[b-man]

Not all cars need to be restored to be enjoyable.

Original faded paint is actually sought after by a growing number of old car enthusiasts. I’m not seeing any dented body panels. It’s really a gem.

It may be a little rotten but in the eastern part of the country that car is cherry.

Getting top dollar takes work quite understandably but don’t sell it short, the right buyer will pay decent money for it.

[G.T.O.boy]

Without seeing the frame and the floor and trunk pans it is hard to tell what it needs for rust repair. The factory engine is great but then most 2 speed automatic GTO's were not raced so the engines are more common to still be in the car. It will need to be gone through and most likely rebuilt if it has been sitting for five years. Neat car and is mostly complete. I would say 5k is fair 2,500 is low but could bring more on ebay? If it was a tripower 4 speed it would bring way more. Rust on frame and floors will be a large factor on value. It is a Kansas car so it shows 5N on cowl so it is a true GTO with a 79J engine to back this up. No real need to prove with PHS. 64 is the best year as it is a little quirky compared to the other square body years, the hoods do not bring the big money anymore due to the repops on the market that are made as so close to the originals one cannot tell the difference. I have 2 factory ones and they are half the value they once were. It will cost more to restore that car than a similar one can be bought already finished.

[ZeGermanHam]

I'd just assume it needs work everywhere. Assume it has holes in the floor pan, trunk, and around the base of the rear window. Assume the engine needs a rebuild. $4k for a complete but needy and non-running '64 GTO is about what I'd expect to pay these days. And this one doesn't look like it's been banged up and poorly patched back together over the decades like so many others have. And yes, it's always cheaper to buy a completed/restored car than to restore one (don't I know it...), but that's nothing new nor is it the point here.

[FirebirdHank]

There was a convertible '64 GTO that was listed on Bring a Trailer within the past couple of weeks that was a no sale at $95,000. It was non numbers matching, color changed and changed from an automatic to a 4 speed. I thought for the changes that were done that I would have jumped at the price if I were the seller.

[ZeGermanHam]

Originally Posted by FirebirdHank

There was a convertible '64 GTO that was listed on Bring a Trailer within the past couple of weeks that was a no sale at $95,000. It was non numbers matching, color changed and changed from an automatic to a 4 speed. I thought for the changes that were done that I would have jumped at the price if I were the seller.

I agree there. That was one of the nicest '64 GTOs I have ever seen, but a reserve of over $95k is pretty rich for a GTO that lacks originality and/or provenance. Apparently bidders felt similarly. But boy, that was one pretty '64...

[G.T.O.boy]

There was a 64 tripower 4speed 3.55 posi post coupe with very little to no rust complete numbers matching needing complete resto on ebay that just sold for 18k, but that checks 99% of the wish list of options that everyone wants and it had all the parts included including the correct born with engine. This was a project car that still needed 50k in work. You can ask what ever you want but that doesn't mean you will get it. Most people cannot to the body work that this car needed, so it will have to go to a body shop and for that body bill it will be 20-25k for a good quality repair, and you still have the interior 2-3k and suspension and steering 3-5k, and the drivetrain to address 10-15k. It is a neat car and maybe one can get more than 5k, Chrome and trim work 3-5k, wiring 1-3k, plus one needs to figure 1-3k for unknowns, but you will have to find a person that is emotionally invested (not thinking with their pocket book). There are two nice cars for sale locally that are both tripower 4speed restored cars for sale with documents that need nothing else for sale at an asking price of 58k and (68k convertible). This is why I no longer restore cars for a living people buy these projects and think they can get it very nice for 10k and only have 20k wrapped up in a car that they paid 10k for. Even if someone bought this car and had a 100k resto done on it by a first class restoration shop like level one, everyone at a car show would run past it to look at a cobbled pile of poo that that a tripower and a 20 foot paint job parked next to it. Hagerty has a price guide they do not list a number #5 which this car is these are unbiased and from Hagerty for a 4bbl.

