| Now that the first round of January 2010 auctions | | | | segment in the collector car industry right now, and |
| are behind us it's time to take a guess at what 2010 | | | | some quick math will show you that the young boys |
| will hold for the world of classic muscle cars......and my | | | | that couldn't afford these cars when they were new |
| guess is that it's going to be a great year! It's been | | | | are now in their mid 50's to early 60's.....and they have |
| said that regardless of what happens in the | | | | some money to spend. They're going after that |
| economy, toys will always sell (like airplanes, yachts, | | | | dream they always wanted to fulfill! It'd be like asking |
| and apparently muscle cars)! | | | | out your wife again for the first time - only you're 58 |
| Even horrendous weather didn't stop Barrett Jackson | | | | and she's 18! Actually, that comparison could lead us |
| from moving $68 Million dollars worth of inventory | | | | down a dangerous road. Moving on. |
| through their auction last week, which was 11% up | | | | In the industry of collector cars there appears to be |
| from 2009. More telling than that even was the fact | | | | a consistent trend in that the vintage of hot collector |
| that 40 % of the bidders were doing so for the first | | | | cars is generally about 40 years old......but does that |
| time ever, and 35% of the sellers were new to | | | | mean that the reign of muscle cars will someday |
| Barrett Jackson as well. These statistics are | | | | end? Maybe, but I don't think so. Keep reading. |
| impressive and show that the collector car hobby is | | | | 2) Style |
| as strong as ever, but does it prove muscle cars are | | | | For whatever reason, 1960's and 70's era muscle cars |
| the reason? Well......7 of the top 10 sellers at Barrett | | | | don't appear to age at all. Model T's look like old cars. |
| Jackson were muscle cars! Here is the list of the top | | | | Packard's look like old cars. Desoto's look like old cars. |
| 10 priced movers and shakers - and see if you can | | | | Even a '57 Chevy looks older......but a '69 GTO doesn't! |
| spot a trend: | | | | Kids today flock to these style of cars just as much |
| 1929 Hamilton Metalplane H47 Serial #65 Airplane - | | | | as the older crowd does. There is a BIG reason that |
| $671,000 | | | | the 2010 Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro have |
| 1964 Shelby Cobra Roadster - $478,500 | | | | some familiar lines, and it's no coincidence that the |
| 1963 Shelby Cobra Roadster - $401,500 | | | | fast car in the latest block buster movie was made in |
| 1935 Cadillac Series 40 Fleetwood Imperial Convertible | | | | 1967, not 2007. |
| - $302,500 | | | | 3) Customization |
| 2011 Ford Mustang Gt Glass Roof Coupe - $300,000 | | | | The aftermarket has never been hotter than it is |
| 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird 2 Door Hardtop - | | | | right now creating parts to make old muscle cars just |
| $286,000 | | | | as fast - and comfortable - as new ones....but without |
| 1952 Watson Roadster Custom By Blastolene - | | | | giving up the style. Crate engines, brakes, suspension, |
| $280,500 | | | | R-134 air-conditioning, overdrive paddle-shifted |
| 2008 Ford Mustang Fr500s Fastback Racecar - | | | | automatic transmissions.....it's all there, and people are |
| $275,000 | | | | buying it up like crazy. Many people have wondered |
| 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback - $275,000 | | | | how quickly the world of combustion engine cars |
| 1967 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback - $253,000 | | | | would come to an end if in the next 10 years we |
| That's right - muscle cars own 70% of the top 10 | | | | moved from fossil fuels to something else....but I'm |
| cars sold! If you dismiss the fact that an airplane was | | | | guessing that where there's a will, there's a way. |
| on this list (and no, it wasn't a "muscle airplane"), that | | | | Someone, somewhere will come up with a way to |
| means that 7 of the top 9 cars were pure American | | | | run a big block Ford on cow manure, if that's what it |
| muscle, and I think that I know why that's the case. | | | | takes. I guarantee it. |
| 1) Timing | | | | Here's to a bright future....and let's hope that it's cow |
| Without question, muscle cars are the hottest | | | | manure free under the hood. |