Old Cars Report Price Guide

[JimNolan]

How close is the price guide of Old Cars Report to actual real life buying and selling of classic cars. My friend gave me a copy of the April Edition and he buys and sells classics all the time and he says most guys use this as a base line price guide. I'd never seen this magazine before. Are any of you familier with this price guide and is it legitimately used by anyone ( like insurance companies) other than people wanting something given to them so they can sell it at a higher price. Jim  PS The price guide lists a 57 Ford Fairlane 500 2drht in #2 condition at $18,200. The price guide lists the 1957 Chevy Bel-air 2drht in #2 condition being worth $54,250. Is this correct in the Real World? I can't see how it could be.

[Lou]

In my opinion Old Car Price guide is not worth the paper it's printed on. I've seen them change prices on cars when they had nothing to base the price change on. The insurance companies and I (more on that later) use "NADA Classic, collectible, exotic, & muscle car guide"
Several years ago NADA ask me to join their classic car advisory board, which I did. 3 times a year they send me a questionare to fill out and ask for a list with price and condition on the cars my company has apprised. For this I get a free subscription, yippee !

Example 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Victoria, adv condition base $15,300 add Overdrive trans $425, add 312 engine $2800, add "E" 2x4 engine 20%, add "F" S/C engine 80%, add factory A/C 5%, Deduct 6cyl engine 15%.

[JimNolan]

Thanks Lou, I'm going to look up those guides. Jim

[Lou]

jim, email me your snail mail address and I'll send you the guide I have, I'm getting a new one next month...hotmail.com.....vehicleone

[JimNolan]

Done. Thanks Lou, Jim

[JPotter57]

I used to get them a while back, Barnes and Nobles, Books a Million keep them.  Since I dont really care about numbers matching restoring, they're pretty much a waste of money for me.  The books are geared toward original or restored to original cars, not modified, even mildly modified.  It is interesting to pick one up every now and then to see how much a given car is bringing, at least in theory.  When I start looking for something, especially something desirable for myself, I usually look for the rustiest most incomplete crap pile available, as it is all I can afford, lol.  Sometimes, as in the case of a `69 Mustang fastback, even the rusty junker is bringing $4-5000...can't see it man.  My next project will be a Cobra replica.  That is my ultimate dream, and as soon as my house is paid off in about 5 years, I'm buying one.  Wife has already been notified of said plan....

[JimNolan]

I found the NADA website lists the 57 Ford close to the Old Cars price Guide. NADA shows a 14.5 K lower price for the 57 Chevy than the Old Cars price guide does. The observation that the car I restored has a lot more money invested in the restoration than it's apparent value once restored only shows that the choice I made was motivated by heart, not money. I can be proud of that. I don't have one memory that I cherish that was motivated or retained by finacial gain or loss.  Jim 

[gasman826]

It's pretty tough to put into print what something is worth.  Like a newspaper, they can report the facts but that is history or trends.  Tomorrow, ten cars can sell in ten different places and bring ten different sale prices.  Sell ten in the same place and that can happen!  It takes two buyers in the same place with the motivation and the means to buy.  It may the condition, options, model, year or none of these.  Two emotional, inexperienced buyers with too much money.  The variables are all over the place.  Since it is highly improbable to have two identical cars setting next to each other with multiple, motivated buyers with means on the same day, well its just worth what the seller will sell for and the buyer willing to pay.  I'm a real estate broker and people ask me everyday what their property is worth.  I can tell them what the house next door sold for or what the current price is.  I can tell them what their house sold for the last time it sold.  I can suggest trends.  I can refer to the assessment or an appraisal.  But looking in a book of prices of houses that sold on the other side of the country, state, or even the county is no help.  Even what sold in the neighborhood is minimal help.  Someone driving by that house today that just loves it and just won the lottery will make my guess for the price of that house entirely wrong.
As far as the AC Cobra...it was on my bucket list for more than 40 years, long before I even knew what a bucket list was.  As a young teenager, I was scared by a real AC Cobra 427 with four Webers on it.  That picture has been burned into my mind since.  I collected books and brochures.  I was going to build a kit.  I had a 427 side oiler.  I had a big input top loader.  I finally went to a show that had THE kit.  The sales person generously offered to allow me to set in the displace model.  I was so excited.  How disappointing, a 6'4" fat man don't fit an AC Cobra.

[57AGIN]

Gasman826:

Unless your photo next to your black Custom is totally out of context.  You certainly fit the 6'4", but the "fat man"

I'm in total agreement with what you say about comparing prices and values, either locally or across distances.  I certainly wouldn't have been able to go out and see the car I always dreamed of and lay down cash for it.  I got real lucky in 1998 and found a freshly painted Calif car with absolutely no floor boards and laid down what I was able to scrape together at the time.  The rest of it has only been possible by my continuing to work after retirement for about 3 years.  It was not done as an investment in anything but my happiness (the kids will just have to be contented with inheriting some property, not my 57 or the happiness it is bringing me now and in my foreseeable future).

I do watch the Mecum and Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions on TV, but not to see what I might "invest in", but to see what others have done with their rides.  I think back on the times that I had with my 65 Mustang and 68 Dodge Coronet R/T, or my wife's 64 Impala 327 SS and what ridiculously low dollars we sold them for in comparison to what they are selling for now.  If I had only had the space to have jacked them up and stored them for 50 years and what they'd be worth today.  Oh well, I can't wish them back and I'm having a ball with my 57 and 08 Shelby GT.

Bob
57 AGIN

[gasman826]

The avatar is 'flattering'.

My first new car was a '69 Mach1.  I can't believe that I pretzeled myself in and out of it.  I seem to recall my shins hitting the dash.  My knee was squeezed between the steering wheel and the door.  And HOT...the summer and heat from the 428CJ about broiled me.  Since then the first thing that I do to a new car is take the seat out, move it back about 3".  On my '57, the bench seat went and '65 Thunderbird seats were install 4" back.  With the seat all the way back, my leg is straight out with the clutch pedal to the floor.  With the Lincoln tilt column, I can get real comfortable.

[Frankenstein57]

Gasman, you answered a question about 57 legroom that has been on my mind. I'm 6' 3" 215, and the ranchero legroom sucks. I re drilled the bench seat mount and welded a tab on to gain an inch and a quarter, but the window shelf is right behind the seat, that's all I can get. I may have to think about a different column and wheel down the road.On the 57 I have a set of Honda van seats less riser, mocked up that provide plenty of room. I guess folks were not to tall in the 50's, Mark

[gasman826]

I remember being asked if I was going to chop the top.  The answer was always 'the car is perfect now and I can't improve on it'.  But really I like not hitting my head on the roof.  There will be no visors...no need.  About the only issue that I have with my head up near the roof is that I can't see stop lights.  When the light turns green, I don't know it until other drivers blow their horns.  If no one is around, I roll the window down and hang my head out to look up to see the light.  I've asked some others about prisms.  I have heard that if a light in the corner drug store turns green...well, you get the picture.

Sorry...don't know what this has to do with the price of cars!!