"Factory Freaks" aren't collectible.....their just weird......

It's Hot August Nights again and once again I occasionally run into people who think their weird car is something special. 99% of the time their not anything special they just have a weird collection of options.  I 've said it before and I'll say it again. Two speed automatics, three-speed sticks, two-barrel step-down engines, radio or heater delete cars, column-shifted bucket seat cars, stick shift bench seat cars, etc aren't collectible, their just weird. Even if the car really is one of one, most times their just weird. A perfect example-was featured in High Performance Pontiac magazine a few years back. I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable Pontiac historian and I didn't know that the automatic console shifter was an option on the Trans-Am, at least in the early years. So here's this guy who's all proud of his 1973 Trans-Am that has the shifter on the steering column. Ok. It wasn't an SD-455, it was a base model 250 hp version of which 4,550 others were built that year. He's going on and on in the article how he thinks it's the only T/A in existence with a column shifter and how neat it is. Ok, a '73 T/A with a 455 is a nice driver and has enough power that you don't have to take crap from little boys in their Hondas and Subarus. Cool. But the column shifter is not the mother of all rare options!!  I knew a guy in high school that had a'68 Firebird with the OHC 6-cylinder that had a 4-bbl carb and a was rated at 215 hp. Ok the OHC design was cool for 50 years ago and 215 hp will move a '68 Firebird briskly enough. Great. But their's a reason everyone wanted the 350 and 400 V8's. They have way more power and make it a musclecar instead of a commuter. If you have one of these OHC 6 Firebirds or can buy one cheap, ( provided you want one ) more power to you. But don't think it's worth more than a 400 4-speed model, or a Trans-Am. I knew another guy who had a '69 Gran Prix with a 428 and a 4-speed, of which 112 were built. I've also seen a '70 Monte Carlo with a 350 /4-speed combo, and I've seen a '71 with a 454 and a 4-speed. I spoke in a previous post about a guy who had a 427 Stingray with a Powerglide. He thinks it's worth a mint. Certainly any 427 Stingray has value, but he's acting like it's a numbers-matching L88!!  I've seen guys asking Judge and Hurst / Olds money for '67-68 "Turnpike Specials" GTOs and 442s-who in the hell wants a GTO or 442 with a 265 hp 2-bbl engine and a 2.93:1 rear end that can't outrun a V6 Honda Accord from a light???!!!!  I kid you not, these guys are asking more for these cars than some people are for RAIV or W30 cars!!  My personal favorite was the owner of the 305 powered 1980 Corvette that wanted an astronomical price for it.  If you run across some weirdo and the price is reasonable and you want it, by all means get it. But don't go out of your way or pay extra for one.  Mastermind