91 to 93 B4U Valence: What is one in great condition worth?

[redmetrix]

The reason I ask is because there is a MASSIVE salvage yard here in northeast Wisconsin, they go through a lot of cars, and every once in awhile a 91-93 B4U GP shows up with a perfect valence on it. I realize these are a rare item that should be saved, but would it be worth it to get the valence for say $10 to $30 and make any reasonable profit by selling it? What do people pay for a nice valence that are looking for one?

Edited April 23, 2010 by redmetrix

[RobertISaar]

$1,500...

 

it prevents imminent transaxle explosion.

[ss427]

I don't know the going price for one of these, but I will give you more than $30 for a perfect one if you are to come across it! I need one really badly for my 91.. I always pick up condition sensitive stuff like that for cheap when I come across a mint example, like console lids and other interior parts that get heavy usage.

[redmetrix]

$1,500...

 

it prevents imminent transaxle explosion.

 

Alright lol, I know you guys on on the forum have joked around about the valence affecting the transaxle, but honestly, does driving one of these cars with no valence affect the transmission?

[ss427]

3,300 miles on mine in the last month, and my Getrag is smooth as butter..maybe it's an automatic thing. Either way my car looks naked without the valence on there so keep your eyes peeled:thumbsup:

[RobertISaar]

Alright lol, I know you guys on on the forum have joked around about the valence affecting the transaxle, but honestly, does driving one of these cars with no valence affect the transmission?

 

there is enough airflow generated without it to sufficiently cool the radiator/condensor, but cars sure do look like ass with it broken off...

[Penglii]

there is a MASSIVE salvage yard here in northeast Wisconsin

 

Tell me more about this salvage yard please... what's the name and where are they?

Being in Wisconsin myself, I would like to know more about this place

[redmetrix]

The place I am refering to is Gibson Iron, Metal, and Auto which is located in Neenah. It's about an hour and a half away from Portage.

[mfewtrail]

On ebay, they bring pretty good money sometimes. I know I've seen several go for WELL over $100 on there in previous years.

[RareGMFan]

Alright lol, I know you guys on on the forum have joked around about the valence affecting the transaxle, but honestly, does driving one of these cars with no valence affect the transmission?

 

Not only will it affect the transmission, but I am also convinced that it has destroyed my PMIII, caused my windshield to crack and is the reason my rear struts blew out.

 

 

 

On ebay, they bring pretty good money sometimes. I know I've seen several go for WELL over $100 on there in previous years.

 

^^ What he said. They will go for $100 EASY, if not $200 depending how many people that need one at that time happen upon your auction. They are most DEFINITELY worth snagging for $10 - $30.

[GTP091]

I paid around 300 for my valence new from GM back in 01. Probably discontinued by now so if you find em pull em. It's always good to keep good parts liekt hat from getting smushed and if you can make an extra buck or two why not.

[mfewtrail]

I paid around 300 for my valence new from GM back in 01. Probably discontinued by now so if you find em pull em. It's always good to keep good parts liekt hat from getting smushed and if you can make an extra buck or two why not.

 

They've been discontinued a good 2-3 years IIRC. I believe a few people on the board bought the last few that were available back then.

[patch]

I really need one of these!!

[Pontiac6KSTEAWD]

I know I would pay over 30 bucks for a good one!!

[Breakdown]

Alright lol, I know you guys on on the forum have joked around about the valence affecting the transaxle, but honestly, does driving one of these cars with no valence affect the transmission?

 

Ignorant comments such as this make me wonder if you even know what a valence is, what critical functions it performs, etc.

 

Do you also think that the coolant resevoir is useless too? It just holds water and it's always piss warm or worse. I'd rather have a thermos in the car and just drink clean water out of that.

[RareGMFan]

Ignorant comments such as this make me wonder if you even know what a valence is, what critical functions it performs, etc.

 

That's ironic coming from someone who questioned whether a "real GTP hood" is more functional than some stick on Pep Boys specials, and compared the functionality of the front valance on a GP to that of a coolant reservoir. You're the last person who should be questioning someone's car knowledge.

[Breakdown]

That's ironic coming from someone who questioned whether a "real GTP hood" is more functional than some stick on Pep Boys specials, and compared the functionality of the front valance on a GP to that of a coolant reservoir. You're the last person who should be questioning someone's car knowledge.

 

Want to do an experiment.

 

Find a shitty W-body. Take the engine cover off, pour washer fluid or coolant (you chose) on the engine block and run the engine, then tell me if more steam comes out from the louvers or the sides of the hood, I would be curious to know.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinon it's like using a lightbulb to warm a room, yes it works, but how much and how obvious was it that I was joking? Seriously.

[GOT2B GM]

$100 for a good used one

[Octavarium454]

Wow I couldn't even justify anything over 30 dollars in excellent condition in the color I need. These cars are disposable and being so they are super easy to come by and get parts for besides the select few oddballs, this reason along is a large part on why I love working on and owning w-bodies. However, without the valence these cars look like complete trash, so style can be a large motivator on the price.

[RareGMFan]

Want to do an experiment.

 

Find a shitty W-body. Take the engine cover off, pour washer fluid or coolant (you chose) on the engine block and run the engine, then tell me if more steam comes out from the louvers or the sides of the hood, I would be curious to know.

