Very nice looking piece, although...it's a repro part, yet since they didn't mass produce it, it's now a limited-edition, planned repro part. Interesting situation. I'd have no idea on what good value could be put on that unit since you can't even get THAT one anywhere else. The good thing going for it is the Hurst name is stamped on the rods. Otherwise, IMO, without the Hurst stamp, it'd be worth about $300. Obviously this should plop right into an 83 or 84 getting restored who wants NEW, but not necessarily NOS.
It's going to sound like I'm peeing on the parade with what I'm going to say next, but it's what I believe. Nothing personal.
Reproductions are-
1) made when the availability of original parts have pretty much dried up, or 2ndary market priced high enough to justify production of the new parts.
2) often-times inferior to some degree to the originals. On rare occasions, hidden upgrades actually improve upon OEM weaknesses, but that is rare.
3) hardly ever tested for fit, application, reliability, and longevity. OEM stuff usually costs a lot more because of increased testing and regulatory requirements and CYA reasons. It's $$. So repros tend to not do that. Reverse engineering is the key, and the hope is they can get it "close enough".
4) hardly ever offered with repair parts on assemblies. Buy the whole thing or you're SOL.
5) usually with the above considerations, repro parts are priced accordingly to be BELOW HTF original parts because, well, they're no longer HTF. Which is the precise main point of the repro.
Pretty chrome and no rust pits, chips, discoloration, etc., is nice to look at, but what testing other than to see if it bolts up was done to it? As long as the mounting bolts hold in my 84
H/O, I can hammer the f**k out of the original L/Rs and feel confident sh*t ain't going to break. (EDIT: save for the detent "pins". They can and do break, although I've never experienced it, and seem to be a weak area on OEM rods)
If I were in the market for this shifter, I'd be hesitant to pay as much as a complete, working and decent looking OEM unit. Which is my way of saying I believe the value is somewhere south of $1500. Where that is, I don't know.
But what do I know? Stick a price on it you want and if it sells, you'll know. If it sits for a while, then you're likely too high. Keep in mind too, there's always that ONE guy/gal out there....