CURRENT & HISTORICAL VALUES
View current vehicle values and see how they’ve changed over time in a 3-year, 5-year and to-date intervals. Compare these values to other vehicles and benchmark financial indices.
Current Values
#1 Concours$69,900
#2 Excellent$53,000
#3 Good$30,600
#4 Fair$19,400
#4 vehicles are daily drivers, with flaws visible to the naked eye. The chrome might have pitting or scratches, the windshield might be chipped. Paintwork is imperfect, and perhaps the body has a minor dent. Split seams or a cracked dash, where applicable, might be present. No major parts are missing, but the wheels could differ from the originals, or other non- stock additions might be present. A #4 vehicle can also be a deteriorated restoration. "Fair" is the one word that describes a #4 vehicle.
Value Adjustments
+10% for factory a/c. +15% for factory 4-spd. -10% for auto.

About Hagerty's Condition Ratings | About Our Prices

[Skip Fix]

Easy to get in deep on one. The more I look at my 65 and start getting picky the more work it will need to be a "nice" car. Some rust holes in driver's floor pan, trunk , around windshield and rear window a little, trunk weatherstrip channel. All the typical A body spots. Otherwise a solid car., but a lot of welding and work to get it nice.

Or just get it driving , maybe a fresh interior and enjoy it like Frieburger says on" Roadkill"!

[padgett]

Figure mine would need about $50k to be "show worthy" and has no rust now. OTOH would not want to trade the 15x8s for 14x6s (in big baggies). Better as a toy I can drive when I feel like it.

Am watching CL for a five or six speed that can take 450 lb-ft, then the Muncie would go in a big baggie.

[John V.]

When guys are trying to establish what their GTO is worth, I suggest they put an ad on Craigslist with lots of pix. For this one, list it at $4000. If the phone rings off the hook, you priced it too low. If you get nothing but crickets, you priced too high. If the phone is ringing off the hook, you can tell callers it is already sold and pull the ad after a week of gauging interest. My bet, your phone will be silent even if you listed this one at $2500. JMO.

The one recently on BaT was Steve Brody's, he used to post here when he was doing the restore. It is spectacularly restored, no expense spared, multi award winner. But it has never been driven. If he ever drove it, the value would drop by 10s of thousands.

He changed it to be the GTO he always wanted. For me, some of his changes would be deal breakers but truly, just because we have the advantage of PHS, I don't think the value of our cars should take a hit when they've been changed from auto trans to 4 spd, wouldn't happen to most other makes.

But Brody's GTO Convertible represents the ultra high end of '64 valuation IMO today. It might draw about $70k if it had been driven at all and falling fast with each added mile and year gone by. At one time he was asking $125k IIRC. And no doubt, he has high 5 figures in resto cost in it, having done the majority of the work himself. Add to that the cost of the very nice Grenadier Red auto trans '64 GTO he bought to start the project, I'm guessing at least $20k. I base this on what it cost me to restore my own '64 4 spd Convertible just a few years ago. Mine is "nice" but nothing like his, mine gets driven and I believe would likely be bid to about half of Brody's if I cared to sell it. Tens of thousands less than my resto cost and not including what I paid for my rough but running '64 when I acquired it in '90 that I drove from Boise to Chicago upon purchase.

I'm with Andre except I think $40k is light for what it would cost to make it "nice" and $35k is high for what it would sell for when finished.

As it sits, this GTO is worth ZERO. Anything paid for it will just increase the differential between what a buyer will have in it and what he could sell it for.

Prices for similar condition cars might be higher in Calif where median incomes tend to be higher than they would be in the midwest. But resto cost is about the same everywhere and the value once restored will be same too. So paying "too much" to acquire it just puts you that much more underwater.

If it really has more than $2500 value to a parts seller, why not contact someone like John Johnson in Missouri or Bob Vidan, both long time GTO parts sellers?

I doubt they would give $2500 for this one and expect to make much in profit.

I'm no vet but I'd be more concerned that the guy offering $2500 is naive and my advice to him would be to buy any number of very nice '64 GTO Hardtops selling for less than $40k than to sink money into this one.

I'd be more than happy to see this one put back on the road. I certainly chose to ignore my own advice and restored the one I had rather than buy a finished one. But financially, it could not be justified. If it could, the current owner could restore this one and sell it for a profit. I am certain that would be a losing proposition.

