[RT]

I know most of us intend to keep our cars and invest in them for the love and fun of it, but I also know life has a way of throwing an unanticipated curve at us now and then and suddenly, we find we can't recoup our investment when we sell.
For this reason (and probably others as well) I consider it a good idea to try to keep my expenses within the reality of my car's value.
I'd like some feedback on the value of an SS clone vs. a #'s matching car.
I've had my '69 Malibu for 17 years now, and would love to have something like my first '69: an SS 396 with 4 speed and factory air.
The Malibu has factory air, but over the years I added a later 350/350 auto (orig 307 w P/G), disc brakes, sway bars, polyurethane bushings with the recently finished front end rebuild and complete cowl forward detailing. The interior is in excellent shape, but the body still needs to be redone. I have NOS 1/4's and one fender for that job. It'll probably take another $6-7000.00 in parts and paint work to get it to where I'd like it to be. So, does it make more sense to sell it and buy a 4 speed SS car with the proceeds then restore it as needed, or continue with the Malibu?
Thanks for the input
Rich

 

[JSL]

Iv'e thought of this many times myself, but if you do it all yourself, you should at least be able to get your money back when the time comes to sell. Iv'e had my 72 for the last 15 yrs.Now ive been doing a frame off resto for about a year now. it's not a matching numbers car, but as far as I know it is an SS.one day my wife asked me if i was going to sell it when it is done.
I said , Do all this just to sell it? I could have sold it the way it was and still made the same money.
But I suppose it's on how far you go with it and how it looks when it's done
If you are paying someone to do the car over I would suggest on buying the car you really want.

Jeff

[This message has been edited by JSL (edited 03-28-99).]

[This message has been edited by JSL (edited 03-28-99).]

 

[rickk]

It's a hard decision RT.

It sounds like you have already made major changes to the originality of the vehicle but, they seem to me to be for the better. More cubics, better trans, better handling/braking and detailing.

You have probably made the car worth as much now as you would have had you kept it original. The only thing that you have done to it's selling value, if you ever sell it, is limit your customers to ones who do not care for originality. But since you made a lot of improvements, I do not think it will hurt the value.

It seems that what you have left to do on the vehicle would be the same whether it was a true SS or a straight 6. NOS quarters are worth about $1500/pr on the market! The body work does not care what the drive train is.

This is where the delema is. Do you really want a true numbers matching 69SS with the options you mentioned or does that not matter?

It will cost you a lot to get from where you are now to the SS if you stay with this car. And, in the end, the car will only be worth a final price that is as much as someone wants to pay for it. And your starting price is from $0. An original vehicle, at least, has a starting price of the book value. As well as other facters that help set the selling price. (Besides what a potential buyer will finally pay.)

Personal experience. I passed on a 1970 SS clone with a 454 for $7500 and bought a numbers matching 1970 SS 396/350 hp for $7500.

Both were in similar condition. This was back in 1995.

Good luck.

 

[Joe B]

RT, it comes down to your personnel choice,if you are thinking about it,then it will always be on your mind. Even if you keep your Malibu and do the body work, paint it, etc., it will no doubt look "killer", but it's not that SS
that you had and really crave. It's exremely hard to let go, something you built and had for 17 years, and what you've done to your Malibu is simply upgrade to a better car. You have a good point in, do I spend $7,000 in what I own or save the money, sell the Malibu for $xxxx? and combine the two sums for that SS396? I searched 2 years for a 68 Camaro RS 327 4 speed (L30/M20),or a 67-72
Chevelle SS, but could'nt touch any of the "restored" cars or could'nt arrange to pick up a "needs restoring" project because in was 3,000 miles away.(not to mention the $1.50 Canadian to U.S. exchange!)I came across a rust free, original paint, untampered with,
86 Monte Carlo SS, battery and stereo are non original, (44,000 miles), even the brakes are the one's installed at the factory. I like this car, it's a small block (L69), 4 speed auto, with 3.73 posi, not a bad starting point. But when I see that 68 RS on the web, or cruising down the street, I still have the "hots" for it. Would I trade (all things being equal) for that right RS or SS ?
At the drop of a clutch!! (Mind you my 86SS cost half the going rate of what I was looking at, and managed to knock off $1,500
off the asking price).If you want that SS, then value is in your eye's, start looking for that 69SS now, and see if you can make up your mind when you come across something that
hits you in the face and say's it's for me!
It might make letting go of the Malibu a little easier.
P.S. my first car was a 69 Malibu, with it's second paint job it became a SS clone in 1979. Bought the car in 1975 for $800, sold it in 1981 for $1,800, to come out even, to buy my first new car a 81 Z/28.
Good Luck...

 

[RT]

These are thoughtful, sympathetic answers.
I really appreciate having you guys take the time to spell it out like this. When you're in the middle of it, sometimes it's difficult to see the best direction.
Thanks alot,
Rich

 

[Rainer]

RT -

My .02 says to sell it and try to find an SS. In my personal opinion, the clones don't do much for me. If you're gonna keep it, build a hot motor for it but don't put the SS stuff on it. Like rickk indicated, there still are SS cars out there for under $10K - I bought my 68SS for $6500 in '97. Decide just how serious you are about an SS - if you start to hit the Auto Traders and all the stuff on the internet, and you're willing to travel, eventually you'll find your car. Plan to take a trip and hit some of the bigger swaps down south or out west - you'll be surprised at the quality of cars available compared to the east coast.

