The sellability of our early “A” body cars

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OP - I'd like to remind you to look at yourself in the rear view mirror the next time you drive that beauty .
If you're like me, - you'll have a giant ****-faced grin all the time you're behind the wheel ! !

That'll be aweful tough to replace with any other modern vehicle ! !
Cheers .
 
inretia, Some times I get frustrated working on my old car and think why do I bother.
Your statement hit the nail on the head. I love the feeling driving it !!!
 
rod7515 said:
I was wondering, is there any demand for our early “A” body cars. I know there are for the Chevy Nova II, the Camera’s and the Ford Mustangs. But what about the mopars?

I am considering the possibility of selling my 66 Dart. I did a major resto mod but it’s a shame that it basically just sits in the garage. I just don’t have the time to drive it as much as it should be driven and I don’t see that pattern changing.

If I decide to go forward and sell my Dart where would be the best place to advertise? What guide do I use to decide on an asking price. What do I compare it to when pricing?

I haven’t decided what direction I will head but I wanted to hear what others here have done and how successful you have been selling. Im in no hurry to sell and may decide not too sell but I wanted to hear what others think.

Thanks for following along.
Rod
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Nice Dart! I just love 66 Darts. Did you ever take it to the track/
 
I think that I would take out the cage, maybe get a not so killer hood scoop, and drive it to the golf course! And on the weekends load your family in and go to the beach!
 
I drive my 65 everywhere, and sometimes my trips to the grocery store end up being 30 mile drives:p.
 
I take mine everywhere in the good weather. I'm just not a fan of driving it at night, even though I upgraded the the headlights with CrackedBack's wiring kit.
 
Guys I appreciate all your thoughts and suggestions. I've thought about this all week and have come to the decision to put the Dart up for sale. It needs to belong to someone that will drive it.
Many of you have suggested that I should drive it to the golf course. The issues with that are that in order to get it out to drive I have to remove the cover, move cars around plus I dont keep the car here at the house it is in my garage about 4 miles from here. But the other issue is that I drive my 99 Firebird because it has better road manners and is a far easier driving car plus its easier to get my clubs in and out of the back. I have posted pics of the Firebird. It also has AC for those hot summer days. lol
I wont be giving the car away as I have invested a lot in it for good parts and upgrades. I will be in no hurry to sell it and it may never sell. I do realize that.
The Firebird White and Blue are the same colors on my Dart. I thought it would be kinda neat to have 2 cars very similar in paint scheme.
Again Thanks for everyones opinion.
Rod
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I put my 66 Barracuda up for sale a couple of years ago just by running adds on Craigslist and my local marketplace area. I received a big audience of people who wanted to come out and look at it and ask all the questions and I felt like all they wanted to do was take it for a ride and then I never heard back from them. Last year I decided to list it with a classic car place here in Michigan, they did all the advertising, scheduled all the appointments and they would only allow lot driving. When I took it there the first question they asked me was what I needed to get out of it that would make me happy, then they set the asking price which was considerably higher than I had set and told me they can always come down. It took a few months but a buyer who was very interested appeared and he made me an offer, the offer was not to my liking so I counter offered and he accepted it. The classic car place took 10% of the total sale, they did all the paper work and they even shipped it out to the new owner. When everything was said and done I went there they cut me a check and it was only $300 less than what I told them I needed to get out of it. I was happy, the new owner was happy, and the classic car shop was happy. I miss it tremendously but now I have the time and the money to finish up the 68 Barracuda that I am working on now. My car was not a trailer queen, I drove it everywhere and people loved it even those who did not know what a Barracuda was.

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With the 408 and the well done restoration I’d ask $30k-$35k and see what happens. It’s really worth all of that for what you have done. I could see an emotional buy easy on that one. There are so few high end restored early A bodies I would bet there is a buyer at that price that wants a turn key car that no one else has.
 
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dart4forte said:
I don’t know but I get people all the time wanting to know if I want to sell the Valiant. The ladies seemed to be the most interested.

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I got a card from a guy Saturday that said when I want to sell mine call him. No dollars were discussed but he restores cars and knows what I would have in it. He was not wanting to steal it he just loved it.

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Start at 35. You can come down. A serious buyer will be just that, serious..... it's too close to a street car to have the bar and that scoop on it. But someone may want both. You never know....

But if you're over it, let it go. People and life change. Your Firebird may give you all the thrills needed out of a Hotrod....

JW
 
SLOPAR72 said:
Start at 35. You can come down. A serious buyer will be just that, serious..... it's too close to a street car to have the bar and that scoop on it. But someone may want both. You never know....

But if you're over it, let it go. People and life change. Your Firebird may give you all the thrills needed out of a Hotrod....

JW
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Would you pay that for it. I personally love 66 Darts and no way hojas. You're living in a dream world.
 
rod7515 said:
Guys I appreciate all your thoughts and suggestions. I've thought about this all week and have come to the decision to put the Dart up for sale. It needs to belong to someone that will drive it.
Many of you have suggested that I should drive it to the golf course. The issues with that are that in order to get it out to drive I have to remove the cover, move cars around plus I dont keep the car here at the house it is in my garage about 4 miles from here. But the other issue is that I drive my 99 Firebird because it has better road manners and is a far easier driving car plus its easier to get my clubs in and out of the back. I have posted pics of the Firebird. It also has AC for those hot summer days. lol
I wont be giving the car away as I have invested a lot in it for good parts and upgrades. I will be in no hurry to sell it and it may never sell. I do realize that.
The Firebird White and Blue are the same colors on my Dart. I thought it would be kinda neat to have 2 cars very similar in paint scheme.
Again Thanks for everyones opinion.
Rod
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Had a 93" TA back in the late 90's and was my favorite car to drive of them all and there's been many ..
Last month I got a low mile 95" TA and love it...
Selling my dual quad stroker 4-speed D60 duster this summer... I'm over it...
image.jpg
 
As the price of the real muscle cars continues to skyrocket and they disappear from rust, the prices of our little A bodies will go up as they become more desirable. Suits me fine, really. I think it's long overdue.
 
