SteveNC

I think I'm going to sell my RX-7 and was looking at the values on Hagerty in the event that I need it to sit for a while with minimal insurance on it and noticed that the prices have really gone up since I last checked. It actually looks like they have gone up mostly this year between May and September. Has anyone bought or sold their SA or FB recently, and if so are you finding that the values are finally going up?

https://www.hagerty.com/apps/valuationtools/

Richard Miller

OK, what happened between September '14 and '15?

7aull

iTrader: (2)

Better Q - what happened btw Jan-May 2018
"GOOD" SAs DOUBLED from $4400 to 8800?
100%.
In FIVE months?? Man. Ferrari's would KILL for that kind of investment return ;D
Have mine at Hagertys for $7500. Hmmm. And its 1mo old policy. Time to review methinks....
Thanks for the Post!!

Stu Aull
80GS
AK>AZ

SteveNC

The threat of tariffs is impacting all used cars as it drives up the cost of new cars, creating a larger delta between new and used. But for vehicles as old as ours, it is officially in the old category at 35+ years now and as most of us who grew up admiring these on dealer lots now have the disposable income to afford one and restore it. Some vehicles do appreciate very fast, but they can also fall fast. Watch Jay Leno's Garage and they usually do a comparison of a few vehicles.

Anyway, I don't think Hagerty's prices are a fluke - NADA Classic Values are up too from the last time I checked when I was shopping insurance. Unfortunately I didn't save a PDF. I have an email from my agent in Feb 2018 stating that NADA had the base RX-7 valued at "about $8000" (he was referencing an 84 GS, mine is an '83 GS. Currently NADA is showing the 84 at $9900 for average retail.
https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/1983/Mazda/RX7/
Just change out the year to skip the questions....

peejay

omg that is bull my buddy bought a mint '79 for $200 twenty years ago and all it needed was an engine and a new floor and some interior work

Interestingly, they only list "Base" for '81 and '84. Somehow I think my '81 is not worth $7900, given that the PO had been trying to sell it forever at $500 and failed. On the other hand it is not stock, which destroys value, and it was inoperative.

Sad to see RX-3s are not even on the radar.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

Fixed!

[img] indiana jones with staff of ra[/img]

peejay

Trust me, it doesn't belong in a museum.

Richard Miller

#3 vehicles could possess some, but not all of the issues of a #4 vehicle, but they will be balanced by other factors such as a fresh paint job or a new, correct interior where applicable. #3 vehicles drive and run well, but might have some incorrect parts. These vehicles are not used for daily transportation but are ready for a long tour without excuses, and the casual passerby will not find any visual flaws. "Good" is the one word description of a #3 vehicle.

My issue is according to Haggerty, even the highest quality 13B swap, would demote the car to a #3. Racing Beat gear? #3.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

Keep an eye on things with bringatrailer.

https://bringatrailer.com/mazda/rx-7/

peejay

That is because modified cars are worth less than the sum of their parts.

Cars are only original once.

Think of all the people who just GOTTA REMOVE TEH RATS NEST OMG. And think of how few all original cars remain. Those all original ones are the valuable ones, not the ones all hacked up, well-meaning or not.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

I've personally spoke with some large private collectors and they have lots of cool cars like datsun Zs, cobras etc. One thing they have in common is they are starting to move away from big american iron (gtos, mustangs etc) and into foreign cars and one guy specifically told me he was on the hunt for collectible rx7s from the 80s on. This guy has no problem at these prices we are seeing today and snapping up 5 or 10 cars that are pristine. This is what has started to happen.

I asked him to hold off until I could get a second SA, LOL!

peejay

If you want sick look at what early Miatas are starting to bring. $5000-10,000 for a clean unmolested '90.

And they made more of those, and they are newer so they should be easier to find.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i think an RB muffler, would actually be viewed as correct (and its practically the only thing you can get).

13B swap is debatable, i know a guy who built a 13B from 12A irons, and GSL-SE rotor housings, and then ran a JDM 13B intake, and nikki. its a 13B swap, but it actually kept the emissions and such (even the shutter valve, we're in CA). this would go over easier than the FD engine where they polished the oil pan...

Richard Miller

peejay

See, the thing is, if you retromod an early Mustang, you have a $20k car. If you have an all original early Mustang, you have a $60k+ car.

Ths summer I got to drive a mostly unmolested K-code '65. Aside from the Holley carb replacing the Autolite 4100, and electronic ignition replacing the stock dual-point distributor, it was all original. It was very nerve-wracking to think that, if not for the wrong carb and ignition, the car I was driving on PUBLIC ROADS with OTHER PEOPLE was worth more than, say, my house. But, man, that wrong carb just destroyed the value. As it was I think the guy was selling it for $45k but I try NOT to think of these things!

This is a lot of why the $20k reproduction bodyshells are so popular for restomods, nowadays. Anything left today is either so original that it's way too valuable to hack up, or so far gone that it would cost more to bring it up to spec than just spending the $20k, you have to replace everything anyway and this way you aren't also doing a bunch of bodywork aside from seam-smoothing and painting.

What interests ME is the availability of Ford Escort MkII shells for roughly $7k. I heard a few years ago that people were spending the equivalent of $20-25k for show cars so they could hack them up into rally cars, because all of the "common" Escorts were long gone. (On the other hand, a properly built Escort is worth in the $150-200k range even without provenance)

lwrobins

What do 60s and 70s pedestrian Fords have to due with an innovative 80s Japanese rotary sports car?

peejay

I hate to break it to you but the RX-7 is a 1970s car and not terribly innovative.

Mechanically it is a '60 Falcon with struts instead of upper control arms, and a somewhat poorly engineered 4 link suspension instead of leaves. It shared a lot with the RX-3.

Richard Miller

as for the rx2:

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...-readers-picks

rxtasy3

iTrader: (2)

NSU Wankel Spider made the list, near the bottom of that page

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

pretty much anything collectable follows the same rules. your uncle owen figure is worth big bucks if its in the packaging still...

midnight mechanic

the 60 falcon had no back up lights , had a small inline six that had so go to 2nd gear when it hit a hill, and 3 speeds, and reverse on the steering column, had starting problems while being only 5 years old, no radio, no a/c, no separation of front and back brake fluid, no review mirror, bench seats, no over flow radiator tank. Even though I was ten at that time, I knew it was a **** box

peejay

That was also all standard equipment in 1960.

The RX-7's suspension is the same Tinkertoys, minus the upper control arms but retaining the unitized steering box and column. One thing the RX-7 also had was points ignition that required adjustment/replacement every 3-5000 miles, while everyone else went electronic a long time earlier (starting in late 1960s and almost complete by 1974).

The really interesting thing is the RX-3... it is practically identical to a '68 Escort except it has a recirc ball steering instead of rack and pinion. Dang engine got in the way.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

And remember folks, Ford had a hefty stake in Mazda which started in 74 and held 24+ percent of the company in 79. Coincidence, I think not.

midnight mechanic

>>while everyone else went electronic a long time earlier (starting in late 1960s and almost complete by 1974)<< then why did my 1975 porsche 914 have points ignition.

lwrobins

I bought my 1st gen because I like it. Its modified, 100hp is not enough for me! And with the 13b Its like a motorcycle on 4 wheels... I take care of it and try to preserve it as best as possible. Just icing on the cake to see the values now increasing.