Worth Buying An Old Holden As An Investment?

[Pickles]

Problem is if I did buy one what I'd really love is an EH (my first car in 1972) or HR but a good one is way out of my price range. Also, given my medical condition I can only drive automatics now, so even though I know from experience a grey motor with hydramatic wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding it's my only real choice. One Christmas holidays down at Ocean Grove where my family always spent their holidays as I was growing up, a mate had his mum's EJ wagon automatic and with 4 of us in it it really struggled to get up the hill from the foreshore to city centre.

Bottom line is it's only because it's someone I know and trust who's selling it for a valid reason that I'm even contemplating it. I need something which needs absolutely no work.

Well, if you know the owner, & the background/history to the car, then I suppose that puts a different light on it, but if you are doing this for purely monetary reasons, I would say that there are better ways of investing your hard earned.
Pickles.

[Wonky]

Yes Pickles, when I started contemplating this I probably over emphasized the investment part of things. I would like a piece of Aussie motoring history even though it's not one of my favourite models (which would be too expensive for me) but am also concerned longer term about at least not losing money on it and hopefully gaining as they become rarer. Obviously the need for a quick sale would bring a loss but hopefully wouldn't be in such a situation.

[whitels1ss]

Hey Gary, have you seen what you can buy in a Camaro or Corvette for around the same money?

I would much rather drive a $35,000 350 cubic inch engined Corvette than a $35,000 138 cubic inch engined EK Holden.

[Wonky]

Very true but who knows what hidden work it needs.

[whitels1ss]

Very true but who knows what hidden work it needs.

If you like the car, get someone like Chev to look at it for you.

Same with buying any old car but at least the old small block chev stuff is cheap, reliable & easy to sort out any problems.

[Wonky]

What I would have loved was the 68 Camaro (RHD 327 or 350 - can't remember which now, Muncie etc) my brother had and was just starting to restore when he was killed in an accident in his semi in 1993. Eventually got around to selling it a few years later (1996?), problem being it was in hundreds of bits and nobody was sure what was missing or not. AFAIK it had no rust anywhere but we eventually virtually gave it away ($6k from memory).

Problem was I'd been diagnosed with a form of MND in 1993 and was already struggling with certain things and we had NFI what my future held. It was also well before I got back into the car scene and it was going to be a huge job! Impossible for me to even consider.

Came across it only a year or two ago, via FB. Long story but it was sold on again to someone who had a connection with my brother when the guy who bought it from us went to sell it (still in bits I believe). Now restored it and has a 454.

Camaro 3.jpgCamaro 2.jpg

[whitels1ss]

Well then, something like that could be perfect for you Gary

[Wonky]

a) if only he'd sell it and
b) manual so I can't drive it. Had to hand in my heavy truck/bus licence 25 years ago.

[whitels1ss]

Buy something similar in automatic then Gary.

[Wonky]

I totally understand where you're coming from Ed but then I'm back in the problem of potentially buying a money pit. That was the appealing thing with the EK - basically nothing needed.

[whitels1ss]

A nice tidy car with a small block chev motor should not be a money pit, especially if you get it checked out properly before you buy it.

Obviously, all the same classic car rego & other club perks apply with the age of the car.

(Not sure about the exacts over there but here it is under $100 per year for car club classic car registration if the car is 30 years old plus.)

[whitels1ss]

Saw this today at a Corvette club show & shine

For sale with a quite reasonable price tag

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It wasn't perfect but still looked very respectable & very drivable as it sits...

I reckon it would be much better value than an FB Holden

[Pickles]

Saw this today at a Corvette club show & shine

For sale with a quite reasonable price tag

20200209_113312.jpg
20200209_113322.jpg
20200209_113330.jpg

It wasn't perfect but still looked very respectable & very drivable as it sits...

I reckon it would be much better value than an FB Holden

Agree. Can't tell much about any car from a color image, but it does look straight & tidy. 350?...How many dollars?
Pickles.

[SASLS1]

That Corvette looks to be a 1974, with the split rear plastic bumper.

The Chrome bumper C3 1968 to 1973 are a lot more desirable and demand more money, than 1974 to 1982 C3's.

1973 was the last of the chrome bumper Corvettes on the rear, and introduced a plastic bumper on the front for the first time.

Rear ends of 1968 to 1973 look heaps more tough / aggressive, than the soft looking from 1974 onwards Corvettes IMO.

1974 to 1982 C3's are the least desirable Corvettes... but the most affordable to buy due to less people wanting those models.

I'd much rather be cruising around in a Corvette / Camaro than an really early Holden as Whitels1ss mentioned, 100% agree on the one.

Large OEM wheels / brakes / engines in Corvette's compared to early Holdens.

Small block or big block can be nice and reliable.

Find a nice looked after car, it won't be a money pit.

Find a cheap rundown car, it will definitively be a money pit.

A chrome bumper Corvette 1953 to 1973 will always increase more in value over time than a 1974 to 1982 C3 Corvette ever will as an investment IMO...

1967 to 1969 Camaro's are the most desirable, with 1969 being the best looking Camaro ever IMO..

That's my 2 cents...

[SASLS1]

Super clean stunning... 1969 big block camaro...