[6TEE8GTO]

Originally Posted by Unclesamscandy

First, I want to say that Greg summed up the engine identification aspect perfectly and for reference this is the bona fide way to inspect this.

Second, the bench and column shift is not an issue to most people if the car is all-around solid and original matching in numbers as to engine/tranny/rear end. It sounds like you are getting a car that can be driven for fun with a certain amount of 'fix-it' work. If you end up doing a frame off resto on the car, please don't expect to get a return on your investment FINANCIALLY. It is a 68 coupe with no "Ram Air" or "H.O." heritage, nor is it a ragtop. So when all is said and done, if you dumped 30 grand into the car after buying it for 10,000- you may end up being 15-20 thousand under water should you go to sell her later. To many people, money is not a factor, until it IS a factor.

Please don't flame me, but I know lots of car people who needed to send kids to expensive college, pay for medical bills for sick loved ones, or lost their jobs- then needed to liquidate their cars and car collections to come up with cold cash. Just bear that in mind when choosing a project car. You may find a Judge, ragtop or H.O. car for a little more money if you are going to do a full restoration, and at the end of the job then the car with the better pedigree will attract better return.

I certainly respect all decisions as to why a person likes a certain car- but I like to boil it down to dollars and cents for people when they are working stiffs like most of us here are. I know lots of people including ME who have lost money on cars, so I suggest you be careful.

Why would anybody find fault with what you said there? It's true. I don't think many people ever get back the money they put into these cars. If I was in it for investing, I try to find someone else that has already over-spent and wants to liquidate.

The market for "common" '68's and '69's is soft right now, almost alarmingly so. Sure a real Judge is going to bring the $$$ but I'm seeing some pretty nice cars not selling. This particular car, the seller's using the "numbers matching" as a selling point, and if it was a NOM car, I'd either walk away or offer much less. As it is, he is willing to sell it for much less than he had it listed for. I told him a few weeks ago I'd wait it out and see if he finds someone willing to pay what he wanted for it, and once it become obvious the market IS soft, he's much more willing to deal. The fact that it it's the original driveline is a plus, but you're right 100% in that sticking a ton of money in this car and thinking it will be worth it down the road is probably not the smartest idea.