Every car has its place in the market...if the market was limited to finished and flawless cars only, there would be very few Firebirds around. Fortunately, there is also a market for cars that aren't ready for prime time, some may be good enough to restore to perfection given a generous amount of time and money, while others may be so far from original that they will likely remain "drivers" for many years to come, yet they still please their owners. And there is nothing wrong with that, not everyone can afford a #1 or even a high #2 car, and even if you can, not many #1s get driven as they were intended. Even the dead cars have their place in the chain, they help keep others alive.

The only real shame is the cars that are improperly stored, kept for that future that never comes when the owner is going to restore it. Meanwhile, the car quietly rusts away under a tarp or in the barn.

I had a #1 Le Mans, I have a #2 numbers matching Firebird, I have an unrestored numbers matching Firebird and I have a couple of drivers. The drivers can be the most fun; because they lack the total originality, I'm not afraid of breaking something. I can make changes because it won't destroy the integrity of the car. And the initial investment is less, so I can afford to make those changes.