Investments - One car pays off bigtime!

chromebumpers

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
I'm always looking for the next popular make/model to take off just like a stock. I studied the details leading up to the MOPAR craze 18 years ago, the Fiat and Ferrari wild climb 15 years ago, the tri-five Chevrolet and 59 to 64 Impala price hikes and exporting price hikes 12 years ago. But I have to take a double take every time a late 2nd generation Trans Am comes up on the auction blocks. I don't need to provide examples - they're all over the Internet at every major collector car auction. In 2 short years Trans Am (76 to 81) are up an average of 43% compared to the years auction records between 1999 and 2010. The T/As of 77 and 78 are up 65% and the highest gains are the anver. ed. and sp. ed. of 1978, 70 and 80 at over 105%. I talked to Danna Mecum and agreed to share my Excel data papers when cleaned up. Dana was already informed by several of his larger collectors and Haggerty with other insurance carriers. Haggerty has stated publically they had to revise more than 40% of the polices covering T/As and Firebirds a record 7 times since the fall of 2011 at a net increase of 50% or more for more than 1.32 million Pontiacs. Meanwhile Olds Cutlass 442 - Buick Grand Sports and Pontiac GTO (all between 64 to 72) are seeing real increase adjustments above 30% in the last 9 quarters ending Sept. 30 2013.

A half million mass produced Flying Chicken decals selling (when restored) at prices between $20,000 and $40,000. and not one breaking 16 sec. in the 1/4 mile! Go figure!

What say you Brian :eek:
 
I always knew the 1969-81 Firebird Trans Ams were special.
Since I was a kid in 1976 when a brand new 1976 455 4-Speed drove by grade school during recess.
They are the best looking & best driving cars built during the the dark days of the 1970's.
Only matched by the Corvette.
Your incorrect about 16-second 1/4 mile times Rich.
Many magazine testers were sissy non drag racing types.
Couldn't throw a good 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 power shifts on the Muncie or Super T10 4 gear to save thier lives.
Many ran 14's & 13's. Good driver. Catalytic converter removed.
Ever hear of the Macho Mecum Trans Am Rich?
HO Racing ?
Nunzi Autimotive ?
HO RACING & NUNZI BOTH HAVE IRON HEADED 2ND GENERATION TRANS AMS IN THE NHRA RECORD BOOKS. 9 & 10 SECOND 1/4 MILE TIMES.

DONE IN THE 1970's & 1980's.
 
There is actually only a small handfull of 1st & 2nd genetarion Trand Ams left.
Most were wrecked. Rusted out. Scrapped.
Maybe 1/10 th left.
 
The 1984-96 C4 Corvette would gain more attention if the Buick Grand National was never built.
Stock for stock. The Turbo Buick V6 was faster in 1/4 mile.
 
Brian, I was referring to late 70's T/A for 16 sec. How can 185 t0 220 hp 3800 lb. cars be much quicker than high 15s? Back in 1994 I had a 94 Formula and during the summer of 94 my friend would bring his 93 vette (both un-modified). Over 6 months of at least 1 night a week we were both consistent with our times of 14.6 for vette, 15.35 for me. One night the owner of the well known speed shop and bracket racer (I forgot his name) bragged that he could break into the 14s. I let him make 3 passes hoping he could show me how. His best time out of 3 was 15.44. At the time these were the times recorded everywhere. At 285 hp LT1 with a 3:42 rear with modern rubber at 3500 lbs against a 220 hp 400 with a 2:75 or 3:23 rear and 3800 lbs. I have a hard time believing the earlier of these 2 T/As was faster.
With these magazines it seems the times keep getting quicker as time goes by for the old cars. I was a regular at the fastest track (Atco @ less than 100 ft above sea level) and I used to watch the magazine writers and camera men test a load of muscle cars and very rarely did they break 13.5 on any bone stock car. Over the years I'm seeing these cars getting faster and faster. Prime example is the Mid to 87 Grand Nationals which were under rated from the advertised specs of 245 hp. McLaren Performance Technologys recorded the fastest time of 13.2 but I heard stories guys tell of 11 sec times off the show room floor. Last month a guy was telling me that the Typhoon and Cyclone trucks were of the lot at mid 11 sec. (sure!). The manufactures were (sometimes) under-rating HP - numbers derived by HP recorded at lower RPM ( like GM did with the 68 to 69 Camaros Z-28 saying they where 290 hp but at higher rpms the HP was near 360 hp). Same again with the Hemi's and the LS6 Chevelles. At the time insurance companies severely raised the premiums for any car that had more Hp then cubic inch displacement.
 
