The sellability of our early “A” body cars

[rod7515]

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

 

[Dana67Dart]

This OP might be interested for the right price?

I need your honest opinion

 

[Lord Sparky]

Mopar is a small niche. When you watch the auctions for classic American cars: 60% Chevy, 30% Ford, 5% Mopar, 5% other.

 

[Inertia]

If you don't have enuff regrets, - sell it .
I still have my 69, lotsa regrets, - but not that one ! !

 

[toolmanmike]

If I decide to go forward and sell my Dart where would be the best place to advertise?
Rod

Put it up for sale right here on the site. You have a captive audience here. There have been enough early A's sold here that you can get a good idea what to ask for it. Ask yourself how much do you have in it? In a perfect world you could sell it for at least that amount. No reason to take a bath by selling it for less than you have in it unless you are selling out of desperation.

 

[Dana67Dart]

No reason to take a bath by selling it for less than you have in it unless you are selling out of desperation

Or if you don't need the money you could sell it short to a younger person who could enjoy it for the next 50 years.

 

[RegularJay]

I think its very rare to get all your money back out of a restoration unless you did everything yourself and value your own time at basically zero. Every situation is different - why dont you drive it?

 

[rod7515]

RegularJay. The reason i dont drive it is because i love playing golf so that takes most of my weekday time. On weekends to keep peace in the family i travel to the beach so my wife can enjoy sun and sand. I myself would rather stay home on weekends but its something she really enjoys. This doesnt leave a lot of car time.

I put all quality parts into this car. Most of everything was bought new so i know i wont get all my money back out but i wont give it away. I dont expect to get my time back out of it thats for sure. Im going to sit down and make a list of all the parts and improvements ive put in and try to get a close idea on money spent then i guess ill decide if i should sell and what kind of pricing i might ask.
I appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you,
Rod

 

[Darter6]

I think its very rare to get all your money back out of a restoration

I agree. This is what I can tell you. Early cars A or B Have never brought allot or should I say high market value.
Excellent early "B' cars that are not Max Wedge or Hemi will be in the $25K to 40K We never did better for a extremely clean big block B. Early A cars with Slants or 273 will fall in the category of $2500 to maybe $12K depending on how clean or modified it may be. A early A with a 416 stroker will bring more.As stated above the market is not there like the 68 to 72 A body cars. Same for the 68 to 72 B body cars.
Some in the 66-67 B body cars will depend on power train.
When buying I always look to see what the car needs restoration wise. Is it complete down to the wheel covers or are items missing that will be hard to find. Stuff like that.
As ToolMan said show us what you got.There will be plenty on here that will voice a opinion.

 

[Darter6]

rod7515, I understand completely. Tho I love cars family comes first.
I sold my 65 Hemi Belvedere not long ago along with my 63 Belvedere race car because I never had time for them.
My life had changed as time marched on.
To me it was better to sell to someone that will use them than have them sit.

 

[toolmanmike]

RegularJay. The reason i dont drive it is because i love playing golf so that takes most of my weekday time. On weekends to keep peace in the family i travel to the beach so my wife can enjoy sun and sand. I myself would rather stay home on weekends but its something she really enjoys. This doesnt leave a lot of car time.

I put all quality parts into this car. Most of everything was bought new so i know i wont get all my money back out but i wont give it away. I dont expect to get my time back out of it thats for sure. Im going to sit down and make a list of all the parts and improvements ive put in and try to get a close idea on money spent then i guess ill decide if i should sell and what kind of pricing i might ask.
I appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you,
Rod

The informed people that know what it takes to build a car would understand your asking price. The ones that don't understand are just tire kickers or flippers wanting to steel it so they can make a buck.

 

[Darter6]

flippers

 

[rod7515]

here’s a quick list I put together and a pic of my Dart.

1966 Dodge Dart

408 stroker bored .40
10.5-1 compression
Miladon 8 qt oil Pan
Melling HV Pump
915 heads with porting/hardened seats/ valve guides
.190/.202 new intake / exhaust valves new Comp springs/retainers
Solid roller cam .575 intake/exhaust .308 duration comp cams
Roller rockers
Edelbrock Tunnel ram
2 - Holley 600 cfm vacuum secondarys
Aluminum radiator
Custom built fan shroud
TTI headers, TTi dual exhaust 3" with x pipe. flowmaster 40's mufflers
Procomp electronic ignition TTI headers, TTi dual exhaust 3" with x pipe. flowmaster 40's mufflers
Procomp electronic ignition
Mallory electric fuel pump, regulator

Built 904 trans Manual Shift
Deep Pan
Trans cooler
Dynamic
converter 3800-4000 custom built
Hurst pro matic custom fit into console

Frame connectors
Mini tubbed
Springs relocation kit
Mopar Super stock springs
489 carrier 8 ¾" 456 / mini spool
Moser axles

Weld racing Pro star wheels
10x15 6.5 bs rear
5x15 frt
BFG 295/50R15
BFG 155/80R15

Rod

 

[toolmanmike]

here’s a quick list I put together and a pic of my Dart.

