Ironracer
Gearhead
Man! How Cool is THAT! SWEET!
Where are the a bodies going
- Thread starter Dan the man
- Start date
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I'm sorry I kinda stomped all over the OP thread here. I get to reminiscing and got carried away. Forgive me, I'm old.
Ironracer
Gearhead
It happens to us all. Lol. I appreciate you sharing! That car must have been a Blast! And I'm only 3 or so miles off 92 on 579. Nice historic lesson. I apologize also....
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
I'm a little late to this thread. There are FB groups where cars are put up for sale that never end up on Marketplace.
As for having multiple A-bodies. We have two (four if you count what my sons have, but they are grown and gone - even though one of the cars is here and the other will probably be back here when I get my new garage finished so that I can finish the car for him). Our two are among the more desirable ('68 GTS convertible and '67 Barracuda convertible). Our sons cars are '67 Barracuda fastback (ex-drag car, needs to be built again) and '67 Dart GT convertible (heavily modified with all factory parts). None of them were expensive, but all needed some work. Our two were drivers when we bought them.
There's stuff out there and your budget is good for a good car, but good cars require persistence and being the first to answer the ad.
As for having multiple A-bodies. We have two (four if you count what my sons have, but they are grown and gone - even though one of the cars is here and the other will probably be back here when I get my new garage finished so that I can finish the car for him). Our two are among the more desirable ('68 GTS convertible and '67 Barracuda convertible). Our sons cars are '67 Barracuda fastback (ex-drag car, needs to be built again) and '67 Dart GT convertible (heavily modified with all factory parts). None of them were expensive, but all needed some work. Our two were drivers when we bought them.
There's stuff out there and your budget is good for a good car, but good cars require persistence and being the first to answer the ad.
I will say one thing to the OP. 20-25K Isn't what I call a budget. You should be able to find a very nice car for that kind of Cabbage.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
In the mid 80s they were always non running cheap cars that needed work is all I'm saying. Most guys didn't want to be bothered. A Chevy was easier bang for the buck.Mopars were cheap new, ran hard and thrown away when they broke down. I knew a guy ,had a 70 road runner around 1990, 383 auto car.He said whenever he ran it hard it would just die, he never figured it out he sold it...these were 15-20 year old cars at best at the time...yeah they are cool, were cool, but they sat in garages in my neighborhood, and , even now, Mopars have to be the most expensive to restore...nothing cheap about a once "cheap car' LOL!
I had a 68 Road Runner I bought new. Sold it in 1974 for $1200.00. It was my traveling money to come to Ca. from Indiana.
Now a basket case B body is stupid money. It keeps getting harder to find A bodies to part out. The bad part is when these
cars go to the crusher they are gone forever. A lot of unique trim, grilles, bezels, tail lights, etc. not reproduced.
^^^I feel bad for the younger guys that were not "of age"back in the 60s or 70 or even 80s. Every year these old Mopars get get harder to find and parts cars/ sad builders get more stupid high all the time! Then there are all the other factors putting pressure on our hobby one way or another.
The Mopar hobby was loads of fun back in the early days..... yes wages were low but cost of living was similar. These old cars were everywhere compared to now. Not stupid mney either. Sometimes for almost nothing. Then in some parts of the country, a county goes into the "lets beautiful America" poise and any old car sitting outside is targeted as trash. Then you have the gov'ment BS of lets buy clunkers. Then you had the sky high price for scrape. The comes idiot BJ BS and all the rich drunks. Then the stupid CAR shows that are Hollywood BS!
So what might cause whats left to be more affordable next year or next decade???? Those peeps that buy into the idea that we will all be running around in electric cars in 2025. Old guys like me dying off and the estate sells my junk!!
The Mopar hobby was loads of fun back in the early days..... yes wages were low but cost of living was similar. These old cars were everywhere compared to now. Not stupid mney either. Sometimes for almost nothing. Then in some parts of the country, a county goes into the "lets beautiful America" poise and any old car sitting outside is targeted as trash. Then you have the gov'ment BS of lets buy clunkers. Then you had the sky high price for scrape. The comes idiot BJ BS and all the rich drunks. Then the stupid CAR shows that are Hollywood BS!
So what might cause whats left to be more affordable next year or next decade???? Those peeps that buy into the idea that we will all be running around in electric cars in 2025. Old guys like me dying off and the estate sells my junk!!
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
^^^I feel bad for the younger guys that were not "of age"back in the 60s or 70 or even 80s. Every year these old Mopars get get harder to find and parts cars/ sad builders get more stupid high all the time! Then there are all the other factors putting pressure on our hobby one way or another.
The Mopar hobby was loads of fun back in the early days..... yes wages were low but cost of living was similar. These old cars were everywhere compared to now. Not stupid mney either. Sometimes for almost nothing. Then in some parts of the country, a county goes into the "lets beautiful America" poise and any old car sitting outside is targeted as trash. Then you have the gov'ment BS of lets buy clunkers. Then you had the sky high price for scrape. The comes idiot BJ BS and all the rich drunks. Then the stupid CAR shows that are Hollywood BS!
So what might cause whats left to be more affordable next year or next decade???? Those peeps that buy into the idea that we will all be running around in electric cars in 2025. Old guys like me dying off and the estate sells my junk!!
My son was with me in my garage asking "when am I going to get rid of some of this stuff..." I said "I'm not done with it yet..." I figure they can have some auctioneer come clean the place out and sell it off... Ill let it accumulate till the end I really dont have alot, just one Mopar and some spare parts...LOL!
