82 Turbo GN Value? My Life Project - Interested ?

[TURBO6DAVE]

I have been with the 82 1/2 GN's since 1989 and have owned 3 of them. I currently have a Turbo 82 1/2 that I'm looking for a new owner for. I have worked for years close with Alan Thompson who started the research on the 82's. I have plenty of documentation & knowledge of the history of these cars. I have collected tons of New GM parts since 1989 for this car. (I have a brand new steering wheel, upholstery, spoilers, rims, center caps, weather-strip, decals, plastic trim, chrome, lenses and the list goes on.) I have at least $10 K invested in parts alone. Most of which is now discontinued.

Here's the story - I thought that these cars would be worth something more because of the history behind them and the low production numbers but when you start looking around these cars aren't going for big money. Yes, you have to like the car and I do, but the bottom line is value. If you want one you would be more inclined to want a Turbo version and if big dollars are wanted, then why spend that kind of money for something that you can't get parts for and could buy a nice 84-87 Turbo Regal. I hate seeing the 82 GN's going for nothing and being overlooked like Hemmings did recently in their "Muscle Machine" issue.

Since I have 2 other Buicks that don't get much attention anymore bringing a 3rd restored car into the picture would just mean less time for the other ones. We know what happens to cars that sit! Since I have a particular attachment to my first Buick and since the 87 GN is mint, I don't want to part with them. That leaves me the 82....So what do I do? Sell the body off which is in excellent shape...? Sell all the parts because they fit other Regals?
Sell the unique 82 GN parts to someone who needs them?
Or bite the bullet and shell out another 5-10K and have the car done right?

 

[sowle]

Fix it. You have had the car long enough, and have enough knowledge. I'm sure you know exactlly how to restore this car and among other things you want to do to it to take it to the next step for YOU. It doesn't have to be perfect because it never will be origional anyway. I'm in the same boat with a 83 T-type. I also have an 87 Turbo-T. Granted the 87 was the car I always desired but it seems when I try to sell the 83 I get disgusted with phone calls and write ups. So now I have been racing it, I've never had my 87 to track, but the garanteed thing is-when I pull up-there won't be another one. And thats the cool part.

 

[turbomontecarlo]

hate to do this

i hate to do this but just give it to me i'll trade my MC for it......geezzz what a nice guy i am helping u out and all.....gosh!!! im so nice

 

[Ttype83]

This is a hard one....You already have alot of money into it and once together will not see a return for awhile to come. You maybe able to get some back by selling NOS parts on ebay as some do go for high prices. hhhhmmmm.

I say put it back together and make it a garage queen and see how it goes.

HTH
Jim

 

[sowle]

I have numbers matching used-carburator,turbo,& ecm for this car. Interested? I'll sell you the whole package cheap. I can't imagine spending all my time-effort-money into a car, not to follow through with it.

Don't do it man.

 

[bakerlaw67]

Knowing nothing of the situation other than what you've shared, my opinion is that you should pass the torch, or let it be the "car that sits" until you're ready to decide. Sell the car to a Buick person that understands these unappreciated cars, but maximize your return on profit on the OEM parts.

I'd be damn sure that there was no way to delay a decision forever. This sounds like the kind of situation that you always look back on.

Is it better to see what you have saved used to restore, keep up or repair another mint B4Blk GN or to bring another one back to its original glory? On the one hand, the mint car retains or increases in value and becomes more rare (by one), making you regret giving up because of the value. On the other hand, you may be keeping somebody from getting top value, thus keeping the value of your restored one low.

You can't win. Ask yourself what you owe the Community (you define it). And if the Community won't step forward and save it, is it fair of the Community to ask you to foot the bill to keep, build and get upside down in dollars and time?

 

[b4black]

Originally posted by TURBO6DAVE
I have been with the 82 1/2 GN's since 1989 and have owned 3 of them. I currently have a Turbo 82 1/2 that I'm looking for a new owner for. I have worked for years close with Alan Thompson who started the research on the 82's. I have plenty of documentation & knowledge of the history of these cars. I have collected tons of New GM parts since 1989 for this car. (I have a brand new steering wheel, upholstery, spoilers, rims, center caps, weather-strip, decals, plastic trim, chrome, lenses and the list goes on.) I have at least $10 K invested in parts alone. Most of which is now discontinued.

Dave, like I said in the PM, it's good to hear from you.

