This can go both ways.
From my memory, this turned into a thing in the 90's when the then retiree's were blowing massive retirement money on their high school rides and suddenly old muscle cars were an investment.
Ford guys can get especially wierd about it with marti reports.
To me, it is still neat to know how it breaks down. but beyond a few special options, like engine/trans/convertible, and probably color(I include interior in this also, if it is a rare combo or interior color) I don;t think it really matters if it has power windows or some other stuff.
Here is an example: My Grandfather bought a 1980 4 door Olds Cutlass. Prior, he had a 1972 four door. With the Olds 350.
tiny town northern WI. Goes to the dealer in 1980, time to get a new car, he is retired from farming and wants to buy his "last" car. Dealer tells him he can't get a 350. The 350 was exclusive to the Hurst cars.
Grandpa basically tells him he will walk if he can;t get what he wants. The list:
350 Olds(yes, Olds, it had the iconic oil filler in front)
Auto trans
4 door
entry level wheels(14")
Vinyl top
NO RADIO
AC
intermittent wipers
Cruise control
NO BACK window regulators(NOT KIDDING, THEY WERE FIXED IN PLACE)
Car was that gold/orange-y tan color with same color top
So this is a one of one. For many reasons. Is it "super rare" and worth more? LOL. 1980's Hurst 350 cars were slower 0-60 then the 4.3 V6 cars. Thanks California smog controls!
How about the chevy guys and the Chevelles? They made over half a million 2 door chevelles in 1970. And that was the 2 door hard tops. Add another 250k for the 4 doors.
But every Chevy guy will paint it red, add some black stripes and claim it is a rare muscle car. "It's not a real S, it's a clone but it is fully restored and the engine is built" So obviously it is rare, and worth $80k.
But what about the other way?
When I wanted my rockers replaced on my 1990 Ramcharger, I was told I should "just get one from the south, they made THOUSANDS of those things."
They did. About 10k in 1990.
From Chrysler themselves, about 60% of Ramchargers were 2wd.
1990 was the first year for the overdrive, and it was an option.
My truck had the 360, the OD, towing package, heavy duty front suspension for the snow commander stuff but no plow. I could list the color combo and interior, but eh.
Anyway, I was a bit annoyed. Look around, how many of these things do you see cruising around? Up north in the salt, the answer is zero. In the south I am sure they are around, but when I looked over 2/3 of them had lift kits on them and the other third were beat to tar or sitting in a field.
Did that add mega value to mine? No, but it made it worth fixing. And it makes it a rare sight around here. (I did the rockers myself after being told it was too hard by the pro shop around here)
So you can't just dismiss it out of hand either. The breakdown of options is part of the car's history and personality. People shouldn't blow it up bigger then it is, but people shouldn't pretend it means nothing either. To me, it comes down to how easy is it to find a similar, if not identical vehicle, and just how rare is the engine package. Making a big deal about accesory options is silly. Making a big deal about a 6 pack car or an actual special addition only available in certain regions or with a certain drivetrain, yeah, that matters.
And the chevy guys making a fuss over a fake chevelle SS are mental, and need help
