[Tonyqt]

With the resent high dollar prices at the big auction houses for Trans Am's I was wondering.
Do you think we are at the high water mark for the values of them or is there more to go?
I understand that the SE's are the "in demand" cars, but will the non-se cars also have a bump in price?
Are people buying for the looks in the later year cars as the earlier ones have more hp and better engines (455 ho, 455 sd) Think about it. Will a 77 se be worth more then a sd in the long run. It looks like it the way prices are going.
Now here's some hard questions. In today's market. What should people be buying in your opinion.
SE's...jumping in value.
455 sd....seem the be steady in prices.
Early ones (1970-73)....seem to be going up a bit.
Mid years (1974-76) lowest price round headlight models...not sure what they are doing value wise.
All non se cars (1977-81) are the riding on the coat tails of the se price jump?

What do you think? And I know this sub forum has the least amount of traffic and would get more movement in other groups.

[red1975pacer]

Sold a 78 T top white car 2 months ago 31k original mile , original paint. today im sure Id get 5 grand more. yea, their gonna go up/

[thews]

I can't see the 79-81 cars ever coming close to the 70-73 or 77-78 cars, mainly because they made so many of them. The early 70-73 T/A are the best looking IMO and will always be the ones to have. The 74-76 T/A's have their following, but it's typically made up of people that had a specific year or knew someone who had one. The 77-78 Bandit cars will have a following, though I'm not sure how much they'll pay for one?

I had a 1980 Turbo T/A in 1982. It was a beautiful maroon car with a red interior and I owned it for 5 or 6 years. I was pretty, but gutless. The 79-81 pace cars are rare and selling for less than I would expect, but unsure how much they'll go up in the future.

I own a 75 T/A now with a rust free body. I'm hesitant to put much money onto it, because I don't expect it back. Seems kind of pointless really to put $20K in a car just to wait to get $20k when you sell it.

The real bottom line is demand. I drive a 2010 SS Camaro 6-speed and it hauls ass. AC works, has airbags and gets almost 20 mpg. I read recently that the new 4-door Chevy Malibu V6 is faster than a stock 67 Shelby Mustang, so technology has moved past the muscle of the 70's.

For this forum I do have a question about value. In your opinion, if I put a 72 nose on my 75 T/A would it be worth less? I have all the parts do it, including 72 or 73 grills. It's a Bucaneer red car and this was my plan before I have it painted.

[GTOLiam]

Originally Posted by thews

For this forum I do have a question about value. In your opinion, if I put a 72 nose on my 75 T/A would it be worth less? I have all the parts do it, including 72 or 73 grills. It's a Bucaneer red car and this was my plan before I have it painted.

Yes, I would pay less for that car. If you don't plan to sell it for awhile and it will make you happy, go ahead. Just keep all the 75 front end parts for when you want to sell it.

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by Tonyqt

Mid years (1974-76) lowest price round headlight models...not sure what they are doing value wise.

I'm going to find out in the spring - I'm going to sell my 74 T/A. Not for any specific reason other than it's a toy, and I'm ready for a change of toys. I've not been following T/A values at all but I'll need to dig in and do some research to come up with a price.

[muscle_collector]

I can see the 76-81 t/a se cars bringing more money than the sd cars easily. back in 73-74 I hate to say it, but not every guy in high school really wanted a sd much less even a ta. however almost every guy in high school in 76-81 wanted a ta and if he said he didn't, and wanted a z-28 or mustang, well he was just not telling the truth because he knew the ta was a superior car. so fast forward to now, the guys who were in high school back then have now started to come into financial security and most of them have no problem spending whatever they can afford and even going into debt to buy toys. also the survival rate of these years cars are horrible.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

I can see the 76-81 t/a se cars bringing more money than the sd cars easily...

not a chance in hell.

[GTOLiam]

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/a...447206174.html

$30k for a 74 with 455 non-SD/factory auto (converted to 4spd)

I hope it sells for that

[Held for Ransom]

They have/had this for sale too...
http://www.thehotrodshop1.com/Parts.html
Forgot to add the other link...
http://www.forums.maxperformanceinc....d.php?t=783921

[Dave R]

70-72 cars seem to have peaked. 73 cars are coming on strong and matching the early cars for price.
I can see more for a low mile 77/78 SE 4 speed car than the 70 - 73's except for RA IV or SD. 70 RA IV and 73 SD will always be in a class of their own.

74-76 prices are rising and each year presents a fairly rare car as a flagship price for the year - 74 SD, 75 HO, 76 455 SE which have been commanding strong prices for some time.

79 TATA peaked a long time ago and you really have to like silver to own one.

80/81 Turbo cars are good value right now. A really good one is less than 20K and they don't need to be fast. Driving them is about enjoying the road.

Modern cars being faster won't affect the value of the older cars.

My first car was a 75 TA which I was fortunate enough to drive in High School. I still have it and this year it's getting the 455 I always wanted back then.

[Dave R]

I've been lusting after this one: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/5434055546.html

[GTOLiam]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

They have/had this for sale too...
http://www.thehotrodshop1.com/Parts.html
Forgot to add the other link...
http://www.forums.maxperformanceinc....d.php?t=783921

Oh it's that guy lol

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

not a chance in hell.

they already are

[Scarebird]

NADA Classic:

1974 SD 4speed - $90k (Hagerty $73k)

1977 SE 4 speed - $24 (Hagerty $45k)

I do not put much stock in the big tent hype, but what the insurers say they are worth.

[thews]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

not a chance in hell.

Agree. The production numbers are so much higher that there's no way demand would ever eclipse it. For the record, I doubt many people that actually want a Trans Am can even identify a 74 from a 75, or 76. The 70-73 is identified by the nose which sets it apart. Stating a 79-81 will ever equal a 70-73 is wishful thinking only.

[muscle_collector]

I guess you missed the latest ones to go thru the auctions.

[Scarebird]

I certainly would have as I rarely watch the auctions - being rigged as they are.

[thews]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

I guess you missed the latest ones to go thru the auctions.

eBay is the real metric IMO. If you do a search on Trans Am's that were recently sold by highest first, this is what you find:

74 SD Red/Blk $55K
73 Brewster green 455 $55K
73 Brewster green $55K
70 White/blu $40.2K
73 red/black 4-spped 455 $38.1k
70 wht/blk $37.1K
70 wht/blu $36K
77 Bandit blk/blk auto $27.1K
77 red/blk $26K
75 wht/blk $25K
76 red/blk $24K
79 blk/blk with a 455 $23.7K
78 Bandit blk/blk $23.2K
75 wht/blu 455ho $23.1K
77 blk/blk $20.9
79 blk/blk w/20k original miles (looks new) $20.9K
79 10th anniversary w/52KOM $20.2K
79 TA gold/blk $19.6K
71 TA Wht/blu not running 4-speed $19.6K
78 TA SE gold/blk $19.5K
80 TA Pace car w/40K OM $19.5K
79 10th anniversary $19.5K

What surprised me when I looked at this was the price of the 75's and 76's... higher than I would have guessed.

[muscle_collector]

ebay is a horrible place to sell Pontiacs. there have been several se ta's trade hands for 60k plus and they are just coming into their time.

[marxjunk]

of all the opinions i see here...im gonna go with muscle collector's.....the guy has had more cars go thru his hands than anyone can imagine..real finger on the pulse guy...just sayin