Pinion, how much for the pair of 69 decklids and what state are you in? Will you be coming to the POCI nationals in Greenville, SC ?
Pinion, please don't get the impression that I am aiming this all to you friend. I am only attempting to shake some dust off the old ways of thought. And maybe someone can help rescue this matter.
In the Southeast and especially the Northeast, these parts mentioned (1964 Hood and Trunk Lid - 69 GTO Trunk Lid) are in demand and there is no supply. Good used bare 64 hoods will bring 1500-2000 around these areas, but they very rarely hardly ever come to the surface. Especially not in real good condition, usually they are ROUGH and asking 1000. Have only seen one on eBay in 2 years that was actually nice, went for 2276.34 bare. It takes a lot of bids to go from 100 to 2200+, so there must have been more than just a few folks needing a hood that particular week, I guess? If they can make the 65-67, and 68-70 hoods and sell them for 350-400 bucks, why can't same price structure exist for a 64 hood? They all need new die cast chrome scoops anyhow, which are already available, so thats a given expense either way and both ways. Of course everybody wants a good used one for 200 bucks or so, but it's time they mark their calenders and realize it ain't been happening for a long time.
I personally know 5 local cars that need a 64 hood to be built, and every one of them could also stand a better trunk lid too. Several are pondering the new fiberglass unit to get them by until...??? And it's about 500 bucks. Chris just needs to talk to the major independent used parts dealers on the east coast (I used to be one back in the day) and ask them about the BuZZ word chants for these hoods. Everybody is asking, and nobody has them. They aren't listed in any catalogues, so people know not to ask him for one. He even told me close to the exact same thing you stated, in Charlotte 3 years ago, concerning 64 hoods. Yet people still call me/us begging for them, and I haven't advertised a single Pontiac part since 1994.
The major sheet metal panel availability dictates a lot as to which cars get built, and which ones don't. You got a 64 body that needs a hood and a deck lid around here, nobody wants the car because the parts aren't to be had in this region anymore. The word is out on them. We sold all the good stuff back in the 80's and 90's.
The fact that fewer and fewer 64's are being rebuilt because of this, actually is keeping them from escalating in value as fast as the 66-70's have. The fewer that change hands, the slower the escalation of value and pretty soon only the old timers who won't even buy floor mats for a car will be the only ones who care anything about them at all. They are going to be like the 68's used to be, semi-bastard cars. Now it's up to the aftermarket to meet most of the needs of the people that are coming in, who have the same hopes and desires as we did back in our earlier days. A clean-strait-rustless GTO.
The fact that the "old timers in the hobby" who already have a hood or don't even need one wouldn't be willing to pay much for one, should no longer be the focus. Let them sit back in the shade of the shadows cast by their wonderful cars so we can make plenty of room for the new life coming into the hobby. Put yourself in these guys shoes who have been hunting a hood for 5-10-15 years before you declare what they will or won't pay, perhaps. But the going price range on all reproduction hoods seems to be very reasonable, actually.
A lot more 64 cars would come out of the woodwork if a hood were available. I could pull a couple out of the weeds myself. Has anyone else noticed the popularity and acceptance of "CLONE" GTO's coming about other than me. The Reproduction market makes this easier than ever on 66-70 GTO models already. How much longer do all these 64 bodies need to lay in the weeds and behind buildings covered with tarps before a good hood is made available for them also.
The hobby has re-fueled, new players are coming in fast. They have money and don't have to be romanced to spend it. The cars we parted out in the 80's are now desired by people for restoration projects, and they need LOTS of parts and WILL pay to get them. Take the closer look at eBay as I have, things are going wide open with GTO's and it didn't just happen yesterday. Prices are climbing and sales are booming, I personally think that's a good thing for us all. Why not let it keep growing, rather than wish for it to be stiffled because we still want $200 mint GTO hoods and $150 pristine 4 speed consoles. Those days are gone with the wind. It sure was a good thing back in the 80's and early 90's when the Pontiac market boomed. And it helped P Y, Ames, and Year One climb to the strength they have today. Which translated into better quality and more available parts for us that build these cars.
Perhaps what happens on eBay, or all these new comers that are pouring into the hobby is not much of a concern to you all, really. But it should be of concern to the people who make their money by selling these people the parts they NEED for their projects. Once a car is done, it's Done. They don't keep buying the same parts over and over for the same car. They have to start another car to spend again. This could be the key that opens yet another door of the bank vault.The folks who buy the 64 hood are more than likely also going to spend $2000 - $5000 or even more, on additional parts and accessories for the car before its finished, as well. So in essence, it's another strong building block for selling items that are already on the shelf and are easily replinishable. A man isn't going to spend a penny on things like the new seat covers, door panels, armrests, carpet, weatherstrip, emblems,floor mats, underhood items, etc. etc. etc...that he needs, until he has a solid hood and trunk lid secured to build the car with, so he waits. He knows all the catalogue pieces he wants will always be available. I know this by personal association, and I doubt it is confined to one county or state.
With these numbers in mind, the thought of barely breaking even on the hood or not getting rich quick with it, kind of sends a very shallow and near-sighted message to the rest of us. I just want everyone to take a step back in time and remember what car started it all. IT WAS THE 1964 GTO, by God. And we can't even get the one part of the car that made it unique so that we can spend buckets of money and rebuild them to former glory.
I still have 3 or 4 good used 65-67 hoods and several sets of 66-67, 68-69 fenders that nobody with logical sense will buy because they can get a perfectly clean new one that needs zero spent on labor to get it clean and pretty top and bottom, inside and out. I haven't had a call on one in several years, and that's okay, really. I probably will even buy new ones for the next 66 I build, instead of spending all my time restoring these used ones. Time is money, I can make money, but time goes by me like a freight train these days. I can never make time, seems like I always lose it.
They have a Goodmark repo deck lid for 68-69, 70-72 Chevelle that sells for under 200. I am positively sure plenty of good used ones are still abound, but a lot of smart folks know what can happen to old decklids of this design sooner or later. New stuff really is new, old stuff really is old, especially exterior sheetmetal. Would be a sweet thing for a LOT of people to be able to buy one like that for a 69 GTO. I sure would buy a couple. And I know several people who live in fear that bubbles may soon pop up again in another area on the back edge of their gorgeous 69 GTO deck lid that they had to use because it was the best one they could come up with.
Shoot me a deal on the pair and lets see what we can do. But honestly, I would much rather be able to buy a new one for under 200- regardless of origin, than pay over 250-300 for a used one, IF the new option were existent, which it isn't (ahem...HELLO !!! GOODMARK !!!). By the way, I am a professional body/paint technician and know exactly what "time is money" really means at the bottom line. Best wishes to all. Sincerely
|