Don't pay a premium price for a "Weirdo"......

You have to realize that back in the 1960s and 70s the car business was very similar to what it is now. Dealers stocked what they thought they could sell the easiest. This is why there are more base engine models than premium ones. Right now a Base model Corvette has 430 hp ( more than enough) and the ZR1 has 638. A base model 'Vette stickers for about 50K. A ZR1 is 100K. Guess what? Although 50 grand isn't chump change, when you consider that a loaded Honda Accord or Toyota Camry is over 30 large, that's a deal for a vehicle that offers the 'Vette's performance. Unless you double the price-911 Turbo, Nissan GT-R, the Base 'Vette is MC Hammer- "Can't Touch This". And not many people can afford 100 grand for a car. Their going to sell a lot more base models than they are ZR1s. 30 years from now ZR1s are going to be rare and pricey! Back in the day, when a 383 Road Runner started at $2,800-not many people spent an additional $1800 on a Hemi, which required a 4-speed or a Torqueflite, a Dana 60 rear, and other "mandatory" options that drove the price up to nearly $5,000. Think about it-a 2011 412 hp Mustang GT starts about 29 grand. Are you going to go buy one of those and then spend 50K for a Shelby with the 540 hp blower motor? Probably not.  That's why there's way more 383 Road Runners and Chargers than there are Hemis!  And just like now when they show "Price Leaders" -A 2011 Camaro for 23 grand for instance-is a V6 model not an LS3. Don't fall into the trap of paying big dollars for something just because it's rare. A friend of mine who restored British cars told me once-"A rare Turd is still a Turd."  Applying this to musclecars means two-speed automatics and 3-speed sticks, two-barrel or step-down engines,radio or heater-delete cars, bucket seat, column shifted automatics, or 4-speed bench seat cars etc, aren't collectible, their just weird and no one but the guy selling it thinks it's cool.  A GTO with a 3 speed stick and drum brakes or a 442 with a two-barrel carbed 400 isn't worth anything other than the fact that it may be a decent GTO or 442 body. Certainly it wouldn't be worth what a 4-speed, disc-braked, more common car would. Especially avoid step-down engines. A loaded SS Chevelle with a 350 is not worth as much as a strippy SS396 or SS454. A Formula Firebird with a 301 and a 4-speed isn't worth as much as a 400 / automatic model. No matter how pristine a 318 Charger is, it's still a 318.  You'll have to swap engines to get any real performance out of it.  I mean do you want a badass-looking car that can't outrun a new Honda Accord from a light?  Unless the price is really low and you plan on hot-rodding it, avoid "Old-People" survivors. You know what I'm talking about-grandma bought a 1968 Chevelle brand-new, only drove it to church and after she died her kids or grandkids are selling it.  Yes, it's never been wrecked, and it's original and rust-free, but who cares about a bench-seat, two-door post, drum-braked, 307 / Powerglide Malibu?  Other than the fact that it's a clean 2dr Chevelle body, what is it really worth? If they were close to the same price, whether I wanted a driver or to hot rod it-  I'd rather find a nice '71 hardtop with a 350 / TH350 powertrain, front disc brakes, and maybe factory air, that wasn't "One-owner" original!  See what I mean?  And weird special orders are just weird. I've seen people that are proud of a Yellow Firebird with Red interior that they can prove is original. Or the Monte Carlo with a six-cylinder and a 3-on the tree stick. Another thing to avoid is 4-door models. It's not like today-where Cadillac offers the 556 hp motor in a CTS sedan as well as the coupe, or BMW offering a 4-door M3.  Even if it has a 455, no one wants a 4-door Pontiac LeMans. Ditto for 4-door Malibus with a Rat, or 4-door Mopars with a 440. The only thing their good for is they make good parts cars for people restoring the 2 door models!  I mean are you going to paint a 4-door Coronet like a Super Bee or a 4-door LeMans like a Judge?  I don't think so!  Finally beware of crap that shysters have cobbled up to try and make a quick buck. For example-a 1973 Challenger with a 383-the only engines available that year were the 318 and 340. Pontiac never built a LeMans based GTO with a 350. They were all 389 cubes or more.  If you don't know, ask someone who does before you spend your money.  Mastermind