Would like to get a ball park figure on what a 1972 t top, 454 AT PS PB AC is worth. The car need restoration. The car is complete, with the motor and trans out of the car. Everything is oringinal except the motor. I would like to know what I am getting myself into. How hard would it be to get a correct motor.

 

For the condition you described I'd say $5,000. An original motor would be pretty hard to find, unless you get lucky and find another '72 owner who is putting in a crate motor and is willing to sell their original. Unless you're going for an NCRS car here, than don't worry about an original motor, especially if it has a 454 in it :D. It will also save you a lot of money if you can do most of the restoration work yourself. Be sure to look over the frame thoroughly for rust, if it has rusted through, I'd walk away from it. If you're not sure of the overall condition, pay a mechanic to look it over, it'll save you from surprises later on. Some pics of the car would be great, too. Good luck :cheers:

 

4k

 

Thanks for the replys. That's the range i was thinking. I was looking at the new 502 HO . I think it has something like 600HP 600lbs. Sure will be fun to drive.

 

These questions are hard to answer without more information. The big killer is rust and previous damage. I won't buy a car with much of either anymore. Life is just too short. Mechanical stuff is easier. Over the years I've bought a number of cars that other people were aware of an passed on, because I've always been willing to pay a little more for a car that hasn't been busted or rusted. I paid 9K for my 70 LS5, 4sp, PS, PB, AC, 2 top, roadster in 1987 with the motor on a stand. The body was mint, frame was mint and red laquer repaint on an original green car was maybe a 7 1/2. It had tons of paperwork, including full title history from new and all owners except the last one were local. (found a local car by accident on a used car lot 160 miles from home and didn't recognize it because of the color change) The car had been for sale for 10K for a year with no takers. I thought it was a helluva deal and still do. I've never stripped and painted it, but did all the mechanicals and put an interior package in it and detailed it to the point that it looks like the chassis was pulled, but it wasn't. I've probably got high teens in it at least, plus a lotta time & effort, but don't know of another one as nice, except for the wrong paint. The moral?......know what you're looking at or get somebody who does and LOOK GOOD. Rust and poor previous body work is awfully hard and expensive to overcome. Around here, even the junk that's fairly complete will bring 5, 6, 7K, but we're not used to dealing with rust very much either like in other parts of the country.

 

Hard, and not really economical. Sounds like a good canditate for a GM crate and resto job to suit your specific tastes. :hurray:

 

I think that the general feeling is about right on the value if you sold the car on Ebay. A local sale would eventually get that much, but depends on your region's economy.

And Solidlifters is right...rust and previous damage are the big killers in value to most collector car guys. You can generally tell the seasoned collector car guys from the newbies by what they will or won't take on. Structural (frame or frame or suspension-to-body mounting point) rust and missing interior are so much more expensive to fix than most mechanical issues. I've seen guys pass on cars with iffy brake master cylinder or a car with a sloppy running engine to get a great running car with bondo and rust bubbles everywhere. Blows my mind (unless the buyer owns a body shop--but even then, there's an opportunity cost of working on your car over a paying client's!)

If your car is generally straight and originally was a BB car, then it's safe to say that you should be able to get $9K for even a weak #3 car on Ebay, provided the listing is well presented. So if you have 3 or 5K in the car now, that should be ample to get the car to running/driving and presentable shape.

Sam

 

Just want to thank everyone for their replys.
Just a note: The vette is a origional 454. The frame and body are in good shape, still had the orginal paint, although it neeed a paint job.. The frame only had surface rust. The interior need replacing but for the most part is there. I am not planning on going for any NCRS awards,To me it just cost toooooooomuch $.
The body had one little bobo on the rear quarter, maybe 2-3 hrs. to repair.

This wiil be my third resto. I'm not doing a frame off just a framme up resto. If someone could explain how ,I would be happy to post a picture. This project will starl as so as i'm done with the 69 I'm half way thru with & my boat which is all apartare done