What modifications would increase your desire to purchace the Chevelle of your dreams (year of your choosing)

If the Chevelle has these things you would be MORE interested in buying it.

Please use just you own personal opinion, not what you think the general public might like.

Check ALL that apply to you.

ls1 swap, Nice stoppers and steering upgrades, working ac. Exterior mostly stock.

Customization is something I prefer to do myself. Other than maybe some engine performance mods, leave it close to stock works for me.

Well, you can pretty wipe that whole list off ... as it would make a car LESS desirable. Any major modifications, I will only do myself ... as it always takes me 2X as long to fix somebody else's crud.

One thing that comes to mind for desirable sellers ... is I've heard a lot of people put value in functioning a/c. Some demand it down south.

Neal

I would either leave it "original" :yes: or bring it back to "original" :yes: with some slight internal engine modifications. :secret:

I prefer cars that are as original as possible. Therefore, any changes someone has done, would decrease the value for me.

Leave it stock gets my vote. I hate fixing other people's screw ups, kinda like the Charger. Someone else built the engine, so now I can't get it to run properly because I don't know what's in it. I'm probably going to end up pulling it back out and redoing it the right way instead of the half-assed way it was already done. Another pet peeve of mine is when someone thinks they are good at wiring. All of the body mod choices don't really appeal to me so I'd walk away from the car just for that alone.

A well set up suspension I would be interested in, but anything that's not part of the exact combination I would prefer does not add any value to me.

An overdrive manual trans (5 or 6 speed) is a big thing on the list that adds value to me, as does fuel injection. :yes:

I like the use of modern paint colors, but nothing like the metallic copper/orange colors that seem to be popular now. Stock interiors only, but with factory style or tasteful aftermarket bucket seats. Stock dash, but with aftermarket gauges.

I wouldn't buy a tubbed out pro-street car (did once, won't again) but would consider mini-tubbed pro-touring type car. :)

I like very subtle body mods like removing emblems, modern mirrors, front air dams, and narrowing/tucking bumpers, but nothing crazy like suicide doors, chopped roofs, or grafting parts of one car onto another. :noway: Shaving handles looks cool, but I wouldn't want it.

Tire/wheel combo, and the stance can make or break the car. Tasteful 17" or 18" wheels and about a 2" drop will get my attention, and draw me to it... maybe make me weak enough to buy a car someone else built. ;)

Floyd, I hope that you are not going to limit what you would do to your own car based on this survey. It would be a shame that you didn't get to enjoy your car, your way, based on what the next owner wants.

Thomas

This poll is for my own curiosity. I have wondered about the tastes of buyers for Chevelles. I know my own preferences. I just didn't know others'.

My own taste is for mostly stock but if you read magazines or watch any car TV you would think that buying as much aftermarket stuff as humanly possible would make your car the "best" and nothing else is acceptable. Everything is driven by advertizing.

I don't limit myself to stock Chevelles. I appreciate the craftsmanship, labour and engineering that goes into a heavily modified, but tastefully done, beast.

To each his own. Its all good. As I said, I was just curious.

I have a similar question for next week.

Looks like the most desirable Chevelle is the one that is "original" in appearance but has some engine/suspension mods! :secret:

While I prefer the stock look or Day 2, I do like the headers, Hurst shifter, and Cragar mags. A blueprinted engine with a slightly improved cam would be ok. A friend's L78 Chevelle looks and sounds fairly stock but runs 11.70s. That I like. Sneaky quick.

You never know if the previous owner was a pro or a jackleg, so I prefer cars that haven't been tampered with at all. I guess we all have seen what a self-proclaimed car electrician or engine rebuilder can do to a car. If I had to pick modifications I can live with, it would be those that can be easily inspected or reversed, like simple bolt-on stuff.

I would perfer a car that looks day 2. I would like suspension upgrades and maybe sutble body mods but thats about all i would want. The drive train could be upgraded but they would have to have all specs and papers to go with it.

