Future classics?

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

At the end of the day, Both the EL and AU will become classics in time, as all cars 30 years and over are considered "classics". Which would be worth more in years to come?- who knows.

I'm tipping sweet FA if they and left in a paddock for the next 30..

[Sprintey]

OP: for $7500, any time in the 1990's/2000's that Ford blew Holden into the weeds:

EBII SXR6 (and ED/EF/EL)
ED Sprint
AU3 T Series 5.6
BA XR6-T and Typhoon/F6/Force 6 (and BF, FG)

How to find out which ones did? List above, or go through the magazine reviews, the Ford had to be pretty special (and fast) to get the journo's nods. (Edit: unlikely the AU or BA's will be under 7.5K - in good condition, though I have seen early XR6T near this)

also:

Performance utes. The world will not see their kind again.

Originally Posted by Polyal

On what basis would a AU XR8 be any more or less "collectible" than a E Series?

192Kw @ 5000
400Nm @ 4000
different experience of top end for 90's Ford V8

Originally Posted by Polyal

True but once the boomer stop buying cars Bathurst "cars" are dead, since the 90's that link has slowly eroded.

Agree, also notice in the Tickford years the engineers were tuning cars like the EBII SXR6 especially for us and not race car drivers. Makes for a nicer on-road experience.


Now that's out of the way (and a manual Sprint sits in the garage) it's time for the feel-good future classic (haha): Station Wagons!

EBII-ED-EF-EL-AU-2-3 V8 Fairmont wagon
EBII S pack wagon
ED-EF XR6 wagon
Any 90's or later wagon with column shift, 6 seats. Try finding one also with dual airbags and low k's - unobtainium!

[Boosted8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

On what basis would a AU XR8 be any more or less "collectible" than a E Series?

Aesthetics.

[BOSS302]

i had an AU XR6 VCT 5sp with the full Tickford body kit. Series I with the nicely machined 17's. Unfortunately the missus wrote that car off but even now when I see an AU XR i smile. Just great looking car IMO.

The Tickford body kit with the dbl spoiler was as different as it was ugly i guess but that car in the straight 6 with the VCT motor or the V8 i reakon will one day be a classic of types.
That model also looked sensational on the race track!

[andrich]

In my opinion None of the new model cars will be classics and appreciate in value.
Enjoy them for what they are and drive them. Don't bother putting them in a shed

[xisled]

Originally Posted by andrich

In my opinion None of the new model cars will be classics and appreciate in value.
Enjoy them for what they are and drive them. Don't bother putting them in a shed

I am sure people said this about the old GT's and look at them know.

As people grow up and get older, different cars will become classic.

The test will be the electronics in the car. We will have to wait and see.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by xisled

I am sure people said this about the old GT's and look at them know.

As people grow up and get older, different cars will become classic.

The test will be the electronics in the car. We will have to wait and see.

The old school cars had no PCM, hardly any sensors, held together with real screws and bolts. I wonder how long all those modules, microchips, sensors and displays in modern cars (newer than 2002) will actually last after three decades. Strip down a BA / VE onwards and the amount of things held together with flimsy plastic clips is ridiculous, also the cheap wiring looms with chinese writing and the endless list of modules and sensors thoughout the car, all problems waiting to happen ...

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Boosted8

Aesthetics.

Which are all personal preference. Id happily wager a S3 XR8 will be worth more or less the same as an EL XR8, actually it should be more its a much better car mechanically.

[XP6]

Some may laugh but the little Ford in my Avatar picture... remember its one of the lowest number production fords sold by Ford Australia(only 140... )they were a good little quality car and very much fun to drive.

[Boosted8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Which are all personal preference. Id happily wager a S3 XR8 will be worth more or less the same as an EL XR8, actually it should be more its a much better car mechanically.

I agree the AU is a better car mechanically, I even said they were a good car in my OP. However, the looks are polarising - people either love them or hate them. The EL is much blander in styling and therefore a wider audience is going to be more receptive to it.

You can't really argue that fact because it has been stated a million times over. It was true when the AU was released and it's still true now. Outside of the die-hard Ford fans, the AU is not well received.

[buggo]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

The old school cars had no PCM, hardly any sensors, held together with real screws and bolts. I wonder how long all those modules, microchips, sensors and displays in modern cars (newer than 2002) will actually last after three decades. Strip down a BA / VE onwards and the amount of things held together with flimsy plastic clips is ridiculous, also the cheap wiring looms with chinese writing and the endless list of modules and sensors thoughout the car, all problems waiting to happen ...

