why are gn's worth more than Ts??

[Grumpy]

Bottom line cars are worth what someone will pay with the CASH in their hand !! I hate GNs.. Had a LOT of them since 86 and got tired of them. Then in the early 90s we went to the colored Ts and Limiteds. Soooo to someone like me GNs are worth less !! BUT in the real world I have sold GNs, Ts, and TTAs with GNs being the easiest to sell for the most $$ hands down.. oh the TTAs were the hardest to sell BUT I believe they are now starting to climb!! Here is where we were changing to Ts in the early 90s.. Only 2 GNs left at that time

 

[rwrows]

That's crap. You should be PROUD of your T
If I had that gunmetal T, I'd be happy as a pig in s**t. That is a SWEET ride. If that person doesn't sign your paycheck, then it doesn't MATTER what they say. They can go eat a ****. There's nothin wrong with a gun metal T type. That's a classic ride.

I am proud of my T. I like it very much. Actually the main reason I want to buy a GN is because I want a car that runs 10s. i know i can make my car go 10s, but i don't want to take apart something that is so well put together. i can't bring myself to do it. plus you know how much cheaper it is to buy a car already built then to build one.

Actually, I pretty much had my car sold and I was tossing and turning at night...couldn't stop thinking about it.... didn't want to sell it but i had a buyer who was willing to pay my asking price. his financing fell through anyway and he called me and said, 'man your were meant to keep that car". (he knew i was having a hard time parting with it).

well thanks for giving my car props. if i don't get close to my asking price, i'll keep it and buy a GN as well, so i'll have both. you know the market is light right now, and i believe the price of these cars is gonna shoot up.

my brother believes that a car really jumps up in value, 32 years after it was made. why? because that's when the guys who were 18 when the car came out, turn 50 and have a little change in their pocket to buy that car they always wanted when they were 18 (the brand new gn). he's got a point i think.

that's kind of what happened with chevelles.

 

[Butchman]

Thats kinda what happened to me after 20 years. I was 18 in 1987 and I was a big fan of the Grand National. I remember watching Motorweek in awe of this V6 car. At the time I was driving a POS 77 Regal which I never had the resources to make nice. Anyway I never heard of the T-Type or Turbo-T till I ran across the one I bought. It was advertised on a fishing board of all things. I did some research and learned it had the same engine and drivetrain as a GN. Not to mention I loved the looks and body style. I guess I had my midlife crisis early. I use mine for pleasure car. I use it on the weekends and plan to attend some shows and cruises this year. I really love driving the car. I do some of my own stuff but I have a local mech that knows these cars and is reasonable. One of thing that drives me nuts is one of the things I like best. Alot of people who have seen my car have no idea what it is. Its cool to me to have something a little different. Not to mention it fullfilled some dreams of the 18 year old version of myself.

my brother believes that a car really jumps up in value, 32 years after it was made. why? because that's when the guys who were 18 when the car came out, turn 50 and have a little change in their pocket to buy that car they always wanted when they were 18 (the brand new gn). he's got a point i think.

that's kind of what happened with chevelles.

 

[ngc414]

Another thing to consider is todays buyers are more educated. Myths and mis-info can be exposed with 5min online. When I started my search it was for a GN. After sometime online reaserching I started looking for a WE4. I liked the idea of a blacked out stealthy sleeper.

 

[GNJimC]

I have a local mech that knows these cars and is reasonable.

I see you are in Northern IL, where is your mechanic located?

 

[Butchman]

He is located in Woodstock, IL. He is a instructor at McHenry College. He works out of his garage at his house. He's all certified. I've been happy with the work I've had done. He replaced my rear main seals and oil pan gasket. He also replaced my power steering pump. Other than that just a few routine maintenance things. Here is his info from his business card.

PFG Performance Automotive Repair
Phillip Grandinetti
ASE & GM Certified
815-790-8973

I see you are in Northern IL, where is your mechanic located?

 

[rwrows]

Thats kinda what happened to me after 20 years. I was 18 in 1987 and I was a big fan of the Grand National. I remember watching Motorweek in awe of this V6 car. At the time I was driving a POS 77 Regal which I never had the resources to make nice. Anyway I never heard of the T-Type or Turbo-T till I ran across the one I bought. It was advertised on a fishing board of all things. I did some research and learned it had the same engine and drivetrain as a GN. Not to mention I loved the looks and body style. I guess I had my midlife crisis early. I use mine for pleasure car. I use it on the weekends and plan to attend some shows and cruises this year. I really love driving the car. I do some of my own stuff but I have a local mech that knows these cars and is reasonable. One of thing that drives me nuts is one of the things I like best. Alot of people who have seen my car have no idea what it is. Its cool to me to have something a little different. Not to mention it fullfilled some dreams of the 18 year old version of myself.

yeah i feel like most TR/GN guys are in their late 30s. the guy that works on mine is around that age and he has owned over 50 TRs. we should post a poll to see how old we are. i'm 27 but i feel like most guys on here are in their 30s or early 40s. the chevelle guys however are in their 50s. i enjoy this forum a little more than the chevelle one because i think it's a younger croud.

 

["Turbo-T"]

I'm almost 30, and up until last year I was a Chevelle owner for 3.5 years.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

yeah i feel like most TR/GN guys are in their late 30s. the guy that works on mine is around that age and he has owned over 50 TRs. we should post a poll to see how old we are. i'm 27 but i feel like most guys on here are in their 30s or early 40s. the chevelle guys however are in their 50s. i enjoy this forum a little more than the chevelle one because i think it's a younger croud.

slow down Dude i am Chevelle guy and only 33 Years old.

