It is an '85 Z28 LG4 with a 700-R4,
no power options, no cruise
but it does have:
a/c, rear defrost,a lockable rear storage thingy
black interior
Everything except a tune-up kit, tires and heater core are original
52,610 miles
I am the third owner.
Dealer told me it would be worth double the value $7000 in ten yrs. time because it would be qualified as a classic car. Of course he would say anything to sell a car.
I'm asking because I can't decide if it's worth it to keep it stock. Or should I make it faster?

 

Supply and demand will make it a classic. This might take 20 years or more. Think back(if you are old enough) to how many '50's cars were on the street in the '70's and how many do you see now. For that matter how many '70's cars do you see on the street now. Every time I see a 2nd or 1st gen I stop and look just because I don't see that many. I see a lot of 3rd gens now.

That is why I am getting my car ready for the day when the parts are hard to find. Talk to a 2nd gen owner and listen to them complain about how hard it is to find parts. Do you ever see then in the boneyards? I don't. Do you want to go slow for the next 20 years just in case your car is a classic? Besides even if you do some mods and there are not a lot of '85 Z28 with no power, no cruise, and someone wants one then you have something of value. If no one wants it you have nothing.

Beside you need to have fun now, not later!

Hope this helps, because it is just my opinion and I am no expert, JUST A REALIST.


Edited: from all caps to normal
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86 Camaro Black SS Coupe, T Tops, Flowmaster, Custom Paint, Dunlop Road Kings S/R tires, Wheel Country Directional Chrome Wheels, New Leather seats, new carpet and headliner, complete front end suspension rebuild, new Valve seals, and more mods to come
http://www.angelfire.com/sports/niterider/86camaro.html

[This message has been edited by Drew (edited June 21, 2001).]

 

I don't see any reason why you would want to keep it stock. No offense, but there is nothing that special about your car in terms of it's future collectability. It has the low output engine, auto trans and AC, all very common. And it doesn't have PW/PDL, which isn't common but is a turn off for a buyer of a non all out race car, which yours isn't because ofthe engine, tranny and AC. Also, 52k miles isn't that low for a collectibe car even if it was particularly rare (ex. a 52k mile 1LE doesn't have the same collectibility as a 10k mile true all original car)
There's nothing wrong with keeping it in great shape, and by all means don't start cutting it up and bastardizing it, nice 3rd gens are geting hard to find. But don't worry about throwing some go fast parts on it if thats what you want to do.
...ed

 

Thanks guys . Now that I think about it more and more I just figure what the heck, if I throw on an intake or a set of headers, or some other external parts, I can always keep them in storage if someone ever wants to buy it as an original. Besides it's a car, not a painting and it deserves to be driven. They made over 115,000 Camaros that year, but there is only one Mona Lisa. And as Ed pointed out, it's not like I have one of the four '88 1LE Camaros. Plus you're only young once, so should probably have as much fun as I can while I'm still 19.

 

That doesn't mean too much. If you still have it in ten years, you'll have put a lot of that amount into it, greatly reducing your gain.

Go here

http://www.duffys.com/

and keep abreast of what's worth what. You don't get much for under $10,000 nowadays.

Only time will tell. If a new car's worth $50,000 in ten years, ALL cars will raise in value. I paid $18,500 for my T/A new. Still have it. Guess what it's worth now????

[This message has been edited by Greg '85 T/A (edited July 03, 2001).]

 

Dealers will tell you anything they think you want to hear to get you to buy a car.

That's the absolute low end of the Z28 lineup. I doubt it will have any significant value in terms of collectibility. It's not the kind of car that is worth maintaining in its original configuration. Mod it to your heart's content.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

I agree completely with the statement that it is getting VERY hard to find a clean, unmolested, original 3rd gen. Will the car be worth something? Yes. How much? No one can say. Will it be worth as much as a TPI '85 IROC, fully loaded? No way...

Admittedly, I am biased. I would much rather have a clean, unmolested, original car like your Z rather than your typical, 350 swapped, header-equipped mid '80s Z28 that seems to be far more commin lately. I like originality...the only mods that will ever be made to my '97 are the stereo, and I could make it bone stock again in about 3 hours!!

But I have to admit, my car is more than fast enough (at least for me) in bone stock trim. My 2 cents is to drive it, enjoy it, and if you decide to mod the engine and underpinnings, keep ALL the original parts. You will have something someday if you do...

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Jason E

'89 Camaro RS
Medium Grey Metallic
2.8, A4, T-tops, 91k miles, a few bolt ons
Alpine 60x4 and Bostons

'97 Z28
30th Anniversary package (white with orange stripes)
LT1, M6, t-tops, 42k miles
Eclipse CD and 10" Aluminum sub in JL Audio Stealth box, Boston RM speakers, Xtant 403a amp

Speed Kills...Wanna live forever? Drive a Ford.
Long Live #3...