MTFCA Forum

Steve,
I agree with you. Numbers may change a little depending on region. I tell people basically most Model T’s sell between $5,000 and $10,000. If something is a little more special of course it’s worth more and the opposite goes for the unspecial ones . So a good engine rebuild, a good paint job, OR upholstery price is could buy you a model T on the lower end. This leaves most of us owners to doing everything ourselves. And if we wanted to spend money we would just buy something besides Model T

Matt

I believe that a run-of-the-mill T in #2 or # 3 condition would bring substantially more than that.

A GOOD paint job nowadays will cost in the range that Matt said you could buy an entire car! Some engine rebuilds alone can run $4K-$7K.

A GOOD paint job nowadays will cost in the range that Matt said you could buy an entire car! Some engine rebuilds alone can run $4K-$7K.

Yes. But the question isn't how much you can spend on a car. It's whether that car will bring more than it would have twenty years ago.

I believe prices and sales of mid range T’s have been pretty stale. You can sell a nice early car for a good price, a black car for 5-10k depending on accessories. But there have been several 1915 cars not selling in the 14-15k range that had been typical for that vintage.

Andy

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 11, 2023 10:36 am

A GOOD paint job nowadays will cost in the range that Matt said you could buy an entire car! Some engine rebuilds alone can run $4K-$7K.

Yes. But the question isn't how much you can spend on a car. It's whether that car will bring more than it would have twenty years ago.

True Steve. I didn't make my point well enough
The poster said cost of an engine rebuild, etc could buy a car on the low end. I shoulda added that if you do buy a "low end" car you're eventually gonna spend all that at lest on engine. The rest is mostly cosmetic and discretionary.

Many parts were made in quantity and as that run of parts lasts they shouldn't increase. When those run out the new batch shall certainly become more expensive. Vendors do well to keep costs down but still have to make enough profit to stay in business. Of course, our incomes will all go up to keep pace, won't they?
Buy tractor paint!

...if you do buy a "low end" car you're eventually gonna spend all that at lest on engine.

Yes. The less you pay for it, the more it's going to cost you.

The economic theory of "Supply & Demand" is totally dependent on the buyer's willingness to pay what the seller is asking. While condition (mechanics & body) are very important, originality preference is buyer dependent. So the market price is likely to fluctuate at various points in time based on the amount of inventory & its condition. Model T ownership is a hobby, the only way to pay for this hobby is to also make part of it a business.

I don't think prices have changed much and I am very happy for that. The absurd values that has infected some segments of the collector car hobby attract some who have no real interest in the vehicle except as an investment or status symbol and price out those who have a more personal interest.

I bought my first T in 1981 for $3,200. After 37 years and a few thousand dollars, I sold it for $4,800. That is not a good financial investment, but that is not why I bought it. It DID offer an excellent return in sanity and happiness. Of course we all like to make money when we sell, but I am happy that the market for model T's is so stable. Kind of like the owners.

I have observed the "well restored", more desirable examples are requesting/commanding generally higher prices. While the "black" cars prices seem to be pretty much static and in line with those of 6-10 years ago.

It seems like once a year or so this topic comes up. My visibility to the question only goes back 5 years; when we first got our 1921 touring car. Since then I continue to occasionally monitor the online classic car sites like Hemmings etc to see what the ASKING price for T's is doing. One thing that I've noticed is it seems that there are less T's for sale than when I first got into the hobby, so I guess that is good. If anything, it seems like there's more hot rodded T's for sale than when I first got into the hobby.

When doing my occasional searches, I have also noticed a general increasing trend in the asking price; particularly for the brass era T's. That makes sense too since everything is going up in price. I can only speak from my own experience on what T's may sell for. When we sold our 21 touring car in the fall of 2021 because we picked up a 11 touring restoration project, I sold it on a Hemmings auction for more than I paid for it and more than the prices shown on Steve's original post link. I might have gotten even more if I had sold it in the spring or early summer. The time of year matters, and usually there are more for sale during the nicer months of the year too.

What I can pretty much guarantee you is that if you want a low price for your T, then take a poor resolution picture or two of it in your garage with poor lighting, or worse, scan a picture of you with the car taken in 1998, and post them with the for sale ad on this forum site! I like ya guys, but you are not the target market for getting a maximum price for a T. This is because, in my opinion, we are a relatively small group of people with one or more T's already and don't need another T (ask your wife if you are not sure) unless it is a particular year of car that we just want to buy.

Wherever you decide to sell your T, please take many pictures from all angles on a sunny day as close to the "solar noon" for that day in order to minimize the shadows. Good pictures will help sell the car.

JohnM wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 11, 2023 1:49 pm

I don't think prices have changed much and I am very happy for that. The absurd values that has infected some segments of the collector car hobby attract some who have no real interest in the vehicle except as an investment or status symbol and price out those who have a more personal interest.

I bought my first T in 1981 for $3,200. After 37 years and a few thousand dollars, I sold it for $4,800. That is not a good financial investment, but that is not why I bought it. It DID offer an excellent return in sanity and happiness. Of course we all like to make money when we sell, but I am happy that the market for model T's is so stable. Kind of like the owners.

If you use the inflation calculator on google 3200 in 1981 is $10,934.54 in todays money.

TWrenn wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 11, 2023 10:17 am

A GOOD paint job nowadays will cost in the range that Matt said you could buy an entire car! Some engine rebuilds alone can run $4K-$7K.

Tim
I think prices have only went up with inflation and have been flat for many years. A Model T is never a good investment in dollars but it is a very good investment in the joy it brings the owners. Brass T's are a bit more but then again I still think prices are the same as 1980 when adjusting for inflation.

If you want to enjoy antique cars and you’re on a budget Model T’s are the way to go. You can enjoy a good running car that’s already had the work done on it in the 8000.00 to 18.000.00 price range from the Black era to the Brass era. That’s not including the very early Brass cars.
With that said the overall prices have risen some but not much.
In any hobby the old saying “you have to pay if you want to play” holds true with T’s also. And if you want to venture into Classic cars be prepared to pay a Lot more if you want to go that way. That’s just the way the market is.

In my estimation T’s have remained fairly stable. But that my opinion which isn’t worth much!