Defining the price or value of a collectible car such as a Muscle Car is easy, it is the highest price that a buyer is willing to pay. Determining that exact dollar amount is difficult. This guide will help you determine what price you should expect to pay for (or receive if selling) a muscle car.
1. Printed Price Guides
The first place to look are printed price guides. There are a number of price guides available at your local bookstore. Unfortunately, traditional price guides such as Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com only have prices for vehicles newer than 1979. Since we are looking for muscle car values, we need to look at more specific sources. Here are a few good printed price guides:
“Standard Guide to Cars & Prices: Prices for Collector Vehicles 1901-1990” by James T. Lenzke/ Ken Buttolph
“Ultimate Collector Car Price Guide 1900-1990” by the editors of Cars and Parts Magazine.
Both are available at your local bookstore and are usually updated annually. But since Muscle Cars and other collectible cars usually fluctuate in value, you may prefer to use several on-line sources.
2. On-Line Price Guides
The Gold Book.
Collector Car and Truck (also available as a magazine at the bookstore).
Popular Mechanics Muscle Car Price Guide.
Hemmings & CPI (Cars of Particular Interest).
Barrett Jackson Price Guide.
NADA Guides.
3. Comparable Vehicles
The other way to value a vehicle is to look at what similar vehicles have sold for. The best place to look for this type of information is at a national marketplace. Try the following: