Topic: Does installing rear fold down seats on a 1969 Mach 1 increase value?

[rindel]

My 69 Mach 1 came with  fixed rear seats.  If I buy the parts and panels to convert to fold down rear seats then do i reduce or increase the value of the car? same question if i buy reproduced parts vs old original ones?

[Bossbill]

Depends.
If the car is original and in real good original shape you will lessen the value to people looking for an original car.
If the car is restored and you wish to do this you have the same problem. Anyone wanting a restored car that is restored back to original spec will not want additional items added to the car.
A Marti report will disclose the addition.

If the car is sold as a daily driver or restomod than it might add value. Depends on the buyer.
If you want to do this and keep the car than the value is in your eyes.

As far as this concours Mustang site is concerned you are asking the wrong audience.

[J_Speegle]

Same considerations come in to changing the engine out for something flashier or with more HP or doing a color change only, maybe, to a lessor amount or degree.

Since your only asking about about value then this has nothing to do with if you will enjoy one choice over the other just the bottom line counts. Considering only that you will likely turn some buyers off to a purchase completely, reduce what they might pay for the complete car (deducting dollars and effort costs) while some others not concerned about originally consider the car.  Consider that there are allot more other options for buyers in the later category - slightly unoriginal to very unoriginal than there are the other way around.

Looking at your prior posts

" So far for upgrades I replaced the rockers with scorpion roller rockers, added headers, installed pertronix III in the distributor & have an edelbrock 600cfm carb. I would also like to put in a bigger cam. "

Looks like you've made the choice already so you might want to ask members of a forum focused on driving and making improvements if the additional changes would decrease the cars value in their eyes since those are more likely who you will be selling the car to. 

NOTE: this thread was moved over to the General section since it is a question often asked on other sites and is not IMHO really about the fold down option but the overall plan for the car. The fold down is only today's focus

[rindel]

Thanks for the advise guys.  My engine is original but had to replace pistons (still original bore size).  I was able to see numbers but last few digits were faded like they weren't stamped well. FMX trans is original and so are the vinyl seats.  Paint is is original stock color but not the original paint. Looks like the previous owner put in a floor pan as well.  The parts I mentioned that I repaced can be put back in since I still have them.  So I do like to either keep most things original or not change too much where I couldn't put it back to original. 

[jwc66k]

My 69 Mach 1 came with  fixed rear seats.  If I buy the parts and panels to convert to fold down rear seats then do i reduce or increase the value of the car? same question if i buy reproduced parts vs old original ones?

It will decrease the value if you try to pass the car off as a "factory" car. A Marti Report will confirm the original equipment (a Marti Report is both a blessing and a curse). The decision is yours. As to parts, you will not be able to find originals for a 50 year old car, at least affordable. Most reproduction parts are OK, some NOS are not.
Jim

[DougDyar]

I think the fold down seat is one of the coolest options available. I think it adds value regardless of whether or not it came from the factory with one. Few cars are restored without some kind of change from original. The parts to convert to a fold down are expensive and difficult to track down today. Except for the purists, I'd say many would see it as a benefit, rather than a liability.

The rear seat in a Sportsroof is basically unusable except for kids, and there's no way to secure a nanny state child seat anyway, so kids using it is a moot point. The fold down provides the cool rear deck two-seater look many prefer.

Unless your Mach 1 is a 428 car, they're fairly common and not difficult to find for sale. Additional options are less likely to detract from the sale than on a rare, higher priced example, where buyers tend to be more discriminating.

It's your call. Whether or not it will be an issue at selling time is a coin toss. If you can track down all the parts, I say go for it!