My turn for a rant....

[chepsk8]

Before you read, this is my feelings & opinions only!



It hit home the second I read it.

It was on the cover of the latest MUSCLECARS Magazine. It read, simply “MUSTANG OVERLOAD”, and inside were articles on more new $helby Mustangs, re-created $helby Terrelingua Mustangs, Roush Mustangs. My brain exploded. The exact moment in time was delineated, I made a decision.

No more Mustangs. Well, not entirely true, I will still buy another 69 ‘Vert if the right opportunity comes along, or if I can get a sweetheart deal in a 1965 GT-350, I will definitely not buy a new one. I do not want a new $helby Mustang. I do not want any new Special Edition Mustang. None. The uniqueness is gone, it has turned into money and sales. These special editions are no longer special, just one of the many. Especially with the plethora of the new $helby Mustangs. Every week, a new variant. But, before I go too much farther down this road, I must point back to myself and acknowledge my current passion, my replica Cobra. I am currently a member of the community that has the most versions of a replica of an original car. So, I am guilty by association. BUT, I dare you to find another replica like mine! And I drive it! (and crash it).

So, back to my original rant. STOP! Enough is enough. I’m tired of it. You have successfully driven away an old-time, hard-core enthusiast & customer.

What’s next? Something I already owned once, a certified classic, limited production musclecar that even paced the Indy 500 twice. What car? A Hurst/Olds. An orphan car, never to be made again. George Hurst died in 1986. Oldsmobile died a few years ago. No lawsuits, no licensed replicas, nada. Just uniqueness, a piece of history. Besides, we have Linda Vaughn!

OK, done ranting.

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

I couldn't agree with you more. From what I remember first year production of the new Shelby GT500 was a little over 10,000 units and just over 6,000 for the "limited edition" Shelby GT. Now to put those numbers in perspective, from 1965 to 1970 total Shelby Mustang production totalled 13911 units.
If the people buying these new Shelby's think they are going to be as collectable and command the type of prices that the older ones are in relation to their original selling price they are crazy.
Personally I think the market for all but the most collectable muscle cars has peaked and I couldn't be happier. It bothers me that when somebody finds out I own a Mach 1 the first question is alway "how much is it worth" rather than question about the car itself such as engine size, tranny etc... I got back into this hobby to enjoy, modify, and drive my car.

 

[StangDreamin']

So, tell us how you really feel, Dan!

You can't completely bail on us, Dan.... Once I get this d@mn "rodeo disease" outta my blood, I'm still hot on building up a '67 FB; although it won't be on the cheap, as by then the rustiest hulks out there will cost more than a new Dynacorn shell. So I'll be out there somewhere making a Chinese clone-Stang. And it will be antithesis of the Coog; all mean and rough instead of a plush-mobile.

Unless I go with the idea bnickle and I were kicking around of making a "1973 Cougar 6.5L XR7GT-E, DGS". Only have one Cougar; so I'm going to have to "busy it up" making it into a clone of all the limited edition Cougars at the same time
I think the hardest part will be in keeping the 394 CID (6.5 Litres, baaaayy-beee) Cleveland in one piece.

 

[zookeeper]

While I'm not a fan of companies turning vintage Mustangs into "instant" collectables, such as Unique did, I love all the neat stuff being offered in the new Mustang genre. Can you blame Ford for selling all the GT500's they can? I never read anywhere that they'd be "limited edition" cars in any way. My thinking is that the $50K+ price tag limits the buyers. As for the lesser "specials", like the Bullitt, California Special and such, Ford's simply offering cars that are a bit different from plain-Jane Mustangs at a lower price than the killer GT500. I think it's simply good business to offer entry-level Mustangs, mid-price Mustangs and high end Mustangs. I have no problem with any of them and would gladly any new Mustang if money were no object.
As far as being overwhelmed by Mustangs, have you been living under a rock? Since day-friggin-one new Mustangs have long been considered "belly button" cars by "real" hot rodders. It's up to the end user to modify it to his/her tastes and make it stand apart from the crowd. In my insignificant opinion, all cars are that way. I don't have the bucks needed to buy a supercar, so I have to make it myself, and while I'm at it, I try to make whatever car I have BETTER than what I could buy. Stock vehicles (aside from real Cobras, or other cars with race history) hold no interest for me. I visited the Peterson Museum in LA and saw an extremely rare Hemi Daytona. All I could think about was how much better the thing would look dropped a few inches and toss the stock wheels in the trash and mount up some vintage 5 spoke American Mags.
There's more than one issue behind your percieved over-saturation of Mustangs in particular and cars in general. First off, nobody sells something that nobody wants. It's the basis of America, supply and demand. If someone wants it, somebody else will make it to sell. That means cars, that means special cars, that means the magazine that covers those cars. All are customer driven markets, supply and demand. Also, like you, I too consider myself and old-time car guy. I grew up reading my Dad's old car mags, then started buying my own with paper route money in the early '70's. Back then there simply weren't too many guys into cars when you compare it to today. Now, everyone and his dog thinks he's a hot-rodder and wants to read about it in a magazine tailored to his taste. That means that the same magazine rack that used to have three car mags (Hot Rod, Car Craft and Popular Hot Rodding) now has a zillion mags for every niche in the world. So it's easy for us old guys to think cars of any kind are over-published.
Personally I think this is the golden age of hot rodding, never before have we had som much stuff to buy, read about and dream about. Some like it, some don't...

