Big Willie daytona coming up for auction

[Drache]

saying that Daytona was "RACED" by Big Willie is like me saying I "raced" my S/23 - sure its been down the track, but by the time he got this 3rd Daytona he already had the 8 second Barracuda

Hey if Big Willie himself says he "raced" the car then that is what you can tell people.

I've had my Dart down the strip twice. I can honestly say I've "raced" my car.

[charger_fan_4ever]

what was the lot # ? found it 1270.

#'s match 140k wow.would have thought way more.

[1974dodgecharger]

maybe its a signs of the times guys.....baby boomers dying off and now NO ONE WANTS THESE OLD CARS ANYMORE?

like I said in another discussion what happens to all the baby boomers who grew up with these cars that have emotional attachment to em are all gone who drives the prices up?  Gen y to z probably don't even care about such old cars they now got the HELLCAT 

[charger_fan_4ever]

Pratts cars just wen threw.

boss 429 mustang high 400k's
hemi bird 300k.
71 hemi cuda 400k
70 hemi cuda 200k+

so there will be buyers for the hens teeth musclcars.

mind you many new shelbys ext selling for almost as much coin.

[6bblgt]

saying that Daytona was "RACED" by Big Willie is like me saying I "raced" my S/23 - sure its been down the track, but by the time he got this 3rd Daytona he already had the 8 second Barracuda

Hey if Big Willie himself says he "raced" the car then that is what you can tell people.

I've had my Dart down the strip twice. I can honestly say I've "raced" my car.

Point taken, but I doubt that Daytona (ever in its life) had a sub-14 second 1/4 mile.  The facts get taken out of context & people currently believe this car to have been Big Willie's during his street racing heyday & HEMI powered - it never was.  It was a rolling piece of promotion from the late-'80s.

[Cooter]

Christine sold for $200k

Not bad for an old fin car.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Christine sold for $200k

Not bad for an old fin car.

Love that car!!

[6bblgt]

edited for accuracy (with buyer's commission)
Ron Pratte's cars:
Saturday
'69 boss 429 mustang $550,000
'70 hemi bird $330,000
'71 hemi cuda $440,000
'70 hemi cuda $379,500

Tuesday
'70 HEMI Charger R/T $220,000
'70 HEMI'Cuda 225,500

[hatersaurusrex]

maybe its a signs of the times guys.....baby boomers dying off and now NO ONE WANTS THESE OLD CARS ANYMORE?

like I said in another discussion what happens to all the baby boomers who grew up with these cars that have emotional attachment to em are all gone who drives the prices up?  Gen y to z probably don't even care about such old cars they now got the HELLCAT 

I agree - I think there will always be a market for the truly rare and valuable mopars (hemicudas, wing cars, etc) but I think your average quality driver that commands 35K today might be worth 10K in the next several years.

[el dub]

maybe its a signs of the times guys.....baby boomers dying off and now NO ONE WANTS THESE OLD CARS ANYMORE?

like I said in another discussion what happens to all the baby boomers who grew up with these cars that have emotional attachment to em are all gone who drives the prices up?  Gen y to z probably don't even care about such old cars they now got the HELLCAT 

Naw, the people in Austrailia and Europe will start buying them.

[Ghoste]

In 20 years maybe driving your own car will be illegal, who knows?

[Shakey]

In 20 years maybe driving your own car will be illegal, who knows?

Think "Red Barchetta" by Rush from 1981.   

If you're not familiar with the song I highly suggest you have a listen.  I've told the story to my girls a few times and they explain the pictures in their head of how the story/action is played out and what the scenery looks like.

[Ghoste]

Local radio talking heads at the Detroit Auto Show keep yammering about the self driving cars, so...

[500Jon]

Sorry posted on wrong thread.
Must pay more attention LOL!

[500Jon]

Hi BW,

Wonderful Daytona at a stunning price!!!

[Beep Beep Dave]

I thought it would have brought more money, sold for $140k plus buyers premium for a total of $154k.
Would it have brought more money as a OE resto?

