The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I'm a GM guy but I'm tired of pouring money into race cars and getting 30% back when I sell.I'm hoping to still get something fast but I would like something that is a good investment.I will be spending around 30K or less.I always thought that 69 Camaros were a good investment.I've seen a couple of restored 69s with big blocks under 30K.I may even try a Mopar.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I'm looking to get into something in the same price range for cruise nights and it seems that right now, Novas and Chevelles offer the best bang for the buck. I've seen very few decent Camaros for sale. Years ago, there were lots if nice '67 SS350 cars, but I haven't seen a decent one in years! KWhizz's Nova that was for sale on this site was a great buy and I would have picked that up if my car had of sold a week sooner...

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I have said this before about Dart Swingers being under valued and fast.
For $30K you can by one in mint shape if you do not mind a Mopar.
I am in the GTA area near you and i see way to many 69' Camaro's at the cruises, at $30K you will be buying one that will mix in with the other hundreds of 69' Camaro's that are all over the place.
I say go with a car that not to many guys have.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

If you want to work on something I have a good 68 SS RS 396 Camaro for 15K. Has a 427 in it but the orig 325 hp 396 is on a pallet.

Or I have a 69 383 auto on column Super Bee orig paint, great car for 25K

Or a 68 SS RS 350 4 speed car for 35K, mostly orig Rally Green paint with lots of options

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Boy, ask and ye shall receive. Those are some nice choices. You can also get a lot of car for the money with pontiacs. Firebirds and gtos will all have factory docs which will bode well for resale and the investment angle. Plus for 30k you can get into a convertible too.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

If you don't mind the F word, a '66 or '67 Fairlane would fit in your price range too. The 390 GTAs were strong in our area, but we hardly see any around here anymore.
I always liked their styling.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Charley Lillard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you want to work on something I have a good 68 SS RS 396 Camaro for 15K. Has a 427 in it but the orig 325 hp 396 is on a pallet.

Or I have a 69 383 auto on column Super Bee orig paint, great car for 25K

Or a 68 SS RS 350 4 speed car for 35K, mostly orig Rally Green paint with lots of options </div></div> Charley; I may be interested in either of the Camaros if you are interested in the COPO.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORIGLS6</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you don't mind the F word, a '66 or '67 Fairlane would fit in your price range too. The 390 GTAs were strong in our area, but we hardly see any around here anymore.
I always liked their styling. </div></div> Two years ago I visited a town in the Yukon which is a long way up North. I lucked into their annual car show and there I met a fellow that owned five 67 Fairlanes, factory 427- 2 4barrel, 4speed cars. Also had a 63 Galaxie lite weight 427-2 4 barrel car. All cars were original paint and in fine shape

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

1969 Nova

^^^^^^Ken, how about this Nova?

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Get a '68 Mopar with a 340 stick and it'll have a more radical cam than any other 340 built in subsequent years.

You could also find a 1971 440 Charger SE, which is more luxurious than the performance R/T.

And, perhaps the biggest performance/price ratio of the bunch, how about a 429 CJ Ford? They're undervalued compared with their Chevy and Mopar counterparts. Even the 429 Thunder Jet is a good value - just not as fast.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I'm watching that one.Man it looks tough.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Nice to hear from you Danny.Incase you guys don't know Danny has a garage full of muscle.His LS6 Chevelle has 36K original miles and is the nicest one I have ever seen.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Funny.I called a 427 Super Stock clone on Ebay.It had a side oiler and was very nice.Starting bid was around 17,200.I figured the reserve was close to that.After talking to the guy for about 20 minutes I ask how much he would take.54K!End of conversation.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

All nice cars.I think the best looking muscle car of all time was the 70 W30.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ZiggyL78</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> His LS6 Chevelle has 36K original miles and is the nicest one I have ever seen. </div></div>

Definitely one sweet car!

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Interesting, I was thinking about asking the same question.

I was thinking of buying a retirement investment vehicle that I can use for cruise nights and taking the kids to Dairy Queen, but my budget is more in the $10-$15k range.

Any thoughts on getting something in that realm?

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I would also stand up for the 1970 Mustang Sportsroof fastback and Cougar XR7 with 351 Cleveland and the 4-speed. They are fast. And with some tuning and headers, you will be very, very happy with even more performance. That 1970 351C is an under-rated gem in the musclecar market, plus with the looks of a '70 fastback Stang, it's all good.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

You can buy a lot of car for 30K in todays world...maybe you should consider what is most appealing to YOU...

Say..

A nice Camaro, Chevelle, Nova [that would be perhaps the most common car at a car show and draw less attention than you might think]BTW I own two Chevelles...

An incredible 'survivor' anything, certain circles go wild for [like me!]BTW I own 4 survivors

A day two car, that seems to being drawing more attention than ever everyplace..[I go wild for those too!]I own a couple of those

Or something you don't see as often like an AMC, Buick , Olds or many FoMoCos.. [I run to see AMX's and Machines]I have two Olds and a Buick, even 1 Ford!

I'd think you would get way more car if you stayed away from the norm...

