sports cars: woulda, coulda, shoulda

[notfarnow]

A few years back, Peter Egan wrote about sports cars that had once been accessible for the average enthusiast, but were becoming collectible and too expensive for the average car nut. E-type & Mk2 Jags, MGTCs, Porsche 356 speedsters & cabrios, pre-68 vettes... so on & so forth.

I often wonder which cars I'll think of in 10 years, and regret not picking up.

3-4 years ago, I still saw "driver" condition longhood 911T's for >10k. Those days seem to be gone.

A few weeks ago I was at a swap meet and saw TWO Bugeye Sprites... one for 9700 and the other for 8k

2 years ago, at the same swap meet, they had a nice little Fiat 850 spyder for $1500. It needed a new top and the paint was faded, but a lot of fun for the money.

8 years ago, I bought a 1972 Fiat 850 Sedan for $400, and sold it a year later for $550.

Which cars do you think are still undervalued?

Here are the ones I wonder about:
-Alfa Spiders: Still some nice cars to be gad for 5-8k
-MGAs: Getting up there, but 15k still gets you a nice one
-911 SCs: There are still nice coupes & Targas for 12-14k


If you had 20k to "invest" in cars to sell 10 years from now, which would you chose?

Better yet, tell us about the cars you passed up that later became valuable, like the Ferrari GTE for 6k that needed tires.

[id10t]

As 2 groups, early 80s 911 and then the 3.2 engined cars from 84-89. Also, anything that a high schooler who graduated in the mid 80s would've lusted after - maybe a 5.0 mustang? It always seems to be whatever folks wanted in high school and they hit the mid/late 40s, stable jobs, not a lot of debt, etc. so they get what they always wanted back then.... look at when the 50s american iron was popular, and the prices of the late 60s/early 70s american cars these days...

Somethign else to "invest" in and keep would be the little bits - ever seen what cab latches for a 356 go for? Speedster top bows, etc? Now think about all the *electronic* stuff that started showing up in the 80s vintage cars... how much is NLA, or hard to get, or just expensive?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Not to commit a faux pas by mentioning Japanese cars, but original 240Z's can still be had for $2000-3000. They're rough but all there. They may go up a bunch; not the 260's, 280's or 300 ZX's though. HOw about pre impact bumper BMW 2002's? Or am I already late to that party?

[notfarnow]

What about 356 Coupes... I see complete, if a bit "tatty" drivers for ~25k on ebay.

id10t, interesting point about the electronics for the 80's collectibles. Should we be buying up all the digital displays for Vettes, Audis, 300Zs and such?

[legion]

My generation is going to want 300ZX's, 3000GT's and Acura NSX's...

[id10t]

notfarnow - Yup. But some of that stuff may be re-createable - take a look at what North Hollywood Speedo does for 356 gauges, etc. But if it is a true all-electric display then I think having "a few" may be a very good idea....

However, things like ignition control units, o2 sensors, etc. could be *very* hard to replace in a few years... and as they get rarer, they get more expensive. Really *anything* that you'd want to replace in a ground up resto, especially if you can get it *now* so that it becomes NOS. When the turn signal switch in my 356 let the magic smoke out a few years ago, I checked all over for a replacement - found 2 NOS ones at $400 each, and a few ratty used ones for $200. Whats a similar switch for a 911 or 944, etc. cost these days?

Something else to consider collecting would be paperwork - Sales brochures, warranty cards, window stickers, etc. More so for "dealer info only" stuff that they wouldn't have stacks of in the waiting/show area - maybe a limited catalog of special options, etc. Again, look to the 356 world for examples of what could happen with prices there, esp. since your storage would be nearly nothing - a few inter-office mail type 9x12 envelopes.

