67 GT500 Thermostat housing

[68stangcjfb]

Realistically, what is the going rate for one of these in good condition?

[shelbydoug]

"Realistically"? THERE IS NO PRICE BOOK ON PARTS. If you are selling, you ask a price that you think it is worth. If you are buying you spend what you can. PERIOD.

To state a price here is just setting in motion a bunch of price scalpers who think they have a million dollar item.

If you want one. Place a "wanted to buy" ad. There are some here that do have some for sale. They will contact you in a PM and make you an offer. The same, if you are selling.

Eventually what will probably happen is one of the reproduction companies like Drake or Blue Thunder will make a fairly accurate reproduction. At that point if you paid a million for it, it will become apparent that you likely had paid too much? 

[tonys_shelby]

I just purchased one for $250 if that helps.

[Bob Gaines]

"Realistically"? THERE IS NO PRICE BOOK ON PARTS. If you are selling, you ask a price that you think it is worth. If you are buying you spend what you can. PERIOD.

To state a price here is just setting in motion a bunch of price scalpers who think they have a million dollar item.

If you want one. Place a "wanted to buy" ad. There are some here that do have some for sale. They will contact you in a PM and make you an offer. The same, if you are selling.

Eventually what will probably happen is one of the reproduction companies like Drake or Blue Thunder will make a fairly accurate reproduction. At that point if you paid a million for it, it will become apparent that you likely had paid too much? 

Drake made a very close looking reproduction a few years back but discontinued it for unknown reasons.

[68stangcjfb]

"Realistically"? THERE IS NO PRICE BOOK ON PARTS. If you are selling, you ask a price that you think it is worth. If you are buying you spend what you can. PERIOD.

To state a price here is just setting in motion a bunch of price scalpers who think they have a million dollar item.

If you want one. Place a "wanted to buy" ad. There are some here that do have some for sale. They will contact you in a PM and make you an offer. The same, if you are selling.

Eventually what will probably happen is one of the reproduction companies like Drake or Blue Thunder will make a fairly accurate reproduction. At that point if you paid a million for it, it will become apparent that you likely had paid too much? 

I asked what I thought was a simple, non combative question. I have one in good condition. I don't need it for anything I own or plan on owning anytime soon. I would just like to get a fair price for it. I'm not a parts dealer. Recently I brought a part to a show for sale for what I knew was a good price because I got a good deal on it and I didn't want to beat anybody over the head. Someone comes over and chews me down 30% more with a sob story of how he really really needs the part for his project. So I sell it to him just to see him in another show with MY part for DOUBLE what I was originally asking for it. People like that ruin the hobby for everybody else. Ok. My venting is over.

[shelbydoug]

"Realistically"? THERE IS NO PRICE BOOK ON PARTS. If you are selling, you ask a price that you think it is worth. If you are buying you spend what you can. PERIOD.

To state a price here is just setting in motion a bunch of price scalpers who think they have a million dollar item.

If you want one. Place a "wanted to buy" ad. There are some here that do have some for sale. They will contact you in a PM and make you an offer. The same, if you are selling.

Eventually what will probably happen is one of the reproduction companies like Drake or Blue Thunder will make a fairly accurate reproduction. At that point if you paid a million for it, it will become apparent that you likely had paid too much? 

I asked what I thought was a simple, non combative question. I have one in good condition. I don't need it for anything I own or plan on owning anytime soon. I would just like to get a fair price for it. I'm not a parts dealer. Recently I brought a part to a show for sale for what I knew was a good price because I got a good deal on it and I didn't want to beat anybody over the head. Someone comes over and chews me down 30% more with a sob story of how he really really needs the part for his project. So I sell it to him just to see him in another show with MY part for DOUBLE what I was originally asking for it. People like that ruin the hobby for everybody else. Ok. My venting is over.

It has NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING COMBATIVE. Ask what you want for it.

As far as selling it for too reasonable a price and having it resold for more, I learned that 40 years ago. I've seen items purchased on the same day and place and put up for sale for much higher prices.

The issue is, there really is NO GOING RATE.


I just had a guy tell me, "look. I do this for a living. That's what this thing is worth." Really? Is it in the Kelly Blue Book?

I was interested in a 67 428 bell house. It was being advertised for $725. I made him an offer for $375. To say the least, he got really effing nasty. He wound up selling it six weeks later for $400.

There is NO BOOK VALUE on anything like this.


I wouldn't expect to be able to get a thermostat housing for $250 today. I would think I'd probably have to go to about $375 BUT for that it better be to die for and with a very legible and "correct for me" casting date. With these housings you have to take what you can get. That's the rub.

...and yes, it isn't uncommon for some to want more than $500 for them.


Personally I'd go for a reproduction. Few are going to crawl in there and read the casting numbers. Not sane people anyway. 

Mr.Gaines delegates that out to one of the assistant judges.  The hose covers half of the casting number and the only thing you can see is the dimple for the casting date and that is often illegible anyway? 


I'd think that you would need to post high resolution pics showing the condition and the casting date details. A lot of those period castings are now porous through the casting itself. If they are, they will pressure test good and will develop a drip that you can't find. Then what do you do with your $500 housing?

[68stangcjfb]

For those interested in the thermostat housing, it has been sold.

[1967 eight barrel]

That's a C8AE. He has it listed as such. It's also not as easy as machining. I used an OE C8AE  that hadn't been threaded for the vacuum fitting.
It requires hand shaping. I then restored the texture so it matched the porous texture on the housing then blasted it a second time to blend.
It takes hours to make it look identical. The Scott Drake offering won't get it done.

[shelbydoug]

That's a C8AE. He has it listed as such. It's also not as easy as machining. I used an OE C8AE  that hadn't been threaded for the vacuum fitting.
It requires hand shaping. I then restored the texture so it matched the porous texture on the housing then blasted it a second time to blend.
It takes hours to make it look identical. The Scott Drake offering won't get it done.

Did you take pictures of how yours came out? I promise I won't make any snide remarks or embarrass you? 

I think what Bob was referring to is that Drake actually had made a very small run of the '67 housings and just discontinued them in favor of undrilled 68 castings? I don't think that I ever heard of an explanation as to why but maybe it's just something simple like the molds broke and to sell a few to wackos like me just isn't worth it?

[Bob Gaines]

That's a C8AE. He has it listed as such. It's also not as easy as machining. I used an OE C8AE  that hadn't been threaded for the vacuum fitting.
It requires hand shaping. I then restored the texture so it matched the porous texture on the housing then blasted it a second time to blend.
It takes hours to make it look identical. The Scott Drake offering won't get it done.

Did you take pictures of how yours came out? I promise I won't make any snide remarks or embarrass you? 

I think what Bob was referring to is that Drake actually had made a very small run of the '67 housings and just discontinued them in favor of undrilled 68 castings? I don't think that I ever heard of an explanation as to why but maybe it's just something simple like the molds broke and to sell a few to wackos like me just isn't worth it?

Yes, Scott Drake made a fairly close replica of the C7AE casting. Unfortunately it has been discontinued.

[1967 eight barrel]

I posted it twice with pictures. Even described how it was done and re-texturing with a nail and jeweler's hammer.
I am not worried about it. It was used as a stop-gap until I found an original, which wound up being NOS.
If you want to thumb through the last discussion you were part of,  feel free to critique. I sold it on Ebay about three months ago.

[1967 eight barrel]

Here is the link.
http://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=5101.msg43632#msg43632

[shelbydoug]

Very nice would be a gross understatement. It just plain looks great.

I bought one to try the procedure.