This topic will always be a bone of contention but I went to see the Speed Style Beauty event at RNA in Brisbane this week and was very impressed by what I learned from Shannons Bill Wellwood. He is the auction guy who has seen it all when it comes to cars trading for serious dollars. He reckons that the Monaro GTS 350 is a sleeping beauty in terms of being the next big thing. He showed me over the awesome car owned by Tony Michael which is on display if you need to get your fix of perfection in car restoration. In this guys opinion, the Falcons have always been way over hyped in every aspect while a GTS 350 is a way better prospect. He also revealed that a great number of super cars never make a public appearance and can trade for much higher prices than those commonly known from the auction scene. But some of the Bugattis and Ferraris on display are just to die for. I tried to find out how much some of the restorations cost but no luck. There is never a better time than the present to get a classic car. It is one thing to have an interest in a car but another thing to own one.

It is not unusual for a very rare vehicle of the likes of some Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lancia, Bugatti, Maserati, Iso, etc to have a restoration in the $200K - $300K. Usually the restoration cost is less than the "market value" you may see if it was sold. Remembering that you have to have the car to restore it, and that could be a very expensive start.

People wonder how a restoration can cost so much on these cars? Well they are hand built originally. There was no production line. There is no Rare Spares producing any parts, so if you need a grill, it is hand made from sheets of metal, cut, folded, welded, hammered, polished, plated. Imagine 3 weeks for a restoration fabricator to make a perfect copy grille. Consider what you think it would cost to have a Plumber, Electrician, Accountant, Engineer etc. to be working for you on a project for 3 weeks. And this is just the grille I am comparing.

http://www.ehlimo.com.au/

Good investment or bad investment? Interest, availability, world monetary situation, inheritance, desirability, reasons for purchase, love of the particular car, dont like cars but only see investment potential, bragging rights.
There are many reasons people buy classic cars. I have always thought you have to enjoy the car first & foremost, have a love for it to want to buy it.
Unless spending plenty on an investment of a classic, I reckon your chasing your tail. Consider storage, maintenance, insurance, rego., it all mounts up. Then the bum falls out of the market. Oh dear!
I would only consider buying a vehicle that I desire, hoping not to cop a loss in the long term. There are far more sure things around than forecasting the classic car future.
Thats my tilt on it.

Utility8

Edited by user Sunday, 13 September 2009 9:01:28 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

well thats good news for me, means once i actually get some money together they will be el cheapo! haha.

quote:

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Originally posted by D. A. Barnes
This topic will always be a bone of contention but I went to see the Speed Style Beauty event at RNA in Brisbane this week and was very impressed by what I learned from Shannons Bill Wellwood. He is the auction guy who has seen it all when it comes to cars trading for serious dollars. He reckons that the Monaro GTS 350 is a sleeping beauty in terms of being the next big thing. He showed me over the awesome car owned by Tony Michael which is on display if you need to get your fix of perfection in car restoration. In this guys opinion, the Falcons have always been way over hyped in every aspect while a GTS 350 is a way better prospect. He also revealed that a great number of super cars never make a public appearance and can trade for much higher prices than those commonly known from the auction scene. But some of the Bugattis and Ferraris on display are just to die for. I tried to find out how much some of the restorations cost but no luck. There is never a better time than the present to get a classic car. It is one thing to have an interest in a car but another thing to own one.

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dont let a top hat, striped jacket, grey beard and a booming voice fool you, shannons dont have the best track record for both advice on selling a car or getting the top dollar as promised..monaros are soft, always have been, always will be, and its our own fault, we dont stick together like the ford boys do, we whinge, whine and attack each other and bag the authenticity of other peoples cars, whereas the blue oval dudes stick together and are not misery guts complainers

"We wreck = KNOWLEDGE" lolololol

quote:

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Originally posted by HK1837
Plus they only have a car or three (of Aussie origin) to collect. GMH performance product is much broader.

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If we all had the same (good) taste, who would buy all the Fords?

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well not in australia byron, GM here has only 2 to collect as well, HT 1837 and XU-1, all the rest do not count for muscle in my book, well maybe a HQ 1837 now simply coz of its rarity, and as much as i am a GM man, we kill it for ourselves, but then again, im just a crazy man wrecker/flipper that tell it how it seems to be?? and i guess each person is different!! haha

"We wreck = KNOWLEDGE" lolololol

Surely the only people who care, are the ones who paid too much because greed got at them and they saw the stupid money being paid for cars and decided they wanted in too, now theyre rueing the downturn of their "investment"

As far as im concerned, stupid dollars for old australian cars is like musical chairs in reverse, you dont want to be hanging on when the music stops.

I love a nice car, but theres hundreds more in the world id rather have for monaro dollars and if the ar$e falls out, maybe people might drive them or shockingly make one better instead of hiding them in hermetically sealed bags like a packet of peas hoping the next fool has a deeper pocket than he did...

11.38@117

Edited by user Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:09:30 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I know what youre saying Byron, but I couldnt leave out the XR GT as aside from being a great looking car, it is the first GT Falcon after all, more importantly it won Bathurst.

Id easily omit the LC from your list. I know they can command good money though. But then what about the Cortinas - I think they have a better pedigree anyway aside from Bathurst wins. They dont come up very often, but when they do its for good bucks - tend to be race cars these days though.

The HQ GTS 350 while a soft car that handled like a dog, has a 350 and is just such a great looking thing its hard to leave out. My ownership of an HQ coupe is probably clouding my judgement. If its about money, then they do seem to fetching stupid money still.

My understanding of Group C is a little limited, but on the basis of the extent of changes that were permitted, the XC coupe is definitely in if A9X is - though of course the A9X won twice. I can understand why A9X has its afficianados but frankly the engine it had standard for road use was underwhelming. The market tends to say the Toranas worth more - but then the first Cobras are super pricey also.

I also think that due to finally being a well balanced car, the HZ GTS has some status, though the prices are only creeping up.

Equally I wouldnt leave the top spec XD and XE ESP variants out of a list, something about them IMO, admit that their appeal is not too broad and they are rare on the market.

If were going to keep listing Holdens up to HSV time, then youd have to keep going and include the C4B powered cars (despite the issues this engine has proved to have). I tend not to care for Commodores, but admit the VT, VX and very rare VY GTS variants (along with the GTS coupe of the same period) are truly muscle cars in modern times. They appear to be holding value - or losing it less :) - better than other HSVs, especially the VT sedan version. In fact I think HSV ruined the looks of the coupe making the sedan more desirable. When I first saw a black VT GTS sedan with the red leather interior I was utterly sold! Then theres that W427 ...

Similarly if were going to stay up to date, you cant discount what rockets the XR6T and FPV Typhoons are. The XR6T would have to be right up there in terms of performance bargains of all time in Australia and is an absolute "hero" car for Ford fans. Rightly so.

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WTB:
- HQ coupe front windscreen mouldings
- HQ ute antique brown trim - any pieces!

Will everyone stop using the phrase"muscle car" to describe Australian built cars. The U.S of A was the only country to build muscle cars. No big blocks in Australian cars therefore no Australian muscle cars!

Ford Australia built a big block XW GT.

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If we all had the same (good) taste, who would buy all the Fords?