1966 Dodge Dart

408 stroker bored .40
10.5-1 compression
Miladon 8 qt oil Pan
Melling HV Pump
915 heads with porting/hardened seats/ valve guides
.190/.202 new intake / exhaust valves new Comp springs/retainers
Solid roller cam .575 intake/exhaust .308 duration comp cams
Roller rockers
Edelbrock Tunnel ram
2 - Holley 600 cfm vacuum secondarys
Aluminum radiator
Custom built fan shroud
TTI headers, TTi dual exhaust 3" with x pipe. flowmaster 40's mufflers
Procomp electronic ignition TTI headers, TTi dual exhaust 3" with x pipe. flowmaster 40's mufflers
Procomp electronic ignition
Mallory electric fuel pump, regulator

Built 904 trans Manual Shift
Deep Pan
Trans cooler
Dynamic
converter 3800-4000 custom built
Hurst pro matic custom fit into console

Frame connectors
Mini tubbed
Springs relocation kit
Mopar Super stock springs
489 carrier 8 ¾" 456 / mini spool
Moser axles

Weld racing Pro star wheels
10x15 6.5 bs rear
5x15 frt
BFG 295/50R15
BFG 155/80R15
View attachment 1716071809
Rod

Nice. $20-25,000.. Edit: $25,000+ You can't build one for that.

 

[rod7515]

Missed this stuff when I pasted


Spare housing / factory axles 391 sure grip 489 carrier

P/S available

New carpet
New headliner
Bucket racing seats
Custom made dash, repaint, new pad cover shell
All chrome stainless reworked
Body is metal and very nice
Front disc brake conversion
Updated dual master cyl
All new brake tubes, lines and pads
Total frt suspension rebuild:
Inner/outer tie rods, balm joints, upper/lower control arm bushings
Summit adjustable racing shocks
Rechromed bumpers
Roll bar with swing outs
Front pulley kit
Battery relocation
Outside kill switch

Tank sump kit
New aluminum fuel lines
Underbody painted with POR15
Hydraulic trunk supports
Custom wiring harness
Door hinge kits

 

[Syleng1]

Dude! That’s one hellva golf cart. I’d kick back to 9holes in the am and drive the afternoon away. Compromises. Life is all about compromises.

 

[DentalDart]

RegularJay. The reason i dont drive it is because i love playing golf so that takes most of my weekday time. On weekends to keep peace in the family i travel to the beach so my wife can enjoy sun and sand. I myself would rather stay home on weekends but its something she really enjoys. This doesnt leave a lot of car time.

I put all quality parts into this car. Most of everything was bought new so i know i wont get all my money back out but i wont give it away. I dont expect to get my time back out of it thats for sure. Im going to sit down and make a list of all the parts and improvements ive put in and try to get a close idea on money spent then i guess ill decide if i should sell and what kind of pricing i might ask.
I appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you,
Rod

Here is a crazy thought… just hear me out…. The dart has a Trunk right?… put the golf clubs in the trunk and drive the car to the golf course…

I know crazy… using a car to drive and haul things around.

 

[RegularJay]

Looks sweet! Drive it to the golf course.

 

[mopowers]

here’s a quick list I put together and a pic of my Dart.

1966 Dodge Dart

408 stroker bored .40
10.5-1 compression
Miladon 8 qt oil Pan
Melling HV Pump
915 heads with porting/hardened seats/ valve guides
.190/.202 new intake / exhaust valves new Comp springs/retainers
Solid roller cam .575 intake/exhaust .308 duration comp cams
Roller rockers
Edelbrock Tunnel ram
2 - Holley 600 cfm vacuum secondarys
Aluminum radiator
Custom built fan shroud
TTI headers, TTi dual exhaust 3" with x pipe. flowmaster 40's mufflers
Procomp electronic ignition TTI headers, TTi dual exhaust 3" with x pipe. flowmaster 40's mufflers
Procomp electronic ignition
Mallory electric fuel pump, regulator

Built 904 trans Manual Shift
Deep Pan
Trans cooler
Dynamic
converter 3800-4000 custom built
Hurst pro matic custom fit into console

Frame connectors
Mini tubbed
Springs relocation kit
Mopar Super stock springs
489 carrier 8 ¾" 456 / mini spool
Moser axles

Weld racing Pro star wheels
10x15 6.5 bs rear
5x15 frt
BFG 295/50R15
BFG 155/80R15
View attachment 1716071809
Rod

Do you have any interior photos of your 66?

 

[abodyjoe]

early abodies are as poplular as ever right now because everything else is so damn expensive..

 

[junkyardhero]

lovely car. super clean and tidy. obviously lots of work done, time and money invested.

understand that unfortunately a "race car" with a roll cage radically shrinks the prospective buyer pool.

just off the cuff, mid to high 20's maybe low 30's would be about market.

if you sat down and added it all up and then divided by half, i'd say you're gonna be about there. which is kind of what i would expect market wise for an early A

 

[rod7515]

Mopowers, I’ve got so many pics of everything on this car. I could detail the build very close by all the pics.
Rod

 

[Inertia]

Seriously awesome car ! !
GLWS .

 

[mopowers]

Mopowers, I’ve got so many pics of everything on this car. I could detail the build very close by all the pics.
Rod

Thanks! I went back and found your build thread. Such a great resource for those of us putting one of these early A's together. That's a great car you've built!

 

[dart4forte]

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.