Mine was very rust free. But I still have more than $30k in pro sheetmetal paint and bodywork alone in mine (the LH quarter metal work added very little to the body shop cost). Add assembly, refresh of all mechanical systems , engine rebuild, differential restore, and on and on. And there are still a few things that remain to be done. If you have tools and talent and your time has no value, you can have a lot less out of pocket cost. I did far less than Brody on my own, rebuilt the trans and power steering pump, for instance. I'd still contend it is near impossible to make money on GTO restoration unless you're being paid time and material to restore somebody else's GTO.

Sure, a patient seller can find that one buyer that will pay significantly more for it. He might show up tomorrow or he might show up in 10 years. But if you want to sell it quickly, you will sell for liquidation value, a price that multiple sellers will be willing to pay. That might be $2500 on this one, a Craigslist ad would help confirm it.

[Rich-Tripower]

The $2500 offer was from a long-time Pontiac guy and local Pontiac club member.

[b-man]

If nobody in the family of the owner is capable of marketing the car to get more than the $2500 offer they should take it and feel fortunate. Their focus is on caring for the elderly owner and not squeezing every dime out of a dilapidated old car. Having it disappear is the main goal not the money at this point.

Selling old cars is a hassle and especially so for those not involved in the old car hobby.

The time to get better money for it has long passed, it has sat and deteriorated to the point where the value has greatly diminished.

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by b-man

If nobody in the family of the owner is capable of marketing the car to get more than the $2500 offer they should take it and feel fortunate. Their focus is on caring for the elderly owner and not squeezing every dime out of a dilapidated old car. Having it disappear is the main goal not the money at this point.

Selling old cars is a hassle and especially so for those not involved in the old car hobby.

The time to get better money for it has long passed, it has sat and deteriorated to the point where the value has greatly diminished.

I agree 100%. As a long time GTO guy, I have to say that even if the car were free, the amount of $$$ and time and labor to undo all the damage would exceed the value by quite a bit. 60-80k to restore a car worth 35-40 at the end of the day. If it were a tripower 4 speed car, it would be worth more, but as a comfort loaded auto car, the ROI is not there.

[69hardtop]

On eBay now….already bid up to $4k (which I think is the worth of the vehicle as it sits). A few more pics now available, but not too many of the body/under carriage. I’m guessing it at least needs floor pan, trunk pan and quarters. Oh - and it doesn’t run, but some extra parts included. Would make someone a nice project, but as previously discussed in this post it would take a lot. Hope someone gets it and does it right….I just wish it was a four speed

I’d include the ebay link if I knew how - sorry

[Jeff Hamlin]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/30408004212...UAAOSwHupg~H3Z

[ZeGermanHam]

Yep, it's already at $4050.00 with 5 days of bidding left. The days of paying $2-2.5K for something like this are long gone. It's a rust bucket, but that's what rusty GTOs cost now.

[Rich-Tripower]

It is at $6400+ now with 4 days to go.

[ZeGermanHam]

Up to $7.1k now with 12 people bidding.

[Sloan66]

Would like to see what the buyer finds in attic or on property

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by b-man

Not all cars need to be restored to be enjoyable.

Original faded paint is actually sought after by a growing number of old car enthusiasts. I’m not seeing any dented body panels. It’s really a gem.

It may be a little rotten but in the eastern part of the country that car is cherry.

Getting top dollar takes work quite understandably but don’t sell it short, the right buyer will pay decent money for it.

Look at John Cleggs 64 Lemans in the pictures and Videos.
Looks like it went thru a sand storm (no paint) but that car has run over 180 mph
at a Texas Mile Race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWJKqWCspWI

Nice Paint is not everything

Tom V.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by b-man

Complete original paint and drivetrain ‘64 GTO loaded with desirable options.

8 to 10k is what I’m seeing.

The $2500 buyer is seeing dollar signs and rightfully so.

You’ll never get the true market value without working for it. If you don’t sell before you’re too old and incapacitated you get 25 cents on the dollar if you’re lucky.

Bidding currently at $7800

How high will it go?