I can't complain about how insane prices are for used cars these days seeing I just sold my somewhat rusty but still very solid 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe LT with more than 153,000 on its clock for $6,000. Still, I find the $25,000 asking price for this 1969, non running and non-numbers matching, 1969 Dodge Charger R/T to be laughably absurd.
I can't fault the poster of the ad on Facebook Marketplace for asking that amount but I would seriously question the mental health or business acumen of an individual who would spent that kind of money for this. "Rollers" are hard to put a price tag on and this one might be better than most but I have to imagine this one is overpriced. Make that way overpriced.
Unless the buyer can do all of the restoration work themselves, factoring in the cost of labor and parts, this is going to be one very expensive restoration. Then, possibly, whomever buys it might have a gem on their hands that might be worth around $60,000. Sorry, that's a big if.
Resto-rat-mod this cost effectively and it would be something unique and interesting. Not every old car that's beat to death needs a Concours quality restoration. I don't get spending $60,000 to make $60,000 or make something worth $60,000 that'll be something you'd be afraid to drive. Flipping cars is a dicey game too - especially bombs from up here that are rusty. Like this thing is.
I get that on a list of top-ten "gotta have it" muscle cars from back in the day, one of these would be sitting at or near the top of it. But man, it needs everything.
Dodge's first Charger in 1966 looked more like an over-sized AMC Marlin than a competitor to peel buyers away from any GM muscle car; Dodge didn't get a "pony car" until 1970. Fastbacks in general and in particular on (nearly) full-size cars are tough putts and the '66 and '67 Charger is case in point. I mean, this thing looks cross between a station wagon and a Coronet with an Oldsmobile Toronado's tumble-home thrown in.
Dodge built the Charger on Chrysler's B-body platform that traces its heritage (or infamy) back to Chrysler's abortive 1962 downsizing of Dodge and Plymouth models. When Chrysler "upsized" in 1965 they kept the B-body around as a defacto intermediate.
After two years of stubbing their bumpers, they got it oh-so-right in '68 with these beauties. Being featured in the 1968 Steve McQueen cop movie "Bullitt" may have had something to do with popularizing them as well. Sales stunk for the '66-'67 models but they were actually quite good in 1968 and 1969.
Further helping to popularize these cars is that they were featured in the TV show, "The Dukes of Hazard" that ran from 1979 through 1985. Legend has it anywhere from 255 to 325 1968 and 1969 Dodge Chargers were used in the show's production. 1970 Charger's, that do not have the '68 and '69 Charger's "sugar scoop" or "tunnel-ram" rear window treatment, were not used although the Charger's featured in 2005 movie were all 1970 Chargers.
Ok, so, the details on this thing: apparently this is a "real" Charger (whatever that means), the engine is "correct" but not original nor is it running, the paint is original and remarkably so, trunk pan is rotted out, rear quarter panels are shot, rear frame rails need work, driver's foot well is "Fred Flinstone'd" but the torsion bar mounts are supposedly in good shape. Oh, and it's filthy and the wheels are historically incorrect.
Aside from all that, Mrs. Kennedy, what did you think of Dallas?
If you know all that and still think this a bargain and you actually know better than I do, perhaps I'm the moron. Hey, that's a distinct possibility but in this case, I don't think so.
No comments:
Post a Comment