Are the Post WWII to mid 1950s Cars In Again?

[TerryB]

For a while I thought the cars from 1947 to about 1957 were loosing interest but recently, at least using this forum as a barometer, there seems to be new user names asking questions about fixing up these cars.  Disregarding cars like Buick Skylark and Cadillac Eldorado, are these cars getting interest from a new generation?  I would think the purchase price compared to some of the 1960s cars might be a factor.

 

What say the experts?  Personally, the cars of this era are what I grew up with so they are of interest to me.  

Terry

Edited March 17, 2018 by TerryB (see edit history)

[keiser31]

I am no expert about the rise and fall of old cars, but I can see that the 1930's and earlier cars are getting scarce. I can agree that the 1960's and early 1970's car are getting a lot of interest, especially the muscle cars. The 1980's cars are not quite getting a lot of interest, yet, except for a few models. The 1940's cars are boxier and the 1950's cars had major rust problems, so to me, it is natural that those last named cars would be collectible now. Just my opinion.

[richasco]

Price is certainly a factor, as are a few other things. I've always like the post war era cars, they have great styling and are colorful. They are also practical. A postwar car is much more capable of keeping up with modern traffic and is big enough to be useful without being too big to park. If you need more evidence, check out Matt's thread in the Chrysler forum. I think he is going to love having that station wagon, it has everything that I just wrote about. We had a '63 Valiant wagon that we sold about a year ago. It was a great car; easy to drive, moderately safe and extremely practical. When my father and I would go to the local shows, he would drive his MGTD and I drove the wagon with the cooler and the lawn chairs. It was also great to go get groceries with it. I think/hope that we will start to see more of these cars being driven on a regular basis.

Edited March 17, 2018 by richasco (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

I do not know on the restored side. Some dealers would have a better idea on how strong the market is. Those years have always been hot on the custom side. Interest is still strong, popularity driving some makes higher in value. Fastbacks and hardtops are always in demand. A lot of sedans are starting to hit the road in those years, but they need to be in pretty good shape to start with.

[TerryB]

Have you seen the 1953 Plymouth in the Cars for Sale area of the forum?  Impressive car indeed.  Not for the weak of wallet but a fine example of an often overlooked car.  

[Xander Wildeisen]

Very nice car, it would have to be in order to hit that value. Will need a buyer that has to have it. I am guessing it would be a record price if sold.

[Buffalowed Bill]

It's just my opinion, but I don't think that 1955-1957 cars ever went out of vogue. Personally I like all 1955-56's, and most 1957's. Sorry Terry, but I couldn't think of one car, from that era, that has lost any interest, that had to be found, or rediscovered.

[Rusty_OToole]

I can't believe the number of people who buy pre 1955 cars then want to tear them apart and install things that were common from 56 up like 12v electrical systems, auto trans, V8 engine and air conditioning. Why don't they just buy a car that has all those things?

[TerryB]

47 minutes ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

It's just my opinion, but I don't think that 1955-1957 cars ever went out of vogue. Personally I like all 1955-56's, and most 1957's. Sorry Terry, but I couldn't think of one car, from that era, that has lost any interest, that had to be found, or rediscovered.

I'm thinking of cars like DeSoto, Chrysler, pre 1955 Ford and Chevy.    I was going to use 1954 as a cutoff, but I've seen great looking 1955-57 Plymouth, Chrysler, Dodge ,Pontiacs, Olds and the independents struggling to find buyers.  And of course the 4 door cars are always a tough sell.  The 1947 up cars do seem to be hot rodded over restoration candidates. My first car was a 1951 Pontiac and there seems to be few getting restored.  The ones on the market all seem to be old restorations.  I was wondering if anyone goes out looking for these cars as their next project.

[plymouthcranbrook]

21 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

I can't believe the number of people who buy pre 1955 cars then want to tear them apart and install things that were common from 56 up like 12v electrical systems, auto trans, V8 engine and air conditioning. Why don't they just buy a car that has all those things?

