The collector truck and SUV market has posted a consistent rise in popularity over the past few years. No surprise as automakers resurrect old models such as the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wagoneer, Chevy Trailblazer and Land Rover Defender, just to name a few.
These relaunches have put an even brighter spotlight on a market that was already booming well beyond the Baby Boomer generation.
“Gen Xers and millennials request 51 percent of Hagerty’s car quotes and 60 perfect of its truck quotes,” Autoweek shares in an article commenting on the classic truck and SUV market. “Millennial quote volume for trucks increased 33 (percent) over the last year, while truck quotes from Gen X rose 19 percent. There was no increase in truck quotes among boomers or any other demographic subdivision Hagerty tracks.”
On the ClassicCars.com marketplace, we’ve seen an average increase of 26 percent more searches for trucks and SUVs from the average search rate at 37,086 in 2020 to 50,199 this year.
So far this year, the top-10 truck and SUV model searches have sought:
- Chevrolet C10
- Ford F100
- Ford Bronco
- Chevrolet 3100
- Ford F250
- Ford F150
- Chevrolet Blazer
- Chevrolet Silverado
- GMC 1500
- Ford Ranchero
There are many theories behind the “why” of the popularity spike, including classic trucks and SUVs carrying lower price tags than other classic markets, easier to repair or modify with parts more easily accessible, their durability and, of course, the nostalgic aspect.
“There was a time when trucks were only used by collectors to two a car to the show, but now they are seriously collectible in their own right,” Hagerty chief executive McKeel Hagerty is quoted in an article published by his company in 2015. “Classic pickups are also one of the easiest ways to enter the collector world. They are readily available, easy to work on and very affordable.”
In the same story, Hagerty notes it had seen a value growth of 56 percent over the past five years compared to other vehicle markets and an average growth of 13 percent.
The effects of this growth can be seen at auctions like Barrett-Jackson’s Houston event where a 1952 GMC 3100 sold for $82,000, a 1972 Chevrolet C10 for $85,000 and a 1974 Chevrolet C20 for $110,000.
To further highlight the ongoing growth in the market, let’s look at the Chevrolet C/K’s auction sales over the past two years.
Each year, Classic.com shares the list of the top-10 models sold at auction throughout the year. In 2019, the C/K didn’t even make the list with $14 million in sales. In 2020, it landed the 10th spot with $15.3 million — a 9 percent growth in one year.
Comparing Classic.com’s 2020 and 2021 top-10 models‘ average sales prices, we also see a 37.32 percent growth in value for the Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 and a 22.99 percent increase for the Dodge Ram SRT-10.
To celebrate the vintage truck and SUV market’s success and its fanbase, AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, has launched its first-ever Truck Week.
“The truck market has been rapidly on the rise in the past few years, more so than almost any other segment,” said AutoHunter automotive specialist Chris Griggs. “As one of the most mass-produced types of vehicles, they offer a great entry point for many new enthusiasts, while still offering many rare and valuable offerings for seasoned collectors.”
Launching its Truck Week on October 12, the auction house listed 12 collector trucks and SUVs, handpicked by the company’s automotive specialists, that are available for bidding for seven days with the final hammer coming down Tuesday, October 19.
Here are the 12 trucks and SUVs AutoHunter listed for auction for its inaugural Truck Week, with descriptions from the auction house:
This 1959 Chevrolet Series 3100 Apache step-side pickup is a 4-wheel drive example that was the recipient of a complete restoration approximately four years ago.
Power is sent to all four wheels by a 327cid small-block V8 paired with a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission, NP205 transfer case, Dana 44 front axle complete with locking hubs, and a 14-bolt rear end.
Equipment includes power steering, mechanical brakes and a heater along with upgraded door latches, lifted suspension, aftermarket wheels, a refreshed interior and more.
This 1971 Chevrolet K5 Blazer is a two-wheel-drive half-ton model finished in single-stage red paint with custom pinstripes and a removable body-color hardtop over a black vinyl interior equipped with HushMat sound deadening, power front seats, air conditioning, and custom Speedhut gauges.
Under the hood is a 383cid “stroker” V8 connected to headers and a General Motors TH350 automatic transmission.
This 1988 Land Rover Defender 90 is a left-hand-drive example imported in 2019 from Italy, where it was used on an olive farm, and subsequently professionally refurbished.
