A very good example of resto cost and value of a 69 Cuda

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jimharvard

JimHarvard
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I saw this car on Facebook marketplace being sold out of Mentor, Ohio and wanted to post it here on FABO because I believe it is a very good example of what these cars cost to restore and what they are worth after they are done.

This 69 Cuda has exactly what most of the market is looking for in one of these cars. It was done to almost a "perfect and correct" restoration and it has a 340, a 727 automatic and a 3:55 rear gear. The owner put cragars on the car, but a "purist" could easily put the original wheels and hubcaps on this Barracuda. The car has the deluxe interior with console and headrest bucket seats. I think this car presents very well and has many desirable features. I would not want to be the one to tell this owner this little "factoid", however, he got bad advice on the motor color. 1968 Barracuda's had the 340 painted red as this guy did. In 69, all 340's were painted hemi orange. But no sane person would fault this car at all for that little "faux paw."

As to the money - the seller says he has over $50,000 in this restoration which I ABSOLUTELY believe because this car was a complete tear-down, rotisserie painted project. There are lots of new parts on this car which along with the paint and bodywork, quickly increases the restoration costs. However, the seller is listing this car for $32,500 which is right where the current market is for a car optioned like this one completely restored to almost perfect condition. It would not surprise me if this seller would take $30,000 cash if offered. Any way you look at it, you CANNOT restore these Barracuda's to the condition of this car and make money. You will ALWAYS have more money in these cars than they are worth. But would it be worth $18,000 that you knew you couldn't recover to a real "Cuda lover" to have and drive this car? I think it would.

I like to post cars and information here on FABO that might help owners and potential buyers (and someone considering a full restoration of their car) examples of what is out in the marketplace right now. I hope this post is of value to someone.

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i think i caught a mistake i made in the above post. i said this car had the "deluxe" interior. it doesn't - or at least the door panels are not the deluxe versions for 1969. those door panels had woodgrain and map pockets. so this car either had the deluxe interior which included the console and the headrests and the door panels were changed. OR - the car was ordered with the standard interior and the console and headrest "options" were added. it may also be noted that this car does not have the "wood" "rally steering wheel." that also was an option in 69. as a final point, this car with a 340 should have had the two exhaust tips cut-out rear lower valance panel. the "California" cars had turn-down exhaust instead of the square exhaust tips we are all used to seeing. California had a "noise regulation" for vehicles and apparently, old mopars were too loud with the square exhaust tips. so this may have been a California car originally which would explain the rear valance.
 
i think i caught a mistake i made in the above post. i said this car had the "deluxe" interior. it doesn't - or at least the door panels are not the deluxe versions for 1969. those door panels had woodgrain and map pockets. so this car either had the deluxe interior which included the console and the headrests and the door panels were changed. OR - the car was ordered with the standard interior and the console and headrest "options" were added. it may also be noted that this car does not have the "wood" "rally steering wheel." that also was an option in 69. as a final point, this car with a 340 should have had the two exhaust tips cut-out rear lower valance panel. the "California" cars had turn-down exhaust instead of the square exhaust tips we are all used to seeing. California had a "noise regulation" for vehicles and apparently, old mopars were too loud with the square exhaust tips. so this may have been a California car originally which would explain the rear valance.
The other mistake that you stated was that all '69 340 motors were Hemi Orange...they are not. As this has been beaten to death here on FABO, some were Turquoise and some were Blue also. As far as purist go, this may not even be a real 340 car as the rear dual exhaust cutouts are missing and only '70 and maybe later did the exhaust eliminate the dual exhaust cutouts for California, not '68 or '69. It may even be a mix of '67 and '69, no side reflectors which may have been filled in, what appears to be an emblem on the trunk (not 69), but the doors are '69 only. Wonder where the wiper arms got to?
 
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I saw this car on Facebook marketplace being sold out of Mentor, Ohio and wanted to post it here on FABO because I believe it is a very good example of what these cars cost to restore and what they are worth after they are done.

This 69 Cuda has exactly what most of the market is looking for in one of these cars. It was done to almost a "perfect and correct" restoration and it has a 340, a 727 automatic and a 3:55 rear gear. The owner put cragars on the car, but a "purist" could easily put the original wheels and hubcaps on this Barracuda. The car has the deluxe interior with console and headrest bucket seats. I think this car presents very well and has many desirable features. I would not want to be the one to tell this owner this little "factoid", however, he got bad advice on the motor color. 1968 Barracuda's had the 340 painted red as this guy did. In 69, all 340's were painted hemi orange. But no sane person would fault this car at all for that little "faux paw."

As to the money - the seller says he has over $50,000 in this restoration which I ABSOLUTELY believe because this car was a complete tear-down, rotisserie painted project. There are lots of new parts on this car which along with the paint and bodywork, quickly increases the restoration costs. However, the seller is listing this car for $32,500 which is right where the current market is for a car optioned like this one completely restored to almost perfect condition. It would not surprise me if this seller would take $30,000 cash if offered. Any way you look at it, you CANNOT restore these Barracuda's to the condition of this car and make money. You will ALWAYS have more money in these cars than they are worth. But would it be worth $18,000 that you knew you couldn't recover to a real "Cuda lover" to have and drive this car? I think it would.

