I think that the car restoration scene has changed radically since the 1980's . These days a whole new younger generation are rebuilding the types of cars that most of us can remember being new in the showrooms - stuff made in the 1970's for example . Try buying a XB Falcon coupe these days , $30K or more for a decent one , or a HK Monaro , our generation just didn't see it coming , the fact that these cars are now worth a lot more than genuine vintage cars . This may be one of the reasons why the earlier parts are not showing up at swap meets. To me, an old car is a 1925 Chev , not a 1979 Holden but young people are restoring 1979 Holdens now and Holden parts are being reproduced by RARE SPARES - and the prices of the repro Holden parts are incredibly high
. The market is driven by demand , the oldies like us are falling off the perch and the swap meet market is driven by younger guys who don't want slow old bangers from the pre 1960's .