1980 Pontiac LeMans Station Wagon - G-T-faux (stuck with it, and can't shake it... like a bad case of herpes)

[Northernregal]

These self-realizations you came to are sound, financial logic. It's quite opposite usually from "motor-logic".

It also can be used as an underpinning of an axiom that I've always adhered to and that's the further you get away from stock, the more limited your serious buying audience. As a roller, your car will be its closest to stock it'll every get again, opening up your options as well as the buyer's. Which now, you'd have to figure out what to do with all the extra go-parts you removed. Sell, use? WTF? A new set of problems nobody should envy.

Selling a car is never easy, and it's tougher if it's a car you really like. Worse if you have to part one to sell it. Putting a value on it that's both reasonable and equitable is a major headache even if you've sold 40 cars in a month. You say that $45K Canadian probably won't be realized or small chance of it happening. But sell the roller for 8 or 9 K and you'll still would need to make up another 35K or so to sell it all for what you say it should cost on paper. That's a tall order for "used" parts.

As a suggestion, start with option #1. This way you have no labor involved, and nothing else really to do to the car. See if there's any fish willing to take the bait. You may be pleasantly surprised. Be willing to negotiate a little, as labor (excuse me, as y'all would say "labour" 🙂 ) would be saved taking the car apart. And labor time is of some value to you. Or should be.

If that doesn't work, if you find someone remotely interested but balking at the price, you could ask them about option #2. They'd still get a driveable car, and you could still make a few bucks. BUT- it's risky. It's an odd arrangement so the chance it worked would be low, I'm afraid.

I say risky because it's just easier to go from option #1 to option #3 and save having to put stuff back together all the way.

Free advice. Worth nothing if you don't use any of it. First-world problems is all.

If he goes option #3, I am pretty sure I called dibs. So you can cross it off the list.

 

[ssn696]

If he goes option #3, I am pretty sure I called dibs. So you can cross it off the list.

Includes free shipping from Ontario!

 

[Northernregal]

Includes free shipping from Ontario!

He already moved it 3/4 of the way... 😉

 

[Clutch]

Really!? Sell the wagon!? But but NOOOOO!!!!!

 

[motorheadmike]

These self-realizations you came to are sound, financial logic. It's quite opposite usually from "motor-logic".

It also can be used as an underpinning of an axiom that I've always adhered to and that's the further you get away from stock, the more limited your serious buying audience. As a roller, your car will be its closest to stock it'll every get again, opening up your options as well as the buyer's. Which now, you'd have to figure out what to do with all the extra go-parts you removed. Sell, use? WTF? A new set of problems nobody should envy.

Selling a car is never easy, and it's tougher if it's a car you really like. Worse if you have to part one to sell it. Putting a value on it that's both reasonable and equitable is a major headache even if you've sold 40 cars in a month. You say that $45K Canadian probably won't be realized or small chance of it happening. But sell the roller for 8 or 9 K and you'll still would need to make up another 35K or so to sell it all for what you say it should cost on paper. That's a tall order for "used" parts.

As a suggestion, start with option #1. This way you have no labor involved, and nothing else really to do to the car. See if there's any fish willing to take the bait. You may be pleasantly surprised. Be willing to negotiate a little, as labor (excuse me, as y'all would say "labour" 🙂 ) would be saved taking the car apart. And labor time is of some value to you. Or should be.

If that doesn't work, if you find someone remotely interested but balking at the price, you could ask them about option #2. They'd still get a driveable car, and you could still make a few bucks. BUT- it's risky. It's an odd arrangement so the chance it worked would be low, I'm afraid.

I say risky because it's just easier to go from option #1 to option #3 and save having to put stuff back together all the way.

Free advice. Worth nothing if you don't use any of it. First-world problems is all.

Thanks, and we are seeing this very much the same way. The labour is always a sunk cost. Used speed parts get a 50 cent on the dollar return at best. This isn't about the money ($45K is the assessed value and what it would take to replace/repair it - it is really about $10-20K in parts over and above the shell/interior), it is a qualitative analysis about how I am living my life and where I am putting my effort.

For those wondering it is quite advantageous for me to put the 4L80E (and billet triple disc converter), S60 (with 3.73s), suspension and brakes from the wagon into the Monte to really make the drivetrain bulletproof at 600ish-hp with the turbo 4.8L in the engine bay. The way I always should have built the Monte. Then we do Drag Week again.

That frees up the LS1, F-body FEAD, and wiring from the wagon and the Monte's built 200-4R for Natasha's Camaro - making for a pretty much an instant 12 second car for her. And I can sell the 8.5" out of the Monte and leftover wagon parts for a grip of cash to fund any F-body specific LS-swap parts.

Hell, I can strip it down and just park the wagon's shell in the garage indefinitely as I have no obligation to sell it - I have that luxury. It owes me nothing. Noting it has generated some interest. Or I could make it into an electric car like Project X... LMFAO.

 

[melloelky]

project-X? Dame shame..

 

[Ribbedroof]

project-X? Dame shame..

Agreed, although it really stopped being Project X after the corporate guys f'd it up.

I do get the concept of moving ahead to "new" technology, but they should have bought another 57, painted it yellow, and carried on, leaving the real X to spend retirement reminiscing about the old days

This is what happens when mergers and acquisitions create megacorps with no sense of history or ownership

 

[melloelky]

Agreed, although it really stopped being Project X after the corporate guys f'd it up.

I do get the concept of moving ahead to "new" technology, but they should have bought another 57, painted it yellow, and carried on, leaving the real X to spend retirement reminiscing about the old days

This is what happens when mergers and acquisitions create megacorps with no sense of history or ownership

the car from Hollywood knights E powered?no thank you.

 

[Ribbedroof]

the car from Hollywood knights E powered?no thank you.

Yes, but that's the REAL Project X. As it should have remained.

If you're gonna insist on going electric, why not just build a "clone"? Sort of like all the WWII aircraft that have been rebuilt with all parts from other aircraft, but still use the original data plate

 

[Cauterize]

Mike if you do end up selling the 8.5 out of the wagon please let me know. There is a 64 C10 I was told to drag off my Boss's farm sometime out that way. Me and the wife are always down for road trips for car parts/projects.