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'70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors?

67 messages,  Last post on Feb 06, 2012 at 6:06 PM

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Messages Page 5 of 7

#38 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [hpmctorque] by martian

Jan 28, 2012 (4:47 pm)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Dec 14, 2007 3:48 pm)
I agree with your analysis-here in New England, it is very rare to see a '70's Japanese car-rust has consumed them. You don't see them in junkyards either-for the same reason.
I hought a new Mitsubishi in 1985-in three years I had perforation-in five years, most of the hood was rusted.

#39 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [martian] by hpmctorque

Jan 29, 2012 (2:46 pm)

Replying to: martian (Jan 28, 2012 4:47 pm)
True, but there must be a decent number of '70s and '80s Japanese cars left in areas where rust isn't a significant problem. They were imported in large numbers and many were well made.

#40 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [hpmctorque] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 29, 2012 (5:54 pm)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Jan 29, 2012 2:46 pm)
I rarely see them even in California, where I'm sure a lot of them ended up and where cars do not deteriorate quickly. I will see a few 80s beater Toyota pickups in San Francisco, and the occasional restored Z car or Fair Lady, and maybe once a month an old RX-7, but that's about it....a handful per month (and i drive around a lot). I haven't seen a 510, RX3 or Subaru FF1 in ages.
 
What I do see a lot of is 70s/80a domestic pickups and vans and for some reason, a lot of beater Cadillacs.

#41 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [Mr_Shiftright] by texases

Jan 29, 2012 (6:19 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 29, 2012 5:54 pm)
Same in Dallas, it's extremely uncommon to see one of these, while I'll see Detroit iron about one a week of this age.

#42 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [Mr_Shiftright] by fintail

Jan 29, 2012 (6:44 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 29, 2012 5:54 pm)
Here in the PNW where cars are kept forever, it's the same. I see a lot of 80s Japanese metal, but 70s stuff is long gone. I think Japan had a real quality jump starting in the early 80s. Trucks are the same - 80s models aren't extremely rare, but 70s ones are pretty much gone.
 
I do see a 78-81 Celica in the area now and then, and a Datsun 810 wagon, but none others come to mind. Oh, there's an early Civic parked on the street near where the fintail is stored.
 
Old Euro and American cars are still very common here.

#43 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [fintail] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 29, 2012 (7:06 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 29, 2012 6:44 pm)
80s Euro cars are a dime a dozen where I live...mostly I see Benzes, 7 series BMWs (back when the 735 was around---a *great* car) , some 325s, (mostly convertibles) a smattering of 320i and 2002s. Most 80s VWs and Audis have now littered the landscape. Here and there an old VW bug (saw one today in fact) and yes, the diehard VW van or pickup resting in someone's driveway.

#44 of 67 Re: '70s and '80s Japanese Cars: Too Practical For Collectors? (mbzguy1) [Mr_Shiftright] by fintail

Jan 29, 2012 (7:16 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 29, 2012 7:06 pm)
I see 123s and 124s and 126s pretty much daily. Lots of BMW E30 still around, too. A few old Beetles still hanging around, but few other VWs before the 90s. Pre late 90s Audis are very rare, only driven by enthusiasts who can keep them running.
 
For the Japanese, quite a few first gen Camry and pop up headlight Accords in the area.

#45 of 67 Article In NY Times Online... by hpmctorque

Feb 04, 2012 (9:14 am)

...under "Automobiles" (in bottom left of front page) entitled "Collecting: Revenge of the Econobox: Early Japanese Imports Find Admirers"
 
Interesting read, with photos. Collecting Japanese cars is gaining traction, as was bound to happen. With very rare exceptions, it's a cheap way to get in the game.
 
My '88 300 ZX 2+2 manual with T-top is my alternate daily driver. I'm the second owner, and, with 193,000 miles, it's been very low maintenance. Hardly a month goes by that someone doesn't approach me to buy it. I'll keep it as long as it's fun to own, and remains relatively low maintenance. I have no illusions that it'll ever be worth anything, but it should hold what little market value it has; maybe $1,800-$2,800 [on a good day] in a sale by owner. I maintain it, but it's probably a 3.
 
If I had had the space I would have kept the '87 3-Series that I sold in Spring 2010 to make room for my wife's '07 A4 Quattro 2.0T. The A4 drives and handles really well, but I'm wandering far from the topic of collectible Japanese cars.

#46 of 67 Re: Article In NY Times Online... [hpmctorque] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Feb 04, 2012 (11:18 am)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Feb 04, 2012 9:14 am)
Thanks for that post.
 
here's the link to the NY times article:
 
REVENGE OF THE ECONOBOX
 
Still, if the prices don't start going up along with the "collector" enthusiasm, then the survivors won't survive too much longer.
 
Consider how many vintage American makes that once thrived are now down to a handful of survivors, for this very reason. Their value did not justify their restoration.

#47 of 67 Re: Article In NY Times Online... [Mr_Shiftright] by fintail

Feb 04, 2012 (12:13 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 04, 2012 11:18 am)
I see the curiosity value in the cars, some of them are cool or kitschy, but the big collectible boom hasn't hit yet - cars like 2000GT and similar are freaky outliers compared to a 1977 Corolla or 1975 610. There's a butt for every seat - Yugos have fanatics even, so some will seek these cars, but I don't know if it will be as wild as others. Like you say, the survivors should hope they have caring owners - might be a couple decades off yet before there is a big preservation movement.

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