Value on 72 cuda B5 340 4 speed white interior

[wantonebadebody]

Offered to me a 340 4 spd cuda B5 blue white interior
conditon is #2 Reason i say #2 is nothing is perfect

 

[NoCar340]

Value questions are usually nearly impossible to answer because it's such a subjective thing. Prior to this car becoming available, was a '72-'74 'Cuda the car that haunted your dreams? Does this one have every option you want, or close to it? Are whatever options that are missing livable to you?

I'd have paid three times more for my Challenger if it were a double-black '73 340/4-speed non-console non-Rallye like my first one was. The car I bought was a '74 318/auto non-Rallye, but I'm OK with that because numbers aren't really that important to me. The price was extremely right, too... but if it had been a 'Cuda, I'd likely have passed entirely because that wasn't what I wanted. It had to be a Challenger, period. I can build what I want and since I don't plan to sell it I can get a little crazy with the spending now and then.

If you like it enough and can get it for a price with which you're comfortable in terms of resale, then go for it. On the other hand, if you'd really rather have something else (a different year, a Challenger, whatever) then keep that money in the bank and find the one that really spins your beanie. Don't pay market value for something you don't absolutely love... if you have to sell it, market value may be down or simply hard to get.

 

[Montclaire]

Values have been high over the past year to 18 months. From my conversation with Hagerty insurance last fall, a 1972-74 Barracuda in #2 condition would be worth approx 25k, up to 35k for a #1 condition car. That seems about right to me.

You can also check completed auctions on eBay, although there aren’t as many cars selling through them as there used to be.

I’d say anything under 25k for a really nice driver is a good deal, and anything under 20k is just straight-out stolen. I can’t believe how high the late e’s have gotten, but that’s inflation for you.

 

[wantonebadebody]

Values have been high over the past year to 18 months. From my conversation with Hagerty insurance last fall, a 1972-74 Barracuda in #2 condition would be worth approx 25k, up to 35k for a #1 condition car. That seems about right to me.

You can also check completed auctions on eBay, although there aren’t as many cars selling through them as there used to be.

I’d say anything under 25k for a really nice driver is a good deal, and anything under 20k is just straight-out stolen. I can’t believe how high the late e’s have gotten, but that’s inflation for you.

For a numbers matching cuda?
I think they are way higher.
You can but a project for 20-25
Or non mayching numbers driver

 

[NoCar340]

For a numbers matching cuda?
I think they are way higher.
You can but a project for 20-25

Prices/values drop significantly on the '72-'74 cars, numbers matching or not. A $20K project car, '72-up, had better be a labor of love because monetarily it's probably a losing game right now. I have about that into mine, which is almost ready for paint... but that includes buying the car, a complete conversion to Rallye dash including restoring the dash and a new Year One harness, AM/FM non-console cassette, a complete original 340 Six Pack setup, complete T/A heads, repro T/A hood with every fixin', and so on. And in my case, it is a labor of love. When it's done, I expect it'll be worth about exactly what I've got invested (after paint) or a little less. I'm OK with that. It's a '74; my expectations are not high and I've no intent to sell. My cup of tea is mine only, so others might not see the value.

Calling Hagerty is a good idea. Don't pay more for a car than an insurance company would reimburse you, potential resale be damned. EBay isn't really a good assessment of value. Something like 70% of cars "sold" on eBay don't change hands at auction's end.

 

[Montclaire]

I’m talking actual sale price, not list price.

 

[1972CudaV21]

For me, the 1972’s have more value: 1) No big bumpers. 2) One-year only stripe. 3) V21 hood option. 4) Nicer seats (‘73-‘74 look cheap). 5) Body-color grille option. 6) Early 340’s had forged cranks & 1970 - 1971 Rallye dashes, when ordered. 7) Many people consider 1972 to be the last year for muscle cars.....

 

[1972CudaV21]

I’d like to see a #1 1972 ‘Cuda that sold for $35k...

 

[1972CudaV21]

For a numbers matching cuda?
I think they are way higher.
You can but a project for 20-25
Or non mayching numbers driver

I agree..but, I’m also biased..