Stop being logical

[Joe in Canada]

Myself I have no interest in cars from mid 30s up so I do not know the market. I have been watching the market of pre 1916 and have bought two cars at decent prices. Missed out on a 1910 REO 4 cyl. while looking for transportation for it and that will not happen again. What I have noticed about this vintage of cars is that a family member has inherited it and does not want it in many cases. So then it goes up for sale and at times at a good price. Now I would think the same is going to happen to the car market 50s and up also in time.

[TerryB]

When watching the big auctions on TV they are almost apologetic that a stock automobile that is pre-1960 shows up during the telecast.  I often fall asleep in front of the TV as the almost endless parade of Camaros Mustangs Corvettes and Chevelles go across the block.  Occasionally there is an interesting car in the group like a real Yenko or real Shelby Mustang.  The rest mods get old too when there's just too many of them shown.  For my taste, the best part of these auctions are the early in the week part where some nice "real" cars  are sold. 

[1912Staver]

I have always liked the first generation of true post war cars, as opposed to revamped pre -war cars that were on offer from most makers from 1946 - 48. They were usefully modern in engineering but stylistically a bit more restrained than the styling revolution that was launched in 1955 and continued to the  early 1960's. Particular favorites are the 1954 Buick Century, and the 1953 Mercury { and of course the Muntz Jet} however there are many others. I don't own anything from this era at the moment however I would be an easy sell to the right deal.

 

Greg in Canada

Edited March 19, 2018 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Buffalowed Bill]

I didn't mean to imply that 1955-57 cars are the only cars of interest, just seem to have the most universal interest. Scarcity has something to do with the 1953 Plymouth. Boy you really picked on the poor stepchild of the era, they just weren't saved at all! Don't misunderstand I like them, but I can't even guess at what interest they might have today. You might go to fifty car shows and not see one. Factor in that we old timers won't be around for very much longer, and that restoration cost are so high, and it seems to me to be a car destined for virtual obscurity. 

 

We lived in a real throw away society in the early post war era. Many of the early post war cars became quickly outdated by the 1955> models, and were just discarded. IMHO Chrysler styled cars lost favor, faster then most, and just disappeared.

[Guest]

I believe the appraisal value of the earlier mentioned car is laughably optimistic, as I'm sure anyone who follows classic cars would. 

While the car certainly is an exceptional example of a low priced four door sedan, one only has to check the market to see what $50K will buy in the vintage car market. I think if the price were slashed in half it would still be a tough go.

Makes you wonder about these appraisers.....what yardstick do they use? And once their number is given to an owner, it becomes "etched in stone" because one individual produced a piece of paper stating their opinion of value. If another car of the same year, make and model showed up and had half the miles this car does, would it then be worth twice as much? Is the odometer the only item truly for sale in that listing?

For me appraisers fall into the same category as the BJ auctions. People see these crazy numbers, take them as gospel and then the trickle down effects everything.....all the way down to the rusted hulk minus drive train sitting in a field.

[John_S_in_Penna]

"Are the post-World War II to mid-1950's cars in again?"

Probably not.

 

I was recently talking to an antique-car dealer I know.

He said Ford Model A's maintain their popularity, as do

other cars from the early 1930's.  Late-1920's cars are

salable to a lesser degree, and cars in the rest of the 1920's

see little interest.  "Fat-fendered" models, those from the 1940's,

are not very popular at present, he said.

 

And insurer Hagerty wrote in one of their columns that

cars from the 1950's appear to be on the decline, too.

Newer people entering the hobby don't have as much interest

in those, and the people that knew them from their youth are

gradually exiting the hobby.  Despite lessening interest,

however, the 1955-1957 Chevrolets seem to be holding their

prices at auction, Hagerty said.

 

Such trends are long-term, often based on demographics;

but lessened interest could mean that now is the time to 

get the kind of car you really like--regardless of popularity!

[Restorer32]

We are seeing growing interest in Cadillacs 1947-1976.