 

[86 TR]

It is funny though, whenever im at the drag strip some people come up to me and ask if I took a grand national drivetrain and put it in my car. No, its a t-type, its the same as a grand national just a different color. I tell them, you could have ordered a T in any color. Sometimes they don't believe me, oh well, but when my car runs in the low11's then they open their eyes!

My 86 T-type is rare. It has dk. blue metallic paint(faded), with tan leather interior with the column shift. I have never seen another one like it. You would think that this combo should make the car worth more but it doesn't. I think I read from Kirbans that they made less than 50 86 T-types with the tan leather interior?

Like was said before, I would rather buy a T because they are more affordable. Maybe someday they will go up in price in line with the GN, maybe not. Everybody that thinks of a Turbo Buick thinks a black Grand National. I used to have a 87 and sold it. I wish I would have kept it but my T-type is much more comfortable, especially with the pillow top seats, and its such a sleeper! Most people that drive past don't even give a second glance. That's why its so much fun at a stop and go light, they don't even know what hit them!:biggrin:

 

[1LowLeSabre]

So why is it then if '86 WH1's are the lowest production numbered car, lower then the GNX, why aren't they worth more than a GN of the same year?

 

[rwrows]

slow down Dude i am Chevelle guy and only 33 Years old.

hey i am a chevelle guy too. bought mine when i was 14, still have it to this day 13 years later (i'm 27 obviously). what i'm saying is, and tell me if you dissagree. chevelles jumped up in value substantilly in the 00s. i remember looking at an SS 454 LS6 convertible for sale in the trading times, back in the late 90s. it was listed for $45,000. that car today would bring easily over a million dollars. if not a million, at least a few hundred thousand.

 

[Grumpy]

if not a million, at least a few hundred thousand.

ummmmm.. thats a BIG difference in $$$$

 

[rwrows]

ummmmm.. thats a BIG difference in $$$$

agreed. ok you forced me to look it up:

$1,242,000.00

Appraisal

ha! a clone went for over $162k

so there you have it. i wasn't too far off.

 

[SloGN]

yeah i feel like most TR/GN guys are in their late 30s. the guy that works on mine is around that age and he has owned over 50 TRs. we should post a poll to see how old we are. i'm 27 but i feel like most guys on here are in their 30s or early 40s. the chevelle guys however are in their 50s. i enjoy this forum a little more than the chevelle one because i think it's a younger croud.

well i'm currently 28 almost 29. I have been owning my gn since i was 20. I just think of the money that i have spent on this pos since then

 

[turbofish38]

$1,242,000.00

ha! a clone went for over $162k

so there you have it. i wasn't too far off.

You'd have to be a total idiot to pay even one tenth of one percent ($12,420) for that car! Restored assembly line clones or even unrestored legit cars are not hand built one off Ferarris! Spend your money on a college education so you might learn that cars are not a good investment. Donate it to charity if you want to show up the other millionaires at B-J!

 

[1LowLeSabre]

So why is it then if '86 WH1's are the lowest production numbered car, lower then the GNX, why aren't they worth more than a GN of the same year?

Anyone car to try and answer this one?

 

["Turbo-T"]

hey i am a chevelle guy too. bought mine when i was 14, still have it to this day 13 years later (i'm 27 obviously). what i'm saying is, and tell me if you dissagree. chevelles jumped up in value substantilly in the 00s. i remember looking at an SS 454 LS6 convertible for sale in the trading times, back in the late 90s. it was listed for $45,000. that car today would bring easily over a million dollars. if not a million, at least a few hundred thousand.

I don't know, but I remember in 1991 seeing a 1971 Chevelle 2 door for sale $500, I'm sure it had a 307, maybe a 350 but it wasn't an SS.

Then in 2004 I picked this up for $2500:

It didn't have the Weld wheels, the interior was a mess, it didn't have the grille in, the right fender extension was off....otherwise looked like you see in the pic with fresh paint.

It had a very tired oil burning 350, TH350, 12 bolt, mostly original sheet metal, solid floor pans...it was a factory 350 car and a factory bucket seat car (still had buckets) and also had factory air too.

A lot of work and 3 years + later.......

Of course when I got orders to move a few months ago I was not able to bring it and was forced to sell it. It's killing me knowing I'll probably never get to own another like it, not even for what I sold it for.

 

[olds443]

Got a question for you on that one sir... My brother had a 78 Regal with T tops and a 305 Chevy. He got it from the original California owner who bought it from a local dealer. It was factory original. Are you saying this car was made in Canada and sold in the US or that they weren't available in the US in this configuration at all?
Just curious and I have much respect for you. YOu have a ton of knowledge about the early GM's.

The only Regals with 305s or any type of SBC were the Canada only cars. The 78-81 US Regals used either the Pontiac 301 or 265. The 82-87 US Regal used the Olds 307. Actually you couldn't even order the Regal with the 307 for the 83-85 model years. All you could get was the 3.8/4.1 V-6. Except in Canada were you could still get the SBC. The only other V-8 choice was the Olds Diesel available in 82-85.There was also a 4.3 Diesel V-6 for 82-84.

Those Canadian 305 Regals are a tad different than any SBC G-body sold down here in the 50 states. The big and major difference being that the Canada cars did not use an ECM to control the engine. Just a good old fashioned non-electronic Q-Jet and non-CCC HEI.:smile:

 

[rwrows]

You'd have to be a total idiot to pay even one tenth of one percent ($12,420) for that car! Restored assembly line clones or even unrestored legit cars are not hand built one off Ferarris! Spend your money on a college education so you might learn that cars are not a good investment. Donate it to charity if you want to show up the other millionaires at B-J!

actually classic cars are a good investment if you're careful. the one guy sold the million dollar chevelle for $92,000 more than what he paid for it. not sure for how long he had it but if it was a year, that is almost a 10% return on his investment. not bad for having fun with a nice car.