Probably not long enough. But that won't stop them being collectible eventually. Instead of having to weld in new floor pans and tune carby's, younger guys like me buying 30 year old F6's and GT's are gunna have to pick up a soldering iron and some heat shrink instead. Just the same way the generations gone buying vintage needed different skills to restore. Same way guys after I'm long gone will need to know how to fix battery packs and write some computer code to get the doors locking.

Each generation will have their own classic cars with their own challenges and that's part of the fun

[andrich]

Originally Posted by xisled

I am sure people said this about the old GT's and look at them know.

As people grow up and get older, different cars will become classic.

The test will be the electronics in the car. We will have to wait and see.

The old GTs are a completely different kettle of fish
Here are just a few reasons:

1. They were a world beating car at the time. Fastest 4 door at the time.
2. They have race pedigree. Probably the biggest reason. The race car was near identical to the car you could buy on the road. A V8 Supercar shares nothing with their road going equivalent. This had the same affect on Ferrari's. Check out a Ferrari that has race pedigree and the price is much much muchhhhh higher then a model that has no race history.
3. No one bought a X series GT and put it in the shed thinking it would appreciate in value. How many people did that with current model cars? Too many

Those are some of the reasons why I feel the modern equivalents won't appreciate in value

[FNQracing]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

The old school cars had no PCM, hardly any sensors, held together with real screws and bolts. I wonder how long all those modules, microchips, sensors and displays in modern cars (newer than 2002) will actually last after three decades. Strip down a BA / VE onwards and the amount of things held together with flimsy plastic clips is ridiculous, also the cheap wiring looms with chinese writing and the endless list of modules and sensors thoughout the car, all problems waiting to happen ...

Perhaps, but don't under estimate progress in 3D printing, aftermarket ECU's and sensors in keeping more modern cars on the road as they age.

People are already printing their own parts, and we are at the very start of the technology.

There is no rocket science around sensors - most of them are very simple devices. I personally don't think this will be a barrier at all - in fact I think the entry bar has been lowered substantially for the amateur to be more involved.

But yes, older cars are definately a lot less complicated, but they too have their challenges, just different ones.

[FNQracing]

Lots of people confusing "classics" with "investments".

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Boosted8

I agree the AU is a better car mechanically, I even said they were a good car in my OP. However, the looks are polarising - people either love them or hate them. The EL is much blander in styling and therefore a wider audience is going to be more receptive to it.

You can't really argue that fact because it has been stated a million times over. It was true when the AU was released and it's still true now. Outside of the die-hard Ford fans, the AU is not well received.

See your point, but I have also never heard anyone pine for an E Series XR either..outside Ford people. We are just freaks.

[Boosted8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

See your point, but I have also never heard anyone pine for an E Series XR either..outside Ford people. We are just freaks.

That is probably true but I don't know and could only speculate on what other people do and don't like. It might surprise you but I actually prefer the way an AU3 XR8 looks to an EL XR8. The lines are much more aggressive and the car looks so unique.

[Mesa]

Watched J Leno's Garage yesterday. The episode was based around the muscle car. To summarise, not many people realise we are in the second wave of the muscle car era. Today's stuff will be worth money in time just like the originals.

The hi/po muscle cars from the original era will always carry a premium. But to be fair most of those cars from that original era weren't really collectible till this century when the 'good stuff' (GTHO, RPO, E38/E49/E55, A9X L34) went stratospheric in price and the lesser performing models became desirable. For example, HQ-HZ GTS Monaro's, Falcon/Fairmont GS, Valiant Pacers, GT Escorts/Capri's, LC/LJ GTR and SL/R's are now commanding money unheard of before.
Nobody outside enthusiasts wanted them in the 80's and they were often butchered or stripped for parts for lesser model utes and vans.

And unlike America, Australia is also unique in that our muscle cars weren't always V8.
Depending on your personal view the original muscle car era in Australia may have started with the XM Super Pursuit/Cortina GT/EH S4 and ended with the XC Cobra and A9X. Nobody could predict back in the 80's that a bog stock XB GT 4 door Falcon or HQ GTS 4 door would be worth anything let alone they'd even be highly desirable and collectible in 2016. Yet they are....

So on with the second era of muscle cars. You could argue the second muscle car era may have started at the EB XR8/6 and VN SS and carries on with today's GT's/GT-P's etc. With that in mind, (and it's only a personal view) I think todays muscle/performance cars will be worth money in the future. Anything from the Falcon XR series EB on, GT's Pursuits and Super Pursuits will become more collectible as time goes on. Particularly as the numbers of those cars reduces throughout time through accident, theft or neglect.