[TerryB]

I've thought too that now is the time to grap a good deal on a car in this era.  Light duty trucks from this time frame seem strong in the market right now so finding a deal on one of them is tough. As a kid, the glass roof Fords had a strong appeal to me as did a 56 Plymouth 2 dr hard top V8, the first car I learned to drive.  1953-54 Chevy is great too as is a 55 Dodge or DeSoto.  See, I'm rambling again about them.  So many good memories of that time. And don't forget Pontiac and Olds, those beautiful two-tones that were so common.

[avgwarhawk]

On 3/17/2018 at 8:43 PM, Rusty_OToole said:

I can't believe the number of people who buy pre 1955 cars then want to tear them apart and install things that were common from 56 up like 12v electrical systems, auto trans, V8 engine and air conditioning. Why don't they just buy a car that has all those things?

 

Purchased a 54 Buick with a V8 and 12 volt as they came.     But I understanding what you are saying!   

 

From my watching and reading on the cars it appears the muscle cars are getting the lions share of attention.  

 

    

[Matt Harwood]

I think I have a good perspective on trends and I will concur that pre-war cars are suffering. Blue chip cars, no, they're still fine and the great cars are going into ever-larger collections, but certainly not to one guy who can only afford one or two cars. Things like 1930s Oldsmobile sedans and Essexs and Grahams and other orphans are dropping so fast you can hear the whilstling sound they make. Flathead Fords, formerly a slam-dunk even as recently as 10-15 years ago, are finding fewer buyers and the guys buying them are already elderly. Even formerly blue-chip cars like the 2-seat Thunderbirds and '55-56-57 Chevys are softening in a way that I can track. 

 

Why?

 

My theory is that you buy the cars that resonate with you personally. There aren't many guys alive who bought a 1957 Chevy when it was new. There are a few guys whose fathers may have had one, but they, too, are getting old and probably already have one or just sold theirs because they're feeling too old to drive them. My point is, you buy the cars that talk to you in a personal way, cars of your youth, cars you used to own, cars that give you a pleasant memory. My father turns 80 in four days and his first new car was a 1962 Chevy Impala convertible. He collected pre-war cars because that's what he grew up with and, by association, that's what i grew up with in our collection so that's what I like. But given that I'm usually the youngest guy at any old car event, I'm an anomaly.

 

If you're new to the hobby or if you're a collector with modest means, you're going to go with something you feel connected to, that talks to you in some way, something familiar. Sure, there are occasionally cars that are just too nice to pass up at any price like the aforementioned Plymouth, but that's an unusual situation. I have a client who only buys #1 quality cars, regardless of what they are. He's buying the quality, not the car because he likes getting good cars for half the cost of restoring them. He keeps them for a while, then sells and gets something else. But he's not a regular hobbyist because he can buy as many as he wants, regardless of price. So he just grabs whatever tickles his fancy. That's certainly not typical. Instead, you'll hunt for cars that talk to you and resonate with your past.

 

In the AACA, we admire cars of all kinds, but each of you should think carefully about which ones you'd actually pull your own money out to own. The selection gets a lot smaller, doesn't it? Think about why. I think two-seat Thunderbirds are very attractive cars, but I don't want to own one. I can understand liking a '57 Chevy or a '49 Oldsmobile Holiday coupe with the Rocket V8 in it, but I don't want one. I buy '41 Buicks because my father had them, but you might wonder why I like them so much because it's not your thing. I bought a '29 Cadillac because I crew up touring in the CCCA and VMCCA in big Full Classics and wanted something with at least 8 cylinders and sidemounts. Be honest with yourself regarding your tastes will make understanding all this easier--admiring a car is very different from buying it. If you wonder why today's buyers don't buy '30s cars, ask yourself why you don't want, say, a Toyota Supra or a Subaru WRX (or any other vehicle whose appeal you don't understand). There's just no connection.

