Are the cars from the 1950's getting any cheaper?

1950s Porsches and Mercedes aren't coming down. Has nothing to do with generations, more to do with the cars. A nice 356 sunroof coupe now probably sells for what a cabriolet did 5 years ago...

Other than Ferrari and Lamborghini, the cars of my high school years (1980s) are generally still cheap crap that no one wants.

 

I have a 57 and 59 Cadillac. Prices seem stable or slightly climbing.

I absolutely love 50's cars (and graduated high school in 98)

 

I wouldn't mind another 86/87 Turbo buick!

 

My first automotive lust, and one that my car enthusiast friends all wanted in high school, was a Porsche 944. Obviously prices for those are off the charts these days, well into four figures.

 

They aint makin em anymore.

 

Not much point in your theory. When kids that buy new Toyotas become millionaires they move on, to the obvious direction. When they buy their first carbed vintage sportscar, they cannot be cured in a way that would leave them alive.

 

funny thing about that era Vette, but at the time, they weren't considered one of the better Vettes, probably because of the quad lamps, but now they're pretty cool
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You and me both. Still fairly reasonable outside of the GNX.

 

I think there is something to his theory as it applies to the whole market. Generational does matter. There are many other cars that were built in the same year as the Bugatti that have been left behind by the market as a whole. And I think you see that in the 50's market overall too. Middle of the pack muscle cars moved up while middle of the pack 50's cars remained stable. But the best of the best are in a different league.

 

Agree.

There may be cars that see a generational bump, but cars that make the jump to classic status have values that are less affected, and maybe not affected at all. E.g., there are no cheap Gullwings and will be no cheap Gullwings, regardless of who went to high school when.

As another less stratospheric random example, Porsche 914s should already have shot up and then gone down using the generational theory. But, they were cheap forever and only recently have started to climb.

 

I agree completely.

Even brass era cars are holding their value.

I'd love a Stutz Bearcat. I'll have to make do with an MG TD. Which has risen in value.

Matt
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There is blue chip cars, these will seldom go down. The Mercedes Gullwing is a blue chip car, most Porsches are also blue chip now. Just because its 50's, doesn't mean collectible and hold its value. On 50's American cars, most are not blue chip. The majority of those into them are over 60 years old. My generation some like them, but those that do are not as big as the generation before.

We are going to see a bigger jump in 80's cars now. As my generation is in their 40's and have disposable income. Even things like the 944 turbo, will see an up tick. Hot rods are dying and so is stock American cars of the 50's. Muscle cars of the 60's will remain hot. Some things like even 50's Corvette's will be popular. But my generation is into performance and not looks. We won't see major up ticks on most American 50's cars.

 

How much of this is due to the rise in 911 values bringing everything else Porsche along with it. The 928 and 944 lines have started to see a rise recently as well.

 

Why would you think the 914 fits that mold? I would say that a 69-76 car is just coming into its generational time but you know P cars better than I.

BTW, I have a friend who recently sold a 944 for five figures(12,000) and it was a non turbo! So any Jake wannabe's better get movin'

 

On the 928, I don't believe its being lifted by the 911. Most of the guys I've sold mine too, they have been older and always wanted one types. In their late 50's early 60's. Only one went to a young guy.

80's cars in general are on the rise. Again 40 to 45 year olds, who now have the income and want a toy. They are going back to the cars of their youth.

 

I own a 1954 Corvette. The drive train is all original, blue flame 6 motor. I frive the car regularly. It is not fast or good handling, far from it but Im enjoy cruising comfortably in the car. I probably overpaid for the car. no matter I am enjoying it. I am not sure if the value has changed. What surprised me was parts for this old Corvette are still available. I was in in grade school when this car was made.

My 1965 Corvette Has gone up a lot in value since I bought it. Not fast compared to many modern cars but still fairly quick with okay handling. I think the 1963 to 1967 Corvettes are also a blue chip cars. The lines are timeless.

The other timeless car that is an exotic is a Lamborghini Miura however it is spelled. I would love to own one but they are so expensive.

Best

Lee

 

I've always loved the 944. My commander while I was at Camp New Amsterdam (mid 80's) had a new one exactly like this:

1986 Porsche 944 Turbo Houston, Texas | Lamborghini Houston
.

 

I've owned a few 944's, turbo or two and several S models. The most recent was this year and it was an 1987 S. Had a 2001 S430 Mercedes and did a trade plus some cash my way. I drove it a few times, it was more a quick way to sell the Mercedes car. Knew I could flip it for good money. Most looking for these, was again, all older in their 40's to 50's. Not one young guy looked. A few looking for a cheap track car. Others looking to get into a cheap Porsche. Most of my lookers, ended up upping their budgets and got a turbo.

I only see the turbo getting good money. An S like mine, still a $3,800 to $6,000 car all day long. Now, here at least, better track cars are available for the same money and the track people are buying them. Not 944's.
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I even think most muscle cars are going to drop off. My generation for the most part wasn't into them for the most part. We drove late 70's to modern 80's car. No 69 Camaro's or even 60's Mustangs. Late 70's and early 80's Camaros and trans am. Believe the 60's stuff will slow down eventually. We as in my generation are not into the 50's cars, outside of a Corvette.

 

I don't know. The 356/911 are so different from the water-cooled cars that I don't personally understand the connection. It's pretty clear that six-figure 356/vintage 911 prices have started pushing up nicer 911 SCs and 3.2s as guys try to get an air-cooled Porsche before they all get too expensive.

First, I don't believe that Porsches are as generational as many other sports cars. There's been so much continuity that literally everyone remembers a 911 from his/her youth, and even the 356 (especially the Speedster) is widely known by people who were born well after the car ceased production.

As for the 914, it was huge seller back in the day (over 115,000 of the 914-4), so if you hold to the generational theory then guys who were in high school in the early '70s should have been flocking back to these cars out of nostalgia. But, those guys are probably pushing 60 now and we're just now seeing prices go up, more likely because vintage air-cooled Porsches are hot (no pun intended). The value curve doesn't make sense based on demographics. It makes more sense if we attribute valuations to a sense of loss over simple, mechanical, analogue cars -- because the 914 is precisely that.