87 B4Z TPI 5Spd

Seems to me a majority of Thirdgen board participants have modified cars. Probably is a number of contributing factors as to why.

1. Thirdgen cars are not quite old enough to fall into the collector category. Therefore the cars remain affordable to younger people.

2. Younger people like to go faster, no matter how fast the car might have been already (because of that inherant feeling of indestructibility).

3. Younger people like modifying their cars.

4. There is a large aftermarket industry for thirdgens.

5. Many thirdgens were already modified years ago before there was much thought about future collectibility.

6. Internet sites like this are relatively new, and younger people may be more likely to be involved in Internet message boards.

I'm curious about other's thoughts about ratios of original vs. modified cars on the boards. The mod percentage could even be broken down more into degree of mods (ie couple bolt-ons vs. replacing an interior with 4th gen, etc.)

Also curious about ideas why more mod cars are showing up than original.

What do you think is the average age of thirdgen board members?

What do you think the future will bring for Thirdgens? (Maybe people will be paying big prices for original parts to restore those modified cars??)

WaOnFiRe

Personally, I'm 21 years old... I have my thirdgen for 3 years now, and it is all original, no modifications at all, not even small bolt-ons... Only the paint is not original.

87 B4Z TPI 5Spd

Glad to hear about your car. And I know from experience you should not sell it. I think these things are going to really take off in the not too distance future in the collector field. If you do sell it, especially within the next few years, by the time you're in my age range (38 yrs) you'll be looking back at what great a car you had. I've let too many now-collectible cars slip through my hands over the years because they didn't seem that significant at the time. And when I was your age it was often easy to put my self into a financial situation where I needed to sell. Trust me, do what you can to keep it. These cars are really cool.

92TRANSAMWS6

Well, I'm 29 this month, had my TA for 4 years now. Was gonna keep it mostly original until I found out the original motor was gone. Stuck a 350 in it and am starting on the suspension/chassis now. Took off the AC etc. I bought the car to enjoy/drive, not as a collectors item, it'll be quite a while before they become that anyways.

As for the low mileage pristine examples, they should be left alone.

87 B4Z TPI 5Spd

Yeah, if original parts go bad sometimes have no choice but to modify. And for sure they are owned to be enjoyed.

I do think that with the drought of high performance cars between 1975 and into the 80s, the few models that did perform (f-body for one) will be more sought after. I may be wrong, and that's OK. That's why I started this thread. Want to get a beter understanding of how the f-body owner's overall feel about subject.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I'm for a stock or really close to stock apperance and performance mods. (usually stuff that you could reverse back to stock if you wanted to) Although I really like to see an all-stock mint Third too.

I don't think some modding will effect prices or collectibility that much. Look at 1st Gens, yes a stock one is worth more but a modded one is still worth alot too.

labrat

It depends on the mod, technically, my car is modified but it doesn't look like it is, and it can be put back to completely stock without much trouble. Those are the mods I am in favor of.

90firebird

I'm 18 years old, and I must admit that I fall under the "young thirdgen owner that modifies their car" stereotype. Yet, I do realize that there are some cars that should be left untouched (like my dads, which I will mention in a little), and my car isn't really one of them. Its got 194,000 miles on it, has been in a couple of accidents (previous owner), and the original interior definitly showed its age (which I'm in the process of replacing).

My dad's car (a 91 t/a), on the other hand, is a bit of a unique car in that its got almost NO OPTIONS, and came from the factory with a 5.0 TPI/5 speed combo... plus the black paint/black interior combo looks simply menacing.......
its all original except for paint (original color), and is gonna stay that way.

oh, and I agree with labrat in that I prefer mods that can be unbolted and put back to stock if need be.... but thats mostly for the real nice original examples if the owner chooses to modify it.

Air_Adam

I'm 18, and I like to modify my Camaro, but not because of a "sense of indestructibility"... I've grenaded many parts on my car, like a 305 already (hell, it was 1/2 way there already) and the T5 will prolly go soon too.

Honestly, I really don't do it for more power, to go faster, or anything like that. I like that side-effect of it, but I do it because I like turning wrenches. Even when there is nothing to fix, I gotta do something, lol. Last summer, I had nothing to do on it for about a week, so I took off the alternator and bracket, painted the bracket and the pulley on the alt. just because I had nothing else to do.

89raggtopp

Car is 100% original. Only thing not is the tires, put Firehawk SZ50's on. I'm 32, had the car since 92. Original 89 TA conv. 5.7L, 26K miles. Hopefully a collectors item down the road. Appraised by independent co for State Farm Ins 8/01 at $16000 cash value.

