Yes, prices are high, but the prices that guy on ebay is charging are in outer space!

For example, The Filling Station currently asks $249 for a 1936 NOS or rebuilt water pump. They are asking $37 for just the packing nut wrench!

So, it looks like you are living in the 'good old days'. I suggest raising your prices, but not to match the outrageous prices on ebay.

Dean

Unfortunately it seems there is no rhyme or reason to the pricing. Just being able to GET the part sometimes is reason to celebrate. I ordered firewall retaining clips the other day which I expected to be low cost hardware item . The pricing varied from $3.00 each to $15.00 ea for parts from the same mfg. but various vendors. I purchased from the $3.00 supplier but they only ship via UPS so the shipping ended up at $16.00 whereas  a USPS package probably would have been less than $5.00.

There is a guy on EBay that sells 1936 Chevrolet and GMC truck parts, he listed a 1936 Grill Shell and center bars for $4000!!!!  Yeah they're are hard to find but come on!!

Here's another one. eBay item 204836516987. An ignition lock cylinder and keys, listed for 1940-1948 Chevrolet for $230.00. This seller is a lock guy, so he knows better. The part is not a genuine GM (Briggs and Stratton) part, so it can be bought at any NAPA or O'Reilly store for less than $20.00. Also, it fits back to 1935 and possibly as late as 1966 on some applications. 

For a newby, who doesn't know better, these prices could drive them away from our hobby.

Mike

@35mike 

As bad as these examples are, I think I've seen worse on Amazon.

For years I collected model trains.  Saw the same issues.  Some people would 'charge by age' and not market value.  If it was 'antique' it was expensive.  I do understand that hard to get parts should demand a higher price but there is also the ridiculous.  I see this at swap meets, eBay, garage sales anywhere money changes hands.  Over all I do see far more of the reasonable pricing.  

As far as the cost of classic cars it is a no win situation.  This is not a hobby to make money, it is to make memories and enjoy time well spend.  Best advice I could give is not to get the car that is popular but get the one you like and can enjoy working on.  Part of the hobby is learning to find parts or rebuild them.  

@timothy-kruger @rustoholic @steve-d @dunfire @ole-olson Hey gang, here's another one. A rebuilt transmission for 1935  and 1936 Chevy Standard for $795.00. The seller states that they have been in the transmission rebuilding business for 70 years and are offering this example for 'a fraction of the retail price". I bought an old stock rebuilt one for the same application, at Hershey, in 2023, for $20.00. All the parts are available and with some careful shopping, could be bought for less than 1/2 of the eBay price.

Mike