Are A bodies more popular than B bodies?
- Thread starter Princess Valiant
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There is a black Sattelite parked near my house. been in the same spot for 20 years. under a tree. Sad, it goes up in "value" yet deteriorates in appearance. Its tough to see people do that to cars. Its their car, do what you will, offer him a price he cant refuse....yada yada yada....Still sad.
Howard1784
Well-Known Member
One of the Mopar magazines about 10 years ago asked, "Will A Bodies be the new B bodies?? I'm 49 and I dont see it in my lifetime. As mentioned, B and E are to far gone to ever afford one. People cash out their IRA and spare no expense etc. To restore their Mopar or Nomad station wagon. A bodies get bad mouthed regularly, graveyard cars denounced them and if they are not a numbers matching 340
People scoff at them. AMD discontinued several of the needed sheet metal panels which may be the final nail in the coffin. To many low ballers out there that insult you on well built a bodies when you are trying to sell
People scoff at them. AMD discontinued several of the needed sheet metal panels which may be the final nail in the coffin. To many low ballers out there that insult you on well built a bodies when you are trying to sell
I have a real solid '74 Duster in patina that runs great that I'd be happy to trade for a real solid '68-70 Charger that also runs good. Shoot, I'd even take a '68-70 satellite that's super solid and runs good. EVEN UP! These A-bodies rising in prices, here is your chance folks !!! Get it while it last!!
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The 1970 Chevelle SS was more popular than the 70 Impala among performance enthusiast's .
I hope that helps you with your question. lol
and lets not forget about the F-body.
I hope that helps you with your question. lol
and lets not forget about the F-body.
R4Sedan
Larry
Also don't forget many of are Classics are up right know, due to a booming Housing market and stock market.
Look at brand X cars they are asking and bringing stupid money as well. How long does it last? I'm sure it will flatten
eventually.
Look at brand X cars they are asking and bringing stupid money as well. How long does it last? I'm sure it will flatten
eventually.
I drive by this one and another. Both are runners. Parked on the street. Crazy.
I'm pissed at Barrett Jackson, ever since that cuda sold for 3 million dollars every mopar has skyrocketed. But it's really my mom's fault for birthing me to late in the century
'Cuda_ragtop
Woulda, Shoulda, 'Cuda!
A-Bodies have a ways to go to catch up to B & E Bodies...
Mid range cars may close ranks a bit but the big dollar B & E Bodies won't be giving up much ground to the most desirable A-Bodies any time soon. Just my 2¢ fwiw...
I did the full week at BJ Scottsdale in 2017 with a couple friends.
If you haven't been, I highly recommend going and seeing some of the really well bought cars that most people that only watch on TV never see.
Many many cars sold for way less than the cost of building one.
Seemed to be a "Glut" of E-Bodies with just a few A Bodies and a few more B Bodies than A Bodies. The large selection of E-Bodies may have been why they seemed to be selling for less than I would have expected...
I like a lot of non-Mopars too and there were lots of good deals and crazy expensive cars in all makes.
Saw lots of cars sell for the less than the price of just the body and paint that went into them.
Drove cars for Mecum Auction Portland later that same year.
This one I drove across the block at Mecum, it got me on TV... I'm famous!
Not my favorite of the auction but really well done and drew a lot of attention.
In the staging lanes...
When you drive them, you really don't get time to watch. It's non stop, one car after another.
You don't pick the cars you drive, just luck of the draw. I get invited back to drive every year.
BJ Scottsdale was bigger by far but some really nice cars and some great buys at Mecum too.
Definitely go to either if you have the chance.
Loved talking to the owners when they were present... Some hovered and some you never saw.
Mid range cars may close ranks a bit but the big dollar B & E Bodies won't be giving up much ground to the most desirable A-Bodies any time soon. Just my 2¢ fwiw...
I did the full week at BJ Scottsdale in 2017 with a couple friends.
If you haven't been, I highly recommend going and seeing some of the really well bought cars that most people that only watch on TV never see.
Many many cars sold for way less than the cost of building one.
Seemed to be a "Glut" of E-Bodies with just a few A Bodies and a few more B Bodies than A Bodies. The large selection of E-Bodies may have been why they seemed to be selling for less than I would have expected...
I like a lot of non-Mopars too and there were lots of good deals and crazy expensive cars in all makes.
Saw lots of cars sell for the less than the price of just the body and paint that went into them.
Drove cars for Mecum Auction Portland later that same year.
This one I drove across the block at Mecum, it got me on TV... I'm famous!
Not my favorite of the auction but really well done and drew a lot of attention.
In the staging lanes...
When you drive them, you really don't get time to watch. It's non stop, one car after another.
You don't pick the cars you drive, just luck of the draw. I get invited back to drive every year.
BJ Scottsdale was bigger by far but some really nice cars and some great buys at Mecum too.
Definitely go to either if you have the chance.
Loved talking to the owners when they were present... Some hovered and some you never saw.
'Cuda_ragtop
Woulda, Shoulda, 'Cuda!
It was Mecum Seattle where it sold for $3.5M
I remember when the same care sold at auction for $300k in 95' or 96'
I still have this Newspaper Clipping that I saved. Everett WA Police auctioned it after seizing it from a Drug Dealer they had busted a year or two earlier. The police knew about the car but it took them a year or two to track it down.
Says one of a kind but it is actually 1 of 2 1971 Hemicuda 4-speed convertibles built for US sales
$300k sounds like a bargain now huh...
Was on the front page of the Everett Herald
Wish I had saved the whole newspaper...
'Cuda_ragtop
Woulda, Shoulda, 'Cuda!
Mecum Seattle 2014
When people ask me...
"What's the difference between my Cuda Convertible and the one that sold for $3.5M?"
I tell them, "About $3,425,000.00 Dollars."