 

If you're "curious to know", shouldn't YOU do the experiment? At the very least, you should stop going around boldly making claims if you haven't tested your logic-lacking theory in any way, shape or form. I have/had a TGP, TSTE and Special Edition GTP. I've power washed the engines on all of them multiple times, and watched the steam pour out, sometimes for 10 minutes (especially off the turbos) when I start the engine afterwards. Each time, the steam has bellowed out the louvers (to the horror of cars next to me at red lights). Not a bit of it has come out from the sides of the hood. You can also clearly see the heat rising out of the louvers once the engine is warmed up. There is a definitive difference between the amount of heat rising from the louvers, and the amount rising from any other part of/around the hood.

 

Besides, even if some heat left out the sides of the hood, it wouldn't eradicate the functionality of the louvers. The point of the louvers is not to strictly dissipate ALL the heat through them. It is merely providing another alternative escape route for the heat.

 

 

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinon it's like using a lightbulb to warm a room

 

Again, your opinion is a hyperbole based on zero substantiated facts or evidence, and defies logic. Use your head. This is basic physics. Heat rises, and is going to dissipate through the path of least resistance. Under a normal hood, it will have no choice but to push out the front/sides of the hood, from the front grilles, or even from under the car, depending on what the closest route of escape is. On a hood with heat extractors/louvers/vents, those openings become the closest route of escape for the majority of the heat under the hood since the heat naturally rises anyway. It only makes logical sense from a physics standpoint that any ventilation system in a hood is going to allow the heat to extract from there first. Only if the amount of heat coming off is too great to dissipate strictly through the vents, or if the heat is coming from an area too far away from the vents will some of it be forced through the next nearest opening.

 

 

 

and how obvious was it that I was joking? Seriously.

 

Seriously, it wasn't very obvious at all that you were joking due to your lack of command over the English language. Even now, you ask how obvious was it that you were joking......in the same sentence that you're defending your theory that they don't do much, if anything at all. So which one is it? Are you sticking to your statement, or are you claiming your statement was a joke?

[slick]

Soo... if the next time I was at a JY and took one off, brought it home, and shot a video of me cutting it into pieces and lighting it on fire, then posting it on here, that wouldn't make many people happy?

[RareGMFan]

Only if you place the pieces in the engine compartment of a GP with a louvered hood before you light them on fire to show the functionality of the hood.

[Breakdown]

If you're "curious to know", shouldn't YOU do the experiment? At the very least, you should stop going around boldly making claims if you haven't tested your logic-lacking theory in any way, shape or form. I have/had a TGP, TSTE and Special Edition GTP. I've power washed the engines on all of them multiple times, and watched the steam pour out, sometimes for 10 minutes (especially off the turbos) when I start the engine afterwards. Each time, the steam has bellowed out the louvers (to the horror of cars next to me at red lights). Not a bit of it has come out from the sides of the hood. You can also clearly see the heat rising out of the louvers once the engine is warmed up. There is a definitive difference between the amount of heat rising from the louvers, and the amount rising from any other part of/around the hood.

 

Besides, even if some heat left out the sides of the hood, it wouldn't eradicate the functionality of the louvers. The point of the louvers is not to strictly dissipate ALL the heat through them. It is merely providing another alternative escape route for the heat.

 

 

 

 

 

Again, your opinion is a hyperbole based on zero substantiated facts or evidence, and defies logic. Use your head. This is basic physics. Heat rises, and is going to dissipate through the path of least resistance. Under a normal hood, it will have no choice but to push out the front/sides of the hood, from the front grilles, or even from under the car, depending on what the closest route of escape is. On a hood with heat extractors/louvers/vents, those openings become the closest route of escape for the majority of the heat under the hood since the heat naturally rises anyway. It only makes logical sense from a physics standpoint that any ventilation system in a hood is going to allow the heat to extract from there first. Only if the amount of heat coming off is too great to dissipate strictly through the vents, or if the heat is coming from an area too far away from the vents will some of it be forced through the next nearest opening.

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, it wasn't very obvious at all that you were joking due to your lack of command over the English language. Even now, you ask how obvious was it that you were joking......in the same sentence that you're defending your theory that they don't do much, if anything at all. So which one is it? Are you sticking to your statement, or are you claiming your statement was a joke?

 

 

1.) Why on earth would I waste my time doing an experiment when you've already done it for me in practice. My time is valuable, and I don't own a car with hood louvers . . . yet, and yes I do enjoy having people at stop lights telling me to roll down my windows because my car is "on fire." It's only happnened once (coolant leak spraying on the engine block), and I was driving it to be fixed.

 

2.) Let's examine the practical and actual applications of all of these items (actual application in parentheses):

 

Valence - Create aerodynamic shape to improve wind resistance (Makes car look cool)

 

Spoiler - Keeps rear wheels down in RWD high speed application (Makes car look cool)

 

Hood louvers - Allows heat to escape through hood (Makes car look cool)

 

Dual exhaust - . . . . . .

 

Are we seeing a pattern here??? Is it just the transmission that will blow up in a TGP? Or does the Turbo, Intercooler and everything else go without those louvers??

 

 

3.) You asked about how we're supposed to know that I'm joking. I'm joking about the valence, it's more than obvious. I was meagerly responding to your comment that someone who doesn't know jack shouldn't be insulting the knowledge of others. You brought the hood louvers into the discussion, and my awesome award-winning command of the english language.

[Breakdown]

Only if you place the pieces in the engine compartment of a GP with a louvered hood before you light them on fire to show the functionality of the hood.

 

The louvered hood would allow oxygen in, and promote a greater, bigger fire eventually melting and destroying the hood louvers, but fortunately allowing the fire (and heat to escape), rather than simply sufficating the fire.

[Octavarium454]

Only if you place the pieces in the engine compartment of a GP with a louvered hood before you light them on fire to show the functionality of the hood.