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Classic Automobile Pricing Guide: Average Values for Common Cars
When pricing a classic automobile there are a number of things that must be considered. First, there is the overall condition of the vehicle. Most collectors will only purchase vintage cars or classic cars if they are in fine or very fine condition, with very limited, to no rust. The other factor that must be considered is the car itself. If the car isn’t something that is popular, the price for it won’t be very high. To the experienced car collector, older cars can be broken down into two categories:
- Vintage cars-These are usually considered to be pre-war, or maybe up to the 1940’s.
- Classic automobiles-These are usually considered to be from the 50’s through the early 70’s.
Vintage Cars
Not many examples of vintage pre-war cars exist. Finding one for sale, whether at auction or in automotive magazines specializing in the sales of classic or vintage car is quite rare. Especially in what collectors call fine or very fine condition. Listed below are five examples of fairly common vehicles that can normally be found for sale.
- 1932 Ford Custom Stratoliner Roadster-This particular car resembles the old MGB. One recently sold at auction for $58,000.
- 1934 Ford Cabriolet-This is the Ford convertible seen in many Humphrey Bogart movies and others from that time set in the late 30’s and 40’s. Recent auction price was $53,000.
- 1940 Willys Coupe-The Willys Overland Company is responsible for the vehicle that every GI through Vietnam knows as The Jeep. The Coupe is a two-door hard top that a very fine specimen recently sold for $60,000 at auction.
- 1940 Ford Deluxe Convertible-This is a two tone vehicle with a white top normally. However, some were produced with black tops. Recent auction price for a very fine example was $41,500.
Classic Cars
Classic automobiles from the 50’s and 60’s are much more plentiful and easier to find, whether looking at auction or just about any other sales venue available.
- 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible-When talking about classic muscle cars, the Camaro is one of the first cars to come to most people’s minds. 1969 is the most popular year of production for most collectors. Depending on condition and verification of matching numbers, this car can sell anywhere between $50,000 and $80,000.
- 1970 Chevelle SS Two-door Hardtop-The Chevelle, or Malibu is one of the most popular muscle cars from the 60’s. However, due to the volume that they were produced in, most, except for the rarest models, will sell between $30,000 to $50,000.
- 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback-Ford’s Pony cars have always been popular collector cars, and the prices sometimes confirm this popularity. One recent example of this model recently sold for $195,000. Special limited production editions such as this will always fetch higher prices than standard production models.
- 1957 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible-This is a very popular model with collectors of classic Mopars. A recent example sold for $195,000.
- Corvette-No matter what year it was made, the ‘Vette is popular with collectors and you’ll always be able to find examples for sale. Price ranges for the Corvette are quite wide, depending on special options, production year and other factors. Typically, you’ll find these selling for between $50,000 for newer models, all the way up to $925,000 for a very rare 1963 Harley J. Earle edition.
The number of common collectible cars is staggering. The paragraphs above list some of the most popular models with collectors that have sold at auction within the past year.
