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Introduction
The market for cars more than 25 years old may be stronger than ever. Some buyers of pre 1985 cars are collectors who purchase vehicles that they particularly enjoy, or feel are likely to increase in value the older they get. Other buyers prefer the looks, size, performance, and reliability of what they think of as yesterday's better-built automobiles.
With a typical year 2011 model selling for around $30,000, many Americans find themselves priced out of the new-car market. Late-model used cars are pricey too, although often short on distinctive looks and roominess. The older cars may use more fuel, but their purchase prices are typically a whole lot less.
New cars and late-model used cars tend to depreciate rapidly in value. Many can't tow large trailers or mobile homes. Their high-tech engineering is often expensive to maintain or repair. In contrast, well-kept older cars are mechanically simpler, but often very powerful. In addition, they generally appreciate in value as they grow more scarce and collectible. Even insuring them is generally cheaper.
Selecting a car and paying the right price for it are two considerations old-car buyers face. What should you look for when inspecting a collector car to buy? What are some of the pros and cons of buying a collector car at auction? How much can I spend in restoring my collector vehicle without exceeding its current cash value?
The 2011 edition of Collector Car Price Guide, from F+W Publications, answers these questions and many more. It shows the most popular models made between 1901 and 2003 and points out what they sell for today in six different, graded conditions.
Contained herein are the same data gathered for publication in Old Cars Report Price Guide, a highly-specialized magazine used by collectors, dealers, appraisers, auctioneers, lenders, and insurers to determine valid pricing levels for older vehicles. Representing up-to-date market research, it is presented in a convenient-sized format that is easy to read, easy to use, and easy to store on your bookshelf.
How old car prices are gathered
Thousands of old cars change hands each year. People who follow these transactions include collectors, collector car dealers and auctioneers. They can often estimate the value of an old car, within a range of plus or minus 10 percent, with amazing accuracy.
Collector Car Price Guide has been produced by F+W Publications of Iola, Wis., a company involved in publishing specialized books and magazines upon which collectors, dealers and auctioneers regularly rely.
Figures listed in this book should be taken as ballpark prices. They are amounts that fall within a reasonable range of each car's value to buyers and sellers. The figures are not to be interpreted as wholesale or retail. Rather, they reflect what an informed buyer might pay a knowledgeable seller for his car in an arm's length transaction without duress to either party. Special cases, where nostalgia or other factors enter into the picture, must be judged on an individual basis.
This guide can help you to decide which old car you'd like to own and how much to pay for it based on year, make, model and condition. It provides a consensus of old car values determined by careful research.
Research sources used to compile these data include:
Advertised asking prices.
Documented private sales.
Professional appraisers.
Collector car auction results.
Old Cars Report Price Guide advisors.
Contact with dealers.
Contact with collectors.
Networking with value sources.
Abbreviations
Alphabetical
A/C .......... Air Conditioning
Aero .......... Aerodynamic
Auto .......... Automatic Transmission
A/W or A-W .......... All-Weather
Berl .......... Berline
Brgm .......... Brougham
Brn .......... Brunn
BT .......... Boattail
Bus .......... Business (as in Bus Cpe)
Cabr .......... Cabriolet
CC .......... Close-Coupled
cid .......... Cubic Inch Displacement
Clb .......... Club (as in Clb Cpe/Clb Cab)
Cpe .......... Coupe
Coll .......... Collapsible (as in Semi-Coll)
Cont .......... Continental
Conv .......... Convertible
Ctry .......... Country
Cus .......... Custom
DC .......... Dual-Cowl
Darr .......... Darrin
DeL .......... Deluxe
Der .......... Derham
deV .......... deVille
DHC .......... Drop Head Coupe
Dly .......... Delivery (as in Sed Dly)
Dtrch .......... Dietrich
DuW .......... Dual Windshield
DW .......... Division Window
Encl .......... Enclosed
FBk .......... Fastback
FHC .......... Fixed Head Coupe
FI .......... Fuel Injection
FmL.......... Formal
FWD .......... Front-Wheel Drive
GT .......... Gran Turismo (Grand Touring)
GW .......... Gull-Wing
HBk .......... Hatchback
Hemi .......... Hemispherical-head engine
Hlbrk .......... Holbrook
hp .......... Horsepower
HT .......... Hardtop
Imp .......... Imperial
IPC .......... Indy (Indianapolis) Pace Car
IROC .......... International Race of Champions
Jud .......... Judkins
Lan .......... Landau
Lan'let .......... Landaulet
LBx .......... Long Box (pickup truck bed)
LeB or Leb.......... LeBaron
LHD .......... Left-Hand Drive
Limo .......... Limousine
Ltd .......... Limited
Lke .......... Locke
LWB .......... Long-Wheelbase
Mk .......... Mark (I, II, III, etc)
O/D .......... Overdrive
Opt .......... Option(s)
OW .......... Opera Window
P .......... Passenger (as in 3P Cpe)
Phae .......... Phaeton
PU .......... Pickup Truck
R/A .......... Ram Air (Pontiac)
Rbt .......... Runabout
Rds .......... Roadster
Ret .......... Retractable
RHD .......... Right-Hand Drive
Rlstn or Roll .......... Rollston
R/S .......... Rumbleseat
Saloon .......... British for sedan
SMt(s).......... Sidemount(s)
Sednt .......... Sedanet
Spds .......... Speedster
Spec or Spl .......... Special
Spt .......... Sport
S/R.......... Sunroof
Sta Wag .......... Station Wagon
Std .......... Standard
Sub .......... Suburban