For me, I want it all done, you said Chevelle of my dreams. Part of the dream is that it all works well. I depends on the experience of the seller, which you can't gauge by looking at a car in a parking lot in 10 minutes. I would buy a car with a road suspension setup by Derek, because I think he knows what he's doing and really has an interest in learning about doing things the right way. I would buy a car with a Wolfplace engine. I would buy a car with a body already done by several guys on here. I would buy any of ACES1's cars if he ever sold them and I could afford them.

Here are some mods most would agree on that they would like, if they were buying a car from another owner.
1. Overdrive trans that looks and sits in stock location
2. A TBI fuel injection system that sits under the stock air cleaner.
3. Stainless Steel Fuel lines and tank with larger pickup tube.
4. Stainless Steel exhaust system
5. Quick Ratio Steering box
6. Larger front and rear sway bars.
7. Gas shocks and slightly lower springs.
8. LED Taillights Halogen headlights
9. New sound deadener under carpet newer seat foam and springs
10.Stock appearance dash with updated internals
11.Stock AM radio with new updated internals.
12.Disc brakes on all 4 corners

Just about everything on the car can be upgraded, from better body filler to all the mechanicals. So, I would look for documentation with pictures and receipts for the materials and parts that went it, and who did it.

Then I would look at how easy would it be to sell it if I needed to.

If its a higher end car, you have to look at where the most of the buyers are at that price.

Usually, but not always are the older people with the cash to be able to afford it. This gray hair is probably going to want a car he can take to a good mechanic he trusts, or the local gm dealership.

I would rule out any major parts change in the front end, well the whole drive train for that matter. So he would want the standard four speed or turbo 400 with receipts and who over hauled it.

Who did the engine and are the parts in it equal to or better then gm put in it.

The last thing the guy wants when he buys it, is having the service manager at a chevy dealer walk into the waiting room where he's setting and say could you please come out and look at something on your car, and he tells you he won't repair it because he doesn't have anything from gm that tells him how to fix it, he's looking at liabilty of the dealership.

So no tubular front ends or 5 speed transmissions, or any hi tech control arms or a nine bolt in the rear end.

Now, I'm not saying these modifications aren't any good, I'm just looking at who has the money to buy this car, and we all know that people like different cars, were all a bunch of horse traders at heart, so after a couple of years down the road, this car is going bye bye.

Numbers matching cars and the guys that keep track of all of it, theres a reason for that, they know how important that is, but I really believe its equally as important to run of the mill chevelles to also document everything that has been done to the car.

So, only minor modifications, with better parts then gm put on it originally.
Newer better paint.
Newer better interiors.
Newer better tires

And ac for the southern boys.:)

Rob

If the work is quality. I wouldnt be bothered by any of those modifications in a car I was considering buying. Stock is boring IMO.

If the work is quality. I wouldnt be bothered by any of those modifications in a car I was considering buying. Stock is boring IMO.

I agree with you Chris, stock is boring. My sons 725 horse 70 was a really fun car. But when you go to sell these cars with modifications, you learn in a hurry.

A person can modify a house, and maybe get his money back, or make some, but when it comes to cars, thats another story.

Rob

I build my own thank you. Just get the keys from granny and I'll take it from there.

Just about everything on the car can be upgraded, from better body filler to all the mechanicals. So, I would look for documentation with pictures and receipts for the materials and parts that went it, and who did it.

Then I would look at how easy would it be to sell it if I needed to.

If its a higher end car, you have to look at where the most of the buyers are at that price.

Usually, but not always are the older people with the cash to be able to afford it. This gray hair is probably going to want a car he can take to a good mechanic he trusts, or the local gm dealership.

I would rule out any major parts change in the front end, well the whole drive train for that matter. So he would want the standard four speed or turbo 400 with receipts and who over hauled it.

Who did the engine and are the parts in it equal to or better then gm put in it.

The last thing the guy wants when he buys it, is having the service manager at a chevy dealer walk into the waiting room where he's setting and say could you please come out and look at something on your car, and he tells you he won't repair it because he doesn't have anything from gm that tells him how to fix it, he's looking at liabilty of the dealership.

So no tubular front ends or 5 speed transmissions, or any hi tech control arms or a nine bolt in the rear end.

Now, I'm not saying these modifications aren't any good, I'm just looking at who has the money to buy this car, and we all know that people like different cars, were all a bunch of horse traders at heart, so after a couple of years down the road, this car is going bye bye.

