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View Full Version : $ 50,000 for a 76 Trans am and it doesn't sell ?


Vette73
12-15-2016, 06:12 PM
Popping around the channels in my home cause it's like 8 degrees with the wind chill factor in NY......I guess it's a re run , Mecum auctions from Kansas City earlier this year....

Really nice 76 Trans Am SE comes on the block and the bid goes on at 50K....I'm like WTF you want for this car? Granted , very very nice and I'm a fan of the Trans am, owned two in the past.....

I would have taken the 50 K and ran...

ZR1North
12-15-2016, 09:59 PM
Saw that too. Apparently it went for 65K after it rolled off the block according to the anchor.

billschroeder5842
12-15-2016, 10:28 PM
That is just crazy pricing. I'd be afraid to drive it.

I can see a 78 Bandit edition with full on WS6 getting bigger bucks, but 65K is just nutty.

KILLSHOTS
12-15-2016, 10:49 PM
It's called more demand than supply. Anyone in the know knows a ZR-1 is a vastly superior car to a Gen II T/A, but they just happen to have more buyers than sellers right now. Simple economics.

Vette73
12-15-2016, 10:56 PM
That's crazy money for a Pontiac....My first car was a 1979 yellow Trans Am with T-Tops.....I picked it up in 1981 with 29,000 miles for 5,200 dollars...From my understanding is that Pontiac made tons of these cars in the 70's..

I'm not trying to compare these cars to our Zs,but I just can't see spending that much money on that car.......For that kind of money you can pick up two 69 GTOs in great shape...Seen a few nice regular GTOs go for 25-30K...

SAB
12-16-2016, 09:20 AM
It's all what people can identify with when they were younger. Whether this will happen with the Zs remains to be seen.

GOLDCYLON
12-16-2016, 09:34 AM
It's all what people can identify with when they were younger. Whether this will happen will happen with the Zs remains to be seen.

Yep Completely concur with this statement

Paul Workman
12-16-2016, 09:42 AM
It's all what people can identify with when they were younger. Whether this will happen will happen with the Zs remains to be seen.

Now, that makes sense to me. How many drivers just coming of age were able to afford a ZR-1? No fond memories there...

Name a famous Hollywood celeb(s) that starred in a "Bandit", or "Fast n Furious" kind of movie featuring a ZR-1...

GM did their level best to quash the Not Invented Here ZR-1 image by copying the rear bumper "look", and adding eyebrows to allow the rear 315x35x17s to be installed in the base body, and touting only 0.4 tenths of a second more in the quarter mile as being "as good as" the ZR-1 - pretty much screwed the ZR-1 market value in the minds of today's buyers. (A popular movie, made in the early 90s would have done wonders for the ZR-1 market, no doubt.:-({|=)

tccrab
12-16-2016, 10:27 AM
By in large, the biggest part of the problem is that there were tons and tons of TA's made. They were so common that people drove 'em into the ground and today there are only a handful left. Although lacking on HP, they didn't lack for torque, so there was a whole lotta tire spinning going on.
ZR1's could only be had by a select few, the price alone reduced the potential buying pool to the top 5% of the pooulation, and many were purchased as an investment, not for driving enjoyment.
25 years later, there's still "NEW" ZR1's with practically 0 miles still available.
You can't say that for TA's.
Turnabout is fair play they say, so now the ZR1 is common and an unmolested TA is not.

'Crabs

MickeyD
12-16-2016, 12:08 PM
I bought my first Vette in 1990. Around 30k. Dealer had a red Z with at least a 20k markup. No way I could afford that then. I was 26. I never forgot about it though. When prices started tanking I bought 2 90's in 2011. Don't know if I was coming of age with that car or not. I do notice that more of the under 30 crowd seem to know more about our Z's than the 50 and above crowd I'm in. Everyone my age knows nothing about them. Just my experience. I keep evangelizing but eyes just seem to glaze over when I explain rarity and specialty of the engine.

Paul Workman
12-16-2016, 12:31 PM
I bought my first Vette in 1990. Around 30k. Dealer had a red Z with at least a 20k markup. No way I could afford that then. I was 26. I never forgot about it though. When prices started tanking I bought 2 90's in 2011. Don't know if I was coming of age with that car or not. I do notice that more of the under 30 crowd seem to know more about our Z's than the 50 and above crowd I'm in. Everyone my age knows nothing about them. Just my experience. I keep evangelizing but eyes just seem to glaze over when I explain rarity and specialty of the engine.

Right- on! By in large, the "Fast and Furious" crowd seems to know about the ZR-1, whereas ppl 50+ are clueless; personally witnessed @ many car shows. Lots of, "Is this a real ZR-1???"

MickeyD
12-16-2016, 12:42 PM
Right- on! By in large, the "Fast and Furious" crowd seems to know about the ZR-1, whereas ppl 50+ are clueless; personally witnessed @ many car shows. Lots of, "Is this a real ZR-1???"

I see more 50 plus guys not even knowing what it is. They don't seem to get at all that it's a totally different animal than an LT1. It's very frustrating. I don't know that this will ever change. Everyone of all ages know what a Bandit Trans Am is.

DRM500RUBYZR-1
12-16-2016, 12:51 PM
Time also marches on.
An earlier post mentioned how 60's GTO's have almost become affordable, and that is true.
Mid-Year Corvettes were, even recently, always selling for more than they were bought for, but Ahh-Hah, not happening this year.
Maybe the tide continues to roll on.
The people buying cars want 70's and 80's cars, because the folks in their 40's now want the cars from THEIR youth, thus 70's and 80's.
90's will get there; it just takes some more time.
Marty

70T/A400
12-16-2016, 06:06 PM
Of all the second generation Trans Ams available, it isn't limited to the Super Duty or the am Air IV's but the later year '76-'79's that are commanding attention.

These cars were the last ones to have a true Pontiac engine (or Oldsmobile in some cases).

Their styling was unique and not for everyone. But I am glad they are appreciating as all American made muscle is special and sure looks a lot better than the common cute ute with nav and a diagnostic centre on board.

Z51JEFF
12-16-2016, 10:47 PM
You'll see this car in about 2 years going for about $30,000,maybe. Happens all the time. $65,000 for a 76 T/A ?

lisounds
12-17-2016, 10:25 AM
Well I am happy to see the 2nd gen birds go up:dancing

here is my '79 trans am
400 cu in
4 speed
WS6 Handling Package
Y-84 Bandit Edition
1 of 1107

I have owned it for 23 years



http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/C345VETTE/DSCF4426%201_zpsxhgamchn.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/C345VETTE/media/DSCF4426%201_zpsxhgamchn.jpg.html)

G8nightman
12-17-2016, 10:39 AM
Nice TA


Sent from my iPhone using ZR-1 Net Registry (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=90383)

Z51JEFF
12-17-2016, 11:17 AM
Well I am happy to see the 2nd gen birds go up:dancing

here is my '79 trans am
400 cu in
4 speed
WS6 Handling Package
Y-84 Bandit Edition
1 of 1107

I have owned it for 23 years



http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/C345VETTE/DSCF4426%201_zpsxhgamchn.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/C345VETTE/media/DSCF4426%201_zpsxhgamchn.jpg.html)
I do love T/As my favorite year being 76 but not @$65,000. My most harrowing,scariest car ride was in a 1969 TransAm. Got pictures of the car if I could figure out how to post pictures from my iPhone.