How long before the "earlies" go thru the roof in price??

Seem's like most of the people here are old enough to remember when you could buy a '69 Z-28 in mint condition for $2,500.
Over the last 15, 20 years they along with just about every other "old" car have sky rocketed in price.
I have the current Hemmings the price's are crazy! A '70 Duster with a 318 auto on pg 539 for sale at $23,500! I would not pay that for 23 of them!
I think the price of Earlies are about to explode, to me I don't understand why they have not yet. It seem's they are appearing in more commercials lately.
I wish I had the cash and room to buy up a bunch and wait. I mean look at any "Classic auto seller" mag. There are basket case muscle cars with asking price's over $10 g'S
Maybe I should keep quite??

G-MAN ,At my rate of travel if I had done this as an investment I am definitley an idiot! Bill

Like Chris said.
"Most of us do this more for the love of the old vans than making money."

Donn, keep in mind that these are not muscle cars, not even sports cars... Their "Vans" No one really gets into vanning for the money. We don't make money with these projects. We spend money on them. Because we love them and want to preserve them and yes, they have and will continue to go up in price as they become rarer. So, get one now while you can and can afford one! But don't ever expect to retire from selling one......

*** And the only thing that goes through the roof on vans is: "RUST"....

I agree if someone was doing this (restoring, collecting etc..) for profit only they are not really into the whole reason most of us do what we do to own, work on, and enjoy our hobby. I was just trying to say that I don't understand why early van's have not seen the rise in price that almost every other old car has seen.
I ( and I would think everyone reading this) own an enjoy early vans beacuse we like them, not to profit on them. More likely then not we will lose money on our hobby. That being said I still think the overall value of these truck's will soon enjoy a large rise in value.
Maybe I think this because I like them! Maybe the general population thinks we are crazy to want to own one of these vans.
I guess we will see what the future will bring. One last thing, it is not always good when car prices rise. Sometimes they rise to the level that true car / truck lovers can no longer afford to own one...

Exactly on the "can no longer afford to own one". When I had the itch to buy something 1 1/2 years ago, I glanced at early-seventys Firebirds and said NO WAY. Even Dusters where expensive to me. Then it was down to an A100, maybe a Rampage (little Dodge Omni pick-up), or even something like a '69-76 Fury. Once I saw the A100, I knew that was the one. I'm actually happy it doesn't have AC, PB, PS, PW, PL or anything else except a very cool driving position. I kinda of doubt the prices will get too high, but I could be (very) wrong.

I am very happy they have not shot up in price just for that reason. Although parts a can be hard to find at times most everything I needed to restore mine was found either on eBay, Craigslist or here from another member as well as all the help and advice I could ever ask for. I can afford to work, restore, drive and enjoy a classic vehicle of my own. Personally I hope they don't go up so more people can enjoy owning one and parts will remain somewhat inexpensive.

Once you see an early van at Barrett-Jackson then you'll know the prices are about to go up.

I think there has been a van or two on Barrett-Jackson. It took 8-9 years to find my first A100 pickup, looking back I must have spotted 20 Econo pickups, in the search. I love old Buicks too but the cost on cars now are stupid. Tough enough finding parts they want your first born for payment . I hope this doesnt happen with our vans too. I dont think it will were a special breed, unlike car people.

I am thrilled that the vans I love are still overlooked and we can be in the classic car restoration game without it costing an arm and a leg. (Although I wouldn't mind seeing a few more parts showing up in these reproduction parts catalogs!) Show up at a car show in your van and it will be far outnumbered by Camaros, Corvettes, Mustangs and other muscle cars. We are certainly an elite group! Most every Early owner's real value is the emotional value.

I can remember in the 80's & 90's,street rods and muscle cars were the thing to have,but still affordable.Then out of nowhere,muscle cars went to the 'skys the limit' prices.It went from having a 'nice car' to an 'investment vehicle'.A lot of good money was made, and still is.Those Blue Colar Joes could'nt keep up with Shirt & Tie Sam.And Sam could'nt tell you the difference between a box and an open end wrench.He'd just say 'Here's $100,just fix it'.
But with a van,I've discovered,most folks,design,fab,and install a lot of their own stuff,like the streetrod boys.Thats one reason I dig these old vans.They're not for everybody,Im glad. I know that since I've got one,I love it.I've seen prices trickle up some,but they can be found cheap enough to restore.But to see them as popular as they were in the 70's,I don't see it happnin again.

For the most part,vans are pretty basic.Mechanical parts are mostly over counter.Some sheet metal is repoped.So thats one thing we dont have to worry about,the high priced politically correct lil trim pcs. like Chevelles,Shelbys,Cudas.The rest is owner imagination.Those repro parts can drag ya down quick.Been there.

