The prices for mopar muscle cars are well out of our reach for myself and my wife Ellie .Sure as he'll can't live in them!Lol!So what's your mopar alternative?I've thought of imperial or cordobas what's ur ideas?

Since I sold my 64 drag car,I have been looking for a street Mopar.. There isn't much out there in a reasonably priced car...

Depends on your preference. Trucks? Late model V6 Challenger? Magnum wagon? Diplomat/Grand Fury/LreBaron? Street van? There's a ton of fun possibilities out there for cruising that don't have to be big engine/big $$ muscle cars. Just remember, FOR MOST PEOPLE, mechanical work is easy (and can be done in your driveway), body work is hard (and expensive to pay somebody to do). Buy the best body you can find...

I have a 2014 Challenger SXT that we bought new....It's just not the same as the ruble of an old Mopar.

So what is your budget? What is your intended usage?

I bought myself a nice 1979 Magnum GT...more of a personal luxury car but still a b body at heart. I drive it a lot and I am usually the only Magnum at any show.

Dave

As the 68-72 years started escalating in price, I started picking up 64-67 stuff. As they crept up in price, I went to 73-80 models. Those are getting impossible to find and there is virtually no reproduction parts for them, so since then, I've been sitting on my last 74.

If I even pick up something else, no idea what it may be. I'm personally not too interested in hot rod trucks, but that is one possible venue. Vipers tend to be less spendy than traditional Mopars, and of course there is later model stuff. They have been making the 3rd Gen Challenger for 15 years now. I see a lot of those for sale at reasonable price points.

How about the forgotten mopars of the 80's. I have a 88 Lebaron convertible, 86 Daytona turbo Z and a 89 Chrysler/Maserati TC. Any of these can be converted into V8 rear wheel drive. I haven't done so yet but i have plans!

72 to 74 b bodies can still be found for reasonable money. I have a 71 Charger roller for $2500 bucks. Typical New England car,needs all the usual stuff. I have the 75 Dodge van for sale as well. Trucks are still affordable.. I see people asking big money for smog era B bodies,but don't see them selling for those prices,Cordoba/Magnum/Charger cars.

98-02 Dakota 2dr short box
09-14 challenger r/t 5.7 6-speed pistol grip
93 and back Ram truck, "age it" with a bolt on grill and parts from a 70's ram truck
Ramchargers are cool too

Picked up a local 79 D100 pickup for a friend earlier this year. Just a plain white truck. Changed the radiator hoses, thermostat, flushed the old fuel out and rebuilt the carb. He drove it 350 miles home. Just a little 318 but its still fun and a lot of mopar for $1,200.

C bodies seem to be declining in price? A good percentage of them are already equipped with big blocks. I hear a LOT of carping about the cost of a nice C body in here when they look to me to be cheaper than dirt. A lot of comments about "not worth it", and "shouldn't be over $2,000"

I’m currently looking for a 60 - 65 A body Doesn’t matter if it’s a Dodge or Plymouth as long as it’s a two door. Have an under 30,000 mile 68 motorhome 440 and trans in need of a new home.

depends if your looking for a builder or a driver.

Builder

I'd say the OP needs to quantify for himself what he considers a "muscle car", right ?
For me, it's essentially '62 - '74, but younger folks have embraced later cars.
And, you can install muscle if that appeals to you; that's traditional hot rodding.

If the OP's definition is more expansive/general, C-bodies, earlier A-bodies, wagons, lots of stuff can be cool if done tastefully.
Might even consider the later-'50s stuff, though parts are tough, and mechanical updates are advisable.
It looks like the days of '66-'67 B-bodies being under-appreciated are about over.
The other reality is that nowadays you'll pretty much have about $30K in almost anything nice & done, unless you really get a deal.
(Please feel free to prove me wrong on that !)

It's not just Mopars: look at garden-variety GTO, Chevelles, Mustang fastbacks - those have all become quite spendy.

For me it's my '89 Diplomat AHB. Plenty of factory HD parts and extra welds, bigger brakes, cooling, external oil, trans, and ps coolers, etc. and a RWD solid axle and T-bar suspension. I've had many and a hot small block like my current stroker one in pic makes for comfortable, powerful, and reliable driver that I swear gets more comments than anything I've owned.

Easier to say dreamer. Many will remember on these forums years ago people would put their cars in their signature, "69 Charger R/T, 70 Cuda, 68 Superbee" etc. Then they'd show a picture and they were just junk in their yard

If anyone is looking for a project they should check and see how backed up their local shops are if they are paying to have anything done. Machine shops here are 9 months backed up and no longer accepting new work. The shops are small square footage so they can't really hire extra help as there is no place for them to work. Some new parts seem to be out of stock, or don't drop ship for 2 months. Items made from aluminum - pistons, heads, intakes, seem to be an issue based on parts surfing on Summit the last few weeks.

