Future Value of Retrobirds

[2K2BIRD]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Recently, there was a thread regarding TBirds and the celebrities that owned, or once owned, TBirds.

Look at the list of celebrities that owned 55/56/57 TBirds and compare that list to the 2002/03/04/05 retro celebrity list (I believe there were two).

Can't and won't debate future values much, because it is inconsequential to me.

There were/are several retrobird celebrity owners - these come to mind:

Halle Berry - Black
Katie Couric - Red
Rosie O'Donnell - Yellow
Eric Roberts - Black
Oprah Winfrey - Thunderbird Blue
John Travolta - Black (I think)
Simon Cowell - either owned a red one or had use of it
Alan Jackson - bought one for each of his 4 sisters

[5bird7]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

my list of retro owner celebrities:
01- John Travolta - as reported In Style Magazine 07/01
02- Katie Couric - from the Today show - has received her red Thunderbird - (since sold)
03- Rosie O'Donnell - 02 inspiration yellow (since sold)
04- Alan Jackson gave one to country.com for promotional sweepstakes
05- Oprah - blue with full blue accent interior in 02; red spotted in driveway in summer 03
06- Dale Jarrett was given two Thunderbirds by Ford.
07- Halle Berry - black - yes
08 - Ralph Lauren owns 2 also: A Nieman Marcus and PCR
09 - Lavar Arrington, LB for the Washington Redskins, '02 inspiration yellow.
10 - Dennis Gage of My Classic Car - 02 Blue
11- Simon Cowell- judge on American Idol - Red

Chip Foose still owns his custom

[jerrym3]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

my list of retro owner celebrities:
01- John Travolta - as reported In Style Magazine 07/01
02- Katie Couric - from the Today show - has received her red Thunderbird - (since sold)
03- Rosie O'Donnell - 02 inspiration yellow (since sold)
04- Alan Jackson gave one to country.com for promotional sweepstakes
05- Oprah - blue with full blue accent interior in 02; red spotted in driveway in summer 03
06- Dale Jarrett was given two Thunderbirds by Ford.
07- Halle Berry - black - yes
08 - Ralph Lauren owns 2 also: A Nieman Marcus and PCR
09 - Lavar Arrington, LB for the Washington Redskins, '02 inspiration yellow.
10 - Dennis Gage of My Classic Car - 02 Blue
11- Simon Cowell- judge on American Idol - Red

Chip Foose still owns his custom

I stand corrected.

[Guest]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

I'm kind of surprised that nearly half those voting on this poll think Retrobird values will be lower 10 years from now than they are today.

Values on Retros now range from a low of under $ 10,000 to a high over $ 20,000 depending on condition and mileage. It's hard for me to believe that 10 years from now our cars will be worth only $ 5-10K. Seems they would be worth more than that even as parts cars. Assuming NO appreciation in the price of just a few parts from today's prices, a good hardtop is worth $ 1,000 or so, a set of wheels $ 500, a good soft boot a couple hundred, front and rear bumper covers a few hundred each, seats a few hundred each, and that's not even considering engine, trans, suspension or other mechanical components.

I wonder what opinions would be on values 20 years from now? That would be a different poll, and no, I'm not planning on starting one.

[Alamobird]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Please read the true story of the Blue Ferrari below.

If all of us pledged to be buried in our Retro, we could insure that the last man (or woman) standing at the retirement home would have a virtually priceless vehicle. Problem is that the kids will have taken the keys away long before then.

Have fun and drive your Bird til the wheels fall off.


Blue Ferrari

Of the many stories that I covered as a young reporter for KKYX News in the 1970s, one of the strangest has to be the day I saw Sandra Ilene West buried in her Ferrari.
Sandra West was the young widow of Texas oil man, Ike West, when she died of an accidental overdose in California. As part her will, the Beverly Hills socialite had specifically requested her brother-in-law to bury her reclined in her favorite car, a powder blue Ferrari. And to complicate the story further, there were reports that she had written several wills.
For many weeks after her death, the lawyers first argued over which of the several wills was, in fact, her last will and testament. Then after that was decided, the lawyers next argued over whether she really wanted to be buried in her car.
The court eventually ruled that those were indeed her true wishes, and that’s how I found myself standing one sunny morning at the West family plot in the Masonic Cemetery on E. Commerce on the day she was to be put to rest.
I remember passing the time with my friend Ed Glossen, a reporter from the San Antonio Light. Neither one of us knew what to expect. And neither did dozens of the curious gawkers who had suddenly appeared as well. Pretty soon the whole scene took on a carnival-like atmosphere. The crowd had come to see a show. They would not be disappointed.
A little later that morning, I witnessed one of the strangest funeral processions in San Antonio history. Leading up the caravan was a funeral home limo, followed by a truck mounted crane. Next came a flatbed truck with a large gray wooden crate strapped on. Following nearby were the cement trucks.
There was nothing written on the drab crate to indicate that there a Ferrari inside, or that it served as an elaborate coffin. To me it looked as though it could be holding machinery of some sort. It had to be her, I reasoned. Why would anyone want to bury machine parts in a cemetery?
Using the crane, the workers then carefully lowered the crate into the large funeral pit where it remains to this very day. I left to file my story before the concrete trucks would finish their work, but the funeral directors did assure us that Sandra Ilene West indeed had been buried according to her wishes: dressed in a lacy night gown, comfortably reclined in the seat of her powder blue Ferrari.
Rod Rodriguez


Copyright 2013 by Rod Rodriguez and SanAntonioRadioMemories.com – All Rights Reserved.

[11TH GEN]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

interesting pics here:


https://www.google.com/search?q=sand...uM9Iz6bmyeM%3A

[EllisonCal]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

I'm kind of surprised that nearly half those voting on this poll think Retrobird values will be lower 10 years from now than they are today.

