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I have a 1964 fairlane 500 coupe. Its all original and correct and I wonder if I can get more selling it as a Thunderbolt clone or just leaving it stock. Ive seen clones that were well done go for 40k. I would be lucky to get 10k for it now but not sure. Anyone have an idea? thanks
Bait the market, throw it on craigslist... Ask like $15 or so and see what kind of offers you get... No need to commit, it's craigslist... yeah yeah I know, seems scummy but this is coming someone who has only BOUGHT, items on craiglist and have encountered such behavior more than a few times. I don't mind, I think it's fair game... there are still great deals on there if you look hard enough. But for the op I think it would be a great way to investigate investments. And if you don't get any big offers you can move on to a higher price!
My guess is that it would cost you more coin to make it into a "factory correct clone" for a lack of better terms, than what you'd get out of it.
I'd just leave it as is and sell it as is. I wouldn't bother cloning it unless you planned on keeping it.
Those Thunderbolts were pretty kick ass cars, especially in their time. Would be awesome if Ford brought them back and utilized the original formula: big engine in a lightweight car devoid of any options, except for if you wanted an automatic w/a (I think) 5k stall converter or a 4 speed manual...and if you wanted a 4.56 rear gear or a 4.71. Just as long as Ford didn't lose their ass on them, and we'd need more than just 100 models built.
Turning it into a clone would be good if you were planning on keeping it. Even if you are doing the work yourself, the amount of money you would have to spend to make it a "correct clone" would probably be more than you would be able to sell the car for. You would have to put the correct engine in it, do the suspension over, etc. The Thunderbolts bodies were also modified with the help of a company called Dearborn Steel Tubing. They actually had to move the shock (strut) towers in order to fit a big block (427-the cost of this engine alone would set you back quite a bit of money) in it and do extensive modifications to the front end. As stated, if you did the work yourself, the amount of time and money you would have to put into it would not turn you a profit when the time comes to sell it. Add to this the fact that they only made 100 of these cars in 1964 and you can bet that there will be some parts that you will not even be able to find to make it a correct clone.
I had a 1965 Fairlane 500 and was going to put a big block in it for myself, not to sell as a clone of anything but I wound up selling the car with the original straight six engine as is while opting to spend the money on finishing my 1968 Chrysler Newport. People do not realize the amount of money it takes to fix the old cars up even if you do the work yourself. I have over $10,000 in my Newport so far and will probably be around $15,000 when I am finished with it. I do nearly all of the work myself. The only thing I paid to have done was having two rot holes in the quarters patched with metal (no bondo job on this car). I will also be paying to have the paint done. I also paid to have the 727 transmission rebuilt. I had someone I am friends with who owns a shop do the rot holes and put the car in epoxy primer. I paid nearly nothing for it. The transmission cost me $400 to have rebuilt by the same friend's shop. I plan on doing one more project car after this one is done and I plan on tackling all of the body work on my next project by myself.
As for the 383 big block engine, I have installed Edelbrock aluminum heads, an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, a 770 cfm Speed Demon carb., a pretty radical Purple Cam, MSD billet distributor and ignition system, TTI headers as well as other goodies. The heads alone cost me $1,300. I just pulled the leaking radiator and will be bringing it to a radiator shop to be repaired. I still have to fix the headlights (wiring issue) and change the rear wheel cylinders (which I just bought-took a few months to find them) to get it road worthy so I can put it on my trailer and take it for paint.
Once it is painted I will be saving money to put a posi-unit and larger gears in the 8 3/4 rear. I also plan on eventually putting a disc brake conversion on the front (I found a conversion kit for $1,100). I probably would not be able to sell this car for the amount of money I will have into it but I do not care since I am doing the car for my own enjoyment and not as an investment. I hope I will never have to sell it and can give it to one of my children when they are grown.
I would be surprised if anyone is going to sell a Thunderbolt clone for $40,000 if it is not done as an exact clone which, as already stated, would probably cost more than $40,000 to do. Maybe at a Barrett Jackson auction but in the real world I do not see it happening. I sold my two door 1965 Fairlane 500 for $1,600 on ebay about three years ago. I paid $1,300 for it about two years before that. The car had a good running straight six and had no body rot. The only rot was a hole in the driver side torque box that did not even spread up into the floor. The interior was in very good condition as well. The dashboard was excellent and was never cut for the radio. It had the original AM radio in it as well. I only mention this due to the fact that many old cars have had the dashboard cut at some time in their life for an after market radio.
I live on Long Island in New York and go to many car shows each year to sell car parts-for some time I was buying old rust buckets for $1,000 or less, stripping them down and selling the parts on ebay and at swap meets; I would tend to make a profit of anywhere between $600 and $4000 depending on the car-the best was a 1971 Charger I paid $500 for -I sold the just the hideaway headlights with the grill for $800. In any case, at the shows I have been to, for a 1964 Fairlane to sell for $10,000 it would have to be close to show car condition. I have seen people asking between $3,500 and $5,000 in nice driving condition with no rot-not show quality, but definitely nice.
Just for the record, this post is not being written in a way to talk down to you or anything like that. I am simply trying to give some advice from someone who has dealt with old cars for some time and is currently doing a money loving project at the moment. My suggestion is to sell the car you have as is.
From what I was told by a friend that made a T-Bolt clone, Ford doesn't allow anyone to make any after market parts for the 64 Fairlane because of the clone issue. Don't know if that is true or not.
Parts are all but impossible to get, so if you have an intact car the parts alone are worth a lot.
As said before it would cost more to build a correct car than it is worth, but if you want one and plan to keep it then what is that worth to you?
Just like the Z/28 the aura surrounding the car is one thing to admire, living with and trying to drive and enjoy on the street, a car that is purpose built for racing is not as much fun as you might think.
The 65 fairlane is considered an odd ball and ugly and you cant compare its value to the 64 .
I was not actually comparing the two year vehicles. This is why I sold my car for $1,600 and I see people asking between $2,500 and $6,000 for 1964 Fairlanes in the comparable condition to what my car was in. The 1965 was the same size as the 1964 and the same modifications would have to be made to both to drop a big block into either one of them. They did also make a handful of Thunderbolts in the 1965 model year. I believe the number was around 7 or so.
i saw one being offered as much as 55k, 1964 ford fairlane thunderbolt clone, you should weigh and take the return on your investment into consideration, if the return would be more favorable then go for it.
Yes it is a decision to spend 10 more hoping to get 25 more later.. If I can find a solid 429 engine and tranny cheap I might just try it. I can do about 80% of the total work myself but it is a BIG project. Being a coupe it would look good but not correct....
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