The Decline IMHO

Cal44 · Cal44's Garage

Having done Porsche cars for the last ten years I sold my last one recently, It wasn't easy. It is either a result of the times or the Porsche crowd is thinning out.

I have a few factory parts left over that I have been attempting to sell, with no results. Three years ago a Carrera factory wing and lid would have been sold in a day, and now?, D.O.A

When I sold my cars, a 356 and two mid eighties 911 coupes I thought it would be quick, not so. It took a very long time, which was a surprise as I have nice cars because I take care of them.

The sell on the 911's was almost give away prices as the engines cost so much to re-build that I think people are not in the mind set any longer.
A re-built 911 engine vs. a new a new Korean car for a close price.

As for the 356, that is a different story. It seems as though that centers around (in general) the geriatric crowd.

Don't get me wrong, Porsche's are great cars but I went another direction after (for years) watching old Lotus Elans and Elan Plus2 kick some butt on the track and street. Perhaps some day I will pop for a '70-'71 911 coupe again but they still don't handle like my old '86 coupe. Times they are a changin'

davidbir · 12-02-2010, 08:42 AM

And here's me thinking about selling my racing Elan to get a long hood with MFI!

Matt Monson · 12-02-2010, 08:56 AM

It's the recession. Vintage cars are toys to most people. When times are tight they don't spend as much money on toys.

Macroni · Macroni's Garage

Top prices for top cars; otherwise 2006-2007 pricing and below. The home equity buyers are on the sidelines.

Cal44 · Cal44's Garage

DavidBir has a track Lotus? Oh that sounds like fun. Got pix?

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

I broker Porsches for a hobby. I put together three buys in the last week and have 6 people searching. Not trying to steal cars; but not finding a lot of good candidates out there. I keep finding cars for sale with "fresh" Motormeister engines or serious cosmetic neglect.

DDDD · 12-03-2010, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by techweenie

I broker Porsches for a hobby. I put together three buys in the last week and have 6 people searching. Not trying to steal cars; but not finding a lot of good candidates out there. I keep finding cars for sale with "fresh" Motormeister engines or serious cosmetic neglect.

One thing that makes me super leary of this market is that these Porsches are all getting neglected now IMHO...

Think about it. Many of these cars went on sale for the first time in 2008 as the market crashed, or at least by March 2009 when the car market was at it's lowest point. You see the same ads over and over on ebay, autotrader, Pelican, ect...

Do you think any of these cars are being driven, loved, lavished upon? No, they are sitting.

Anything worse than letting an old porsche sit in a spot for two or three years?

Anyway that is what I have been thinking about lately, and when you consider that a car is undergoing 'lot rot' while the owner steadily drops the price, the car is also steadily declining in value just as fast because it is sitting.

davidbir · 12-03-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal44

DavidBir has a track Lotus? Oh that sounds like fun. Got pix?

I dunno if this is the appropriate place to post photos of Lotii but here goes--These are two 26Rs that I used to own. The white one has a superlight S4 body that Lotus fitted after a roll at Mosport. The red car is now in the Barber Motorsport museum:

The Elan I have now won the NW Championship 3 years running in the late sixties-not a 26R but has a lot of 26R parts:
It is for sale

Matt Monson · 12-03-2010, 10:50 AM

Sikkens as in Robert Sikkens?

davidbir · 12-03-2010, 12:57 PM

Sikkens paint...

Cal44 · Cal44's Garage

Oh my............indeed some impressive machinery. For those of you who have not seen these cars in action..........it is, something to behold.

It's a humbling experience for high dollar race cars to have their hats handed to them by such a little tyke and a twin cam.

Funny thing is a lot of folks that pay big bucks for a 356 and overlook either model of the Elan.

I just secured a Garage find Sunbeam Tiger yesterday or Mr. DavidBir, I would be contacting you............if I could afford it.

Thank you so much for the pictures.

Mike
I just went the Barber Motorsports website. "Them boys sure do love the Lotus"