American Motors vehicles like a Javelin. They are a steal but won't be for too much longer once supplies of other vehicles run out or get into the absolute stratosphere as they become rarer and rarer/

I think the biggest is they only bothered with American Muscle.

There are numerous Import cult classics that retain their value just as well and are easy to afford, work on and insure. BMW 3 series, Mazda Miata, VW golf/gti, even some older Porsches.

@FooSchnickens: Huh?

The point is that these are older (no electronics!) cars that are easy to work on and that you can easily get parts for. You have to have an expensive automotive diagnostics computer to properly service a Miata, etc.

There are plenty of import classics, but you didn't list any of them. MG, Mini, older Volvos, many others. Always wanted a Sunbeam Tiger myself.

My dad had a few Triumphs when I was a child (a Spitfire and a TR4, I believe). They weren't expensive then, and I'm sure they still aren't that expensive nowadays, but they were a heck of a lot of fun to work on and drive...

I can only assume this is due to a coding error, or just plain oversight. I'll let it slide this time, but I seriously don't understand how one can leave my college ride - '91 taurus- off the list.

bellisimo.

So where can I get an old Mustang on the cheap? That's like my dream car.

Air-cooled VWs are all highly collectible. Restored ones sometimes go for silly money but a drivable Beetle or Karmann Ghia is not all that expensive. I don't particularly recommend a Bus unless you want a vehicle you can sleep in...the prices have gotten pretty steep, particularly for the early split-windshield ones, and they're really pretty awful to drive.

Here are some that aren't considered classics now, but I think they'll be regarded as such in the future:

- 1st-generation VW GTI. The original "hot hatchback." Still loads of fun to drive, too.

- VW Scirocco. Basically the same thing as the GTI, but with styling like a mini DeLorean (and done by the same design studio.) One of the best looking cars of the 1980s, IMHO.

- Datsun 240Z. This will always be the classic sports car profile for me -- long, low nose, raked-back windshield, fastback rear end. Rust-free ones are getting pretty scarce.

oh, man, now I want a Model T!

@David Brodbeck: Oh yeah, and the Dodge Omni GLH. Dodge's Carroll Shelby-tuned answer to the GTI. Probably hard to find a good one now -- an awful lot of them got abused, or turned into low-buck rally cars and crashed; they were kind of a disposable performance car, at the time.

BMW 2002, E30, E24, hell even a nice condition E31 or E30 M3, M635, are all under 25k. You can buy a LOT of collector car for under 25k, and as big of a fan as I am of current Ford / GM products, I really just don't care much for vintage American.

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I've known people who owned them. They seem like a lot of fun. Extremely simple, and designed so that anyone could repair them in the field, maybe with the help of the local blacksmith. There were no service stations in rural America in 1908.

@David Brodbeck: Oh yeah. The 240Z was my first favorite car...from the time I was 4yo until the look of them changed around '83. I always loved that look.

@nataku83: The E28 M5. One day I will possess one. It may have 250K miles on it, but I'll still have one.

@lpranal: LOL, you made me laugh out loud.

When I was a young professional just starting my career, these were our company cars. I got a speeding ticket in one while trying to catch a flight. The speedometer didn't go higher than 85, so I didn't know how fast I was going, but I had it floored. When I was stopped, the patrol officer said, "I clocked you at 87, and I think that's the LEAST you were doing."

(I don't do that anymore, BTW. Mostly, I just try not to fly anywhere now, which has made my life better in many ways. I avoid airport hassles that way, and my auto insurance premiums are much cheaper.)

@rpm773: That's a good one that slipped my mind. I love the look of the e24s so much that I was blinded. There was actually an '87 (I think) M6 on autotrader around here for about 13k w/ ~120k on it, but still too rich for my blood.

Careful on those muscle cars there, 'ol buddy. If the car was owned by a boy racer in its early life , and was abused/neglected , you would do much better to get a well cared for example that has been babied. No , it won't be cheap. But if you intend to drive it instead of work on it , a good investment. Repairs on a basket case could easily exceed the cars worth.

For you folks that noticed that the list only has U.S. cars, here's my two cents :

Bmw 2002- 1972-1976 - The two double o two was a small rocket . With a high revving 2 litre 4 cylinder engine and better handling than any american car of that era,this thing is a steal.

Mercedes 300CD - 1977-1980 - Rare 2 door Mercedes looks good and runs forever. Lots of old folks owned them new ,so getting one in good condition should be easy. Watch out for rust, though. (A widespread problem with german cars those years)

VW Beetle convertible Mid 1970's - Fun in the sun for less than $10,000? Yep. Beetles are a breeze to fix and parts are still being made. Noisy and slow , but lots of fun.

Honda 600 Coupe - 1970- 1972. First Honda car to hit these shores and very interesting to boot. 600 cc motorcycle engine made the thing go . Watch out for rusty examples - they are best used as parts cars.Make no mistake- they are tiny.

Subaru BRAT. 1977-1982 . Really hard to find one of these in prime condition because Subies run so trouble free and rack up incredible mileages before being junked. The BRAT was an early crossover vehicle that never really caught on. But, find a good one and everyone will notice you at car shows.

