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True Value of a GT/CS

hookedtrout

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
1,929
Location
Idaho
Based on my comments in the SAAC topic I started asking myself why the emphasis seems to have changed here in the forum so much lately toward the $ value of the GT/CS.

It took me back to the days when I purchased my GT/CS in the early 80's. There wasn't a computer in every home in fact I'd never even seen a computer. So there wasn't this endless opportunity to research what a GT/CS or anything else was for that matter and learn all about it before making a decision to buy it. I simply saw the car, had no idea what it was, loved it, told the owner that if he ever sold it I'd buy it. He assured me it would never be for sale as it had been in his family since its original purchase so I drooled a bit as he pulled away, sulked in my sorrows that in all likelihood I'd never have the pleasure of calling that beauty my own and went on with my life.

Several years later I saw the car sitting at the place of employment of the owner with a "For Sale" sign in the back window. ;D ;D ;D I took down the number, called and called and called and called until I got an answer, no cell phones and no answering machines in those days either so you had to wait till they got home. Anyway I informed the owner I would buy the car and insisted he take the sign out of the window. He told me he had put it up for sale several months ago with an asking price of $6000 but hadn't had anyone interested in it so he had lowered the price to $3800. I assured him the price wasn't an issue but the for sale sign was of grave concern to me and begged him to get it out of the window. He said he would and I guaranteed him I would buy the car which I did at his asking price of 3800. The car had fresh paint and the only thing it needed was a front drivers seat cover as it had some tears, I had a Mustang restoration shop replace the upholstery.

The moral of this story is that I purchased my car in the days before you could analyze, valuize, disect, disenfect, antivirus, scan, cut and paste and basically expose the issue to the point there was no question left in your mind as to what it was, what it was worth, who had them, who wanted them, where they were, where they weren't so forth and so on and I'm sure you get the point. I simply bought my Special out of a love for what I saw one lucky day sitting in front of me.

That said I guess I'll say I'm not trying to make a point with all this just shed some light to appease myself more than anything as to the changes in life particularly with the exposure that the computer world has offered. And I will say that I have no opposition to what it offers, on the contrary I'm the first to go through all the aforementioned motions when ever I come up with some off the wall thing that I convince myself I must have. Oh yea, I research the net till I know everything about it there is to know and then I load my guns and go hunting.

Love to hear comments from others, is it all about the value or the love man. For me, it's the love man.

Hook
 

GT_CS

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
74
Location
Slough, England, UK
Interesting story thanks for sharing, my personal view on this topic would be 'the love' for such a car like the GT/CS, its very unusual looking in a pleasant way!

However there is always an argument, 'the love' is there and all good - but then you have to look at your pocket, for instance i would love to own a brand new lamborginhi, but doesn't mean necessarily i have the funds to buy it, so sometimes i guess its more easier to love and admire from a distance, and when you have the pocket or bank balance for it - make it your own!

Alternatively i definatley agree, for such a car like the GT/CS it has to be 'Love' :-X and they are only increasing in value especially unmolested original examples, so for some it may be admire from a distance and some who actually fork out the money to purchase one at such a high value!

Thats my view - Thanks! :)
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Hey Cory, I purchased mine because I loved the car also and spent a lot of time in one a friend of mine had after I got out of high school. I would like to see the CS become more well known just because I'm proud of it. I'm sure the value would go up once that happens, and to some people, that's important, but it's not my main focus. In an earlier post I was just pointing out the conflict that some of us were wondering why the values weren't going up and some of us seemed to be trying to keep the value down. I guess it kind of snowballed from there. Up here in the north part of the state we've had a bunch of retired Californians move in and I just love hearing them say "Wow, I haven't seen one of those in years". By the way, pray for snow. The Lochsa needs it.
Steve
 

case12

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Messages
1,450
Location
Crystal Lake, IL
Hook, I spoke to this in my email on the SAAC vote. I am with you on this not being about $ value of the cars.

My GT/CS is priceless to me. For that matter, so is my 66 convertible. That said, I think the GT/CS and HCS breed are not well known (and would be unknown were it not for Paul's books), and they could use the boost of SAAC (with the GT/CS history clearly tied to Shelby) to get the word out and grow the GT/CS and HCS "family" and respect.

So, at shows and cruise nights the conversation turns from "What is that? - did you modify a 68 to try to look like a shelby?", to "So, this is the GT/CS I have heard so much about - The Shelby inspired coupe". Just my two cents....Casey
 

Mustanglvr

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
3,258
When I found the opportunity to buy my GT/CS for $8000.00 in Feb. 2004, I thought it was a steal. I had heard of these cars when I was a kid and thought that being so rare, that the prices already would be astronomical. I was pleasantly surprised to find after checking it out on the internet, that I was buying my car in the normal price range for its condition. I feel I have a treasure and the way people react when they see it really clinches it for me. My GT/CS is the most expensive thing I own and I will be extremely happy if and when the prices on these skyrocket. I feel that they will. I`m glad I was able to get one now when they are so reasonably priced. Will I ever sell it? Right now, I feel I would never want to sell it, ever, but someday I may have to sell it for one reason or another and I will be happy I was able to invest my money into a sure thing. The experience of owning this car and being a member of this site has meant more to me than anyone will ever know. I am proud to be one of the few people who have the opportunity to preserve and pass along one of these rare pieces of Americana. I feel a certain kinship with the other members of this site and I can`t think of a better subject for us all to have in common.
Also, Carroll Shelby will not be around forever and once he is gone anything that has his name associated with it should (and probably will) be worth its weight in gold. Just my two cents worth, Rhonda
P.S. I do indeed love my car. ;D
 
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