LO23M8B said:
Would you pay that for it. I personally love 66 Darts and no way hojas. You're living in a dream world.
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I don't understand this gibberish. ^^^

1 huhuhu.jpg



Early A body styling often seems to be a love it or hate it thing, at least from what I have seen.
The 60-62 Valiants and Lancers were really weird. The 63-66 cars look better but in my opinion, the A body line really took off in 1967.
Some guys like skinny women, some like chubby chicks.
 
But I will not pay $1,000 for a $20 8 mile hooker no matter how short her skirt and how much lipstick is on it.
 
j par said:
Had a 93" TA back in the late 90's and was my favorite car to drive of them all and there's been many ..
Last month I got a low mile 95" TA and love it...
Selling my dual quad stroker 4-speed D60 duster this summer... I'm over it...
View attachment 1716074822
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I had a 98 Z28 and loved it. But the 2010's and up have an extra 100 hp. I think if I go that route again, I will check these out as well.
 
LO23M8B said:
I had a 98 Z28 and loved it. But the 2010's and up have an extra 100 hp. I think if I go that route again, I will check these out as well.
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When I was looking for a 93-97 (LT1) I had an opportunity for a 2001 (LS)-50 more hp, but me personally I like the looks of the earlier years... This car wasn't all about the hp...
Every time I get out of it I look back and say "I love driving that car!"....
 
Yes they are great driving cars. Mine had a 2.45 gear (i think) Great highway cruiser.
 
Kern Dog said:
I don't understand this gibberish. ^^^

View attachment 1716074827


Early A body styling often seems to be a love it or hate it thing, at least from what I have seen.
The 60-62 Valiants and Lancers were really weird. The 63-66 cars look better but in my opinion, the A body line really took off in 1967.
Some guys like skinny women, some like chubby chicks.
Click to expand...
So true!
The early As have continued to gain more interest and thus higher $. I still say, it is hard to buy any project you do al the work and get your $ back out in parts/materials. Not impossible but hard. Cost of everything keeps going up and decent projects get more scarce.

After 40 odd years in the hobby I have always said that a "desirable'" Mopar model should be worth at least the sum of parts if sold. Back in the 80s, 90s I could do a nut/bolt resto on a 68-70 B body (yes including the second gen Charger) and it would sell for about what I had in it. Yea I had a couple body guys that did perfect work and the cost was actually "realistic" back then. BUT I could pick up a GOOD project of such lineage and sell it as a project and actually make a profit.

I have had a bunch of early As and got interested in them probably 20 years ago because I had tired of seeing overpriced B body car projects, as in too many $$ for all the rust and dents! (today the 68-70 B body prices are totally stupid. I always loved the early B body cars and to me the early As had the style but in a smaller package. As for the early B cars their prices have remained pretty steady over time. Sure they cost more today, but nothing more than normal rise IMO.

Bottom line is that basically it cost NO more to build a 65 slant Dart, than it does to build a 69 383 Roadrunner, except for the initial cost of the project. Cost of body/paint, interior, drivetrain, tires, wheels, glass, all of it is generally about the same. OK so machine work on the slant is a few $$ less!!!! That is why we call it a HOBBY!!!
 
I have been considering selling my 66 as well. I have been looking online through the past year or so, and they (the 66 Darts) range low to high. Unrestored $3500.00 on up to the $40,000+ for a nice looking car. Of course, that is what they are asking. When going to car shows, I see mustangs, Malibu, SS, and etc. Seldom, an early a mopar. Yes, the mopars (Early a) do get the attention. Nice looking car Rod. Sgrip65
 
rod7515 said:
I was wondering, is there any demand for our early “A” body cars. I know there are for the Chevy Nova II, the Camera’s and the Ford Mustangs. But what about the mopars?

I am considering the possibility of selling my 66 Dart. I did a major resto mod but it’s a shame that it basically just sits in the garage. I just don’t have the time to drive it as much as it should be driven and I don’t see that pattern changing.

If I decide to go forward and sell my Dart where would be the best place to advertise? What guide do I use to decide on an asking price. What do I compare it to when pricing?

I haven’t decided what direction I will head but I wanted to hear what others here have done and how successful you have been selling. Im in no hurry to sell and may decide not too sell but I wanted to hear what others think.

Thanks for following along.
Rod
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Have you had it appraised by an automotive appraiser? Don't ask an insurance appraiser because for what you need to know, they know road apples. Car club members are a good source to ask about finding an appraiser that is trustworthy. Even any of the GM or Ford clubs will know someone. When the same name comes up more than a couple of times, that is your go to.
 
Since NE U.S., it is all about rust. Anyone not able to thoroughly inspect it in person would likely discount greatly for the risk of significant hidden rust. Shipping cross-country is at least $1000, so except for high-end cars a local buyer is the best fit. More economical to ship the other way, say a rust-free L.A. car to eastern U.S. Downside is craigslist will waste a lot of time with scammers, tire-kickers, those who just want to test drive, and low-ballers, but I found my 64 Valiant on cl. Might do better at an auction where people get in a bidding frenzy and some just want to go home with some classic car they can afford, after watching all the cable shows.
 
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