The other way to look at it is you will spend $40k- $50k for a new car which looses $10k of value the second you drive it off the lot plus the amount of added interest if you have a loan. A first generation bird will hopefully increase in value.
Agreed...however, restoring a completely disassembled but complete HO or Ram Air will command a 40-50% higher value and command more interest and the likelyhood one will find a buyer. Piecing together separate components to build a non original HO or Ram Air will not...Unless a seller (as was shown in the OP) creatively words an ad hoping to find an unsuspecting buyer who knows jack **** about the cars and has more money to burn than sense.
I know these cars will increase in value...hell, even people buying hacked up "resale red" repainted Firebirds for 30k with unoriginal engines and transmissions helps everyone's value as a whole...It also hurts it as it sets a benchmark for those of us who have numbers matching cars in unrestored condition, the same condition or better...as buyers will say...why should I pay you $15k more for a complete, original 400 4 speed...when I can have a restored car for 30k and for the most part, these guys are not concerned if the drivetrain is correct....
It's a double edged sword.
