Shelby Values -- Prices -- E-bay -- Auctions

Wish I could say I bought a KR vert for 89k.

Heck, I feel lucky I paid 56k for my 68.5 CJ that I bought one day before the BJ 475k one sold.

 

I would be very careful with the engine. Due to the long stroke and short connecting rod (6.488 rod and a 3.98 stroke, making the Rod length/stoke ratio 1.63:1) there is a lot of side loading on the pistons. This puts quite a bit of stress on the 428 CJ's rod bearings. This condition is further compounded by the fact that the factory oil system had a restriction where the oil pump bolts to the block. Add 135K in miles (assuming that the engine has never been touched) and you might want to keep the RPM down.
The rod bearings can be changed in the car. Getting the pan off is the biggest challenge but it can be done.
Good Luck
Bill

 

What are you worried about? If it is the car you have spent your whole life looking for what does it matter the amount you have in it as long as you are happy? Would you like the car any less if it was worth 10-20K less then you got into it?

 

I've got a '67 G.T.500 and a '68 G.T.350 ....

convertible. They run great and look greater. I've always loved these cars and their mystique. I could never afford one as a kid so today I'm living my dream. I hope to have one model of each year (except '65 too expensive) before the Good Lord calls me home. Until then the market can do whatever it wants to do because I'm always buying and when I find my next dream-come-true I'm buying it!!!

 

I also wanted one of each year, I started with a 69 and worked my way back. I should of started with the 65s and worked my way up. But I guess it doesn't matter, I didn't have the money then either, and being in the Air Force and moving around didn't help either.

 

This might be the perfect group and thread to ask this question... What in your opinion caused the muscle car market crash at around 1990. I know there were probably several factors. I just wondered if there was any agreement from this group on what some of those factors were and if they could be spotted today.

One difference is we now have the internet, ebay, Barrett Jackson on Speed Channel etc... Do these prevent a market downturn, postpone a market downturn or have no real effect? ...or make the downturn more dramatic when it comes...

 

I think those things you mentioned bring new people to the hobby. That's how I got involved now I have 3 Shelby's. Just got busy with life and forgot about the cars I grew up riding in the back seats of and then wanted to go out and get a couple. I think these cars will remain stable and creep up in price maybe not as fast as we have seen in the last 5 years though. I also think buyers are more educated and will only buy quality stuff.

 

I don't know about where you lived in 1990 but out here in Calif the prices of real estate began to decline rather dramatically. Went on for about 4-5 years before it began to turn around. This up cycle we are in now has lasted much longer than any of us thought....about 11 years now. Usually they run about 7 to maybe 10 years.

I have quite a few friends that have bought classic muscle cars in the last few years and can say that none of them bought them with money they saved from their salaries. Some bought with inheritance funds but most bought with funds taken out of their equity in their homes or rental property. I believe one reason the prices have gone up so dramatically is that they weren't concerned if they paid another $10K for the car or not....when the one came along they wanted they would pay whatever it took to get it for fear that they wouldn't get another chance at it.

Now that the real estate market here is slowing and a lot of poeple have skimmed off as much equity as they can I think in the next couple of years the prices of cars is going to slow down or even decline a bit....maybe not to past prices but none the less some sort of decline. I also think there is a dark cloud on the horizon coming for some who have used some of the hybrid loan programs to finance home purchases out here.

It's interesting when prices rise in real estate or cars that eveyone thinks it will go on forever and its just not true...its cyclical in nature. History tends to repeat itself. Time will tell.

 

Shelby values are going to remain fairly stable or increase slightly as we continue into the apparent cooling off of the real estate market. Persons who take owning a Shelby seriously; weather they buy with inherited money, take equity out of of their homes, take a classic car loan or have saved up to do so, are going to buy the car of their dreams.

Even the slow period of the 90's, found Shelby prices holding their own
while the rest of the collectable market floundered. The highest prices
paid will always go to the absolutely mint originals and the flawlessly
restored ones. While its true that e-bay and the B-J exravaganzas have
made more people aware of these cars than ever before; along with the
"Gone In 60 Seconds" movie ( where we honor car theivery?) has cast
a new light on Shelbys.

Just a little insight that was told to me by Pete Brock during the SAAC Convention at Lime Rock a few years ago. Petes' words: " you understand
you really don't own this car? You are only the caretaker. It's your responsibility to maintain this car to the best of your ability. In the future,
someone else will become the caretaker. He/she, will have to pay for the privledge to do so". As time has passed, I have come to realize the eminence
of his words.

