'69 Convertible

[Tdog]

I need a little advice from anyone familiar with antique cars. I have a 1968 Plymouth Sport Satellite convertible. I am the original owner & I used it daily till August 1993 when we moved to the country. Since that time it has been garage kept, although prior to that is was not. The engine is a 318 rebuilt installed by SW Motor Exchange around 1990. Got it painted about then too. I've attached a photo. The insides needs a lot of help/restoration. The car looks pretty good in the photo, but it's not perfect by any means. There are a couple or two+ rust bubbles.

I'm not actively trying to sell it, but I've about decided that I don't have the $$ to have it restored & I sure don't have the skill, either. To tell the truth, I'd like to recover the floor space it takes up in my shop. While buying my wife a car earlier in the week, I happened to mention the convertible & the general mgr. snapped to attention. He seemed really interested, was I interested in selling. I said yes, I might. Today I got a call from one of his employees from the service department - - he wants to come take a look.

How much to ask? I paid $3500 back in July, '68. Is it worth that much now? I know inflation has messed with the dollars quite a bit, but getting the same absolute money for it today that I paid then has a nice ring.

Any thoughts?

 

[George2615]

In my view I'd say $3500 was too low for a one owner car. Even though it may need some interior work you should easily get 3500 for it today. Wish you were closer, I'd buy it today for a running driver car to use in summer.

 

[cp1969]

Hard telling about the price, but $3500 does seem low. Look on Autotrader.com or in Hemmings for similar cars.

 

[Timber]

Yea that sounds a little cheep. Antique Cars are an odd deal. That is a sharp car and will be rather easy to sell. even more valuable if the economy was better. I would not quote a price and see what they offer and then tell them you have to think about it. A dealer is going to want it cheep thinking your desperate. Hard to believe a 68 is an antique now. That is a collector now, to bad you didn't rebuild the original block. there worth more when the numbers match

 

[8561]

Its worth more than that from the appearance in the photo. Pretty solid looking body, plus being a convertible boosts it quite a little bit. The motor replacement brings the value down though. I would pay to have it professionally appraised, you might be surprised.

 

[Bird]

Hard telling about the price, but $3500 does seem low.

Sounds pretty normal to me. I bought one of the first (1968) Roadrunners to hit Dallas and I think I gave about $3850 for it.

 

[cp1969]

Sounds pretty normal to me. I bought one of the first (1968) Roadrunners to hit Dallas and I think I gave about $3850 for it.

Bird, you're having a flashback. Snap out of it; it's 2007, not 1968.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Charles, he said he paid $3,500 for it in July '68, so yep that's just a little later than when I bought my Roadrunner.

 

[RoyJackson]

This one is not a collectable...
Jeex...it's a fairly common Plymouth! This ain't a Ferrari or other exotic.

$3500 sounds about right...

 

[MikePA]

While someone might want to buy it for what it is, I imagine it's worth more as a base for a Roadrunner 'recreation'. Restore that car, drop a Hemi into it and add all the right parts to turn it into a Roadrunner and they'd make a lot of money.

 

[Timber]

This one is not a collectable...
Jeex...it's a fairly common Plymouth! This ain't a Ferrari or other exotic.

$3500 sounds about right...

Kill Joy

While someone might want to buy it for what it is, I imagine it's worth more as a base for a Roadrunner 'recreation'. Restore that car, drop a Hemi into it and add all the right parts to turn it into a Roadrunner and they'd make a lot of money.

Blasphemer

 

[billbill1]

Mine is a 73 Pontiac Grandville, >26,000 miles, original.

 

[Timber]

Hey how about some pictures of that building of yours Bill

 

[bluechip]

Put it on ebay, $3500 reserve if you like, and let it rip. take lots of photos (does it have bucket or bench seat? air? etc. Dont take a cashier check and give change back for "shipping" or any other reason. call the bank and verify. but you will get nation...no worldwide exposure and a competitive bidding environment.

Yes there are more collectible models but how many 60's convertibles do you see in the 4 digit prices? If a dealer snapped to attention to buy it he may be an enthusiast, but more likely, there is money on the table.

If you don't ebay, I'll bet you know someone who does. Try to find someone with a high feedback, it gives buyer more confidence. and post lots of pictures. good luck.

 

[KentT]

Personally, I'd ask $5000 and start from there.

BTW, most Roadrunners were 383s or 440s, and not 426 Hemis. The 440 was the Nascar "oval-track" motor, the 426 Hemi was the NHRA dragstrip motor...

 

[MikePA]

BTW, most Roadrunners were 383s or 440s, and not 426 Hemis.

Actually, in 1969;
97.3% (78,906) were 383s
1.7% (1,412) were 440
1.0% (787) were Hemis.

So, 440s and Hemis were almost equally rare, when compared to the 383, in 1969.

For 1969 convertibles
383 1,880
4 Spd 769
Auto 1,111

426 10
4 Spd 4
Auto 6

The 440 was the Nascar "oval-track" motor, the 426 Hemi was the NHRA dragstrip motor...

This would be news to all the NASCAR Daytonas and Superbirds that ran Hemis.

 

[8561]

I find this all very interesting. Thanks for the numbers MikePA. My uncle has a 1969 Plymouth RoadRunner Convertible. It is a 383 4 speed. He bought it brand new, has owned it its entire life, never seen snow. Other than replacing the top, seat reupholster, etc, it is bone stock original to my knowledge. Looks like he has 1 of 769 built that year.

 

[Bird]

Personally, I'd ask $5000 and start from there.

BTW, most Roadrunners were 383s or 440s, and not 426 Hemis. The 440 was the Nascar "oval-track" motor, the 426 Hemi was the NHRA dragstrip motor...

I'm not even sure you had any engine options in '68. Supposedly, if I remember right, the 383, 4 bbl. in the other Plymouths were 330 hp and the Roadrunner was 335 hp. I think the extra 5 horses was because of a slightly higher lift cam. And that first year, the speedometer only went to 120 mph. Didn't they go to 150 mph in '69?

 

[Timber]

Roadrunners were one of the most unstable cars ever built. Most of them went into the woods those and Cougars of the same vintage. Then people made them even more unstable with a posy rear end. I am suprised there are any left in existance at all

 

[Bird]

Roadrunners were one of the most unstable cars ever built.

I don't know where you heard that, or what other year model vehicles you're comparing them to, but in those days, I drove a lot of different vehicles, including high speed police pursuits, and I can guarantee that it just ain't true.