This has been for sale locally for a month or so now. $3500 is the ask, but I don't know if the sellers been getting any bites or not.

I like it.

Dart 500 you’re a new guy here and obviously don’t know anything about me. Just because I don’t have a picture in my signature is no reason to insult me buy calling me a dreamer. I’ve been on this forum since the late 90s and have owned and built numerous MOPARs.


The below photos are all cars I have owned and built,

here's a reasonable one. https://board.moparts.org/ubbthread...970-duster-seems-like-a-deal.html#UNREAD

What is your budget like? I come across lots of cars all the time, but no longer want to deal with stuff so unless it’s free like this Duster, I have been passing on the deals.

I keep my junk indoors,and many people be wishing they had junk like mine!

Dabee I was speaking in general, not you personally

On FB near me for $13k

I know of the guy but don't really know him personally.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/180303851429569/?ref=saved&referral_code=null

Seller's Description
66 plymouth satellite.clear title.california car no rust.clean interior.built 440 automatic,8 3/4 has aluminum heads nice cam.no trades.13,000 runs and drives good.disc brakes,not negotiating over the phone.not answering to ,is this avaliable whats your bottom dollar [censored].dont waste either of our time.

i know this is a very subjective question but when people think that mopars (or any other muscle car era brand) are over priced) can they be a little more specific. i'm not try to nail somebody down or justify pricing lunacy but as i get older (mid 70's now) i'll have to sell what i have. i'm not ready yet to sell but i do mull over in my mind pricing. are there any reasonable examples out there? i know some stuff is just plain stupid.

I hear you guys Thanks it would help to be more direct. I haven't owned a classic or muscle mopar in 20 years.Iveowned roadrunners,coronet a charger,magnum and a 354 hemi 300 B.Just thinking when my wife and I are ready to buy something we want something to enjoy,and something that's not too expensive like roadrunners and superbees we've seen..When we can buy something maybe 15,000 ish .I've been thinking daytona turbo,maybe fury,newport 2dr,mirada.

We like the satellite too.

I'm not trying to turn this into an ad, but
A buddy has said that he's ready to sell this 80 Mirada, it's 1,000 mile car.

Yes, you read that right a 1,000 mile car.
Original Black paint with a red interior, 318 engine.
It needs some minor work, wiper linkage put back together, etc.
He's talking $10k if he doesn't have to work on it 12K if he does the work.
Message me and I can give you his contact info.

Food for thought:

https://insider.hagerty.com/trends/...451e09e83df9ce9b69c6af9bb05b543b6098cf62

Mike.

Since the fast and furious movie first hit the big screen,the days of people considering 70 Chargers to be less desirable were laid to rest. Having bought nearly 200 second generation Chargers in my over 40 years in the hobby,I have never noticed a real price difference between the model years of the second generation Chargers.

Not trying to start a debate. I noticed the Hagerty link in my emails this morning and thought it might offer some insight to those reading this thread.

Mike.

My friend just paid 41k for a 70 318 Charger to gut out and make a resto mod out of,the prices are on par with other second generation Chargers.

Ok, point made.

Thanks,

Mike.

There was a pretty nice Duster with a lot of good parts on it for $8500 that was being discussed in the WIW section. It sold quick,there are still some deals out there! You have to be ready to pounce,with cash and a trailer in hand when they come up!

I really enjoy following Bringatrailer.com and ebay auctions (not buy it now) and see what the market is for real. Asking prices are practically meaningless anymore. I see stuff for sale for over a year and just keep getting re-posted because of ridiculous asking prices.

Man I would get myself in deep with a garage like that!

Heck ya, FMJ bodies

It's a real sickness! I just sold two Chargers. I was 26 deep!

Definition of over priced. means different things to different people

Regardless of opinions, this is an overpriced dumpster fire. I've included four pics of the highlights of this mess:

1970 Dodge Charger · Sedan · Driven 25,000 miles
1970 dodge charger $45,000 obo
The bad
- as you can see the pictures the paint needs to be redone, it's cracked in a lot of places
- needs a trunk pan
- needs a new wiring harness underneath the dash
- transmission park link needs adjustment
- not a real RT
- not original engine and no built sheet
The Good
- a strong 440
- automic 727
- runs and drives
- positive 8 3/4
- 3in flow masters
- 18in wheels
- all glass is there
- chrome trim is good condition
- strong bones
Notes : Clean title in hand
- the car does have a fender tag.
- the interior is driver quality
- this car has electrical issues under the dash wiring and sometimes shorts eventually smoking the main fuse box will need replacement underneath the dash.Solid frame and body except trunk pan. It needs a trunk pan. Originally was a 4 speed car now it's an automatic, with a pistol grip! Clutch pedal is still there if you want to take it back to a 4 speed! 45k OBO!

