1969 Trans Am
 

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

How does this happen?

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

There was a 1969 TA alongside a body shop up my way up until a few years ago. It has been sitting there for years deteriorating. My neighbor stopped in to see if it was for sale (can we guess the answer?). Owner said a friend, relative or worker; I forget, drove it in with the intention of restoring it but, there it sat.
One day it was gone; could even be this car.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

I hope its saved...

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Wow. Even the heads are really pitted

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

yeah that poor thing is basically a vin plate, trans and rear end. why not just buy one for 60k.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

The guy told me the original keys are rotted out too.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Worth saving in my opinion but man, what a job.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

I like cars with patina, but wow.... that's rough! How do you save a car like that? After you strip away all the rust, what's left to even weld new panels to? I guess you'd keep what's left of the firewall... fix it and add to it?

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fast67VelleN2O</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Worth saving in my opinion but man, what a job. </div></div>

X2

What does it matter if you replace a fender / door / quarter because of some small holes or some large ones? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif[/img] I think you would find that once you cut off the typical replacement sheet metal that its not as bad as it looks. You might have to make a patch panel here or there, but if you enjoy that type of work then it's actually a fun project - and look what you can end up with! It will never be a Day 1 car, but with a replacement block etc... just drive it! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Doing this on a daily basis, I love my job, it is quite a large undertaking. If someone brought me this car and bought all the parts them selves, they would still have more in it than you could sell it for. That is where you have the fun of driving your investment out of it. You can't restore this one as an investment. Rare as they are, it just costs a lot of money to make it right.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

What amazes me is it's currently bid at over $16k. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img] I know the car is rare but that's crazy. IMO

Kurt

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Yep, folks said that to me when I bought my Yenko Deuce. I didn't care, it was the car and project that I wanted and I didn't care that I was going to be upside down when done. Now, looking back some 18 years later, it was worth every penny &amp; drop of sweat equity!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pse7a2355f.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps06d23dc7.jpg

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yep, folks said that to me when I bought my Yenko Deuce. I didn't care, it was the car and project that I wanted and I didn't care that I was going to be upside down when done. Now, looking back some 18 years later, it was worth every penny &amp; drop of sweat equity!</div></div>your yenko wasn't nearly as bad as the ta and is worth WAY more.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Marlin, just comparing the pictures of the T/A and of your car....well, there is no comparison. And, as stated above, a Yenko anything is worth much more than a '69 T/A. IMO

I just think $16k+ is too much for that car. I'm sure the new owner knows that they will be under water with the restoration and that's okay in my book....they are saving a great car but even if he/she got it for free, they'd be under water.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for saving any muscle car. Here's an elCamino I saved/purchased at a junkyard and reunited the original block with it. As far as I know, it's being restored in northern Illinois.

1969 Monaco Orange elCamino

Anyway, back to the T/A, it's going to be a lot of work, if they don't just pull the tags and put it on another '69. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img]

Kurt [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

If that car had the complete numbers matching engine its a 100K restored car.Just trying to do a &quot;correct&quot; engine is expensive.The carb alone is a 2-3K investment.I believe most on here know it will end up a rebody car.JMHO,Tom

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tjs44</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I believe most on here know it will end up a rebody car.</div></div>lol.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Final sale was $22,651.

Kurt

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69 Post Sedan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Final sale was $22,651.

Kurt </div></div>wow, maybe we'll be seeing it at barrett in 2 years.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Honestly, how much original (if any) sheetmetal will remain on that car when it is done.? As a prior poster stated, if perfect, it would be around $100k I imagine a RA IV would increase that significantly and it is seems that 69 Trans Am's are always for sale. But there is pride in bringing something back from the dead no matter what the cost. Good luck to the new owner, hopefully it is somebody here and we can watch the progress

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

That is one of the first things I tell people when they ask about getting a car restored. You will likely have more invested in this when it is done than you can sell it for. If you are ok with that, then we can proceed.
As for that TA, I don't quote jobs but I would estimate the labor to be in the 50k range. Unless the new owner has a stockpile of free or very inexpensively collected parts, this is going to be a long term investment.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

MMMMmmm. You gotta figure the buyer has or has access to a super duper 69 TA clone already, He can swap out all the repop stuff for factory stuff, sell the repop stuff, swap the vin [and secret vin] and turn a 30K car into a $80K car for 25K. I've seen more done for less return....

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

I can't imagine a car(s) of this magnitude and exposure having VIN's swapped? I guess it's all in who's buying the car.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Looks like the car is coming to Jersey?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...63028497_n.jpg

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69hurstSC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can't imagine a car(s) of this magnitude and exposure having VIN's swapped? I guess it's all in who's buying the car. </div></div>

Unfortunately, way too common.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

So the options are...

1, rebody, swap vins/cowl tags.....illegal
2. replace virtually every panel, save for the firewall and possibly that too.
3. part it
4. display the car as is.....this never happens but really the market would bare a car of this rarity being preserved in it's present condition, in a museum or private collection.

I vote for 4, some would laugh at the car on display, some would just shy away. The serious car guys would be all over that because it holds so many truths to a car you never see in unrestored condition.
The hang-up would never be able to enjoy the car for what it was intended....not much different than so many show cars.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

Or, option 5. Stuff the TA in the corner of the shop and hope its value goes up enough to warrant going back to option 2.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

That car needs some Rust-eze ASAP lol

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fast67VelleN2O</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks like the car is coming to Jersey?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...63028497_n.jpg </div></div>

Did you buy it Matt??

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

No, it wasn't me nor do I know the owner. Saw this pic on facebook and shared it here.

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

those hidden vins may be toast, check out the pass side door pillar in the ebay ad that is the most rotted out one I have ever seen! the firewall has to be trashed, this had to have been under a tree or brush for years!

Re: 1969 Trans Am
 

The way that right parking light is hanging I doubt it would still be there when they arrive in Jersey.