help pricing a 1970 Hemi Cuda

[Harris Speedster]

Guys,
When I go actually physically view the car, want to leave a deposit.
Sure it will get away if not.

Been stored inside, last drove about 20 years ago.
Climate control,garage never hit, never rusted, partial repaint, Mango. black int, column shift, shaker.

Service block from dlr when almost new. Bum deal, probably 20% disc
I have not seen the car yet, but know the DR quite well.
No idea what to tell him on price,  ?

I would say; nice driver if polished up, good enough for parades.
Interior the same.
Dr was not a gear head, he drove it while in Medical school and as time went, just left in his climate controlled garage.
Not sure what to bounce off of him?
Worst case $ , best case $ ?
John

[PrettyMuchAShelbyGuy]

So, I'm not you SME here for Hemi's...  Sounds like he has an 'asking price' already?  If yes, how grounded is that?  No need to disclose, am sure you've done your homework.  There are plenty of price guides around.  Should be a good color.  What's the reason for the partial repaint, do you know?  What climate was in DD in?  If not running for 20 years, could cost you 5-20K to get it safely driving again.  Off the cuff, I'm thinking: Belts/hoses/brakes/lines/tank/service/fluids/bearings/tires/anti-freeze/pull the pan & valve covers/gaskets/services parts/ensure the motor is not seized or has any damage to effect start-up/battery/filters/etc.  Then, with so much original paint, a nice 1 or 2K exterior detail.  Interior should not need much, but your nose will tell you once you open the door.  Hopefully, wiring is all good, not all cut under the dash or mouse/rat eaten.  Like any project, it can quickly go from what you think is reasonable to geometrically out of control.  Do you suffer from OCD?  I do, a simple couple of items on 1 car turned into a 13 month complete restoration.  Basically, an upside down gold-mine for me.  What are your plans?  Hopefully, you have waaaay more restraint than me.  If you can buy it at a fair price, drive it, have fun, not spend too much, then may be a fair deal.  Oh, if you want all date coded stuff vs. nice re-pop parts, that too will have an impact.  I am sure I am missing a bunch...  Does it have all OEM glass?  Without more detail, maybe 150-200?

[427hunter]

A very nice driver (real R code not a clone) with an auto and a non matching block is around 140+ today,  Cuda's  have shot back up in value over the past few months. Just make sure the cowl and radiator support number match the vin sequential number.   

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Dr was not a gear head, he drove it while in Medical school and as time went, just left in his climate controlled garage.

Original owner? Did he keep paperwork? All value adders.
I hope his expectations are not based on an afternoon of watching Barrett Jackson.

[Special Ed]

What about options on fender tag needs decoded as all hemi cudas are shakers and column shift hurts value and can be split bench or buckets depending on how ordered. Go Man Go   is a good color and check rear super trac pac  4;10 dana or 9 3/4 regular rear probly since its an auto.

[Harris Speedster]

I pretty much agree with what was said above.
The DR. is not a gear head, used as DD back in Med school.
I doubt mice and critters have gotten to it, we shall see though.
If it will fluff up, maybe 175K after services you mentioned  PrettyMuchAShelbyGuy

I expect to see a nice clean old hemi cuda
Thanks guys, if anyone is in the market, let me know and I will let you know,
It will place it in the for sale section with price.>>> herein.
After thought;
Safe side, after some more thought, 125K up to the 175 if she will clean up nicely and have toys at upper end.
Road lamps , tach dash, split bench, road wheels, dlx interior package etc >>> will also help determine.

[69mach351w]

Post photos as soon as you can! We love photos

[CSX2259]

If I can help please let me know, I am a Mopar enthusiast as well. I have owned 6-Pack cars, both E and B body. A fender tag photo would be very helpful in estimating a value. As pointed out above a Hemi car would come with the Shaker (N96). The column shift does hurt the value. It would be nice to know if it had a Dana 60 but I am leaning toward a 8 3/4" rear axle.

[shelbymann1970]

I was at a show on Monday. An AAR Cuda  came in. Brown. Because of the being an AAR I was able to get by the brown then I saw the column shift. Turned me off. Just like column shifts on Camaros. I walked away. I see why the column shifts hurt the value. unless a really good price I think twice. 

[shelbydoug]

It would seem that only Chrysler could possibly conceive of offering such strange contradictory factory build options? An automatic column shift with a Hemi and hood scoop?

What happened to the push buttons on the dash board? My HS Driver's Ed, a Ply Mouth Fury,  car had those. You could really slam those buttons but the girls needed to be careful they didn't break their "nails".

What about a roll bar with a cigar holder?

[Harris Speedster]

Guys,
yep, maybe a strange build order?
Will hopefully get a look this Saturday.
I think>>>> dana.
Truly doubt a roll bar and cigar holder, but stranger s.... >>> has occurred>>

[shelbymann1970]

It would seem that only Chrysler could possibly conceive of offering such strange contradictory factory build options? An automatic column shift with a Hemi and hood scoop?

What happened to the push buttons on the dash board? My HS Driver's Ed, a Ply Mouth Fury,  car had those. You could really slam those buttons but the girls needed to be careful they didn't break their "nails".

What about a roll bar with a cigar holder?

in my teen years my neighbor had a silver 69 SS 396 Camaro with a column shift.

[Peter L.]

 Nobody yet..?? Just for the record, if it is a true EK2 car, Go Mango is the Dodge color. The Plymouth version is Vitamin C.   

