914 parts investment potential?, Time to stash parts? Options

[JeffBowlsby]

I acquired my 1974 2.0L in September 1998. I have just maintained it in good order, sorted most of its quirks and enjoyed driving it. Its a really fun car as you know, even in stock form. It has appreciated probably 15-20% if you dont include regular maintenance costs - tires, batteries etc. Beats the money market...lately anyway.

In that time I have also been mystified at how certain prices have gone into the stratosphere, while otheres have just climbed following ‘normal’ escalation. For instance certain parts I bought just a couple years ago have doubled, tripled and more in just a couple years time. Has anyone else noticed this too? Got more examples? Makes me want to stockpile certain parts and then sell them in a couple years to help pay for this ‘hobby’. For instance:

2-3 years ago Now
Front turn signal lenses $20/pr $60/pr
Rear USA lenses $55 each stratosphere
Synchros $23 each $80 each
Front windshield rubber $120 stratosphere
NEW MPS $250 $750
Silver engine grille letters $45 $80
New dashcap $350 $600

For instance I think other parts may do this too soon:

OEM 2.0L Fuch center caps
F/R bumper tops
OEM dashcaps
Engine tin rubber
Euro lenses

[anthony]

Buy the NLA parts you need and stash them away for yourself but don't invest.

Exceptional swap meet deals always pop up because people don't know what they've got. Of course there are only a few swaps per year and you never find the part that you really need. :-) I stock pile stuff I might need - I bought 3 good MPSes over the last two years for between $5 and $20 each. I've got similar deals on a bunch of other stuff that will come in handy.

The other thing is that the used parts market might prevent you from selling your million dollar new in the box MPS investment piece. For example, a new MPS might cost $650 these days but the market for a good tested unit is about $75-150 (excluding exceptional swap meet deals). As long as enough cars keep going to scrap yard then the price will stay there and it won't matter if new MPSes are going for $2000 because most people won't buy them. And when they are at that price people will just switch to carbs, megasquirt, or whatever. Within 5 years I bet someone will make a plug and play programmable FI system for the 914 for under $500. When that happens your MPS investment goes bust.