News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

A Word About the Weekends's Craigs List Searches

Started by BJM, July 23, 2018, 11:53:51 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

BJM

I usually do CL searches on the weekend. It's cheap entertainment while watching TV and/or drinking morning coffee.  I live in Des Moines, Iowa and set my AutoTempest search up for 750-1000 miles and Cadillac - ALL - 1910 to 19_ _ Usually put 2002 because of last gen Eldorados, but occasionally just stop at 1982 because of the HT4100 motor.   NO DOLLAR LIMIT - ALL CARS.

So either way, on many many CL searches I saw virtually zero Cadillacs from 1910 (expected) to 1965.  Very few from 1965 to 1972, then wham! a lot of 70's Cadillacs through 1981. 

I thought that was unusual. Where are the 1940's, 1950's Cadillacs?  Do owners of these older cars, nice, drivers or projects - just put them exclusively on ebay more or less or have they dried up?

By contrast, what are these results saying about the 70's Cadillacs?  I saw a lot of nice, lower mileage drivers, very few beaters relatively.  This must be the time to buy a 70's Cadillac?  Or, are they still generally not collected?  I mean no offense to those that have them.  I love them, so it's not a personal thing. 

I then did a quick search of Buick, apples to apples and saw a fair amount of 50's Buicks, granted they were mostly 4 door models, lots from the 60's and - in reverse - fewer cars from the 70's ??

All of this antecdotal notations may mean absolutely nothing, but I like to see what is out there Cadillac wise from the 30's to the 60's.   I was surprised how few were available.

Ken Perry

I think people want to hang on to their old Cadillacs. Also think the 70s ad 80s are just now starting to get attention and enoug money to make it worth selling. ALso with the old Cadillacs,probably don't have to list as much,becouse people want  them soon as the seller even thinks about selling.When I drive a old Cadillac,people are always asking(Do you want to sell it) I personaly enjoy your Craigslist posts  :) keep u the good work...  Ken Perry   
Cadillac Ken

fishnjim

I think drawing analogies from weekend Craig's List ad searches could not be conclusive let alone analogous of anything.   The statistics aren't clean, biased and small sample.   Watch Loonie toons instead.
One can look at production/sales figures vs "age" and better see the general propensity for auto survival rate.   Not many keep records, however, most states won't release the title/registration data out of privacy concerns.   However, rarity does not determine availability, nor price.   Some like Duesenburg had unusual survival for their low numbers, but try to buy one. 
There was a need for steel scrap in the period '60-80s, as Japan started to ramp up their post war industry, and a lot of the old heavy clunkers met the electric furnace fate while vehicle weight and HP started down with the oil crises, so that era is the last of the "big cars", per se, and there was a following.   The demise of US steel production began or probably more would been lost.   From time to time, hoarder lots come to auction and that explains the missing inventory.   

James Landi

Thank you for doing these Craig's list searches... you and a few others are providing me with great entertainment on several fronts.  First, I love to look and to dream.  The ones that you mention, that appear to be in reasonable condition, and hopefully, have fully functioning a/c etc, I would love to own and drive... so then out of the 3 or 6 that appear to be candidates each week, I truly enjoy the commentary from others... folks who see the details that I entirely miss... such as the really low mileage sdv (25k), but someone notices the black painted valve covers, and rust in the engine compartment... and the final comment about attempts to eradicate mould on interior soft goods.  Regarding the 70's survivors---  they are, by today's standards, not complex with micro processors and fuel injection.  They also had top of the line metal alloys that kept the engines from losing compression and oil pressure.   So while newer Cadillacs with bad engines wind up in the scrap heap, some of the much older models keep on keeping on.

chrisntam

Quote from: James Landi on July 23, 2018, 06:11:58 PM
Thank you for doing these Craig's list searches... you and a few others are providing me with great entertainment on several fronts.  First, I love to look and to dream.  The ones that you mention, that appear to be in reasonable condition, and hopefully, have fully functioning a/c etc, I would love to own and drive... so then out of the 3 or 6 that appear to be candidates each week, I truly enjoy the commentary from others... folks who see the details that I entirely miss... such as the really low mileage sdv (25k), but someone notices the black painted valve covers, and rust in the engine compartment... and the final comment about attempts to eradicate mould on interior soft goods.  Regarding the 70's survivors---  they are, by today's standards, not complex with micro processors and fuel injection.  They also had top of the line metal alloys that kept the engines from losing compression and oil pressure.   So while newer Cadillacs with bad engines wind up in the scrap heap, some of the much older models keep on keeping on.

+1!!
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

I am the same way. I enjoy dreaming about what could be.
Also, I really enjoy seeing the criticisms as James says. I sometimes think I notice things but am amazed on what other people see.
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

BJM

I just did not want you folks to think I was focusing on the 70's and 80's. 

Plus, I wondered where the older ones were.  I don't check out ebay anymore. I am pretty sure there are a fair amount of them there.  (40's to 60's)  Pre war Cadillacs are truly old and are just not around much in driver typical CL ad condition. 

I thought last year I would see a few 50's four doors, and their prices were nice - $12,000 or so. 

James Landi

We may have witnessed the demise of so many pre 70's cars because the earlier cars suffered from worn rings --molybdenum rings introduced in 67???-- not hardened alloys in valve trains, and poor crankcase evacuation of condensation + sludge.  I owned two 56 SDV during the mid 60's through 1975, and had to perform expensive engine work related to the above after 90 to 100k miles.  By contrast, it appears that the only design flaw that shows up in the 70's 472 and 500 cid engines is the timing chain.  Additionally, Cadillac had a nearly indestructible transmission by the early 70's, yet I had 67 Eldo and SDV that both had transmission issues and had I not been devoted to those cars, they would have been destined for the scrap year.  So are these anecdotes straws in the statistical winds that Bryan mentions?

davedeltadog

My 69 Coupe was a CL find, but son saw it and convinced me to buy it, he looks at CL classic cars not me too much so I wouldn't know how many Cads are for sale. Mine was listed at $12K in super condition here in TN.