If I've rendered my car historically inacurate what does it do to the resale? What if it's way faster now?

 

I guess it would depend on the buyer.

I did not do my car for someone else to enjoy, I did it for me



JOhn

 

Yeah, I'd agree. If the car is kept showroom, likely the owners have had a similar intent on not straying from original, Like those who use dealer service and brag about it..hehe
I wouldn't
Bill

 

I don't own cars hoping that they will be worth money in the future, I keep them because I like what I drive!

I say go. go go go. Mod it till you're happy with it, or restore it if that's what makes you happy!

 

I personally doubt that any of these cars, with only a VERY VERY FEW exceptions, will have significant resale value. A typical 6-cyl or LG4 or TBI car, no way those will ever be worth anything. Nearly any 305 car, carbed or injected, except for a really cherry L69 car with desirable options or a G92 TPI car, is not likely to be "desirable. Even the huge majority of the 350 TPI cars are ho-hum. The ones that might someday have some upside potential, are the absolute top-of-the-line ones in their respective years; 1LE cars; TTAs; Players cars; and such as that. IMHO anybody that spends extra money on one of these cars thinking it's an "investment", is suffering from some kind of delusion.

That being said, if you're the kind of guy that likes an all-original car, it certainly won't hurt it to keep it that way. If you're the kind of guy that likes to go fast or carve canyons or something, that's OK too. DO what you want with the car, for you, not for some imaginary future owner.

Just don't hack the car to pieces and hallucinate that the world will beat a path to your door to acquire your "just another" car with intermittent wiring hacks, missing emission eqpt such that it can't be licensed where the future owner wants to take it, etc. etc. etc. In other words, make it a credit to the community, not a shame to us all.

 

It's been said many times here before and will be said again....the value is set by the market and what they are interested in. If the car is all original and in great shape, keep it that way. It will have value as original. There are also people out there willing to pay alot for older cars that have had a resto mod. Do what you want with the car and enjoy it. The value will be there when the market shows interest.

It's also been said that the 69 Z28 was a dime a dozen and wasn't worth anything because it had the 302 and not a 350 or 396. The 1st gen Z28s demand high dollar because they were race bred. The IROC-Z is also race bred and WILL be worth $$ someday. Twenty-five years is 5 years away. That will show the value. I know of 69 Z28s in mint shape that sold for less than $8k in the early 90's. A mint IROC-Z is selling in that range or better now. I also think the Z28s will increase in value due to the fact they are less in numbers during the IROC-Z years. How many 85-87 Z28s do you see these days?

Enjoy the car. When the value increases, you'll have what you want and will still have a market for it.

 

Yes.. It seems to take a while, but cars do eventually turn around and start appreciating. If you shop for clean no rust, original 2nd gen F-bodies, you'll see that mid '70 models run $4000+ If you bought one back then and kept it extra clean, you'd sell it and break even.. (Pretty lousy investment )

Our 3rd gens are still common.. There are a lot on the highways, but every year a significant number make it to the car crushers or get chopped up for parts. Accidents, rust and wear and tear take their toll.

Rule of thumb seems to be that it takes 30 years for a car to start appreciating, so by 2013 clean original 3rd gens will probably start going up in value.

The only thing to really worry about is gas prices.. If We're paying 10.00 per gallon 10 years from not, there probably won't be any big demand for any cars with 5.7L V8 engines

 

You are so correct, and I have preached about this before, just because there were alot of them made does not mean that they will have no value. As a case in point, there was almost as many 1957 Chevy's produced in ONE YEAR than for the entire 11 year run for our cars for one line.

As far as value I think each car will have its valure, V6 or Firehawk, granted a limited production TTA, or Firehawk will definately be on top of the heap, but V6 cars will appeal to a certain crowd. More likely to the crowd that had one a long time ago and wants to re-live their youth.

As far as Gas prices, that could work for us or against us. Although it goes against conventional wisdom, in 1989 The 350 cars actually got better mialage than the 305 couterparts. Unfortunately most people never slow down to take advantage of it. But if there were a huge gas crunch and prices exceed $10 then that would probably mean that many of the more unfortunate cars on this board that are in decent to rough shape may be gone (crushed), leaving only the pristine cars making our cars more valuable due to lack of fine examples.

John

 

I've struggled with the original vs "historically inaccurate" dilemma for a while as well, especially as the owner of one of the more rare cars. It's pretty moot now, though, considering that the entire drivetrain has been dumped, its been repainted, and some ROH wheels are waiting to go on. I feel that all of that has improved in the car though- makes it more fun to drive and enjoy. In other areas I have tried to stay true to the car such as the interior.

