Posted on 03/11/2015 8:49:51 PM PDT by super7man
I just finished following the thread highlighting the Chevy small-block history. My wife and I recently went to the Good Guys show in Pleasanton CA. There were lots of BEAUTIFUL cars there. I think that every '69 Camero ever made was there. Every one more beautiful than the last.
But, we noticed that everyone there was our age. Less than "older than dirt" but able to remember Vietnam. I wondered what will happen in the next 20 years when we are all gone. Will cars of the 50's, 60's, 70's be a thing of the past? (I stopped counting at the 80's because all those cars were horrible.)
To my kids, a car is nothing but transportation. I makes no statement and will eventually have no value and will be crushed.
SO.... here is the question. What car is being sold today (or in the last 15 years) would be a car that one would die over 20 years from now? (Exotics are excluded.)
The only one I can think of that has holding character is the the Hummer I.
Oh, just FYI I'm a slobering sucker for British cars.
As the boomer cohort passes these classics on to the parvenus of the millennium, they will cease to be objects of love and memory, will devolve into cheesy ego supports, and ultimately will become mere investments, valued only for their capital appreciation.
When I was young I loved to race cars. Now these were not hot rods they were Daddy’s drive to work car and later my drive to college junker. Still we all dreamed of a 427 Ford or a 409 Chevy or a 413 Dodge then later a 426 hemi.
For many years I did not even think about auto racing then recently I was given a subscription to Car and Driver. Looking at those small engines putting out 560 HP. stunned me. Even little 2 liter ones putting out 400.
Of course I had a 65 Olds with a high compression 425 Rocket V-8 which went from Daddy to my older brother then to me. We kept it up well and it would cruise at 80 all day long and do it effortlessly.
I sold it at 250,000 miles and it still did not use oil. I replaced the water pump three times, the AC compressor seal which was something like a $10 job, the points and plugs many times and maybe the alternator.
Other than that nothing was done to the engine but as I said, we took care of it, changed oil and filter regularly. Greased it etc.
I just don’t think one of the new 560 HP small blocks will last like that and I bet repairs are very expensive.
They computerize the blazes out of cars today. That and increasing CAFE standards make fixing cars up not worth it. All fuel injection is electronic rather than mechanical, too. (I’ve wondered what kind of horses a big block with mechanical fuel injection could have achieved too; they basically replaced the fuel-injected small blocks during the 60s.)
I have built a couple REAL nice vehicles.. completely by myself down to the paint.. and a must admit I have no real desire to do the super nice finished cars anymore..
If I do anything else I will be getting a really tired rusty car or truck, 1950’s or older. Then put it on a more current chassis, like a 2003 Crown Vic, I might have to change the width or length a bit...and make it drive nice.. but look like it was just dragged from a field..
That what interests me now.
Hands down the best bang for the buck of any exotic. But I still count it as an exotic.
What would you buy for under $40K that would be worth $200K 20 years from now.
Now there are kit cars for many different styles that can be built using donor parts or bought parts like crate motors.
I personally like the ones from Factory Five; I have been in love with the Shelby Cobra 427 SC since I first saw one. They have a sweet looking 33 Hot Rod based on the styling of a Ford '33 coupe that is also tempting.
There are a whole lot of Lotus Super 7 replica manufacturers out there to choose from as well since you posted a picture of it. The Wikipedia page for it has a decent list in the links section.
It is kinda hard to believe the the same company that brought us the Aztek is the same one that brings us the ZO6 Corvette.
I am a BIG rat rod fan. My wife likes them too.
We first saw them at the Cow Palace in San Francisco a few years ago.
You are right this is where the young people were. A bit Goth but they might be the future of hot rodding.
Mustangs will hold on because they look cool and run like the wind.The Camaro is ugly and will forever be the made by the bailed out company.The JSBs will all go to the scrap yard.
I was glad to give it up and sell to a buddy out of state. The headache was just too much. CHP could and did run roadside traps some times just to catch smog scofflaws.
If there is no market, there is no appreciation.
Is that a Caterham or a Lotus?
I doubt any of them will go from 40 to 200K. I think a Miata might be a good investment also the current mustang which looks good and that is a big part of it.
Yes, I love the Cobra or the Daytona Coupe and of course my Lotus. BUT my kids just do not connect with any of these cars.
Is it over?
I almost bought one of those. The fastback turbo version.
It also seems we are in a golden age of outstanding condition, semi exotics in the sub 40K range.
Aston Martins, Bentleys Rs , Jaguars, Porsches, Maseratis, BMWs, Mercedes and Lotus cars from the mid 1990s to around 2005 can be had for far less than 40K.
Craigslist is your friend here
For new cars, I think the 2015 Mitsubishi Evolution X will be a collector car in the future that can be bought off the lot new for less than 40K right now.
It is a Birkin made in South Africa. There are several hunderd in the US.
I bought is as a roller and put a Ford Focus 2.0 in it.
The transmission was a 5spd out of a Merkur.
I progammed an Emerald ECU to do the fuel injection and it is a real screamer. Lots of fun up to 70mph then you get beat to death by the wind.
There is a GREAT users group on Yahoo that were lots of help.
Oh my heart. I’m comin’ home......... ;o)
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