 

Anyway, this is a long way of saying that the older cars are going to see a precipitous drop in value as the people who love them age out of the hobby. Young people aren't connected to these cars and therefore, don't particularly want them. Muscle cars are popular largely because the guys who knew them when they were new are now of the age where they can afford to indulge themselves with a taste of the past. But if they were 18 in 1969 (and nearly 70 today), it's highly unlikely that a 1934 Pontiac is going to appeal to them. There's just no connection at all.

 

There are exceptions that I'm sure people will use to tell me I'm wrong, but if you're talking general trends, this is my explanation for why the older cars are seeing declining interest. Many hobbyists just don't see the appeal. The rich hobbyists want the good stuff, which is why big brass cars and open Full Classics remain strong. But for the guy with $50-70,000 to spend, he's not looking at a nice '40s or 50s ragtop, he's looking for a Corvette or a 'Cuda with a pedigree. I think the next 5-10 years will be telling, because prices will be in a stalemate between actual (dropping) values and the owners who remember when they were worth more and don't want to let go. After that, I think there will be a notable correction.

 

What talks to you and why? That's the bottom line in this hobby.

 

That said, it's always my hope that the prices will drop far enough that young people might see these cars as interesting historical artifacts (like the hipsters  in New York City that are into farming) and start to buy them because they're affordable fun. But that day is a long, long way off.

 

 

Edited March 19, 2018 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[Pomeroy41144]

I grew up with 1941 Buicks and pre-war V-8 Fords.  I own a pre-war Ford, like my father did, and my brother owns a 1941 Buick, again as my father did. 

 

That being said, I still have a great interest in owning many cars I have no personal history or real connection to. 

 

I just don't have the money to buy them. 

[Pilgrim65]

On 18/03/2018 at 12:43 AM, Rusty_OToole said:

I can't believe the number of people who buy pre 1955 cars then want to tear them apart and install things that were common from 56 up like 12v electrical systems, auto trans, V8 engine and air conditioning. Why don't they just buy a car that has all those things?

Wouldn’t mInd some of those things , happy with my 53 , without those things , but being honest didn’t know enough about mid fifties American cars  and the options available just a couple of years later than what I was looking at . However actually prefer the classic American style of late forties and early fifties , big bumpers , big grills , loads of chrome etc , so probably would still have gone with 53  even if someone had ‘wised me up’

[Vila]

I don't care if a car is in or out of favor, I like and buy what appeals to me and don't care what others think.

 

If the car is out of vogue and you like it then you may get a bargain and if it is in vogue you may need to pay a premium.  But on the other hand what is a premium or bargain price.

[starlightcoupe]

I've owned a '53 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe for 42 years, and a '51 Commander Starlight for 31 years; hence my screen name.   I was never aware they were "out",  let alone coming back in. The newest family arrival is the '33 Rockne. It arrived the year after the '51.

[oldcarfudd]

Very few people are alive who bought a pre-WWII car new.  No one is alive who bought a Model A new, let alone a Model T.  No one is alive who rode in a new brass car, even as a small child.  But Glidden tours  remain popular.  There are two national Model A clubs and two national Model T clubs that have glossy magazines, active websites, and LOTS and LOTS of tours.  The Horseless Carriage Club's membership has been stable for over 20 years, and there are brass car tours all over the country.  Model As and Ts aren't fancy cars, and while some cars on HCCA tours are big and impressive, most are Model Ts or other small cars.  Maybe part of what keeps these cars popular is that there's more to do with them than go for ice cream (though every good tour has ice cream stops!) or sit in a hot parking lot all day hoping to get a trophy.

[MikeC5]

That's a real nice trio of Studebakers!

[poci1957]

On ‎3‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 3:37 PM, Matt Harwood said:

What talks to you and why? That's the bottom line in this hobby.

 

That said, it's always my hope that the prices will drop far enough that young people might see these cars as interesting historical artifacts (like the hipsters  in New York City that are into farming) and start to buy them because they're affordable fun. But that day is a long, long way off.

