I will be starting the re-assembly of my 68 next summer when I get back to the states and wanted to get a few opinions of adding extra options. I have an all numbers matching 68 400 4spd coupe. PWR BRAKES, PWR STEERING, TILT with a black vynil top, console. Other than that nothing else.

I have a pwr window system (factory) and some other options I can put in it. I was thinking about putting vintage air on it and deluxe interior instead of the standard. Just wanted to know what you think would happen to the value of the car if I added extra stuff that is not on the build sheet. Also I have bird glass that I can put in, I can't remember if it had it originally or not. Thanks.

If this is an "investment" that you plan to turn around and sell for a profit, then the answer is NO.

If this is car you plan to be buried in than HECK YES as you will enjoy it more with the options on it YOU would have originally ordered.

Also consider whether it can easily be put back to original if the next potential owner is a stickler for originality.

I say add... The dealer could have done it

So far the only thing that wouldn't be just a bolt on would be the vintage air system. Otherwise everything else would be an add on. I have the Ram Air system for it and that would be the only other thing that would require modification to the car. I plan on keeping the car but I also do not want to decrease the value by adding things. Just thought I'd get differant opinions before I start it. I am replacing the original brake and fuel lines with stainless, if that decrease the value I'm good with that.

I have a friend that lives in Norman OK, also by the way.

I have a very good friend who has been in the appraisal business for over 35 years. He has been in the car hobby his entire life. He is now 66 years old. He owns 7 Pontiacs and 7 Corvettes. He also sits on several boards for the car hobby as well as the appraisal business and the collector car ins. co. industry.

His opinion on adding OEM optional equipment to classic cars is this. IF you add OEM optional equipment using CORRECT OEM and or NOS and or original parts, YOU WILL NOT detract from the car's value in any way as long as these are bolt on type options (which most usually are anyway). In fact, rounding up these optional parts and adding them to the car will often make the car much more desirable to many potential buyers/collectors down the road.

On the flip side, aftermarket add-ons or hacking a car up will only detract from the value of a car. Adding vintage air is yet another thing all together because it falls somewhere in between. Although Vintage Air is often consider a bolt on item, it is not. It does require a fair amount of cutting/hacking and or altering of several areas/parts on a car. Thus in most collectors opinions will detracts from a car's value if it's something special to begin with. For example a true 400/4-speed car all matching numbers car might not be a good candidate for Vintage Air, whereas a car that was originally a 350 car and is now a 400 car would be the perfect candidate for Vintage Air conversion etc.

However, that same original numbers matching 400 car would be a great candidate for a fold down rear seat, power trunk release etc. All true bolt on items that will certainly add to the car's value and most definitely coolness factor!!!

In fact, the all original 400/4-speed convert that I am working on now we will be switching from standard interior to deluxe interior as well as adding SEVERAL OEM optional equipment to this car and we expect only increase it's value. However, we will be VERY critical in doing so as we will be using NOS/OEM parts and all the work will be done at a very high level, no butchering/hacking or "rigging"...

Take a look at today's buyers. In watching all the auctions first off us firebird owners will never get the value of a camaro unless we have something really rare or different, matching numbers or not.

Restomods seem to be the way to go. I have a bone stock all original convertible that was a one owner before me. It needs a restoration and after a lot of thought I decided to ad as many options as I could. So far added deluxe interior, installed 4 seat heaters at the time. Added nvintage air ( best idea ever), fold down rear seat,, power antenna, tilt wheel, TA steering wheel, TA gauges and Tach, better interior lighting including light beneath the front seat to light up the rear flooring..

Left the original radio in for looks wired to the das center speaker but installed kick panel and rear speakers and other stereo for better sound and iPod interface.

Just missed a cruise control on e bay last week. Trying to find info on a rear window defogger for a convertible. Conflicting info as to if it was ever made for a Firebird or not. They did for a also looking for a safeguard speedo.

Planing to add upgraded exhaust, suspension, cooling system, led lighting and engine components.

I had 2 69's when I was a teen and I am also working on upgrading the God awful instrument cluster lighting!

I want a 69 firebird that I can drive anytime anywhere as if I am getting in my daily driver pick up.

Make it something you really enjoy for you!! The younger up and comers for collecting cars are used to having the creature comforts!!!

Good luck with it and don't worry about collector value!! Enjoy the ride!!

Make it a car

I agree with all above. When I bought mine it was an easy decision. The engine had already been replaced and the car was nice but nothing special. Even with that in mind, nothing that I have done to the car couldn't be "un-done" if the person my kids sell the car to wants it totally original. some how I can't see a potential buyer saying " Gee, I wish it had a column shift and a 2bbl carb".
Build it the way it will be the most enjoyable for you and have fun.

Thanks, I was thinking about adding the options and I think that I will. The vintage air is still a very big possibility since I live in FL and it gets hot. I will still have the pieces to put it back since I have two of most items for the heating system (as long as I don't have to cut the firewall). I'll start looking for some of the other options like the fold down rear seat.

the vintage air is well worth it!!

Where abouts in FL? I am between Daytona and Orlando...

