I'm not knocking your build at all. Looks to be very clean. I just feel that it's kind of in limbo as far as potential buyers are concerned.
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  14. The other thing is there are a lot of restorations hitting the market these days (which are very good starting points) as well not just hot rods. I agree about the limbo part. If someone is able to build themselves and want to make it their own it is too much for a starting point and if they can't build themselves it's going to cost too much more to finish for it to be a good value. I can buy a restored Model T tudor and a decent roadster body in Alberta right now for $10,000 Canadian without even haggling on price for an additional $8,000 I could build a pretty nice car. Now prices are definitely down here for the reasons BlueOne stated but in this day and age people can shop anywhere.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2017
  15. Deucedreamer
    Joined: Jan 11, 2010
    Posts: 548

    Deucedreamer
    Member
    from BC Canada

    I do look at the rod god listing once in a while. He has revamped his site. Just because a certain website has increased the number of cars for sale doesn't mean the market is all of a sudden soft and cars aren't selling. Maybe the revamp of the website and better marketing has helped draw more people to his site to list their vehicle?( In other words, he is driving his business better) If you notice, he lists ANYTHING....literally. It doesn't have to be a hot rod...it can be a big rig. Like I said earlier, the more sites you have your car listed on the better...increase the market you are reaching out to. And for what it's worth, I have ALWAYS thought the prices that are on the rod god's website are ridiculous and not truly indicative of what those vehicles are worth.

    For the record, I wasn't getting personal. What you do or how you build your car is up to you. But most people know that actually finishing a car(paint and interior) is the really expensive part. That's why there are sooooo many cars out there that are running and driving in primer and offered for sale as a "running driving project". And as a result, if someone wanted to finish your car with a paint job etc, they are gonna do the math and figure that once that's done, they'll have too much into the car if they pay you what you are asking. Again.....just my opinion.
     
  16. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,389

    Squablow
    Member

    The professor could make a TV set out of a coconut but he can't patch up a boat? TV is fake.

    As for the cars that are perpetually for sale, I think it just looks like nothing moves because the good deals go super quick (or sometimes aren't even ever advertised) and the stuff you see every time you search is overpriced shit that people won't budge on, or is not as nice as it looks, or the owner is a dick in person, or whatever. So there is a big pool of stuff that never sells, but there's a reason for that, and there's lots of other stuff selling that you might not see unless you're constantly looking.

    I had some cars for sale this year, trying to reduce my list of projects, and I sold most, but not all. Time of year was really big, from late March until June there was lots of interest but after that it really dropped off, and I definitely had to spend some time on each one to make them more marketable. Has to look good in a picture for the ad, fixing the stuff that people would nit-pick in person, etc. Some sold right away, some I had to adjust price on. Trucks are trendy and sell easy, other oddballs are tougher.

    Bring it out in spring, maybe make some changes to appeal to a wider audience, and put a price on it that you'd pay if you were personally looking for your next car. It'll sell.
     
    pitman likes this.
  17. rjones35
    Joined: May 12, 2008
    Posts: 865

    rjones35
    Member

    Exactly. I'm not a big car seller/buyer, but I do have one that's been listed a while with not a whole lot of interest, a few lowball offers, a couple trade offers that were soso. I know mine is priced kinda high for what it is, but it's just barely what i have in it, and I'm not in a position that I must sell. I think if I did the body work, took care of some bondo/rust areas I might have better luck, but then the price goes up also. But looking at others for sale, not on here necessarily, but craigslist, and internet in general, I can't believe the prices some of them are going for, for what looks like a either a total rust bucket, or a major, major project. Gotta find that right person at the right time.
     
    PunkAssGearhead88 likes this.
  18. rjones35
    Joined: May 12, 2008
    Posts: 865

    rjones35
    Member

    Yep, everybody wants to be a flipper these days.
     
  19. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,576

    Dave Mc
    Member

    Tried to sell my Chopped 48 Ford for a month or more , but only in HAMB classifieds , not one call , I might try again , like they said previously , might be successful if expand the sites it's listed on ? IMG_0993.JPG
     
  20. BigDogSS
    Joined: Jan 8, 2009
    Posts: 979

    BigDogSS
    Member
    from SoCal

    LOL, yup --> EVERY reality TV show is professionally produced with a script and not much reality.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2017
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  21. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    Absolutely. I'm in WV and I sold a vehicle to someone in Louisiana on Craigslist. I only listed it locally but they found it.
     
  22. Can't hurt and at a minimum it will let you know if your price is realistic.
     
  23. InstantT
    Joined: Aug 15, 2012
    Posts: 716

    InstantT
    Member
    from SoCal

    I'm in SoCal and know couple folks in the "industry". The shows are made to sell advertising, Period.
    The numbers are fake, the work is fake, the timelines are fake.

    We in the actual hobby that is being portrayed should NOT play along.

    Sent from my LGLS992 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  24. PunkAssGearhead88
    Joined: Jul 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,788

    PunkAssGearhead88
    Member
    from So Cal

    Oh, I forgot about the "you wanna trade" offers. Guys offer you their projects for your finished car even though the ad clearly states, "no trades".
     
    da34guy likes this.
  25. Totally agree with most of ya. Case in point. I have a 60 Biscayne listed here on the HAMB for 25K OBO and stopped countin when 40K was hit in the build, and can't even get an offer on it, except RUST BUCKET trades, This is a done, drivin car with no issues
     
    PunkAssGearhead88 likes this.
  26. Pinstriper40
    Joined: Sep 24, 2007
    Posts: 3,602

    Pinstriper40
    Member

    THE SECOND GOLDEN AGE OF HOT RODDING IS COMING! PREPARE YOURSELVES!!!
     
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  27. eberhama
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 673

    eberhama
    Member

    When me and joel get out hands on all those '32 3-windows and neat-o speed parts you geezers got tucked away, watch out world!
     
    BigDogSS and Pinstriper40 like this.
  28. BigDogSS
    Joined: Jan 8, 2009
    Posts: 979

    BigDogSS
    Member
    from SoCal

    I'm not in it for the money, as it has always been a hobby to me. I could care less if the market dropped in half. The market will go where it needs to go.
    Here is what most worry about --> the people that hoard parts (which is fine), that when the time comes to unload parts, they or their heirs will dump the parts in a dumpster and be forever lost. With that said, I'm either offering up my extra parts to friends/relatives for free if they can use them or I'm selling them right now on eBay. No need for me to hold onto parts I'll never use.
     
    Pinstriper40, weps, waxhead and 2 others like this.
  29. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    The slow car resale market can't be tied to the Stock Market. Anyone with a decent sized stock portfolio has made more money in the last year then the last 12 years combined. Who would have believed the Dow would ever top 24K? It was 18K a short while ago.
    The housing market in Kentucky and where we have our vacation home in the Florida Pan Handle is on fire. Not long ago in our community in Florida there were nine homes for sale, now there is only one. I'm sure as Hell not complaining. Worst come to worse I'll drive the wheels off my 63 Impala. Its paid for, I really don't have to sell it and its fun to drive.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2017
    da34guy and trollst like this.
  30. Yep, just sold enough stuff I wasnt using to buy a running driving project car.
     

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