[Cudino]

I agree with everyone's replies.  There were approximately 700 Hemicudas built in 1970, and while not exciting today the column-shift configuration was fairly common.  As mentioned, the car's options can have a great impact on value, and the Fender Tag will show much (but not all) of this information.  Does the car have a Buildsheet (aka Broadcast Sheet)?  Or has anyone ever looked?  As with a lot of things in this hobby Fender Tags have been faked for years, so additional paperwork (ideally a buildsheet) is really desirable.  Plus, the buildsheet (or order form, or window sticker) shows features that were not included on the Fender Tag, since the tag was only used to show options that required body-modifications.  If the owner hasn't looked the most likely locations for finding a buildsheet are under the back or bottom springs of the front and/or rear seats, and/or wedged up behind the glovebox.  Hemicudas were all built at the Hamtramck plant, who generally left these buildsheets in these areas during assembly, so it is common for Hemicudas to have this document if the original interior is still intact and rodent-free.  So you may find several duplicate copies, or may find none, or may even find one for a car that was next in line in production that just happened to use the same type of seats, luck of the draw.  All 4-speed Hemicudas got Dana60 rearends, but Autos came standard with the 3.23:1 open rear 8-3/4, with other ratios or the Dana60 available as optional axle packages.  Service Replacement Warranty blocks will have a tag riveted to the lower side of the block, and will have a blank (non-stamped) VIN pad just above the oilpan, facing the pass-side wheel.  If the block is indeed a Service Replacement it will have this tag, otherwise it may be a more common over-the-counter unstamped warranty block.  The Auto trans will also have a VIN pad on the passenger side.  For E-bodies only the last 8 digits of the VIN will be stamped on these pads.  As mentioned above, these last 8 digits will also be stamped into the backside of the Radiator support (facing the radiator, to the right of the radiator cap) and on the top of the cowl on the driver's side.  There will also be a full VIN# on the dash VIN tag and on the driver's side door decal.  Here's a site with some great information and examples: https://www.e-bodies.org/buying-your-first-e-body/vin-numbers/

Go-Mango is indeed a cool color, and was extra cost, but the column-shift and non-original motor do hurt, along with a Bench Seat if so equipped.  If the car does not have a buildsheet or documentation other than the fender tag that will also hurt.  If the car has a lot of options that will help, but only if it has documentation to support those options.  Sounds like the body is in good shape, but understandably condition and originality also helps or hurts.  I love these cars, and by description it sounds like this is an intact car that needs some TLC.  However, with the column-shift and non-original motor I think this car will be at the lower end of the $125K-$175K scale, and the only way it could move up higher is if it had great docs and/or great original condition.

As mentioned, pictures of the car, and especially of the Fender Tag and any other documentation, will really help.  Good Luck, and keep us posted!

- Wade

[shelbymann1970]

I agree with everyone's replies.  There were approximately 700 Hemicudas built in 1970, and while not exciting today the column-shift configuration was fairly common.  As mentioned, the car's options can have a great impact on value, and the Fender Tag will show much (but not all) of this information.  Does the car have a Buildsheet (aka Broadcast Sheet)?  Or has anyone ever looked?  As with a lot of things in this hobby Fender Tags have been faked for years, so additional paperwork (ideally a buildsheet) is really desirable.  Plus, the buildsheet (or order form, or window sticker) shows features that were not included on the Fender Tag, since the tag was only used to show options that required body-modifications.  If the owner hasn't looked the most likely locations for finding a buildsheet are under the back or bottom springs of the front and/or rear seats, and/or wedged up behind the glovebox.  Hemicudas were all built at the Hamtramck plant, who generally left these buildsheets in these areas during assembly, so it is common for Hemicudas to have this document if the original interior is still intact and rodent-free.  So you may find several duplicate copies, or may find none, or may even find one for a car that was next in line in production that just happened to use the same type of seats, luck of the draw.  All 4-speed Hemicudas got Dana60 rearends, but Autos came standard with the 3.23:1 open rear 8-3/4, with other ratios or the Dana60 available as optional axle packages.  Service Replacement Warranty blocks will have a tag riveted to the lower side of the block, and will have a blank (non-stamped) VIN pad just above the oilpan, facing the pass-side wheel.  If the block is indeed a Service Replacement it will have this tag, otherwise it may be a more common over-the-counter unstamped warranty block.  The Auto trans will also have a VIN pad on the passenger side.  For E-bodies only the last 8 digits of the VIN will be stamped on these pads.  As mentioned above, these last 8 digits will also be stamped into the backside of the Radiator support (facing the radiator, to the right of the radiator cap) and on the top of the cowl on the driver's side.  There will also be a full VIN# on the dash VIN tag and on the driver's side door decal.  Here's a site with some great information and examples: https://www.e-bodies.org/buying-your-first-e-body/vin-numbers/

Go-Mango is indeed a cool color, and was extra cost, but the column-shift and non-original motor do hurt, along with a Bench Seat if so equipped.  If the car does not have a buildsheet or documentation other than the fender tag that will also hurt.  If the car has a lot of options that will help, but only if it has documentation to support those options.  Sounds like the body is in good shape, but understandably condition and originality also helps or hurts.  I love these cars, and by description it sounds like this is an intact car that needs some TLC.  However, with the column-shift and non-original motor I think this car will be at the lower end of the $125K-$175K scale, and the only way it could move up higher is if it had great docs and/or great original condition.

As mentioned, pictures of the car, and especially of the Fender Tag and any other documentation, will really help.  Good Luck, and keep us posted!

- Wade

Thanks for the link on numbers. I love Graveyard Carz because I have learned so much about that era of Mopars and I love those cars. I once had a plum Crazy 71 RT/SE V-code auto 391 8 3/4 car. Black vinyl top/interior Challenger. How rare was that? My friend is looking for a 440 4 speed or auto/air 68-70 Charger if you know of any. He has the money for the right car. Gary