First Lingenfelter car pricing

Mcmahanjoe · #1 05-07-2013, 02:05 AM

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** · #2 05-07-2013, 11:15 AM

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

markinnaples · #3 05-07-2013, 01:36 PM

Would love to see some pics as well.

**black69** · #4 05-07-2013, 03:08 PM

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 · #5 05-07-2013, 08:24 PM

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** · #6 05-07-2013, 08:51 PM

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 · #7 05-07-2013, 10:23 PM

Man, I like that body style Elco.

**Keith Seymore** · #8 05-07-2013, 10:57 PM

<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 · #9 05-08-2013, 12:26 AM

<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 · #10 05-08-2013, 12:56 AM

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.