Friday, June 12, 1998 — North Shore News ~ 21 WHEELS WE DRIVE road bump after we had done the deal he was telling me how pleased SE ER Da PME LG IE SLD SE SEE LAE SF FE SP IPA PAD SPN PNG A BY BEF. . 3 - ORENCRIANE BRC SOD a LD OBOE DA RCL OE BEBE TE FES SESS SEE SA Se Ee TE BEL BETA EE Collector car market hits Andrew McCredie Kelowna, Vancouver and in Editor North Vancouver, Asian Flu has kept buyers, especially at the auctions, Fifties, saw their multi-mil- Hon dollar price tags plum- met. “T just attribute that to the state of the economy in andrew@nsnews.com k As is the case when a mar- et is down, people are loak- ing for deals. And the auc- tions are just the place to find them. “They've been very good so far this year,” LaFluff stid. “Everyone is standing around the auction saving ‘I can’t believe what good deals there are.’” As is always the case with the collector car market, you should buy a car as a posses- sion, NOT an investment. “Ruy what you love because you love it,” he said. “Over a longer period of time old cars will treat you very well fay an invest- ment}.” Anotker factor in’ the depressed local market is the Asiain econamic woes, LaFluffy said the Pacific Rim, periiculariy Jupan, is traditionally a hotbed of car collectors, especially vehicles like Lotus Elans, Sevens and Europas. But the recent BOB LaFluffy has been in the collector car business for a little less than a decade, but in that relatively short time has experienced the highs and the lows of the ever-shifting market. Sitting at his desk in Autoclassic Enterprises in North Vancouver earlier this month, the affable LaFluffy takes a deep breath when asked to give the prognosis on the current market. “In the United Szates and most of Europe its pretty good; in Western Canada, pariiclarly British Columbia, _ it is dead, absolutely dead, 3 ~ LaFluffy reports. The self-confessed life- long hobbyists adds prices are coming down and lots of vehicles are on the market. the province,” he said. “There are a lot of cars on Vancouver Island and in some of the forest product sommunities in the Interior for sale because people are out of work. “Afterall, you don't have to have a Mustang, do you? But you do have to have a bedroom suite.” The halcyon days of the fate 1980s are just a dream for car investors as the bot- tom dropped out when the recession hit at the begin- ning of the decade. Priot that point many people who had litle interest in the vehicles were buying them solely as investinents Cars thai sold for $29,000 overnigiy lost half their value as the botton: fell out of the highly speculative market. At the high end, sought after classic collectibles, such _as Ferraris from the Sixties and Mercedes from the Asked what advice he is currently giving to his cus- tomers, LaFlufty offers a two “Buy what you love because you love it. Over a long period of time old cars will treat you very well.” part answer, “It’s a great time to buy, there are some great buys around,” he said. “If you want to seli, ger che tirst otter and sell it, Do nor hang out.” Over the past decade Autociassic Enterprises has established itself with a num- ber of hign profile car auc- tions, including shows in away. As to the market south of the border, LaFluffy has noticed an interesting trend, “Inereasingly we're secing prices south of the border being matched in Canadian currency,” he said. In other words, an Austin Healey listed in a U.S.maga- zine listed for US$26,000 will fetch the same amount in Canada currenev. “You'd think they should sell for $29.000 Canadian,” LaFlutty siad. “But the truth is that they sell for $20,000 Canadian or $20,000 U.S. “It all depends where you are.” As to the Internet’s effect on the collector buying and selling martet, LaFlutty says itisa goed resource to gauge prices, bur the practicality of buying a car on it is limited. “A customer of ours just bought a really levely “66 Mustang, convertible, and he was about having found one locaily, and secondly that he was able to buy it in Canz4ian dollars for the same amount he saw one advertised on the Internet,” said LaFlutfy. “But fundamentally, peo- ple who are trying to buy cars on the Internet are try- ing to find deals, and maybe a rare vehicle they can’t find locally.” One seginent of the mar- ket that seems to immuae to the current malaise it the muscle car division. Sitting jusi_a few metres away from LaFluffy’s desk are a 1966 Shelby GT 350 Mustang and a 1967 Corvette. “Usabic, ridaole cars are always popular with people; the stuff that’s not selling too well are the real exotic, super rare weirdo cars.” Autoclassic Enterprises is holding an auction atNorth — Vancouver's Centenaial Theatre July 25-26. YLORMOTIV BRAKE SPECIALISTS B.C.A.A. -AR.A. -1.0.B.C. Approved LIFETIME WARRANTY on brake shoes & pads Quality Work ony Service | Our 40th Year -FREE ESTIMATES & CONSULTATIONS ALSO COMPLETE & ESTIMATES * TALKING CONSULTATION FAO" PACES MECHANICAL REPAIRS 985-7455 lpGisisic.. Guaranteed 1 year NEWS photo Paul McGrath ( 176 Pemberton, N. Van (5 biks south of Marine) : AUTOCLASSIC Enterprises Bob LaFluffy stands beside a 1958 Chiryster Crown Imperial convertible which was .. Yecently restored by the North Vancouver company. t.aFluffy says the car is worih $40,000 “to the right buyer,” rand figures the, car will be sold to a collector south of the border. The Crown imperial, of which just 675 were made, wit! be on display, at the Wheels We Drive Car Show. Auioclassic wili aiso enter a 1964 impala SS. OlL CHANGE Join our (3) castro! \\° PROGRAM Visit us just four times for a Castrol GTX Dil Change, and on the fifth visit we'll give you a FREE Oil Change. ABS brakes / alloy wheels Up to 5 litres of premium Castro! GTX Motor Cit. 2 Blecroni climate control : : ; , sO _ . mo - Come into our Shop and Pick up your card. | 1 998 VOLVO $90 Touring Sedan VOLVCS COST LESS ON THE NORTH SHORE | 2.91, 24 valve, 6 cylinder - Glass sunroof “FRemot: kayless entry / alarm Our Regular ‘Cruise control Extra Special Price Fog lights 24.95 awer seats & much more P fim Park Royal GARAGE: West Vancouver 921-3304 OPEN 7 =e | . 675 Marine Drive