Question for the over 60 years old and older members.

[JerseyMonte]

Originally Posted by C377

I would like to ask you what is the difference you see now in terms of pricing to income ratio comparing when the first Camaro came out and today's 5th generation.

If I am not mistaken, I have seen post where it is said that the price was around 2K$. How much money were people earning back then.

Let's say that a 46k a year salary, can net you now 2600$ average then you would need about 13.8 months to get an SS today.

How was it back then?

Thank you

Bought a new 72 Z28 in the fall of 71 ,it cost 4200.00
it was equiped with auto trans [TH 400] 3:73 gear
autumn gold /white stripes and interior
If I remember I was making about 11 or 12 k per year
as an auto mechanic.
I sold my 67 SS/RS 350 4 speed for 1900 dollars I purchased it
used for 2300 in 69. 65 GTO 3,200 new
63 Impala SS 2,700 new [409]
80 Blazer fully loaded 12,500
The cost to income ratio was much better then than it is now
The cost of the 2010 was about 60% of my last annual salary.
I'm retired now

[427 Fred]

My first camaro was a 1971. I don't remember the cost, however It took three years to pay it off. I was working construction and was making about $12.00 dollars per hour. I am now self employed (manufacturing) and payed cash. Took about a week to save up for it. Trully blessed!

64 and still having fun

[ROD1]

I could only imagine what it would cost to make a 60s Camaro in this day and age. $$$,$$$ .

[MikesZ]

Originally Posted by myold88

I graduated high school in 1961. Summers 1959, 1960, I worked at a Pontiac dealer's parts/ser dept for about $70.00 a week. Went there full time in '61 for about the same money. 1963, 64 and 65 I was with a Chevy dealer and I never made over $100.00 a week. My first new car was a fully loaded '64 Chevy SS conv I paid $3200.00 for out the door. In 1967 I got a "good" job with a major insurance co as a outside claim rep (with co car-wow !). My starting salary was $101.00 a week. The family's new loaded 1969 Camaro was less than $3000.00.
As mentioned above the main difference between now and the 50's and 60's is taxes and government intrusion. Wives and mothers didn't have to work to pay taxes. I could go on and on about growing up in the 50's and 60's but those truely were the good old days.
PS: In 1957 my dad bought our house in an upscale L.I. N.Y. town for $18,000.00. When he passed 2 years ago we sold it for $850.000. I'll leave the math up to you guys.

I was going to say my parents bought their first home in 1963 for 11K.

[LOWDOWN]

Originally Posted by ROD1

I could only imagine what it would cost to make a 60s Camaro in this day and age. $$$,$$$ .

Curiously, you can...

Dynacorn "body in white" ($13,995), and mail-order EVERYTHING else...

The "traditional" factor for building an OEM New car from parts is approx. 5 to 6X the finished product. And GM PP's BIW lists for $7,700, a bargain compared to the "classic". 'Course, NO computers/air bags to buy for the '69...

[DC-SS]

Originally Posted by LOWDOWN

Curiously, you can...

Dynacorn "body in white" ($13,995), and mail-order EVERYTHING else...

The "traditional" factor for building an OEM New car from parts is approx. 5 to 6X the finished product. And GM PP's BIW lists for $7,700, a bargain compared to the "classic". 'Course, NO computers/air bags to buy for the '69...

But the Dynacorn doesn't have fenders or doors (etc) does it?

[DC-SS]

Looks like the doors are there but the whole front clip isn't...

http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com...pe_collage.jpg

[LOWDOWN]

Originally Posted by DC-SS

Looks like the doors are there but the whole front clip isn't...

Reproduction EVERYTHING is available...

'Course, turnkey "reproductions" by Foose and such ARE $150,000+...

As to a "guesstimate" of what a then-200,000+ unit run of '69 Camaros, as THEN equipped, would cost today, take a look at a Silverado 2WD Short Box, and DELETE all the high-tech stuff...ABS, airbags, etc....and make ALL creature comforts optional, as well... I think you'd be down to a price LESS than an LS Camaro...by a goodly amount...likely less than $20 Grand...

Consider a 350/290 "crate" from GM PP is LOTS less than an LLT "crate", let alone an LS3...and a Muncie 4spd is certainly less than a T56...

[LOWDOWN]

As far as performance comparisons, late-'60s to now:

A 302/290 non-cross ram Z/28, off the showroom floor, struggled on tires-of-the-day to run mid-to-upper 14s...roughly equal to an LLT/6-speed...and had little real power/torque until it got "on-cam" at 3000rpm, very similar to the VVT of the LLT.

An SS350, with 300 gross horsepower rating, was very lucky to get into the 14s off the showroom floor, similar to an Automatic LLT.

A 396/375 SS, again on limited traction, could manage upper 13s...easily bested by an L99, let alone an LS3, which would be a match for a COPO 9561...again with each on their OEM tires.

Hot Rod Magaizine took a '69 Z/28 and did an upper-blueprint, headers, 4.88s, 7" slicks (basically an NHRA F/Stock conversion) and managed to get into the high-12s. 'Course the thing was basically strip-only at that point...

[bri9]

I bought my 69Z that had a list price of around $4000 for $3400 and I guess it took about half a years income. My 2010 cost around $38000 which now is less than a quarter of a years pay.

[LOWDOWN]

Another Market factor, then vs. now: financing issues...

36-month financing was about as long as anyone could get in the late-'60s. And there were NO subsidized OEM rates. Banks and Finance Companies ran 8-15%, depending on your credit histroy. Today, for God's sake, there's 84 and 96-month terms from some (at even more atrocious rates!). IF you "qualify"...

It's like a mortgage on a car. Add a sub-prime rate, and the actual total costs are nightmare-ish...