When I've got the money ready to look for a car, I'm going to want to have one with a/c (that's pretty much a requirement in South Florida).

I'd love to have a numbers matching car, but would adding the vintage air a/c package to that type of car really hurt the value of it?

I'd hate to pay a premium to have a numbers matching car only to ruin that by modifying it. I think that if done right, the a/c could be removed with almost no trace of it (if you wanted to go back to stock), but since I don't know what's involved in the a/c install, I'm not sure.

Should I look for a numbers matching car & not worry about it...or should I not pay a premium for it since the a/c install will make the value drop?

From what I can see, in my budget range of mid to high 30's, I should be able to find a nice RS/SS number matching car (right?). I think a z is going to be out of my reach.

I keep reading everything you guys are saying in this section and it's helping me learn, so I appreciate that.

...good question. My initial answer (since most looking for a numbers matching car are more 'purists') is that it's not going to help the price. I guess indirectly that implies it might/could hurt the price, ..but how much? ...I'm not sure.
What if you found a 'real' car (ie. RS/SS) where, ...maybe it didn't have a #'s matching drivetrain (you might avoid some of the 'premium'), ...and wouldn't feel as 'bad' about altering it with the A/C add-on.
If you're concerned with having A/C (and I'm not saying you shouldn't be), ...I'm guessing you're going to want to drive the car, ...why worry about #'s matching?

...just some thoughts...

IMO, it sort of depends on why you're buying the car, and how long you plan on keeping it. I went through this same dilemma when I bought my '68. I considered non-numbers matching cars, but obviously when I found one with a matching engine, it piqued my interest and I usually looked a little closer at it.

What I ended up buying was a numbers matching '68 SS396 that did not have factory air. I have since added Vintage Air to it. Did the value decline? Well, in Texas, I don't think so... to all except for maybe the strong purists. Here, in the summer heat, it's more valuable to have A/C, whether factory or not, than not to have it. For the average guy, I think it's actually worth more this way. When I was shopping around, I personally considered cars with A/C to have higher value to me personally, regardless of whether factory or not.

And the way I look at it... I didn't buy the car to sell it. I bought it to enjoy it, and I'll enjoy it a lot more with A/C. Plus, I didn't hack the car up in any way to add the A/C, so I can always convert it back to original in 5 years or 10 years or whatever.. should I find that the buyers at that time favor factory correct more than the comfort of A/C.

Just my $0.02.

~Bob

We do a lot of them, and long story short sicnce it is a true bolt in, keep the old parts. It probably won't hurt value in a numbers matching driver, but would in a Concourse 1000 point show car. Just assume the $2500 you spend to have Vintage Air installed is gone as it probably will not increase value, but should not hurt it either since the parts are worth way mmore then the labor to switch it back to stock.

IMO, it sort of depends on why you're buying the car, and how long you plan on keeping it. I went through this same dilemma when I bought my '68. I considered non-numbers matching cars, but obviously when I found one with a matching engine, it piqued my interest and I usually looked a little closer at it.

What I ended up buying was a numbers matching '68 SS396 that did not have factory air. I have since added Vintage Air to it. Did the value decline? Well, in Texas, I don't think so... to all except for maybe the strong purists. Here, in the summer heat, it's more valuable to have A/C, whether factory or not, than not to have it. For the average guy, I think it's actually worth more this way. When I was shopping around, I personally considered cars with A/C to have higher value to me personally, regardless of whether factory or not.

And the way I look at it... I didn't buy the car to sell it. I bought it to enjoy it, and I'll enjoy it a lot more with A/C. Plus, I didn't hack the car up in any way to add the A/C, so I can always convert it back to original in 5 years or 10 years or whatever.. should I find that the buyers at that time favor factory correct more than the comfort of A/C.

Just my $0.02.

~Bob

I'd agree with that. my 69 is a non A/C car, for the most part I try and drive it in the evenings when it starts to cool down. It gets so hot here in the summer you can't touch the body metal, the steering wheel is so hot you can't touch it and the seats burn the back of your legs, A/C is a must. Mine is not numbers matching so it doesn't matter to me. I wouldn't put A/C on a concourse show car but anything else you bet.

Great...you're all thinking along the same lines as me. I wouldn't expect the car to go up in value, but wouldn't want it to lose 10k in value because I wanted to be comfortable.