It’s October, and Rick Schmidt of National Parts Depot is back for a Halloween edition of Ask Rick! This month, we tackle the business case for SEMA, explore the automotive career Rick would choose if NPD didn’t exist, and put his collector-car knowledge to work with two Halloween buying challenges. First, is SEMA worth the trip? Rick and Rob discuss the expense, preparation, and potential return of exhibiting, along with the value of introducing new products, generating media coverage, and maintaining industry relationships. Rick also compares SEMA to the Hershey swap meet: business increasingly happens online, but there’s still value in connecting face to face. For our first Rick on Cars challenge, the mission is simple: spend no more than $10,000 buying a vehicle, clean it up, and sell it within three weeks to fund a Halloween bash. The candidates are a 2001 Mustang Bullitt, a 1988 Chevrolet K2500 diesel 4x4, and a 1967 Mustang Coupe. Rick weighs repair needs, negotiating opportunities, and the size of the potential buyer pool. For round two, the budget disappears, the timeline stretches to a year, and every car must be black! Would Rick choose a dual-quad 1957 Corvette, a V12-powered 1941 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe, or a 1987 Buick GNX with only 30 miles? The Corvette raises questions about authenticity, the Lincoln offers distinctive styling and usable enjoyment, and the GNX presents the dilemma of owning a valuable car you can barely drive. A bonus 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Castilian wagon adds one final temptation—even though it doesn’t qualify for the all-black challenge! Post-recording auction updates: the ’67 Mustang ultimately sold for $20,000, while the 30-mile GNX brought an incredible $427,000. Those results add plenty to the discussion about buying well and leaving room for a future profit. Which would you choose—and would you actually drive it? The post TMCP #661: ASK RICK – The ROI of Going to the SEMA Show and Fun Before Halloween Car Flips – Corvette vs GNX vs Zephyr! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.