I'm in Pensacola, though currently in Bahrain.

Army or IT contractor?

Navy.

Good for you Larry! We are all very proud of people that are in the service. Once you get back at your restoration feel free to ask for help on this forum and we will do our best too help you.

My son is currently stationed in Pensacola for aviation mechanics school for the Marine Corps.

I hope that he's doing well down there. If I was back there I'd look him up.

If you want to change the spark plugs yourself ,get Vintage air! dont ask how I know! lol

I'm very familar with Factory A/C and trying to get the #2 and #4 plugs out. Not to mention the other one with the A/C lines. lol. It's amazing how small the engine compartment becomes when added with thing like pwr steering, brakes, A/C. It's actually quite big without all of the other stuff.

On the vintage air, i was very surprised how easy it was to install as compared to a factory type of replacement. It is lightweight and they offer the compressor polished (for an extra charge of course)

I was led to believe that the interior stay stock looking. Is that correct?

Larry,
Do you have your PHS docs for your car yet?

The Vintage air system keeps your A/C looking fairly stock on the inside. My only beef is the system is completely closed (no fresh air inlet to system).

Factory A/C is rare for Firebirds (esp Verts) so I'm going to do my best to get the original system working for my vert.

I would get the aftermarket for a driver.

IMO

I do have the PHS docs for the car. The only options that I remember off the top of my head the car came with was:
Tilt
PWR Steering (man for tilt)
PWR Brakes
Console
AM
I think that is all, the DOCs are back in P-cola. I had thought about putting Factory A/C and then remembered the Firewall issue and I'm not going to cut the firewall for A/C.

My dad had a 67 400, that was pretty loaded for a 67, remote mirror, turbo 400, deluxe interior, wood wheel, a/c and the list goes on. It was a very nice car after he got done with it. It's a long story on how he came up with it.

Larry,
I have a 69 coupe that came with factory air, though non functional. I bought an aftermarket A/C from a company I think called classic air out of Florida for the coupe and it looks very much like to original. It still sits in the box as I am not sure if I am just going to get rid of the coupe as I bought the Vert which is what I really want and I bought the vintage air unit for it and love it.

The only noticiable change is the center vent assebly, the 2 vents that sit in the center look like they came out of a 71 Pinto! Now with that being said, they function better as they can be split to driver and passenger rather than just blowing the air straight back like the factory vent does

Thanks, I wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to have to modify my console.

Call vintage and talk to them they were very helpful

What other options are you looking to add?

I currently have a Ram Air system for it, and PWR Window. I am thinking about adding Deluxe interior ( I like the Door Panels better) and would like to add a folddown rear seat. Other than that I don't think that there is anything else I would add. I am going to add an AM/FM from Classic (I know not orignal, but should sound good). I can't remember if it's a posi, but if it isn't that would be the last thing.

Sounds great! I added the fold down seat PW, PDL vintage air , 8 track and also heated seats. So far interior wise

Its funny when you look at the cost of factory air back then. At first glance it looks really cheap but when you realize its almost 10% of the cost of the car, it was quite the pricey option. Can you imagine spending 10% of the car cost today on factory air, that would be a $3000 - $4000 option.

I can understand that. I guess that is why most of them don't have it. CA really didn't need it, especially around San Diego. I would think most of the car that got it were destend for the South. But you would think twice today about buying a car without Air over one that had Air. In fact you would probably have to special order the car to have them leave it off.

My coupe shows the AC option from PHS as 379.99 and the price of the car with all the options it has as $3,818.10

I also just realized the A/C was a more expensive option then the upgrade to a 400 engine or even the cost to add an automatic transmission

<I don't think that there is anything else I would add>

What about an electric trunk release? I have never seen one for sale, so that may be a factor.

I have one but I didn't use it because the lor paint on the strike doesn't match the los paint in the trunk.

I have owned/been partial to it since 1977, but I might let it go if the money was right, or someone caught me in the right mood.

Mine came with one (electric Trunk Release)and it shows in the options catalog. My other one I bought off of EBay for $35.00 for my coupe

Power trunk release is one of the easiest bolt on items that once you have it on your car you will wonder how you ever went without it. It's the first thing we do when we back into our spot each and every time we arrive at a cruise night or car show, pop the trunk! Add one to your car and you will love it! The average going price for a working unit for a FGF would be anything less than $75. Anything more than that in this current market would be high. A couple of years ago, they would pull more, but not now. This is a BUYERS market!!!

Tilt wheel is the other option I can not imagine not having. They are the nuts! I have one here for the 68 conv bird I will soon be working on, in the process of rounding up a power seat for it now!

Earlybird,
There is a power seat that seems to pop up on ebay every few weeks. The guy want $999.00 for it. I think that you can buy power seat tracks from an older Pontiac and bolt them up to the seat. I just found a pair and am waiting for them to arrive. I will let you know how it goes.

Also I have a feind that builds special tilt steering columns. He is doing one with tilt and telescoping right now. He is also doing one for me with tilt and the cruise control switch as I am planning on adding the cruise control