Restoration: Certain changes decrease value?

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w8kbrder

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Hey guys,

I'm about to have my '69 RR painted. This will be a daily driver so I wanted to ask a few questions. It is a numbers matching all original RR. No broadcast sheet but everything else matches and is original. Automatic column post car w/ A/C. The only thing that is currently not original on it is the rear axle, which is a true '69 Dana 60.

With that said, while I have everything stripped down, I have a few questions I wanted to run by you guys:

1.) Do you feel it would decrease the value if I converted it to a 4-speed and held on to the original automatic?

2.) The car is stock B7 blue exterior w/ white vinyl top and blue interior. If it was re-painted a different exterior color, do you feel this would affect value?

I plan on keeping this as a driver for some time to come...but should it ever get to a point where I had to part with it for some reason, I wouldn't want to have regrets on the modifications. Just looking for your thoughts. This is not a frame off. Just having metal fixed where it needs to and getting it repainted. Re-wiring and replacing with all new interior.

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My :cents: is B7 is a good color to start with especially with a white top. A 4spd conversion although not original I think makes the car a little more desirable so that's a toss up. I would keep the numbers matching trans to go with the car if you ever sell it. And then you have the steering column issue, but if it were me I would leave it alone.
 
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69hemibeep said:
My :cents: is B7 is a good color to start with especially with a white top. A 4spd conversion although not original I think makes the car a little more desirable so that's a toss up. I would keep the numbers matching trans to go with the car if you ever sell it. And then you have the steering column issue, but if it were me I would leave it alone.
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Yes I really think I'm going to leave it the original colors to match with the fender tag. I just see a lot of guys repaint their RR different from the stock color so I was curious about that. I don't see too many B7 with white vinyl tops so I figured it would look good.

I'd really like it to be a 4-speed and of course I would never part with the original automatic, but I was worried about the steering column.
 
Conversion to a 4-speed isn't a problem anymore - lots of resources are available. And all you need is a non-auto steering column. Ebay, Craigslist, internet and swap meets are your friend!
 
Tough question to answer, I would probably leave as is with automatic trans. if it were my car I would replace the steering column and locate a factory floor center console, install some bucket seats, and install a new floor shifter. On the transmission side have it rebuilt with either a manual valve body or a automatic shift kit. This way you can keep the car more original and have that manual control.

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/shift-kits.html
 
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I would say that the 4 speed conversion isn't terribly hard to undo, but the color change would be quite costly to change back. If I were a potential buyer I would consider the costs to undo the changes.
 
Ditto as Moparnut. It is bad enough to fix what mother nature does, but add into that a mid 70's body repair undo, and your a decade or two away. Don't ask me how I know that.
 
I prefer a 4 speed,but I always thought there was something brutal about a column shifted auto with a bench seat. As for b7 if my car wasn't a convertible it would have been B7 one of my favorites.
 
I think most people would prefer the 4-speed. No decrease in value there...
B7 is a great color, I would go with it!
 
as long as you keep the parts, no changes are a big deal. I'd go with the four speed myself. The color change? there are so many colors these cars look good in, not sure how big a deal that is.I'd make it your own,and have fun with it. Let the next owner worry about the changes.
 
Here's my $0.02, so take it for what its worth......Im not sure where you're starting from as far as the restoration. IMO, unless you have an original Hemi or 6bbl car, you'll never get your money out of it if you sell. This is from a full restoration starting point though. I started a thread here a few months ago on the amount of money I have in mine. Let's just say that I probably have double what the car is worth. I know darn well I'll NEVER get out what I have in it. I knew that going in this though. My car is/was built for ME, and not anyone else. I could give a rat's hind end what someone else says it's worth, or what takes away from the value. Unless you're planning on flipping the car, build it how you want it.

My car was an original column auto car. The original motor was long gone, and a 4 speed was in the trunk. I built mine into a 4 speed car obviously, including changing out the entire column. That's what I would've bought back in the day if I would've been around. The original paint was TT1. I decided I liked another color, and painted it F5. If I can keep things original, I try to. I dont, however, sacrifice my enjoyment for what it might be worth 10-40 years down the road.

My X father in law has a mint, all original 30,000 mile 69RR. It sat in a garage for years without ever seeing the light of day. Thankfully he finally started to put a few miles on it a couple of years ago. Unfortunately he was taken to the hospital last week, and he's in ICU currently. He will probably survive this round of health issues, but things are on a downhill slope from here. My point is this: life is WAY too short to not enjoy it. Build YOUR car for YOURSELF, and enjoy it. Burn the freaking tires off it at every light because you may not get another chance.
 
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exactly Steve, we have only so many heartbeats, the garage could burn down, have fun with the car!
 
yeah if it was a low number low mile car maybe build it to the tag, but if it isn't you've earned the right to build it how you would have bought it new yourself. Restoring it to a tag is restoring someone elses dream car not yours. Have fun with it and build it to your tastes, if the mismatched tag numbers to options bother you well this was my route for that

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3BIRDS1X said:
yeah if it was a low number low mile car maybe build it to the tag, but if it isn't you've earned the right to build it how you would have bought it new yourself. Restoring it to a tag is restoring someone elses dream car not yours. Have fun with it and build it to your tastes, if the mismatched tag numbers to options bother you well this was my route for that

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That's awesome 3BIRD! :thumbsup:
 
dobie said:
Here's my $0.02, so take it for what its worth......Im not sure where you're starting from as far as the restoration. IMO, unless you have an original Hemi or 6bbl car, you'll never get your money out of it if you sell. This is from a full restoration starting point though. I started a thread here a few months ago on the amount of money I have in mine. Let's just say that I probably have double what the car is worth. I know darn well I'll NEVER get out what I have in it. I knew that going in this though. My car is/was built for ME, and not anyone else. I could give a rat's hind end what someone else says it's worth, or what takes away from the value. Unless you're planning on flipping the car, build it how you want it.

My car was an original column auto car. The original motor was long gone, and a 4 speed was in the trunk. I built mine into a 4 speed car obviously, including changing out the entire column. That's what I would've bought back in the day if I would've been around. The original paint was TT1. I decided I liked another color, and painted it F5. If I can keep things original, I try to. I dont, however, sacrifice my enjoyment for what it might be worth 10-40 years down the road.

My X father in law has a mint, all original 30,000 mile 69RR. It sat in a garage for years without ever seeing the light of day. Thankfully he finally started to put a few miles on it a couple of years ago. Unfortunately he was taken to the hospital last week, and he's in ICU currently. He will probably survive this round of health issues, but things are on a downhill slope from here. My point is this: life is WAY too short to not enjoy it. Build YOUR car for YOURSELF, and enjoy it. Burn the freaking tires off it at every light because you may not get another chance.
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I couldn't have said it better myself, well it would be better without all that cluttered punctuation.
 
Your car make it what YOU want it to be.

Steve said it to a T and I made afew changes to my car when we redid the car.

Rare,hemi,440 6BBL cars keep to the tag.

After that go for the gusto.

Heck my numbers engine went bye,bye over 30 years ago.

This is just my .02.
 
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