I just came from a Farm machine auction. I could not believe the prices. A 1920 T roadster in fair condition, no extras, paint didn't look that great, but car looked correct for the most part, brought $19,000. And it brought it quick. Started at $5000 and went right to 19K. Then a 1928 Model A with a "rare snowmobile attachment" brought $30000 and the interior was not complete. I about fell over with how frenzied the bidding was. I wanted to go home and get my T and bring it back to sell. Not really, but I could not believe how high the bidding was going on these.

That's a live auction for you. Some people loose all perspective. Even in machine tool auctions I've attended. At one a DoAll band saw which normally would go for 3K went for about 8K. Two guys were going at it. Then later on another item both of them wanted spiked at over twice the price. Al ego. Its amazing to watch, hard to keep a straight face and has little to do with market prices but surely they must have some small influence on "average price".

I watched a lady bid frantically on the base and plumbing for an old Coleman gas table lamp (no mantles or shade or frame to hold the shade). After she got it for some ungodly price, she turned to her friend, and cried while jumping up and down, "I got it! I got it!.... What is it anyway?"

Doug, what part of the country was this sale?

Funny thing about auctions, especially the Barrett Jackson auctions on TV, usually you see people with more money than brains overbidding on stuff. Lots of luck to them if they ever want to sell what they bought. They're in for a big surprise.
Rog

Roger, During one of our mini oil booms here in Texas about 30 years ago there was a fellow rebuilding Model A's in the area for those buying older cars for "investments" with more money than brains. He did beautiful work and charged 25k-30k per vehicle and this was in addition to the sales price of the cars so many paid 35k-40k for one of these "investments". I would have loved to have been in the room when those guys sold their cars later on thinking they were going to make huge profits! I ran into two of these "suits" at a Model A parts place in Houston at the time and one of the fellows did not even know how to start his Model A but he sure did shoot his mouth off about the paint job he had someone else perform.......Michael Pawelek

You know, I haven't been in the model T affliction for too long but I have seen this issue come up a number of times. I guess I am really confused by this discussion when I see so many people seemingly astounded that the value of a model T might be going up. Inflation has been running at 3% or more for as long as I can remember. Why shoudn't this translate in to the value of a model T increasing at least at that rate not to mention the fact that it is getting older and more precious and so many are doing such great jobs at restoring these treasures to operating condition.

Don't get me wrong here, I fully understand how we all want the price of our hobbies to stay the same or even lessen as we move to fixed incomes and work to conserve our cash. What I dont understand is how we think the Model T might be immune from the value and price increases that affect every other commodity in the market.

I am truly proud of the many folks in this hobby that work diligently to preserve the history and intrinsic value of these cars by making and supplying all the new parts it takes to keep these cars rolling not to mention preserving the cash of NOS and used parts that exist. I am also very proud to be among the many caretakers of these unique vehicles and the history they represent.

I don't disagree with some of the comments above about auctions driving buyers in to a frenzy driving the sale bids up at these events.

I cannot think of another area though that places so much emphasis and expectation on keeping these cars from increasing in value. It would certainly be a safe bet that the seller here isn't complaining about getting an inflated value for his cars.

I for one would at least like to see these gems increase in value proportionate to the decease in value of a dollar so that at the end of my time here that my original investment can be recouped in current dollar value. Maybe even make a dollar or two in the end.

Maybe more I would like that my efforts at preserving these cars might lead to some greater value ultimately, a payback from future generations as we pass along these cars that will pass in better shape and condition that what we found them in, why not at a higher value than what we had to pay?

Just an opinion, but a lot of cars are bought cause they reminded someone of the car they used to have or what their dad or granddad had. The people that can relate to above three catagories are almost all dead. I observed a drop in T prices for some years with an increase in say the last ten.
The high dollar market is more like the fifties and sixties cars.
Just an opinion

Tyrone, this was the south Chicagoland area.

It's all about who is buying and who has the money. The big bucks now days is in muscle cars. I bought a new '63 Ford Galaxie 427 in '63 for 3600. If someone had told me it would be worth 10 or 20 times that much some day, I'd have said they were insane. Non-car people can't believe it when I tell them my '24 roadster is worth 5000 and a '58 Chevy convert is worth 100,000. I guess it's all in where your nostalgia lies.

Model T's are very inexpensive compared to most other "collector" cars.

Its kinda funny. I was reading an old Horseless Carriage magazine, dated 1964. A guy went to a automobile auction, and was complaining with statements like the "astronomical prices at the auction"...."wildly unrealistic reserves"... "maybe its psychological buildup..." "maybe its spring fever.." nothing has changed really...

You have only to look at eBay sometimes to understand how foolish an auction can be.

A fool and his money......

Of course, at some auctions, great bargains can be realised. I have bought a 6,000 orig miles Briscoe touring for $3000 - at auction - because no other car people were present.

Here are some selling prices at an auction I went to last Saturday:

'14-'16 steering wheel, complete, very nice wood with only minor issues at the joint: $30

complete '20s steering column: $50

pair '35 Ford heads, no cracks, $1

pair '33 heads, no cracks, $3

complete 20's rear end, decent, $50

pair '20s rear radius rods, nice, $2

pair iron G carbs, very rough, $1

'26-7 rear end, decent, $30

Rv, sounds like I need to go to that auction.Good prices

R.M., what year Briscoe? I once had a '16 with the original V-8.

Most collectors are proud to hear their cars are increasing in value. I feel the same way. its not a bad thing.

Vince

most autions have several workers in the crowd bidding with the auctioneer, the auctioneer knows the real buyer from his workers, if there is no buyer or a previous buyer, they bid it to the moon for effect.

Chuck,

A big factor is also the purchase price. A "t" started at less than 500. the vet close to 10 times that.

a 100% return on a penny is still only a penny. Relatively speaking the model t is doing ok.

Vince

Hey, farm iron, if you are going to badmouth the business I have been in for the last 25 years, 376 successful commercial auctions in a state where everybody knows everybody, every auctioneer and his reputation, where I have outlasted 100 other auctioneers who have come and gone in this state; have the balls to sign your name. I don't have anybody in the crowd at my auctions puffing bids for me or the seller and I defy you to say to my face that I do. I sign my name to everything I write and will stand behind everything I say. If you haven't got the balls to do that quit using this forum to run down somebody else's business. Stan Howe, Front Range Auctioneers, 4433 Red Fox Dr., Helena, Montana. Since 1982-Properly Organized-
Widely Advertised=Honestly Sold-Promptly Settled.

Step up and play. Who are you, where are you from, what do you do for a living?
"The loudest boos come from the cheapest seats." By the way, what is a "Previous buyer?"