Numbers matching cars and the guys that keep track of all of it, theres a reason for that, they know how important that is, but I really believe its equally as important to run of the mill chevelles to also document everything that has been done to the car.

So, only minor modifications, with better parts then gm put on it originally.
Newer better paint.
Newer better interiors.
Newer better tires

And ac for the southern boys.:)

Rob

What in the world are you going on about? Gray hairs? All the gray hairs that I know, including myself, that want anything to do with one of these cars wouldn't take it within ten miles of the chevy dealer. No-one old enough or bright enough to fix it there. These things don't have a computer to give ya the code for the part that needs to be replaced, you have to know HOW to FIX one of these. 9/10s of the chevy dealer mechanics wouldn't know what one of these came from the factory with anyway and therefore wouldn't have a clue about what was stock on one of these cars.

Stock is most certainly boring. Are numbers guys really hot rodders or real car guys at all, or just investors? The only "stock" cars that interest me in the least are survivors. And they only interest me if there is an interesting story behind the car.

Rick, I expressed my opinion here, I didn't personally attack someones post, I put some thought into it when I typed it up, and I would think you would show a little more respect, maybe I'm completely wrong, but I think your reply is a little harsh.

I don't know how old you are, but I'm 66 and just spent two hours on the roof of my raised ranch cleaning out plugged gutters, I'm gray haired and bald but still capable of working on this house and my car.

My brother just broke his hip, and he can't, old age got him, and there are a lot of people that are old that can afford these cars yet don't know how to fix them, or don't have the physical strength anymore to do it.

I was trying to make a point of that, so lighten up a little.

Rob

These things don't have a computer to give ya the code for the part that needs to be replaced.
Mine does. :yes: I love seeing the look on a counter-guy's face at AutoZone when I ask to use their OBD scanner after pulling into the lot in a Chevelle. :D

I agree with you Chris, stock is boring. My sons 725 horse 70 was a really fun car. But when you go to sell these cars with modifications, you learn in a hurry.

A person can modify a house, and maybe get his money back, or make some, but when it comes to cars, thats another story.

Rob

Exactly right. And I already know that before I modify stuff. But then again, I dont sell a lot of stuff I own anyways but if its something I know I may not be keeping in the long run, I will be carefull on how the modifications affect selling the car.

For me it goes like this:
BBC making about 600 hp on pump gas,roller motor
Mini tubbed
full cage
susp mods
SS hood

What in the world are you going on about? Gray hairs? All the gray hairs that I know, including myself, that want anything to do with one of these cars wouldn't take it within ten miles of the chevy dealer. No-one old enough or bright enough to fix it there. These things don't have a computer to give ya the code for the part that needs to be replaced, you have to know HOW to FIX one of these. 9/10s of the chevy dealer mechanics wouldn't know what one of these came from the factory with anyway and therefore wouldn't have a clue about what was stock on one of these cars.

Must be the area you live. We just got done with a 1950 Ford witha chevy 383, 9 inch and tubby tires. We currently have in here a '20s streetrod and 2 early 70s vettes. I'm at a chevy dealership. I'm not sure what you mean about being old enough to fix one of these cars, so I'll abstain from commenting other than asking how old you need to be to work on one? If Rob (rubadub) is 66, then is he not old enough to work on a pre-WWII vehicle? Is Foose or Trepaier not allowed to do any pre-1960 streetrods? Age means nothing. It's all about knowledge and skill and ability to learn. Come spring my car will also have an ECM.

For me it's anything that will make it start, stop, and handle better, while maintaning the origional appreance for a car that you drive. If it's a trailered show car, bone bare stock.

Rick, I expressed my opinion here, I didn't personally attack someones post, I put some thought into it when I typed it up, and I would think you would show a little more respect, maybe I'm completely wrong, but I think your reply is a little harsh.

I don't know how old you are, but I'm 66 and just spent two hours on the roof of my raised ranch cleaning out plugged gutters, I'm gray haired and bald but still capable of working on this house and my car.

My brother just broke his hip, and he can't, old age got him, and there are a lot of people that are old that can afford these cars yet don't know how to fix them, or don't have the physical strength anymore to do it.

