71 455 HO Intake Value?
 

A transaction may take place between 2 friends. I m trying to establish the value of a used 71 455 HO intake (no heat crossover) to determine a fair price for both buyer and seller?

Ebay has not been much help in establishing market value.

This is NOT a thinly veiled classified ad for the intake, it is a genuine question!

Lots of variables here before determining a price that would be fair to both of you. First, what is the condition of intake, any porting, cutting, weld repairs, corrosion in the coolant passage. Does it have a production date or is it a service replacement. Last and most important, how long have you known the other person.

Sorry , yes I should include more info.

The intake is untouched as far as any machining, port work, repairs etc. It has been used but apparently has no sign of corrosion or anything that would render it useless or at minimum reduce its quality. It must be a service intake because the casting date is 1974.

The buyer and seller have known each other for a number of years.

Thank you for pointing out some conditions I've left out of the equation!

Here's my 2 cents
 

There are two of the factory 1971 455HO casting #483674 intakes listed on eBay right now, along with a bunch of those abortion junk repops from Parts Place......

First real one is intake only with no crossover for $1800.
Second is intake with crossover and shields for $2500.

In our experience, eBay prices start out around 10-15% higher so the seller can recover his fees if the item sells.

If you discount the $1800 intake by 15%, you end up just over $1500. That's probably full-bore retail value.

I'd value an intake I owned that I was considering selling to a 'friend' as follows:

I've known him a couple years: Deduct $150
I've known him over five years: Deduct $200
I've known him over ten years: Deduct $300
Over ten AND he has given me some killer deals on parts: Deduct $400.

So for a friend, I'd ask $1200-1300. For a good friend, I'd ask $1100-1200.

The fact that yours is a #483674 Service Replacement intake nicks into the value a little, but, since the date can't be seen once the intake is installed, not drastically. Maybe another $100. Pontiac sold these 483674s over-the-counter until around 1975-6, and then sold the 1972 455HO intake #488945 over-the-counter until well into the 1980s.

How would I differentiate between a 'friend' and a 'good friend' ?

A friend will help you move.
A good friend will help you move a body.

Simple.

I think $1500-1800 for an original '71 HO intake in good shape is high, that's approaching RAIV territory and unlikely to sell at that price. I think $800-1000 would be more realistic.

I agree.

I agree as well.

Big difference between a Seller's perception of value and a Buyer's perception.
 

Buyers perceived values are always lower because they are looking for a deal.

We've sold (three) #483674 bare, unmodified factory intakes in the past two years.
$1200,
$1350,
$1550.

Didn't know ANY of the Buyers before the sale.

We've sold (five) Ram Air IV factory intakes in the same time period. Mix of 9796614 (1969) and 9799084 (1970) castings.
$2400 with crossover but no heat shields,
$2000 bare, very nice
$1900 bare with (3) stripped carb attaching holes,
$2300 with crossover, shields and choke thermostat (modified plenum area),
$2100 NOS SR intake (but had been gasket matched).

I'd known only the SR buyer before the sale. Friendly but not good friends. I dropped the price $200 because he had helped us with locating parts in the past.

So I'm fairly confident our market values are pretty close. We'd happily buy all the $800 original 455HO intakes you can send our way, so long as they've never been to The Parts Place.

I sold a few years ago, both 1971 and 1972 455 HO intakes, honestly I had virtually no interest in them for the longest time, both eventually sold for about $ 500 bucks each.

I'd be happy to sell my '71 HO intake to you for $1350, you can make an easy $200 on it.