I like to post cars and information here on FABO that might help owners and potential buyers (and someone considering a full restoration of their car) examples of what is out in the marketplace right now. I hope this post is of value to someone.

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I’m not 100% positive but I’m pretty sure not all ‘69 340’s were hemi orange. Looks like someone beat me to it !
 
I've always said you are better off buying a classic mopar completely finished unless you are a hobbiest and like the work. My hardtop has around 20K in it total maybe a smidge less. My Ragtop about 3K in it total in 1985 then Restored (driver quality) myself 2018 adding about another 4k .That does not include my labor as I built these cars myself . I enjoyed building it myself and take pride in saying Built not Bought. I don't thinks it's wrong for someone to buy and drive it. You just don't have that (I did it myself) pride. JMO

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I've always said you are better off buying a classic mopar completely finished unless you are a hobbiest and like the work. My hardtop has around 20K in it total maybe a smidge less. My Ragtop about 3K in it total in 1985 then Restored (driver quality) myself 2018 adding about another 4k .That does not include my labor as I built these cars myself . I enjoyed building it myself and take pride in saying Built not Bought. I don't thinks it's wrong for someone to buy and drive it. You just don't have that (I did it myself) pride. JMO

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Agree totally, and when you buy someone elses completed creation you have to be content with what they did to it or invest more than what you paid for it to make it right for you.
 
For a while a few years ago there were a lot of listings on ebay out of Mentor.
Like someone was running a business restoring and selling classic Mopars.

I agree it's a nice car but there are too many wrongs and questions for top dollar.

I also don't get the motivation for someone to invest 50K, and then immediately try to sell for 20K less.
That always raises a flag for me. Especially from a business or seasoned restorer.
 
For a while a few years ago there were a lot of listings on ebay out of Mentor.
Like someone was running a business restoring and selling classic Mopars.

I agree it's a nice car but there are too many wrongs and questions for top dollar.

I also don't get the motivation for someone to invest 50K, and then immediately try to sell for 20K less.
That always raises a flag for me. Especially from a business or seasoned restorer.
I think you are talking about RK Motors, they used to have restoration facility and showroom in Mentor Ohio and Charlotte NC. now they are just in Charlotte.
 
IF someone wants a professionally restored car, so many times like example above, a donecar can be bought for pennies on the dollar. Or quarters on the $! Taking the above example of the OP, if that car had been a true 383 or 440 car, it would have cost basically the same $ for resto, but the initial cost of the project car would have no doubt been greater. It is what it is.
I enjoy the process of building a car, like many. But I have been lucky years back to have bought some "done" cars that were all I expected. I enjoyed that for what it was also.
People buy projects because they are buying a dream. Dreams sometimes come true,and sometimes not. Many times a person would buy a done car IF he had the $$ to do so! Many people will not buy something they can not be certain as to how and what the work was done.
What would the numbers for on that red car if it was a real 383 or 440 car? Just wondering.
Far as value goes let face it, us Mopar guys are a "tough crowd"!!!!!
 
my main concern is-

If the side markers have been filled in, how was the work done, why was it done, and what other work was done....and how was that done?
 
Almost nothing in the classic car hobby is worse to me than paying a premium for a pretty paint job and then having bondo crack out of it after the first seasonal temperature cycle.
 
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It looks like a nice car but like mentioned, there are may changes and with that questions about why it was done a certain way. It's too bad you do a nice job and it costs $20,000 more than what you can sell it for. If you think you can break even or profit from a restoration you need to get a car that is worth more than the $60 G's+ registration cost or do most of the work yourself and don't pay yourself for all your time.
 
I agree with you, Jim, but do you think an owner of such a car could make a net profit if he farmed out the body work and paint, and maybe also the motor and trans, but did pretty much all the rest of the work himself?
 
That car has a poor factory type restoration. Looks like it was done by a Chevy guy. It looks like a nice mildly done street rod though.

There tends to be more buyers willing to pay more for factory correct restorations on original 340, 383, and 440 ‘69 A-bodies.

it’s not about what this guy spend on this cars restoration/fix-up.

It’s about the choices he made considering some day he (or someone else) might want to sell it.
 
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I saw this car on Facebook marketplace being sold out of Mentor, Ohio and wanted to post it here on FABO because I believe it is a very good example of what these cars cost to restore and what they are worth after they are done.

This 69 Cuda has exactly what most of the market is looking for in one of these cars. It was done to almost a "perfect and correct" restoration and it has a 340, a 727 automatic and a 3:55 rear gear. The owner put cragars on the car, but a "purist" could easily put the original wheels and hubcaps on this Barracuda. The car has the deluxe interior with console and headrest bucket seats. I think this car presents very well and has many desirable features. I would not want to be the one to tell this owner this little "factoid", however, he got bad advice on the motor color. 1968 Barracuda's had the 340 painted red as this guy did. In 69, all 340's were painted hemi orange. But no sane person would fault this car at all for that little "faux paw."

