Projects What the heck happened to asking prices??????!!!!!

Getting my data from the market. An SSJ sold for 22M. Just because one Duesenberg sells for 3.5 or 22 does not mean their prices have not peaked. I'm talking about the average price of all Duesys that come to market and actually sell. The number of people who even know what they are, and have that much disposable income, is dwindling rapidly. If you're under 30 and really fancy a Duesenberg, I'm guessing you might be able to pick one up when you're about ready to retire. 25 years ago, that wasn't necessarily the case.

 

This has been the case for most post-war-but-pre-muscle cars for a while. This is my grandfather's generation. Pre-war rods and customs have stayed popular because of a number of factors; plentiful, large aftermarket support, basic cars that are less complicated to build and modify, a performance pedigree that appeals to a broader swath of people, as well as events like TROG that help keep the style relevant. On the other hand, late 40s and 50s cars, that aren't tri-5 Chevs, have become much more affordable IMHO. Of course there are a lot of people asking crazy prices, trying to take advantage of the market being up. But there are also plenty of really nice cars out there for very reasonable prices that you need to just grab up when they become available. As is often the case, having cash on hand is paramount to leveraging a good deal, and acting decisively. The last couple cars I have purchased have been this way, and the one in particular was a nicer car than I could have imagined for the price I paid. The fact remains that you can still absolutely enjoy this hobby for a reasonable amount of money, provided you don't want to ride around in a Chevy Nomad, 34 Ford 3 window, or some other ultra-highly desirable car.

 

My experience at small local swap meets is that there are always some sellers that want to sell stuff- sometimes friends/widows, sometimes people that want to clean the garage. Those are the ones you want to buy from, then the internet allows you to sell to a person looking for a specific item. In the meantime you get to store, inventory and lug the stuff around. It’s a good thing we like this stuff and usually the people associated with it.

 

Yes. A couple of the swap meets that I almost always do well at are held at stock car tracks. With a lot of those guys, if they can't use it on their car this season, get rid of it! I bought an aftermarket intake to put a carburetor on Vortec heads that looked like it was removed from a new crate engine at one of them for ten bucks.

 

I just hung a for sale/trade sign on my roadster. Price is high. HOWEVER, if I find something I want, the price becomes more cheap. I like trades. That way, both parties are pleased.

 

I agree...and I now see the future ever so clearly.
Over the next 25 years, our widows will be flooding the market with our hot rods, prices will get dirt cheap and the only buyers will be the sons and daughters of former Rat Rodders...and they will create a new generation of Mad Max style hover crafts out of our cars .

 

Gouging like everyone else

 

Same reason parts stores around here dont have prices on anything they have figure how they can screw you and the car dealers taking off the MSRP as soon as it hits the lot

 

That’s the best way, easier to come down on the price than raise it, right?

 

Just bought the wife a brand new ot Ford, and I could probably sell it today for at least 15k more than I paid for it. The other ot off road vehicle by Willis sold for 10k more than I paid for it two years ago. It ain't just hot rods. Stuff is up. Coming down in the next year I think tho? Seems to be stalling.

 

I believe alot of it has to do with the stupid builder shows, gas monkey and the rest. Buy an old car for "cheap " then flip it and cut a fat hog. Also the Barret Jacksons. I know an older guy that was telling me he had a yellow 69 chevelle way back when, "just like one on barret Jackson" that went for 500,000!" Shoulda kept it! Ya, probably not JUST like that one. But what i dont get is with the price of everything going up, food, gas, ect. Why are these old cars gone up SO much in price. Its not a NEED . I would think there would be less people looking to buy, and more people trying to get rid of an old car to help pay some bills.

 

And now the cycle:

I just purchased a virtual clone of my wife's car, for almost $5k under book value.

It just needed tires and wipers.

 

Duesenbergs are actually very strong right now. To understand the market, you need to compare sales of the same car, or very similar cars, at different times. And when comparing cars that appear similar, you need to really know the individual cars. There are quite a few cars out there with reproduction bodies, reproduction frame rails, non-original front and or rear axles, stuff like that that really hurts their value. So you might see a Derham Tourister sell for 2 million 2 years ago. Then you see one sell this year for a million and assume the market has gone soft. But what you don't know unless you dig deep is that the 2 million dollar car is all authentic and the $1 million car was built from a pile of cast-off parts and has a rear axle from a Henny hearse and reproduced body and frame rails.

A garden variety, non-disappearing top Murphy convertible Coupe that was all authentic with a very nice, fresh restoration just sold for over 3 million dollars. That is very strong money for a non-disappearing top CC. 10 to 15 years ago 1 million or less would have bought nearly any one of them. Then within the last 5-7 years they started pushing up into the 1 million to 2 million range. Now 3 million. That is why I say there very strong in their dollar values right now.

 

you have to post a picture of yours, when you make a post like that, Joel.

 

As a Duesenberg owner who plans to never, ever sell, I don't really care what they are worth or what direction their value goes. But I do watch the market very closely, so I can keep my insurance up. Here' s a few shots of it Squirrel:

 

Oh my god....

 

My thought wasn´t as sophisticated, it was more like" holy carp"
@Hemi Joel , that´s a beauty!

 

@Hemi Joel
That is a most elegant Dusenberg, and yes, don't ever entertain the notion of selling it.
I assume the kick ass red Stearman bi-plane, is yours as well Joel ?
If so, your "integrity" stock just went up a few points as well !

 

No, I wish that plane was mine but it was a great Kodak moment!

 

Wow, that's one positive outlook on the world. You probably ought to just stay in bed-and get some help. Seriously

 

we all cant go around with our heads up our ass's what are your brokerage in the states?? i have a problem when your online and part and price is advertise then you drive half an hour to the store and hear Oh you want that part we don't have it stock now its a special order and we have to charge you more but they don"t know what the price will be?? we will decide that later

 

I'm not quite sue what your first sentence means. As for the rest, if it is something unusual, I'll call to check on it first. Fortunately, we have a few real parts places here. Additionally, I live in the country so it's always 20 minutes to town, so I don't mind the drive.For everything else, I hope it all gets better for you. Peace.