a mack6

iTrader: (1)

Ok heres my deal: I'd like to do a few mods to my car, but one of my big concerns is how it would affect the value of my car. I have already decided to go with a black chevy proform open element (very stock looking) and i will also be getting a high flow cat and either a GMMG or a hooker catback. Those 3 mods are definite, and i'm pretty confident that anyone (be it a collector, enthusiast, or just a regular person) who sees my car will agree those were tastefully put on.

I know im gonna get people saying my car will never be worth anything, and to you guys, well screw you and dont post anything...because i believe that it will be worth good money one day, and will be viewed as a true collectors car...even though its not a z28. So my main question is, are they're any other mods that you guys feel wouldnt detract from the value of it? I mean alot of 3rd gens werent really fast in the grand scheme of things anyway so i'm getting the impression that a modded 3rd gen that is in awesome shape will always be worth money? What do you guys think?

Some mods ive heard are very worthwhile are a corvette servo, headers, strut tower brace?, posi w/3.23's or 3.42s, etc.

GTA Jim

It all depends.... A die hard car collector looking for matching serial numers might want to talk you down if your car isn't completely stock, but in most cases things that can easily be changed back should be OK..

My car is 100% stock except for a DynoMax cat back system and gold plated exhaust tips. It really wouldn't take much money or work to remove this stuff and bolt on the factory exhaust and tips.

I think anything that can easily and inexpensivly be 'put right' again would be OK...

Asdfga3

As much as I hate to say it, for a true collector's vehicle, every mile on the OD reduces the value, and any mods will drop it down even more.

However that said, I understand where you're going with this, and I would agree with Jim that you're on the right track. Basically any intake/exhaust, or any bolt-ons that can be easily removed (be SURE to save all the stock parts, and get reciepts) would be alright.

a mack6

iTrader: (1)

Yea i see what your saying...

The wierd thing is that i never really plan on selling my car, but for some reason i want the value to be there, if that makes any sense.

Another thing i just thought of was that if 10-20 years down the road i go to restore the car, i could always go back to stock specs then, right?

One more thing, on my particular car, some tasteful mods such as the ones im getting (open element, exhaust) and maybe like a shift kit may be a good idea since LO3's were kinda slow from the factory and a few nice, professionally down mods to improve its giddyup may actually attract people who dont want to get smoked by modern day 4-cylinders...

a mack6

iTrader: (1)

What about things such as a corvette servo and/or shift kit, and like a posi rear end..which would be pretty hard to remove, whats you guys opinion on those?

urbanhunter44

iTrader: (3)

All of those mods (servo, shift kit, posi) are basically done deals once you do them. I suppose you could remove the servo if you had to, and undo a shift kit if you don't drill anything. Changing a posi back to an open rear is as expensive as getting the posi in the first place and requires a shop to do it - unless you're comfortable doing it yourself.

I'd suggest a headers back system (go for GMMG - you won't be sorry) and the open element for starters. If you decide to mod anything else do it professional, keep receipts and stock parts and don't half-*** anything. I'd honestly recommend a posi and some good gears - make sure to change your speedo. That mod will be among the most bang for the buck mods you do.

The biggest thing with modded collector's cars is that they "appear" stockish. No hack jobs, no crazy colors. Just professional and all receipts kept.

Red1992V6Rs

I would do what you want since you don't plan on selling the car anytime soon. I would do mods that wont really be noticed to the untrained eye. Mods like the STB, open element, and headers look pretty much stock if you ask me. And things like a Corvette servo, catback, and different rear, no one is going to see or notice. It seems like you have the same taste as me as far as modding a car. Stock, or modded with a very stock look. IMO, the best way to go when building a car. And with a heritage like yours with very good milaage( 45k if i remember correctly), has a good chance at become a collector car.

Asdfga3

Perfect sense.

That's the general idea, yeah.

If you do sell the car, it would most likely be another person like yourself who wants a somewhat powerful car, but wants to stand out a bit from the rest of the F-Body crowd. A die-hard collector is going to hold out and go for a car like this one.

The problem with that theory is that anyone who's paying more for a car simply because it's a Heritige Edition is going to have a trained eye, and know what they're looking for.

IMO, like urbanhunter and I said, doing easily reversable mods makes sense.

Red1992V6Rs

I guess that is true, never really thought of it from that point of view.

Yea, doing mods that are easily reversable is the way to go, and it doesn't seem like you plan on doing anything serious to your car.

a mack6

iTrader: (1)

Yea i'd really like to get the GMMG but ifi cant afford it, i know the hooker is still a good choice.
Yea that is exactly my taste. The thing i love about my car is that its a heritage edition in outstanding condition. I have nothing against people who do appearance mods to Heritages, but for me personally i could never do anyting to the appearance of my car (with the exception of some nice window tint ). As far as my other mods; the open element is extremely OEM looking, and while the exhaust tips might give it away, i dont think an catback is a drawback to any car -collector or not. Oh, and it had 45k when i got it, but right before we put it away for the winter it just cracked 48k .

Ok...got it. Open element and a chip are easily reversible, and as far as headers, cat, and catback go...they're reversible just might take alittle more work. Now my last question kinda reverts back to the trans/rear end. A posi/3.42 and/or a shift kit could dramatically quicken my car, however they're not really reversible. So you guys are saying that if i choose to do any of these mods, i should have them professionaly done with all the receipts? If i did do a vette servo i would almost want to do that one at home because it is simplier. My dad was a GM mechanic in the 80's so he could do it for me. I would also like to get my car undercoated; Would you guys suggest POR-15 professionaly applied?