[Rick Lee]

I'd have a real hard time keeping a classic car bone stock and not driving it much. IMHO they are made to be driven, shown and enjoyed. Sitting in the garage, waiting for prices to climb is not something I'm into. So many things on stock cars go bad and are then eligible for a much better, sometimes aftermarket, upgrade. Why would I want to replace SC or Carrera tie rods with more stock ones? Why wouldn't I use SSI's to replace horribly rusted stock heat x-ers?

[Overpaid Slacker]

Originally Posted by legion

My generation is going to want 300ZX's, 3000GT's and Acura NSX's...

Egad! I will not start accumulating d-bag mobiles just for speculation!

I highly recommend that the market invest in early Coopers (especially the earliest -- 1961), round tail light 2002s and boat tail alfa spyders (and the 1750s, not the 1600s are where the REAL money is at). Those early e30 iXs are particularly cult-classics as well...

Trust me.

JP

[scottmandue]

With all the hype on TV, Internet, and the media in general over the "classic" cars of the 50's 60's 70's etc. I don't think investing in cars is a good idea... maybe I'm just jaded because I remember looking at slightly worn muscle cars for a few grand that are now bringing five and six digits... a Ferrari for $10K... a bug eye for $600

Kind of like real estate... I think the market has peaked...

If had pressed to chose I suppose the 996 market might be bottoming out... and maybe some late 90's Vettes.

[grudk]

I agree. Asset values are at a peak. Muscle car sales are already off. Some have a long way to fall

Not sure what's going to be going up next time, but 911 turbos are a good bet, me thinks. Esp. earliest, and '89 and '94.

I do recall at 250LM that my dad looked at in '72. 5K was too high for a useless ex-racer, I guess

[The Gaijin]

A lot of these 80s, 90s and newer cars have all these electrics that will be impossible to keep running. What happens when the sensors and and all the rest go kaput?? Not to mention the plastic bumpers and other body parts breaking down...

Classic old Ferraris have points and roll up windows.

[Les Paul]

I am in the process of turning my Outlaw 356 back into its original condition. At the time I just had to make it an outlaw. That was 15 years ago. I'm glad to see the prices on them come up and think If I sold it and the 930 I could move up to a 996 turbo. And then I take a ride in the 356 and tell my wife I'm keeping this car forever. It is to cool to sell. And since the Maestro built the engine and he isn't here any more it makes it even better.

[id10t]

Les Paul - a Maestro Massaged 356 engine? Where's my drool rag...

[Les Paul]

Yep. I had him pull out all the stops and do everything he could do. 10 years later it revs like a banshee and still purrs like a kitten. That guy knew his stuff. When I bought the car it had a Monza exhaust which unfortunately I pitched because I put a Bursch on it. Now to go back to stock I'm going to have to go with either a stock muffler or get another Monza which are $$. Oh well, I'm glad I kept all the bits and pieces I'd taken off.

[berettafan]

the first few years of 930's (grud mentioned this as well)
a complete and relatively original driver 911T (or E if you're slick about it)
a nice 240

[thamlin000]

I had a Maestro engine in my old 912. That car, with dual weber 40s and stock exhaust, made better sounds than my 993. The receipts from the p/o showed $5,500 in 1989 for Herry Pellow to rebuild that engine.

[Les Paul]

Mine started out as an S model. After he had worked his magic he said it was probably putting out over 110hp. I ran up against a 65 SC that had some work done and I just pulled away from it.

[tabs]

Shoulda bought that 330 GTC for 21K. Shoulda bought that 356C Cab for 25K. Shoulda bought that 356C Coupe newly restored for 10.5K.

But the biggest SHOULDA wasn't a car but a rifle...an 1877 Sharps Long Range (98 made back in the day), excellent condition with a set of Sharps sights in a case...asking was 20K in 96, he woulda taken 18K. Today we are talking 45K.

[varmint]

alot of these cars are insanely overvalued. wait for the crash.

[dd74]

I believe all three of these are very special. But special to me doesn't necessarily dictate a value. The SVO, for instance, can be had for as little as $1,500. The Renault - an astonishing $55K. The Fiat is, I believe, priceless.