A 1969 ZL1 sold for 7500ish. Thats $68k today. That's a BMW M2.
What happened to the bargain hot rods?
- Thread starter grampi
- Start date
Do you deny such mandates impact the price of automobiles?
Another and larger contributor is loose fiscal policy, devaluing the dollar.
Using your example of a $15k 1986 Buick Regal T-Type purchased in July 1986; according to the CPI calculator would cost $44,493.15 today.
Add in the cost of mandates, [and subtracting for modern efficiency/productivity improvements (to lower the COGS) from automation and outsourcing], and we’re easily at $50k.
There are still modern sleeper bargains to be had, and such modern sleepers typically exceed the performance, safety, and comfort of elite performance cars from the mid-1980’s.
Yeah, a 2-3 year old Tesla Model S Plaid. It runs 9's@140+ and costs $50k-ish. Or about $18k-ish or so in 1987 dollars. Find me ANY car running 9's in the 1980's on the street on an all-season tire.
As an owner of a '25 Model S Plaid, I agree. While it can get off the line better than our sportscars on an un-prepped road, it is booooooooooooring in comparison to them. To say nothing of the Sportbikes.
Why? Because it isnt loud?
So much for that Buick GN a few posts ago, then. Shame for the 2JZ Supra. RIP Nissan GTR...
Patman
Staff member
Hot rods come in all forms. What about the V6 Turbo Grand National and T Type for example? Not a V8 but they sure have made a massive impact in the drag racing world. There have been a lot of turbo 4 cylinders out there as well that qualify. To me, anything that is fast can be a hot rod. I would absolutely love to drive a low 9 second car, no matter what it is powered by. Sound isn’t everything.
Put it this way, would you rather go to the dragstrip with a bone stock 60s era V8 muscle car that runs low 14s
or with a low 9 second EV 
I’ll take the low 9 second EV please. (That being said, in an ideal world I would own a McLaren 765LT though, they run low 9s bone stock) 
