Duffy's Collectible Cars Blog - Your Trusted Collector Car Store For Over 25 Years.

Ok, so yes it is a bit less than ideal convertible weather and the roads aren’t very conducive to a leisurely cruise to the lake, but, as sure as gas prices rise and fall with the summer holidays, spring will be back and thoughts will turn to cruise nights, car shows, and dropping the top and heading over to the drive-in for a bit of Old Car Fun..

(Unless, of course, you live in an area that the Car Gods have smiled on and only allow “Old Man Winter” to view from afar.)

Now that Santa has left town for the next 11+ months and the wrapping paper has been cleaned up and most of the needles from the tree are on the floor, our hearts and energies can turn to the upcoming cruising season.  Now is the time to start your planning for the resurrection of our current love or to start an earnest quest for next season’s new ride. So, get out the catalogue, or make sure your Ebay account is updated, schedule an appointment with your favorite wrench, or start perusing the car mags and ads on line, but just be ready when the sun comes home and stirs those too long dormant desires to drive.

We have been on the road for the past several months, combing the country for those hard to find memories of our youth.  We have an excellent inventory of muscle cars, convertibles, Corvettes and more all available and ready for delivery, (well almost ready for delivery).  Our shop has been turning wrenches and bustin’ knuckles feverishly to prepare our cars for you for the upcoming season. 

We would truly like to thank all of you out there that have been kind enough to do business with us over the past year and invite everyone with any questions about our cars to contact us and put us to the test.  I can’t say we will have every answer the moment you call in, but I can promise that we will get that answer for you to insure that you are able to make an informed buying decision. 

As we start our 30^th year in this wonderful and fun business, we can’t help but look back on all the great memories, cars, and foremost, friends that have allowed us to succeed and grow into the group we are today.  As all of us here at Duffy’s know we would be spinning our wheels without your support.

Have a great New Year and let’s cruise.

Ronnie

By: Duffy’s Collectible Cars
I’m happy to report that business is very good at Duffy’s these days. I’m guessing the healthy state of the collector car business here is due to a combination of a few elements including:
- Recognition by consumers to the quality investment collector cars offer vs. the stock market
- Improvement in the optimism over the economy
- As the population continues to age, collector cars represent a great hobby for those with more time on their hands
- The current quality of inventory and pricing at Duffy’s

In any event, it’s great to see the popularity and strength of the collector car industry continue to grow. Whether it’s an auction on television every week or the local car show with an excellent turnout, the industry continues to thrive.

So, it’s a great time to add a car to your collection or finally buy that collector car you’ve dreamed about for years. We’d love to help you find what you’re looking for so please give us a call at 1-877-670-3937 or e-mail sales@duffys.com and we’ll be happy to help.

A couple of side notes:

First, the Duffy’s Explorer program is off to a great start! We have a number of Explorers fully trained and have already purchased 5 cars from the program. We look forward to many more. If you get a chance, click on this link Explorers to learn more and sign up to earn some extra money finding cars for Duffy’s.

Second, if you’re looking for a specific car, you can go to our website at Dream Car Locator and enter the car you’re looking for. If we have something that matches that description the locator will find the car right away. If we don’t, the computer will save your request and automatically inform you when we receive a car that matches your description

By: Duffy’s Collectible Cars
When it comes to buying a classic car, there are really three distinct directions a buyer can choose.

1. Individual Owners
2. Auctions
3. Collector Car Dealers

Certainly, as a dealer in the collector car industry for nearly 30 years, we believe buying from a reputable collector car dealer is the best way to go. Let me just go through the advantages of buying from a dealer vs. the two other options and then you can, of course, decide for yourself.

The key advantages of buying from Duffy’s vs. an individual owner or an auction include:

At Duffy’s, we have a wide selection of cars from the 1920’s to the 1980’s. That makes it easy to find what you’re looking for and not have to flip through endless car magazines and on-line ads. Of course, an auction has a wide selection as well, but you have to get there and make very quick decisions - which isn’t always the best way to make an informed decision.

At Duffy’s, you know EXACTLY what you’re buying. Our professionals decode the car completely so you know the original color and interior of the car and you know if it has the original drivetrain. With individuals and auctions, this can get tricky. Sometimes individuals don’t have the expertise to decode properly (you frequently need a hoist to do it right). With auctions, you have to be very careful. We have purchased cars at auctions marketed as #’s matching engines and found them to be incorrect. We have also spoken to individuals who have recently had the same problem. You really have to check these things yourself at the auction but you have little time and inadequate facilities to thoroughly understand what you’re buying. It’s a risk that sometimes pays off and sometimes does not.

At Duffy’s, we have been around for nearly 30 years and we thoroughly inspect each car and can even offer our optional 3 month 3,000 mile Gold Seal Warranty. You just can’t get this from auctions or individuals.
At Duffy’s, we price our cars at fair market values. At auctions, you can get into bidding contests and in the heat of the moment pay to much for a car.

