what is the most Desirable A body line

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The 68-69 Dart GTS and 68-69 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S would be my bet as what is most collectable long term. The HEMI SS versions of the 68 models made them even more iconic. Topping things off with M code 440 cars was epic. After 1969 we would never see another factory big block A body. IMO the high water mark for the A-mobiles.
 
it seems like the "tri year" 67~69 darts are the most sought after along with the 2nd gen 67~69 barracuda.

the barracudas have and will always be in that upper echelon just due to rarity alone. however, they're always viewed through a different lense than dodge or the other plymouths because they were marketed and seen as upper class and more sophisticated. barracuda's got deluxe interior and darts got rubber floor mats. you still got all the big bad performance stuff, but it was classy.

but there's a dynamic at play here. while everybody pines for the uptown girl, dreams about that 440 'cuda or a drop top S car the fact is most of them grew up with darts. mom drove a 4dr when you were little, uncle rico had a 340 4spd car, that shitty 4dr /6 car got you thru college two moves and three bad girlfriends, there was that one guy with the bad *** big block dart that nobody dared mess with that cruised the dairy queen on saturday nights.

currently we're seeing a market shift in what's desirable. and the demographic that drives the market is the one that has the money, so now all the olds that grew up with darts and dusters are cashing out their IRA's to get what they wanted back in the day. what they grew up with. that car they had to sell or the one they never could build or afford back when. nostalgia is a market force to be reckoned with.
right now, dusters are having their moment. in a few years, who knows? maybe it'll be 4dr vals?

for me though, it'll always be 67~69 barracudas and darts. in my mind those are what established the line and embodied every facet of what could be and came to define what an A body would be.
 
junkyardhero said:
it seems like the "tri year" 67~69 darts are the most sought after along with the 2nd gen 67~69 barracuda.

the barracudas have and will always be in that upper echelon just due to rarity alone. however, they're always viewed through a different lense than dodge or the other plymouths because they were marketed and seen as upper class and more sophisticated. barracuda's got deluxe interior and darts got rubber floor mats. you still got all the big bad performance stuff, but it was classy.

but there's a dynamic at play here. while everybody pines for the uptown girl, dreams about that 440 'cuda or a drop top S car the fact is most of them grew up with darts. mom drove a 4dr when you were little, uncle rico had a 340 4spd car, that shitty 4dr /6 car got you thru college two moves and three bad girlfriends, there was that one guy with the bad *** big block dart that nobody dared mess with that cruised the dairy queen on saturday nights.

currently we're seeing a market shift in what's desirable. and the demographic that drives the market is the one that has the money, so now all the olds that grew up with darts and dusters are cashing out their IRA's to get what they wanted back in the day. what they grew up with. that car they had to sell or the one they never could build or afford back when. nostalgia is a market force to be reckoned with.
right now, dusters are having their moment. in a few years, who knows? maybe it'll be 4dr vals?

for me though, it'll always be 67~69 barracudas and darts. in my mind those are what established the line and embodied every facet of what could be and came to define what an A body would be.
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I say the 68 to 69 Dart this my 68 GT

A8DEFA13-382F-4BF0-B294-29A64D408DD9.jpeg


C48C9D14-C838-48BE-B83F-B1AF6AA27D6B.jpeg
 
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Kern Dog said:
I have had close to 30 of them, mostly 67-76 year models.
The Duster was a great looking car for the entire run.
The Demon? I never really warmed up to the front end styling of the 70-72 Darts. The slotted taillights of the Demon are really great. The Demon and Dart Sport had front and rear wheel openings that don't match. The Dart Sports took the good looking Duster taillights and ruined them. Many don't like the pointed front end. I don't mind those. The 75-76 Duster looks better up front due to styling and how the same year Dart and Dart Sport had front bumpers almost designed for demolition derby usage.
I am not much of a fan of the early A. I wouldn't insult someone with one, I just don't like the styling.
The 67-69 Dart is the top of the heap for me. My first car was a 69 Dart 2 door. I currently have a 67 and will soon pick up a 69 FOUR DOOR !
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here is a pic of the Demon taillights that you like.

IMG_3717.jpg
 
$$$ Wise...I say the 68 Dart. Followed by 67-9 Cudas.
But for most of us, it is the model (s) we love the most.

RoadKill had a lot to do with the popularity of the 2 nd gen. Charger. Probably their exploits with their Duster helped those Dusters popularity some too.

When we see Dusters, etc bring the $$ at Mecum like the 2 nd gen. Chargers, then there ya are!!!!

I love the models that I can afford as toys and that I like.
 
My list in order, not that it means much.


67 Fast Back Barracuda
69 Dart
70 Dusrer
71Demon

73 it's all went down hill.
 
To the original question; what A body is now the most popular. I think the analogy with the Charger is pointing towards one of our models that is most desirable in the market right now. Like the Dodge Charger. I bet if we had a data set the numbers prolly favor the Duster/Demon but I FEEL like they were more popular when they came out. Yeah the world probably contains more Darts than any other model and none of the 3 generations of Barracuda were big sellers at production. I still think they suffer from a lack of desire generally. The rarity has made the latter the holy grail for collectors.
So the data to compare might be selling prices and time it takes to sell them on the market. Like they do with real estate. No? Bet it’s Duster/Demon.
For the record I’m in what I have BECAUSE they weren’t popular. Mine is driven a lot and lay people ask me what it is all the time. “Never seen one”. Chargers, Camaros, and Mustangs be damned! And not driven either by the way. I never see any of them anymore and they made 10 times more than mine ???
 
67 and 68 Fastback Formula S Barracudas. Nothing looks like them. The interior is so sweet with the fold down rear seat. One of the best all around road cars made in my opinion.
 
1- any big block 67-69 A body
2- any 340 67-69
3- 340 Demon
4- 340 anything else
 
RustyRatRod said:
A Scamp is a Valiant with the Scamp model package. Same car, different trim level.
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The Valiant / Duster / Demon / Dart Sport should be a 108" wheelbase while the Scamp is a "Plymouth Dart" with a 111" wheelbase. and the different trim as RustyRatRod Said as well.
 
I love the Duster 340-360 models. I'll even go out on a limb and say it's the best Mopar Muscle Car combo in terms of body style, size, and weight. Can't beat the semi-fastback look. Challenger might be a hair better, but that's it. In my opinion..
 
Princess Valiant said:
I keep hearing people say that Dusters are now the "chargers of A bodies"

Some say 67-69 Barracuda is

Some say 67-9 Darts

others might assert that Demons 71/2 are the Holy grail ....

What would you call the "charger of the A bodies" meaning the cars that command the most desire and are recognized by non-car people as being an unmistakable icon?
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Demons for the win here, preferably the 71. Throw in a GSS 6pk to make holy grail.
 
As far as my choice I'm partial to Dusters because my son has had two that I have also spent many hours wrenching on but the Demon is definitely the rarest with the shortest production run AND a great looking car, so either one.
 
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