Maybe the saddest M-Code Cuda you will ever come across
A request for Your Valuable Apinion.
Since you guys are on the mind set of M code, I actually have an old lead on a "M" code that I am seriously going to pursue. not that i need another project, but I do not want to let it get past me before I get to old to finish them.
This one is yellow, and is all disassembled down the the unibody last time I had seen it. Not sure if the original motor is there or not. It would have no rust and not sure of all the pieces are present.
What value would you all place on this car?
Thank you
Safe and Healthy Holidays to you
here's what i can share from my past 10 years of watching and finally acquiring a M-Code Barracuda.
around 2010 when the muscle car collecting/restoring/flipping for a profit phenomena started to heat up, there were two things that appeared to happen with the 1969 M-Code Barracudas and Dodge Darts. the first was that these cars started to appear "out of the woodwork." i have pictures of at least 4 Barracudas that were in bad shape but still could be saved that showed up on Ebay and here on FABO during this time. these cars usually no longer had the motor or trans and generally had a lot of rust. you could have purchased these cars for between $5000 and $12,000 dollars. just for comparison, a very nicely restored M Barracuda fastback sold at barret-jackson for $67k in 2005. then in 2010, a nice red fastback sold at barrett-jackson for $48k. then for a few years - 2014-2017, "drivable" M-cars were showing up that needed restoration but were complete cars. these cars could be purchased for between $22,000 to $35,000 dollars. again, during this period, "trailer queens" M cudas were bringing big money (for a mopar) - for example: in 2014, a B5 blue fastback supposed to be the "first" m-code barracuda sold at barrett-jackson for $59k; 2015 barrett-jackson black fastback - $48k and a yellow fastback at mecum for $45k; 2017 barrett-jackson a "perfect" green fastback - $80k; 2018 mecum red fastback $64k; 2019 mecum red fastback "buy it" $62k but high bid only $51k; the black fastback that sold in 2015 at BJ sold for $48k sold for $60k in 2018.
just like all mopars right now in this "slowing down" market, m cars appear to be dropping in price. now, a few of these cars have been restored to a "museum quality" condition and THOSE cars are still bringing big money. however, just like L-78 375 hp 396 Chevelle's and Camaros, a "regular" m-code cuda or dart can be purchased for less than $50k. one other thing is affecting the price of the m-code cars. you can now buy a 67-69 barracuda with a 426 or 472 (or some other cubic inch) HEMI car for around $50k. lots of guys appear to have built this car combination and are now selling them. that is a pretty amazing price for what is basically a "factory racer" BO vin hemi Barracuda. AND, there are any number of 67-69 Barracudas that guys have stuffed 440's into. and of course, the A-57 Cuda 383 cars if restored are selling for between $40-$50k.
so what is the m car that you are talking about worth? well it's a "basket of parts" so it will take a LOT of work to put together. if it doesn't have a "matching numbers" engine and trans, that takes it out of the "big number" auction category. if it needs a lot of body work or rust repair, take at least $10k off of what "someone" thinks it's worth.
i paid (i believe) $16k for my m cuda ex-drag car rolling chassis then gave American Metal Direct another $11k to make it a "normal" car again. that's $27k in a car that now has a "perfect" body. however, i fully expect to invest another $10k in the motor, trans and finishing the bodywork and paint. that will put me at around $37k in a car that "should" be worth in today's market, at least $50k. but given the fact that us old guys that like these cars (and are willing to pay big money for them at car auctions) are dying off faster than choir members at your local Baptist Church, ALL "muscle cars" may become "close to worthless" in a few years - especially when President Biden (or more likely President Harris) drops the hammer on internal combustion cars especially big V8's.
if you want a m-code barracuda or dart, now is the time to buy one. pretty soon, you are not going to be able to get parts for them and no one under 45 is even going to know what your car is let alone share anything close to what you think they are worth.
