1992 Camaro RS
45,XXX miles
5 speed
305 tbi
oem bose subwoofers in trunk area

I am having a difficult time deciding what I want to do with this car. I purchased it 2 months ago from the 2nd owner who purchased it from the original owner in January 2015. It came with every single receipt she ever had for the car. 45XXX original miles. 2nd owner changed the front headlight lenses and turn signal lenses as well as had the car painted. I just had the exhaust tips cut off and turn downs installed. I like the less is more look. Original owner had a cd player and all new inside speakers installed. Other than those few small changes the car is original.

So here's the deal. People have told me to leave the car alone and it will be worth more in the end. So far I am fine with that. The double edged sword is the low miles. I want to drive the car all the time but have to control the urge and drive it once a week or every couple of weeks to keep the miles down. I like the idea of keeping it original but the other side of me wants to turn it into a resto mod-ish project and swap an LS motor, do the suspension, and do some CCW classic wheels. Is this car worth keeping original? Could I still get the same value by doing all of the aftermarket stuff to the car down the road?


Thanks for any advice.

--Dave

 

Do what you want. The car is an RS, which in '92, was the base model. It may never be worth big money, but you never know. Based on your driving plans for the car, I'd say do what you want, make it what you want, and enjoy the car. I don't think you can hurt it either way.

It's value will start to decline as the miles go up. It's originality value will decline as soon as you start to mod it. I'd say that you're good to go either way. One suggestion though...drive the car and enjoy it. No sense in letting it go to waste with the hopes of it increasing in value.

 

Beautiful car! I love it, and especially with the T5.

You will retain the greatest amount of value by leaving it stock and keeping it low-mile. An RS will suffer more from higher mileage than a Z28 or other desirable option package, so if you drive it and use it up, the value drop will be steep. Well done restomods do increase value, but not enough to cover the conversion investment.

The prices of these cars are indeed rising, but the cars leading that charge tend to be low-mile, original cars with the most desirable and rare option packages: 1LEs, Z28/IROC-Z G92 LB9 T5 or L98 cars, Firehawks, B4Cs, Players R4U cars, Convertibles, Cars with a unique history (ie-the last thirdgen) etc. The rising tide will lift all ships, but base models, RSs, and high-mile, poor condition cars will be the last to benefit from the trend. So someday you may have an appreciating car on your hand if you leave it as is, but the timetable is going to be a while and may not be worth the wait.

Your best bet is to just do what you want with it. That car is awesome as is, but it'd also be a great platform for a well done LSx swap. Tough call; I think I'd only do the LSx swap if I could go all out and make it look like a factory install.

 

With 45k and already being repainted, a chunk of the value went down there since a major portion of the car is now not original.

My vote is do with it what you want.

 

as others have said , have fun with the car and not worry about value .. i dont think a repainted rs will ever be of great value so swap out that tbi motor and have some fun with it !!

 

Yea don't worry about value. Have fun and do what you want with it.

 

Yep. Go the route which offers the most fun.

JamesC

 

Thanks guys, I didn't realize a repaint would hurt value that much. I know when people do restorations on cars and repaint they still get a good amount for their cars. That's why I didn't think a repaint would affect it much. The original owner let this car sit in the sun alot so the seats need recovered. The rear is pristine because she had louvers.

 

The repaint only increases the value if you are doing a full restomod, frame up show car. It will help you sell the car but not really increase the value.
From the sounds of it you are far enough away from original that you should do what makes you happy and not worry about the value.

 

Think about it like this: you love the car, and have no plans of selling it. So do whatever you want and have the fun you want to have. It's your car.

Buying a car just to have it sit in the garage to 'keep the miles low' is a sad state to be in, driving them is much much more fun

 

As the original owner of a 91 RS Camaro with 390,xxx miles on it, drive and have fun. Since your car has a 5 speed I would enjoy and savor the car as is for a while and save some extra money for the LSx swap.

A camaro seldom driven sitting around is a sad camaro.

 

Thanks everyone. I think I will start with getting the windows tinted. I told myself I was going to refrain on this one to keep it as original looking as possible. Also said I was going to polish the original headlight lenses and bumper lenses and put them back in. However I'm starting to like the idea of modding the car.

Plans are:
LSX swap(6 speed of course)
suspension
18 inch CCW classic wheels
maybe more down the road

My dilemma now is do I dip into the safe and sell some guns or just wait and save?

 

Also, gonna put those heritage stripes on that the previous owner included!

 

Enjoy! If stock appeals to you, then by all means pursue that. But enjoy your car.

Beautiful RS, by the way.

 

yup, as said, make it yours....ls swap it. i was trying to keep mine original but original is boring. with 60000 92 rs cars made i cant worry about value

 

Ya just do what you want with it. I had a completely original 86 trans am. which by common means was fully loaded (didn't have recaros,digital dash), but one day I said hell with it. Swapped interior color, added ALOT of random stuff, and I am currently doing some extensive suspension work. By the time these cars are going to be worth anything serious, the money wont be worth the wait. Even then people only will want the TTA, Recaro, 1LE, and Notchbachs. Like they do now lol. Just save the parts if you plan to keep the car.

 

45k miles is low, but not 10k mile low and the repaint doesn't really help. i wouldnt put a ton into modding either though.

lower it a bit, put a nice exhaust on it, and lightly tint if you want and call it a day, have a nice turnkey cruiser.

 

Do what you want, my SC is only a 2.8l V6 carbed, and only 68k, nothing special, but i have big plans, getting my new hood soon(cant decide between WS-6 or Z28/IROC with the hood louvers) then repaint and decals, working on sanding and polishing some stock Z28 wheels right now in fact.... Dumping way more money into the car than its worth is only a bad thing if either 1.) you don't have the money to spend, or 2.) you don't plan to keep the car. Since mine has sentimental value, i don't care how much i spend on my car, just decide for yourself what you want to do with the car in the future, and go from there, personally though, i would mod the heck out of it