Dave

[Ghoste]

I would hope not but thats an interesting question.

[WilliesDaytona]

I am Gary French the Guy that bought the car from Big Willie, how do you guys know so much about the car and don't even know what color it is? It is and was Yellow over the R4 red, the car was driven and tamed by Big Willie, I have pictures of it next to the 8 second Cuda when the Cuda was no more than a stock 66 Barracuda with a wing a scoop, fake zoomies and N50s hanging out the rear, it has been confirmed in 1976 the car had the two dominator carbed Hemi with a clutchflite, then was put back with the numbers matching engine and trans that was freshened by Kieth Black, after the barracuda was built into an all out drag car in the early 80s,

[rainbow4jd]

Probably yes if restored.  Here's why...

Its the psychology of the ownership and the level of celebrity...

If you walk down the street and asked a 1000 people "who was big willie robinson" I bet ZERO of 1000 would know him.    If you ask "who is Don Garlitz" you'd probably get 10%.   If you asked "who is John Force." you may get 20%

Take the same car and put it up for sale by all three and it brings three different values - I think you understand why

So, you then ask the question (regardless of ownership) - "is a Daytona worth more in restored form or tricked out / customized?"   Excluding the issue of celebrity, the answer is always restored.

Therefore, to determine what to do, you simply cross the axis and cut the four quadrants.     

MOST VALUABLE:  Top right is high celebrity - restored.   
SECOND VALUABLE: Bottom right is high celebrity - high customized.   
THIRD VALUABLE:  Top left is high restored - low celebrity.     
LEAST VALUABLE:   And bottom left high customized, low celebrity.       


So even a high restored, low celebrity is greater than a high customized, low celebrity.   

PS You can argue swapping the second and third based on the level of celebrity and the customization

[69_500]

Gary, in your opinion should they have left the car the way it was and not restored it? I only saw it a handful of times before restoration, but it was not that bad in my opinion.

[6bblgt]

I am Gary French the Guy that bought the car from Big Willie, how do you guys know so much about the car and don't even know what color it is? It is and was Yellow over the R4 red, the car was driven and tamed by Big Willie, I have pictures of it next to the 8 second Cuda when the Cuda was no more than a stock 66 Barracuda with a wing a scoop, fake zoomies and N50s hanging out the rear, it has been confirmed in 1976 the car had the two dominator carbed Hemi with a clutchflite, then was put back with the numbers matching engine and trans that was freshened by Kieth Black, after the barracuda was built into an all out drag car in the early 80s,

Thanks for the info, but why wasn't any mention or public displayed proof of:
"it has been confirmed in 1976 the car had the two dominator carbed Hemi with a clutchflite" ?
Was it raced at a dragstrip in this configuration?

The car's history was clouded publicly, intentionally or unintentionally to represent it as something it was not.  Many know/believe King & Queen to be gone and this car was a tribute to one/both of them.
A few months ago, a highly respected member of the Daytona/Superbird world stated that he thought this was the car from "Two Lane Blacktop".

[wingcar]

Just wondering.....does anyone know what happened to the 66 Cuda drag car?   

[Ghoste]

Wasn't it still around when he passed away?

[500Jon]

Big Willie brought the Tow-wagon and Race Cuda to the  'Valley' CA., three years ago for a signing session.

A true legend for the LA Folks, more than just a car Guy, a REAL Celebrity of the people.....

The race-Cuda was like the race-Daytona's, not much left of the original car!

[Ghoste]

Depends on whether you collect vintage race vehicles or high performance street vehicles.
For me it would also depend on the status of the pedigree on the race car and the status of the celebrity.  In this case, both would appeal to a very select niche of collectors.  Willie was indeed a man of the people and celebrated by them but many of the collectors with pockets deep enough to purchase a Hemi Daytona at auction likely never met him and some would never have even heard of him.
Both a pedigreed race car and a Big Willie Daytona are important historically but trying to assign a value to either is difficult.