I was talking to a guy who had his '65 Impala stolen from the body shop a few years ago. He got a $15,000 settlement from the insurance company, but couldn't find a decent replacement . He's pissed now because the money's now gone as well as his cool ride.

Im with ya Itruns...My '60 is far from 'show car',I drive it.People offer to buy it,I decline and try to explain I could'nt start to replace it.Its not like you can run down 'just pick one up' in a car lot or field.They're just not layin around.

*
I don't know who the buyers would be to make these early vans/trucks go crazy in price. These vehicles are from the same era as the muscle cars and if those guys haven't bid up the Early's prices already, I can't see them doing so now.
Buyers generally want what they wanted when they were young and not too many 50-something guys wanted an A-100 over a 'Cuda when they were 16 in 1969.

The most stupidly priced cars/parts now that I have seen is vintage Ford stuff and vintage hot rod speed equipment. If any of you have spent time at the H.A.M.B. (a traditional hot rod forum), then you have seen mention of some things like '32 Ford 25 louver hoods for $5000, Kinmont brakes for $15,000, or a trashed, dented '32 coupe body shell for $12,000.
These types of completely ridiculous prices are only paid by very old guys with too much money.
In another generation, when these guys are gone, I suspect prices for this type of thing will plummet. The muscle car guys don't mind these kinds of cars, but it's not what they want to spend their money on, and younger kids won't even care about this stuff, in favor of their Honda's with big wings on the back and boom-boom stereos.

Possibly as the muscle car group ages and the prices for those numbers matching Hemi's climb, it may pull our Early's along, especially something with drag race heritage like the A-100 PU, but it shouldn't ever get out of hand as there is more cred in the muscle car world owning a 440 6-pack Challenger than a 3-on-the-tree A-100.

This is one reason I love these trucks (plus the simplicity of them). I lose interest when prices get nutty and it just becomes a money thing, rather than a car thing.


Jay

In watching this site I have seen links to vans that sold for near $10K. After seeing how nice some of you vanners have restored these old beasts I can imagine many of them gaining value at least to the $8-10K range, for instance BILLS66 recently shown off is one that should have good value. I am a lover of vans so of course I am biased, and to me these vans are all diamonds either in the rough or well cut and polished.

A question, what is the most any of you have seen one of the earlies go for?

I am always amazed at the prices of some of the 50's panel trucks. They are just as basic (crude?) as our vans, but seem to command prices of $5-10,000 for rusted "project" vehicles. We will likely not see anything like the prices for vintage muscle cars (yay!) but I think the time will come in the not too distant future when the dwindling numbers of vans will cross paths with people looking for something different.

I love all kinds of cars, but had a tricked out A100 30 years ago that I fondly remember, and in which I had a wonderful coast to coast year long odyssey. After considering old Chevelles, Dart 340, etc I decided that I wanted something different to roll up in. After my search for an A100 yielded a nice Econo I think I made the right choice. People think I'm crazy, until they see it. Then many of them understand the appeal.

I personally think when these vans hit the half century mark, they will take a bigger leap in price.

Lets face it. They're not sexy. And sex sells. So these van's will never generate the big bucks, but anything a half century old must demand some $$ just out of respect for our history, our elders, our link to the past.

Heavy your right they will never be $$$$$ , but I think most of us just want to be able to get what we put into them back. Prices are going up but slowly every few years. We have to be thankful that the prices are going up at least even if it slowly

Personally, I like the unusual, funky looking vehicles. I don't think I'm alone on this. Who wants to have the same thing as everyone else? There are tons of Mustangs and Camaros out there... they're the McMid-life-crisis-mobiles of the classic car world.

The fact that these vans were family vehicles or fleet vehicles means that they were used hard. The vast majority of them didn't survive the abuse. Survivors are getting rarer by the day. The internet is accelerating this process, as people are selling off whole yards of vehicles.

I don't think it will be too long before the less-desirable vehicles of today are the unicorns of tomorrow. Who knows if they'll go for big money... I'm not planning on selling anytime soon.

Mine will never be for sale so I am not concerned in the least as far as what it's worth ,but I have seen in the past few years prices changing the $500 dollar van of just a few years ago is now$1500 and when a few years back someone would be selling a nice van for $5000 many would think that was crazy money now $5000 for a nice van is probably a steal! Bill

I don't know from a historical perspective, but currently I get the sense that a really nicely done up van that is basically show room ready is in the $10K range, a nice van that is not show room but for all intents and purposes a finished van is in the $5K range, and anything that is an obvious fixer upper, is below $2K.

I can't see anyone paying more for those categories. But I think when these are half century old vehicles we will have doubled those numbers plus inflation at the time.

My oppinion.

I have turned down $14,000.00 for my blue 65 Econo and it is not even close to being finished.