Discussion
Back when I first started driving, around the beginning of the 80s you would see the odd bit of American muscle parked on the streets of London with for sale signs stuck in the windows.
They were not cheap but certainly affordable so why didn't I buy one, D'oh!
I was looking through the classifieds last night and all the decent ones are mega money and saw again the Top Gear USA programme with that showroom stocked with the 70s muscle that looked brand new, $90,000 to $200,000
So Yank experts, what from that era is forgotten and cheap to buy? do they exist?
Love the look of the Chargers, Challengers, 'Cudas and Roadrunners so is there anything similar that has not been spotted by the well heeled collector?
They were not cheap but certainly affordable so why didn't I buy one, D'oh!
I was looking through the classifieds last night and all the decent ones are mega money and saw again the Top Gear USA programme with that showroom stocked with the 70s muscle that looked brand new, $90,000 to $200,000
So Yank experts, what from that era is forgotten and cheap to buy? do they exist?
Love the look of the Chargers, Challengers, 'Cudas and Roadrunners so is there anything similar that has not been spotted by the well heeled collector?
Edited by croyde on Thursday 13th October 07:17
Nothing cheap (that isn't beaten to death or a rusted-out hulk) from that era (68-72) - even latterly undesireable 4 door versions (think Polara, New Yorker Ford 500) are starting to command serious money.
You can still pick up a reasonably unmolested Chevelle in my locality for $12-15k, as they made lots of them - but any respectable Mopar or big-block Ford is now serious money.
Off the wall, an AMC Javelin is a nice, compact and underrated muscle coupe, if you can find one. I knew a guy who bought one from a US serviceman stationed at Menwith Hill for 50 quid, back in the early 80's - I think he sold it recently for about 5 grand....
You can still pick up a reasonably unmolested Chevelle in my locality for $12-15k, as they made lots of them - but any respectable Mopar or big-block Ford is now serious money.
Off the wall, an AMC Javelin is a nice, compact and underrated muscle coupe, if you can find one. I knew a guy who bought one from a US serviceman stationed at Menwith Hill for 50 quid, back in the early 80's - I think he sold it recently for about 5 grand....
Mopars are notoriously hard to get parts for so you don't want to go messing with them. 18 seconds also isn't bad for a 60s car on skinny tyres. Traction is the issue, not the power.
Most classic Yanks are worth lots of wonga now but the way it works is cars depreciate to a lw then go back up again. that is happening about now with 3rd gen Camaros and Firebirds which still have classic styling and not as many rust issues as 70s cars. Even Mustang IIs are going up as so many of them got crushed.
Bear in mind that a lot of the expensive cars you see represent thousands and thousands of pounds in restoration and man hours. The truth about classics is they appear to appreciate a lot but in fact probably cost that much or more to get them in that condition.
Most classic Yanks are worth lots of wonga now but the way it works is cars depreciate to a lw then go back up again. that is happening about now with 3rd gen Camaros and Firebirds which still have classic styling and not as many rust issues as 70s cars. Even Mustang IIs are going up as so many of them got crushed.
Bear in mind that a lot of the expensive cars you see represent thousands and thousands of pounds in restoration and man hours. The truth about classics is they appear to appreciate a lot but in fact probably cost that much or more to get them in that condition.
[quote=LuS1fer]Mopars are notoriously hard to get parts for so you don't want to go messing with them. 18 seconds also isn't bad for a 60s car on skinny tyres. Traction is the issue, not the power.
quote]
I must of been luck getting parts for them then !!
18 sec is seriouly sloooooooooow even if you do loose on the lauch, yes car was a 4 speeder & they will have lost there & yes it was only a 383, but should have still managed a slow high 15 if the motor was still half fit
I do agree with you about values, yes they may doubled in value over the last 10 yrs but will have had 3 times that spent on them to make them worth that price
quote]
I must of been luck getting parts for them then !!
18 sec is seriouly sloooooooooow even if you do loose on the lauch, yes car was a 4 speeder & they will have lost there & yes it was only a 383, but should have still managed a slow high 15 if the motor was still half fit
I do agree with you about values, yes they may doubled in value over the last 10 yrs but will have had 3 times that spent on them to make them worth that price
Agree re the money spent on them.
I hired a '69 Mustang in LA back in 1992 and although a dream come true, I still could not get over the fact that the feel, build and even smell of the car was the same as my mates' old Ford Capris.
So I suppose that to get one nowadays that is as close to factory fresh as can be, you'd have to spend the mega bucks thus if you find something for £10,000 it could well be a rusting smelly dog and more for the serious restorer rather than someone like me who would love one as something different to be used daily.
Missed the boat it seems, by a few decades
Maybe a 90s Olds Cutlass or a Crown Victoria for that bouncy FBI unmarked car feel is the way to go
I hired a '69 Mustang in LA back in 1992 and although a dream come true, I still could not get over the fact that the feel, build and even smell of the car was the same as my mates' old Ford Capris.