As to the money - the seller says he has over $50,000 in this restoration which I ABSOLUTELY believe because this car was a complete tear-down, rotisserie painted project. There are lots of new parts on this car which along with the paint and bodywork, quickly increases the restoration costs. However, the seller is listing this car for $32,500 which is right where the current market is for a car optioned like this one completely restored to almost perfect condition. It would not surprise me if this seller would take $30,000 cash if offered. Any way you look at it, you CANNOT restore these Barracuda's to the condition of this car and make money. You will ALWAYS have more money in these cars than they are worth. But would it be worth $18,000 that you knew you couldn't recover to a real "Cuda lover" to have and drive this car? I think it would.

I like to post cars and information here on FABO that might help owners and potential buyers (and someone considering a full restoration of their car) examples of what is out in the marketplace right now. I hope this post is of value to someone.

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I don’t see perfect or correct.

I see a shiny painted rotisserie
shell. Those worry me from back east. Cause most of the times the reason they are on a rotisserie is because they have to. If you’re replacing floors, quarters, trunk...

...restorers think: well, you have to paint the underside with something. Might as well be shiny paint. Even though the factory put primer with color overspray with strategic undercoating for noise and corrosion resistance even on non optioned full undercoating cars. Like in wheel wells so you don’t hear every rock and pebble your tires kick up hitting the body tin.

The muffler shop exhaust hangers and spray bombed rear doesn’t shout perfection to me.
 
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...restorers think: /irony mode on/ well you have to paint the underside with something. Might as well be shiny paint. Even though the factory put strategic undercoating for noise and corrosion resistance./irony mode off/

But autoxcuda, the proof is in the pudding, isn't it? The rust-prevention measures that the manufacturers took back in the '70s didn't work very well, because so many of the cars rusted out. I think that today it is all about preservation of the car, and there are much better alternatives, even though they are shiny and not at all authentically correct because they don't look anything like factory undercoating. For example, on the Porsche 356 restoration that I am doing right now, the painter convinced me to shoot the underside with PPG Delfleet One over DP90 epoxy primer. But I already discussed that here:

PPG Delfleet opinions needed
 
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I 100% agree that for most of us, you are going to end up with more in your car than it is worth to anyone else. We all have our own reasons for having these cars. sentimental value can take over, LOL. Ones of the best parts of this forum, besides the awesome amount of knowledge, is that most here do not try to cut peoples cars down, like other sites. I am really hoping to be able to take my car to Carlisle this year, and realize there will be people who will say, this is wrong or this should be like this.......etc.. bottom line, my car, my money, my choices! Remember, for most of us, this is a HOBBY!!!
 
IF someone wants a professionally restored car, so many times like example above, a donecar can be bought for pennies on the dollar. Or quarters on the $! Taking the above example of the OP, if that car had been a true 383 or 440 car, it would have cost basically the same $ for resto, but the initial cost of the project car would have no doubt been greater. It is what it is.
I enjoy the process of building a car, like many. But I have been lucky years back to have bought some "done" cars that were all I expected. I enjoyed that for what it was also.
People buy projects because they are buying a dream. Dreams sometimes come true,and sometimes not. Many times a person would buy a done car IF he had the $$ to do so! Many people will not buy something they can not be certain as to how and what the work was done.
What would the numbers for on that red car if it was a real 383 or 440 car? Just wondering.
Far as value goes let face it, us Mopar guys are a "tough crowd"!!!!!
My dream had a lot of nightmares but looking back I sure enjoy it. Even though the dream isn’t over, still plenty of stuff to do on it. My plan is when I retire I will tear it all down and start over and fix the stuff I have yet to finish. For now I enjoy driving it.
 
But autoxcuda, the proof is in the pudding, isn't it? The rust-prevention measures that the manufacturers took back in the '70s didn't work very well, because so many of the cars rusted out. I think that today it is all about preservation of the car, and there are much better alternatives, even though they are shiny and not at all authentically correct because they don't look anything like factory undercoating. For example, on the Porsche 356 restoration that I am doing right now, the painter convinced me to shoot the underside with PPG Delfleet One over DP90 epoxy primer. But I already discussed that here:

PPG Delfleet opinions needed

I don’t know what those cars had factory. They are pretty valuable. I’d try to visually replicate what the factory looked like.

but that doesn’t mean you can’t use new technology and materials. Can you tint that Delfleet to a factory sheen??

new cars rust too. Old ones with full undercoating tend to rust less than those without. Ive seen after power washing a under a few broken pieces of factory full undercoating on my 68 Barracuda. You can see perfect factory grey primer with exterior paint thin overspray under that undercoating. There’s my proof in the pudding.

what about the noise suppression of pebbles and rocks hitting the wheel wheel tin? Undercoating absorbs those.

also cars tend to look better with blacked out inside wheel wells. A side view shows bright paint around tire and makes for an old contrast. New cars have black wheel wells too.

Same reason auto stylist choose then and continue to put black paint or black molded plastic in black on radiator supports and wheel wells.

now back to your 356... I think think special paint is a great idea. Personally I’d see if the painter would tint it to a factory sheen. Or maybe that can be replicated with they way he applies the paint.
 
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I have the phone number of a good psychiatrist for anyone that thinks you can restore a car and sell it at a profit.
 
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