Project GT/CS are selling better than finished cars

[classicsguy]

I have been examining the 1968 GT/CS cars for sale in this forum,Hemmings and E bay and I have found that the project cars are selling easier and sometimes faster than finished cars,and knowing that restoring a car is more expensive than buying one already done. I bought a project J code 4 speed GT/CS since I have been looking for one for a long time and chose a project for budget reasons and can restore it at my own pace.

Have you guys/gals noticed this trend too?

 

[murf104]

I too purchased a car that was somewhat of a project, although it drove over 800 miles home. The money was not the primary reason, although it certainly played a part in the decision to purchase. Most of us like to tinker with stuff on our cars, some of us like to do major work, and a few like to completly rebuild a vehicle. To me the fun of a collector car is to try and duplicate the car as it would have been available for sale when it was new. When you do a project car YOU are the one who controls the quality of the parts and the workmanship, you control the speed of the restoration, and with luck YOU enjoy the trip from a sows ear to a silk purse. The satisfaction of repairing, refurbishing and renewing an old car is difficult to describe, but once you have been there, you want to go back. Doing it yourself is not for everyone, certainly some should never do anything more difficult than filling the tank with gas, but for those that have a desire to "fix" stuff a project car is the best investment you can make.

 

[J_Speegle]

Really not that unusual in my experience. You can always find a dreamer that believes they can build a car cheaper than a finished car.

Completed cars are not always the bargain but if you can find one that the owner did correctly and not for resale - those are often the best buy IMHO

Project cars - Sold tons of them over the years

 

[rananim]

You REALLY have to love tinkering to do the restoration yourself. Most of us who make the attempt end up "contracting out" some of the work, since that part of the process can be done better by someone else. I did most of my work seven and eight years ago and have noticed that the parts are a lot more expensive than before. My advise is to have a clear plan, knowing what you want to achieve (and why) and be prepared to set aside money and TIME, or your car will sit in the garage forever. Also recommend that the time not take away from family time, which is much more important. Hopefully, after all the investment, you will have what you wanted! When I finished my car, I asked myself: "Now what?" I never liked spending a lot of time at shows, and the car is too good to be a daily driver. Ouch.