67 435 intake repops??????

[Norris W.]

We just got back from Daytona and an intake manifold vendor there said that somebody's repopped the 67 435 intakes. He made it sound like they were floatin' around everywhere. True or false????

Some other guy had some alum. Pontiac tri power repops that he says he has done himself (real nice incidentally) and was sellin' em for about 500 bucks. He said that he didn't think the demand would be there for a 435 intake and hadn't heard of it being done.

Side note: I couldn't follow his reasoning....... An alum Pontiac intake that wouldn't be correct for anything since the originals were cast iron was worth doing, but an alum 435 that might be attractive to half the resto-rod folks on the planet wouldn't generate the numbers necessary???? I mean, how many resto rodders want a Pontiac motor, and how many purists would settle for an alum. repop? Seems like the 435 intake would outnumber it 1000 to 1.

[William C.]

Re: 67 435 intake repops??????

Yes they are for sale on eBay regularly now...There was a previous post on this in the past week

[larry linkous]

Re: 67 435 intake repops??????

Yes they are, and they are getting ready to do 351 blocks and all the head castings for the that block. Saw the mold's myself for the blocks and heads and the setup is quite inpressive. They have a computer laser , that if you laided a quarter on the intake, it would copy it also right down to the lines in the hair and then cast it. Thanks Larry

[Steve B.]

Re: 67 435 intake repops??????

The thought of repop blocks and intakes really bugs me because there are already way too many bogused up 435s out there. I guess there will now be 20000 435s instead of 5000! I also realise that the true pedigreed cars are well known within the Corvette community but I still think that this hurts the hobby because some unsuspecting person will pay way too much for a bogus car and will leave the hobby for good. I suspect that this has already happened far too many times unforunatly.

[Norris W.]

Re: 67 435 intake repops??????

I'm with you on that Steve, at least to a certain extent. I've got 2 67 435's with THE original engines, so I guess I'm about as sensitive, or at least as directly effected by it as anybody. (I don't sell my stuff, so really don't care much about the value, maybe my kids will one day) Problem is, seems like the parts *****s are winnin' the war with 5 thousand plus dollar tri power set ups, and I know of at least one original 435 car with the original block that's sportin' an Edelbrock and 850 Holley because the guy just ain't gonna spring the outrageous bucks for a correct setup for a car that he's keeping forever. What a shame. Anyhow, if the things get to be readily available, maybe my buddy will spring for one for his old car or either the market may come to some sane price for an original. In reality I think we've got about as much of a chance of slowin' down the forgeries as we do of slowin' down the Mexicans crossin' the border illegally. Only way it really works is if GM turns the documents loose. (I've never believed they no longer exist, but some with a lot more access than I have believe it strongly)

[Steve B.]

Re: 67 435 intake repops??????

Norris, I also have 435 cars along with an L88 all with their original drivetrains. I have no intention on selling my cars as well but I am concerned what effect that these repop parts will have on the hobby I love. I am not in it for the money but I do hate seeing the unsupecting buyer get taken advantage of by the con man. One last thing is that I would be absolutely overjoyed if the vehicle records did exist in some form. When Jim Mattison was working on it in 2003 I was very confident that they would be released through the Car shipper copy. Since Kurt Ritter left his post at GM Jim has not had the support of Mr Ritters sucessor so now I have a feeling that even if the car shippers exist that the information will not be compiled. I hope that I am wrong on this.

[Mark #28455]

Blocks aren't the limiting factor

There were already tons more 351 blocks out there than needed to make up a bunch of new 435 HP Corvettes as these blocks were also used in the Impala line (just add 4 bolt mains). Up 'till now, the limiting factor was the intakes, I guess it'll soon be the carbs.

Go figure! I guess the prices for a 435 HP car will soon come into line with the rest of the hobby as anybody will soon be able to build their own. But then again, is a 435 really worth $200,000?

Mark

[William V.]

Re: Blocks aren't the limiting factor

The availability of repro parts make documentation one of the most important parts of a high end car.

[Gordon Peterson #4961]

Re: Blocks aren't the limiting factor

The availability of repro documentation makes this entire discussion moot. Pretty soon, any 435, no, make that any big block, will be suspect despite its apparent pedigree. Sad.

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: Blocks aren't the limiting factor

that is so true, one can get fake order copies POP ect.. you can build the car of your dreams. then get the papers that say so.

[mike cobine]

Re: Blocks aren't the limiting factor

This all goes back to comments I've made here time and again. The genie is out of the bottle; there is no getting it back in. So at this point in time, you should buy a car based on the quality of the work, if it has what you want, and how it runs.

Buying based on originality is a foolish move at this point in time in most cases.

For every person spending money to detect real from fake, there are just as many spending even more money to make undetectable fakes. Making a $100,000 or more is a great incentive to be really good at making a fake.

If you buy a car because it has the equipment you want and you like it, you won't be disappointed.

If you buy it because it is a rare original, you stand a good chance of being really disappointed.

[loren smith]

Re: Blocks aren't the limiting factor

You can see a collorary in the sport autograph market. You can't fetch the big money you otherwise should for a rare or desirable sports autograph (i.e. Lou Gehrig, Michael Jordan), because there are so many forgeries and authentication is not an exact science.