Renault LeCar. 1976- 1981 - French quirkyness and cute styling in one cheap package. These are usually found on somebody's "worst" list , but the numbers tell a different story. On the rare occaision that a clean,well kept one is for sale (especially with the large fabric sunroof) ,they don't last long.No better (and certainly no worse) than small U.S. cars of those days, you won't see yourself at every car show.

That list was clearly not put together by anyone with a real "beer budget".

The '69 Camaro and the 1st & 2nd Mustangs are the highest demand ones eras of both of those cars.

My personal suggestions:

60-65 Ford Falcon/Mercury Comet. You can get a 2 or 4 door nice driver for under $5,000. A nice 63-65 convertible will run you under $15,000. They share a chassis with the first generation Mustangs so upgrading suspension or drivetrains is pretty easy. These came in sedans, wagons, ranchero pickups, convertibles and vans.

1952-1964 Fords except Mustang/Thunderbird. These simply never had the popularity of their Chevy competitors and can be gotten for noticeably less than an equivalent Chevrolet.

1956 Chevrolet. If you have to have a "tri-5" Chevy, this model has always been less popular than the 55 or 57 and subsequently been cheaper. Shares enough with the other two to make parts sourcing easy.

1960-1964 Cadillac. If you want a land-yacht Cadillac for (not quite) dinghy money, these are for you. The '59 model gets all the press, but a '60 has about 90% of the excess for as much as half the cost. And the price slips further as they get newer.

@NightSteel: Craigslist. That's where I got my 66 Mustang, for a few thousand dollars, from a 16-year-old who had rebuilt the car as a project with his dad and suddenly needed a big truck. Usual Craigslist caveats apply, of course. Look for a smaller straight-six engine, which will get better gas mileage. Many already have had their motors and transmissions rebuilt once, and now people are looking to unload them because of tough times. I also got a 73 Charger this way a few months ago, a slant six with only 21K miles on it that gets decent gas mileage.

I love my '66 AMC Rambler. It's boxy and it's ugly, but it attracts people who remember them (above 50 or so) and people who have to stop and ask "what the heck is that?" (everybody under 50).

@lpranal:

Well, if it's an SHO...

@Pixel: Oh man, I love the Ford Falcon. That is a beautiful car.

My father has a 72 Lincoln Mark IV. Almost showroom condition, California yellow with white leather interior. Rides nice and smooth but only gets around 8 mile/gallon. He never drives it unfortunately and is looking to sell it. Neat car though.
One thing to look for is poorly done body work that consists of bondo and a maaco paint job. Seen a few of those.

Apparently the "experts" don't understand the reasoning behind fixing up a classic car as opposed to buying it in perfect condition. It would seem the experts don't read Jalopnik.

@chucklebuck: I have a '62 Comet, it's my baby.

[www.blert.net]

@Powerlurker: x2. The SHO versions could really move.

@jumpo64: Even if you're going to fix it up, it still makes sense to buy the best of whatever you are looking for, even if that means the best project car.

I speak from experience having spent only $425 on my '62 Comet, but then spent *far* more fixing past mistakes than I would have to buy a less hacked up project car.

@David Brodbeck: Classic Mini Coopers are also fun to work on... though they can be hard to find.

@jumpo64: It really depends on what you want the car for. If it's for your own enjoyment, fix it up. If it's as an "investment," it's a usually bad idea to buy a fixer-upper unless you really know what you're doing and plan on doing the work yourself. Most people who do restorations never get back out of the car what they put into it, mostly because of the huge labor costs involved in body work.

@NightSteel: [countryclassiccars.com] is my source... for drooling over old cars. I've unfortunately never bought from them but they always have tons of cool old cars and trucks at seemingly pretty good prices. Being as there a simple hop skip and a jump away from me in IL doesn't hurt either.

@Pixel: Yup. On the other hand, if you're not looking for a show car and just want something to drive around in, buying a $400 beater, fixing it up mechanically, and leaving the body in a state of "original sin" can also be a lot of fun. There's a certain freedom in having a car where you can shrug off stone chips and parking lot dings.

this list seems to highlight the cars that tend to be at the top of most lists for true american classics, minus the 55-57 chevy, 59 caddie and 40 ford. they also fetch far more than a lot of lesser known/less desireable cars of their eras...one could get something just as fun as any one of these for $5-10k less with a quick automotive history lesson...

the '69 camaro is the camaro, pick any other year and you'll probably save some money. or a firebird.

the chevelle is a sweet choice, but go with a pontiac tempest or a chevy nova and you've basically got the same damn car.

same goes for just about everything else on the list, there are cheaper alternatives that may not command the same attention as a '66 mustang gt500, but they're still fun as hell to drive and won't cause a panic if some stickyfingered kid gets too close to breathing on the paint.

station wagons and 4-doors are a great way to step into the classic car world without breaking the bank as well

@BridgetSacratomato: specially when you get the Lucas out.

