I know it is about supply and demand, and I will personally admit I am only attracted to them because the prospect of a kidney sale to fund the purchase of a '58 ninety eight is not a good one but why are the 55, 56, and 57 Olds 88s valued so low? Any thoughts?

 

I'm curious too. Because I always thought that 58's were butt ugly compared to 57's.
Or even 55's or 56's.
The above is , of course , only a personal opinion. Your results may vary.

 

Beauty and value are generally in the eye of the beholder. Some of the prices are all over the place. Market value is based on what one is willing to stroke a check for.

 

generational..the people that loved those cars are dying every day....it cost more to restore one than worth..its about 15 grand in chrome work all total...it just keeps stacking up..

 

What values do you think these cars have, and what do you think they should be?

Here are Old Cars Price Guide values for 1957 two-door hardtops in showroom condition:

1957 Olds Super 88: $28,000
1957 Olds 88: $26,600
1957 Ford Fairlane 500: $22,000
1957 Plymouth Savoy: $26,600
1957 Dodge Custom Royal: $28,700
1957 Chrysler New Yorker: $26,600
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air: $44,000 (corrected)
1957 Pontiac Super Chief: $28,700
1957 Mercury Montclair: $17,500
1957 Buick Special: $28,000

With the exception of the Ford and the Mercury, which aren't getting any respect, these values are all pretty darn close together, and the Olds's are right there with the rest of them.

 

What would a chevy be in comparison to the list above ?

 

I don't know where the old cars price guide gets their values from but good luck getting a 57 bel air for 26k in showroom condition or a Buick for that matter.

 

... And for good reason - have you seen those monstrosities?



- Eric

 

Not a huge ford fan. However, dodge made some cool late 50s and early 60s cars.

 

I grew up in the 1950's/1960's. I use to think a lot of those cars were butt ugly but I've mellowed through the years. I can appreciate these cars now. The 1957 Fords out sold Chevrolet, so somebody liked them. The younger generation are not into older cars and the older guys already have some. Jmo, Ken

 

There IS a Chevy in the list above.

 

You're absolutely right. I looked at the wrong column. The value for a '57 Chevy Bel Air 2-door hardtop in showroom condition should be $44,000. I've edited my earlier post.

I had thought that value seemed low as I've often considered the '57 Chevy to be the most popular collector car in the history of collector cars, and even more collectible than the '55s or '56s.

Anyway, yes, the Chevy is higher than everything else. But the real point of my post was that Olds was not lower than everything else.

 

There was a post in the classifieds, someone trying to sell what looked like a decent 55 for money that was much more reasonable than what you'd buy a comparable bow tie for, and no one seemed to be snapping it up....

 

For classic cars, I am beginning to think "supply vs demand" should be rephrased as "cool factor when new vs current supply vs current demand" ... with the exception of those who are into classics strictly as investments, my feeling is most people who can afford a classic want to buy something they thought was cool when they started driving -- or has nostalgic value for them -- and then you start factoring-in the supply vs demand arguments

So to the original question of why are '55 - '57 Olds 88 supposedly worth so little right now, I'd say you first have to ask:
- how cool were they public-wide back then?
- how many are around right now?
- how many want them that don't already own them?

 

AH I didn't see the chevy in the list before. I had a 56 chevy bel air 4 dr, and bought it dirt cheap back in 95. Ppl thought i was nuts for getting a 4 dr. Now those cars are even getting some decent consideration. I still like my oldsmobiles though and pontiacs .

And the younger generation (I am 33) isn't into old cars as much. A lot are kind of expensive for one in decent shape... where you can buy an old honda civic for super cheap.. then mod it up to how you want. I would always pick an old car over something like that but that is just me

 

So, because the car didn't sell quickly (few do), from this ONE data point, you conclude that all '55, '56, and '57 Oldsmobiles are undervalued?

Okay....

 

^ I think he was just pointing it out.

 

Here is one that didn't sell cheap.....Tedd..Just depends on the supply and demand and what turnes you on....http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sal...l7AodKCgAwA#!/

 

Have you gone to a car show lately?Okay whats the age of the owners?I feel like i'm young at 51.Todays generation does not have the same interest as the past imho.Nick

 

X10000!
I have a few cars....from the mid 50's to the late 80's and the one the kids always recognize and drool over is the 89 Porche 944 that I picked up for a 1000 bucks!...their interests seem to be in the foreign breeds...times are a changing.....

 

Hehe, I used to think thirty year old women looked kind of on the "worn side" when I was twenty, now that I am sixty they don't look half bad! All about perspective.

