The price of a Model A Ford

[Eccentric Old Guy]

I purchased my 28CCPU a couple years ago, after quite a bit of research.

I've continued to check on current prices, because I'd like to have a nice hotrod, too. I'm 72, and don't want to spend the time and effort to restore a Model A, or build a nice rod, so I've been looking at someone else's project cars, and finished offerings.

What I've found is nice hotrods and restored Model As are two completely different ballgames. You can get a decent Model A for relatively low price, but the decent hotrods are sky high in prices.

The trouble is, there is a finite number of model As, and very few restorable As are likely to surface, from this point forward. Those that do, are mostly molested by the current rat-rod craze. I can't find fault with that, but it's a shame that some of the nice restored and restorable Model As will be chopped up to make rat-rods.....and, they are forever gone from the gene pool when that happens!

My prediction is the number of nice restored model As is going to continually decrease, making your investment worth more at some future time. But, I may be nuts to think younger enthusiasts for restored model As will ever be a thing with them.....? From my POV, it looks like restored to original antique cars is pretty much an "old guy" thing, and we are dying out!

Your opinions on this are invited...

[ljaynavl]

You might find one pops up on Bringatrailer.com

[Eccentric Old Guy]

Yes, thank you. I am aware of BAT.

Was mostly interested in opinions concerning where the hobby is headed, and all those factors that do, will, or might come into play.

[aermotor]

I don't know where the hobby is going. The same is happening with vintage hit & miss engines and antique aircraft. It looks like the latest generation of ipad users, etc. has ignored us old timers and are onto new and better things. Sad and IMHO (in my humble opinion) as the newer generation says, is a loss equal to extinct animals.

John

[700rpm]

And don’t even get me started on stamp collecting! I’m a walking antique! Does anyone here have a stamp collection?

[Incognito-A]

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Plenty of good restorable “A’s” are still out there. A few really nice ones for restoration have been on eBay lately… ones that are not really good enough to preserve as original yet mostly unmolested. Unfortunately these tend to be of the tudor sedan or standard sedan variety.

[alexiskai]

In our downtown, we have a model train layout. The time period depicted is late '30s - early '50s. I find this is the most common time period for these layouts, both because it's the only time period featuring both diesel and steam engines, and because it's the time that the typical operator of this layout remembers from his childhood.

Anyway, last month I was talking to the operator, and I asked what he thought the next generation of model train hobbyists would depict in their layouts. He said he thought it would be the trains they remembered from their childhood – the ones they saw onscreen. He predicted layouts featuring the Hogwarts and Polar Expresses, the Thomas characters, maybe some of the really famous survivor engines like UP 4014.

I think probably the same thing will happen with car collecting. Folks will collect the cars they remember from media.

[Utopia Texas]

Someday in the future I suppose because of government mandates antique cars might be electrified once battery technology improves and a original Model A will only be viewed in a museum depicting the “Petroleum” age of human existence. In the mean time I see the hobby dwindling down as us Seniors pass on. The younger folks in my family ignore my Model T’s and Model A’s and only show interest in my more modern “odd” rebuilds as my Isetta 300 and Messerschmitt KR200.

Many of the younger folks I am around were never taught the pleasure of building something or working with their hands so older machinery does not interest them.

[Crankster]

What's "collectable" is definitely generational, trends come and go. Some things get "hot" for a while, and then are not. For a while now there has been a lot of overseas interest in Coleman lanterns, of all things. I don't know why. I've been waiting for used Martin guitar prices to collapse, without much success.

[Synchro909]

IMO, the price is a mere reflection of the supply and demand for each.

[ronn]

And don’t even get me started on stamp collecting! I’m a walking antique! Does anyone here have a stamp collection?

Ray I started collecting stamps when I was 9 and was finished by 14. I saw more equity in coin collecting and that has overall been true. whether you collect silver bullion or rare coins, they continue up with inflation. neither being a bad hedge for the long run and pretty much none taxable if you sell correctly. so the same can be said with A's, the rarer models tend to hold their value better. the common not so much, but they do continue up with inflation. Best to collect what you enjoy.

[ronn]

the problem with used Martin guitars are there were never many to begin with. I have been following the Vincent mkt for awhile and they never go down. didnt make enough.......

[Oldbluoval]

I put all my retirement funds into Beanie Babies! Waiting on the uptick!

[nkaminar]

I have a collection of pet rocks in case anyone is interested.

Do not assume the asking price is the selling price. On ebay you can show the selling price if you are logged in.

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by ronn

And don’t even get me started on stamp collecting! I’m a walking antique! Does anyone here have a stamp collection?

Ray I started collecting stamps when I was 9 and was finished by 14. I saw more equity in coin collecting and that has overall been true. whether you collect silver bullion or rare coins, they continue up with inflation. neither being a bad hedge for the long run and pretty much none taxable if you sell correctly. so the same can be said with A's, the rarer models tend to hold their value better. the common not so much, but they do continue up with inflation. Best to collect what you enjoy.

I don’t expect to make money on my hobbies. They are investments in my spirit, not my retirement.

[WHN]

If you have an antique that is one of one or one of a few, than value will be a different story.

When you have an antique that is one of almost five million, well there are more to go around.

As we lose more and more Model A’s for one reason or another, the price should be effected by the increasing lack of available product. The Law of Supply and Demand.

The very well restored, the well taken care cars with a low number of owners, the un molested originals. As with almost any antique. The prices could go up or down but there will be a market.

Junk is junk no matter what it is.

