[ac-427]

Originally Posted by The_DarkKnight

I dont understand, you could spend the same/less and have a better performing car with real air con/brakes hud and a warranty if you bought a new camaro

I've spent over twenty years on the national show car circuit with a variety of customs, rods, and restorations. My last project was a 1969 SS that won a GM design award at SEMA and scored a Gold Award in the Legends Class at Camaro Nationals. At SEMA, I had the honor of standing by Chip Foose, another winner, that year. I'll never have that kind of recognition with my 2018 SS Redline Vert, but I'm having just as much fun attending local shows and not worrying about diminished value from a rag scratch on a car I didn't drive. Granted, the 69 was a show car, rather a pro-touring piece, but I think my comments, at least to a certain extent, still apply. I sold my diesel truck, car trailer, and indoor display and am having a great time without worrying about a spot of dust on top of the transmission. LOL!

[DevilsReject97]

I would take a 69 Camaro everyday of the week over my current ZL1....because they are simply bad ass... They're what muscle cars were meant to be...

Don't get me wrong, I understand what you mean about the money aspect....but most people that have 60-70k to spend on a car, probably are going to after what they want, as opposed to what's best bang for their buck..

It's like, why would you buy a Lambo when you get a Camaro ZL1-1LE? Because I want it?

[Cgocifer]

For reference, I spent $75k building my PT Chevelle and did most of the mechanicals/electrical (LS conversion, brakes, trans, hydraulic clutch, dbw throttle, computer, wiring, rear end, fuel, etc.) myself. Only thing I paid labor for was the body, paint, and interior and that was a huge chunk of the cost. It could have easily been 6 figures to farm everything out.

Best thing to do is buy one already built for 3/4 to half the cost and tweak it a bit to make it your own. Only reason I didn't do that is because it was my high school car that I owned for 26 years. Nostalgia.

This whole question is kinda ridiculous. Classic car enthusiasts like classic cars. With pro touring, you can now have the performance and safety of a modern car wrapped into a classic car. It's a great thing to see these old cars resurrected and back on the streets.

It all depends on what people like. Some like factory correct restorations, some like pro street, some like street rods, some like period correct hot rods, some like pro touring, some like muscle cars, some like 1950s and older, some like sports cars, some like modern muscle cars, some like exotics, and on and on.

I happen to like all of the above but am not rich, so I settle for one type at a time... lol

[SnakeEyeSS]

Originally Posted by Cgocifer

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Best thing to do is buy one already built for 3/4 to half the cost and tweak it a bit to make it your own.

Here is the problem with that, you have to check out the owners knowledge as much as the car! You wouldn't think an owner would ignore the builders instructions on a engine with 15k in parts, but...... there are people that do, as I learned from experience, ignore what the BUILDER said it requires for oil weight because they think they know better. You get it while it still runs great, but them you find out what they have done and wait for the time bomb to explode.(67 Firebird with expensive custom motor, guy said he had hardly ever driven it and that's why he was selling. Turns out he had driven it plenty, with oil that was way too thick)

I had a 69 RS 350. I was losing my mind because people wouldn't stop bothering me about it everywhere I went. I just wanted to drive my car, or get gas.

[67rstbkt]

Because 5 or ten years from now, the new gen will be just a used car - my Firebird will still be a classic and may even appreciate in value.

[Frank237]

Originally Posted by parish8

I love the 69 camaro. Every time I think about my next project I look at old camaros. Each time I end up going with a late model car. Some day I will do a classic. The problem is those old camaro sell for a ton of money.

25 years back I restored a 69 396 Chevelle. I had a similar car as a 19 yr old, right before I went into the USAF. So it was ALREADY near and dear to me. (Previously I had restored a 1955 Chevy Handyman wagon and a 1965 Corvette Coupe)

Eighteen months and a lot of time, money and parts...it was done. It was a 14sec 1/4 mile car in stock trim. Braking was OK, but not impressive. Handling, even with modern radials, gas shocks , new springs frt/rear and poly bushing...was abysmal. It was a 1969 mid sized car...not exactly any soort of performance car.

It got looks everywhere I took it. It made great noise, but whatever I had at the time for a patrol car could beat it in every department, possibly short of 1/4 mile time. Even then, not by much.

Those of us old enough to have been around back then...These cars remind us of our youth. For many of us THE best years of our lives. So we are surely viewing them through rose colored glasses. You forget how lousy they truly were. LOL. Made great noise, looked cool, but MOST of them handled and braked poorly, insurance as a killer and mileage along with reliability was also poor.

Still....I have looked into doing a 1st Gen faux Pro Touring car. Suspension upgrades, modernize a lot of it, but with a reasonable small block engine. I was in that mode right before I bought my 1ss back in November of 2016.

All it took was a test drive in an SS and I knew I couldn't beat that performance unless I spent a ton of cash. I can certainly understand the appeal of a PT car....but simply can't rationalize the insane amount of Ca$h to do one right.

[Cgocifer]

Originally Posted by SnakeEyeSS

Here is the problem with that, you have to check out the owners knowledge as much as the car! You wouldn't think an owner would ignore the builders instructions on a engine with 15k in parts, but...... there are people that do, as I learned from experience, ignore what the BUILDER said it requires for oil weight because they think they know better. You get it while it still runs great, but them you find out what they have done and wait for the time bomb to explode.(67 Firebird with expensive custom motor, guy said he had hardly ever driven it and that's why he was selling. Turns out he had driven it plenty, with oil that was way too thick)

I had a 69 RS 350. I was losing my mind because people wouldn't stop bothering me about it everywhere I went. I just wanted to drive my car, or get gas.

True, but most pro touring cars at least run crate LSX engines or similar. Many builders sell the cars right after they're finished. Just need to do research, get the build sheets, receipts, photos, documents, and inspect it in person. Of course you need to have knowledge of cars to spot quality or lack there of or bring someone with you who does.

Definitely more risky to drop huge coin on a custom car without a warranty than it is to buy a new car from a dealership with a warranty.

Another reason I did the mechanicals myself because I knew it would be done right. Took my time which is why it took 3 years plus a year in body shop hell.