See the other thread today about Houston barn finds.
This is a chicken/egg problem from my perspective. If 71-73 cars were more valuable, more 71-73 cars would be preserved. The more preserved cars that are out there, the more people see them and some will want one, which leads to more demand, which leads to higher prices, which leaves more financial room to preserve cars. A virtuous circle.
Forums like this are both invaluable and detrimental to this cycle. Invaluable because of the combined experience of the members, willingness to share information, parts and experience makes it possible to attempt a restoration. Detrimental because we tend to pick apart any ad or auction we see and point out how the seller is dreaming over their price. That doesn't help lurkers to the forums open their wallets to buy distressed cars and try to restore or restomod them. We convince them the cars are worthless and since this is an expert forum, they believe us.
Mike, I 100% agree with your opinion regarding "invaluable and detrimental," and to your point a few almost seem to discount this opinion because you used the word "expert." I really wish the people on this great forum who continually downplay and take a negative slant on potential value increases in our cars would stop contributing in shunting it's growth in popularity. It only hurts all of us. These cars are beautiful and badass! Stop talking about why they aren't as nice as earlier Mustangs and telling people that your crystal ball shows no increase in value for these years...you most certainly are wrong. They are a rare sight at shows and cruises and that is not bad for value, that is just one more reason for people to perceive them as cool.
A premier shop in my area (Philadelphia Suburbs) has done quite a few, over the top restomods, of our 71-73 era in the past few years and they are absolutely growing in popularity. When I go to a cruise-in, I find the teen-20 something kids sometimes literally run over in flocks to check mine out. This seems to be occurring alot more frequently over the last 2 years or so. I also attend a monthly Exotics Coffee/Cruise-in and I always like to cruise in about halfway through (fashionably late) and every time atleast 7-15 of THOSE owners make a beeline to come over and see/chat about my 73 Mach. I'm not a flipper, I build everything I have ever owned to my liking and I am not afraid to be different and make changes to the not-as-important-to remain-#'s-matching-years. Those exotic guys have money, obviously, and love to talk about our years...a nice looking restomod appeals to their emotional memories and can deliver on performance and modern conveniences. If/when I ever sell my Mach, I will find the right buyer and he will pay a number most of you wouldn't believe.
Encourage the young kids about our cars. Enthusiasm is contagious, unfortunately so is negativity. When someone is interested in our cars we need to throw gas on their interest! I owned a 1970 Bronco for 22 years because I thought it was cool...everyone now thinks they're cool and the $auction$ #'s reflect the change in public interest. 71-73 Mustang's time will come, I believe it is already growing.
You all need to hear this...THERE IS INTEREST IN OUR CARS!...stop stifling it with your old outdated opinions. Our cars are hot...it might just be you that is not. You own an early seventies friggin cool *** Muscle Car, be proud of it!
The perceived value of something like our cars is what other people are willing to pay for it. It's not much different than commodities speculators jacking up or dumping prices based on what they believe the market value should be on various things like oil, livestock, etc. That's kind of what's happened to the other collector cars over the years - '69 Mustang sportroofs prices are ridiculous - why? Because everybody wants one, being one of the iconic, most well-loved model year designs (forget about whether it's a Boss or not). Face it - our favorite models have had an uphill struggle since Day One thanks to the critics and media of the time calling them 'bloated' and all sorts of other unflattering things over the years. When most people see them now, much of that is out the window, as typically observed at local car shows. But unfortunately, that's not a market indicator - the biggest being the televised auctions along with more expert speculators assigning values to the various models and conditions they're found to be in. That plays into the hands of the wanna-be flippers who jack up the prices for lesser valued specimens using higher valued numbers from the rare and more collectible models.
Who here would pay upward of $5-7K for a rusted-out H-Code Mach 1 with a seized engine and 90% unrestorable interior. Nobody, I'm sure... not even me. But that's what Boss 351s in the same condition are going for - with or without said seized engine. And that's what the wanna-be flippers are hoping for.
This site is home to arguably the largest collection of '71-'73 enthusiasts. The members are from all skill, experience, and knowledge levels, ranging from people who know almost nothing about the vehicles, to expert level preservationalists, restorers, restomodders, maintainers, and even some who've worked in the auto industry. Almost all walks of life, cultures, countries, and experience levels are represented here. All opinions are valued, even those aren't as positive and others, short of being personally offensive to others... and spammers - they're not welcome, either.
At the end of the day however, a few negative comments about an overpriced Craigslist ad where the seller has literally made stuff up about the car to command a higher price is going to have Zero impact on the market value of the next batch of Craigslist ad or Barrett-Jackson offerings.
