1977-1981 Z28's and Trans Am's ,becoming collectable ?????

[69 OUR/TEA]

Just surfing thru Ebay,Carsonline,etc, for nice clean original examples,are coming into there own as far as collectabity and pricing????I bet alot of you here in that age group,grew up around these.They are not to cheap anymore.I actually like them,would'nt mind owning  a real nice one,low miles,survivor,restored real nice,etc.Not to much of anything in the 70's worth writing home about.
The Bandit cars seem to fetch good money as well!!

[Troy]

I looked at a red T/A with a big block and T-tops a couple years ago and thought the same thing. It was local so I figured I'd take a look but the guy wanted $4,500 and there wasn't much more than a pile of rust when I got there to look at it. He said it would be a $30k car when finished so I figured I looked around to see if he was right.

Troy

[TheGhost]

Don't know about the camaros, but the trans ams have always been a collector car, since Smokey and the Bandit.

[Ghoste]

I've noticed them slowly picking up steam at auctions over the last year or so.

[jb666]

Yeah, I've noticed the rubber-bumper Camaro's starting to pull in some big $$ the past year or so..  An "Original" '81 Z just sold , locally, for $11.5k .. Never thought I'd see those #'s from a 78-81 Camaro... Although I do love them!!

[Paul G]

Those were the cars to have in the late 70's and 80's. No power, nothing had power. TA's and Camaros had good looks. Late 70's still had big blocks, lame big blocks none the less, but big blocks. 

[chargerboy69]

I have had about 10 or so 79-81 Trans Ams.  I just recently sold my last 81 Daytona 500 Pace Car.  After having at least one or two parked in the garage for the last 20 years, I usually watch prices. Prices for the 80 and 81's are still very responsible.  I can find a very nice driver for under $8000.00.  The high dollar cars are the 79 SE 4spd. cars, the SE Turbo cars and the 10th Anniversary cars.

[b5blue]

My friend has a 93 (?) GTA T tops, bone stock runs nice, needs repaint for sale. What are they worth? (We have no idea!) 

[ChgrSteve67]

I figure the compact trucks will make a comeback since they don't make them anymore too.
Will be funny to see a Ford Courior, Toyota SR5 or Datsun pickup auction for 20K or 30K someday.
People will always want to recapture something they lived in the past.

There is always the "tinker" issue.
people like to "tinker" with thier cars and today the new cars are very very hard to work on so as long as local and state laws allow people to buy and work on the older cars you will see them gain in popularity.

[68RRFlyer]

Yup, they are.  And so are the early 80s Foxbody Mustangs like the 79 Pace car, 82 GT, and 85 GT.  Same on the Camaro side with the IROCs.  I was born in 73 and when I was a kid those were the cars to have.  Now, my generation (I think I'm Gen X but who the heck knows) can afford to buy what they wanted in the past( drooling over as a kid ) and therefore the price has jumped a little.  They're nowhere near the prices of tri-five Chevys, 60's muscle cars or the like, but they have been steadily increasing in value.  Now is the time to buy good examples of those cars if you're into investment purchases.  But caution needs to be had like with all the new cars people think are "priceless".  They aren't.  They'll never have the same value as cars from back then.  An 07' Shelby will NEVER have the value of a 67 Shelby.  Those early cars, like our Chargers, embody a timeframe and era of unbridled mechanical freedom from a society that's values were complimentary to the cars designs.  Unrestored, clean, well taken care of examples of already desireable models are always going to be collectable.  If you're going into the classic car thing as a collector, you have to watch trends, media culture, and above all, the demographics of the generations coming up to see where their interests lay.  Besides all that...nothing wrong with a 4spd-SE-Bandit-Pon-Pon sacked out in the garagey!

Cheers        

[Paul G]

I am thinking El Camino. Loved them. Looking for the right one now.

[JT01]

I own a 71 Camaro SS and Im always on ebay checking out the camaros and chargers seems like lately there has been a lot of low mile 78-81 Z28s popping up on there its funny that a lot of them are in Pennsylvania. There was a episode on My Classic Car where a guy had a bunch of 79 Z28s one in every color and he said a lot of his for some reason he found in Pennsylvania.

[chargerboy69]

My friend has a 93 (?) GTA T tops, bone stock runs nice, needs repaint for sale. What are they worth? (We have no idea!) 

They did not have a GTA in 1993.  A standard 1993 TA is not worth much. Maybe $2000 to $2500 if needing paint.  I just sold my 97 TA convertible this summer with only 60,000 miles for $6000.00.  I nearly kept the car as I felt like I was giving it away for that price, but I did not drive the car.

If it is a 1992 GTA it is worth even less.  I have seen very nice 91-91 GTA's in the $3500.00 range. Hope this helps.

[Paul G]

Collector car prices are in the toilet across the board. This is a great time to buy. Not so much if you need to sell.

[Kern Dog]

There are ways to modify these older engines to DOUBLE their original horsepower yet still maintain smog compliance. This was not possible when they were new. Cylinder head and fuel injection technology has improved by leaps and bounds. For some, their meager straight line performance was enough to keep true gearheads from jumping in.

[greenpigs]

Prices jumped up a few years ago which also happened to be the time I decided I wanted one.

[b5blue]

My friend has a 93 (?) GTA T tops, bone stock runs nice, needs repaint for sale. What are they worth? (We have no idea!) 