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

While I would generally agree with everyone that you <span style="text-decoration: underline">should</span> be able to find something pretty nice for $30k - I am constantly amazed at the &quot;issues&quot; that many of these cars have (just ask kwhizz...).

Casually perusing the cars for sale at Jefferson this past Friday most everything I saw at any price range below $30k had seriously spray bombed engine compartments/chassis with Auto Zone accessories, questionable bodywork, and medicore interiors - most all needed something. Maybe I am too picky and certainly there are always exceptions to this but they are becoming fewer every year. You can see why no issue cars with original components (drivetrain and major accessories like alternator, distributor, carb, etc) are selling more quickly and getting more money.

Jake

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Any interest in a very nice 72 Camaro, SS, 4 speed, heavy docs,very original, except paint, for 25?

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ZiggyL78</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice to hear from you Danny.Incase you guys don't know Danny has a garage full of muscle.His LS6 Chevelle has 36K original miles and is the nicest one I have ever seen. </div></div>

Hey Ken you are off a bit on the mileage, today it sits at 25,334 miles. When i bought the car in September 2009 it was at 23,704 miles but the previous owner before me did snap the Speedo Cable during his ownership.
He bought an NOS Speedo Cable to replace the broken cable but he never did install it until i put it in the car after Rick sold it to me.
One thing i do know is Rick barely drove the car and took it to only one cruise-show in nearly ten years and that show was just down the street from were the car was parked in his dealer showroom.
I figure the car still has under 30K original miles anyways as he just took the car out for small road trips near his dealership on Jane St. + Hwy #7 as the car was always parked in his showroom.

Ken if you do ever go look at a car that you might buy, let me know, maybe i will come with you as 4 eyes are better than 2.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

This is the coolest thing under $15K I've seen lately. Survivor other than paint (original paint was D-E-A-D I guess). Houndstooth roof (!) matches the interior. 351C/auto.

http://www.memorylanemotors.com/pics.php?id=315

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

That is actually pretty cool.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

If I had $30K in the bank, it'd be staying in the bank. Too many areas of the country haven't recovered from the recession and many never will. Picture a pyramid in your head with the wide base being potential buyers for cars less than $10K and as you approach the tip of the pyramid, meaning more expensive cars, the amount of potential buyers that have that kind of money to spend dramatically shrinks. Even the people that DO have that kind of money DON'T want to let it go as freely in the pre-2008 world. The era of laying all those stacks of $100 bills on someone's kitchen table to pay for that &quot;toy&quot; that's in the garage have become increasingly rare. Yeah, I miss those days too, but that scenario just isn't happening that much anymore in many parts of the country. I'd be scared to death to have $30K or more wrapped up in a car without knowing that I couldn't get rid of it in the case of a job loss or family misfortune. Cars aren't selling and the ones that do sell are taking a very long time to do so. If I had to scratch a performance/fun car itch, I'd buy a nice, low-mileage late-model Mustang GT (or something similar), for less than $10-12K with air conditioning and CD player knowing that I could drive it to work everyday if need be. Now if you STILL want an older car after reading this apocalyptic response of mine, make sure you stick with something VERY popular like a Camaro/Chevelle/Corvette, etc. in a popular color. This is NOT the time to purchase an off-the-beaten-path strange type of car of any kind with a narrow fan base. Stick to the very popular brand/models so it's easier to sell when the time comes to try to get your money back.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

For the many enthusiasts who for long felt they could not afford their “dream car”, IMO, now IS the time to buy.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Mark Johnson what a dead on reply IMO!

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sYc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For the many enthusiasts who for long felt they could not afford their “dream car”, IMO, now IS the time to buy. </div></div>


I do agree with this statement. If you're truly buying with your heart and it's the EXACT car you've been wanting/lusting after since you were 16-18 years old . . . . . well then, there'll most likely NEVER be a better time than right now. Just like the Beach Boys &quot;409&quot; song, if you've saved your pennies and you saved your dimes . . . . then it's time to bust that piggy bank open! You can never go wrong following your heart and you won't feel &quot;stuck&quot; with something if it's the car you've ALWAYS wanted.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Though the years most of us on here have bought &quot;from the heart&quot;, which is what makes us enthusiasts, not investors.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I agree on the odd cars.I'm more interested in them at shows,but I'm not sure they are the ones that are selling.AMXs are a good example.They are very quick when done right, but they are cheap to buy.I also like SC360 Hornets.Again.They were very fast stock.Another odd one was one of the fastest production cars in 1970 but it is low on the pole for a good seller.Stage 1 GSs are one of the nicest and quickest cars I have ever owned but they are tough to sell.5 years ago I had a black on black low 11 second GS that was a fully documented Stage 1.I couldn't get 20K for the car!I had to part the car out to get my money.Another one was a very nice W31 Cutlass.Orange with white stripes and white guts.It was an incredible car.It took me 4 months to get 21 for it.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sYc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Though the years most of us on here have bought &quot;from the heart&quot;, which is what makes us enthusiasts, not investors. </div></div>

