Re: B-J prices as indicator of market

[Chris L.]

Bill
I was there this year as well as last 5 years. Prices were not as strong this year for the Corvettes as in previous years, but then there were very few, if any, real cars. Lots of re-stamps claiming to be the real deal. Chevelles and Bel Airs were stronger than usual and for some reason, if it was black it brought good money! I personally don't think B-J sets the market as it is just an example of a lot of "wannabes" looking to get their 15 minutes of fame on TV and impress their friends. I always get a kick out of watching the guys with the drink in their hand, on stage, looking under the hood of a $200,000 car as if they were looking at it for the first time and they were going to buy it!! HI MOM....LOOK AT ME MOM !!! I don't think the "market" is weakening, but I do think the real buyers are getting a bit wiser as far as investing in the real collector cars and this will probably affect the prices somewhat over the coming year. Some of the dealers have had a "hayday" with profits over the past few years and now it's time to get real. THe "Last 67" surprised a few folks including the B-J staff as well as the HEMI cars that were the big hitters last year.
Chris

[Steven B.]

Re: do other makes of cars have this problem too..

In the world of restoring old cars, other than vettes, are owners of Fords, Chryslers, and even other GM cars able to research or know how a particular car rolled off the assembly line--in other words, can they retrieve any documentation from these other companies as to what color, engine, etc these cars were 40 and 50 years ago? I know GM won't/can't release the information (but wouldn't it certainly clear up in an instant exactly whether your $250,000 '67 you just bought at B-J was in fact what the seller said it was). Are the Selby's or Hemi's or even DeSoto's that command big bucks backed by actual info that you can look up by VIN #. We hear about all the comments about vettes here, but do other collector cars have the same problem with telling if something is restamped and tried to pass off as a rare Hemi? Just wondering.

[Terry D.]

Re: do other makes of cars have this problem too..

Steve

Depending on the make of car, some have more access to records than we do with Corvette's, some have the same or less. You have to remember trim tags were not available in the 50's and early 60's.All you had on Corvette's were vin tags, nothing to absolutely tell you what options came with the car. If you remember on some of the Chrysler products at B/J they pointed to the trim tag on the fender to show the color or other options.
terry