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"it will sell good on the hay rack"
Keystone
Well-Known Member
Exactly. For that kind of cash one could even take a look at the consignment outfits. I'm not promoting that approach, because that whole business model drives up the costs of the average Joe, but for those who can afford the extra coin it could be a very easy way to shop and purchase.
Just one example, and again I'm not endorsing this, but it's something I've "window" shopped when I had some time to kill and wanted to day dream a bit Classic Cars for Sale - Streetside Classics - The Nation's #1 Consignment Dealer
^^^^And I hear they do negotiate off their ask price quite a bit!! It is something to consider when a guy has the $$$ to spend.
Heres one, I know it's up here across the border, but the right car is worth the drive.
CDN $$ too. The guy is a great guy with beautiful cars.
1969 Dodge Dart GT V8 | Classic Cars | Ottawa | Kijiji
CDN $$ too. The guy is a great guy with beautiful cars.
1969 Dodge Dart GT V8 | Classic Cars | Ottawa | Kijiji
Yeah, I saw Tony Fields (RIP) build on his fastback and steelies with dog dishes, and that sealed it for me lol.
Liberty MW
Well-Known Member
Lots of A bodies on the west coast
j par
Well-hung Member
SHHH....
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
The car in my photo, I paid $500.00 for it in 87', two years and $15,000.00 later I now have my finish product. Been having fun with it for over 30 years. YES, it was a lot of money then, but the enjoyment over achieves the cost. Those of you that are always looking for the loooong deal will never have my enjoyment. I agree with most here, you get what you paid for and sometime, less. You buy junk, you get junk. Buy a solid car and you can produce a solid one. Most cars I see on the above sites are part cars, at best. Sometimes you need a part car to complete a solid one. I have sold many parts at a discount price, knowing it was going into their own project. If they are a FLIPPER, they are wasting their time with me. A clue, "what other parts do you have"or "I've been working on my car for 10 - 20 years".
DionR
Well-Known Member
I don't know, now doesn't seem to be a horrible time to grow up in based on the huge HP and drivability that is available from the dealership.
Gone are the days were a used musclecar could be had for cheap and a couple of speed parts slapped on it to make it faster than anything coming off the showroom floor. The only thing an older musclecar has going for it now is style because it get's really expensive to try and keep up with most performance cars built in the last 10 years. And by "keep up" I mean, idle in traffic without overheating, comfortable to drive, functional AC/cruise/PS/PB/PW/radio, better mileage as well as just flat speed.
To be fair, the new muscle used car values are way out of line right now. So it's not exactly easy any where. But pretty sure you could buy a first gen Jeep SRT8, dropped a SC on it and run away from most cars on this forum for less than a restored 340 Duster would cost you. Maybe it doesn't fit your style, but for a 30 something that didn't grow up working at a gas station and seeing the old musclecars come and go, bet it fit's his/her style just fine.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
A jeep isnt a muscle car...neither is a pickup truck with super bee stripes around the back. True modern muscle is out of reach for most young people money wise new or used. Im talking the combination of performance and style. I got into a conversation with a nitwit in a bar. i was talking about my Fox body to a friend and he chimed in about his Nissan . I said "nobody wants to hear about your Nissan" it didn't matter if it had 300 hp to my stock foxs 225...id keep up with it at top end because of power to weight ratio and torque at RPM...
DionR
Well-Known Member
Can't say I disagree with you, only pointing out that it is a matter of opinion and to someone who grew up when the fastest accelerating vehicle from Dodge was a Jeep, they might see it differently.
They are certainly further out of reach right now than they were a year or two ago, but a car payment is a car payment. There is a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 about 2 hours from here for $23,750 which works out to like $428 a month for 60 months. That's about $61 a month in 1970 according to the online calculator I used so the right individual should be able to swing it.
Granted, if it had to be a Challenger or (heaven forbid) Mustang/Camaro, they are higher right now but not impossible.
And again we are back to an opinion. 0-60 and mpg can be measured, but style is subjective (just look at the people that like GM products
). And if you look at performance only, pretty hard to argue that new muscle has it in spades. For you, maybe the style of the new muscle turns you off so you don't car how it performs. But to someone else it might be something they can overlook or maybe even enhances the performance.
I put up no argue as to the speed and comfort of modern muscle.
Style and beauty is subjective.
All I know when I'm driving one of my old Mopars....I'm chillin!!!!
Younger guys can try Google for explanation!
Style and beauty is subjective.
All I know when I'm driving one of my old Mopars....I'm chillin!!!!
Younger guys can try Google for explanation!
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Aww haww haww righty then...Can't say I disagree with you, only pointing out that it is a matter of opinion and to someone who grew up when the fastest accelerating vehicle from Dodge was a Jeep, they might see it differently.
They are certainly further out of reach right now than they were a year or two ago, but a car payment is a car payment. There is a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 about 2 hours from here for $23,750 which works out to like $428 a month for 60 months. That's about $61 a month in 1970 according to the online calculator I used so the right individual should be able to swing it.
Granted, if it had to be a Challenger or (heaven forbid) Mustang/Camaro, they are higher right now but not impossible.
And again we are back to an opinion. 0-60 and mpg can be measured, but style is subjective (just look at the people that like GM products
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Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Young guys will always gravitate to an old 4 speed car even if they dont know how to start it, shift it, drive it LOL!I put up no argue as to the speed and comfort of modern muscle.
Style and beauty is subjective.
All I know when I'm driving one of my old Mopars....I'm chillin!!!!
Younger guys can try Google for explanation!
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Young guys will always gravitate to an old V-8, 4 speed car even if they dont know how to start it, shift it, drive it LOL!
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