Exactly. I just spent almost 100 grand building my &quot;dream car&quot;. It's a 34 ford, hemi powered. I've wanted to build this one for close to 40 years., every since I saw one as a kid in Jr. High school. I'll never get anywhere close to that number if I ever sell it. It isn't always about the money, now is it?
Every car that I have built, I knew going it that I would not get back my &quot;investment&quot;. So be it.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

I hear ya.Collector cars are not the best way to invest your money today.I'm in Canada and our economy is not that bad.It's not my last 30K and the girl friend is still working.LOL.I'm retired.I have to have something to play with and the investment part is my second thought for buying.I agree that 10-15K cars would be the best to buy for a quick resale.
The other side is,like someone mentioned,now is the time to buy as prices are low.If you wait for the economy to improve then prices are bound to go up.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Excellent points by many. I would not look at these cars as investments anymore. Hopefully, prices will stabilize in the next year or so and we can hope to at least recoup the money we bought them for (excluding frame-off restos of course). It's much like it was before the boom. You could buy a nice car for $20K - $25K, drive it for a year or two and get your $25K back. People didn't expect to make a profit like we did during the mid 2000's. Personally, I'm hoping this prompts more people to get their cars out to the local cruise nights like they used to. I remember having my red '67 RS Z out with another '67 Z, an LS6 Chevelle and 2 COPOs in the same row! We just never see that anymore!

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TDW</div><div class="ubbcode-body">[quote=sYc]
Every car that I have built, I knew going into it that I would not get back my &quot;investment&quot;. So be it. </div></div>

This is also true with Woman LOL

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

This is a very interesting topic. I could not disagree more with the statement of buying only mainstream cars. I have been finding with the exception of 69 camaros that the so called Dark horses have been selling easier than the popular ones. For instance Ive had more people trying to buy my 2+2 catalina than anything else I own. Second most popular is my 77 Trans am. All the 70's cars are selling higher than 60's cars except for the really rare one. I sold a can am for 30k!!! A 68 grand prix for 25k. And have been offered big money for my 427 impala and my catalina...Big Boats are In. Just my 2 cents.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GTO_DON</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All the 70's cars are selling higher than 60's cars except for the really rare one.</div></div>

This kind of confirms William's theory (from a different post on a similar topic) that as the generations age, different things (like cars) have different relative values because of what they liked when they were younger - which also supports the &quot;buy what you like&quot; advice.

With that said, you could apply Mark Johnson's concept and go for a Grand National - I'm guessing you could buy a pretty mint one for under $20k and have a heck of a nice/fast car.

Interesting discussion for sure.

Jake

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

If your thinking investment and 30K I would highly recommend AMC. 68-70 AMX, 71 Hornet S/C, 70 Rebel Machine can all be had for that price. These cars are ultra rare compared to a 396 Chevelle or a 383 B Body. Rare + affordable = solid investment.

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

this is what I am talking about when I mention 351C Fords - 20K at R&amp;S last year. Smoking deal. there is nowhere to go but up on a deal like this.

http://www.russoandsteele.com/past-c...ouger-XR7/6080

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Suggested mods: Rare + Desirable + Bought at or below market (in a rising market) = Solid Investment

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

As far as &quot;buying from the heart&quot; it seems to me that a fella seems to gravitate to what you originally liked in your &quot;formative&quot; years . . . roughly 15-21 years old. Kinda seems that way with cars, even music, etc. Sure, we all seem to get sidetracked in our 20's and 30's but by the time you reach your 40's you've realized what you really like from those precious early years and you start looking for that LS-6 Chevelle that you used to ride to high school in or even the IROC Camaro/Trans Am GTA/Buick Grand National that you were insanely jealous of and the rich kid at your school that had the car has no idea of the impression he left on you 25 years ago! I'm gonna steal this photo from another thread on this site just to say that I'm just absolutely nuts about Grady's Red '67 BBC Camaro. I just love that car and if a fellow had an insatiable lust for a $200,000-$400,000 1967 Yenko Camaro, a car similar to that would have to satisfy you for a fraction of the cost. This car is every bit of the car that a Yenko/Motion/Dana/Nickey Camaro is. It was just put together by somebody else . . . . that's all! I've always been a bit flabbergasted to see something like a Yenko Camaro/Chevelle/Nova sell for a quarter million dollars like they typically do because they're just way to easy to duplicate for the last 40 years. Clean Small Block cars have always been available and so were crate LS-6's and LS-7's and now we have 502's and even 572's now! Heck, all the original Supercars were just &quot;transplant&quot; cars anyway that were put together by dealership mechanics that couldn't wait to clock out and go home. I miss the days when you showed up somewhere with your car on a Saturday night and the questions were &quot;How fast is it?&quot; or &quot;What are the cam specs?&quot;. Those questions have sadly been replaced by &quot;How much you think its' worth?&quot;

Re: The best musclecar around 30K?
 

Just because you have a 30K budget does not mean you have to spend that much. Many Impalas, Fairlanes, etc. can be great cars that could also be a good choice from an investment perspective.