1972 Cuda 6 pack

[turbov6joe]

Here is the deal, a buddy of mine found the above car sitting for the last 15-20 years in some old guys garage and he MIGHT be willing to part with it. It's an original orange paint car with a 4 speed and no rust as far as he can tell. He also believes it to be a numbers matching car. He's about to start negotiations with the guy but doesn't have a clue to its value and neither do I...any fans of the Cudas out there that are in the know and can steer this guy right?

 

[gsxdave]

72 Cuda 440-6

Been out of the mopar end of things for a while, hope my memory is still good. First of all, this will either be a 70 or 71; 6 bbl cars were officially discontinued at the end of the 71 model year. I don't know how much your friend knows about checking the originality on these cars, but here's a start. 70 will have 2 headlites; the 71 4; and gilles in the fenders...the 71 appears to have more market value and is somewhat rarer. Numbers to look for: The VIN will read BS (or H) 23V0 (or 1) A (or B) followed by a 6 digit sequence #. The critical digit is the 5th; V designates the 440-6 option. The fender tag is on the drivers side inner apron; this displays all options placed on the car by Plymouth. The VIN will be repeated here as well. On the lower left corner the code should read E87; followed by either D21 (manual 4 spd) or D32 (auto) In either case look for an A36 (I think) code which designates performance axle package, dana 60 rear end; std on manual cars. (very desireable; the auto cars were equipped std. with A31 which is an 8 3/4) Last 8 digits of the VIN are stamped on the rad support and on the cowl around the wiper motor area. Engines are stamped above the oil pan rail, I believe on the starter side. Another really desireable option is the shaker hood assy; coded N96 on the data plate. Excuse the long post, many clones out there these days; hope this helps. Value wise, I've seen these cars move from anywhere between 55K and 150K in the last year; (God knows what they're selling for between collectors and at auction) I'm sure a well optioned (spoilers, louvers, etc) 71 would bring well in excess of these amounts. Also, a well preserved, one owner car with documentation is probably worth a considerable premium...they're only original once! Good Luck!

 

[NHRA Super Gas]

Agree

Most of what Dave says above is spot on. I can help if you have pics/info/codes. I just acquired a 70 6bbl cuda as well, so the codes are fresh in my mind.

EW

 

[UNGN]

Biggest motor in '72 was a 340 4 bbl.

A 340/4bbl 4 speed 'Cuda is worth about 1/5 to 1/4 of a 440/6bbl 4 speed 'Cuda.

 

[turbov6joe]

Guy just called me and the owner won't budge on this car but has a 1970 Challenger with no motor...no rust. Any ideas what that's worth?

 

[NHRA Super Gas]

Guy just called me and the owner won't budge on this car but has a 1970 Challenger with no motor...no rust. Any ideas what that's worth?

Too wide a range of original equipment and options, never mind condition. A six pack or hemi, shaker, high impact color 4 speed car is worth a few bucks more than grandma's gold six cylinder. VIN means a lot, start by getting that.

 

[UNGN]

I sold my 100% rust free, Texas body '70 Cuda 440-4 body (U0E, original Plum Crazy/Air conditioning car) with a dis-assembled, non matching 1970 440 for $10K, 3 years ago. Prices have about doubled since then for projects and are up about 4 times what they were 3 years ago for finished cars.

Pay 50 to 100% more for a 6bbl, 200% more for a Hemi body. Take off Big bucks for rust/damage.

I would advise he not hold on to it for too much longer if he is looking to get "big bucks". Mopar prices are higher now, than ever. If he is serious about selling, there has never been a better time than now.

What was the car he won't "budge" on? It wasn't a '72 440-6 'cuda. That's worth what you can sell the parts for, nothing more.

 

[gsxdave]

Mopar hell...

Hmmmmm...I sold my 70 hemicuda in 88 for 17K; bearing in mind the market rise since, I should probably be approached with caution... Mind you, I also had the presence of mind to buy a loaded 70 stage1 GS from the original owner for five hundred bucks in 1981, and drove it home! All my Chrysler buddies asked me what I wanted that rustbucket for; I kept telling them it was the only car out there that would outrun a hemi! Thank God Lasseter finally proved it in 84 I was beginning to sound like a broken record. Part of me still misses those wild colours and killer body styles (I don't think any manufacturer was as aggressive, or creative, as Chrysler in promoting it's wares) but I was ready to move on. The stratospheric price rise of these cars since has ruled out any future ownership on my part. (and probably on the part of a lot of other people as well!) I work on a subcontract basis for several resto/custom shops in western Canada and I sure don't see too many stereotypical enthusiasts playing with these mopars anymore, they're just worth too much money. Anyway, glad my memory still works; most of the mopars I decoded and then bought (or consequently walked away from) over the years would probably pay for the city block I live on today! BTW, I still own that 70 stage 1, and it's no longer a rustbucket...

 

[UNGN]

Hmmmmm...I sold my 70 hemicuda in 88 for 17K; bearing in mind the market rise since, I should probably be approached with caution...

I know that feeling.

In 1985, I walked away from a Red Hemi 4 speed '70 that won the Mopar nats in '83 for $12K, because I believed all the hype about an Energy Crisis and who needed a 425 HP car anyway when Detroit was only turning out 200 HP cars?

At least I bought the guys '71 convertible 340 instead, for 1/2 the money.

When I sold it for $27K I was like...damn I'm good.

Then I logged onto E-bay a year later and saw rust bucket parts cars selling for $30K.

Why I'm holding onto my Buicks a little longer.

 

[gsxdave]

Well, at least you had the foresight to buy one and keep it for a while...the only other mopar I actually made money on was a 71 6 bbl GTX (plum crazy, PW, gullwing, column auto, air grabber) that I bought out of an auto trader for $4300 after I sold the 'cuda. After figuring out the motor was non #'s, the houndstooth interior needed restitching, and it needed paint, I flipped it for $6200 a month later. Car needed too much work and I had my GS in the body shop at the time. Who needs to restore 2 cars at once? Y'know, it's a good thing I didn't finish that commerce degree and get a real job...this kind of foresight probably would have got me a job working for Enron!

 

[jy211]

either car still available? :biggrin:

 

[dhauser]

Joe, please email or PM me. I might have interest in the 70 Challenger body.

Thanks,
Doug