Guys, If you plan on keeping you car, by all means you have the right to do anything you want to the car. My gripe is with these TV shows and hotrodders that tell you you going to make a killing hotroding or customizing a car.. This post is not about people who buy a car and keep it for the rest of their life. 

I agree with Jim,
    My Bird was stock when I bought it (that didn't last a 16 year old long) and has given me many memories. I had snow tires on it back in the day (daily driver in N. Illinois). I don't drive it on long trips but I do drive it often (weather permitting). I have kept the interior and body stock but made changes to the drive line, I would not have it any other way. I did drive it to my 50th class reunion this year, as I did to my graduation in 1966. As for value it is probably only worth 40 times what I paid for it but to me it is priceless. It may never win the popular vote from all, but it has been known to win the race or two.

  Vic Correnti

I totally agree. I build my cars for my enjoyment and could care less what market value is. I'll keep my opinion on those auctions to myself LOL.

Xs2
Rowen

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca

Amen to that.

Durham Missouri

Im not gonna sell my cars ever to anyone, so market value of my cars dont matter.


Hyvinkää, FI

Every "well done" hotrod I've ever seen at auction had 2 to 4 times the selling price invested in it than it sold for.  Big bucks is only big bucks if you sell the car for as much or more than you have in it. I've broke even on 2 of the cars I've restored, and made a profit on all the others. Gas Monkey sold a 39 Lincoln Zephyr conv restorod at the Connecticut B-J auction for $92,000, a friend of mine sold his restored 39 Zephyr
conv for $150,000 2 hours later. Hotrods and customs are a matter of taste, that in it's self limits the market.

What I have been seeing for many years that a well done hot rod brings more that a well done restroation. Good survivor cars that haven't been messed with seem to bring more than  anything.

I personally like them stock to or at least such mild changes like wheels/tires and maybe lowering that can comeback with very minimum work and is included if sold; but some of the milder "restomods" are sure bringing big bucks especially if all the exterior trim is still there. It seems some of the age group I'm in (72) want some safety and creature comforts.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

My "I think not" reply was for the picture comment and not to Lou's factory stock comments.

  Vic Correnti