Powered by a 2.5-liter turbo-diesel inline-4 paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox and 2-speed transfer case with a locking center differential, the truck is equipped with power steering and brakes, a brush guard, wing top protection, LED headlamps, new BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM3 tires over Wolf wheels, and more.
Finished in dark green with a white hardtop, this Defender 90 is offered with a new battery, rear side glass, and door seals.
This 1968 Chevrolet Suburban left the Fremont, California, factory as a V8-powered half-ton model with two-wheel drive, according to its body tag. It has become a custom build finished in silver with pinstriping and a blue fabric roof cover over a silver, black, and white interior equipped with a wood-slat headliner, air conditioning, Dakota Digital gauges, and the controls for an AccuAir air suspension.
Under the hood is a 6.0-liter LS-series V8 that sends its power through an automatic transmission to the rear wheels. This custom Suburban comes with wiring diagrams and instructions.
This 1973 GMC Sierra is a two-wheel-drive model that originally rolled out of GM’s Lakewood Assembly plant in Georgia.
According to the current owner, it is an older restoration finished in Cataline Blue over a blue interior. Equipment includes power steering and brakes, air conditioning, and reportedly new BFGoodrich tires.
Power is provided by a 454cid V8 and routed through an automatic transmission and the rear wheels. This short-bed Sierra comes with its original build sheet, owner’s manual, and warranty paperwork as well as a clear title in the seller’s name.
This 2020 Fat Truck 2.8C industrial off-road utility vehicle is available in Charlottesville, Virginia, with only 31 hours of use since new.
The truck was created by Zeal Motor Inc. in 2018 as a transportation solution for workers on remote or tough to reach job sites and features a 4-wheel-drive system, amphibious capability, joystick steering control, built-in air compressor, seating for 8, and more.
Power is supplied by a 2.2-li534 Caterpillar-sourced inline-4 turbocharged diesel engine paired with an automatic transmission.
This 1977 GMC K1500 Sierra Grande pickup has been a member of the same family since new and is available with many of its original components and 68,000 miles on the odometer.
Power is sent to all four wheels by the factory-original 400cid small-block V8 and automatic transmission while equipment includes power tilt steering, power brakes, dual fuel tanks, an aftermarket stereo and Sierra Grande trimmings.
This 39,000-mile 1975 Chevrolet C20 Silverado is described as a dry desert find that was located after sitting in a barn for almost 20 years.
The original big block 454 V8 engine is mated to an automatic transmission, and the seller states this well-preserved C20 retains most of its original two-tone Skyline Blue and White paint.
Maintenance within the past couple of years has included new fuel tanks.
This 1979 GMC Suburban is a rust-free SUV that was acquired by the seller less than three years ago with fewer than 89,000 reportedly original miles.
It comes finished in two-tone yellow and white over a reupholstered and matching cloth interior equipped with a repaired air conditioning system. Power is provided by a 454cid V8 paired with an automatic transmission, both of which are reported to be original.
This seventh-generation Suburban is offered with service documentation, a clean CARFAX report, and a clear Arizona title in the seller’s name
This 1969 Chevrolet C10 Fleetside two-wheel-drive pickup was produced during the C10’s “Action Line” second generation in General Motors’s Janesville Assembly Plant in Wisconsin.
It comes dressed in two-tone blue over a two-tone blue vinyl interior equipped with power steering, a bench seat, and an aftermarket Bluetooth-compatible Sony head unit.
Power comes from a 350cid small-block V8 connected to a 4-speed manual transmission. Available now, this C10 long-bed truck comes with a clear title.
This 1971 Chevrolet El Camino was purchased by the seller in 2004 after mechanical refreshment was completed under prior ownership in 2003. The seller has done a complete restoration.
Power comes from a rebuilt 350cid small-block V8 paired with a TH350 automatic which has been driven less than 10,000 miles since the overhaul.
Equipment includes a heater/defroster, updated R-134a air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, an aftermarket stereo, and a spray-on bed liner.
This 1990 Ford Bronco II XL rolled out of Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky with four-wheel drive and a 2.9-liter V6. Since then, it has been owned by two families and spent its life in North Carolina.
It comes finished in light blue with dual side stripes over a blue cloth interior equipped with power steering, manual windows, push-button controls for the transfer case, and an aftermarket Jensen radio head unit with a motorized pop-up color screen.
Power comes from a 2.9-liter V6 and is sent through a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and part-time four-wheel drive.
To learn more about Truck Week and keep up with the vehicles’ auctions, visit AutoHunter.
