No love for the hot airs

jbeier

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
I gotta say, I'm starting to get annoyed with the lack of appreciation for the hot air cars. Nobody wants a hot air car, even if it's not hot air anymore. I get people responding to my ad (on FB marketplace) saying they'll show up with cash and buy it for my asking price, then they realize it's an '84 and suddenly they don't even want it at all. We can't even get half of what the '86-'87 cars go for. 11-15 grand for an '86 but I can't get 7 for my 42K mile '84 with good mods running 12's, and a mint condition stock interior. I think I'm just gonna sell the roller and put the drivetrain in an old Datsun or something and have fun running 10's.
 
You should wait out the market if your car is as clean as you say. If numbers match, its time will come.
I gotta say, I'm starting to get annoyed with the lack of appreciation for the hot air cars. Nobody wants a hot air car, even if it's not hot air anymore. I get people responding to my ad (on FB marketplace) saying they'll show up with cash and buy it for my asking price, then they realize it's an '84 and suddenly they don't even want it at all. We can't even get half of what the '86-'87 cars go for. 11-15 grand for an '86 but I can't get 7 for my 42K mile '84 with good mods running 12's, and a mint condition stock interior. I think I'm just gonna sell the roller and put the drivetrain in an old Datsun or something and have fun running 10's.

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do no do anything rash. hot air cars can be a lot of fun. ive had mine for 33 years . a 12 second hot air is very repectabile at the track even against a intercooled car. for sure against a mustang. john
 
. I think I'm just gonna sell the roller and put the drivetrain in an old Datsun or something and have fun running 10's.

Do you realize the work to put a Buick motor in that ?? Then u would have a Datsun not work anything. IF ya did ...do a intercooled set up to make it worth while performance wise. It will still be a tuff car to sell. Or keep the car an wait 10 years. Prices should be up to $7k by then. :cool:
 
Do you realize the work to put a Buick motor in that ?? Then u would have a Datsun not work anything. IF ya did ...do a intercooled set up to make it worth while performance wise. It will still be a tuff car to sell. Or keep the car an wait 10 years. Prices should be up to $7k by then. :cool:


Mine is intercooled already, and I have no complaints about performance. My main issue is the lack of value compared to an '86-'87 car. It makes little sense to me why the '84-'85 cars are worth so much less, even if they are brought up to '86-'87 standards and beyond. Sure, It'll never be a good car for someone who wants a bone stock garage queen, but for someone that wants a modified driver, we still get the shaft. And putting this motor in a small car is not a problem......I'm a fabricator. I've done plenty of V8 swaps, and this is a tiny thing compared to that, lol.
 
Mine is intercooled already, and I have no complaints about performance. My main issue is the lack of value compared to an '86-'87 car. It makes little sense to me why the '84-'85 cars are worth so much less, even if they are brought up to '86-'87 standards and beyond. Sure, It'll never be a good car for someone who wants a bone stock garage queen, but for someone that wants a modified driver, we still get the shaft. And putting this motor in a small car is not a problem......I'm a fabricator. I've done plenty of V8 swaps, and this is a tiny thing compared to that, lol.

Well a die hard hot air guy wants it stock.. A modified swap lots of people will be afraid of it not knowing if it was done right. We had 2 hot air cars here.. 80 Buick and an 85. The 85 was crappy evan as a parts car. Do the Datsun !! It will be a $$$$ pit.. 10's would be a walk in the park. Been there an still spending on a RX7.:p
 
I have had mine for 19 years Restoration and Changed to intercooled 2002
would not trade for a 87 Get lots of thumbs up
 
Someone will pay 7000 for that, I paid 6500 for my 84 2 years ago and it has 175k on it and surface rust pock marks on most of the panels. Had I found something like what you are selling I would have jumped on it.
 
About 4 years ago there was a 2007 corvette setting next to the 84 GN wife's car
said I had to many restriction for her to drive no rain bad weather etc,
14,000 mile sold gone in 4 days Lemans blue LT2 Cashmere interior very rare in non Z06
 
About 12 years ago the 84 was at a car wash, next to a viper with paper plates. A few people came over to look and talk about the GN for about 30 min. Guy in the viper wasn't happy . . . . But that's how it goes.

The only reason the HA's don't get respect is due to opinions and goals.
Stop and think for a sec how the b4black crowd feels about love . . . .

If you want or need a 10 second car, convert it . . . Even though it's been done. Chop it up, convert it, LS, turbo diesel . . .
We all need to do what makes us happy.

Back under my rock . . .
 
Had my '84 since 1988 - lots of issues over the years - kept it bone stock and drove it to Florida and back from Canada for last 8 years. Daily driver. Not perfect shape but still love it. Still turns heads and prompts offers to buy.
 
I have worked on many hot air Regals for many years, BUT now many critical parts are not available, and with their age they have more "gremlins" than intercooled Regals, especially wiring.

That last one was here for months to chase a wiring issue as a local shop did a butcher-job on a no-start condition. After 100+ man-hours of labor, we got it running and charged only $1000.

Unless the owner wants to convert it to intercooled, an 1984-5 will never again be in my driveway?
 
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