Porsche 961 during the 1986 race. It won the IMSA GTX class and finished 7th overall.
In 1938, the cost of a car in Ohio could be as low as $29, which seems almost unbelievable by today’s standards. This was during the Great Depression, a time when the economy was still struggling to recover from the stock market crash of 1929. Automakers, eager to boost sales and stimulate the economy, offered rock-bottom prices for vehicles to make them more accessible to the average consumer. Cars, which were typically a significant investment, became more affordable to many Americans, though the vehicles themselves were often basic models with fewer features than those available today.The $29 price tag was often associated with used cars, many of which had been traded in by their original owners who could no longer afford to keep them. In an era when new cars were still relatively expensive, these affordable second-hand vehicles provided transportation for families and workers who had limited financial resources. While $29 may sound incredibly low, it’s important to remember that the average yearly wage during the 1930s was around $1,700, so the affordability of a car was relative to what people were earning at the time.Despite the low price, cars in 1938 were still seen as a significant symbol of independence and mobility. For many people in Ohio and across the United States, the ability to own a car marked a new level of freedom, enabling them to travel further for work, leisure, or social engagements. This period of affordability helped set the stage for the post-World War II boom in car ownership, when automobiles became an integral part of American life and culture.
