Times have changed since I saw my first 1956 Ford Convertible. Back then the roads were less crowded than they are today, plus the cars of yesterday didn't come with DVD or CD players. They were a simpler car for simpler times. Most had hand crank windows, no power anything and it was just a simple basic car to take Dad to work and home again. If you owned a car with power windows, power steering and power brakes, people thought you were rich. Todays cars come with all that standard and that me be what is hold back Detroit as the cost for all the new technology is very costly. When you look at a imported car the cost is a lot less and more feaster's are included. Most people can't afford the most basic of domestic cars because of the cost. Like a home today it is becoming increasingly unfordable for a lot of people.

I don't think that classic cars well ever go out of stile as there a thousands of car clubs all around the world. They will keep some of the older cars going and in some countries they would prefer an older American Classic over a Honda or Toyota. One of the things I have found with regards to restoration is it is very to find a body shop to complete the work required to restore the vehicle with out taking out a second mortgage on your house. Plus there are less and less parts available and those that are after market parts don't always fit or work like the original. The cost to restore you fathers or grandfathers car that you remember riding to the county fair in or took on vacation can cost into the tens of thousands with the car still not being completed. I know of a beautiful Jaguar XKE convertible that needed the six cylinder motor. The motor needs rebuilding the repair bill just for the engine will cost over ten thousand dollars. Back in my time it would have been a five to six hundred dollar job.

So besides the cost of first buying a classic car you have the parts problem. Then the cost of restoration if the car hasn't already been restored. Then what do you do with it after your done with it. If you spend ten thousand dollars on a motor rebuild what and you paid over that for the car will you be able to get twenty thousand when you sell it. In some cases you will in most you always put more into them than you get out of them. I have a small English car that I have been working on now for four years now. I put it on the road this year and I have a lot of work to do on it before it will be completely restored. I will spend about ten thousand dollars on it with me doing most of the mechanical work. It will cost about six thousand for the body work and another three or four thousand for interior. There is no way in this economy that I would be able to sell it for what I will have into it. The thing is I love my little car so I do all this for me and maybe my grandson will want it and I will be able to teach him how to fix it.

As long as there are people there will be someone that wants a classic car. In the year 3009 a 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser will be a classic car and someone will be restoring it in their garage...

Learn more about this author, Matthew Ribis.
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