 

I agree with Matt and I am actually seeing a little of this in 1950s cars if my various clubs, forums and Facebook groups are an indicator.  The 1950s cars with their expressive designs seem to appeal to some Gen X and millennials as interesting mid-century style statements.  The problem is they are fewer in number and they are not interested in paying top dollar, so the price drop Matt mentions means senior owners can forget about selling for premium bucks but at least they may find a good home, Todd C

[Lahti35]

3 hours ago, poci1957 said:

 

The problem is they are fewer in number and they are not interested in paying top dollar, so the price drop Matt mentions means senior owners can forget about selling for premium bucks but at least they may find a good home, Todd C

I think most of the senior owners are still hanging tight to their prices with no plans to let them go cheaper... might be up to the family to finally sell the car off at a lower price after the owner passes. I've always lived in the real world as far a pricing goes and will take what the market offers for an item 99% of the time... I don't run a museum. 

 

Its very frustrating to see a nice car you want to buy... but have the price be 2X what another comparable car went for. I'm running into this right now with my search for a touring car from the 20's. Prices are all over the place with high reserves is some cases that are guaranteed to not sell the car. I'm seeing prices on one make run from $9k-$25k for the same models in basically the same "older restoration" condition. I dare not make an offer on some so high... feel like I might insult somebody.

Edited March 22, 2018 by Lahti35 (see edit history)

[poci1957]

2 hours ago, Lahti35 said:

I think most of the senior owners are still hanging tight to their prices.......might be up to the family to finally sell the car off at a lower price after the owner passes.

 

Its very frustrating to see a nice car you want to buy... but have the price be 2X what another comparable car went for. I'm running into this right now with my search for a touring car from the 20's. Prices are all over the place with high reserves is some cases that are guaranteed to not sell the car. I'm seeing prices on one make run from $9k-$25k for the same models in basically the same "older restoration" condition. I dare not make an offer on some so high... feel like I might insult somebody.

 

There does seem to be a lot of that going around, I guess people always figure they can ask high and maybe catch someone asleep.  It never works for me.  You should have plenty of possibilities if you can afford to be patient, good luck

 

[kgreen]

I get the "speaks to me" comment from Matt.  

 

Two other basis' for the interest in any of the older cars is the mechanical mind that appreciates the machine design and materials that were used plus the art of the design.  I appreciate my 41 Ford pickup for the flathead V-8 engine as an advancement in one piece cast design, the use of metals not commonly used today and extreme simplicity. II also appreciate the almost accidental appealing car-like appearance in what was then considered a basic utilitarian vehicle destined for dirt roads and farm fields.  My appreciation for my 40 Buick is in those georgous long skirted legs, the elegance of her gate, and the way the wind flows over her face.  I sometimes wonder if the casual smoking of a cigarette would be the perfect finish to a drive through the country.

 

[mercer09]

are those year cars in again?

 

Internationally a big YES and that has helped the demand.

 

Germany and Scandinavia love the big old American tin. Japan too!

[sligermachine]

On 3/19/2018 at 12:09 PM, avgwarhawk said:

muscle cars are getting the lions share of attention.

Like my 1925 master roadster ??  

[keithb7]

My 53 Chrysler seems to get enough attention. A big old four door nobody wanted. Now today it seems to bring interest. I like it a lot. Its very comfortable to drive. Are the post war cars gaining popularity? I can't say for sure as I have only owned my car for a year. I will say that I am now nuts about flathead Mopars through. The bug bit me, and I want another.

 

 

[1912Staver]

Great looking Chrysler. Even as recently as 10 years ago these cars were susceptible  to parting or junking unless close to mint. Thankfully they are much better appreciated these days.

 

Greg in Canada

[avgwarhawk]

16 hours ago, sligermachine said:

Like my 1925 master roadster ??  

 

Watching the programing on Velocity, it's by and large muscle cars with an exception of a few to one that host cars of the vintage.