Values on Retros now range from a low of under $ 10,000 to a high over $ 20,000 depending on condition and mileage. It's hard for me to believe that 10 years from now our cars will be worth only $ 5-10K. Seems they would be worth more than that even as parts cars. Assuming NO appreciation in the price of just a few parts from today's prices, a good hardtop is worth $ 1,000 or so, a set of wheels $ 500, a good soft boot a couple hundred, front and rear bumper covers a few hundred each, seats a few hundred each, and that's not even considering engine, trans, suspension or other mechanical components.

I wonder what opinions would be on values 20 years from now? That would be a different poll, and no, I'm not planning on starting one.

Phil, obviously just like Yogi Berra said predictions are hard to make, especially when you're talking about the future. But, scarcity isn't even the major factor IMO because look at 55-57 Chevys. GM made over 1 million of these Tri-5s each year and even the 150s and 210s are valuable, let alone 57 Convertibles. They don't even have to be nice to be valuable. So, if anyone on this site is alive 20 years from now to check the value of our beloved Tbirds, they alone will know. By the way, if I'm lucky enough to be here in 2035, (I'd be 93). I'll call you then and we can talk about it.

[Guest]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

You make a good point Cal. Scarcity is not always a determining factor in either the desirability or the value of future collectibles. And 1950's era Chevys are good examples. Neither rare nor particularly striking in design, they command pretty high prices.

For a car that is otherwise desirable AND with low production numbers, AND with unique design features, the odds for higher future value increases. Also, keep in mind that ALL Retros are 'open cars' which almost always bring more than hardtop/coupes.

And I suspect there will be plenty of current TBN members alive 20 years from now, to say nothing of the new ones that join between now and then. Will the 'original' TBN still be around in 20 years? I think so. It may be sold or passed on to new owners or it may still be owned and administrated by the same people. To think that the current members, or the 'original' members are the only ones who will ever be interested in Retros is crazy. These cars will continue to attract the attention and admiration of future generations, long after all the current owners are gone.

And Cal, assuming we're both around in 2035 ... we will talk, and I'm buying the drinks!

[11TH GEN]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Scarcity is not always a determining factor in either the desirability or the value of future collectibles. And 1950's era Chevys are good examples. Neither rare nor particularly striking in design, they command pretty high prices.

Phil...that is the key. How many baby boomers can connect with Tri Five Chevys, 50's 60's muscle cars ? A boatload of us and a ton of them want to capture those memories. Just look at how many cruise nights there are across the country on any give weekend, not to mention the big buck auctions. People want a piece of what they can connect with and feel good.

Who is going to enjoy the retros and have a life experience connecting with them in 40 or 50 years? we'll all be gone, sure there will be some interest I suppose by a few but not enough to ever turn it into what the " back in the day muscle cars are" Of course all just my opinion.

[Guest]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

I see your point Rick. But car collectors buy for a lot of different reasons, and not necessarily limited to cars they 'relate' to based on what was popular when they were teens. Jay Leno owns all types of cars from all eras. He finds something appealing in each or he wouldn't have them in his collection.

And car collectors span many generations aging from 20-90. While I would say the 'average' collector is probably 50-70 years old, there are lots that are older and younger. And the available 'pool' of cars to collect keeps expanding. Today's new models become tomorrow's collectibles. The 2002-2005 Thunderbird might resonate with future collectors for a variety of reasons other than having wanted one as a youth. Future collectors may want one because their father or grandfather owned one and it brings back pleasant memories of a parent or relative who owned one. I have a fondness for cars my parents used to own, including a Dodge Pioneer that my dad owned. It wasn't all that special a car, but whenever I see one, I think of him and would certainly consider getting one for that reason alone.

No one knows what the future may bring, but to think no one will have any interest in Retros in the future just because we can't imagine who that might be right now, is rather short-sighted.

And interest in the 1955-57 Thunderbirds won't end when the generation who bought them new passes on. There will be future generations who want them and who will collect and treasure them even if they were born decades after they were built.

Good design never goes out of style, and that applies to furniture, art, clothing, jewelry and houses as well as cars.

[007Cruiser]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...2014/23637775/

[Greg S]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Phil, you are correct. My father had a 57 Baby Bird and I think that's what led me to my '02 Retro.

[Quickdraw]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Phil, you are correct. My father had a 57 Baby Bird and I think that's what led me to my '02 Retro.

It wasn't because you also thought the '57 was cool back then? The main point seems to be that for the most part today's kids do not think our retros are cool. And 40 years from now there will not be a baby boomer surge in the population bidding up the prices of our retros.

[Guest]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Tastes change and evolve. What's considered 'hot' today, may be a dud a year from now. And conversely, things that are considered 'uncool' now, may become trendy in the future. Take men's neckties for example. In the 60's, skinny ties were 'in.' In the 70's, the fatter the tie, the better. Now, skinny ties are back. Similar thing with paisley print. Big in the 60's, then it disappeared for decades. It made a comeback.

So today's kids may not think Retros are cool, but what about tomorrow's kids? Or even their kids?

We'll never know, and I realize a lot of people here don't much care. But I think our Retros have a bright future, and people in the future may well wonder, if only for a moment, about the person that first owned the car when it was new.

[jayred1]

Re: Future Value of Retrobirds

Yes, fashion comes and goes; but I'm not sure if that works with cars. I'm having a hard time thinking of cars that when I was young were boring/ugly/blah or just ones that didn't interest me that I now think are desirable.

I would agree that tomorrow's kids or their kids might take a liking to a Retro, but that means the time to appreciation is 30+ years, not 10 years away ... and at the rate of technology, in 30+ years I'm guessing self-driving cars will be the standard - if not mandated.