 

I am 35

I -- and many of my coworkers, ranging from 25 to 65 -- don't frequently go to car shows in my area (Pittsburgh) because (from a list we came-up with at lunch one day), car shows seemingly *always* must have:
- loud '50s/'60s music
- if music isn't playing, someone is droning-on about thanking people for coming-out, we have a lot of great cars, please support our sponsors, and there's this much time until we draw for 50/50, so look for (INSERT NAME) ... and maybe a call-out for (INSERT NAME) to wave so everybody knows who to look for, in case you don't know to look for somebody carrying a can, cash, and a huge roll of raffle tickets
- people just sitting near their car

When I lived in Norfolk, there was -- and hopefully still is -- a great car show on Saturday afternoons, starts about 4 ... it's in a huge parking lot for a strip mall, sponsored by a diner in the mall ... the diner would play music but not too loud, can barely hear it 20 feet away ... show-up when you want and leave when you want, people were bringing cars of all ages and the owners there were of all ages, milling-around talking about cars. No real "organization," good atmosphere

Some of you may then say "so why don't you try to change it?" -- I have been a member of a local club and it's difficult to change anything when a bunch of retirees are running the show and don't want to loosen a grip on anything because "this is how it's always been done," made more difficult when -- and I realize Sammy didn't mean this maliciously but as a generality -- you are referred to as "a kid"

... and of the point that people born after a certain year are more attracted to foreign makes, let's face it: the Big 3 didn't design many captivating cars between the dawn of badge engineering and the 2000s

 

Popeye, great post.

I couldn't agree more about the music. It's almost always too loud.


I also agree about the "sitting around" aspect of bringing a show car to a car show. You show up during the morning registration, park your car, and then sit there for five or six hours until trophy time. Yes, there is some conversation, but not five hours' worth, and, once I've looked at all the other cars that showed up, a maybe 15-minute activity as 90% of them are Fords, Chevies, or pickup trucks that don't interest me very much, and I'm done.

I like going TO car shows as a spectator because then I can wander through the show, spend a half-hour seeing the few cars of interest, observe most of their owners sitting around under their fold-out tents looking bored, and still have all the rest of my Saturday for other things. I haven't brought a car of my own to a show for several years now.

In short, I'm in the hobby because I like owning, working on, and driving my old cars. I'm not in it to show them.

 

Agree with ALL of the above two posts.
Popeyes, I should clarify the use of the word "kid" in my post.....I was referring to the 15 or 16 year old males that my son hangs around with
I am 51, and when I have offered up suggestions to those in charge of the local shows, i get the same old response of it always being this way
These shows had better change, or they will go the way of the Dodo....

 

I remember this conversion years ago when I was teenager and half the cars had brass radiators and I enjoyed the shows then and now just the same . A show is about people as much as the cars. The scenery and sheet metal will change but people are pretty consistent. And yes the music has always been loud except it use to be live and have cute girls singing backup with some bald guy. I wouldn't worry about the hobby, there will be something to see and someone around to talk about them and in the most part they will be gray haired and some will be grumpy just like now. The reason old farts dominate the car show hobby is because they have a little more discretionary money and a lot of free time to sit in the shade. No need for me to get my panties in a wad over things that are inevitable anyway, I walk with a limp already. See you at the next car show I'll be the gray haired grumpy old fart under the best shade parked along side the obsolete red and white car ...Tedd

 

You "Rock" Tedd!!

 

Well put Ted, the shows are about people. The people who bring the cars to the shows are what makes them interesting. I like the more obscure orphan cars, mostly the ones that people build or fix up themselves. I tend to side step trailer queens and cars that people paid others to build and have no idea what end of a screwdriver to hold. I want to listen to the stories from these people about their cars and lives, some are really cool.

Sure the music is loud standing by the 2 speakers that are turned up to reach the far side of the show. I'd rather listen to 50's and 60's music than some of the alternatives of today's ummmm... stuff. Remember the show is about themes. If you want to hear new music visit a new car dealer.

The people in my area that put on and attend these shows contribute their time and money for good causes to help the community. Are there trophy ****** that travel in groups and vote for each others POS's for a better chance at the prize, sure it's part of the going and it gives others something to talk about. I'm not in it for the trophies.

There are as many grumpy old codgers as there are mindless adults who can't keep there kids under control who have to touch, climb on, or drop ice cream, spill soda on other peoples treasures.

There are as many old codgers as the idiots that make stupid rude comments on others hard work or want berate someone because they did something different against what they thought is correct.

Hey, next time your at a car show forget about the things that upset you and stop and talk to some of those grumpy old codgers, you might learn something new. When we die, everything we know will die with us. I'm 56 and had my first heart attack last year.