Help me price my '83 please

[ddax]

Will you guys give me some opinions on how much I should expect to get for this car? I hate to let it go but think it's time. A local mechanic is interested but I have no idea what to ask. I know I can't expect to get near what I've put into it.
If you know anyone in NE Ohio/western PA who might be interested please have them get in touch with me here. And a "Thank You" to all of you here at AF who've helped me in the past - I've really appreciated your help!

Some of you know about it from my previous posts, but here are details.
1983 Caprice Classic, 305, mileage: 103,000, power windows & locks, power seat works
The car has been in my family since 1985 and 15,000 miles.

Cragar SS 15x7 all around with Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires (235/60 front, 275/60 rear) One front and one rear tire are about 50%, the other two are almost new (they had to be replaced due to damage and a manufacturing defect). The Cragars have not been run in the winter, but are on the car now as I don’t have tires on the other wheels now. One wheel has some speckles that may be rust, the other 3 look fine.

Carpeting is dirty, seats in very good condition. Dash has typical cracks. The mylar on the fake chrome door trim is peeling. Foam inside of the armrests is dry-rotted. You can see some of the interior in the video link below. My son removed his CD player and speakers, but I think the original radio and speakes are still in the garage.

Tailpipe and Flowmaster Delta 50 are about 1 ½ year old. Exhaust pipe from cat to muffler was replaced a couple weeks before we had to park it.

AC has been converted and was charged and worked great last summer, heat works great, power locks work but the right door one is loose, power windows work but the left driver window comes out of track – needs a new guide at least. A friend told me there is a way to adjust the mechanism holding the glass to keep it from popping out as it does but I never got inside to check that out. I had some carb work done last summer and the car was running great until the rod knock started in October.

The transmission (700R4) was replaced with a rebuilt one in the fall of ’06.
New u-joints shortly before that.

I replaced the headliner but in a darker gray than original.

Body is in great condition with just the typical rust at the inside bottoms of the doors.

When it’s clean, the paint looks very nice from 15 feet away but does have a lot of “water spots” on the top surfaces. Sides shine nicely but have some blemishes, nicks etc. but no rust. You can get a good idea of the finish in the videos. I’m rather critical of the paint but when clean the car did look impressive going down the road!

Rubber bumper inserts were replaced with NOS (getting hard to find).

The car has been parked and not started since late November. I’d not be surprised if it was a few blocks from throwing a rod so I’m not even starting it so at least I can drive it onto a trailer for the buyer!

You can read about the engine problem here: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=762605


Here it is as/where it is sitting as I type:


Here it is all clean last spring:


These two videos are of the engine noise:

http://www.vimeo.com/380539
http://www.vimeo.com/380374

This video shows the general condition of the interior:

http://www.vimeo.com/619611

[463]

it's a tough call to make. Try this : the price i would ask for a good running car and deduct the cost of a used engine and a labor rate times by 16 (hours) to remove & replace. that should be a good start point . I did this when the engine in my 80 caprice went south on me. in hind sight i should have r&r the engine myslef and kept it . just my 2 cents. 463

[beat88ls]

aww man, thats still a great looking car... kinda sad

i really dont like NADA.com but... heres a decent idea. ... interesting note, i had to go to the classic car section to look up an 83 caprice LOL

http://www.nadaguides.com/default.as...2&z=01420&da=1

even with the motor noise... i would try to getAT LEAST $1,000

i dont know how rare the box caprices are there, but where i am there is this person who keeps leaving notes on my car offering me $700 and mine is UGLY lol so...

hell i sold my 95 4X4 ranger with 168,000 miles and a bad clutch, a blown power steering pump/box and blown hubs (crappy ford auto lock hubs) for $1500... book was $3200 with all the problems

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by beat88ls

i dont know how rare the box caprices are there, but where i am there is this person who keeps leaving notes on my car offering me $700 and mine is UGLY lol so...

I think the farther north you go , the rarer the box Caprices/Impalas become( mainly due to salt usage in the Winter.) I live in Syracuse, NY and don't really see these cars around regularly anymore, so when I do notice one it turns my head. Actually the ones that are left are more relegated to "winter rat" status being all rusted and dented, missing exterior parts, etc.

[beat88ls]

Originally Posted by '97ventureowner

I think the farther north you go , the rarer the box Caprices/Impalas become( mainly due to salt usage in the Winter.) I live in Syracuse, NY and don't really see these cars around regularly anymore, so when I do notice one it turns my head. Actually the ones that are left are more relegated to "winter rat" status being all rusted and dented, missing exterior parts, etc.

yeah, every time i see one i do a double take. living in Massachusetts its pretty rare to see them (any caprice for that matter). mine as it sits, is in need of a complete restore, paint, interior, suspension... everything. and still i refuse to drive it in the winter. the car has no body rot, and the frame and floors are solid.

@ddax, you should be able to get decent scratch for your car, it doesn't take much to swap an engine

[bhw33191]

Originally Posted by beat88ls

yeah, every time i see one i do a double take. living in Massachusetts its pretty rare to see them (any caprice for that matter). mine as it sits, is in need of a complete restore, paint, interior, suspension... everything. and still i refuse to drive it in the winter. the car has no body rot, and the frame and floors are solid.

@ddax, you should be able to get decent scratch for your car, it doesn't take much to swap an engine

Yeah i dont see many either here in MA. I've actually spotted 4 caprices here in weymouth excluding mine. All are in great condition. Although, they all seem to rust at the bottom of the doors.

[bhw33191]

I went on a site "kelly blue book i believe it was" and they only list down to the 87 caprice and i was surprised when it only said about $600-700 if i can remember correctly.

[beat88ls]

Originally Posted by bhw33191

I went on a site "kelly blue book i believe it was" and they only list down to the 87 caprice and i was surprised when it only said about $600-700 if i can remember correctly.

Yeah but, I have noticed that caprices tend to fetch double their book value here in New England. ddax's car is really nice looking, paint is glossy and the interior still looks pretty good... if I didn’t have 3 vehicles and where closer to Ohio I would pick it up