At Duffy’s, we understand the market values for collector cars and we’re proud of our cars and our prices.
Certainly there is more than one way to buy a collector car. Personally, I purchased 2 cars from Duffy’s prior to coming to work here. I did so because I didn’t have the time or expertise to chase down exactly what I was looking for. In the end, I got exactly what I wanted and sold my cars for more than I paid down the road. It was a great experience for me and I’m committed to making it a great experience for you. So give us a call and don’t miss the specials we have below, it’s a great time to take advantage of some great sale prices at Duffy’s.

By: Duffy’s Collectible Cars

We’re really excited to announce an all new car locator program called Duffy’s Explorers. With this new program, we’re asking you, our previous customer and loyal web followers to help us find high quality collector cars from all over the United States. There are thousands of you that receive this newsletter every two weeks, located in virtually every region of the country. Our goal with this program is to give each of you a chance to earn some extra money by helping Duffy’s locate cars and maintain our high quality selection. It’s a win-win situation.

Here is how the program works - it’s simple.

Sign-up. Click on the link at the end of this paragraph and provide your contact information.
Get trained. We will contact you with information to attend a brief on-line training.
Find collector cars. When you locate a vehicle that meets our guidelines forward information to Duffy’s and we’ll follow-up with the owner.
Get paid. If we buy the car, we’ll send you a check for $250.

That’s it. Simple and easy. So sign-up today and we’ll include you in our webinar training and get you started having some fun and earning a few extra dollars. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at sales@duffys.com or give me a call at 1-877-670-3937.

By: Jon Bratton

Packard, Studebaker, Plymouth, Oldsmobile and now Pontiac. These are names of very popular automotive brands that have been a staple here at Duffy’s for many years and will continue for many more. They made millions of them. Buying a new one will be impossible since Pontiac is being slated for closure in 2010. 1958, 1966, 2001, 2004, are the years the other marques stopped being produced. I hate to see any make disappear and feel more closings of other brands are looming on the horizon.
 
One of the questions we are asked is, “Now they stopped making a particular make, do they increase in value?” We heard this often with Plymouth and Oldsmobile. Most of the time when an automaker is slated to close the values follow the curve with the rest of the classic cars of the same era with little to no spikes in price, but Pontiac may have an exception, the GTO. This very popular car was said to start the muscle car era in 1964 by putting a full size car motor (389 V-8) in a mid size car. Made from 1964-1974 and briefly from 2004 and up, GTOs have historically increased in value faster than many other classic cars. All the publicity with the demise of Pontiac may make the GTO spike in value.
 
Of course, like any muscle car, the numbers matching, high horsepower, quality restoration, and rarity has a direct relation to value as well.
 
Please visit Duffy’s Blog and share your opinions or stories on how you feel about saying goodbye to Pontiac. Thank you.
 
This is an excellent time to invest in a few choice GTOs or other Pontiacs that are available right now. Remember Pontiac’s slogan “We build excitement” is as true today as it was yesterday.

By Jon Bratton

Finding that classic or collectible car you’ve always been looking for can be a daunting task. Spend time in the various magazines and on the web and that can lead to some frustration and disappointments that turn the process from fun to difficult. Then, when you do find the car you want, it’s sometimes difficult to know the right questions to ask to determine the true quality and condition of the car. Then, once you buy it how do you transport it and what do you do if there are problems when you get it home.

Here at Duffy’s Collectible Cars we have a team of professionals that can answer all your questions, ensure you are getting the right car at a good value, and keep the process both fun and rewarding. With over 25 years experience, we understand how to buy and sell classic cars and how we’ve built loyalty and trust as a pioneer in this industry.

Meet our sales staff:

RONNIE CRAIG started at Duffy’s in 1995 and we’re really excited to have him back after a 1 year sabbatical. His 15+ years of expertise is also vast, with a passion for Mopars, 50’s trucks and quality street rods. His first car was a 1968 Dodge Charger, just like the Duke boys and their General Lee. His 15+ years experience at Duffy’s and thousands of happy customers made him our top seller for many years. He knows his stuff and can find you that classic car of your dreams. Give him a “Holler” at Ronnie@duffys.com or call 319-364-7000.

JON BRATTON started at Duffy’s in 1987. My 22+ years of experience is also extensive with a passion for Oldsmobile 442’s, the 1930’s autos and dirt track racing. I still own my first car, a 1968 Oldsmobile 442 convertible. I am the Reconditioning Manager making sure each car we own is inspected and road tested. Questions on parts, deliveries, service work I answer daily and look forward to any questions you may have. My email is Jon@duffys.com.

Here at Duffy’s Collectible Cars we also have a fabulous support staff of 11 more people from the reconditioning shop to the office. All are a great bunch of people who make the work day a pleasure. Give us a call or email us to help you find that car of your dreams.

By: Jon Bratton
 
Muscle cars are often referred to as “Pony” cars because of the Mustang. Pony cars are generally described as sports car-like coupes with long hoods and short rear decks. The popularity of the Mustang created a new class of cars and created a platform for cars like the Camaro and Firebird,