Are Hemi carbs are harder to find? Are there more carbs around than original cars to put them on? I know they sold em over the counter at Carter and Chrysler dealerships. What do you guys think?

I know they are going for stupid prices all over the map. There is a pair for $5000 on here now. I have a pair of brand new original sealed in the original boxes at home that will make it on one of my Hemi's someday.

They aren't hard to find, but they do go for insane prices, as 6PK pointed out. Some go for a lot more than others, 71 4 speed carbs go for a lot more than 68 automatic, for example. I would certainly find a way to verify you are getting what you think you are for those prices. And then if you get cores, you can talk to Scott Smith for a killer job rebuilding them.

I will add that the carb prices follow the car and years they go with prices. 1966-67 carbs are the least expensive, and 70-71 being the most expensive. Rear carbs always bring better than fronts do , more so if they have the correct choke parts. Also a lot of carbs were sold over the counter for years, so the ones with correct date codes bring the best. IMO when they have service replacement dates stamped into them that hurts overall value.
Also you see a lot of ASKING prices I think more so than actual selling prices, but that's my 2 cents worth.
Matt

I sold a pair of 68 automatics over the counter date codes needing rebuilt for $2500 last year...

I had correct carbs on my Hemi 500 and the 68 but that was back when they cost 500-600 each in nice useable condition. My theory is there are many more carbs available than there are cars for them to fit on, same for single 4bbl orange air cleaner assemblies? I've been moving away from original parts for few years now, guess I lost interest in oem. Big cams, aluminum heads, trick carbs and big brakes are really fun. I just bought the whole top half for the Hemi Dart for same price as one set of 70 Hemi carbs.

Any chance you have a 68 auto rear with a D8 date? 4432S?
If so PM me.
Matt

That question basically puts it all into perspective. Values are all about who needs which carb and for what car. As mentioned above in another post, generally speaking the 66-67 carbs (while certainly not cheap) are the least valuable, 70-71's are the most.

What complicates it are the variables (with any year).

#1. Which date codes the carbs are.
#2. The SPD of the car that needs them.
#3. Which transmission the car has (68 and up, 66 & 67 are all the same)
#4. If buying/selling singles or pairs (date matched pairs usually bring a premium)
#5. Do they both have original tags?
#6. Are they complete and unmodified?
#7. Are they restored or just cores?

All of the above are contributors to Hemi carburetor values. Are they overly rare? By production counts, not overly so, but many have been lost, modified, or put back on cars over the last 50 years since they were made, every day there are fewer available. So, if you consider all of the above, the set that is perfectly matched for whichever car can prove to be elusive and is usually going to be costly.

I occasionally take in cores in trade for work and sometimes buy mates for singles I pick up etc. and sell them in restored condition If the prices of originals is beyond your budget I sell "clones" which look very similar, use all original factory linkage, fuel lines, air cleaners, etc. for $1,200.00. Finding good carburetors these days is a lot harder than it once was, you really have to be careful as there is some real junk out there and then there are the re-stamped fakes (ebay is a mine field) . So, be careful out there buyers.

.02

I don't have original 68 carbs. I build clones when I need some. Just finishing a set for a mechanical 6 pack.