Recently we sat down to talk to Mark Logan President and CEO of ClassicMustang.com and Shelby Cars Northwest and frequent guest star on the History Channel reality show “Pawn Stars.” Mark is an expert in classic cars and most especially classic Mustangs.
ClassicMustang.com is a classic car brokerage service that matches people up with the classic car of their dreams. They specialize in finding, inspecting and appraising collector quality cars for their customers around the world. Shelby Cars Northwest is the oldest Shelby cobra dealer in the world.
So if there is a guy who has a whole lot of knowledge to share about classic cars it is Mark Logan. Here are a few of the questions we asked him and the answers we got.
Q: So tell us a little bit about how you help people find the classic car of their dreams?
A: “A big part of our business both domestically and internationally is doing just that. Right now with the strength of the Canadian Dollar, the Australian Dollar, the Swiss Franc among other currencies versus the US Dollar demand for classic Mustangs and classic cars is general is very strong offshore.”
“So with the depressed economy over here prices have come down over the last couple of years but are now on their way back up again. We bottomed out in the collector car market. Beginning with the Baer Jackson auction in January we have noticed a significant rebound in the classic car business.”
“There is obviously still a strong market for classic cars in the US but about 60% of our business right now is offshore.”
Q: So what is the process someone would go through to be able to find the exact classic car they want?
A: “People know us mostly by reputation; they will call us or email us with a specific request. For example, they are looking for a ’67 S Code, which is a 390 big block fast back, 4 speed that is Acapulco blue and has deluxe interior.”
“So you are not going to find one of those on every street corner or maybe in your neighborhood or state. You may have to go outside a particular geographic area to find the car you are looking for. So our company takes those special orders, we locate the cars, inspect them, appraise them and then handle the logistics of title transfer and shipping.”
Q: In your business you see a lot of great classic mustangs I am sure. Can you tell us why Mustangs are such a loved car both here in the US and abroad?
A. “The love for Mustangs dates back to April 17, 1964 when they were first introduced to the market as the brainchild really of Lee Iacocca and one of the cars that really first incorporated a European styling with a bumper integrated into the shape of the body.”
“It took a very sporty look if you will and put it on top of a Ford Falcon uni-body and they were able to make a sporty and inexpensive car that has classic lines and appeals to a broad cross section of customers across all age demographic profiles.”
“You have 18-34 year old people who like the styling cues and looks of the old mustang yet they want to upgrade performance and amenities and creature comforts then you have the older guys that remember them as they were when they were young and want them exactly like that.”
Q: What are the major differences between the Mustangs of today and classic Mustangs?
“The finish of the cars back then was very poor compared to what it is today but back then they were hand built and today they are built by robots. So they are much more precise in terms of body gaps between the quarter panel and the door or the quality of the paint. The older cars rattle and squeak and leak which is typical of an old car so there is a certain amount of culture shock that goes on from the transition of your late model Ford Focus or Ford 500 to go to a classic Mustang. You crawl into one of those and it rattles and squeaks and makes funny noises and handles very strangely and that is a little bit of culture shock for a lot of people.”
It was a lot of fun talking to Mark and his knowledge of Mustangs and classic cars in general is mind blowing. If you want to catch Mark on Pawn Stars he is in 3 already released episodes with more to come. In one episode he helps certify that the Shelby body a tow truck driver got free out of a storage unit is real.
This article was written by Stephanie Sanchez who blogs at www.insurancetipsandrates.com which offers insurance tips and free online auto insurance quotes.