FastElectrics

The only real mods I've done to mine that where not factory are the two override switches for the cooling fan & power antenna, and two tweeters mounted where my manual window cranks used to be.. And two other item which was on a camaro. just not my year are the dual map reading light / dome light. and the duel snorkle air cleaner.. everything else I'm doing was a factory option.. that mine didn't have.. Oh ya.. and I guess the biggest mod will be two amps and a single sub.. But I'm gonna make it look like it was factory.. even though it never was.

flrtin1

I probably have one of the first modded Z28's so we will put your theory to the test


Nope, Paid full price, factory ordered it in Dec 84

My need for speed hasn't changed in the last 19 years

Just as much fun now as then (just more expensive)

There were no aftermarket parts in 85 (sorta takes the fun out of it now)

I like my cars how I want them not someone else

Gota admit this would of made it easier but then what fun would of that been ( old saying why do it once when you can do it twice)

Kontrax

i dont feel they will be worth what you all think because they are the highest produced f body from all the years they made them. now low mile cars on the other hand are the exception. but if your over 100k i dont see why you wouldnt want to mod. you dont have the factory HP anymore with all that wear and tear. besides, they were fast for their day. now you got the late 4th gens with over 300 hp and vettes and all this other stuff coming out with crazy HP. where does that leave your stock 80's 305 or 350? they have 4 cyls out with as much as the 350s had back then... kind of a shame you know? but hey, moding your car is totaly up to you

cdartz

I could care less about future value. I do prefer to keep a basically stock appearance, but not because of value, but because I prefer the look. Besides I don't have $1000 to spend on wheels and tires that will be last years style next year. I like the 80s look. It's why I have the cars. I'm all for modding unless it's an extremely low mile car, and then only if it's a desirable model like a GTA or IROC. I see no point in keeping a Camaro Sport Coupe stock, even if it's a low mile example.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

2nd Gens were the highest produced Gen of F-Body and you see that almost none are around anymore. And 4 Cylinders today don't have 245HP/345TQ. Neither do the V6's, well not the TQ at least. Don't hit .9 G's on skidpads either. The top model cars are gonna be worth money years from now, which can be good and lousy at the same time. (I see some go for alot now, which isn't too good for me)

One thing I noticed is that a few years ago when I would go for rides I would be almost guaranteed to see at least one or two Thirds everytime. Now it seems like weeks go by in between before I see just one and when it's a nice one (especially a top model) it gets all the wows and stares from people.

Bandit400

I'm 27.
Performance cars and modding go kind of hand in hand ever since the early days. You get a fast car and make it faster, or get a slow car and make it faster. It's the Need for Speed.

Third gens are pretty cheap and plentiful still.

Other than the above mentioned reasons I think third gens are modded a lot because by todays standards are not all that fast (compared to say an LS1 car). Certainly quick but not as fast in comparison to the rest of the world as they were say in 1989.
So therefore people like to modify them in order to get them more comparable to the fast cars of today.

I would have fallen victim to the modding bug myself with my '92 had I not bought a '78 T/A shortly afterward in which I got the modding out of my system. Since the '92 is 100% original at this point I will leave it that way. Plus, it's an L03 and never would be that fast anyway.

Orignal cars are the way to go in my book now. In retrospect I probably shouldn't have modded a stock '78 but I wanted to make it faster while retaining streetablilty. So I did what I wanted at the time , and what's done is done. Stock cars are generally worth more and when shopping for cars, modded cars throw up red flags to me. Afterall, why do you mod them? To go faster and abuse them. A grandma doesn't mod a car.

One day I hope to buy a '92 Z28. And I'd much rather have a stock one than modified. I don't care it's slower in stock form.

Kontrax

everyother car up my way is a 3rd gen. so many its rediculous. hell, they even use one in the new wendys commercial.... are you sure that 2nd gens are the most produced? somehow i think thats wrong just because of the emmissions and gas crisis back then. i could have sworn i had a book saying the production numbers

Bandit400

yeah, they made a lot of 2nd gens. Like 211,000 in '79 alone. But there aren't so many left. Since new they have been owned in large by Lead foot 'spirited drivers' which end up wrecking a lot. I commonly hear "I used to have one of those but I totalled it."

Year after year the stock car races eat these things up all across the country since they are THE popular choice for race cars. 30 years of that takes a toll.

Tranny89

Ya I would love to see more 3rd gens around.
In my area they are hard to come by. And what is really hard to come by is a 3rd gen worth looking at. U do see your occasional 6cyl. firebird, or camaro in primered gray paint or beat up body. But what u don't see is the T/A or IROC the is all orginal and just all around head turner.

That's where mine comes in too play. I have an 89 T/A with 60K that is all orginal and in my eyes exceptional shape. I really get the head turns when I take her out. Which isn't too often. But it is starting to get nice out so I might break her out soon

Too be honest I could careless if these cars will ever be worth money in the future, cause I will always have mine. But what scares me if I would ever want too buy another one, that's all original and low mileage and the whole works it is going to be very hard to come by. I think anyway But just my 2 cents
Later Guys