4dr Classics whether they are cool or not.

[Impala Crazy]

I have often read or heard an argument whether 4dr classics are of lesser value or not as cool as 2drs.The below article by 'Mystarcollectorcar" poses some interesting arguments.Your comments please!!!





"DEFENSE OF 2 MORE DOORS:THE 4 DOOR SEDAN-A REASONABLE CAR INVESTMENT?
At mystarcollectorcar.com we like to embrace the “average car guy” concept because of simple math-90% of the owners we talk to are average guys with a house, a mortgage, kids and a spouse with many, many questions.
Everything is done under the microscope of a budget and the underlying theme is this-old cars aren’t priorities.
These are all things that work against the hobby but as most guys will tell you-there are worse habits. Crack cocaine springs to mind.
Even in a budget-controlled world like the old car hobby, you find one common theme-four door sedans are treated like poison ivy.
A lot of respectable car guys see these “more” door cars are automotive lepers, fit only for demolition derbies, parts or a future as a victim at a monster truck rally. We don't...
That attitude is wrong. Criminally wrong.
We found a good example from an auction last year in the spring of 2009.It was a 1964 Pontiac Catalina 4 door sedan and it sold for 4300 bucks.

This was a 389 4 barrel, PS, PB, Hydramatic, dual exhaust, well documented (build sheet and PHS documentation) survivor.
It had original paint, fairly low mileage and showed typical, but not excessive wear and tear.
4300 bucks? Simply because it had two more doors. This old Poncho is a 330 horsepower well maintained sleeper-it will ambush a new Honda like a lion on a young zebra and it was dismissed for just over 4 grand.
Unlike its GTO cousin this Pontiac wasn’t bagged on from day one by some punk with a minimum down payment-it was most likely bought by an older family guy who wanted a decent passing gear.
The fact that the Catalina had all the documentation proves that the previous owner(s) cared about details on the car-likely maintenance was a priority.
And this 330 horsepower 389 cubic inch vintage Catalina went for 4 grand?Because it had 2 extra doors?
Here’s a car that’s a minimal investment, it’s got room for the kids and it’ll loaf at 75 miles per hour on the highway.
You’ll very likely be the only guy with a 4 door Catalina at most shows and best of all-you enter the old car fraternity for a minimal investment.

Should the old Pontiac become a casualty of economics, no problem-you’ve only got 4 grand in it. If you didn’t treat it like a kid brother and hand it a regular cuff in the head-you’re going to recoup most, if not all of your investment in your 64 Pontiac.
How's your real estate done over the last 2 years?
Simple economic lesson-don’t skip by the 4 door sedans-they are far rarer and cost a fraction of of their more glamorous siblings with fewer doors and no roof.

Want proof? Park that “more door” Catalina in the middle of twelve 64 GTOs at a show and see where the spectators linger the longest.
Simple answer-Dad never drove a GTO back in the 60s.
Old cars are all about nostalgia.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY
NEWSLETTER"

[woblzdesign]

good letter, the thing about SA is that we got alot of 4 door classics around, they already command a high price, prices of fairlanes for example have shot up x3 the price they where a few years ago.

[FairmontGT]

Fairlanes are still very affordable though compared to any US 2 door muscle - affordable enough to drive around in without being to scared to enjoy it because of the amount of money it cost you.

I think 4 door cars like the Fairlanes are the "real" muscle cars of today, because they can be owned and enjoyed by average people, like the 2 door US varieties were owned by average people in the 60s.

[Bearhawke]

Probably the biggest reason that 2 doors from the 1950's-70's are still more popular were because they were perceived as being 'young man's' cars whereas the 4 doors were 'grannymobiles'. Note that clearly does not apply to our 1994-96 Chevy Impala SS or the Falcon/Fairmont GT sedans sold in Australia/NZ or RSA, respectively. The above were 4 doors only except for a few Falcon coupes in some years in Oz.

[Johann65]

There are some local 4dr RHD classics that command a good price like the Fairmont GT, MkI Cortina GT. What happened to the Dodge Polaris? I think the local market is different from the US market. What is important locally is the number of real local classics built and the number that are still around. For example if there are only a few still around, then it becomes a collectors item. The 65 Chevelle Malibu, only about 50 RHD's were built with only one left. I am getting worried about the large amount of South African classics that are heading to OZ. How many Fairmont GT's are still around? It is becoming an endangered species. That is why we have few real African Muscle cars and a lot of imported muscle cars that is not really my scene.

[woblzdesign]

also what ever happend to all the 4dr valiants, dont see much around these days in sa, would make a nice muscle car.

[Bearhawke]

also what ever happend to all the 4dr valiants, dont see much around these days in sa, would make a nice muscle car.

Good question in light of quite a few 1960's Chevy Impalas, Compact Fairlanes and other sedans still extant in RSA. Unless the fact that all of your Mopar A bodies were 225 Slant Six only whereas the previous vehicles all had inexpensive V8 options.

[zahistorics]

Yes, cool.

Lino has rightly been on about this for some time. Because everyone is focused on V8, GT etc models the cooking models are neglected and are now disappearing fast.

The market has not yet grasped this so go out and grab a bargain. You don't even have to spend bucks on putting in a V8, straight sixes are becoming cool again too.

[Insomnia]

I think they are cool.
And you can get Muscle Car performance out of them.

In a South African context the Farlaines/Fairmonts. Chev Kommando and Valiants are a perfect example.

[woblzdesign]

another thing that caused the demise of the straight 6, is that locally people would rather drop in a used v8, than actually research and mod the 6's. people can say otherwise but you dont even see worked and refined inline 6s on this very forum.