68 GT350 vs 69 GT500

[rdmgt500]

I need to pick your expert brains on this subject. I'm debating between buying a 68 4spd manual GT350 or a 69 automatic GT500. Both are near concours quality. All features being equal between them, except for the trans and putting aside the fun factor for driving, what are your thoughts on just the future investment value differences? thanks!

[shelbydoug]

Two significantly different animals. Best solution would to buy them both. Then you can have different ways on different days.

[pchmotoho]

What's the cost difference between the two? Generally speaking I think the 69 may be the better investment but I buy them for fun and that being said I would take the 4 speed if it were me.

[rdmgt500]

Thanks. The 68 GT350 is ~$5k more than the 69 GT500 automatic.

[mikeh]

I don't know if this is an option for you, what about buying the 69 & using the 5K towards putting a 4 speed in it!
Or a 5 speed.....
Easy to convert back to auto if needed

[rdmgt500]

Interesting idea, but wouldn't make huge changes to either as the drivetrains are original. I think the further you get away from stock, the value decreases............. but yeah stick is more fun.

[427hunter]

I prefer the 69 to 68 but that's just personal taste. Putting taste aside, the 69 GT500 is a factory high-performance R code mustang and the 68 J code is just not a performance car in comparison.

[shelbymann1970]

I prefer the 69 to 68 but that's just personal taste. Putting taste aside, the 69 GT500 is a factory high-performance R code mustang and the 68 J code is just not a performance car in comparison.

I use the term SLUG on the performance of the 68 GT350. I had one(4 speed) and even did a cam change that all it did was make the car sound better but I assume it ran better than a stock one as no smog heads and a 66 390 Holley on it. I sold it after buying a 69 SCJ Mach1. Wife said add the mach1 get rid of one of the others(code for it would be the 68 as the 70 GT350 vert was going nowhere). I'd buy the 69 and add a 4 speed with the savings.

[Stillakid54]

As said by all above, they are two very different cars.
Is your decision to be based on: personal enjoyment factor, aesthetics, investment potential? Answer those questions, and you should have your answer where you want to put your money.
Will defer to wiser souls here, but from a pure investment perspective a big block should win out when comparing these two years head to head nearly always.

[FL SAAC]

buy the 69 big block,  get a performance valve body for the C6 transmission

you will never look back, never miss a shift....68 small block please....LMAO

this is coming from a guy who currently has two early big block cars both with top loaders and two stick late model cars

[shelbymann1970]

buy the 69 big block,  get a performance valve body for the C6 transmission

you will never look back, never miss a shift....68 small block please....LMAO

this is coming from a guy who currently has two early big block cars both with top loaders and two stick late model cars

Its not about missing shifts Tony its the enjoyment of shifting a manual gearbox. Autos are boring. Quick question: How much more is a ZR-1 2019 Corvette worth with a manual VS an auto everything else being equal. Why is that? BTW I don't miss shifts. 

[pchmotoho]

buy the 69 big block,  get a performance valve body for the C6 transmission

you will never look back, never miss a shift....68 small block please....LMAO

this is coming from a guy who currently has two early big block cars both with top loaders and two stick late model cars

Its not about missing shifts Tony its the enjoyment of shifting a manual gearbox. Autos are boring. Quick question: How much more is a ZR-1 2019 Corvette worth with a manual VS an auto everything else being equal. Why is that? BTW I don't miss shifts. 

Check out the price gap between a 355 Ferrari stick vs F1 trans. 

[Cobrask8]

Following along, but he has not answered the one question of how much will he be driving, and where. If he is only planning on highway, or back roads, the 4-speed. But any slow driving, parades, etc, auto. The factory clutch linkage is a BEAR!!!

or, get the 4-speed, convert to hydraulic clutch!

[FL SAAC]

I need to pick your expert brains on this subject. I'm debating between buying a 68 4spd manual GT350 or a 69 automatic GT500. Both are near concours quality. All features being equal between them, except for the trans and putting aside the fun factor for driving, what are your thoughts on just the future investment value differences? thanks!

buy what you can afford and what you will enjoy

The End

[rdmgt500]

Following along, but he has not answered the one question of how much will he be driving, and where. If he is only planning on highway, or back roads, the 4-speed. But any slow driving, parades, etc, auto. The factory clutch linkage is a BEAR!!!

or, get the 4-speed, convert to hydraulic clutch!

Putting usage/fun factors aside, I was mostly looking for opinions on the investment value difference.........