Do you think this is worth this much?

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I guess it depends upon what the definition of "rich" is and exactly what cars we're talking about.

As with anything else, the choicest cars will always be in high demand, therefore often beyond the means of most. Outside of that however, there are many fine Cadillacs available for nearly every budget if one uses judgment and resources wisely.

In any case, I personally do not subscribe to the theory that the old car hobby in general is a pastime reserved for the wealthy and it certainly is not a prerequisite to becoming the owner of a very nice Cadillac. 

[Fred Pennington 25635]

Yes it's priced too high, but if it sells anyone who has one in any condition will put it on the market and expect the same or close to the same price.
You can see the best example of this. When the auctions came to television everyone with a common Chevelle thought it was worth $70,000 to $80,000.
They came out of the wood work and even the rare ones drop in price.  Like the first post said "Free Market"

My 2 cents  or since it is rare, old and in perfect condition $20.00 LOL

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Necessity has nothing to do with it.

Bowling balls or bananas, all things fall somewhere in a range of value - necessary or not.

You are making a sweeping generalization from a single, isolated transaction.

[Dan LeBlanc]

I'm by no mean a rich man.  I work hard and live paycheque to paycheque like most people out there.  I don't do drugs, chase loose women, and don't have a boat, ATV, fancy truck, or a huge house.  I work hard for my money, and choose to funnel a little spare money into this hobby.  I just bought a 53.  While a person of better means could do a better job in a shorter amount of time with the car than I could ever do, I work it at my pace that doesn't take food off the table.

There are worse things in life.

Oh, and I'm all of 36, so I'm somewhat in the middle of the generation gap.

[Dan LeBlanc]

If a part is incredibly rare, then it is definitely a seller's market.  You have it, someone needs it, you name your price.  It's that simple. 

It's not just car parts, it's rare collectibles, etc.  That's just the way a free market works.

[cadillacmike68]

      Really Will?. Necessity. Look , you jump out of an airplane your going to need a parachute! Its an absolute necessity.  You going to sit down and chomp down on a 1 inch sirloin your going to need teeth. They are necessary. 
        If a door has a pad lock on it, you dont need a key. Its not necessary, you can use a crow bar, bolt cutters, break a window any numbet of ways. Its such a relative term and can be applied in a multitude of ways. But to say the necessity is necessary is not necessarily true. Now im going to have some ice cream now. I have teeth but they are not necessary.

Regarding the first sentence, I can attest that a parachute is an absolute necessity when jumping out of an aircraft. - Airborne!

As to the fan, it's priced stupidly. but so where those wheel covers. The wheel covers actually have a lot of demand, whereas this fan, most likely not.

Trim parts are going to get pricier as time goes on. That I have found out over the past 10 years.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I'm still trying to figure where is it written the difference between automobiles and houses as it relates to market forces. 

At any rate, I absolutely reject the argument that the old car hobby is a "rich man's game" - whatever that is, this side of Polo and even that might not qualify under certain circumstances.

A few relatively rare & extreme transactions involving top shelf property representing perhaps 1% of all old car hobby transactions is hardly a basis for such an argument.

The simple fact is there are lots of nice vintage cars to be had that you do not need to be wealthy to be able to afford and enjoy.

That is all I have to say on the subject.

[joeceretti]

I'd like to say that I had no idea that my original post would have so many responses, but I suppose I did. When I saw the price of that fan I knew it would incense a lot of members. After watching all these responses and thinking about it, and receiving some private messages about this, I realize that the seller is quite astute. He realizes that he has something quite rare, and I doubt anyone can argue that fact. He has something quite rare and he is hopeful, and probably rightly so, that he will find a buyer who doesn't consider money as a barrier. I think this is one of the foundations of the capitalist economy.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

One of the biggest factors in the rise in prices of anything to do with anything is the availability of avenues for sale like Auction Houses, and Ebay.

The days of placing an advert in the local paper, or by word of mouth in the local community has almost gone into oblivion, as the Internet has taken over virtually everything.

Go to an Auction, and witness the number of on-line bidders.

Being a reader of Car Magazines since 1962, and member of car clubs since the early '70's, I have witnessed the rise, and fall of different advertising media.

Thankfully, I built all my Hot Rods before people came back with the reply, "the parts fetch more than that on the internet"

Bruce.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

The "information age" has brought markets much closer to equilibrium rather than not and it cuts both ways: On one hand, it has become more difficult to get a "steal" yet on the other, a lot of collectibles have dropped in value considerably because so much material has been brought into the open - items suddenly turned out not to be as scarce as originally thought.

A number of antique shop owners have told me this personally.

I feel the basis of the "rich man's hobby" sentiments from so many quarters (not just Will) stems from not being able to buy below market value as easily as it once had been. BOO HOO! Those days are over. There are a hell of a lot less 1950 to 1970 cars today than there were 40 years ago when they were still on the road being used up while demand for them has exploded over the past 20 years. That's the market. It is a fact.

Time to put on our big boy pants and deal with it. 

[Smedly]

Yup, if you cant afford to restore it then CHOP it do what you can afford, A nice rat rod aint that expensive, even when it is made from a Caddy