I completely agree. Even the best of the best situation for collector 6th gens (the NASCAR editions) with near zero miles seem to struggle to pull 75% of original sticker at some of these big auctions and that's not even accounting for more than a decade of inflation losses.

I do think you're really onto something in terms of why the market is so soft - the drive wheels. Certainly there was a population of the collectors with money nostalgic for the muscle cars they had growing up that completely reject the notion of buying a FWD interpretation (even if the new version is better in whatever metric).

I think the big resulting hit of that was the powertrain choices being an unfortunate circumstance of production timing coming at the end of a life cycle for some FWD powertrain options. Someone looking for a toy from GM from that era could pick up a Fbody, GTO, or C5 with a LS and T56 that is still very competitive and relevant in modding today. Contrast that with the monte having a notoriously weak 4t65 and two engine options that a) haven't been made in at least a decade b) would take significant modding to get them on par with the performance of their stock modern equivalents and you end up with the soft market we've got today.

Like you said - the likey buyer for this car would be someone looking for a DD for themself or a first car for their kid, neither of which case is going to help drive the price up as there are so many other options out there.

 

That SLP brochure info, crazy nice find! I never knew. But I do laugh how SLP brags first about there Camaro SS legacy and then makes a big deal about a 25HP improvement (not saying they are not getting the improvement, just saying it seems the entire package is a bit lack luster next to the Camaro stuff). The actual performance mods don't strike me as anything over the top. Biggest change is some tuning.
And I am really, really surprised they bothered with anything to the 3400 Monte.

As for the OP's car, I am betting it has had some history from previous owners. Perhaps it had more of the Razzi ground fx, maybe the front bumper was replaced (and SLP grill not replaced).

 

Sorry if im off topic, but does anyone know where I can get a spoiler like that?

 

Buy OP's car. It's a long since discontinued spoiler that was called the "Intimidator III"

You might get lucky, I tried for a year or so to find one. Then I just went with an 06/07 SS spoiler instead since it fit the same spoiler holes as my ugly flat spoiler.