 

[chepsk8]

Got you guys thinking! Zoo, lots of good points. A good portion of my current opinion also has to do wiith a money-grubbing chicken farmer from Texas.

Nah, I'm not leaving here, that is for sure. (gotta see Andy & Fritz married off!)

 

[StangDreamin']

Nah, I'm not leaving here, that is for sure. (gotta see Andy & Fritz married off!)

Andy&Fritz?????

Do Heather and Mary know about this??????




















Besides which; I'm waiting to see if you get a date with "Geena"!

 

[chepsk8]

Besides which; I'm waiting to see if you get a date with "Geena"!

We both have said that if we our paths ever cross, we will. So, we gotta plan another New England trip!

 

[Hack]

I'm with Zookeeper.

I'm glad there are people out there who want to do restorations and preserve auto history, but I don't get excited by them at all. A car you don't drive is more art or a museum piece than real machinery.

I will never buy a collectable, because my main desire is always to make the car into what I want and then USE IT. I have an ex 6 cylinder rusty convertible and my plan is to change anything I feel like. My heroes are the street rod guys who take a car and change it so much you don't even recognize it at the end.

The reason I like Mustangs is that they are a cheap, small car and a V8 fits in there for good power to weight ratio. As long as that doesn't change I know where I'll be planting my keister. I got my '83 for $750 and my money has gone into the drivetrain to make it fun on the road. I'm daily driving it in the salt and I know the body will go away, but that's what cars are for IMO.

Edit: sorry I'm a little OT, but my point is that I don't really care about the exotic options or whatever else is out there. I just like when a lot of Mustangs sell, so I can get a used one cheap in 15 years and buy performance parts for it! I especially love when I see new Mustangs driving around in the salt. You know they are going to age and be reduced in value quickly!

 

[limey66]

Hmmm, interesting...

Even in this side of the pond, the enthusiasts magazines (American Car releated, not 'adult art'...) are full of letters complaining about the number of Mustangs featured. The 2005 up model is by no means a common sight on our roads (personal imports only), but I might see one a month which makes it a common American car.

The classic 'Stang is a good entry level American car for us, and as such will always be the belly button (everyone's got one), but I do agree with a lot of what Cheppy is saying. It's guys like us that have kept the Mustang legend alive for Ford to cash in on, trampling on parts suppliers in the process, and now I see that there is to be a Bullitt special edition!

I for one will probably keep my Mustang for ever (it'll take that long to get it back on the road), but we are a victim of our own success.

 

[CanyonCarver515]

I drive my classic ’67 FB to work EVERYDAY. This is how I see the hobby. That's how I live it. Collectables are for big kids who always get what they want. I'm not one of them. I worked hard to buy my FB and I live the lifestyle more than any of these clown ever will. This is not an investment, it's a way of life for me.

Furthermore, I can't wait to join the ranks of people who own a ’32 Roadster. Not very original, but I love them not because they are on the Discovery Channel; simply because they are in my blood.

I get the feeling that many people on this forum share this view...

 

[BDT 1967]

Andy&Fritz?????

Do Heather and Mary know about this??????

I sure hope so, I guess i could be dreaming all this???!!!!??? On the other hand if this is a dream i sure don't want to wake up.

