Jproz1167

iTrader: (3)

in all actuality how badly do mods affect resale value on a car thats in extremly nice shape. My 82's stock stuff was pathetic anyways so how badly would TPI/5speed/disc rear/serpentine drive/ and possibly a 350 hurt value if it is a nice clean install with nothing hacked/butchered

I would think unless it's a purist looking at the car these mods would actually help sell the car ... I would think many would chose the stock looks but better performance and economy of later drivetrain parts.

And by clean install I mean like a 90's tpi motor as neatly installed as it was in a donor car.

phess11

It depends on who wants to buy it and what they want it for. I you are selling to a collector they will want it "bone" stock down to the floor mats. If you sell it to a kid who wants to race his friends the mods would be great.

my 2 cents,
phil

okfoz

To a point your correct, If you look at the Barret Jackson auction the cars taht are going for the most are those which are well done customs.

I think its silly to try and make a buck on our cars at this point in time. If you want to make money, go to work, get a job, and invest some of it into the stock market. If you want to enjoy your car, and if you want to mod it, go for it, if you like the all stock approach, and challenge for that matter, go that route.

All in all its your car, do what ever you want, if you do a nice job someoen will appreciate it. If its all cobbled up, then thats your problem.

I have 2 Formulas, one is an all orginal TPI 5 speed, the other is a modified converted from 4bbl to TPI car. Both cars are yellow. I have one my class at the 04 TA nats with the modified one, and to be honest I have more money in it than I will probably ever recover. The short of this is I enjoy my cars, I don't do it for somone else, if they can appreciate it then thats great, but don't expect me to be selling any time soon.

If you want to make some money, buy the niceset third gen around, and sit on it, don't drive it, and in a few years it will be worth more. Don't expect to recover money after you sink 10K into it, no matter if its all stock or a nice modified. Buying a car all done iwll be cheeper.

JOhn

kaotik

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, i have been beating this one around for awhile myself, and i have finally come to the conclusion that it was driving me nuts to the point where i kept changing my mind on what i could/should do to the car, and now after thinking about it, and doing some research, it doesnt really matter a whole lot honestly. The bottom line is that you want to enjoy your car, and for the most part, you find 67-69 camaros at shows with different engines in them, and newer shocks, ect, so as long as the car retains most of the stock look, and isnt chopped or mangled, it will be something of interest at some point in time to someone. No one knows how long it will be until third gens are to the point where the 1rst gens are now, but when it comes, just owning the car will be good enough, as long as its not rusted out, ect... Plus, you can always hunt down parts and change it back someday if you change your mind. Thats the one that always killed me. I am in my 20's, i want to modify, but yet i have a piece of mind to know that when i am older, i may want it to be stock, so i was always battleing myself, and life is too short to worry about stupid things, so i am going to do whatever the hell i want to my car and enjoy it while i am still alive, and if i change my mind down the road, i will deal with it then.

Hope this helps...

cdartz

Do whatever you want to with it, but keep the stock parts in case you ever want to change it back. Problem solved.

okfoz

I was watching the Speed Channel, and thats what they suggested. IE, if you want racing seats for your 67 Camaro RS/SS, then put them in, but keep the original seats, so you can just swap them back in.

I think alot of people sell the OEM stuff and then there SOL when they sell it.

John

Jproz1167

iTrader: (3)

Well I've made my decision, I will be tossing the 305 for a L-98 I have and putting the full wiring harness I have from a 91 TBI firebird and using my throttle body injection, this should look ok and still use my factory air cleaner setup so it won't look to out of place. And for the resale price verses stock well sure it won'y be as collectible but it will run circles around the old LG-4 and be more economical.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Stock, near stock, and restored cars will always be worth more unless it's some kind of outrageous, high dollar, done right, one of a kind, crazy customized car. Then prices can be unusual for un-stock cars.

Bandit400

Depends on the buyer.
However, in the minds of many mature prospective buyers:

modified = more likely to be abused and less desireable, wheras

original well maintained car = less problems and more desireable

kaptinkafeen

iTrader: (2)

IMO
Stay away from drastic body mods - don't chop or cut, Mechanical mods - these can always be returned to stock if need be, but as mentioned keep the old parts - man are the prices of OEM parts ever going sky high! Even finding stuff at the wreckers is getting tough.
-Andrew

okfoz

I guess then I have a question. My 87 Formula came with the Base V8 LG4. I have completely swapped in a 1987 TPI setup from a T/A and if you were to put my car next to a true TPI car no one would be able to tell the difference (other than some bolt on mods).

Would my car be worth more as an all original LG4 or the TPI setup?

John

phess11

It all depends on who is buying. If someone wants a strong car and "trusts" the quality of your swap and mods they will pay. On the other hand, most, if not all, of the potential buyers would not know if your swap and mods were good quality or amateur. That is why a majority of the people out there tend to not "trust" an owners craftmanship and would rather have a "stock" car because they trust the factory more than the owner. They could be wrong and the modifications could be better than what the factory could do. But, history proves that the factory car is a safer purchase than the one that has been significantly modified.