Only time will tell. But if can grab something cheap and store it/drive it/enjoy it for 20 years, go for it. I don't think you can lose.

[Cobrajet03]

As an amatuer collector I agree.
We are at the end of the 2nd muscle car era and if history repeats we are in for some lean years as ford and Holden ditch it.
In line with the previous posts
Probably ED xr6/xr8 just on low build numbers.
EL xr8 185 kW
Eb xr6/xr8. The eb is one of the most underrated fords IMO.

Current collection
83 XE Spac ute 302 white
03 BA xr8 blood orange
93 EB Fairmont Ghia 5.0 Everglade
69 Amc Amx bittersweet orange
90 VG maloo maranello red
99 Hsv SV99 hackett gold

Check the price movement of VN/VP SS/ Clubsports they are starting to move.

[Angeldust]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

The old school cars had no PCM, hardly any sensors, held together with real screws and bolts. I wonder how long all those modules, microchips, sensors and displays in modern cars (newer than 2002) will actually last after three decades. Strip down a BA / VE onwards and the amount of things held together with flimsy plastic clips is ridiculous, also the cheap wiring looms with chinese writing and the endless list of modules and sensors thoughout the car, all problems waiting to happen ...

Just to let you know, my Commodore 64, including disk drive, monitor etc is still perfectly running fine after 30 years. And recently I've been givinh it a real workout, running like 10 hours a day for the last 2 weeks

Now I just hope my made in china VZ electrics last that long

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by FNQracing

Lots of people confusing "classics" with "investments".

I suspect your correct,

If your in to the classic car seen there are loads of classics out there BUT many wont have a ROI even remotely close to that of the Bathurst Monaro's or GT Falcons

That said, it is possible for cars like AU, BA etc falcons to be seen as classics when the time comes.

look how EL's are holding their value for a quality example as are VH & VK commodores

[raised by monkeys]

Brock EA
XH xr8

[Cobrajet03]

Maybe xg xr6 Manuel?

[Dauphin]

How about an XE, XF or XG panel van... saw one the other day whiter than snow, still a great looking vehicle.

This one has an XR front:

[nathsxr8]

I rekon the au 11 rebels will be the ones to watch in 10-20 years. 125 built 25 went over the ditch. Id rekon there's lucky to be 60 or 70 left in aus. Fast forward 20 years maybe 30-40 left!

[Bobman]

I've owned an XD Ghia with 302 and EA factory 5 speed manual Ghia. At the time thought not much of their value as there were a few around. Now becoming quite valuable (wish I kept).

EF-EL XRs are holding their value and even the XH series are becoming scarce plus demanding a higher price.

[Ford17]

Thread bump.

BA XR6T is now getting a special mention:

https://www.whichcar.com.au/features...lcon-xr6-turbo



Interesting the article mentions Howard Marsden was originally pushing for a supercharged version of the Barra 6, but they went turbo as adding an extra pulley at the front of the engine was too difficult to package.

[au2000]

I think the modern muscle has its own market and will keep increasing. When i grabbed my gs a few years back high 20's low 30's for a miami was not unheard of, dare you to find me a fg II GS sedan in that range now

[Franco Cozzo]

AU Falcon - its become a meme car, being used as drift pigs and features in all Mexican Hoon Cartel's work.

Stop the planet, I want to hop off.

[au3fairmontwagon]

Gday & Happy New Year.

I have an 6cyl AUIII Fairmont Wagon bought new in December 2001 optioned with Tickford Sports Suspension & 17" Wheels/Tyres (4Y), Momo Steering Wheel & Momo T-Bar shifter (6M), 1600kg Tow Pack (81), dealer fitted Parnell LPG system & window tint. Has the Tickford plate installed on driver's side in engine bay.

Have a verification letter from Ford stating it is a 1 of 1. There are 93 cars with same Barossa Red paint & 45 with same trim but nil other cars with same options. Have all purchase documents, books etc from new.

Now has nearly 400,000km on odometer still on original transmission serviced only twice, original suspension/wheels still very tight with no body roll, original diff etc. Needed engine at 360,000km as was run primarily on LPG. Mostly highway km's & still runs & looks great.

Do you guys think it's worth keeping?

[CyberWasp]

I could be totally wrong but once the XR6T's hit a certain age aren't they eligible to be imported to the USA if people there are after one?
The motor has a growing cult following there and it will push prices up as they become sort after for that market albeit small.