64starfire

Ok....So I'm really wanting to put this 700r4 in my Starfire. But finances have changed...and to boot I'm moving to FL. I very well could be using the starfire to tow the moving trailer. With having to run 91 octane and already crappy mpg, the OD trans would be nice. Which leads to....

The slim jim trans in it is pretty freshly rebuilt. Like last year rebuilt. It's the orginal case and everything. The original heads came with the car, but need work to go back on...repair work i think the guy said. Frankly I really don't care about the original trans. It cost $2600 to rebuild/install, and that was with a new or rebuilt flywheel.

I want to see if the orginal builder of the slim jim will build the 700r4 in exchange for the slim jim trans...maybe even install.

But if people think it's really that important to keep the old parts, then maybe I'll reconsider. I'm not really excited about lugging around the extra trans too. I'm open to selling it, but for a Starfire, I don't see all original being that important. I know Chargers, Chevelle's etc...people get excited about number matching.. but for this car...what do you think?

FYI edit....this car does not have the original wheels, it has some some very tasteful aftermarket wheels. I don't even have the original wheels to try and get correct caps for.

wmachine

Depends on what you expect to do with the car in the long run, keeping or selling?
I take it you're asking as far a value goes? If you're keeping the car in condition more like a "show car", then matching is more important. Kept as a "driver", it is less of a value impact.
"It can only be original once", so if you think it may be important in the future, keep the old trans.

joe_padavano

An all original car will always be worth more than a customized one. Having said that, unless you have the protect-o-plate, there's nothing for your numbers to "match". And if you do the swap correctly, don't hack anything up, and keep all the original parts, the car can always be put back to stock.

64starfire

Well what everyone's said I already knew. I guess I was wondering just how much. There doesn't seem to big that big of a demand for the Starfire, so a numbers matching may be worth more but really how much more.

I think I'm going to go ahead and keep the old trans, and if money really gets that tight, I'll sell the trans if I'm really going to keep it.

But anyone with inputs, feel free.

442much

Some, if not most or all appraisers will appraise a vechile and take into consideration what original parts are in the owners possesion. A friend of mine dropped a GM crate engine into his car. When appraiser came ove to his house to look at the car he showed him the original numbers mataching 455 on an engine stand, His car was appraised as if the original engine was in the car.

Cars don't depreciate or go up in value unless you want to sell them. Drive a new car off the lot and it doesnt depreciate if you keep it 30 years. If you try to sell it a week later get ready to take a hit.

If this car is a keeper do what you want. It's your car, enjoy it to the fullest. Get the most pleasure out of it that you can. One day you'll be too old to drive and wished you'ld done to it what you wanted.

Nick the Greek broke that bank at Monto Carlo and won $15 million that night many years ago. When he died a friend said to me " Poor guy, only had $100,00 left." I said, "He would have been a poor guy if he had had $14.9 million left when he died...at least he enjoyed himself." Enjoy yourself.

joe_padavano

Let me add to this that if the OD trans swap means the car will be driven more, by all means do it. The absolute worst thing you can do to a car is to let it sit without driving it.

wmachine

X2!
No sense in having it if you can't enjoy it.
I think you're on the right track, in that it won't make a huge difference in the value, so pony up to the bar, and have it any way you want it!

daves62

x3
its yours drive and enjoy
just don't ask how to put a 454 in it

nickd

Will the protectoplate show the numbers that should be stamped on my 65 olds Jetstar 1?

wmachine

Nick, please start a new thread with that question and I'll be able to give you a complete decode of your POP. Post the POP info, or a pic of the POP, or e-mail it to me if you don't want to post it.

PetChemMan

If the slightly better fuel economy from using an overdrive transmission is your goal, it would be a lot cheaper to install taller ( numerically lower) differential gears in your Olds rear axle. You could do that easily with stock parts .
The Slim Jim transmission has such a "stump puller" first gear that your low speed acceleration wouldn't suffer much. Overall, however, I don't think that either the transmission swap or the rear axle change is worth doing. Keep the car like it is , and enjoy it !