I am amazed that our 2001-04 Z06s, even with quite low mileage, sell for such a low price. I see 70s muscle cars selling for $45-50K or more where low mileage Z06s that will run rings around the 70s cars are selling for $24K, or so. I just do not understand it.

Thoughts?

 

There are a lot of factors but most importantly its supply vs demand. There were **** load of c5z produced vs low production 70s real muscle cars.

 

You aren't seriously basing a car's value on the fact it can out-perform a different car, right?

 

That's always the case with most anything.

 

60-70s muscle cars aren't just about performance. Sure, some of them were considered fast in the day. But most can be bested by a Nissan Sentra today.

It's more about the cool factor. Cruising not racing. If you buy a 69 chevelle and leave it stock thinking you have a fast car, you are delusional.

Now drop a supercharged LS3 crate motor in and hang on........

Shakey

 

Actually, the C5Zs are holding their value quite well. Part of that reason is because they are such a performance bargain and decent racer out of the box.

 

Also you have to look at who are buying the cars. They are older people that have money now or want one last thing in life. These are the cars the cars they wanted so bad when they were in the teens or 20's. Now they can afford them.

 

All things being equal, high performance cars do tend to wear well and hold value. Indeed, cars with a great racing pedigree, either for the car itself or the brand, seem to sport great provenance. Ferraris are more collectible than Lamborghinis in part because Ferrari is a great racing marque and Lambo is not, and dual purpose Ferraris that have raced (like 250 GTOs) tend to me more valuable than the pure street cars (though not always).

 

A lot of those guys that sold the older muscles are probably kicking them selfs for selling them because of the value they at now. Maybe someday our Z06's will fall into that category. That's why my Z06 is not going anywhere. The valve is holding strong on them!!!

 

I've owned a few of the late 60 early 70's muscle cars, should give you an idea of my age. A few on the list, Olds Cutlass 442, Boss 302, Rebel Machine, AMX & some other junk that came out in the era especially as we moved in the very dark 70's. Overall they were very ill handling, poor brakes, rattly, noisy, vibrated, uncomfortable, stink, burned fuel, busted more often than not .....heaps

The best of my junk was a 1971 LS6 4spd Vette which I bought unknowingly. It's a documented car sold in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada. Typically back then the Hi HP stuff blew up as this car did, so the correct engine block is gone. The good news is my older brother owns it & it's parked. The correct Aluminum heads & intake are on the car.

A time in life came where I abandon the automotive performance world, that's when my brother ended up with my 71 LS6 Vette.

Aprrox 10 years back I was in a position to re enter the performance world, had not really decided which way to go. Friends thought I would head back to the muscle days, was lucky enough a friend tossed me the keys to his Hennessy prepped Viper. Still remember being shocked @ how composed that car was That made my decision easy which way I was headed. I had been an accomplished Auto X'r, modified the 71 Vette LS6 coupe & it competed ferociously.

Never even considered going back to the 60 & 70's, modern day performance is the direction I would go. As I researched, the value & performance of the C5 seemed unbeatable. I now have a heavily modified 01 C5, hands down the best handling, most powerful fastest car I've ever owned. It's starts, drives nearly perfect, turn the AC on, good gas mileage if that matters. Comfortable & reasonably quiet

I remember reading in Car & Driver where they were discussing the crazy values BJ auction was bringing to these 60 & 70's muscle cars. The question came up why they where being sought after, the answer....because they never owned one

Now, a retro mod early Camaro, Chevelle.....something like that, I'm interested

 

I agree. Modern cars are amazing.

 

They are rare and most people who owned them (or wanted to own one), have very fond memories in those cars and want to relive those experiences. That's the main reason.

The second is many of them were lookers. The older Vettes (58-64) were works of art. Same can be said of the 30ties -50ties cars. The Sixties and Seventies had some nice looking iron as well.

Give me a 71-73 Chevelle SS in retro mod or a 69 Z28.. Either would suit me fine.

The only modern US cars that gets me stirred up are the Vettes, Camaros, and Mustangs. They are three times the car that the old ones were and they look as good or better. Dodge did a really good job with the Challenger as well.

All the rest of the American and the Japanese cars look like they were cut with the same cookie cutter. Awe inspiring? Nope! They are very reliable and ride well, but look plain and are uninspiring.

I really do not understand why Chevrolet does not make a retro looking Chevelle SS. They would sell a ton of them, including one to me. It would become my DD.

 

I've owned/built several of the old muscle cars, particularly Chevelles since the mid 80's. What I've noticed is what once was a "greaser gear head" type of hobby that most people shunned and didn't want anything to do with, now is all the rage. Everybody and their brother wants in the hobby. Back in the day, only a few shops were around to work on the old cars, but now there seems to be quite a few.

Muscle cars went the same way as the Harleys have. I'm just glad that Mecum and Barrett Jackson turned those cars into gold mines-Sold '70 Chevelle about a month ago so I could get into a modern muscle car. I literally spent 1/3 the cost of my Z06 in just the engine on that car. Couple grand on suspension. Another few hundred on this and that. Still doesn't even compare to the newer stuff.

Haven't looked back since....And I hope the same thing happens to our newer cars as well in a few years.

 

Kick myself every day. I can't even afford these any more. However a drive in the Z06 and I forget for a while...

 

maybe one day if you keep your z06 stock and garaged..itll be worth a nice chunk years from now. Gotta think...a 70s car is decades old...and its mostly the low mileage or big block models that sells for a lot. But a c5 z06 isn't even 20 year old. You still got time on your hand. One muscle car I see that is gaining its value is a 1996 impala SS. One of my dream cars.

 

other than that they are great. I'm becoming more fond of the resto mod stuff like turbo C3, with great body style, update with tube frame and c7 suspension, and you have a very light, modern car that has the classic looks I love

I hope to build one, but overall I agree, the older cars handle like a shopping cart with a bad wheel compared to a modern build setup for the track.

I still love the old cars too, but time and technology march on...

 

There is also more to it than exclusivity. My SW/blk Z is one of 215 technically, and if I threw it in the classifieds for 45-50k I'd get chased away with flaming pitchforks

 

I've a 2006 C6 that is one of 500 with a combination of Z51 exterior, top & interior color. What value do see in that?

Rare Hi HP cars back int 60-70's are this. Beasts they are with zero creature comforts, horrible running POS's other than flat out. How does your deal fit in with that?