Topic: 1978 Matching Numbers T/A

[basstyler155]

Hey guys. I haven't gotten a spot on quote, where else to ask but beautiful minds of hitmans T/A!! I keep getting told different prices between $5,000 and $14,000 which is not consistent at all.

This is my 1978 Firebird Trans Am WS4. Matching numbers 400 6.6L, Matching numbers Transmission.
Just rebuilt the motor, ZERO miles on it after I broke it in, bored .030 over, Everything except the crank is brand new in it. I decided for expense reasons to go back with new original items including the cam.
The interior is in GREAT shape, no rips or tears, just beautiful.

Pros
Rebuilt engine, great interior, brand new tires,
original rims (restored), no dents, doors shut good,
original paint, just rebuilt the tranny,
Everything under the hood is NEW besides master cylinder, power steering pump, trans cooler, and A/C.

Cons
Surface rust around almost all weatherstripping,
not a Y88 but it is "paint code 50", Paint is faded.
No T-Tops, would need a little bit of body work for the minor rust.

I can't upload pictures on here due to their size, so here they are on a different website where I got no answers, scroll down and you'll see them!http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/whats-your-opinion-value-my-trans-am-304130.html
 
I don't have any of the rust (Sorry!!), body work quoted at $700-$1000.
Thanks!

[hada76]

looks like T top car

[Elz]

Hey guys. I haven't gotten a spot on quote, where else to ask but beautiful minds of hitmans T/A!! I keep getting told different prices between $5,000 and $14,000 which is not consistent at all.

This is my 1978 Firebird Trans Am WS4. Matching numbers 400 6.6L, Matching numbers Transmission.
Just rebuilt the motor, ZERO miles on it after I broke it in, bored .030 over, Everything except the crank is brand new in it. I decided for expense reasons to go back with new original items including the cam.
The interior is in GREAT shape, no rips or tears, just beautiful.

Pros
Rebuilt engine, great interior, brand new tires,
original rims (restored), no dents, doors shut good,
original paint, just rebuilt the tranny,
Everything under the hood is NEW besides master cylinder, power steering pump, trans cooler, and A/C.

Cons
Surface rust around almost all weatherstripping,
not a Y88 but it is "paint code 50", Paint is faded.
No T-Tops, would need a little bit of body work for the minor rust.

I can't upload pictures on here due to their size, so here they are on a different website where I got no answers, scroll down and you'll see them!http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/whats-your-opinion-value-my-trans-am-304130.html
 
I don't have any of the rust (Sorry!!), body work quoted at $700-$1000.
Thanks!

You show close up pics of a car with a black interior, then a full shot of a car with t-tops and a tan interior. You will have to give better pics before someone is going to be able to give you an educated guess on your value.

[basstyler155]

[/quote]

You show close up pics of a car with a black interior, then a full shot of a car with t-tops and a tan interior. You will have to give better pics before someone is going to be able to give you an educated guess on your value.
[/quote]

You're right! Selected the wrong photo! Maybe that's the problem.  Here let me attach some to this thread.

[basstyler155]

looks like T top car

You're right! Selected the wrong photo! Maybe that's the problem.  Here let me attach some to this thread.

[basstyler155]

Pic1

[basstyler155]

Pic2&3

[Elz]

With what little you show there, it is still hard to get a good idea of the value of your car. If you really are interested in getting a good idea, I would suggest taking many more pics. Including the underside. Maybe you know someone that has a lift that will let you get pictures of the underside. The reason I say that is your rust around your back window is a little more extensive than just "surface rust". People use that term a lot and I'm not even sure it has any meaning anymore. Usually when there is rust in that spot, there is rust underneath. Like the floor pans, trunk area and frame rails and quarters.  Maybe this is just localized to that one area, but I kind of doubt it.  Looks from the outside can be deceiving. Your interior appears to be in nice shape, and your door from what I can see looks okay, but usually those star rusting at the back bottom corner, which I can't see. Also, show the bottoms of the fenders in front of the doors. If you see bubbles there, it is rust, and it is usually bigger than you might think. It may all be very fixable, you just need to provide much more pics. That is my advice.

[JupiterBandit]

Definitely not $14K

It needs to be taken down to metal and repainted. Who knows what the metal would look like.

This is why people asking big money for cars have 100's of photos of the restoration process to show what is under the paint and how the work was done.

 Not knowing what's under the paint is called a high risk. People don't pay a lot for high risk projects unless they don't know better.

I've stripped cars down so I am giving you hands on knowledge. I'm not making this crap up so take it for what its worth.

You rebuilt the motor to stock? It's worth a little more than a non rebuilt motor but not as much as it costs to rebuild it. Why? It's a risk that the motor was built properly using good parts.

Your car is worth $3,500 on the low end, realistic you may get $4,500 or $5,000, If the guy has to have your Bird I'd say anything over $5k is a gift.

List it at $6,500 and see what kind of response you get.

This is just my opinion

P.S.

      If the floors are rotted and the frame rails are rotted you can cut that price by more than half.

[basstyler155]

Definitely not $14K

It needs to be taken down to metal and repainted. Who knows what the metal would look like.

This is why people asking big money for cars have 100's of photos of the restoration process to show what is under the paint and how the work was done.

 Not knowing what's under the paint is called a high risk. People don't pay a lot for high risk projects unless they don't know better.

I've stripped cars down so I am giving you hands on knowledge. I'm not making this crap up so take it for what its worth.

You rebuilt the motor to stock? It's worth a little more than a non rebuilt motor but not as much as it costs to rebuild it. Why? It's a risk that the motor was built properly using good parts.

Your car is worth $3,500 on the low end, realistic you may get $4,500 or $5,000, If the guy has to have your Bird I'd say anything over $5k is a gift.

List it at $6,500 and see what kind of response you get.

This is just my opinion

P.S.

      If the floors are rotted and the frame rails are rotted you can cut that price by more than half.

Yea i had to, the owner before me spun a bearing.
Thanks for your knowledge. So far it's a good investment

[basstyler155]

With what little you show there, it is still hard to get a good idea of the value of your car. If you really are interested in getting a good idea, I would suggest taking many more pics. Including the underside. Maybe you know someone that has a lift that will let you get pictures of the underside. The reason I say that is your rust around your back window is a little more extensive than just "surface rust". People use that term a lot and I'm not even sure it has any meaning anymore. Usually when there is rust in that spot, there is rust underneath. Like the floor pans, trunk area and frame rails and quarters.  Maybe this is just localized to that one area, but I kind of doubt it.  Looks from the outside can be deceiving. Your interior appears to be in nice shape, and your door from what I can see looks okay, but usually those star rusting at the back bottom corner, which I can't see. Also, show the bottoms of the fenders in front of the doors. If you see bubbles there, it is rust, and it is usually bigger than you might think. It may all be very fixable, you just need to provide much more pics. That is my advice.

Thank you! Yes you're right i do need a lift. I'll get more pics when i have time. And no there is no rust under the car, just needs body work around weatherstripping. It's been kept away from salty air and north east climate so it's not in the worst shape!