Dave and Al Thompson both live very close to me. When I bought my '82 GN in 1990, Al already had 3 or 4 of them. And Dave's not kidding about his research on these cars. If anyone has read the books the Steven Dove wrote on the Turbo Regals, much of the '82 GN information came from these two. He's also not kidding on the NOS parts. Has anyone ever seen NOS N78 wheels. They are stunning!

Hopefully Dave will hang around here some and help us out.

Here's the story - I thought that these cars would be worth something more because of the history behind them and the low production numbers but when you start looking around these cars aren't going for big money. Yes, you have to like the car and I do, but the bottom line is value. If you want one you would be more inclined to want a Turbo version and if big dollars are wanted, then why spend that kind of money for something that you can't get parts for and could buy a nice 84-87 Turbo Regal. I hate seeing the 82 GN's going for nothing and being overlooked like Hemmings did recently in their "Muscle Machine" issue.

From what I have seen, turbo cars sell for about 50% more than a 4.1 car. For me, the '82 GN/SC is two cars in one. The GN part is cool, but I think I enjoy the turbo V6 part even more. I like the go more than the show.

The biggest detractor of the valve is the weak performance when compared to an 86/87. Yeah, it's cool looking and rare, but it's not fast. Musclecars have to be fast first, good looking second, then comes production figures.

James Lillie (used to live near Rockford, then Florida) put $20,000+ into restoring an '82 GN/SC. He later sold it on ebay for $12,500. Volo Auto museum had it last and was asking $24K for it. I wonder what they sold it for?

If you had a #1 turbo car, it could bring big $$$, because there aren't any other #1's around. Well, except for the one in Ohio with ~3,000 miles, but the onwer was asking 2 million dollars for it (really!).

I was bummed to about the Hemmings article too. But the cool thing about that magazine is that I could see them doing a feature on an '82 GN. Hell, they did a Gremlin.

Since I have 2 other Buicks that don't get much attention anymore bringing a 3rd restored car into the picture would just mean less time for the other ones. We know what happens to cars that sit! Since I have a particular attachment to my first Buick and since the 87 GN is mint, I don't want to part with them. That leaves me the 82....So what do I do? Sell the body off which is in excellent shape...? Sell all the parts because they fit other Regals?
Sell the unique 82 GN parts to someone who needs them?
Or bite the bullet and shell out another 5-10K and have the car done right?

I'm finding out that three cars is a lot for one person. The thing with NOS parts is that once you use them, they aren't NOS any longer. If you are really going to sell the car and parts, I would think the best thing to do is sell them as is. Al will tell you that restoring a car rarely turns a profit.

I think you should keep for now and bring it racing with the club this summer. If we could get a recipe to get these cars into the 14's or better, then they wouldn't have the stigma of being "slow". They would be worth much more.

 

[b4black]

I PM'd Dan McCann (saw him posting in the Lounge) about this thread. Hopefully he will add his 2¢.

 

[HurstGN]

Wow! I'm shocked. I thought if anyone would be the last to sell their SC 82, I thought it would be you Dave. After reading the post, I understand the dilema. I know Al went through the same thing, and we know the result there.

Well, you're looking for input, here's my .02 worth.

If you have the means to keep the car and finish the restoration, then do so. This only applies to somebody who truely loves these cars for what they are. The public has never understood, nor will they ever understand the meaning behind these cars. Even car people don't get these cars. Cases in point, when I told Dennis Gage in person how rare and special the 82 was, while standing in front of my 82. He'd rather hear about how somebody wrote a blank check to restore a dime-a-dozen Nova using easy to find Year One parts. No knock on Nova's, or Year One, but when you show no interest in a car that was at the time in the production numbers of an estimated 16 cars?!? C'mon, get a clue man!

And the folks at GMP. I've talked to "you know who" several times. I took 600 Megs of photos of Al's 82 from every conceivable angle, including the full underbody of the car, just to be told it has t-tops. We don't do diecasts of t-tops. And from that day on, he's dodged my phone calls, e-mails, and never talked to me again. The 82 is a dead project from GMP.
Add to that the masters at the Franklin mint, that CAN do a glass roof, have no interest in doing anything with the turbocharged regals, let alone an 82 SC in GN trim. For some, it's the fast part, but for almost all of them, it's not the fast part...it's they just don't get the history of it all.