Now if the owner were someone that had a reputation for quality mods then that would help as well.

phil

kaptinkafeen

iTrader: (2)

- When and if the prices of the third gens start to really appreciate, numbers matching will mean something.. Keep the original parts if possible.
Just think of how hard core Vette guys are - they are probably the worst for this sort of thing...Next to Mustang guys... With '69 Z28 - a documented car with the original 302 will be worth more than a Z with a replacement 302 (unless there is documentation to prove why and by who the block was replaced i.e. G.M. warranty work etc.) Adding a FACTORY cross ram or the 4-wheel discs may increase the car's value, but a factory equipped Z28 will still be worth more.
With my '75 T.A., I had a set of '70 date code correct Ram Air III heads that I bolted onto the '75 400 block. I also put on a different intake and headers, BUT I kept all the original parts - when the time came to sell the car, the mods didn't seem to bother anybody - sold the car sight unseen (just photo's). Most were glad that I had the original parts. The Ram Air III heads are getting hard to find and up here in Canada they are very costly. I know that swapping with genuine OEM parts seems to calm potential buyers, especially if the swapped in parts are rare in themselves - Maybe if you throw on 1LE equipemnt on a third gen this doesn't hurt it as much as a bunch of other aftermarket mods. In your case John, I guess due to the fact that you used GM stuff the resale value of your F body won't be hurt as much, but again, In my opinion, if the cars do gain in considerable value #'s matching will benefit the seller. I assume you have retained the original block that the car came with?
There is a lot of talk about Buick GN's GNX's and the Turbo T.A.'s now regarding this topic. Finding unmolested '86-'87 intercooled cars and the '89's is getting difficult - Currently cars with low milage and zero to minimal mods are demanding the premiums.
But, there is always the But... if the car was modded by someone famous like Red Armstrong, Kirban, Duttweiler etc.. and it is verifiable then the value of the vehicle may or may not be affected.
What many others have said in this thread is also very relevant like Phil and Bandit400.
-Andrew

Jproz1167

iTrader: (3)

Well I am not modifying the body or interior in any way, basically the car is in near perfect shape so I'm actually limiting the mods to the drivetrain and harness only. I'm taking my time on this engine conversion so it looks as good and the firbird all this stuff came out on right down to how everything was routed.

The majority of everything under my hood was pretty much just flat worn out. I would however like to chrome plate alot of the parts on the motor and have my engine compartment repainted.

I'm trying right now to re-splice this 91 ecm harness back together and put new plastic harness cover back on everything.

maybe I will post a thread on the complete engine conversion

okfoz

My engine number matches, and my heads are the original heads. My transmission however has no numbers at all but thats how I bought the car. I swapped over to TPI, and I really have no plans of selling, heck I have $20,000 in it ,and I think it will be at least 2015 before I start to see that kind of value from it. Looking back I should have bought a TTA and left it alone... heindsight is always 20/20 .

I think thats why I have considered selling my 2nd Formula and saving my pennies for a TTA or Firehawk. BUT then I think about the reality factor. If I actually assembled the money to purchase a TTA or 'Hawk, for the kind of money that they are beginning to go for I may be better off going for a Ferrari. Actually I love my cars even if they will not be worth as much as a TTa or 'Hawk.

John

gscz28

iTrader: (2)

It really doesn't matter how much you mod or don't mod...It's only worth what someone will give for it... You can put a price of 10k but if the only offer you get is 7 than there you go...
So in short if your looking at really trying to sell your car have a firm price no giving in..... These cars right now a really a dime a dozen, even moded only brings generally around 5-6k....

Re-sale is a long way down the road, enjoy, keep em clean, and do YOU want....
Like was said before even the classics have different motors and rear-ends, seats, & electrical has all been updated...

Pacer

A Third gen original car in very good condition will always (with a few exceptions) command a higher price. People look to mod a car their own way, that's why custom paint and such don't sell well. Others look for an "original" car.
If you mod, be advised it may devaluate your car depending on what you do. Shocks, tires etc won't hurt it.

Personally, I enjoy seeing a nice original car cruising down the road regardless of make or model.

Pacer

kaptinkafeen

iTrader: (2)

Lots of truth to what you have said - but historically speaking, its the original cars not the updated ones or retro-ones that bring the big $$. WIth the current Mopar craz that's going on - Most of the high dollar cars that we see selling on B.J's auction or anywhere else, are the documented original #'s matching cars - not the retro ones.

( Off topic here, but I am starting to question the integrity of the B.J. auction - especially some of the bidding practises as seen during the last Florida auciton.)

I really do appreciate the guys that don't give a dam about the #'s matching game - alas I am stuck trying to get the best of both worlds - modding a car to make me happy - and then, at least breaking even when the time comes to sell.
Unfortunately I'm no Jay Leno with ample amounts of $$ to carry on that way, and I am also realistic to know that money is hard to earn these days - so throwing it away or should I say spending it unwisely isn't an option either.
But in the end to each his own.
-Andrew

MikeDirntRulez

The way I see it, a certain crowd will pay a certain price for a 69 SS with an LT1 swapped into it.

And a certain crowd will pay the same price for an original or a GM licensed crate 350 swapped in.

It all depends on who you market to and whoever has the money and the desire at the time.