Automatic vs. Stick (value)

[Chevy454]

I'm sure I'll be the exception to the rule, but give me an auto car any day...while you stick-boys are tap dancing and huntin' for gears I'll be getting the win light!

[MosportGreen66]

I said the same thing as Joe until I bought my '70 Camaro. I have 3 M-21 cars and one TH 350 for cruising. Yeah a manual transmission is fun, but the auto is easier to drive. Value wise, I wouldn't pay more for a manual then an auto.

A lot of people in the hobby frown upon auto cars but lately I have seen some really nice Mopars, and BBC Chevys with autos getting equal attention. There is a local '70 Cuda with a 440 6-pack, black/black torque flight auto with steel wheels and dog dish caps that I would buy in a heart beat. Auto/Manual comes down to the originality of the car, paperwork, quality of restoration (if it applies) just like anything else. Good luck, what car is in question?

[Mr70]

As time marches on,a new generation of People are entering into this Hobby.
Most never growing up with a Manual trans. Vehicle at all in their History,and thus not very skilled or confident in piloting one.
For the prices they have to pay for some of these cars today,I am seeing more newcomers desire an Auto. trans Behind Anything,so they can drive/enjoy it more and not let it resemble a Paperweight.

[mr396]

I think the high perf car's with auto are a little rarer then the 4-speed car's.camaro L34 high perf 396, there were 2579 made 1015 M40 automatics.

[427TJ]

I think only 1,483 '67 396 Camaros were built with M40 auto trans (L35 only), 4,520 with manuals (both L35 and L78).

(Just going from memory, someone please corect me if I'm wrong.)

I wonder how many BY/black vinyl top/L35/M40/power drum brake/tilt wheel/tach-guages/power steering '67 Camaros were built? I wonder how many survive?

Yes, that was a shameless plug.

[442w30]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the high perf car's with auto are a little rarer then the 4-speed car's.

[/ QUOTE ]

For Pontiacs, that's true. Initially, it was due to the 2-speed auto, although Pontiac's hipo image had a lot to do with it too. Starting in 1967, with the advent of TH400, this changed, but all the hi-po cars (HO and Ram Air) were rarer with autos by a pretty decent margin. This stood true till 1971 with the 455HO. I don't remember the numbers, but they are close, if not more autos built.

With Mopars, they had the excellent TF auto, so even the hipo cars often were built in great numbers with autos. For Hemis, it often was a toss-up, but 440s were much rarer with a 4-speed. For 383s, I don't think the difference was that great. One of the reasons, I believe, for the TF's popularity is the poor Inland shifter, which I believe was replaced mid-1968.

I'm not familiar with Fords to be able to comment, but I love big cars with sticks, and to find a '68 XL GT with a 428 4-speed would be very cool. Speaking of sticks, they were not totally rare in the early days. Starting around, perhaps, 1966, it was becoming a rarity to find a muscle big car with a 4-speed. I know Pontiacs dropped severely during that time.

[JQ]

I think it depends on the comfort level of the buyer.I personally am happy with my automatic/console Copo, but what if you have two supercars that are similar,color,motor,rearends, but one is a 4spd and the other an automatic on the column? I would think the 4spd car would bring more $$$.

[Canuck]

I drove both my 71 W-30 cars this weekend. My 4 speed is a bear in trafffic but equally a smooth cruiser as my automatic on the highway. The rarer the 4 speed application the more it will affect current and future value. I have a 86 Charger 383 4 speed with Inland shifter. DO NOT ATTEMPT to power shift one of those, the distance of the throw will dislocate your arm. Nice cruiser but not real pleasant to drive. If it were a Hemi car I would prefer the auto.

[67 GTO]

[ QUOTE ]
Starting in 1967, with the advent of TH400, this changed, but all the hi-po cars (HO and Ram Air) were rarer with autos by a pretty decent margin.

[/ QUOTE ]
I have a 67 GTO, 400 HO/Auto. ~4000 of them, but there were close to 10,000 HO/sticks. While I don't subscribe to the rarer is better mentality, this one's a keeper - well optioned, has a color combo I like, and the <u>Hurst Dual Gate</u> makes it a little more interesting...

[njsteve]

[ QUOTE ]
As time marches on,a new generation of People are entering into this Hobby.
Most never growing up with a Manual trans. Vehicle at all in their History,and thus not very skilled or confident in piloting one.
For the prices they have to pay for some of these cars today,I am seeing more newcomers desire an Auto. trans Behind Anything,so they can drive/enjoy it more and not let it resemble a Paperweight.

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember my wife showing me an article that had a list of things that every parent should teach his or her child. Among the items on the list was teaching your child to drive a manual transmission car. Other items included teaching them how to fish, finding the North star to navigate by and starting a fire without matches. I dont know where that list went...maybe that was another item on the list...teaching your child to make a list and then being able to find it later.