Original Cars:How many are still out there?, Where do you see the market in the future? Options

[914_7T3]

Didn't want to Hijack bbrocks thread on how certain mods may affect resale value, but it really got me thinking about future values on these cars and where the market may be heading.

http://914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=314860

I love that everyone has a different vision for their car and can go their own way. Some members such as Arne & myself are currently working on driver restos and others such as Larmo among others are deep into some serious 6 builds.

After having been to about a 1/2 dozen events, there is definitely serious interest in the 914 and this will bring prices up for good clean original cars. Not sure when or to what degree, but I have spoken with several PCar Collectors, expressing interest in "seriously getting one, but they're hard to find"

Good clean cars and NOS parts will become scarce and drive prices up.

What are your thoughts on values possibly starting to trend similar to the beginning of the run up on 356s and 911s?

I would also like to hear about how many of you have Concours quality 914s as I have not heard much about those cars in the forums.

[somd914]

For 356s, just under 80,000 were produced over 16 years and was basically the birth of Porsche, thus a very special car.

It appears around 1,000,000 911s have been produced over 53 years, looks like perhaps 2,000 short wheelbase cars, and 80,000 long hood cars. The 911 is Porsche's icon. Mention Porsche to most anyone and a likely 911 pops into their mind, but not necessarily a 964, 993, 996, 997, or 991.

Approximately 118,000 914's were sold over a 7 year period and was meant to be the low-end model.

Numbers and production years speak to availability. Obviously with the 356 ending production in 1966, time has taken more of toll of availability let alone fewer produced.

Short wheelbase and long hood 911s are the most desirable, once again production numbers and age favor shorter supply.

I've noticed prices have stabilized or possibly fallen in the last year for SCs and Carreras as my son has been shopping for one.

Where will the collector market go? Who knows, but it doesn't matter to me. I do agree that original cars are always desirable, but as I mentioned in bbrock's Affect of Mods on Resale Value post, to me cars are personal as are houses, boats, etc and prefer to make them my own. Besides, all production cars are a compromise and can always be made better after the fact for specific purposes. I can say if 914's were commanding 911 or 356 prices, I wouldn't own them. Sure, I enjoy 914s, but for that type of money there are plenty of other cars out there that I enjoy more.

As for me, our collection will be passed to our kids, provided classic cars are still allowed on the road given our nation's ever increasing focus on safety, emissions, automation, etc. In the meantime I enjoy them and make them the way I want. For those who prefer bone stock, I appreciate seeing those cars, appreciate the time capsule perspective, appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that went into preserving/restoring them, however not something I want to own. But I'm glad we have options, for each their own, and I respect that.