Value of a 1970 Firebird Forumla 400 Ram Air 3

[Ramairformula400]

Hi.

I have a few questions regarding restoring a 70' firebird formula 400 ram air 3 car.
The car is in all original condition, it's been sitting for about 20+ years. I brought it from a friend of mine about a month ago. I am trying to find out how rare are they, what's the value of it in its current condition and if its restored to showroom condition how much would the car be worth?


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[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Probably the wrong site to ask this question.

Try:
http://transamcountry.com/community/

[Alponcho]

Looks like it was a nice car. Lucy blue w/bright blue interior, RA III. A perfectly restored car like this with the matching numbers engine, transmission, 12 bolt and all the correct 70 parts (hood, alternator, carb, air cleaner, etc.) might be in the low to mid 40s. If it was a 4-speed car, with gauges, and no A/C…upper 40s maybe a little more…depends on the level of the restoration. It's tough to say what it's worth now without more information regarding the condition of the body and whats included. There are a lot of '70 only parts that are difficult to find…correct interior pieces can be really expensive (e.g., dash pad, gauge bezel, headrests, rear door panel, lower door panel map pockets, etc.).

[Ramairformula400]

Everything is practically there and I was given a donor car for any pieces that is missing. But the engine, rear end, ram air 3 heads, ect.. Is all there, luckily. Which all match the car. Even the original exhaust tips are there. It was pretty much parked there and left intact.

[Ramairformula400]

The body is in pretty good condition, very minimal rust. I tried to include as many pics as I had.
I'm just trying to figure out if it would be worth putting money into a full restoration or just selling as is. Lol.

[NOT A TA]

Sell it as is OR part it out, you'll spend more rebuilding that than you'll get for it when finished unless you want to do the work yourself for free. Parting it out would probably be the most profitable.

[Ramairformula400]

Okay. Thanks!

[Alponcho]

If it's as complete as you've indicated, I think you'd do much better selling it as is. The car is definitely worth saving.

[Alponcho]

Where are you located?

[Ramairformula400]

Im located in Las Vegas, NV

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

I definitely wouldn't part it, it's a car that's VERY worth saving... and there doesn't appear to be many parts worth enough money to make it worthwhile. Granted, it needs an extensive restoration so the profit margins won't be huge, but the right person would want to save it. If I didn't have way too many projects, I wouldn't mind doing it just to return it to a proud state again. I've built a car before knowing I'd get minimal profit, but I wanted to just to say I did it, haha (my Mustang). But I'd think it's a $5k car as is, not that much in parts. I'd guess about $30-40k done... but there'd be that much in restoration.

[NOT A TA]

I wasn't saying the car couldn't be restored or that there aren't folks who would want to. I'm sure there's some Pontiac guys who'd love to have it. My recommendation was based on the OP's questions that seemed to be based on a financial return on investment with minimal labor now or if RESTORED, not modified. So setting aside my personal desire to see cars like it brought back I stand by my recommendation to sell or part it out for the best financial return based on what's been mentioned by the OP. I still think max return would be by parting it out, and it would be a loss to restore it and sell it (at todays market value) based on it's current condition and state of disassembly.

IF and that's a big IF he actually has a lot of the original 70 one year only and date coded things like the carb in good enough condition to be restored the parts could easily sell for more than 5 thousand to guys restoring 70 Trans Am's. Just the rear and carb would sell for around 3,000.00 needing rebuilds. Add the engine block, heads, exhaust manifolds, Formy air cleaner base, hood, and a bunch of the other one year only parts and I think you'd easily exceed 5 grand. Unfortunately I doubt you'd get much over 30 for it restored and would spend a lot to do it since most of the rubber and exterior cosmetics would need to be replaced along with the front bumper, then body work and paint. Then when you're done you've got a restored to original Formy with a 70's looking wood dash and a plastic steering wheel because someone didn't even order the optional Formula steering wheel.

Before making any decision I'd get the PHS docs and make sure it was actually born a Formula.