The only reason my 82 was breifly featured in the GSCA Nationals tape one year was because a good friend Mark from Florida saw the tape crew walking past and ignoring the 82 because it wasn't all motor. He stopped the crew and "politely" informed them that they were a bunch of morons for ignoring the car. He pointed out that it was the rarest of the rare and they may never see another again in their lifetime if they didn't get their shots now. The tape crew woke up to an opportunity and took some tape. Good thing they did. They've never seen that car again at that event.

It's a fact that has to be accepted. To put the car in the physical condition you want to see it in, there will be no return on the investment. It just isn't there.

Those of us that understand these cars are a rare breed. Educating the general public on the rarity of these cars....well, I think untill Chip Foose, or Boyd Coddington decide to restore one...nobody will really care.

If you decide the car must go, well, find somebody who really cares, and understands. I have an idea of the effort you've put into saving the parts and saving the car...don't let that effort go to waste. Make sure the next owner is dedicated to preserving what you've done. There are a few of us out there. In this economy tho, it may be hard to "pass the torch" since money is an issue for most all of us. There could be no worse fate than to start selling off parts and pieces and watch your dream fade into oblivion to never see the light of day. It's dreams like yours that drive entrepreneurs to make their mark. It's the dreams that make technology move forward. The worst thing that can happen is the "scars upon the dreams" as referenced in the narrated opening to TSO's Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24. Those never heal.

Geez, I'm ticking onto .05 here, I better sum things up.

Look at your dream of what you wanted to accomplish. Decide for yourself how to best follow through on that dream...be it finished by yourself, or passed along to another that would share your dream. If anything, don't just dump it all for cash...you'll regret that scar for the rest of your life. Or till you get altzheimers ... whichever comes first.

I wish the best for you Dave...take care. If you need any help, you can always call.

 

[turbot2496]

Well I can tell you how I rationalize owning my car and you can take what you want from that. I compare owning and maintaining and upgrading my car as to any other hobby like golf for instance. I work on the car, race the car, learn about the car and talk to others about the cars as a pure hobby. I figure if I was into golf for instance I would pay money for clubs, green fees, cart rentals??, club memberships etc. etc. All money I would never get back. The car is the same way. I realize that probably 75% of the money I spend on it will never be back. It is not an investment and I don't try to fool myself about it. Its just a hobby, something I take enjoyment from. Also knowing that money spent is lost makes me alot more frugal. Now on your situation I would have to ask if restoring the car would be something that would make you happy or is it something your wanting to do from a finacial standpoint. You've already figured out that more money spent on the car will be money lost so that just leaves the one question. Will restoring the car make you happy . If not part it, sell it, or whatever and move on. Good Luck.

 

[GN HEAD]

Dave, I know what you mean.......I am in the same boat. I have an 82 S/C GN and am doing some soul searching to keep the thing. I have had it for a little longer than you have had yours and it's not quite as clean as yours.......(mine is the one in the "Facts and Figures Book #2" by Steven Dove) I am thinking of selling it and gaining some cash and a spot in the already overflowing garage. It hasn't been registered to drive for near 15 years, but I still drive it a little, but how long do you sit on these cars before you give up? I have a family and we are very much in need of a new house and the money could come in very handy, not to mention one less car to have to find a garage for. There is on righ answer I guess......I'm still hanging on this delima too. I really think that they will bring big dollars, but am afraid that its going to be a long time. I bought mine for $2900.00 and can't get hurt, but where do you draw the line?.....

 

[turbot2496]

Dave, I know what you mean.......I am in the same boat. I have an 82 S/C GN and am doing some soul searching to keep the thing. I have had it for a little longer than you have had yours and it's not quite as clean as yours.......(mine is the one in the "Facts and Figures Book #2" by Steven Dove) I am thinking of selling it and gaining some cash and a spot in the already overflowing garage. It hasn't been registered to drive for near 15 years, but I still drive it a little, but how long do you sit on these cars before you give up? I have a family and we are very much in need of a new house and the money could come in very handy, not to mention one less car to have to find a garage for. There is on righ answer I guess......I'm still hanging on this delima too. I really think that they will bring big dollars, but am afraid that its going to be a long time. I bought mine for $2900.00 and can't get hurt, but where do you draw the line?.....

If you bought this car as appreciating investment, then git rid of it. Cars, 99% of the time, are lousy investments unless they can be turned quickly. Your money is much better off in another more liquid investment if you have a sit and hold strategy. If you bought the car to be one of the few to own one then I would say keep it.