 

[bnickel]

i wouldn't mind having an 86 H/O (hurst olds) my brother and i found a shell of one a few months back but neither of us had the money to buy it AND start putting it back together. let me tell you, anyone who thinks the 86 hurst is nothing special better think again or try to find parts for one. everything on that car is special or unique in some way, even the engine which is 5.0 h.o. olds 307 with a roller cam and different heads from any other olds 307 and i guarantee you there ain't many of them around to be plucking out of other cars. we were just going to drop an olds 350 or 403 in it if we'd gotten it.

now that my mustang is pretty much done i'm afraid to really drive it much not because of wear and tear but i'm afraid some idiot is going to hit the thing and total it out and i only have liability on it right now. once it get's sold i'm going to build up the 69 cougar and drive the crap out of it. it sucks having to sell my first car, i've had it since 84, but it's going to make a nice down payment on a house for the family and should leave me enough to do a lot of the stuff i want to do to the cougar. even cougar prices are going up now but i honestly hope they don't go up too much more or i'll be afraid to drive it too.

 

[Hack]

now that my mustang is pretty much done i'm afraid to really drive it much not because of wear and tear but i'm afraid some idiot is going to hit the thing and total it out and i only have liability on it right now. once it get's sold i'm going to build up the 69 cougar and drive the crap out of it. it sucks having to sell my first car, i've had it since 84, but it's going to make a nice down payment on a house for the family and should leave me enough to do a lot of the stuff i want to do to the cougar. even cougar prices are going up now but i honestly hope they don't go up too much more or i'll be afraid to drive it too.

I can relate. Even my crappy rusty '70 vert is worth too much. The insurance company almost seems like my enemy some times because they don't want me to drive it 2 miles to work! It's hard to drive something you love so much, but I think you just have to do it anyway. At some point I may just have to get out of the early Mustangs if they become too valuable, though. I can't justify tying up too much money in a toy.

Just remember, even with only liability the other guy's insurance will take care of it if it's his fault. Just pray he has insurance!

 

[bnickel]

that's what i'm most worried about is some dumbass with no insurance even though i have uninsured coverage it still worries me. i'm going to drive it as much as i can i'll just be really paranoid when i am driving it...

 

[StangDreamin']

even cougar prices are going up now but i honestly hope they don't go up too much more or i'll be afraid to drive it too.

"Going up???" What the heck are you...... oh, yeah, you've got a '69; they re-pop parts for 69's. I keep telling myself that I'd better make that trip up to Dub-ya-triple-c for a left-side quarter panel pretty soon; before rising gas costs make a drive to the Great Northwest more expensive than what it costs to ship (Forwardair) the quarter to Yuma!

Who am I kidding? Unless drive all the way through Utah and Idaho to get to Don and Lin's place; gas prices in the Pipple's Repooblic of Czechoslofornia already make Forwardair a good deal

 

[StangDreamin']

After having posted that last entry; I wandered over to "another Forum" and found a link that took my BP to about 250/150. See my post in the sticky'd "Lawsuit Thread" at the top of this Forum.

Dan, this hacks me off waaaaaaaaaayy beyond the plethora of weekly "Continuation Cars".

 

[chepsk8]

Vent away! Yes, I agree.

It's really getting crazy out there. What's next?

 

[edgars23]

I actually wanted to trade in my 01 GT for a shelby gt...until I swa that the mark ups were the same as the gt500's. I hate the way that Ford is coming out with new/different models over and over again. And I hate the dealers for marking up every single one of them.
They are all just trying to cash in on everyone that is getting caught up in the hype. I've never been much for collector vehicles anyways...I'd rather drive my stangs than let them sit and look purty.
-Edgar

 

[zookeeper]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but again it falls into supply and demand. Lets suppose YOU owned the dealership, would you sell the cars at sticker if you knew you could easily get another $5,000-$10,000? I wouldn't. I don't go to work and tell my boss NOT to give me a raise, do you? Getting the most money for your product is the way our system works. Remember, we're not talking about some tree-hugging hybrid here. We're talking about a sure-thing collector car. Does anyone feel sorry for the dealers that had to sell Daytonas and Superbirds for far below sticker in the '70's? The shoe's on the other foot now, the dealers have SpeedTV, too. They saw the first GT500 go for $600,000 last year, just like you, and they are not about to start giving away GT500's just because we are nice people. BTW, there's a guy who owns a red '07 GT500 in my town and he drives it every day, rain or shine. Think of the stories he'll have 35 years down the road. It's like I always say, "drive the thing or sell it to someone who will".

 

[65stanger]

Andy&Fritz?????

Do Heather and Mary know about this??????

Hell....What about letting FRITZ in on the secret!