They did not have a GTA in 1993.  A standard 1993 TA is not worth much. Maybe $2000 to $2500 if needing paint.  I just sold my 97 TA convertible this summer with only 60,000 miles for $6000.00.  I nearly kept the car as I felt like I was giving it away for that price, but I did not drive the car.

If it is a 1992 GTA it is worth even less.  I have seen very nice 91-91 GTA's in the $3500.00 range. Hope this helps.

I'm certain it's a GTA, the year I don't know. It's the mid to late 80's style not the more rounded later ones. That's a shame other than paint and a few minor issues it's a sharp car. Dark green with tan interior. Thanks for the info! b5

[no318]

My friend has a 93 (?) GTA T tops, bone stock runs nice, needs repaint for sale. What are they worth? (We have no idea!) 

They did not have a GTA in 1993.  A standard 1993 TA is not worth much. Maybe $2000 to $2500 if needing paint.  I just sold my 97 TA convertible this summer with only 60,000 miles for $6000.00.  I nearly kept the car as I felt like I was giving it away for that price, but I did not drive the car.

If it is a 1992 GTA it is worth even less.  I have seen very nice 91-91 GTA's in the $3500.00 range. Hope this helps.

I'm certain it's a GTA, the year I don't know. It's the mid to late 80's style not the more rounded later ones. That's a shame other than paint and a few minor issues it's a sharp car. Dark green with tan interior. Thanks for the info! b5

I disagree a little.  I just recently sold my 89 GTA with t-tops and 150k miles, but very well cared for, adult owned and never rusty.  I had it repainted about a year ago.  Pretty nice car.  Original 5.7 (not 5.0).  Got $6000 (asking price) for it within a week. 

[maxwellwedge]

I'm older - and to my generation that was a dark, dismal era of performance.

We looked upon those as pollution-pack, disco-boy cars that didn't have enough power to pull the skin off of rice pudding.

But......That's just my historical take    

Aside from all that....

I don't mind the looks of some of them. The Bandit cars do bring good money.

[69 OUR/TEA]

I'm older - and that was a dark, dismal era of performance.

We looked upon those as pollution-pack, disco-boy cars that didn't have enough power to pull the skin off of rice pudding.

But......That's just my historical take   

You are accurate with that info,but that does'nt stop them from being collectable.I notice collector car eras go in phases,and as the age group gets older or dies off,the next relm moves up,and as weird as it may seem,is to why these are probably making there own name now.Guys in there 30-40's saw and had these in high school,and most car collectors are collecting because they want to re-live or try to hang onto their youth.
Lets not forget that wing cars sat on dealers lots for as much as 1-2 years after being delivered and people were pulling hemis out of hemi cars to put in more efficient motors.With that,look what happened to them in the past 10-15 years.
I,myself, am interested in alot of diff makes and models,respect anything of collectabilty,orig condition,rare,etc.Althoug partial to mopars,am not a tunnel visioned one brand loyal hobbiest,and fully enjoy owning/driving a car that is only worth $5k as much as one worth $100k.I find myself while driving one of my cars that do have some power,not even beating on them.
NTM,the prices of late 60's early 70's musclecars took off so hard,the average guys that wants in has to have something available thats somewhat cool to enjoy,even if it is a 160hp 350 chevy!!!! LOL

[greenpigs]

I'm older - and to my generation that was a dark, dismal era of performance.

We looked upon those as pollution-pack, disco-boy cars that didn't have enough power to pull the skin off of rice pudding.

But......That's just my historical take    

Aside from all that....

I don't mind the looks of some of them. The Bandit cars do bring good money.

True enough, but when you rebuild that dog 400 or Olds 403 spring for some pistons that will give a higher CR. Just like building one of the many smog 440's.The ones with 301's & 305's should be pulled & set aside if matching numbers and a Pontiac 400 or bigger found.

[chargerboy69]

My friend has a 93 (?) GTA T tops, bone stock runs nice, needs repaint for sale. What are they worth? (We have no idea!) 

They did not have a GTA in 1993.  A standard 1993 TA is not worth much. Maybe $2000 to $2500 if needing paint.  I just sold my 97 TA convertible this summer with only 60,000 miles for $6000.00.  I nearly kept the car as I felt like I was giving it away for that price, but I did not drive the car.

If it is a 1992 GTA it is worth even less.  I have seen very nice 91-91 GTA's in the $3500.00 range. Hope this helps.

I'm certain it's a GTA, the year I don't know. It's the mid to late 80's style not the more rounded later ones. That's a shame other than paint and a few minor issues it's a sharp car. Dark green with tan interior. Thanks for the info! b5

I disagree a little.  I just recently sold my 89 GTA with t-tops and 150k miles, but very well cared for, adult owned and never rusty.  I had it repainted about a year ago.  Pretty nice car.  Original 5.7 (not 5.0).  Got $6000 (asking price) for it within a week. 

Well, 89 GTA's are the most desirable of the GTA's as you can get the 350 with T-tops in 89.  As you see, I mentioned 91's and 92's, which are the least desirable because many do not like the new nose those two years. Still, $6000.00 for a 89 with 150,000 miles is real good money for that car.  

[chargerboy69]

The ones with 301's & 305's should be pulled & set aside if matching numbers and a Pontiac 400 or bigger found.[/color][/b]

I agree. 

My 81 Pace Car I sold this past spring had a SBC 383 with a 3:55 rear-end.  Much more fun than the 301 Turbo and 2:73 originally in the car.