So I suppose that to get one nowadays that is as close to factory fresh as can be, you'd have to spend the mega bucks thus if you find something for £10,000 it could well be a rusting smelly dog and more for the serious restorer rather than someone like me who would love one as something different to be used daily.
Missed the boat it seems, by a few decades
Maybe a 90s Olds Cutlass or a Crown Victoria for that bouncy FBI unmarked car feel is the way to go
Edited by croyde on Thursday 13th October 16:30
There are still some unloved classics. maybe the most obvious is the Mercury Cougar - essentially a Mustang underneath but generally unloved for the styling.
Similarly, you may find that the late 70s cars are worth less because the smog law kicked in around 1973, compression ratios dropped, power dropped and so they are less desirable - later Roadrunners for example. There is also stuff like Oldsmobile 442s and Buick GNXz and 1980s Buick Grand Nationals which may fall into the possibly overlooked category.
Similarly, you may find that the late 70s cars are worth less because the smog law kicked in around 1973, compression ratios dropped, power dropped and so they are less desirable - later Roadrunners for example. There is also stuff like Oldsmobile 442s and Buick GNXz and 1980s Buick Grand Nationals which may fall into the possibly overlooked category.
Tastes change....wagons and 4 doors were shunned for years, but now seem to be becoming more popular, judging by the for sale prices and quite possibly due to the fact that muscle cars of the Charger, Challenger, Cuda ilk are now so costly even in poor condition.
However, there is still affordable stuff out there. If you hunt carefully on US websites you will, for example, find some nice Mopar 'C' body cars for not much money.....relatively speaking. If you like original and unmolested cars this is a good place to look as few before have wanted to 'hot-rod' them. I'm thinking mid 60's to early 70's and names like Dodge Polara, Dodge Monaco, Chrysler Newport. The 4 door examples are usually the cheapest options, but there are still some nice 2 doors out there and you will find many of these fitted with big block motors - more commonly the 383ci. Anything with a 440 in it tends to command a higher price again and there are less C-Body's around with 440's as many have ended up being engine donor's over the years, to provide their smaller bodied cousins with big block power!
Move into the later 70's and 80's and there are plenty of options, but many don't appreciate the styling as much from those era's.
A mate of mine in the US just picked this 67 Chrysler 300 up for $3k. That would equate to around £4k to buy and import to the UK. May not be a muscle car, but some people prefer the original daily driver 'time capsule' look....plus you can stick a set of mag wheels on something like this (though works better on 2dr cars) if you want to muscle-it-up a bit!
However, there is still affordable stuff out there. If you hunt carefully on US websites you will, for example, find some nice Mopar 'C' body cars for not much money.....relatively speaking. If you like original and unmolested cars this is a good place to look as few before have wanted to 'hot-rod' them. I'm thinking mid 60's to early 70's and names like Dodge Polara, Dodge Monaco, Chrysler Newport. The 4 door examples are usually the cheapest options, but there are still some nice 2 doors out there and you will find many of these fitted with big block motors - more commonly the 383ci. Anything with a 440 in it tends to command a higher price again and there are less C-Body's around with 440's as many have ended up being engine donor's over the years, to provide their smaller bodied cousins with big block power!
Move into the later 70's and 80's and there are plenty of options, but many don't appreciate the styling as much from those era's.
A mate of mine in the US just picked this 67 Chrysler 300 up for $3k. That would equate to around £4k to buy and import to the UK. May not be a muscle car, but some people prefer the original daily driver 'time capsule' look....plus you can stick a set of mag wheels on something like this (though works better on 2dr cars) if you want to muscle-it-up a bit!
Edited by yabadaba on Friday 14th October 09:18
yabadaba said:
croyde said:
Love that. Shame that it wouldn't even fit in our little London street
They are big, but not much more than say a Charger if you are familiar with their dimensions. I drive a 66 Polara around SE London with no problems.....just avoid any tight width restrictors!http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C248994
This will make you laugh....
I passed my test in 1984 and bought my first yank for £180.00 (AMC Ambassadeur, Piece of s
t but sounded ok)
Next year i bought a AMC Hornet (like James bond barrel rolled over that bridge) for £100.00 and a 360ci v8 and 3 speed manual for it for £50.00!
Then next year i bought a 1970 Mach 1 fastback for £1500.00.
I fancied a change for 1989 and test drove a 440 '68 Charger that was up for £2200.00 but settled on a '69 Chevelle SS396 with a 4 speed for £2700.00!
Thems were the days...
I passed my test in 1984 and bought my first yank for £180.00 (AMC Ambassadeur, Piece of s
t but sounded ok)Next year i bought a AMC Hornet (like James bond barrel rolled over that bridge) for £100.00 and a 360ci v8 and 3 speed manual for it for £50.00!
Then next year i bought a 1970 Mach 1 fastback for £1500.00.
I fancied a change for 1989 and test drove a 440 '68 Charger that was up for £2200.00 but settled on a '69 Chevelle SS396 with a 4 speed for £2700.00!
Thems were the days...
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