I love 68-70 Chargers but garbage like this is pathetically funny.

I have a nice 1969 Dodge Dart GTS 383 4 speed car unrestored, not in original condition, that was sold new in SO CA and is rust free for sale, excellent condition and can be driven anywhere PM on here for more information if you want more info on it

This looks decent for $3500, but it still needs an engine or rebuild and reassembly of the car.

Edit: It says engine was not running, so maybe it doesn't even require a rebuild or replacement engine.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthread...ld-duster-3-500-project.html#Post3156168

The reality of the current second generation Charger market is that a mostly complete car that runs and drives that doesn't need a ton of panel replacement will bring 40k plus.

I'm not disagreeing with you, trust me.

I'll stick with my underappreciated 72 Road Runners and watch the 68-70 Charger market from afar.

Take care,

Mike.

I am glad I bought the Chargers I have years ago when they were still somewhat affordable,as I am currently priced out of my own hobby!

We appreciate what some of you have out there.Thanks!

There are HUGE amounts of disposable income out there. That's what will drive the collector car market. A guy in my club just sold a '70 Judge for $375,000. With the vig it was over $400,000. The trickle down affect will prop up the cars at the lower end of the market like the ratty Charger above.

There is a local guy who sold a decent 69 Charger 383, 4spd with air this spring.
Listed it for 69k, and it sold in under a week. Dealer in east coast bought it , Put some chrome magnums on it and listed it for upper $90s

Last I heard it sold.

I listed my 66 Satellite 383 / auto this weekend at $28,5....and have a couple people interested.

I like any of the 60's c bodys. Should be able to find a nice 66-67 b body 318 powered in the 10k-15k range. I really like the forwardlook era and a nice crew cab (4door) car is usually pretty cheap.

Wish I had time, this one popped up for sale after being garaged away for many, many years for 2k.

I feel this AMC Hornet is a really good deal in todays muscle car market. You can’t even paint a car for the asking price of 10k.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/739743623943536/?mibextid=6ojiHh

I've had my affair with FMJs. Unless you buy in nice, you'll be throwing money at a car with no support.

I'm currently in a Late-B car. Solid support for mechanical parts, but again, buy in nice or you'll find that parts (panels, interior, etc.) don't exist.

If I was starting from scratch again, I'd go either 1971-74 B-body or a Duster/Demon. Plenty of aftermarket support. Plenty of parts. Plenty of options.

I'm driving this.

And this.

This has been an excellent discussion so far. One issue that has not been mentioned is the price of all vehicles seems to be rising. Late model vehicles and older vehicles. There are a number of factors pushing prices up. many of these factors have been discussed on the board in the past. I came across something else that may increase the cost of older vehicles specifically.

Recently, I was talking with a family member. This guy has never really been a major "car guy." He has some mechanical skills, but he rarely utilizes those talents. In our last conversation, he said he is considering buying an older vehicle. This was quite surprising! He and his wife have been driving late model Honda vehicles. Unfortunately, he has had a number of issues with both of them. The problems have ALL been related to some of the newer fuel saving technologies. His Honda dealer has been having trouble repairing the problems. He is becoming disillusioned with new vehicles, due to all of the problems he has experienced. He is convinced these fuel saving technologies have done little or nothing to improve the actual fuel economy.

In addition to the hassles of having broken down vehicles, he was also complaining about the cost of having his vehicles fixed. Apparently, he has spent many thousands of dollars in the last year on repairs. So, he is now thinking about an older car. I don't know if he will actually follow through and buy one or not. One of his favorite cars was a 1972 Chevelle. He owned one when he was a young man. He has fond memories of the car and thinks he can repair it himself. Once he prices Chevelles, he may run back to the Honda dealer! I have no idea how common it is to find folks like him, so it difficult to say how this will affect the overall market.

Bottom line: The prices on older cars will likely go up instead of down for the foreseeable future. There doesn't seem to be much that will push the prices down anytime soon. So, spending a little more now, may turn out to be a wise move.



Now, back to the original question of affordable antique cars. I have noticed that some of the early 50's cars are very reasonably priced. These would probably not qualify as "Muscle cars" in stock form. On the other hand, these can be modified and turned into performance machines.

2wd short bed pickups make fun street toys with the right engine and stance. Not as cheap as they once were as they are getting harder to find, but I think you can go farther with your money vs a popular muscle car. People here are even cutting down long beds and making them into short beds so if you have a nice swb pickup they practically sell themselves.