 

[NoCar340]

For me, the 1972’s have more value...

And therein lies the trick. What's more valuable to one person is not true of everyone.

Perfect example: There's a "restomod" '72 Challenger for sale on eBay right now. I prefer the '72 to the '71, but apparently the builder didn't agree so it's got the earlier grille and taillamp panel. The seller wants $149,995 for it, but in an open auction for the car that ended last night, the winning bid (reserve not met) was only $22,100 after 20 bids.

To the seller, the car's worth $150K. To the interested people actually bidding, it was worth more than an eighth of a million dollars less. To me $22,100 is more than the car's worth, based on terrible attention to detail and obvious corner-cutting throughout (the paint is tragic). Whatever's been invested means nothing, because it's to the owner's personal taste. Clearly that's not for everyone... or in this case, anyone.

 

[Montclaire]

I understand what you’re saying about 72 vs 73/4 but honestly I don’t think that would make much difference. Maybe for 5% of the cars out there that are 100% OE with the right options and documentation to back it up.

Bumpers can be swapped to the earlier style, rebuilt motors could have forged cranks, etc.

 

[1972CudaV21]

And therein lies the trick. What's more valuable to one person is not true of everyone.

Perfect example: There's a "restomod" '72 Challenger for sale on eBay right now. I prefer the '72 to the '71, but apparently the builder didn't agree so it's got the earlier grille and taillamp panel. The seller wants $149,995 for it, but in an open auction for the car that ended last night, the winning bid (reserve not met) was only $22,100 after 20 bids.

To the seller, the car's worth $150K. To the interested people actually bidding, it was worth more than an eighth of a million dollars less. To me $22,100 is more than the car's worth, based on terrible attention to detail and obvious corner-cutting throughout (the paint is tragic). Whatever's been invested means nothing, because it's to the owner's personal taste. Clearly that's not for everyone... or in this case, anyone.

Yes, that thing is a train wreck..

 

[1972CudaV21]

I understand what you’re saying about 72 vs 73/4 but honestly I don’t think that would make much difference. Maybe for 5% of the cars out there that are 100% OE with the right options and documentation to back it up.

Bumpers can be swapped to the earlier style, rebuilt motors could have forged cranks, etc.

If you have a 1972 - 1974 E-body with an automatic and you swap the car to a 4-speed, would that help or hinder the value?

 

[Montclaire]

All depends on the buyer, and if it was done correctly. I think unless the car has some really rare options, the 72-74s are primarily drivers and buyers will appreciate things like drivetrain upgrades, wheels, etc.

 

[wantonebadebody]

some pics

 

[wantonebadebody]

interior

 

[wantonebadebody]

pass side
he's asking 50k was the guys dad's car restored nut & bolt back in late 80's 90's

 

[NoCar340]

If you have a 1972 - 1974 E-body with an automatic and you swap the car to a 4-speed, would that help or hinder the value?

In cases other than a full-boogie "Platinum Tent" -type restoration, I think it would help.

One of my best friends has a '73 Charger Rallye 340. It was 100% original when he bought it and in very good condition. It was a bench-seat auto on the column. After 17 years of ownership, and repeated mentions of "it's only original once" when he talked about restoration, he asked me and a few other people about converting the car to a 4-speed. Everyone was in favor, including our "numbers are everything" friend. It's still a bench seat but now has a perfectly-done conversion to the manual. He enjoys driving the car a lot more, hence it gets driven more, and he's got all the original parts to swap it back... but should he need to sell it for some reason, he'd probably leave it as a stick and say "here's the OE trans, floor section, linkage, everything to convert it back" because ultimately we all agree it's more valuable as a stick.

 

[Montclaire]

50k? Absolutely not lol

 

[Montclaire]

I won’t say what I paid for my 74, you’d probably get mad at me. Then again my car isn’t perfect and I knew that when I bought it - it’s an older resto needing an interior. I paid what I thought was fair, but my head is still stuck in 2005 as far as car values go. So was the seller’s. There ARE deals out there.