First Lingenfelter car pricing

[Mcmahanjoe]

I've got a 1977 elcamino (383ci) that was one of the first if not the first car John lingenfelter did as an installed drivetrain package. It is a survivor in near perfect condition. It is also the first fuel injected tpi car he did and was used as his test car while he perfected his fuel injection system. I have all paperwork including build and dyno sheets as well as the original returned checks. I need help determining value and have not been able to find comparable cars. Any help is appreciated.

[mockingbird812]

Welcome aboard Joe. Post some photos....please!

[markinnaples]

Would love to see some pics as well.

[black69]

I think John's brother still runs the buisness and has an unbelievable car collection, and may want that car if it is mint and truely one of the firsts. If it were me, I would try to sell it in that direction to get the highest price. Dont get any middle men involved as you will lose some of your potential profit, if you let them make the phone call for you.
-bob

[Mcmahanjoe]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/05/full-13760-4770-photo_3.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/05/full-13760-4771-photo_4.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/05/full-13760-4772-photo_7.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/05/full-13760-4773-photo_10.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/05/full-13760-4774-photo_11.jpg


http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/05/full-13760-4777-photo_15.jpg

Drive train is in perfect running condition, blue paint is nice, its hard to tell from the photos but the silver is not glossy
its a solid 8.5 condition car, car has been in heated garage thirty six years untouched so there is dust under hood, car has been washed outside only, 1-owner

[PxTx]

Thanks for sharing the pics of the car and documents. Can you tell me what else was done for the drivetrain package, other than a motor swap? I saw the 700R4 cable, so is it a 4 speed auto too? I'm sure there is a bit of a story of what was going on with the car between 1985 and 1989. Hopefully some of those answers will aid in determining the value. The burning question for me is why was an Elco chosen and was is really THE test car or just a customer car which had a bit of fine tuning to make the customer 100% happy?

[markinnaples]

Man, I like that body style Elco.

[Keith Seymore]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: black69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think John's brother still runs the buisness and has an unbelievable car collection, and may want that car if it is mint and truely one of the firsts. If it were me, I would try to sell it in that direction to get the highest price. Dont get any middle men involved as you will lose some of your potential profit, if you let them make the phone call for you.
-bob </div></div>

Ken Lingenfelter is John's cousin; Ken bought the business after John's death. Ken's shop and collection are here in Brighton Michigan.

http://www.lingenfelter.com/

K

[L-79 Nova]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Keith Seymore</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: black69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think John's brother still runs the buisness and has an unbelievable car collection, and may want that car if it is mint and truely one of the firsts. If it were me, I would try to sell it in that direction to get the highest price. Dont get any middle men involved as you will lose some of your potential profit, if you let them make the phone call for you.
-bob </div></div>

Ken Lingenfelter is John's cousin; Ken bought the business after John's death. Ken's shop and collection are here in Brighton Michigan.

http://www.lingenfelter.com/

K
</div></div> Keith, do you live in Brighton as I do also, probably seen one of your cars at Bakers on Sundays. Maybe we will meet one day. Ron....

[Mcmahanjoe]

The car was first taken to John in may of 1985. The original owner was an Indian motorcycle racer who heard of John through a friend. He decided to take the car to John to see if he would do an installed drive package, at the time he did crate motors for order. The car was then taken to John and left several times from 1985 to 1989. The project started as an installed 383 and developed from there. The car was left at johns and he would run through numerous configurations. Later the owner started talking to John about tpi injection and the car developed into a fuel injection car. The paper work pictured was just a small portion of the paperwork with the car, didn't want to post 30 pictures. Don't know exactly on the transmission just that it was matched to the motor and corrected for gearing. The car was was worked on by lingenfelter machine co. , lingenfelter racing, and lingenfelter performance engineering as it passed through its progression.

[markinnaples]

How does the El Camino run?

[Bill Pritchard]

Welcome to the site Joe.

Please take this at face value only.....Lingenfelter provenance or not, you won't have people beating down your door to buy a 77 El Camino. I suspect this will truly be a case where it will come down to what price you and a particular buyer may be able to agree on some day <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif

[MosportGreen66]

Why not email or call Lingenfelter himself?

[COPO]

Dan,

John Lingenfelter was injured in a crash in 2002 at an NHRA event and died on Christmas Day 2003. He certainly had quite a career and built some amazing cars.

[olredalert]

----I knew John and he was really a great guy as well as a genius. A Corvette buddy of mine back in the 80s in Chicago sent his 66 427/425 Corvette motor down to John for rebuild. Once back in the car that engine had transformed that Corvette. What made the rebuild so nice was not only the power which was BIG, but the smoothness throught the RPM band. The job was certainly not a big deal on Johns plate but he would call my friend every week during the rebuild to keep him up to date. It just showed a lot of class. Up to that point I had never, ever seen a 425hp motor assembled quite like that. To this day that 66 was the fastest &quot;stock&quot; (except for slightly different cam) Corvette I ever drove, including my own.
----Mosport is probably unknowingly refering to Johns wealthy cousin, also John, who ended up buying the company. He has done a very creditable job keeping the doors open and doing some really neat stuff as well! He had big shoes to fill!!!.......Bill S

[Charley Lillard]

No...His cousin is named Ken,not John. Ken owns the company and has the great car collection. Very nice guy.

[olredalert]

----My bad, Charley!!! You are absolutely right,,,about everything stated!.....Bill S

[MosportGreen66]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: olredalert</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
----Mosport is probably unknowingly refering to Johns wealthy cousin, also John, who ended up buying the company. He has done a very creditable job keeping the doors open and doing some really neat stuff as well! He had big shoes to fill!!!.......Bill S </div></div>

Wrong.

I just thought it would be cool for the guy to have his first shop built car. I did not know he died nor did I know about his family. Good info and shame to hear how he passed.

Dan

[Mcmahanjoe]

I'm not having much luck determining a value, I was wondering if any body might be able to point me in the direction of a car broker. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Keith Seymore]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mcmahanjoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm not having much luck determining a value, I was wondering if any body might be able to point me in the direction of a car broker. Any help is greatly appreciated. </div></div>

One of the things I like about ebay is that you don't have to be so rigorous in setting a price.

Start out below what you think it is worth and let the bidding determine the market value.

If you want to hedge your bets you can always put a decent reserve on it and see where it goes.

k

[SOM2001SS]

Very cool car...or truck <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif Any time slips in the documentation to let us know what it ran in the quarter?