I'd agree with the person who said $7,000. I think that's where the market it is (was? pre COVID). I think even $10K in the right market (detailed and at a dealer) isn't out of the realm of possibilities, I personally wouldn't pay that in cash but if your trade is worth $10K that could be a fair deal.
What made the 85-87 442s "special" was they were equipped with an upgraded 200-4R (better valve body for quicker shifts), bigger sway bars and the only other Gbody to receive the 8.5" 10-Bolt outside of the Grand National (Monte SSs had the good trans but weak 7.5" diff). The 442 307 only for 1985 still had the Hydraulic Flat Tappet cam, while the rest of the 307s got roller cams and swirl port heads (less hp). There's no "Deciption" with a faux faux two; because all real 442s have a "9" in the VIN number.
Asking prices on Gbodies were pretty high from 2016+, not sure what's going to happen going forward with the economy heading downward. If you like that car, go for it. It looks clean and there's not many clean unmolested cars left out there. To me the Cutlass Salons, H/Os & 442s were the best looking of the Gbodies. I would not buy it expecting it to make money off of it in a year or 2. Buy it, drive it enjoy it. Mod it to your hearts content as well if that's what you're looking to do any Small Block Olds easily swaps in. Even stock a good running 307 is a decent cruiser, but don't expect to win any races with it.
There's a few factors that will keep the Gbody market from going super high. 1) Millions of them were made like 2.5 Million just for the 2 door Cutlass! 2) Too many of the collector models were bought and stored so there's still many many very low mile GNs, H/Os, 442s etc out there. 3) Too many guys out there in the Hobby look down on these cars compared to the 60s early 70s era cars. So it's simply supply and demand, demand is not there compared to the supply of cars. Even population wise with far fewer Gen X'rs than Boomers you're not going to see Gen X'rs pick up where the boomers left off in this hobby (Gen Y has the numbers but right now it looks bleak with them falling in love with these cars because they were before their time and they like imports, electric cars and riding the bus/uber way too much).
What made the 85-87 442s "special" was they were equipped with an upgraded 200-4R (better valve body for quicker shifts), bigger sway bars and the only other Gbody to receive the 8.5" 10-Bolt outside of the Grand National (Monte SSs had the good trans but weak 7.5" diff). The 442 307 only for 1985 still had the Hydraulic Flat Tappet cam, while the rest of the 307s got roller cams and swirl port heads (less hp). There's no "Deciption" with a faux faux two; because all real 442s have a "9" in the VIN number.
Asking prices on Gbodies were pretty high from 2016+, not sure what's going to happen going forward with the economy heading downward. If you like that car, go for it. It looks clean and there's not many clean unmolested cars left out there. To me the Cutlass Salons, H/Os & 442s were the best looking of the Gbodies. I would not buy it expecting it to make money off of it in a year or 2. Buy it, drive it enjoy it. Mod it to your hearts content as well if that's what you're looking to do any Small Block Olds easily swaps in. Even stock a good running 307 is a decent cruiser, but don't expect to win any races with it.
There's a few factors that will keep the Gbody market from going super high. 1) Millions of them were made like 2.5 Million just for the 2 door Cutlass! 2) Too many of the collector models were bought and stored so there's still many many very low mile GNs, H/Os, 442s etc out there. 3) Too many guys out there in the Hobby look down on these cars compared to the 60s early 70s era cars. So it's simply supply and demand, demand is not there compared to the supply of cars. Even population wise with far fewer Gen X'rs than Boomers you're not going to see Gen X'rs pick up where the boomers left off in this hobby (Gen Y has the numbers but right now it looks bleak with them falling in love with these cars because they were before their time and they like imports, electric cars and riding the bus/uber way too much).
