HPG21 Index Preview: 1950s American Classics
Our index of 1950s American classics showed a 2% gain over 4 months, moving this market sector to a level it hasn’t seen since May of 2010. We are still a ways off from the heady days of 2008, and the index is unchanged over three years, but growth is growth.
Only one component car fell (the 1954 Buick Skylark), and by only a point at that. Another eight were stable, with the remaining 10 improving. The star performer was the 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk, which increased at 17% since January. The model has been climbing steadily, if unnoticed, and is now 44% better off than five years ago, and 25% ahead of 2009 prices.
Anecdotally, we have heard from a variety of industry insiders that this segment is heating up. We haven’t seen the data bear out this new trend yet, but are expecting larger gains through the summer.
| Index value: | 120.0 | All-time high: | 126.9 (September 2008) |
| Five-year high: | 126.9 (September 2008) | Five-year low: | 116.8 (September 2012) |
| Four-month change: | 2% | 12-month change: | 2% |
| 36-month change: | n/c | 60-month change: | -4% |
| Component cars: | 19 | Gainers: | 10 |
| No change: | 8 | Losers: | 1 |
Component cars
| 1954 Buick Skylark sport convertible | -1% | 1953 Cadillac Eldorado sport convertible | 4% |
| 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham sedan | 3% | 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible | 1% |
| 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible | 1% | 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala convertible | 3% |
| 1957 Chrysler 300C convertible | 1% | 1958 Chrysler 300D convertible | 2% |
| 1959 Chrysler 300E convertible | n/c | 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible | 1% |
| 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria Sunliner convertible | n/c | 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner retractable hardtop | n/c |
| 1956 Continental Mk II coupe | n/c | 1950 Oldsmobile Series 88 woody station wagon | n/c |
| 1953 Oldsmobile Series 98 Fiesta conv | n/c | 1957 Pontiac Bonneville convertible | 6% |
| 1953 Hudson Hornet convertible | 0% | 1955 Packard Caribbean convertible | 0% |
| 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk coupe | 17% |
