69 Formula S Barracuda at Mecum Sells

i don't want to "rain on the parade" here regarding the "love" or value of A Bodies - HOWEVER....

the mecum 69 Barracuda coup sold for $52,500.00. whoever "originally" did the restoration on this car would have LOST at least $25k at that sales price. just look at the current numbers for "restoring" these cars. i don't know of ANY body shop worth going to that is not now charging $75.00/hour for work. the mecum car was obviously taken completely apart and restored and painted on a rotissiary. to COMPLETELY dissasemble a car (i.e. like Graveyard Carz is doing), repair and replace rusted panels; repair or replace broken or worn parts; prep and paint all body panels; then REASSEMBLING the car - you are looking at AT LEAST 800 hours. that would be a body shop putting in 40 hours a week on the car for only 5 months. most body shops will expect to have a rotissiary restored car in their shop at least a year. it is my understanding that mark worman at GYC tells his customers he will have their car 2 years. so at 800 hours at $75/hr. you're looking at $60k - just for labor - and these numbers DO NOT include THE COST OF THE CAR in the first place! from the level of restoration of the mecum barracuda - i expect they spent at least $10k on new parts. so if you could talk to the guy who owned that car originally, or maybe even Mr. Fezell himself - i expect "someone" spent close to $100k on this car with its purchase price and cost of restoration.

don't get me wrong, i love A-body barracudas - i have 4 of them. my point is - NO ONE is EVER going to make a lot of money buying, restoring and selling A-Body Mopars!