Prices at Carlisle

[BarryK]

ok, I DO try to keep up with prices and values on the C2 cars as much as possible but maybe I'm just out of the loop too much but some of the prices I saw this weekend blew my mind!

The one that really got to me was this and I still can't get over it and i'm trying to work out in my mind if it's just me being naive or this vender was completely out of his mind with his asking price.....
When I bought my body-off restored '65 coupe with L76 motor last year it cost me $36,000. This weekend I saw another '65 Coupe also Milano Maroon over black PROJECT car with the 300hp motor for sale. When I say project car I mean a total start from almost scratch project - no chrome ot trim items, body needs work plus paint of course, interior needed a LOT of work, not sure about motor because I never looked under the hood, had old rusty Cragar SS wheels.
I figure this car must need a MINIMUM of $25k-$30k or more of work to make it a presentable driver car - not even an NCRS car and the seller was asking $34,900 for it!! :eek :eek
Than I saw an even worst '61 project car was was just an old beat-up frame and body shell, no motor, needing EVERYTHING, and asking price was $28,000.

Are these guys nuts or am I really that far off base?? Geez!!

 

[kingman]

When is it too much????????????

You will always find people with C2's that try to get top dollar for them based on current price's like what you see at Barrett's auctions.

They are doing the right thing by asking high because they can alway come down but never go up.

Any Corvette guy in the know should have a good idea within $5000 what it's really worth. There are many owner's out there that think that they can get a certain dollar figure for their prized vette and l hope they get it but to get real if you are not in the auto reconditioning business it's going to be a labor of love because at the end you will probably lose money when you sell it.

95% of the C1's and C2's that bring the real money are redone to a higher standard then when it came from the factory.

Now take an oldie with history and it could add on up to $25,000 or more at auction and l don't mean a local auction. Keep in mind that Barrett's turned away 5000 cars and only took cars with no reserve only.

When you put out under $35,000 for an oldie you are getting a driver and not a show piece if you are lucky.

Then there is a gap until you hit $75,000 when you should expect a known name who restored it and not Joe Smo's auto body shop.

And lastly when was it done years and miles if any to determine it's worth.

Also it's not what they are asking but what they are getting at the end.

Alan

p.s. I could go on forever on this topic.

 

[Mark Stahl]

Barry, I posted about any great deals at Carlisle I also am thinking the same way you are. I purchased a silver convert over a year ago, wich is something i wanted for a very long time. I could never find that car for the price i bought it for. Are prices just that high? I realize that prices are always going up like crazy. IMHO, at what point will people just be priced out of their dream cars? Thanks for listening. Mark

 

[65vettish]

It's a seller's market right now. There will be a time when it won't be but it doesn't appear to be anytime soon. The market is flush with baby boomer cash and lots of guys want that dream car they couldn't afford when they were younger. I'm just glad I got in this hobby when it was still affordable!

 

[1KULC7]

Barry,

I had several people come up to me and told me about several SWC's over at the Correl that were junk and selling for the $50K. Its just unreal...I guess we should be thankfull of what we have...

 

[MRANT212]

Barry, I was almost laughing at some of the numbers they were asking for. I think those cars were located down in the car corral area with those big cards in the windshield with prices. To say that they all needed work was an understatement....The old saying goes...There is an ass for every seat!!!! I doubt any of those cars sold though.

Anthony

 

[kingman]

$50,000 is not that much in today's world

A SWC is well worth the price if it's in excellent condition depending and how original it is and who restored it if anybody.

If this seller did his own work and it's not up to certain standards it can only go so far as in value. He could have put a fortune into it and who knows if he made anything to speak of with his sale.

But if you want a driver and it runs well and clean it's a home run. But if you think you are going to make it into a garage queen and watch it go up in value, you better get real comfortable. The difference in driving it or packing it away will not make mush of a difference, just enjoy it!

The NCRS Top Flight vettes in the same year will top $125,000 this year and the ones restored by the top restorer's will hit the sky.

Go to a Barrett's auction and it will blow your mind!

Why don't l have one, l did, but now l want something that l can drive and park it and not worry about it being there when l get back.

The C1's and the C2's are what vettes are really about no matter what engine is under the hood, but a L-88 isn't bad either.

Alan

 

[1KULC7]

Alan,

With all due respect, I know the SWC's and the prices. But what I am talking about are ones in poor condition. One that was on sale was a frame and rear section of the car no front clip.... A guy told me about his car and the price was 30K.... Motor was not included... Oh come on know...are we pushing this a little too far???

 

[kingman]

I have to agree with you.

EB

It is almost insulting but there are people out there that look for basket cases and get them back on the road because they have the missing parts. But l doubt it if it sold.

I forgot the muscle car but there was an article that stated that there are more of them on the road today then came out of Detroit.

Another fact is that a person will spend more money at auction then from a specialty dealer and that it's cheaper to buy an already finished oldie then to start from scratch. And for some people the money doesn't matter it's like buying another pair of shoes.

Alan

 

[SMR 67]

What I also found interesting vs. last year was that last year seemed to be a mid-year showcase out on the field with a lot of '67s for sale. This year, there were a TON of 67's up at the auction - less so out on the field - but the number of 68's and 69's were way up out on the field - I didn't know that many existed! And the prices are way up on the 68's and 69's. Perhaps the 67's are out of reach for a lot of people but they still want the 427's and tri-powers that were still available on the 68s/69s. Also noticed that the 66's are becoming more pricey than ever - particularly the BB 66's.

 

[TWINRAY]

And I thought it was Nuts was mid year big blocks went for $40K.

 

[vette]

Barry. That 65 you are talking about was in Conn. last week for 15000. I missed it by a day. A guy I know called me and told me where the car was but by the time I called it was gone. It was all red primer with old radier wheels and side pipes. I talked to the guy down there and told him I would give him a few grand more than he paid but he said no. He did wind up taking it home. Everybody wants to make a home run on these cars. I would have been happy to make a few grand and have the car gone.Thats why the market is so nuts.

 

[BarryK]

he figured he would go from $15,000 to $34,900 on that piece of crap? How dumb does he think people at Carlisle are? Matbe I'm mistaken in my thinking but I would think that people at Carlisle overall (always exceptions of course) are more knowledable buyers than the average "ebay type" and would have a better idea of the true value of these cars.
$34,900 for that rolling project was just WAY out of line but the $15,000 seems like a reasonable price. Not surprised to hear he took it back home - I would have been surprised if he had sold it - even after his "markdown" price on Sunday afternoon of $32,900.

 

[L48]

This is an interesting topic. I did not make the meet last weekend but I have been to various Carlisle swap meets just about every year for the last 20 years or so, not to mention dozens of local swap meets. One thing I have observed is that there is always someone who wants big bucks for their car/project car. These people are not looking to sell their car fast. They want to make a lot of money. They also make great stories - I laugh at the prices and move along.



At least once I have witnessed a buyer paying way too much for one of these cars, so I know it can happen.



I am sure that at least some sellers came with realistic expectations and sold their vehicles. The really good deals on whole cars, if there were any, went early on the first day.



I know there is probably a great deal somewhere on that fairgrounds, I just have to find it, and these sellers with sky high prices are not the right place to look!