If someone wants an all-original 145bhp, low miles Pace Car that will never be driven again, they are out there, make an offer. But I will still maintain that mine is more enjoyable- and I would wager that any future eventual buyer would agree.

 

IMO,
I think that mods that are either unseen, or that can be bolted on and off the car are acceptable.
Engine mods, even some suspension mods - but when you start cutting - this is a whole different ball game - hard to put back to original if need be, and usually costly. If possible, keeping the original parts off to the side is a good bet as well. This is what I did with my TTA.
But as has been mentioned throughout the post - do what makes you happy.
-Andrew

 

Interesting thread... and a little depressing.

As it turns out, us third gen owners are viewed as "touched" to many others out there I suspect. Who would want to drive a large, gas-guzzling car with long heavy doors that require you to fall in and out of?



I bought my car with the full intention of making it an investment. What a joke that was. As it stands however, I am driving the car I've secretly lusted after for many of my younger years. It is as Scott and John have said, "drive the car because you love to."

Now... I'll sell you my car for 6500. Any takers?

 

The ratio of my typing to # responses! Frankly I don't care if it's frowned apon in the community to run a 6cyl vin w/ an l98 under the hood. Even if a z28 apearance package is pushing the whole thing too far. I'm just trying to get my kicks before the whole shrinking world goes up in flames. For all I care the 4 horsemen of the apocolypse can drive F-bodies with .20 bac's. Wide open, T-tops down on a 4 lane highway to rain hellfire on me for ripping off my smog pump, and not taking advantage of the 5.7's relatively good gas milage. It's worth it to get sideways looks when "worked on my car" is your reply to "what did you do this year" It's worth it to be a flying promotion to every cop with a badge and a gas foot. It's worth it because we all do something other than live in order to survive. The human condition is such that few people know what it's like to make something with their hands, something other than a means to eat. That's what seperates us from the animals. It's like we live in a modern renesance but no one cares to put forth any effort. Ok, I made that last part up, I do it for all the little cheerleader girls.

 

I never thought of the Countach or Diablo as 'large' hmmmm
From the looks of mine, you could say it was meant to drive, and drive it has....From Hell and back
My friend is not interested in investing time in my motor as he suspects warpage will thwart his efforts at new gaskets so in the meantime, going to do a quickfix. Sadly work is REAL bad here, so my money remains issue.
I think most here work on their cars because they want to keep the past alive, but at the same time, money often requires one to get their hands dirty. My personal problem is I have no training so I'm sure I can pull things apart, but deftly afraid of getting them together and working again!
Bill

 

Responding to the GAS debate.
I don't see gas prices relating to the 3rd gens going to junk yards, however, two points... Predictions indicate demand and no official changes re: OPEC

Back in 1979/80, the second fuel crisis came about, Cadillac designers braced for it when the future 1985 Deville (World's first Transverse V8, BTW) and 1986 Seville/Eldorado came forth... to unexpected downward sales. Designs for these small GM cars, which ran across the board, BTW, were years prior. They reported speculation of $3 a gallon and totally redesigned the fleets due to that. It never happened, but equate that to now. How the Hummer can even be successful is something that can't really be explained. During the 1980 to 1990 time, not everything came about that needed to be addressed, but paved the way for cars that could not be seen as viable in the economics we may be seeing now.
I think the third gens, being light and nimble cars that do move not being the main issue of popularity, but small and non-creature comfort, more likely.
BILL

 

Bill, I've been thinking about the gas issue for some time now, It's my livelyhood you could say. I'm a flying mechanic, a job exclusive to the Marine Corps KC130 tanker community. I've pumped more gallons of fuel into planes from the air then there is supposed to be in the states. We pay close to $1 a gallon. Saying that my job or hobbies could be a risk because of a fuel crisis is just what they want you to think. Its a mind game gas companies have been playing for years and liberals play right in to there hands. I'm sure members of this site would take 2 gs to watch their "gas hogs" get crushed like they did in cali in the ninties. Sure I don't think we all should be driving 440 cudas running the on rich side, but a 12 mi city 5.7 aint killing any baby seals. If gas was a real problem we'd all be running gasohol. Or natural gas or burning filtered cooking oil. This isnt mad max. In the late 70's gm felt forced to bulid a concept steam-powered grand prix to apease the masses. Now they show us a caddy sixteen and all the world simultaniously orgasms. What changed?

 

As for GAS prices!

I guess it time to start reserching for the Hybird replacement engine or Hydrogen conversion for the TPI

But for the mean-time, the air injection stuff is coming off early next year and I will get some MPG back. By the way, my 82 Firebird with the 350TPI was getting ~25MPG on the Highway before the air injection stuff was put on back in 2000.