As I was catching up on some paperwork this week with Velocity on in the background for ambiance I realized that late 60/early 70 American performance iron was selling for 100K and everyone was gushing over their horsepower ratings and zero to 60 times. Yes, they were all in VERY good condition but I’ll bet they are never driven so what exactly is the experience.

Then I realized that our XK8 have that same horsepower and zero to 60 times, they look better (subjective) and we can drive it every day. A much better experience.

 

Interesting observation, why let someone else have all the fun. Another of my British car friends has a line in his signature reading" Don't Postpone Joy!"

 

My dad and I used to collect muscle cars - we started in the mid 1970s and were still buying into the 1990s. I drove a '69 AMX and a '71 SC360 to high school. In College, I daily drove a Orange/Orange interior 1971 Cuda convertible and restored a 27K mile 440-6 'Cuda we bought for $6,500. At the peak, we owned about 18 "muscle cars". Muscle cars were cheap back them and Almost all were purchased between $2,500 and $7,500. we paid $23K for a 1 of 53 Super Stock AMX and $26K for a 7,800 mile Baldwin Motion Camaro.

In 1986, I bought a new Mustang 5.0 Convert. Fuel injected V8, AC, leather, Power window & Locks good stereo, was a quick as ANY small block from the muscle car era, but handled & braked way better and got 26 mpg on the highway. I stopped driving my 1971 'Cuda convert immediately.

I lived at the dragstrip and when the 1986-87 Turbo Buicks ruled the strip in the early 1990's I figured I better get some of those, too, since they were so cheap. Using the recipe's on the new "internet", I was able to get my $5,000 stock appearing Buick Regal to run 11.5's @ 118 in the 1/4 mile on radials, driving 180 miles each way to the track.

Toward the late 1990's, early muscle car prices started rising to stupid levels. We sold off most of our collection for 2X, 3X, 4X more than we paid for them and if we have waited a few years, we could have got 10X to 15X what we had in them. Watching auctions I would yell at the TV "have you EVER ACTUALLY DRIVEN ONE OF THOSE?" when I see people paying $150K for a 'Cuda convertible (and the Hemis were selling for over $1 Million).


'Cuda convertibles drive like a loose collection of parts flying in close formation. There is a reason only 374 '1971 'Cuda convertibles were ever built. They are certainly "cool to look at" but cars are meant to be driven.


As I said when the Hemicuda converts first hit $1,000,000: My 10 year old 1989 Mustang convert was quicker 0-60 (5.4 seconds) and 1/4 Mile (13.9), has a higher top speed (137 mph), handles better and brakes better (no comparison), has leather, cruise, power windows that work, power door locks and AC (not available with the Hemi), gets over 2X the mpg and starts every time I turn the key... but my Mustang was "worth" $6500 at the time, so people were paying $993,500 for a "look" and "rarity" and $6,500 for a car.


I have driven almost every type of classic muscle car. Not one drives better than an XK8 and very few are a quick as an XKR.


I predict in the US XKR coupes will start escalating in price similar to the way "classic" 911's have. They are rare, fast and attractive. 5 years from now I would think they could be 50% higher to double what they sell for today.

 

Ungn, great stories. I really sympathize with your comments on the muscle cars vs XK8s. Especially when you see the auctionsame on TV for the same old muscle car you (or I) once owned back in the 80'snow.

Thanks, John

 

Ah yes, my first new car was a '71 Vega with the BIG 4. HP cam with a two BBL carb and a 4 speed. What memories. Becha today they are worth a small fortune, If you could find one above ground... Not feeding the lawn and flower gardens with its biodegradable body.
Yes, I too have had a nice collection of rides in my past. Yes, not as dependable or as great a ride as you'd think. None of which has given me the long term smile on my face as the XK8. Rich

 

I too have owned many muscle cars. Most of them were bought for under $1000
1964 SS Impala,2 1967 Firebirds,1966 442,1968 442,1971SS Chevelle,1968 SS 396 Impala. And others. They all drove like 60-70 cars. No brakes,leaned like a yacht,and not as fast as one would think. My favorite was the 68 442. It was dependable,and as fast as my XK8. For some reason it stopped and handled well. Disc front brakes,front and rear sway bars. But even today most of them would barely reach $20.000 My best friend owned a 1964 2+2 fastback Mustang with the 271 HP 289 that most say never happened in 1964. Even that car would be lucky to fetch $50.000. So my thoughts are the only reason these Hemi Cudas,428 Cobra Jets etc are getting high prices is because rich older guys wanted one and are willing to pay.
Now don't get me wrong some are worth the money. Baldwin Motion,Yenkos,Nicky's,Mr Normans,and even the Sconcios V8 Vegas. They are only worth what someone is willing to pay. To me regular factory cars aren't worth what they are getting. But if I knew then what's going on now I would have kept them all and bought more.

 

GM A-Bodies are great riding and driving cars with modern bushings, swaybars, shocks, tires, etc... but that kills the "value" to a collector because it isn't "original".

Auction cars get a premium for original everything riding on Polyglas bias ply tires smaller than the tires on my 1990 miata. Concours restored cars drive terrible when compared to a modern car because ALL cars from 40-50 years ago drive terrible when compared to modern cars.

I watch "what's my car worth" on velocity when they are driving they old cars and they try to convince the audience how great stock restored muscle cars drive. The noise, smells and feel may be "cool" and the satisfaction you get is like mastering a hard task but compared to a modern Shelby or Challenger or Camaro that can be bought for 1/2 the price of the originals, there is zero comparison. Nobody in their right mind who wanted a car to actually drive would pick the old model over the new one for double the money. If you know someone that does, don't trust their judgement (or chalk it up to them having more money than sense).

People are paying full sentimental value for lumps of nostalgic art that can move under its own power (sometimes). Cars were built to be driven and in a perfect world, good looking cars that also drive good should be worth more than good looking cars that don't.