TM...a muscle car?

[Wes85L]

I stopped by the local Books-A-Million today to check out some car literature. I was surprised to find various TM's including Daytona Iroc R/T, Spirit R/T, Omni GLHS, Shelby Charger/glhs, CSX.

365 Cars You Must Drive - Omni GLHS http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...sbn=076032414X

Muscle Car Chronicle http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...sbn=1412712017

Shelby - The Man, the Cars, the Legend (ok, so not as much a surprise but still...) http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...sbn=1583881824

Maybe it's old news but it was pretty cool to me anyway.

Oh and here is the book I got - Ultimate Auto Detailing http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...sbn=0760314489

[rib256]

I read the front wheel drive chapter of the Shelby book. Pretty interesting. Among some of the "facts" mentioned was the Maserati head in the TC was actually built by Cosworth. I had no idea.
It also said Chrysler ruined any chances of collectibility (of the Shelby cars) by slapping the name in anything that moved.

[WickedShelby88]

Theres some truth to that I'm sure. That would of been like if the COPO camaro option was available with any engine and through the complete 1st gen years because thats how over used the shelby name was by dodge. I love these cars, but it does hurt collector value.

[sexygomer]

yea, but if they keep getting parted out at the rate they're going, they'll be so few left that they'll be collector cars

[slasky]

It also said Chrysler ruined any chances of collectibility (of the Shelby cars) by slapping the name in anything that moved.

I never real thought about that before but I think they have a valid point. Just think of how much more the numbered Shelby cars would stand out if they were the only dodge products to have Shelby's name on them.

[Birddog]

I never real thought about that before but I think they have a valid point. Just think of how much more the numbered Shelby cars would stand out if they were the only dodge products to have Shelby's name on them.

But wasn't it Shelbys idea to offer cars that could hang with the big dogs at half the price? The only way that could have happened was through mass production.

Theres some truth to that I'm sure. That would of been like if the COPO camaro option was available with any engine and through the complete 1st gen years because thats how over used the shelby name was by dodge. I love these cars, but it does hurt collector value.

Think of them as SS cars. COPO cars were special like the GLHS cars. The SS was more along the lines of the standard Shelby badged and GLH cars.

[DC Turismo]

Think of it this way, they weren't focused on 'collectibility', they were focused on not going bankrupt, and with as big of a name as Shelby is/was, that was a key selling tactic, and it worked!

I also have some books with TM's in them, I'll have to check out their titles.

[Directconnection]

yea, but if they keep getting parted out at the rate they're going, they'll be so few left that they'll be collector cars

That won't make these cars collector cars at all. The fact that they are being destroyed is a big factor that nobody respects them at all in the collector car market, or car hobby at all. Parting them only makes them worse as that gives them less of these rare cars to gain exposure with.

Imagine how our hobby would boom if someone like Leno had an '89 csx, '86 glhs and/or IROC R/T in his collection that people saw.

[Birddog]

Leno?? not the way.....

[Directconnection]

No, but he gets television exposure and comes off as a good guy. I'm not saying he'd have a TM, just saying it would be cool to see him own a few and help spread the shelby dodge word out a bit. he does have alot of really odd vehicles to his collection.

[rare_ram]

Well, he's into steam cars. Does that make them sought after now?

[Directconnection]

Worth more than an '89 CSX i bet.

Those cars (obviously not a steam car) from the 20's and 30's can be worth multi-million dollars. A collector in my state that owns NHIS has a huge collection including 3 tuckers.

[blk86trbo]

Who is involved with these cars as an investment? Heck, I love the fact that stuff is so cheap...if these cars got the notoriety that others do, we all wouldn't be able to enjoy having more than one or two!

[Directconnection]

if these cars got the notoriety that others do, we all wouldn't be able to enjoy having more than one or two!

That would be a GOOD thing!!!!!

(Speaking on behalf of the 98% of TM owners that own 5 or more)

Seriously. A *little* noteriety has no dis-advantages.