Perhaps you don't find your dream ride right away, but you can always buy something else that is popular and an easy sell so you can get your money back out of it quickly should the one you really want show up. I know a guy who buys and trades mid-level desirable project cars and trucks on the side. Some are bought with dead engines, missing engines and transmissions etc. He puts more elbow grease than money into them to get them running with parts out of his stash, and then sells them a year or so later. Most of the time he puts a small amount of money in his pocket on each car. That money is used to buy the next one and so on so once you do a couple cars the cost to keep doing this is minimal so long as you keep buying the right type of vehicle.

I think the high prices on collectables are partially due to our money being devalued so much. People are buying and selling trying to convert their money into 'other stuff''.

Buying something that you absolutely don't love is wasting your money. You have an order of favorite cars to own, go down that list and find the best example at your budget and spend the money there.
If none are in your budget then buying a "well its all i can afford" is not a fun way to be in the hobby, every where you drive it you rather be in something else. Save more money and make your budget bigger or go to a cheaper vehicle to own that still has your heart

I get that stance also. If you only like 71 Cuda ragtops a 74 Duster is never going to make you happy.

The guy who does the project car flipping has some other vehicles he likes and holds onto, but they are not perfect. The 'flip' cars are kinda Roadkill-ish builds - reliable, but not repainted or anything that involved. They are for fun side projects that are low stress and low money + they get an old car back on the road, which is a good thing overall.

I like too many types of cars and don't really have just one dream car. I would be just as happy with a nice 64 Belvedere or a 68 340 Dart. The real dream car stuff (low mile hemi cars etc.) that many of us would love to have are few in number and simply outside of most people's budgets I think most of us never get to really own exactly what we want.

Wow!! Sweet longroof!!

One of my high school teachers had one of those, he had fun beating the students that had new mustangs.

He was a former mechanical engineer and hot rodder, so probably a little worked over.

Wow, I also had a high school shop teacher with all the traits you describe. He had a black GLHS also. But never known him to race anyone.

I would LOVE to have one of the GLH Omnis. Turbo 5spd please

Problem is, finding a good one. And value wise they are climbing steadily for a good car

SRT4 is quicker, has more support and you'll be able to find one for any budget

I would love to find an afordable rust free A-body 4 door...

I kinda wanted a stock lower mile one for a back and forth to work car years ago, but most of them I saw for sale were far from stock, and had been beat on pretty hard. Salvage titles are common with those as well so you have to look for that.

I kept an eye out for an SRT4 there for a while, but they are far and few between for a decent car.

Most are heavily modified and/or beat to hell .
If not,,,,,,, Stupid expensive

I personally would prefer the looks of the GLH Omni

Drove an SRT4 back in the day - thing hauled once it hit the fun revs.
Haven't seen a nice one in years.
Problem with that vintage Mopar is no OEM parts support, and my Breeze taught me that the aftermarket electronic replacement parts are iffy at best.

Having worked on them all when they were new. I can honestly say they are a fun car. A LOT of fun.
Although,, The SRT doesnt have the torque steer issues the earlier cars do. But both are a blast to drive around town and mess with the locals.

Here's an '04 SRT4 with mods. Nice car but ridiculous price IMO ($45k)

https://www.hagerty.com/drivers-clu...oto=27025d2e-4515-4e45-b4d5-ca51aacb9843

45,000?Wow that's horrible!We could buy atleast 2 nice shelby turbo daytonas for that price or a decent roadrunner,superbee or a new challenger!

We drove our 2014 Challenger SXT to look at a Winchester Model 12 yesterday. I bought it brand new and it has just over 23 k miles on it. Had the air on and the oldies station crankin out the hits! It's not so bad to drive...I will still look for a nice A or B body but I'm no longer in a big hurry!

Price hikes have brought out all sorts of perfumed pigs for sale so tread carefully, and bring in some extra sets of eyes to help out if your looking at something that your not an expert at.

I also prefer the GLH look over the Neon but I guess the Neon would be more advanced and faster.

Here's a better deal but geez I hate some of the decals such as "intercooled" on trunk lid. IMO it is still overpriced by at least $10k

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134639134847?

When I was a dealer tec, I had a local guy that came in several times a year to have his GLH serviced .
Black with red interior 5 spd car..
He used it almost exclusively for the local parking lot gymkhana races around town back then.

I tried to buy that car every time he came in , always same answer. NO.

He eventually sold it off and bought an AWD Ealge Talon I think, for same use.

I would love to find a GLH , or GLHS in same colors , And would even take a 5 spd car to get it.
But I aint paying 25k to get one

Way to much money for this car I could get maybe a coronet..66 or 67 for this amount of money.

Want a project one? $1000

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/riverside-1985-dodge-omni-glh-turbo-22/7636758157.html