I had been looking for the right F-body for the last few months. I was serious with cash in hand. I could not believe how many I came across for cheap that needed a little work. I ran into several LT1 cars in the $2000 or less range, and most of them needed auto trany rebuilds, but were otherwise nice cars. Several had rebuilt engines and fancy wheels. I came across a very nice 95 firebird formula that was blue with t tops and nice wheels for $2000 that needed a tranny rebuild, but ran great, with 103k on the odometer.

It reminds me of back in the 80's when the desirable 78 z28 etc. dropped down in the $500 to $1000 range and I bought many of them. These newer (93 and newer) f bodies are so much more of a car then those older ones it very exciting to see them come down to where just about anyone can afford them.

When it rains it poors. I made several low offers on cars before raising the money a little and buying a nice 99 z28, red, M6, t-tops, ss wheels, 74K miles for $6000. All it needed was tires and a tuneup. That was this last Sunday, and since then I have had 4 call back from the others I made offers to that were willing to accept my offer. One was a 96 Z28 with 42,000 grandpa miles on it (he died) and the estate was willing to take $4000 for the cream puff (silver with black leather int). I wish they had called me on saturday, because my wife is not real happy I bought a M6, she cant drive it and she loved to drive our last A4 model. Thats fine with me, she has plenty of women cars to drive around here, this one is mine hehehehe.

Living in southern california is a dream for acar guy. The cars are rust free, cheap, and plenty

 

The fully optioned ones have so many nice things that its a shame they don't hold there value more. Great for buyers looking for power everything.

 

The old double edged sword. Those of us still in possession of nice 4th gens would like them to hold their value, yet those looking for a nice 4th gen sure do appreciate being able to get them for a good price.

 

These cars are going down in value now because they are plentiful and do not appeal to the average person because they are gradually becoming decade old cars. it's just a matter of time they get depleted just like all the old muscle cars and then they will go back up, especially the 6 speed cars. They have so much going for them over the older muscle cars, and trust me I have had many muscle cars from all the manufactures. They out power, handle, feel much tougher when driven then the musle cars from the 60's. On top of that they have comforts not found in many old cars. The only thing the old cars have that is better is the way they are built. My 68 gto still drives as good as it did when new. with its solid frame and thick sheetmetal it will last a lot longer then any of these newer cars, but I won't outlast our f-bodies and that is all thats important to me hehehehe. The unibody cars just cant keep the integrity the same as the solid framed cars. I just sold a 76 Trans Am that was a 455, 4 speed, 3.23 sure grip car that was a monster after I pumped the hell out of the engine, but after years of hard driving the unibody was getting liek shell shocked, so ebay it went hehehe. in 2010 my 70 cuda will be sold for the new camaro, what a trade off that will be. I paid $1000 for the cuda and get to sell it for the same price as a new camaro hehehe. The only thing the cuda has going for it is the awesome looks, they drive like crap compared to a GM product.

 

So will they become popular again and get a price increase when the new Camaro comes out or will they decrease more from the people who are holding on to them now selling theirs to get a new Camaro?

The problem I see is that now that they are cheaper more parents are going to get their neophite driver a mid-low 13 sec or even a modded 12 sec ride for a first car and it will end up wrapped around something because it got away from them.

 

Thats correct, that is what makes them go up more. Everytime one gets totaled, the remaning go up in value. I feel the cars back east are the biggest reason they go up. Once they rust out, these rust free cars in my area is all that left. Then the east coast buys them on ebay and shipps them back home to slowly die some more. I sold a rush free f-body from the 70's 6 years ago on ebay, and it went back east. The new owner contacted me about 4 years later asking about another car and told me the car had already started to rust. He was in IL.

When I was a kid you could buy 68 and 69 Chargers for a dime a dozen, ($1000 or less), I had many of them. When the Dukes of hazzard came out and destroyed so many it really made the survivors go up in value, plus the exposure. I traded a 68 fastback mustang for my current gto right before the gone in 60 seconds movie came out, boy was that a mistake, you cant even touch a fastback mustang now made in 67 or 68

 

"99 z28, red, M6, t-tops, ss wheels, 74K miles for $6000" That is a steal maybe I could get from you for $6000.
If not, can you inform me for some other 1998 and newer LS1s around your area. I have a 93 LT1 and it is slooowww.
If you can please email me camaroz2808@yahoo.com

 

ya check out craigslist.com, recycler.com and autotrader.com in the california area. I found my Z28 on craigs list.