@David Brodbeck: If you're not going to work on the car yourself, I don't think it makes sense to buy a vintage vehicle, unless you're fairly loaded. Sure, they're fun, but they generally require you to actually have some idea of what's going on under the hood. Especially with older Euro cars, your garden variety mechanic may not be able to make normal repairs, either (at least not without butchering the car).

@Snarkysnake: I couldn't agree with your list more. My husband & I snagged a 77 VW Beetle Convertible - it's even a limited "champagne" edition - for a steal last summer. One of our neighbors had bought it off the showroom floor in 77 and it only had (i still cant' believe this) 30k on it. It had been sitting in her garage for years. My husband is a VW fanatic and when she moved she wanted it to go to a good home, so we totally lucked out. I have to say it's been a great hobby investment and normally I would have wanted an american classic if i'd had a choice, but this was an opportunity i couldn't pass up. I'd say we've put maybe $200 into getting it back up to speed and we take it for drives with the top down every weekend.

The M35. Not just a collector's item, but practical as it can run on all sorts of fuels so is the perfect vehicle for the upcoming apocalypse:

@nataku83: Yeah, those old E24 M6s are a close 2nd to the E28 M5s for me. Both exhibited that classic BMW look when i think it was at its height.

There's a guy around here who runs a Euro-spec M5 that I've seen from time to time. This might be heresy among the enthusiasts, but I actually like the look of the big-bumpered American specimens better.

@uncle moe: The thing with station wagons is that it can be quite hard to find part for them.

@Snarkysnake:

I had a LeCar and it was a lot of fun! Of course, I have a thing for quirky cars, but I liked it and it was a decent car with an exceptional ride, which French cars are known for.

@nataku83: I definitely agree. A vintage car will bleed you dry if you have to go to a mechanic for every little thing.

For my money I'd say the 1970-71 Chevy Nova. Someone else commented that it was very similar to the Chevelle, just smaller engine and smaller size overall. Here in the Midwest you can get one in great condition for around 5-7000 grand, assuming you don't want a SS or any crate motors dropped in.

Stay away from the mid-70s models, those models had terrible engines, and they re-did the body and it looked terrible. that and be sure to stay away from the 4-door model and that terrible Chevy-Toyota Nova that came out for one year in the 80s.

@NightSteel: Check your local listings - cars.com, craigslist, etc.

Unless you are good at spotting bondo, painted over rust, and frame irregularities, I'd recommend taking it to a mechanic for an inspection. The early mustangs were notorious about not giving water "a place to go", so that unibody might crack in two the first time you jack it up.

@Snarkysnake: Abuse of a car is not restricted to american muscle. Neutral slams, power braking, and jumping train tracks work on imports, too.

It's true of any car - if you can't go over it yourself with a high degree of confidence, take it to a mechanic before you buy it.

If you're buying an older american sports car, you can easily determine parts availability by seeing if there's a model-specific catalog for it from places like Paddock, Year One, etc. Want parts for your Chrysler A, B, or E-body? No problem. C-body? Good luck.

Any Mustang outside of 1974-1978? You've got parts. Want a pocket racer 1976 Mustang II? Ouch.

@Powerlurker: x3. Had a buddy that used to drag race in a modified SHO. The looks on the faces of some of the people he beat was priceless.

call me old school (or retro) but i suggest a Delorean. a Dodge Daytona, Gran Torino, Trans AM, Mercury Cougar Eliminator, etc.

either way, just remember it is WAY cheaper to keep an "older" car, than let's say a Hybrid.

-dave

MGs are good collectors too, fairly cheap, pretty easy to work on. Lots of parts available. lots of cars available.

@David Brodbeck: You also have to know how to drive it properly. For example, a vintage Jag with a carbon block throwout bearing and non-constant mesh transmission with poor quality synchros means that if you ride the clutch pedal rather than putting it in neutral, you will destroy your throwout bearing, and if you don't double clutch and time your shifts properly, you will destroy your gearbox.

@militarydave: I'm not completely sure that's true for vintage cars, unless you fix it yourself. Older cars needed a lot more maintenance even when they were new than cars do now, and with shop labor rates running $70 or more per hour that adds up fast.

My Dad restores classic cars. We've had a few over the years, the youngest was a '69 Mustang (my favorite of the Mustang body styles).

You can't expect them to drive like cars today. Expect no air conditioning, no power steering, and disc brakes. Nothing wrong with these things, but they take some getting used to. Driving the Mustang through a parking garage in the summer is a workout.

Also be aware of the car's history. Simple location can be the difference between a sound body and one that's falling apart. A car exposed to road salts every winter will have much more rust than one from a warmer climate. In the South, its easy to find an old Mustang in pretty good condition, we rarely get snow at all. They don't last that long in areas that see more snow.

I love the old ones, but some people buy without realizing what they're in for. For example, I'd never pick one for a teenager just learning to drive.

@David Brodbeck: The Datsun cars were a blast, I had a 75' 280z which was the first year for fuel injection and it was a HOOT to drive. Look out 5 0 Mustangs!!!

Datsun 240z, 260z, 280z, anyhting prior to to 79'

Also the Datsun 510 was a great car to drive.