My wife and I have been talking a lot about a different Mopar daily driver such as an A body or B body. I have had my 64 Dodge 330 drag car for over 20 years and can't drive it. I would sell it and try to find something different. So what are the nice Mopar drivers doing price wise these days? I have not kept up with the market for a long time! Thanks! Ted

Asking prices are multiplied by 2x or 3x now.

Beaters/parts cars are like 5 and up.

Decent drivers that used to be like 5-6 are now 12-18

Really depends on what you mean by a daily driver. There aren't a lot of stock daily driver Mopars around anymore although I did see a '74 Duster recently that appeared to be a daily driver. That might be the first one I've seen in a few years. A 50 year old car just isn't going to be a reliable daily driver unless you put some cash into it and even then, it will suck as a daily driver unless you either have low expectations, or else fix the handling and brake issues that they had from the factory.

I was driving my Duster around town on a daily basis before I sold it but it wasn't really a "daily driver". It was a pro street build that I was driving daily for short trips to the bank or post office. It was too uncomfortable to drive for longer distances but it was fun for short trips. I wouldn't depend on it as a daily driver to get me to work, pick up the kids from school and pick my mom up from the airport though. And that was a high dollar build with EFI, 13 inch brake rotors on all four corners, Koni shocks, etc.

....... A 50 year old car just isn't going to be a reliable daily driver unless you put some cash into it and even then, it will suck as a daily driver unless you either have low expectations, or else fix the handling and brake issues that they had from the factory......


Very well said! My beater' 05 Neon will out handle, out brake any 50 year old car and get over 30 mpg in the highway and it's reliable too!

My brother daily drives a 69 Buick GS400/4 speed every day. Work trip is 20+ miles each way. He added A/C for comfort (he's in Phoenix).

think you might be better off with like 2006 and up models . . . I have an 06 Magnum RT AWD, had since new, and been great daily driver . . . of course up here in great white north, having AWD is awesome in winter time ! Great combo, 5.7 hemi and AWD !! . . . of course these are up in value now, thanks to pandemic . . . depends on how much $$ you want to spend and then spend on maintenance for reliability . .

Around here it seems like anything under 10k is a project.

I can drive my Coronet on a daily basis around town but I wouldn't take it longer drives out of town, especially with the family on board. The Coronet has been updated with power steering, EFI, four wheel disc brakes, big anti-sway bar, Koni shocks and 17 inch radial tires so it starts, stops, handles and gets decent gas mileage. But it doesn't have cruise control, back up camera, AC, climate control, air bags, shoulder belts, etc. so you give up some safety and comfort when compared to a modern car. I don't think I'd sell my Coronet for less than $30K so it wouldn't be a "cheap" daily driver Mopar. Good luck finding an updated daily driver muscle car Mopar for much less than $30K. Anything less expensive than that will most likely be a "classic" with bias ply tires, worn out suspension, drum brakes, worn out engine, etc.

Or a truck. I have a super clean 2004 Dodge Ram truck with 140,000 miles on it that is a great daily driver. I'd jump in it and drive cross country if I had to and it is almost 20 years old.

Figure out what you'd like to use daily, or at least narrow it down.
I have no problem driving my '60s-'70s stuff, as not every drive needs to be Qualifying.
But I have a "rain & winter beater" '96 Breeze with 300K on it that's still decent and reliable.

I think it depends on your wants and needs. I drove my '71 D100 as a summer driver for several years. It was a factory a/c & PS truck, with an Edelbrock Performer cam/manifold/carb, and an A518. Longest regular commute was 30 miles each way. Did the same with my '72 Austin Mini (updated with a late model EFI engine), but it had 2-50 a/c. Both of those vehicles did the Hot Rod Power Tour with no problems. My wife's Li'l Red Express clone did the HRPT twice and is capable of being a DD except I HATE having the wood out in the rain. Out the window of my office is my '88 Ramcharger. I'd drive any of them anywhere in the country, and I HAVE. Are they as comfortable as the wife's Grand Cherokee? Heck no. But I enjoy driving them a heck of a lot more, and I'll put up with the ride of the Ramcharger on buggy springs for 45 minutes a day rather than the air-ride in the Jeep because of the smile it puts on my face.

I used my 68 Charger as a DD for about 3 years and it was great. PS/PB/AT made all the difference. I have a 71 RR with manual everything and it's....not great as a DD.

Yeah I agree. My '65 Coronet is manual transmission and I got caught in some stop and go traffic on the freeway once coming home from a short trip. That was not fun, especially on a long up hill stretch of the freeway where I was constantly slipping the clutch as the traffic slowly inched forward. An automatic trans would've made that drive 10x easier. I now avoid traffic when driving that car.

Years ago you could buy a cheap DD type mopar.700.00 2 DR Coronet as well as others..I used to drive my car to work and back home.Friends would help each other out to fix things,or if someone needed something.The cars these days even basic mopars are to expensive for me.

I have been looking at older stuff as a driver as well. But have come to terms that I will need to factor into the cost of Gear Vendors and Classic A/C. Power this and that are are not a real need to me.
My driver was a 1994 Ram 2500Hd with Auto Trans{518}, 354:1 rear, A/C Manual windows, rubber mat, but dealer-installed Crusie.
I could deal with a 318-360 old truck if it had 518 or Gear Vendors and Vents that has cool A/C blowing out them.
Power windows, Locks, etc do not matter to me
I would rather have 20K in a 318 Duster/Dart than a Corolla. But my wife drives a Civic.