[MiniMopar]

But wasn't it Shelbys idea to offer cars that could hang with the big dogs at half the price? The only way that could have happened was through mass production.

I think he is referring more to things like the Daytona Shelby. It's just your typical marketing morons. They think they have a magic branding formula that works, so they beat it to death such that no normal person has any idea what it means anymore. LeBaron, anyone? What they don't realize that in retrospect it make their branding (and their company) look like morons.

[RoadWarrior222]

It's just your typical marketing morons. They think they have a magic branding formula that works, so they beat it to death such that no normal person has any idea what it means anymore. LeBaron, anyone? What they don't realize that in retrospect it make their branding (and their company) look like morons.

I saw a post where a guy couldn't get the right sparkplug for his Harley, parts guy at the dealer was as sympathetic and apologetic as possible, but joked something like "Sorry, can't get them, but we've got plenty of t-shirts, jackets, we never run out of t-shirts right?" and rolled his eyes showing what he thought of the company policy.

[roachjuice]

you guys also have to remember... to this day the 86 GLHS is shelby's favorite car he has built. i think most car guru's have not one stinking clue what lies beneath the hoods of our cars. you start telling them the mods you have and they are in shock of how well it runs for being a FWD ecno box. i have people i meet all the time that deny that shelby had anything to do with dodge. so my answer to "is a TD a muscle car?" no. it's is the best sleeper car of all time. everyone knows about GN's and syclone's and typhoons (which i would love to have a syclone one day) those aren't sleepers anymore. too many people know about them. ---- collector status. don't get me wrong. i do have a soft spot for odd/rare/unsual cars. one reason i have the omni. KING OF CHEAP SPEED article in sport compact car magazine. it featured the gold "ugly old omni" i thought to myself "WTF?" i read and fell in love. people paying all this money for "collector items" such as an NOS indy intercooler that went for over $300 just to have it i think is dumb. a car wasn't ment to sit there to stare at or have as a conversation piece. it was ment to be driven and enjoyed. you have something unique that blows away the competition and keeps them asking "WHAT THE ---- JUST PASSED ME!?!?!?!"

[dodgeshadowchik]

I never real thought about that before but I think they have a valid point. Just think of how much more the numbered Shelby cars would stand out if they were the only dodge products to have Shelby's name on them.

I don't know about these statements, really. I've noticed that this debate pops up every once in a while about collectibility of these cars. Does this also mean the Shelby mustang won't be collectable? I remember reading somewhere that the new Shelby 'stang is essientally a roush deveolped car with Shelby's name on it to sell more. The truth is no one really knows what will be collectable in say 20 years. Many cars that are considered collectable now were NEVER thought about being collectibles. I know quite a few people what wish they would have never sold/crushed/parted ect their old mustangs, firebirds and challengers. I just want to see the Shelby dodges preserved just for the sake of having them around. Regardless, those books look pretty neat. I'll have to check them out.

[86redturboz]

Collectible or not, that's not the reason I bought mine. I fell in love with the Turbo Z when the TV show "Hunter" was on the air and have professed that one day I would own one. Last year, that dream came true!!! I'm not real concerned with whether or not it will be a collectable, I'm just gonna drive the crap out of it with a huge smile on my face the whole way. JMHO

[badandy]

I have one question to ask all of you...okay maybe a few...

If you would have bought a Chevy Nomad station wagon brand new so you could haul around Beaver and the rest of the Cleaver's...would you have been able to predict it's high collectability status then?...how about when it was 20 years old?...how about 50 years old?...right!...a station wagon? collectable? naaaaah!...well guess what?...you had better believe it's very collectable!

The value of something only matters if you want to sell it...so, I could care less what it is worth to someone else Honestly...it would be cool in some ways for them to gain alot of value...but it would take away the grass roots feel to the Shelby Dodge world...and honestly...I wouldn't want to be a part of it then.