[DML] Re: Chevy Engine swap

["ryanpwright" <dmcnews_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

David,

> I figured I might get someone upset with my comment. 

Nope - I wasn't upset at all. My apologies if you got that impression.

> after that! IMHO the more you deviate from stock (in general) the
> lower the value of the car. Service becomes a major issue as does 
> the quality of the work and the reliability and where do you get 
> the parts and just what kind? 

"In general", I tend to agree. However, there are plenty of exceptions
to this. For example, I just sold an '86 Pontiac Fiero with a
supercharged 3.8l engine swap. Added 80-100hp over stock. I got about
double the blue book value for it - the car had a lot of custom work
and the price reflected that.

Look at these kids and their Hondas... Some of these guys pour tens of
thousands into those things, and while they never get their money back
out of it, they do sell for significantly more than stock. Getting
your import to run the quarter mile in 10 seconds tends to make it
worth quite a bit more than it otherwise would be.

> "chevy engine". You MUST have model, make, and year. Many of the 
> parts will be custom fabricated so now where do you go for them? 
> Some buyers may either not care or realize what they are getting 
> themselves into.

Getting parts is no big deal. When I needed engine parts for the Fiero
I bought them for a '92 Bonneville. Owning a custom vehicle like this
isn't for the faint of heart - if you want something fixed, you
generally have to do it yourself, as most mechanics won't touch it.
When you're already in that mindset re-fabricating broken custom parts
isn't an issue.

Your point on buyers is valid. Custom work, especially major items
like engine swaps, will tend to reduce your target market. This does
not mean it reduces the value of the car. Case in point, with my
Fiero, I literally had dozens and dozens of guys from various forums
emailing me virtual drool. Many begging for trades or a lower price.
The price was simply out of reach of most Fiero shoppers, just as a
$30k+ DeLorean is out of reach of most DeLorean shoppers (let's face
it - most of us went looking with a $15k-$20k budget).

Many buyers also don't have the ability or resources to fix these
things, and that further reduces your market. So yeah, it would be
harder to sell, but with today's virtual marketplaces that situation
is vastly improved. I sold my Fiero on eBay the second time around. A
custom DeLorean with engine enough for a 10 second quarter mile would
fetch a hefty price.

As you can tell I've got no problem with engine swaps. In fact I
prefer them when they're done right. If my PRV ever dies, and assuming
I have a month to dedicate to a big project, I'll almost certainly
shoot for a 400hp+ swap. Why, because I can.

-Ryan








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