79 sold for $100K at BJ

[Warren Seale]

A 79 solar gold W72 sold for $100K at Barret Jackson yesterday.  Does anyone know the details of this car to make it so valuable?  Low miles?  Celebrity owned?

[72projectbird]

Lots of alcohol and a few good hits from the crack pipe.

[kentucky yeti]

Lots of alcohol and a few good hits from the crack pipe.

We really need a "LIKE" button on here.

[firebirdparts]

A 403 car with no interesting options sold for $200k at scottsdale yesterday or in the last couple days.   Car had 35 miles on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrnZ9VFFQ5Y

[nas t eh]

The world is starting to make no sense to me.

[5th T/A]

These numbers are hard for me to comprehend. On the plus side, it makes me feel like my car was an absolute bargain

[Jack]

No probably a lot of alcohol and a stupid bet was involved.

[roadking77]

I didnt see the 100k car, but I did see the low mile 79 that sold for 200k! Mixed feelings, I am glad they are getting some respect and I like the idea of my cars value 'rising with the tide'. However I have joked that once my car hits the 100k mark its going up for sale. I sure would hate to get rid of it  There was a 79 with a 77 front, the interior did not look that good that Mecum sold a couple of weeks ago for around 100k if I recall. I thought that one was ridiculous.


I watched as much of BJ as I could squeeze in. It did not seem to have the circus like atmosphere that it did last year. Although it seemed like the starting bid on any car was 100K. I think the hype, excitement of being at BJ, thinking you are on TV etc. has bidders accounting for the first 75k of value. I saw a lot of cars that sold 150k-200k that last year were selling 75k or so. I honestly dont think the values have escalated that much. It used to be going to an auction was a good place to get a bargain on a car. Now I think its more akin to buying a new car off the lot. I would suspect many of these sold vehicles will lose 20%-30% of their value as soon as they get loaded on the transport truck.

[FormTA]

These numbers are hard for me to comprehend. On the plus side, it makes me feel like my car was an absolute bargain

I've seen your car, it was the most beautiful example I have ever seen and I don't even like white cars (even though my formula is white). I don't know what you paid but it was well worth it!

[4004spd]

Was it that 780 mile 4spd car from the east coast?  It had std interior, no air from what I recall....I've been looking for that car for a couple of years....last I knew they wanted 50k.   

[phil400]

I actually preferred it when these cars weren't in the spot light or worth "big money"...I've owned mine over 20 years and used to take it anywhere, now I'm skeptical leaving it in certain places and even attending car shows...seen guys taking pics of dash area where serial # is and rear end of liscence plate.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but know a fee people who's car was stolen right out their driveway.

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

I actually preferred it when these cars weren't in the spot light or worth "big money"...I've owned mine over 20 years and used to take it anywhere, now I'm skeptical leaving it in certain places and even attending car shows...seen guys taking pics of dash area where serial # is and rear end of liscence plate.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but know a fee people who's car was stolen right out their driveway.

Same, same, and more same. All the talk about these cars is about their value, speculation, and prices now, rather than wrenching on them or driving them. These used to be an everyman's car that average folks could afford and work on. When TA Specialties down here in Miami posts anything on FB regarding an upcoming car they have for sale, the first few sentences or two is about the car itself and how it runs/drives, and then an entire paragraph spewing info about their values and investment potential and blah, blah, blah. I'm like, yeah dude, I get it lol 

I don't give a darn, I drive my '79 whenever the weather is nice. Take away rain and snow, and keep the car indoors, that alone is 85% of cosmetic wear and potential for rust eliminated. As for the mechanicals, you WANT to drive these cars to keep them running good. Every single gasket and seal on these hyper-low mileage cars is probably shot, and they probably leak like sieves from every orifice and flange.

It would be terrible if my car was stolen or wrecked, but honestly, anything is replaceable. That's what insurance is for, and the one single benefit of all the hype and rise in values for these cars is that the reproduction aftermarket has grown so much, you can practically build them new out of a catalog. Real Deal Steel just came out with full unibodies for ground-up  builds or cars that are rotted out enough to warrant it. So like I said, anything is replaceable.

[Wallington]

I'd be bored and feel nothing for one of these if I simply bought a brand new one someone had already restored or a company had built and dropped off. At least at present I have just one thing to show for a miserable life, I managed to pull apart a fairly decent car, improve a few areas, then never reassemble it, as opposed to if it was suddenly gone, then what. Insurance never covers half of the costs and none of the years of tinkering or sleepless nights trying to research something that simply doesn't matter to anyone else.

[roadking77]

Second gens are starting to rise in value I think because the GTO's have reach unobtainable for most guys looking for a Pontiac hobby car. Personally with 1 and 1/2 in the stable I like that they are finally getting some recognition and rising value. Knowing what I have put into my car (labor notwithstanding) I could easily get 4x the return. As a gambler would say, 'let it ride'. I think like a lot of older cars these will get to a point that any original or nearly original low mile car will take off into the stratosphere. So many were trashed when they were 10 yrs old, and so many have been altered in the last 20 years. I am not afraid at all to drive my car and frankly do not even think about the value. I have it to enjoy and have fun with it, and driving is part of that fun. I know of a couple of guys that I run into at various events that both have original 65 Shelby mustangs that are driven on a daily basis. I figure if they can do that with a high 6 figure car my lowly TA will be fine.

[FormTA]

Ya, I didn't buy my car to see a return. I bought it because I love the look of it. Although it was over 25 years ago. That said, I do like the fact they are getting their just recognition. I also like it because I am pretty sure I am going to sell my 79 formula, still a basket case but  cool car.

[apfstg]

When I first looked at my solar gold 79 I took my wife with me - her only question was are you gonna change that ugly color? I just showed her this post and now she likes the color ha ha!

[roadking77]

  thats a good one. My wife hates any car that is silver followed by grey. We have had several by chance over the years. When I got my TATA it was in deplorable condition and had a rusty primer job. She was not thrilled about me getting another 'bird then when I told her I was painting it silver that just about broke the camels back, LOL. I told her I had no choice.

[Jack]

I told her I had no choice.

Very sneaky Kerry

[Raven]

It seems some of these happen not because the car is valuable so much as it is folks trying to one up each at the auction block. I never understood why someone would race to outspend someone else just for bragging rights, but then again, I've not been cursed with that kind of wallet either. 

[apfstg]

They just sold a ‘74 for $173,600. In an auction- is it value or inflation? Only people with big wallets will know

[5th T/A]

Like everything else, it boils down to supply versus demand. Early Gen II production numbers were so low, I think 70-72 in the thousands for each year. 1973 about 5,000 and maybe 300 were super duty’s. 1974 maybe 10,000 TA’s built and under 1,000 were SD. So any 70 - 74 goes for more money. Then add the limed numbers of SD built in 73 and 74 and they are pretty rare. If it’s a numbers matching, four speed, unrestored original the rarity increases as does the price. I expect the TATA especially those withe the W72 option and clean will continue to go up also because the limited numbers. Eventually the same will probably happen for nice 1980 Indy Pace cars, because they were a special addition and limited numbers.

So where does that leave the general population that doesn’t  have six figure money to spend on a toy. You buy one of the less desirable years or engine combinations. Or buy or build a clone. My feeling is the closer to original cars will probably have a higher value. But you can still piece together the car that’s close for far less money. While I like having a Pontiac motor in my car, there is no denying a modern LS is more potent, more reliable and weighs considerably less.