Allan R

You nailed it. Nothings cheap anymore; its all a perspective of disposable income now. Even aftermarket/replacement parts and/or shipping is getting ridiculous. I would love to have a Thornton OAI W25 hood for my car, but in comparitive (1972 terms) it would cost as much as the car did back then to buy, ship and paint.

I know that when or if I ever sell my car there's no way on God's Earth I'll ever get what I put into it, so it'll come down to whatever the market will support. Too many folks ask for the moon IMO, but that's their entitlement. Then, as you say there are also those with deep pockets who really seem to be into the speculation market. Hard to say who the real winners will be on this one.

BlackGold

I agree, too. While I'd love for every collector car to cost just $5k -- I'd own a fleet! -- the high prices we see today are perfectly fair, even undervauled in many cases.

We all know that a car is never worth as much as we put into it to restore it, especially if value is assigned to the time we spent. And for those rare cars which are so original and so perfect they don't need a restoration, well, by definition they are so rare and desirable they should be worth a fortune.

There's no collusion, no conspiracy, and we shouldn't begrudge those who have the financial means to pay the true value for these cars.

Koda

I could cash in stocks and go to B-J and buy the ultimate. But, that's not what keeps you having money. My cars are sentimental. My Chevy was my grandfather's, my Olds I bought to have a project to work on with a good friend while in school, the Fords I will get from my father are his, and one day, when he's gone, I'll have his Corvette, too (and I am not looking forward to that day.) Classic cars are my hobby, not my business, and I don't intend to sell. It's nice to have value increase in case of needing money in a bankrupting emergency, but I'd rather the prices stay sane.