'Cuda_ragtop
Woulda, Shoulda, 'Cuda!
Mecum Portland 2017
No way you build either of these for their gavel price.
V Code, Air Grabber, 4-speed, Rotisserie resto. Not original color...
No Reserve Sold $57,000
Well bought!
4 cars later...
Rotisserie resto
Also well bought at $26K
No way you build either of these for their gavel price.
V Code, Air Grabber, 4-speed, Rotisserie resto. Not original color...
No Reserve Sold $57,000
Well bought!
4 cars later...
Rotisserie resto
Also well bought at $26K
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famous bob
mopar misfit
I have a real solid '74 Duster in patina that runs great that I'd be happy to trade for a real solid '68-70 Charger that also runs good. Shoot, I'd even take a '68-70 satellite that's super solid and runs good. EVEN UP! These A-bodies rising in prices, here is your chance folks !!! Get it while it last!!
Only way I`d trade my 68 fastback for a b body , is if it had a 426 or bigger hemi in it !
Only B-body's I seem to be able to afford are my Vans. Wait! I have a '79 Magnum too
F body, ya gotta pay someone to haul it off! But you can find a solid good runner for cheap. What few have not rusted away ie Tx cars!The 1970 Chevelle SS was more popular than the 70 Impala among performance enthusiast's .
I hope that helps you with your question. lol
and lets not forget about the F-body.
In 1994 I turned 16 and bought my first car with money I had saved up from working on a farm the previous summer. It was a 1974 Dart Swinger /6 auto for $500. My friend sold it to me because he was a year older and had upgraded to a 79 Malibu with a v8. That first car is how I got into Mopars and specifically , A bodies. In 1998, my dad found a guy with a couple of Mopars for sale and I went and looked at them. One was a 1968 Barracuda fastback, 340 4spd car-not running, but just needed some tlc to get back on the road. The other car was a 69 Satellite with a 383 and 727, which was a running driving car. Both cars were for sale for $2500. I picked the Barracuda. I still have A bodies, and sometimes wonder if I should have picked the Satellite back then. Maybe by now I would have a Charger or an E body. Who knows!!!
I'd rather have the Dart. Now if you are talking a 69 Super Bee that might be a different deal. LOL
IF you asked 100 A body owners IF they would like to own a B body, or specifically a 68-70 B, I bet 97.3% will answer yes. I did not say how many could or would pay the $$$ for such!
K.O. SWINGER
Meeting in the alley since 1976
My brother had a beautiful very red 1970 pistol grip 383 that we cruised in for years we were also very active Street racers I had a 71 charger before I got my 1970 340 dart 4-speed. The Abody is just so much more nimble and lighter and you can really tell when you're driving it. B bodies are beautiful to look at but not nearly as much fun to drive in my opinion. I would not trade my dart for any b-body. Unless it was just for the ridiculous value of a b-body. I also had a 71 cuda that one I wish I could have held on to. I believe a lot of the mystique of the b-body is just because you could order it with all of the top end performance packages.
It is sorta like the "any car made after '71 is NOT a real muscle car. No matter what brand and thus worth squat. I disagree, as to most any car restored will have the engine built to suit the builder. Sure the "real" sought after model will be worth more $ than the built wanna be. Well maybe the restomod prices will change that somewhat too.
IMO the rear end gear has so much to do with the eat of the pants feel of torque. Put a 3:55 or 3:91 in any car A,B, or E and the fun factor climbs pretty fast!
I agree that the size and even weight of the A makes them very appealing in this age of the small-ish car.
IMO the rear end gear has so much to do with the eat of the pants feel of torque. Put a 3:55 or 3:91 in any car A,B, or E and the fun factor climbs pretty fast!
I agree that the size and even weight of the A makes them very appealing in this age of the small-ish car.
when you sell the grill from a B-body and use that money to buy a running A-body ..... shall we say more? LOL..
^^^^ Ain't that a fact!!!!
I have sold good grills off F bodies for more than the rest of the car would bring!!! ha They are unappreciated cars $ wise. A great group of enthusiasts for them though. But they make A body guys look like BIG spenders! Yes they are what they are, but I like their looks.
Talking about the big Az. sales, I never been to one,but it wold be fun to fly in and buy something worth the $ and drive back home. Road trip!!! $ for $, I bet it would be easier to hit BJ and such when the lesser cars are selling and find that right gem in the sorta rough? Than to wade thru for sale cars scattered all over the country trying to find a decent car at a decent price! So many cars at one place, all for sale!!!
But it wold be like going to a high end horse sale to buy, ya better know what you are doing.
I build quite a few cars back in the 80's, 90's and by the turn of the century, I was always having a bud tell me about some other bud that had a bud that had a pretty decent done car for sale cheap enough, and could not sell it ( out in the Mo. sticks usually). (Always easier to buy than sell). I would get some nice cars for good prices drive them and they always sooner or later found a new and loving home. I enjoyed the hunt, enjoyed fixing some small things, driving them some, and letting someone else enjoy them. 64 Belvedere, 68 Charger, 70 Challenger, 68 GTX ( with a max wedge top end!), 69 runner,come to mind. etc etc. That was then and now is now. I never see hardly anything now worth buying. Every project 99% of the time is junk for stupid $ and so called restored cars are either nice and stupid high or overpriced wanne be's.
Dartsun
Mopar Dude
Although I love A bodies, I trade my 2 away for a 70 Roadrunner in the blink of an eye.
My first love is the B-body. I have an A,B and E. E- bodies are really just a wider A-body. Still considered a "Pony car" A-bodies do make for more affordable performance option. Especially for intermediate drag racing. My Duster is lighter. More nose heavy making launch more controlled. But by a quality of build standard? My GTX is a better car than Duster or Cuda. JMO.
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