Barrett Jackson

Hang around long enough, and almost anything that was uncool when it was new eventually becomes quirky and collectible.

Such is the case with 1970s-era U.S. automobiles, which are just now starting to trickle into the consciousness of automotive collectors.

The '70s, the era of disco music, leisure suits, big hair and arena rock, spawned some of what at the time were the least-loved American cars of all time.

The U.S. auto industry at the time was going through a huge transition from the classic cars of the 1950s and '60s, to the vastly improved cars that started to get better in the late 1990s. The first gas crisis, quality control problems and emissions issues all conspired against the 70s cars. So did the styling, in many cases.

But now, 1970s cars are hip, and there were a mess of them that went across the auction block in Thursday's opening day of the Barrett Jackson Las Vegas Collector Car Event. Best of all, they are still low enough in value that they are affordable for most buyers.

Here are five 1970s classics that sold on Thursday at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas. (All prices include 10 percent buyer's premium).

1974 VOLKSWAGEN THING, $8,250 — Quirky, iconoclastic and quasi-military, the Thing was part Beetle, part convertible and part sport-utility vehicle. It was a huge hit with the back-to-nature types, but barely had enough power to get [...]