As a last point, the 69 quarters are still available, and they list for around $1250 for the pair. Save them in case the SS you find needs them, because they could become discontinued soon. Good luck!

------------------
Rainer
'68 SS396
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
[email protected]


[This message has been edited by Rainer (edited 03-30-99).]

 

[Al]

I've mentioned this before, but it's been a long time so I thought it was worth repeating.

A friend of mine at work HAD a beautiful ragtop (gto with tri-power) but it was actually a Lemans. Excellent work on everything but he finally had to sell it because he couldn't go anywhere with it. You see, anytime he was at a show or even just out for the evening, some guy (from waaaay across the parking lot) would make a beeline for the car and proceed to tell him why it wasn't a REAL GTO. This was a gorgeous car that he never tried to pass off as authentic, most times he never even got the chance to open his mouth. Sad, but true. Made a VERY lasting impression on me.

 

[Wes V]

A couple things come to mind here for me.


While I was building my 64 2 door wagon, the girl I was dating told me that I should be keeping track of all the money spent on it. Maybe she was right, but my feeling was that I wasn't spending money I couldn't afford and didn't have to have it done at any particular time. She stated that I should know where ALL of my money goes (and once again, she may have been right). The subject was closed when I asked her if that also applied to the money spent on her?!?!? (we are not seeing one another any more, and I still have the wagon)


That said, I don't know how much I've got in the wagon. For the sake of this discussion, let's say that it's around 15 grand. I REALLY don't think I could sell the car for 15 grand, but here is the kicker; almost everyday that I drive the car I get somebody telling me that they like it and are amazed that I did all the work myself (including paint). I'm proud! Logic could tell you to take the money and buy something new and "sensable", like a Honda. But 15 grand will only get you an entry level Honda Civic and it would probibly be in a color that the dealer just can't get off the lot.


You will NEVER (well, almost) make money on a car! If you have the work done by a professional, you are really at a loss. Would you worry about the resale value of things like golf clubs? Just don't let the kids go hungry!


Wes.

 

[Clint44]

Let's not start the clone SS vs real SS debate again,fellas. It's been beat literally to death and it's a no-win situation. Build or buy the car you want. If someone comes up to my car and starts telling me why my SS-427 clone Elky is not real, it won't be a pleasant ending for him/her. Trust me on that point.

 

[Carl Brune]

Another factor in the "value" equation for me at least is how much you drive the car. If the car provides at least some of your daily transportation, you can more easily "write off" some of the expenses. I don't know if this consideration is important for your decision making, but it would for me. ---Carl

 

[Mick]

OK let's forget the value thing for a minute. Most of the time, we won't get the $ out of our cars what we put into them unless they are pretty rare, numbers matching, etc. collector cars. You aren't in that situation so don't worry about that. I'll tell you one thing though, as soon as I start thinking about/looking for a new (say "old") car, I start get excited again. I just bought a "new" 72 Camaro RS for my son as a project car (he's 14) and now I'm all excited again and looking through manuals, catalogs, etc. Not that I'm going to ignore the 72 Elky or the 70 Olds, it's just something new and interesting. I say go for and get the car you really want, you'll get renewed interest and quit thinking about getting your $ out of it, etc. My .02

 

[Rainer]

The clone issue IS worth bringing up so RT knows what he may have to deal with in terms of people possibly giving him crap about his car if he decides to build a clone. Clint, the comments you've received on your car seem to have gotten you upset enough to want to kick some *ss. That's good to know for any would-be clone makers...

------------------
Rainer
'68 SS396
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
[email protected]

 

[tom3]

I think you need to consider what you are going to do with the car. If you intend to keep the car and have fun with it, change it into a clone or whatever. It's not an original numbers matching car anyway and not a high dollar collectable.
On the other hand, if you are going to show the car or figure on selling it for top dollar, forget the SS cloning. NOthing but trouble going this route. My feelings are to make the car into whatever you want. The SS is a super looking car. tom

 

[jaqazi]

It doesn't matter if you have a Malibu or an SS if you pour 10K into it, you will never get it all out. I think you are like me, you know you won't get it ALL back, but you don't want to go crazy overboard either.

By the time I'm done with my #s 67 SS, I 'll probably have over 25K into it. This car is only worth about 15-20K.

Some people think pouring 25K into a 67 SS is crazy. But if you compare it to new cars that you actually drive a lot, this is really not that expensive. If I sell the car for 18K, that means my hobby cost me 7K. 7K is not that much for years of enjoyment.

If you buy a new $25k truck you lose 7K of value in 1 to 2 years.

However, I think the SS guys are right. If you took a Malibu and an SS in similar condition and put 10K into them, the SS would be worth more in the end, even if you can't get all your money out of it, you'll get more from the SS. The thing is the parts and paint for a Malibu are just as expensive as the SS parts (generally).

So, If you can sell your Malibu and get an SS in slightly worse condition, you'll probably be better off $ wise. Of course a good SS can be very hard to find.

------------------
Jameel Qazi
#'s 67 SS