You can drive old stuff in town here just fine. The place I'd stay away from is the freeway as most old cars with 3 speed transmissions don't fit in with the current 85 mph or more speeds.

Yeah cruising at 75+ can be a little rough on the old stuff. My '65 Coronet has 3.23 gears and a 5 speed manual so freeway speeds aren't a problem but I hate running into traffic jams on the freeway in that car. I suppose if I want to make it a daily driver I could go G3 Hemi with an 8 speed transmission. Actually I think I'm going to convert my '65 Coronet to electric if I keep it. If I put a Tesla drivetrain under it then it would be a great daily driver. Might cost a bunch to do the conversion but it would make the car easy to drive.

I agree with this. On my LRE I turn around 3,000 rpm at 70 mph with 3.55s and to add I have a 3 inch exhaust with headers exiting the factory location.

I daily drive, as much as I drive for personal use anyway, my 51 Plymouth.

Other than being converted to 12v and quality LED head lights it's a stocker.

I guess it's all in what you like. My company truck has all the latest nonsense in it, I prefer the 51.

Guys...I am thinking like an A body or B body that we can go to cruise's and stuff...

I know you said A or B body, but I just gotta ask, how about a C body? Prices on them have gone stupid too, but I've seen a number of clean examples over the past year, and there's less of a chance of it having been ricky raced.

Comfort, style, hwy gears......with minimal work, you'd probably end up with a great driver. There's a guy I follow on instagram (obsoleteautomotive), he just sold off a CLEAN '73 Polara after driving all over the Carolinas with it. I think he got $6500 for it?

Prices have jumped again , everything C bodys included now, are out of my price range

Everything has gone up. Prices have gone crazy on everything. I know they're not Mopars but, look at what Chevrolet trucks and Ford Highboys are selling for. It's absolutely insane and to think no long ago you find a nice for reasonable. Even Dakota Convertibles and FWD Turbo Mopars have gone up depending on mileage/condition.

The only other you could try to do is look for a Cordoba/Magnum or Mirada. Decent ones 6-8k range depending.

I'm gonna swap the 4.30 gears for 3.91 and stick the old SSH-38C back in my Charger. Boom! Daily driver.

Something to go to cruise ins and stuff with, is a completely different story then a daily driver.

Depending on how perfect it needs to be, and how much light work your willing to put into it can have a cost difference of $10,000 or more these days. Something in a slant 6 or 318 A body, or not so popular small block or 4 door B body, that needs a little tender loving care, but otherwise is still presentable and has no major issues can be had in the $12,000-$15,000 range. Those vehicles are not something you will want to drive everywhere, on every single day, but could be a great ride to jump in and go for a couple hour cruise on a nice day. Decent cars that have not been made into drag race cars are still out there, but you need to look for them, then look closely at them before you buy.

The more popular, and the closer to perfection you get, the faster and higher the price jumps. Gene

And there is your answer, Ted. Some of them even have 400ci engines.

With all the good cruising/daily driver goodies except for the modern day safety features. Just obviously not the air bags and the collision crumple zones and such.

This '76 Cordoba didn't sell on Bring A Trailer 2.5 years ago, but appears to be a very nice, non-winter daily driver.

This '82 Mirada sold for $7,500 last November.

Which brings up another thing. Are you considering a four season daily driver?

Thanks everyone. My daily driver for running around is my old rusty but trusty 95 Ram 1500 5.9. We also have a 2014 Challenger SXT that we drive and enjoy. My 64 is cool but it would cost a fortune to put it onto the street. 4:56 Dana with a spool and a 13.4-1 512 RB wouldn't get too good of mileage...

Right now my daily driver is my Rumble Bee. I don't mind driving old stuff as daily drivers but I also really like the get in and go of newer cars.

If he doesn't care about looks but, parts are harder to find he could look for an R-Body too which is a 4 door B-Body. Another is the 80-83 Cordoba or if he wants a M-Body that would open him up to a 82-89 Chrysler 5th Avenue or Dodge Diplomat but, the engine bay is smaller on those plus the traverse torsion bars.

One of the plan clothes detectives here at work. Drives a 1967 Impala everyday year round. Its a 350 and auto.

NO A/C either.

Ted, it all depends on what will make you happy and you'll enjoy driving.

If you want something that has power and handles and you want a few creature comforts like A/C a late model Hemi powered Challenger is a blast to drive.
I love my 2010 Challenger SRT with the 6 speed manual trans.
It averages over 20 mpg and so far I've got a 13.15 at 106 mph out of it in this hot humid weather.

If you want something old school, the body style will have a lot to do with cost.

You might be able to work out a trade with someone with your 64 to get something.
It never hurts to ask.

*cough* F/J/M *cough*

Seriously, I know they're not muscle era, but you run a Diplomat, Imperial or Mirada coupe as a daily without all of the upfront cost as with an A/B/C/E.

My daily driver is my 55 Dodge pickup. Of course the suspension and drive train have been updated. Dakota front clip, triangle bar with coil over in rear, anti roll bar front and rear. boxed frame and a 2003 Gen III hemi and trans. Built this truck in 2013 and have put over 55,000 miles on it. It’s got PS, PB, AC and Cruse control. I can cruse 80 mph all day on the interstate.

Driver c-barges are priced too high to even want to bother with. A few years ago I could still find an okay driver for a couple grand. Who wants to dump 8k just to get a driver quality 70's boat!?