You should buy a few low mileage Disco era Trans Ams Rich.
2 With 400 & 455 4-speeds.
One with a 403 Olds Auto.
455 & 403 May surprise you.
Leave catalytic converters on.
Then I will cut them off & MIG weld in Test tubes.
Stock reproduction rubber.
Then add modern drag radial tires and air down.
Then bypasd smogvequipment, reset distributorvtiming curvevadvance.
Re tune Q-jets myself too.
 
Believe me, I'm looking now. I don't like the square headlight years. Just a few years ago I saw these cars everywhere in the budget car lots. There are many around me sitting for years, some with covers and some without. I would love to find a SD for a reasonable price, but how do you define "reasonable" anymore. The only way I see one coming is to search the top auctions and sneak a last minute bid on one that is below market price. I first have to examine what drives the higher prices. It can be very difficult - just watch Camaros and Chevelles at auction, 2 identical appearing cars can be 100% different in price and sometimes it's just a matter of who did the restoration. I saw a beautiful T/A one day and it took some hard investigation to find out why it was too cheap. As it turns out the wrong year screaming chicken, the shaker scoop was from another year that was 1.25" taller (but painted and labled to match). The dash had the engine turning going left instead of right, carpet was too thin and the wrong texture on the center console. I have a hard time reasoning there are collectible Mid-70s, It never occurred to me since everything went down the tube by then.
 
Everything happens in cycles my Friend.
For Pontiacs to finally go mainstream collectible, Pontiac Motors had to die.
Its very Ironic to me.
I grew up around Chevy Gearheads.
Constantly heckled.
Chico Save'''''' trans am mannnnnnnn.
My usual response was lets race you MOTHER F.....
Don't miss a gear.
I will win too easily. I want to pass you in 3rd gear at 140 before I shift into 4th.
You piece if shoot.......
 
A real SD 455 TRANS AM BODY SHELL WILL BRING $15 -19 K.
1970-1/2 TA SHELL $7500-8000.
No front fenders. No front subframe. No interior or driveline parts.
1970-1/2 RAM AIR 4 TA is a $100k car.
1973-74 SD455 TA $80-100K.
Give or take some in todays fluctuauating economy.
 
Only private collectors like me have correct parts on hand to resore early model TA'S correct.
Repro china parts easily spotted.
 
If your serious Rich.....
$30-50k required.
Not a Corvette.
Early TA's special & very unique.
Chevy guys don't know because they have never owned or driven one.
 
chromebumpers said:
This one looks really sweet! wonder how good it really is? http://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/4119959630.html
Click to expand...

Legite so far my friend.
Just reading part numbers, stampings, ect in description it sounds legite.
The vehichle VIN is stamped also into original block, Muncie 4-speed, Turbo 400 Trans.
That is near impossible to duplicate. Special GM tooling stamps now destroyed.
Really need me in person to check out with you.
So you don't get taken.
Not like your shopping for a C4 Corvette noone!ants today.
 
The 1st Pontiac craze happened in 1987.
2Nd wave happening right now Rich.
Hasn't peaked yet.
 
87vette81big said:
The 1984-96 C4 Corvette would gain more attention if the Buick Grand National was never built.
Stock for stock. The Turbo Buick V6 was faster in 1/4 mile.
Click to expand...

I don't know how much the GN hurt the C4 Corvette, As far as I remember the press kept saying since Corvettes broke the $25,000 ceiling it's become a car with the typical buyer being over 45 y/o. and the younger buyers recognized this - so that begins the Corvette being labeled "An old-mans car." I personally loved the flip front end and all the new gadgets. The things I hated - that rubber dividing line around the whole car and the supper pain in the ass way it took to get in and out of that car (that was the biggest F-up for a street car) It's like dealing with an 8 point roll cage in a Camaro. Any women I ever met that had to be a passenger in a C4 hated getting in or out - forget it if they had a dress or skirt on! I think those points were the killer to this day. Road & Track said back last Nov. that C4's have a secondary market buyer at an average age of 22 beginning 2006 and Edmunds Poll Reports (1998) said The C4 was the primary reason they added "Physical limitations" to their category list of reasons dedicated Corvette owners moved into a C5 purchase.
 
The C4 Corvette is not for everyone Rich.
Has setbacks that turn off many buyers.
I am still good physical shape.
Getting in & out of my car not an issue.

If a woman complains about having problems :mrgreen: getting into your Corvette, Just ask her to take her Clothes off. Help her remove that Dress.
Ok to leave her underwear & Bra on.
:mrgreen:

If you have a Convertible Corvette(87 C4 Roadster mine) you may want to leave the Top up.
If rambuctious......Drop the Top Down.

If your woman gets chilly. Warm her up with your Free right hand.
:mrgreen:
See? Solution for every problem Rich.......
 
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