I was trying to make a point of that, so lighten up a little.

Rob

And I expressed mine. Maybe at 10 years older than me, you and you're friend with the bad hip have stopped building and working on your cars, but my friends and I still build and work on ours. I have few friends under 45 and several in their 70s that still wrench on their cars. Granted most of them take their daily drivers to jiffy lube for an oil change, but I know for a fact that not one of them has ever taken one of the their classic/hot rod cars to the local dealer for service. And I've never heard of one of the specialty shops (alignment, exhaust, transmission, interior, etc) ever refusing to work on one of their cars because the front suspension was upgraded with arms, disk brakes or dropped spindles. One of my best friends who just turned 70 just finished building a 41 willys; investing in excess of 65 thousand dollars in the project and doing all the work himself (with some help from his friends) accept for the paint and interior. BTW, after setting up the Tubular A arm suspension and the flaming river rack on it he took it to the local alignment shop and they aligned it with out asking him to sign a liability wavier. I strongly doubt he'll be taking it into the local "Willys" dealer for service or repairs. If he did take it to the local Chevy dealer I'm sure the shop wouldn't have a clue as to what a stock Willys was equipped with anyway. I also highly doubt they would refuse to change the oil or the disk brake pads on it should he do so. My contention that the majority of hobbyist don't buy these cars for investment nor do they have the work and maintenance of them done at the local Chevy dealer stands. There are those that buy these cars purely for investment and I don't consider them to be hot rodders or in my experience, even real cars guys. That's my opinion and I stated it not to go after you, but to say that I disagreed with your opinion. Look the recent trends at the auctions. The clones and hot rods are bringing as much if not more than the numbers restos.

I may be wrong, but we could start a pole. How many of you "gray hairs" here wouldn't purchase a non-numbers matching car for fear the local Chevy dealer won't service it? Or that it wouldn't appreciate in value? My gut feeling is 9 out of every tens guys don't take their car to the local Chevy dealer for repairs and that they bought the car for fun and recreation rather than investment purposes.

This is my opinion and I'm entitled to it. I'm gray haired. The term "gray hairs" irritates me and maybe that struck a raw nerve. If my response came across as a personal attack I apologize for that but I completely disagree with you on the topic and on your contention. I bought my chevelle to have fun and because the first new car I ever owned was a 1972 SS 454 4 speed car. Other than I could sell that original car to someone with more money than brains (no personal insult to anyone intended) I wouldn't trade that car for the hotrod 72 that I have today. I've upgraded the suspension, the brakes, the engine, the tires and transmission and the stereo making this car twice what my "numbers car" ever was. It is a hot rod. It is far from numbers matching. I wouldn't let the local Chevy dealer touch it if they'd pay me to let them work on it. And I could care less about its long range investment value.

If you want to say my friend with a bad hip and I do such and such because our local Chevy dealer won't work on our cars, fine. I'd counter with apparently they won't because they don't know anything about DOT approved replacement parts or safety improvements like suspension and brake components. But when you say "most gray hairs" you stereo type my friends and I as those "gray hairs;" you're not showing us the same respect you're asking for.

Another idea for a pole. How many folks here with gray hair bought these cars only as an investment and don't know any more about these cars than how to put gas in them? Then, if so, do you drive and enjoy the car? Or do you trailer it to shows and pray for the day when it will score you that big return on the investment? Then go over to one of the sport compact sites and take a pole asking how many of them can describe in detail the original components of any part of the front suspension on a 69 chevelle. Or how to set the points on a 70.

Must be the area you live. We just got done with a 1950 Ford witha chevy 383, 9 inch and tubby tires. We currently have in here a '20s streetrod and 2 early 70s vettes. I'm at a chevy dealership. I'm not sure what you mean about being old enough to fix one of these cars, so I'll abstain from commenting other than asking how old you need to be to work on one? If Rob (rubadub) is 66, then is he not old enough to work on a pre-WWII vehicle? Is Foose or Trepaier not allowed to do any pre-1960 streetrods? Age means nothing. It's all about knowledge and skill and ability to learn. Come spring my car will also have an ECM.

