Topic: 1979 403 auto TA value questions.

[ponchonutty]

This TA has had my attention for a while.  It seems to be very solid.  The paint is a few years old and was painted the original color in base/clear.  The paint and body work was done by the owner.  IT WAS HIS FIRST PAINTJOB!!!!  That part sort of scares me because I know enough about painting that if simple things aren't done right the paint won't last.  It does need some minor paintwork to make it a 8-9 out of 10 paintjob.  Mainly to redo the jambs and trunklid underneath and front spoiler.  The motor is the original one and runs real strong.  He opend up the motor and basically cleaned it up, installed a bigger cam with edelbrock carb and intake.   He's put a lot of money in a lot of areas.  The car itself was pretty solid and has about 90k miles. There was some minor rust in the lower quarters by the rear wheel spoilers.  He showed me pictures of the progressing work.  He has all the receipts too.  The 3" summit exhaust sounds amazing.  There's some othe minor things that don't work like pass. window motor, cruise, and there's an odd noise that sounds like either an exhaust rub or even the inspection cover rubbing on flywheel???  Other than that it seems to run fine.  So, any ideas price wise would be decent?  I was thinking if I can get it cheap enough I could drive and finish the restore on it and be in a good position that if I had to resell it, I could.  Here's some quick pics.

[NWW-79 T/A]

Maybe 8-10

[joe d]

5-7k

[ponchonutty]

I offered $6500 and I think it pissed him off.    He came back at $8500 but thinking of the possible issues with correcting some of the paint has me worried.  i guess I will pass.

[winks79]

I think $6500 was a fair price on that one. If it had been more factory original, and professionally painted, then I could see more than double that money.

[joe d]

i agree, it looked kind of half a$$ with no decals and god awful rims

[ponchonutty]

Yeah I hate the rims. He tossed the oe snowflake rims!!!!!! I told him the same thing about being a little half assed but man, I really dont think itd take too much to correct it.  Whats got me hooked is that its very similar to my first TA I owned. I think thats why I like it so much. Theres a small chance that I could buy my old one back and its in much better shape since I painted it:)

If I were to buy this 79the the first thing to get would be a nice set of snoeflakes and pitch this these draglites!

[Gold79ta]

If you end up buying it I might take those rims off your hands.
 

[ponchonutty]

If you end up buying it I might take those rims off your hands.
 

I will certainly want to swap them for decent snowflakes or sell them to fund a nice set of 17".  They are very nice rims but I personally like them on a TA.  If it were a Formula or base bird I think they'd look much better

[ponchonutty]

Still riding the fence on this.  The car would make a very good driver for sure because the extent of the restoration that has been done.  My issue is that I just love silver TA's and the 3" PYPES exhaust with the cam he's installed sounds so darn good.  The list of things I would like to do to it if I were to buy it would be the following

1. Repaint doorjambs and inside trunk lid (he has the paint left over enough to do this)
2. sell brand new tires/rims and go for a new set ot 17" snowflakes
3. fix non-op pass. side power window.
4. replace rusted driver side seat braket
5. charge AC system
6. finally wetsand and buff paint
7. Buy and apply new graphics

I'm sure there will be some other minor things that pop up but I feel if I were to do this, I'd have a very decent, strong running driver that would be "mom and pop" show car quality.  I've got him down to $8500.  I first offered $6500 like I said earlier but then countered at $7500 cash but he hasn't budged.  Below is why I like the car so much.  It is very close to my first car I bought when I was in highschool and later repainted.  I'd probably do the gray bird on this '79 though since that's what was on it.

[winks79]

I like it your idea. Will make it look something close to my ol' clunker. Kinda partial to those platinum cars myself.

[joe d]

have to admit, the car is gorgeous in silver/platinum

[ponchonutty]

Yup winks, you got it.  That's exactly what I want to do.  If I get it, probably would settle for a decent set of original 7" snowflakes like yours due to the costs.

[Gold79ta]

I would trade my snowflakes but they are gold not silver.