1969 Scuncio COPO

[Rat_Pack]

Marlin, was that car a drag car that Bob did?

William, not the same car but the vins are close................RatPack............

[SuperCars]

Ratpack, thanks for keeping us informed. I'm just bewildered by all these COPO's that keep popping up. I haven't seen them in person so I don't know the degree of restoring or correcting that some of these cars need, so I hope my input isn't taken wrong

I do know what the costs are to have cars restored though. Between the numerous Supercars, Vettes and Hemi cars I've had restored, I've experienced the cash flow drain doing them. I have 3 cars in process of restoration at this time. I feel any car that needs more than minor detailing and good cleaning is a project. It might not be a basketcase, but still a project that consumes money. When various COPO's don't have the original drivetrain, I think Uh-Oh; are we talking:
Correct casting and dated 427 motor-$8,000
BE rear-$3,500 if you can find one
499 distributor-$600 restored
4296 carburetor-$500 restored
curve neck radiator-$700 restored
Muncie 4 speed-$1,500 restored
These items could be just a start. Then the actual restoration of a Camaro without having to re-buy these rare parts is approximately $35-40,000. So add buying a correct drivetrain and maybe you hit $50,000 more into the car. I haven't seen a excellent restored COPO top $70,000 in sales yet. Has anyone else?

Still doesn't mean the buyer of a running driving COPO has to do a complete frame-off. He could do a frame-on cosmetic restoration at a lot less money; but then you end up with a car that is worth a lot less that people would say needs re-restored.

The COPO on eBay right now has a lot needed. At the current bid of $30K, it is my opinion that the buyer will go backwards on this car
because it will exceed $40,000 to do it right. At $55K for this Scuncio, a buyer could not afford to have it restored. He could do some cosmetics, but he would always have a COPO that people would think as a poor quality car that needs to be re-restored. But these are only my opinions.

[bkhpah]

The Reggie COPO just sold for 73,500 and I have been told by all the looked at the car it was a tired older restoration. So 70K into a fresh correct restoration at todays prices would be a bargain...BKH

[Rat_Pack]

I agree with Supercars that a person would have a lot tied up in having to a complete restoration on either of these two cars. That is if this one needs it. From what he tells me this thing is basically like it was when it was new, even better, and has been used as a drag car without ever being cut up. He promised me some pictures of it so hopefully I can get a better idea of the condition.

You are right about these COPO's starting to pop up everywhere. I have come across more supercars and COPO's that have never been "found" in the past 8 months than I have in the past two years. However the one thing is that there have not been too many Motion cars surface compared to the others..............RatPack...............

[sixtiesmuscle]

The last time prices of Yenkos & COPOs [not to mention Hemis] got to the levels we are seeing now, many formerly undiscovered cars appeared as well. Kinda makes sense. People see what the good ones sell for, and, think their old beater can be sold for big bucks too. After all, "it only needs a good detail, and some TLC", or "just paint", or something like that.
The cost of a PROPER restoration has become so costly AND time consuming, that, I agree, it's easy to get upside down on a project that , when completed, is nothing really "special".

[Stefano]

SixtiesMuscle,
It seems that whenever I take on a project to bring a car to the next level it always cost me more than finding one done currently to that level.
The only advantage I usually gain is knowing that the work was done My way.

[BEAUMONTBILL]

the scuncio copo that bob harris owned and restored was sold about five years ago. the car went overseas to newzealand where it still resides. your memory is correct marlin, the car had 9800 miles on it and lots of paperwork.

[Edited by BEAUMONTBILL (01-31-2002 at 02:28 PM).]