If you want to get into car collecting for the first time or build up the car collection you already have, this is the year to do it. There are some great bargains around, especially if you like late-1930s cars and 1940s cars like I do.

Here are a few examples from the recent Atlantic City Classic Car Auction, How about a "barn find" 1941 Lincoln Zephyr with its original, smooth-running V-12 for $11,000? The solid original car had bee n stored in a barn in Maine for 50 years and even had new brakes, new brake lines and new fuel lines.

Another very nice car was a 1940 Buick Century trunk sedan with dual sidemounts. Ron Kowalke rated it #3. It didn't seem to need much of anything other than a few taps on the carb bowl to help it start. It sold for $15,700. What a bargain.

Sellers may not like the fact that the prices are leveling off, but it's the ups and downs of any market that drive commerce. When prices drop, people buy cars. When people buy cars, vendors sell parts, books and tires. Then, the vendors go to the food stand and buy hot dogs. That's how the economy works.

Another good thing - the people who buy now are buying low and will probably make money when the market cycles back up. That means they'll stay in the hobby longer.

Tell that food stand to heat up a few more franks!