Perry Mack
Words and photo by Perry Mack
This book was a real page turner for me. It is car collecting for the enthusiast rather than the speculator, and for the average enthusiast not the billionaire collector. It’s perfect for those considering collecting cars and those who are already a few cars in.
Hedging our bets to make money doing something we love is an enticing proposition. The author, Robert C. Yaeger, lays out a brief history of the automobile, investing in automobiles and the role of women in automotive history in the first four chapters.
But the pedal hits the metal for us in Chapter 5. Rising Stars and Hidden Gems is dedicated to models that may make a good investment. Yaeger provides background on each of his top picks and why, along with the Hagerty Average Value, which provides past and current values, hopefully providing an indication of where they may be headed in the future.
Part One is American Cars. Our favourite in this section is the 1971-1980 International Harvester Scout II. My wife drove one in her teens and still talks fondly about it today. Part Two is European cars, and Part Three is Japanese Cars. Here our favourite is the 1970-1974 Datsun 240Z, 260Z. We owned a 1972 240Z in the late 80’s and it was a joy to drive and easy to repair and maintain. The inline six engine was a top performer, unfortunately the body in many of these was essentially bio-degradable so finding a rust-free version now will be a challenge, but worth it. In both cases we agree with Yaeger’s assessment of the vehicle as well as many others in this section.
Following chapters discuss the groundwork for buying your first collectible car, learning to live with it, and when and how to sell it. Aside from the money part of the book, Yaeger delves into the passion with a chapter on Finding Your Tribe. This is the social network that can help you find parts, share stories, and let you experience other cars you might never get to see and touch. And the final chapter, The Road Ahead looks to the future with interviews from expert father-son collector teams as they share their thoughts on electric cars, the future of collecting, trends in the marketplace and a great deal more.
If acquiring a collectible car has ever crossed your mind, or you already have one and want more from the experience, this book is for you.
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About the Author
Robert C. Yeager‘s love for cars began as a 16-year-old high schooler when he purchased a “raked,” baby-blue 1940 Ford two-door coupe for $250. Other cars of his youth included a 1948 Cadillac 7-passenger sedan and, in college, a red 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk. As an adult, Yeager has owned a series of award-winning vintage Alfa Romeos. His current “fun” cars include an all-original 1972 Mercedes Benz 450 SL—recently awarded a Silver Star Preservation Award by the Mercedes Benz Club of America—and a 1996 Lexus SC 300.
For the past decade-plus, Yeager has written about collectible cars for the New York Times. Other previously published credits include Readers Digest; Family Circle; Woman’s Day; Encyclopedia Britannica; and others. His byline has also appeared in the Chicago Tribune, New Orleans Times-Picayune, and the New York Times Service.
In 2013, Yeager’s novel, The Romanov Stone, won an Independent Publisher’s “Ippy” for suspense/thrillers, and an IndieReader Discovery Award for General Fiction.