To those of you who have aquired your Shelby, congratulations! To those of
you who are comtemplating a Shelby purchase, remember: "the least expensive Shelby you will buy, is the one you buy today".
shlby66

 

In the late 80's the collector car market was fueled by a variety of things. One important factor was the crash of the financial market in '87. People were afraid to have wealth tied up in those investments and looked to collectible items (sports cards, cars, art, antiques) to invest in. Also, there was strong money from Japanese collectors as their economy was booming (seemingly) at the time.

When the Japanese money dried out, the car values did too. Also, the US economy started to recede at that point.

Today, we're dealing with a totally different set of conditions. Collector car values are almost as high as they were in the late 80s or higher depending on the models. I think some of the muscle cars are higher while some of the imports are approaching their previous glory. The market is much smarter now. Ferrari 308s were $200k in 1990, they're $35k now. 250 GTOs were $12mil in 1990, they're $12mil now. Significant cars command high prices now...insignificant cars don't today as they did back then.

This time our economy is marginal, as is the financial market. But after 9/11, luxury goods spending has increased rapidly. There is a newfound fear of mortality generally speaking. A lot of people are realizing that they'd rather take that $5000 vacation or get that Shelby they've always wanted before they are the victim of a disaster beyond their control (9/11, Katrina, etc.). Also, regardless of the short term behavior of the financial markets, general performance over the years has been good. Baby boomers have a lot of $$$ at this point and nothing to spend it on.

Typically, unless conditions are 100% identical, you can't really compare two different economic events to develop a trend. But, it does make for good discussion and analysis.

LS

 

I don't understand. If this is the car of your dreams, then why care about the value. Some people only want to brag about the money they made on a car. You never hear about how much they enjoyed the car.
Me, I bought my 67 GT 350 keeper 6 months out of high school. That was back in 1971. I don't pay that close attention to the value, other than keeping up with the insurance coverage.
Some folks say everything has it's price. Yeah, here's mine: priceless!

 

Roddster, I agree and understand your point. But what if you're 28 and you have 30 dream cars?

If someone like that has any chance of owning all of those cars and other ones at some point, you need to pick and choose the cars to get. I got real interested in the Shelby cars because they were increasing in value very quickly. I needed to get them now before they were $500k. The Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari 512TR can wait. They will be $80k cars for a long time.

If you're young and *not* rich, you're better off researching, following the market, planning and buying an appreciating Shelby than wasting it on a new $100k BMW that will depreciate.

So, in that sense I'd say that market research and values are very important.

LS

 

No, because your reply is all about the money. If Cosworth Vega's were hot, I think you would be all over those too. Try to enjoy the automoble for more than it's money worth.

 

I'd never be guilty of not enjoying my car. In fact, just 1 hr ago I blew my radiator apart on an autocross course at near 6k rpm sliding sideways...what a mess!

I would absolutely LOVE a Vector W8. But the fact is they are expensive to maintain and purchase. At this time, the Shelby is a better idea and I went that way. If I hesitated and waited until 2010 when these cars are all $500k, I would've regretted it. The Vector will probably still be $125k in 2010.

My point above was simply that some car enthusiasts and owners are not in a position to completely ignore the financial aspect of this hobby.

So, who has an NOS radiator for a '66?

LS

 

For RODDSTER!

I got a 2nd place behind the 2005 CP Regional Champ in a 400bhp '66 coupe...until next season...

Does this qualify as enjoying my car?

LS

 

Re: For RODDSTER!

Yes

Larry

 

You are visting the best 1968 Shelby webpage !!!

 

I did buy my both green and golden-brown 1971 Shelby Europa convertibles in Aug 2001 and Feb 2004 (Belgian Claude Dubois made these cars under Carroll Shelby's license, and only 2 convertibles were ever originally produced and 12 cars as fastbacks, total 14 cars, a website link is enclosed: 1971/1972 Shelby Europa )
because I like this body style and enjoy to drive with them. Naturally these cars are real headturners, especially when driving with the top down. I know that I have spent some money also for restoring those to be driveable, but I guess any hobby takes money.

The Shelby American car values have increased drastically during the last few years.

I wonder whether some of you in this forum would make an estimate about my car values ? Or give some advice from where to get a third party value estimate ? My goal is to get the insurance company aware of the value, they do not make the value setting based on only my estimate.