My advice is to not worry about the cars going to street rods or what ever. The fewer cars that are available for sale. The higher the prices will be.

[Eccentric Old Guy]

Originally Posted by 700rpm

I don’t expect to make money on my hobbies. They are investments in my spirit, not my retirement.

Oh, absolutely......this is the right perspective to take! ^^^^^

I only mention dollar value, as a comment on the current market, as I see it.

My reason for buying and enjoying my Model A Ford, is because it's what I've wanted for a long time. Now that I'm older, I can make that dream come true.

I was hoping one of my sons would also have an interest in it, but I'm not seeing it so far. My 28CCPU will probably be sold when I'm gone, as I think that's what happened to it when I bought it......the family just didn't have the interest that Grandpa had in it.....so, off to the auction block it went!

I do hope it increases in market value, though.....just so my family will benefit from that increased value.....that is, when the time comes for me to depart this world!

[Oldgearz]

700rpm you got it entirely right!

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by Oldbluoval

I put all my retirement funds into Beanie Babies! Waiting on the uptick!

Eccentric Old Guy this is a tough question, there aren't any simple answers.

About the time you think this hobby is toast interest resurges and a-way we go as Ralph Cramden (Jackie Gleason) used to say on 'The Honeymooners'.

I've noticed that prices on pre-War Fords seem to stay strong for solid, ORIGINAL cars either professionally restored or bone stock original survivors. Roadsters will always bring more than Sedans, that is just a given. It's always been that way. Plus the '30-'31 Roadsters remain darlings of even the Street Rod guys,

Speaking of which brings me to the second part of my observation and you will see this in the collector car auctions like Mecum. Street rods cost some big wampum to put together, nicely, not the rat rod crap. But at sale time they fall on their faces and only bring a small portion of what the owner has wrapped up in it. A GOOD well restored original antique will outsell that rod dollar for dollar all day long. Pre-War pickups are a good example. Ford-Chevy-Dodge doesn't matter. Most have been rodded, painted purple with white vinyl interiors, SBC's, etc. etc. ad infinitum, but hang onto your seat and your wallet when an original rolls out

[al's28/33]

bitcoin is the new throw-a-way culture collectible...… you cant' see or touch it, but it's worth $350,000.00 a unit to somebody right now.


These are the same people who have no idea where milk comes from either.

[nkaminar]

In 1968 I bought a 1930 Tudor for $150. It was completely original and untouched. With inflation I paid $1,500 in today's dollars. Same car would fetch around ten times that amount now.

I see that brass cars built before WWI are untouchable with my funds. I remember when an average person could buy one.

So, bottom line, I think if you look at the long view antique cars are a good investment. It may be that your grandkids will be the ones to see the benefit.

[kawagumby]

I have two grandsons aged 18 and 20 that live next door. I also have two old fords I constantly work on next to where they live, a restored '31 deluxe roadster, and a '41 coupe hot rod. They never give either car a second glance...
When I was their age all I could think about was cars...times change, and not for the better, IMO. In the early-to-mid sixties, the car craze brought a lot of youngsters together in different ways, some of my best memories are about having fun in my friends' cars or building custom car models together. Now there is too much isolation brought on by "high tech" devices. I don't see the interest in our hobbies being carried forward much longer.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Kawa it's funny you mentioned model cars.

In the early 60's when we were kids we ooo'ed and aww'ed over the latest model cars from Revel, AMT, and such that you could buy at the dime store. We usually didn't have any money to buy them hopefully you got one for your birthday.

When you did you took your time to make it as nice as you could and all your friends would come over to see it, and you'd ride your bike over to their houses to see their model cars. It was a lot of fun.

I was just looking through the toy section at a local Walmart not even a week ago. And it dawned on me, there were no model cars to build. No paint. No glue. I guess sniffing the glue killed that hobby I don't know, then they banned the glue??

Gheez. I'm glad I'm not a kid today. How boring. They don't know how to have fun, on the cheap

[alexiskai]

That market niche didn't go to Walmart when the small hobby shops closed, it shifted over to Hobby Lobby and Michael's. HL still has a nice selection of Revell. Kit-building using Lego is extremely popular these days, although the kits are more likely to be vehicles kids know from film and TV.

[TheGrandRapidian]

As it relates to the hobby. I’m just getting started. I’m 37 and most of my friends (and wife) think I’m crazy for wanting an A. I went to the Gilmore Model A day recently and can confirm, that yes this is an old mans hobby. I say to each there own, I’m hoping to purchase my first A in the spring.


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[ronn]

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, I’m hoping to purchase my first A in the spring.



let us know what you buy..........

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by TheGrandRapidian

As it relates to the hobby. I’m just getting started. I’m 37 and most of my friends (and wife) think I’m crazy for wanting an A. I went to the Gilmore Model A day recently and can confirm, that yes this is an old mans hobby. I say to each there own, I’m hoping to purchase my first A in the spring.


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Naw you'd be surprised at the number of young people who like Model A's. There are a lot more than you think.

If you go to a Mustang meet yeah there are plenty of younger folks there but again the older guys (Vietnam era vets now) are in the majority they make up the bulk of the interest in those cars. 1960's Mustangs don't have the driveability of a new Mustang they don't come close to comparing. And that is what the youthful set wants, a good handling road car with a killer sound package. I would blow through a local curve posted at 35 MPH on a local highway near here at 70 with ease in my new Mustang GT. Do that in a '69 and they'll be scraping you up out of the cornfield next to it. No way I'd try that in a stock 60's Mustang or Torino.