I was looking through Keith Martin's Sports Car Market pocket price guide for this summer and was shocked at the low volume of non American collector cars manufactured .. which makes sense given their value and collectibility. Since most collector cars are not as new as the Fb they were not able to manufacture with modern efficiency but still hell of a precarious business model when you only make less than a thousand examples, or a hundred.

So I looked for cars that were made in similar numbers to the Fb to see how their values performed. Well, it looks like we'll have to wait another decade before values finally exceed original sticker prices if the BMW 2002,MGB and Datsun 510 stats are any indicator. Perhaps the upcoming Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach will give Fb prices a lift. They have a 1967 Mazda Cosmo which might reach a quarter of a million dollar sale figure.

 

Yep, I've always said rotaries (except for rare ones like the 60s COSMO) are a lot like LBCs
(MG, MGB, Sprites, Healeys etc), there were a lot made for a decade or so. I expect RXs to
appreciate along the same kind of timelines. Just shift the Rxs timeline forward about 10 - 20
years from what your seeing today for the LBCs.

 

interesting thanks for sharing

 

Not sure how it might affect things if at all, but one difference between our cars and the British sports cars from the 60s/70s is the predominate tendency to modify our cars. Adding body kits, swapping engines and mix & matching parts is not something you see a lot of on MGs and such.

Maybe its just generational differences but originality is valued much more and condition is king in the traditional collector circles. It will be interesting to see if future attitudes cling to this or evolve to accept modified cars more. I see built up Japanese cars to be maybe something like a hotrod only different. Might see a new "Tuner Car" trend emerge in the future world of collectable cars. Problem is, Japanese things by and large just appeal to a different pallet. Like Harleys and Japanese bikes attract different personalities, so it is in the car world as well.

If I was in the business like a Mecom auction or simillar, I'd think about adding one day to a current event, dedicated just for Japanese tin. It might help grow their business by promoting a whole new segment of collecting. Within that segment, you'd have divisions to include sedans, sports cars, original and modified cars just like it is now with American Iron Classics.

 

...and then we see a recent auction where a 69 datsun 1600 Fairlady vert pops off at some $57000+…and everyone goes crazy. I think the most likely trend, noting Banzai's thoughts, is to watch the fate of the original 70-73 datsun 240z. This is certainly the most popular of mainstream japanese "collector" sports cars. With the exceptions like the limited-edition 240's Nissan essentially RE-manufactured in the US a decade ago (to the tune of some $30k I think), the 240z's climb up the "collector" ladder has been pretty slow. Of course, there will always be exceptions. An 8000mi as-new 80 SA sold on the East Coast (dealer) last year for $21000. But these freaks-of-nature do not a trend make.

I think the now $1M+ price of Toyota 2000GTs and the climb of the Cosmo Sports onto the Collector radar can't help but drag the RX7 values along too, but it will be a long road. For now I am happy to think I could prob get something a bit North of what I paid for mine 10 yrs ago. As long as I don't stop and think of all the new Swag and sweat I put into her!

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

So the Gooding & Co auction at Pebble Beach this past weekend sold the Mazda Cosmo for $240,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

THAT will yank the RXs up a penny or 2…
!wow!
Will be curious to see if history repeats or that is a 1-time sale.
Thanks for the update. Expect I will be reading a LOT more about it in the Collector Car mags soon…

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

There was a buzz of J-Tin on the Monterey Peninsula this year. In addition to the Cozmo, (2) Toyota 2000 GT's sold for 1Mil ea. and Nissan Skyline GT-R for $242,000.