Future collectibles (or, why collector cars will continue to flourish)

So, there's been a lot of discussion about what will happen to collector cars and what sorts of cars will be collected in the future. Mostly, it's been disparaging stuff about how noone will ever want to collect and restore a Prius in 30 years time. While I can't find fault with not liking the prius (I'm sorry, even if it had a hemi under the hood it's still as bland as american cheese and ranch dressing) I definitely think that all of this doom and gloom malarky is a bit over the top.

In one discussion with a fellow car nut I brought up the fact that there were tons of "econo-box" type cars built in the 40's, 50's and 60's. Most of these cars were inline six, stripped down models. How many of these do you see at car shows these days? I actually enjoy seeing the few that I run across as they're better representations of what everyone was driving at the time. So, like those inline sixes the civics, prius, corollas and such of our time will dissapear.

So, what will we be seeing more of at shows? Well, here's a quick list of cars that I think are either collectible or will become collectible that were built in the 1980's. Considering that the next generation of car folks are around my age (30's) these will be the cars they remember from when they were kids:

The cars:

• Alfa Romeo - Spider (What kid didn't have a friend who's hot mom or older sister had one of these?)


• Aston Martin - Vantage (Always a classic)


• Avanti - Avanti II (Yes, they built these in the 80's, and they still look cool!)


• BMW - 325I, M3, 633csi (I have to admit that the goofy front ends on these have grown on me in the past few years)


• Buick - Grand National (Jet black, mean engine, if you owned one you were considered a shady character, what kid didn't want one)


• Chevrolet - C10, Corvette, Camaro (C10's are becoming very fashionable, corvettes and camaros are classis, even in the 80's)


• Datsun - 280ZX (Classic body lines, simple engine, goes fast. :)


• DeLorean - DMC-12 (Doc, you built a time machine out of a DeLorean!?)


• Excalibur - SS Roadster (I always thought these were wierd, but cool)


• Ferrari - 308, 328, 512b, Mondial, Testarossa (who didn't have a poster, t-shirt or trapper keeper with a Ferrari Testarossa on it?)


• Fiat - 2000 (See Alfa Romeo Spider)


• Ford - Mustang, Taurus SHO, F150 Lightning (I always wanted a SHO, even if it only came with an automatic)


• Jaguar - XJS (V-12 power!)


• Lamborgini - Countach (See Ferrari, I had a yellow Coutach t-shirt!)


• Lotus - Esprit (I still think James Bond when I see one of these)


• Maserati - Spyder (My maserati does 185, lost my license, now I don't drive)


• Mazda - Miata, RX-7 (Chick car turned spec SCCA standard, and the Wankel engine)


• Mercedes-Benz - 450 SL, 560 SL (Yeah I know, dads drove these, but they're cool because dads drove fast in them)


• Mercury - McLaren series of cars. (Never heard of a Mercury McLaren Capri? Look it up!)


• MG - MGB, MGC, Midget (Yes, it was the end, but it was the end of a great era)


• Nissan - 300ZX (I still remember the first time I saw one of these, I was floored)


• Pontiac - Fiero, Firebird, Trans Am (We used to laugh at these, but they've transended the red neck / crap barrier and have become cool)


• Porsche - 911, 924, 944, 928 (You may question the 924 & the 944, but I have one thing to say to that - Sixteen Candles. Don't get it, ask a woman)


• Rolls Royce - Corniche, Silver Spur (Big, squishy luxuriousness)


• Toyota - Supra, MR2 (I always loved the chunky 80's MR2 with all the bits glued on it)


• Triumph - TR8 (See MG, but with a V-8!)


• TVR - 280I (These are danged pretty, and rare!)


• Zimmer - Golden Spirit (See Excalibur)

Cheers!
Jody