I went into the local chevy dealer this summer, and they had a young girl as a mechanic, I was talking to the service manager, and mentioned I had heard of female mechanics, and he said she does really good.

Theres no reason why they wouldn't be as good as a man, and as far as young mechanics, there no different then an old one, age doesn't matter.

Rob

[QUOTE=Professor_SS;1573786]What in the world are you going on about? Gray hairs? All the gray hairs that I know, including myself, that want anything to do with one of these cars wouldn't take it within ten miles of the chevy dealer. No-one old enough or bright enough to fix it there. These things don't have a computer to give ya the code for the part that needs to be replaced, you have to know HOW to FIX one of these. 9/10s of the chevy dealer mechanics wouldn't know what one of these came from the factory with anyway and therefore wouldn't have a clue about what was stock on one of these cars.

when I was at a dealer all the old cars came to me and I worked on alot of them

Hey Rick,
How do you feel about the term "Blue Haired"? ;) , I call all of the raisens that can't see over the steering wheel, you know, like the "where's the beef" lady, "blue haired bingo blotters". They can be regularly found near the nickle slots (palms of their hands black as a coal miner's).

Just thought that I'd poke a little fun at you old folks. I can only wish that I'll be there myself someday. Way better than the alternative.

Back on subject. I have had three opportunities to rethink my choice of cars. Each time with cash in hand (insurance settlements; 2 totalled, 1 stolen), most recently, $23,100.00, I considered everything that the market offered, from trailer Queens to rust buckets. Sure, I wasn't packing a Barrett Jackson wad, but a considerable amount nonetheless. There is no shortage of damn fine Chevelles that can be had for $23K.

Persistance and patience paid off eventually, granted, those around me thought I was nuts. Back in 2003 (wreck #2), I travelled to 3 different states, each time coming home empty handed. I was the "winning bidder" of a 66 SS on Ebay, rented a trailer and was off to Ogden, Utah. Well, I decided against what, for lack of a better term, was a misrepresented hunk of deteriorating iron ore. I did, however, purchase a '66 in Salt lake City on the way home. What seemed like a perfectly good, even beautiful car to friends and family, found itself stripped to the bone within a week of its arrival at my home.

When I bought the latest incarnation, it was stripped, no gutted, well beyond that of my stolen car. Pretty much everyone said, "Are you outta your mind?". "Are you sure that you want to go through all that again?"

The answer, a resounding YES. Maybe this is a little vain, but to me, there is nothing worse than driving up in your new car, only to hear someone say, "Look, Bob's old car". The more heavily modified the car, the harder it would be to shake that monicker.

Leave it stock, baby. I'll do my own mods, thanks.

OK, blue hairs are fair game. We all need someone we can put down without fear of being called on the carpet. But I must tell you, my mother-in-law is in her mid 80s and if you run up against her on the street tighten up the belts, the woman has a lead foot. When the Mrs and I met, her mom was in her late 50s and was driving a Smokey and Bert thunderchicken. She traded up to a turbo Nissan Z and then to a compressor. These days she is in her late 80s or early 90s and she drives a new mustang GT convertible. If your in Frederick Maryland and you see this white GT convertible with this little lady peering out between the wheel and the dash overtaking you on the merge lane to 270 south off alternate 40, yield, you won't out run her. :D

As for being old, yep I'm here. You will be here all too soon. Sad but true. As far as driving up in "Bob's old Car." Yea, you got that right and it sucks, unless of course you're Bob. Another reason for building your own, unless of course it ends up being, "oh my God, you bought Bob's old car" :eek:

I'm saying out of the gray hair blue hair stuff cuz I just find my frist gray hair the other day at age 37.
Back to the thread, I'm I not tring to steal it but I notice there was noting on it for a painted engine compartment same as the body color, like inners,core support,underhood and firewall, I think this looks snazy and cool with some chrome on the engine.

You must be talking about the car I am working on right now. Plans are engine upgrade, 396 just dynoed an honest relible 425 hp. 5 speed Richmond overdrive, aftermarket (classic) air/heat, 4 wheel discs., chrome underhood but still V-belt drive, corvette 15x8's, stock interior and exterior.