[Diego]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Sadly, I think you are probably right.

K

On the other hand, as Corvettes, Z/28s, and Bandit-era Trans Ams start to be out of reach for the average collector, you just may see a 400/stick Grand Am becoming more collectible. In fact, I kinda see it as more desirable than the same-year GTO, so I wonder if there will ever be a day when a similarly equipped GTO will lag in value compared with the Grand Am?

[fiedlerh]

It would help if a basic assortment of reproduction parts were available. 400 stick shift and 455 cars will always get more interest, plus CanAms of course.

Couple of questions:

What's happened to 55-57 Chevy values? I remember they peaked some years back, but have declined as owners of that era are passing away.

Are 73-77 Corvettes getting more interest? I'm asking because I don't follow that market.

[greyno3]

I loved the '77 Astre Formula when I was 16 in '77 and drooled over the Can Am

[Alvin]

[rexs73gto]

I own a 73 GTO which I bough new & love it more each day , but when I hear it won't ever be what we would like them to be worth, well I say wait & see. These cars are just now starting to come into there own. No time in the past have they had there peak. For a long time they weren't even considered a GTO let alone a performance car. The 73's & to 77's are now just starting there run & that shows in the fact that the shows are now allowing them in the muscle car era shows. It use to be the muscle cars were 64-72 but now most big shows are going to 64-75 because they are now seeing that our cars are now being taken for real & not just after thoughts. So no the 73-77 cars are just starting there rise & in the next 5 years you 'll see our cars being sought after & there cost going up throught the roof like all the other muscle cars have done in there time. YAH-HA were coming up in the car world,,,,, finally.

[castongu]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

I own a 73 GTO which I bough new & love it more each day , but when I hear it won't ever be what we would like them to be worth, well I say wait & see. These cars are just now starting to come into there own. No time in the past have they had there peak. For a long time they weren't even considered a GTO let alone a performance car. The 73's & to 77's are now just starting there run & that shows in the fact that the shows are now allowing them in the muscle car era shows. It use to be the muscle cars were 64-72 but now most big shows are going to 64-75 because they are now seeing that our cars are now being taken for real & not just after thoughts. So no the 73-77 cars are just starting there rise & in the next 5 years you 'll see our cars being sought after & there cost going up through the roof like all the other muscle cars have done in there time. YAH-HA were coming up in the car world,,,,, finally.

I hope your right Rex. It would be nice. But as was mentioned, we're going to need more reproduction parts offered that are specific to the 73-77 era before a real widespread interest would ever take hold.

[Evil Stu]

If anybody wants one.....

http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-ViewAdLar...AdId=209705984

Rough but useable, no motor but the 4 speed stuff is there. I don't have roomor I'd go get it.

[77 Canamman]

That's not a terrible price for two Grand Ams, especially if one is a factory 4 speed!

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

I own a 73 GTO which I bough new & love it more each day , but when I hear it won't ever be what we would like them to be worth, well I say wait & see. These cars are just now starting to come into there own. No time in the past have they had there peak. For a long time they weren't even considered a GTO let alone a performance car. The 73's & to 77's are now just starting there run & that shows in the fact that the shows are now allowing them in the muscle car era shows. It use to be the muscle cars were 64-72 but now most big shows are going to 64-75 because they are now seeing that our cars are now being taken for real & not just after thoughts. So no the 73-77 cars are just starting there rise & in the next 5 years you 'll see our cars being sought after & there cost going up throught the roof like all the other muscle cars have done in there time. YAH-HA were coming up in the car world,,,,, finally.

I think the real reason for inclusion of post-'72 cars into these muscle car shows you speak of is more about increasing car count than it is recognizing the '73-'77 era cars are being taken "for real".

[Brian Baker]

Anyone else notice from those 2 cars for sale, the bellhousing has what appears to be dual provisions for either a Chevy or a Pontiac starter, but has what clearly appears to be a BOP bolt pattern?

[Evil Stu]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Anyone else notice from those 2 cars for sale, the bellhousing has what appears to be dual provisions for either a Chevy or a Pontiac starter, but has what clearly appears to be a BOP bolt pattern?

Both cars were Pontiac 400s, no Chev engines in the 73-4-5 Grand Am (or 73 GTO) models here, just Lemans.

Brian, I always thought there was only one bell for BOP in those years. Buicks have the starter on the right.

Stu

[Brian Baker]

I assumed all Canadian Pontiacs were Chevy powered. I'm also not up on the location of Buick starters, which would explain this "dual purpose" bell housing with one BOP bolt pattern...learn something new every day.

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

I think the real reason for inclusion of post-'72 cars into these muscle car shows you speak of is more about increasing car count than it is recognizing the '73-'77 era cars are being taken "for real".

Disagree. My '73-'77's have always garnered more attention at the shows than my '72 4 speed LeMans convertible ever did.

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by 77 Canamman

Disagree. My '73-'77's have always garnered more attention at the shows than my '72 4 speed LeMans convertible ever did.

Well, how many "loud" Can Am's do you ever see at a show? How many of Jackie Gleason's police cruisers you ever see at a show?

I'm being pragmatic about the people organizing these shows. The only reason they're allowing the post '72 cars in is because they can't bring in enough pre '72 cars, so they need to increase the car count. Same reason they do it for the fall Cruisin' OC event, to increase car count...they don't need to do it in the spring because they get more than enough cars in the spring.

[vegadan]

When switching from an automatic to a 4 speed, is it necessary to modify the trans tunnel? I've seen where the auto-trans tunnel has been modified with the addition of the 4 speed "hump", but I am wondering is this really necessary? I ask because a) I don't know how to weld and b) if I ever want to convert it back to an auto in the future, adding the hump would make it more difficult.

Thanks,
Dan

[68gtoMN]

Originally Posted by vegadan

When switching from an automatic to a 4 speed, is it necessary to modify the trans tunnel? I've seen where the auto-trans tunnel has been modified with the addition of the 4 speed "hump", but I am wondering is this really necessary? I ask because a) I don't know how to weld and b) if I ever want to convert it back to an auto in the future, adding the hump would make it more difficult.

Thanks,
Dan

Manual "humps" were secured by screws from the factory. The hole was cut into the trans tunnel, then the "hump" was attached via screws, with mastic, IIRC. Trans tunnel is exactly the same dimensionally, except where material was removed to enable manual shifter.

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by 68gtoMN

Manual "humps" were secured by screws from the factory. The hole was cut into the trans tunnel, then the "hump" was attached via screws, with mastic, IIRC. Trans tunnel is exactly the same dimensionally, except where material was removed to enable manual shifter.

The humps on the '73's were welded.

[Diego]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

The only reason they're allowing the post '72 cars in is because they can't bring in enough pre '72 cars, so they need to increase the car count.

. . . or, perhaps, as we advance in years, cars that formerly were considered used cars are now collectible cars. It once was that way for GTOs, it once was that way for Bandit-era T/As, and now it's time for plenty of other cars from the 1970s and 1980s.

[camerjeff]

Originally Posted by 77 Canamman

The humps on the '73's were welded.

Not all 73's the Hump (porch) on my 73 4-speed wagon was Screwed on. I wonder if it was a 4-door thing?

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by Diego

. . . or, perhaps, as we advance in years, cars that formerly were considered used cars are now collectible cars. It once was that way for GTOs, it once was that way for Bandit-era T/As, and now it's time for plenty of other cars from the 1970s and 1980s.

Bingo!