Black LS6 4sp Barn Find "Need Advice"

[Late BrakeU2]

Personally I would not invest that kind of time and money in a car without paperwork.Yes,there is bogus documentation out there and you need to be careful,but if you were looking to spend six figures+ for a done LS6 would you consider one without any?.
I just think there is an air of uncertainty as to the direction of the collector car market currentely,the costs or restoration will continue to rise but are we in a mild correction,or downtrend?. I would negotiate with the seller and lock up the car with a deposit,sale contingent on finding some paper-nice bones but short of that it can't be validated and that stigma will haunt it,jmho

[njsteve]

Paperwork? I dig that innovative carb gasket. What year newspaper is that?
Looks like an interesting project either way.

[69hurstSC]

i love cars in this condition! unrestored non-drivers seem to be rarer than there restored counterparts. between the Dana car and this LS6 thats a couple of very cool musclecars that you dont get to see in this condition very often.

[Rixls6]

Clean it up, straighten out the mess under the hood, and drive it.

But seriously, love the as found look. VIN on the block by the oil filter is definitely 70 Van Nuys built.

Are you able to read the partial VIN by the oil filter?

[king_midas]

Don't be too sure in your deduction that it is the real thing-- That car looks to have been ridden hard and put away wet, and is missing the correct shifter, etc... Also, check out the wear on the clutch pedal-- Make sure the mileage matches the pedals, as the pedals are the biggest tell-tale sign of all if a car is the real thing or not as far as matching the odo..

Don't forget that the LS-6 was a premier car back in the day, and was so to second-hand buyers as well; 10 or so years gives the car time to fall into the wrong hands, where it could have received parts from another car, etc... The VIN is convincing, but your right about the lack of docs, as anyone can put the VIN there these days. My brother and I used to do the same with Trans-Ams; there's more than one car that we transplanted the entire running gear, including radiator and alt, from one to another.

Your best bet is to give the person the $100 for right of first refusal. It may not even cost you that much-- I did that with an old German car, and it proved to be the best thing I ever did. Think of it this way-- If your heart got the best of you and you paid what this crazy market makes people think stuff is worth, and it turned out to be bogus, it would cost you much more than $100.

Just my $.02...

[firstgenaddict]

What is a real Black Ls6 with an M22 worth? 125k?
You would have to just document the hell everything possible when restoring the car... I do not know very much about the Chevelle's but I am sure someone will chime in on the VIN location on the engine... also I do believe it is fairly common to find build sheets in Chevelles... do not knowabout LA assembled cars though...

If it is the real deal (and from first observations it does appear to be) obviously having 65k in it completed would be a steal...

[king_midas]

Oh yeah, and if you find out after you dig in that it is the real thing and the price is right, you just scored...

[JIM]

Buy It !!! before some one else does !!! I'm interested if Your not

Jim

[firstgenaddict]

Yea I am interested in it as well... it would look SWEET next to the Black 69 Z...

[Hotrodpaul]

I would drop the fuel tank, the LA plant frequently put build sheets on the top drivers side. Hopefully moisture and rodents have not destroyed it.

Paul