After re-reading this it makes it sound like i want to sell my car or something, but its so far from that. I just want like to keep my car very original, with all the original parts in my posession, and have everything documented.

Bull

iTrader: (5)

Until recently, I've been heavily into old school muscle, specifically '60's Pontiacs. After enough time has gone by, with the exception of the concourse original crowd, the value of desireable cars is not hurt by either high miles or modifications. With the classic muscle market where it is, potential buyers of legitimate GTOs, Chevelles, Chargers, Firebirds etc. aren't going to care much if the car was converted to a 4 speed, or if the chassis saw 500,000 miles over the course of its life. Taking a high-miles car and freshening it up, rebuilding the engine, even changing the color isn't going to make that GTO or whatever less desireable, EXCEPT to the concourse original crowd, as I mentioned.

So, over the long run, I wouldn't worry about modding your car too much, unles you start getting crazy with a sawzall and making irreversible stylistic changes or something.

I suppose another excpetion to this rule would be WRT low-production cars, like anniversary editions, where maintaining originality is a big plus.

Derek The Great

well... do what i did and add an edelbrock performer tbi intake manifold (#3704) plus an open air filter and you will be on your way to smokin high end v6s
--- a manifold is just a bolt on and you old one can be reinstalled, just save it when you take it off...

Derek The Great

after reading your posts more throughly i realized that i had my mind set in almost the same way u do...
when my dad finally got tired of his pontiac and gave it to me i though the world of it and never wanted to see it change. I wanted to keep it original for i believed there would come a day when it would fetch in excess of 20k... Well after doing my homework i realized that it will never be as desierable as say a Transam but i did realize that i had a rust free chassis, and a WS6 suspesnion for which to build a nice street car. i just have to find the money to build a 350 and and such, and until i do i will continue to perform basic mods to my 305...
-all in all, our cars wont be the ones in the spot light years from now, but that doesnt mean we cant put them in ours, so dont let this value thing hold back any ideas you have for your car...

a mack6

iTrader: (1)

The mr gasket breather i bought to go along withmy open element is chrome. i got nothing against chrome but im wondering that sicne my open element is gonna be black, if you guys think it would look better in my engine bay to paint the breather a matching black? I think having that chrome in there might disturb the whole 'OEM' looking that i was going for. What do you guys think

Asdfga3

Hard to say which would look better overall without a before/after pic. For a pure OE look though, black would be better.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

I've read thru these post and it got me thinking about what's acceptable and what's not.You have to maintain a vehicle which means original factory parts are not there.SEMA has lobbied hard that we don't have to use factory parts to maintain a warranty - whuch obviously doesnot pertain to us.Some people on the higher price/rare/low production cars are real sticklers that only AC-Delco(factory)replacement be present on there if/when you should decide to sell.IMHO you bought her to enjoy.If you replace/modify any hard parts then store the factory parts just in case down the road you should decide to sell.Along these line I saw this beauty posted on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevr...QQcmdZViewItem

Asdfga3

Damn... now that would be one hell of a ride.

RedLava

iTrader: (4)

If you really wanted to keep the stock rear just in case you could always watch the junk yards for a posi rear. Then just swap out and store your original rear.

LIL BASTARD

iTrader: (3)

And document everything. Keep all reciepts and photograph as much as possible. A well documented car can go along way. Show what you did and have all the stock parts stored. About the rear end, find another posi in the junk yard and swap that in, storing your old stock one. The value of a car comes from the individual buyer, if he/she feels that your perfect example of a heritage is worth 20 grand, and they want it, then they'll pay and be happy about it. Even though they could find a lesser example for less money. We as humans are just that way. Perfect example is Barrett Jackson, I've seen people bid all the way up to 105K and stop, even though another grand and they could of won it. Nope, they felt that the car is not worth 106K, only 105K. But the other bidder, it was worth the 106K. And no one can predict the future value of a car, my father told me in the 80's you couldn't give a 60s muscle car away, because of the gas prices and stuff, they didn't pick up value till the middle 90's, when almost none were left. I see the 3rd gen going the same way, here in vegas, there are all most no 3rd gens, I know of 2 really nice ones and the other 20 or so are all ragged and beat to hell. Most of the other owners I ran into and talked to have no plans on restoring them and most just plan on driving it till it dies and then junking it. I think I'm the only one here that is actually working on his.

rideon1200

Your right Lil. In 82 I had a choice between a Cuda and a MG midget. The Cuda was only 800.00 and the Midget was 2000.00. But gas was 1.32, thats 1982 money. Still cound pick up a house for 54000 then. 83 had a chance to buy a Chevell SS or a Vega. The Vega had a 4 cylinder and the GF lived 20 miles away. Then there was the Roadrunner. I had a 1971 Camaro in 1986 I picked up for 300.00 and a 400 sb for 200.00. Pratically gave away when I was transfeered to Lakenheath. Also had a 76 Trans Am, sold that for 2000.00 in 89. Also, for your car to be rare means less cars on the road, parts harder to find. right now it might be easy to change back to stock but 5 years? Everyone over the past 3 years has seen a increase in our cars, check ebay. But the collectors will go after the TTA or the GTA Maybe Bandit 2 or some special Edition. Or low milage. The car is dictated by what people will pay. The 69 Judge, if you have under 100,000 dont bother looking. But you can pick up a 64 belair for 30,000. Older doesnt mean more desirable. Also not every car is a collector. Have fun in the car and keep it. But if you want gareenteed investment buy property.