im trying to gauge if a car is worth picking up. I’ve been doing a lot of digging but the valuations are all over the map. How desirable is this model? It seems like showroom don’t go much over 20k. If you found one in good shape with little to no rust what would you be thinking on offering? Motor runs great, 4 barrel, interior in great shape.

 

Pictures tell a thousand words. Please provide LOTS, or a link to a for sale ad, and the folks here can give you some good guidance.

 

 

I was really trying to get a feel for what the market is like on these with it not being a 442.

 

4-speed would be a plus. W31 would be a HUGE plus, possibly pushing its worth above a "plain" 442 'vert (only 60-some '69 W31 'verts were built........the only year you could get a 'vert w/ the W31 option). Other than that, $20K is around what I'd expect a '69 4-bbl Cutlass S 'vert w/ AT to run in near perfect shape. While those wheels are sweet, they don't really add any value from a collector's standpoint.

 

I appreciate the response. It is not a W-31 but is automatic with buckets in front.

 

Buckets were standard equipment in Cutlass convertibles for the 1969 model year. The bench seat was available as a credit option, but the bench is actually less common. Unfortunately one small photo does not allow anyone here to provide a valid opinion on value. You can check on-line resources yourself as far as selling price, just be aware that sites like the Old Cars Price Guide and Haggerty tend to skew high on value because they only track major auction sales. There is no way that they can gather reliable data on private party sales. Checking completed auctions on ebay is probably the most accurate source of value, but the first thing you'll find when you do that is that the high dollar cars rarely sell on ebay.

The bottom line is that without a detailed understanding of how much rust repair is under that repaint and how well the work was done and what else the car needs, there is no way to provide an accurate value estimate.

 

I appreciate the insight. Paint was not in good shape, not original color, and was going to need more work than it’s probably worth.

 

Outside of engine work, body and paint work is the most expensive part of restoring a car and affect worth considerably. The other thing that would determine price is how much of the drivetrain, suspension, and interior work is required. An unmaintained car can also be very expensive to repair.