When an old car becomes a classic

[Darrell]

Supply & demand.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Let's remind ourselves that a "classic" sold at a good price is usually one that's been hardly used, and has been absurdly maintained.

That lovely motor sat outside your gaff, in the rain, probably isn't going to be worth a fortune in a decade's time.

For a wet afternoon with a cup of tea and a biscuit, I give you this: a recent auction result to make a grown man cry.

Manor Park Classics | Auction Search

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Supply & demand.

Exactly, and usually a lot of expensive marketing and sales preparation cost (by dealers or the auction house)

 

[BTB 500]

For a wet afternoon with a cup of tea and a biscuit, I give you this: a recent auction result to make a grown man cry.

Sad but a late '80s car is possibly a bit young to fall into classic territory though. Some examples from the Mathewsons October auction ... I assume these are hammer prices excluding commission:

1979 Cortina sold at £12,600

Lot 208 - 1979 FORD CORTINA S

Lot 208 - 1979 FORD CORTINA S

www.mathewsons.co.uk

A 1972 one at £10,800:

Lot 664 - 1972 FORD CORTINA 1600 XL

Lot 664 - 1972 FORD CORTINA 1600 XL

www.mathewsons.co.uk

1972 Escort 1.3 4-door (with 96k miles) at £7,750

Lot 255 - 1972 FORD ESCORT 1300 XL 4DR

Lot 255 - 1972 FORD ESCORT 1300 XL 4DR

www.mathewsons.co.uk

Etc.

 

[Darrell]

Sad but a late '80s car is possibly a bit young to fall into classic territory though. Some examples from the Mathewsons October auction ... I assume these are hammer prices excluding commission:

1979 Cortina sold at £12,600

Lot 208 - 1979 FORD CORTINA S

Lot 208 - 1979 FORD CORTINA S

www.mathewsons.co.uk

A 1972 one at £10,800:

Lot 664 - 1972 FORD CORTINA 1600 XL

Lot 664 - 1972 FORD CORTINA 1600 XL

www.mathewsons.co.uk

1972 Escort 1.3 4-door (with 96k miles) at £7,750

Lot 255 - 1972 FORD ESCORT 1300 XL 4DR

Lot 255 - 1972 FORD ESCORT 1300 XL 4DR

www.mathewsons.co.uk

Etc.

No V5. Is that going to be an issue for the new owner?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

No V5. Is that going to be an issue for the new owner?

It's manageable, as long as it's legit.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

A 1972 one at £10,800:

Lot 664 - 1972 FORD CORTINA 1600 XL

Lot 664 - 1972 FORD CORTINA 1600 XL

www.mathewsons.co.uk

Exactly: lovely 44k 1600XL Cortina, with two recorded services over the last 51 years. Worth every penny of £10.8k plus commission.

But at 800 miles a year, it's no measure of how classic cars go up in value as they get older.

It's an example of insanely low mileage, and garaging, that will probably need "a fair bit of fettling" to get it back on the road safely,

especially if you want to do more than a few hundred miles a year in it.

 

[BTB 500]

A lot of the cars sold with very low mileages have been laid up or otherwise off the road, some recommissioned but others not. They were really just examples of ordinary cars (e.g. not RS, Cosworth, etc.) that are commanding strong money despite usually needing some work doing. Another example is this 1984 Fiesta 1.1 L ... about as low spec. as you can get but still sold for £5,300 (presumably due to the 14k miles!):

Lot 240 - 1984 FORD FIESTA L

Lot 240 - 1984 FORD FIESTA L

www.mathewsons.co.uk

 

[ALFAitalia]

Let's remind ourselves that a "classic" sold at a good price is usually one that's been hardly used, and has been absurdly maintained.

That lovely motor sat outside your gaff, in the rain, probably isn't going to be worth a fortune in a decade's time.

Maybe a few years back.....but now the big thing in classics is originality......cars that have done some miles, show the wear and patina of that mileage but are other COMPLETELY original (known as "survivors" in the classic game) are fetching the big money that only restored cars would have a few years ago. Cars are only original ONCE!! To my mind a fully restored car with a bare metal respray etc is not original......its just a facsimile of what the car was. The byword now is conservation....not restoration.

 

[ChipChop]

Let's remind ourselves that a "classic" sold at a good price is usually one that's been hardly used, and has been absurdly maintained.

That lovely motor sat outside your gaff, in the rain, probably isn't going to be worth a fortune in a decade's time.

For a wet afternoon with a cup of tea and a biscuit, I give you this: a recent auction result to make a grown man cry.

Manor Park Classics | Auction Search

View attachment 148868

No options ticked with that carb 190. Keep fit windows and sans abs. Not even a cover over where the abs ecu would live, behind the battery next to the visible blower motor resistor. Someone got a good deal.

Regarding value the w201's famed longevity is the reason they do not command higher prices. Simply too many of them still on the road, at the moment. Never have understood Ford scene tax.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Never have understood Ford scene tax.

.....for the very (but opposite!) reason a 201 will be a long time before its a classic.....most fast Fords of the 80s were pretty much biodegradable.........leaving the ones that are left as desirable motors.....and of course there are many (like me) who grew up with cars like that.....but could never have afforded them.....now we are middle aged men we can.....many paying whatever it takes to relive the dream!!

 

[ChipChop]

.....for the very (but opposite!) reason a 201 will be a long time before its a classic.....most fast Fords of the 80s were pretty much biodegradable.........leaving the ones that are left as desirable motors.....and of course there are many (like me) who grew up with cars like that.....but could never have afforded them.....now we are middle aged men we can.....many paying whatever it takes to relive the dream!!

Maybe not that long come to think of it. Just a question of time before most w201's come with the added ownership benefits of zero road tax and mot / emissions zone exemptions. The earliest models already are 40 + years old, quite rare cars though the pre sacco facelift 190's cannot remember the last time i saw one.