WINGCAR REALITY?

[500Jon]

Hi Aero's,

My dream along with many others was to own a Wingcar, its the pinnacle of all things Mopar.
Primarily I'm a muscle car guy, followed by a drag racer and in close third a Nascar GUY!
I always thought that owning a Wingcar was a right of passage.
Even though I could have bought one in the 80's I felt I had to cut my teeth on other Mopars first.
Looking back I feel that maybe I made a bad choice.
Wingcars were laying around waiting to be picked up at rock bottom prices.

Thats certainly not the case now...
I have realised that my dream will not ever be a reality, now the prices are getting mentals.
I see Daytona fenders dearer than complete cars were in the late 70's!
Even if you find a reasonably priced Winger, rebuild costs will be staggering at best...
I think it was much easier to rebuild a Winger in the last Century.

I admire the few people that endeavour to build a Clone and praise the Folks who help them on their way!!!
By a strange token my original plan to build a clone would probably have suited me better.
You can do a self-build interpretation of an ICONIC car, without the restraints of ORIGINALITY!

I have toyed with the idea of selling my C500 and joining the Merry bunch of Wingcar cloners!!!
Is there more fun to be had doing a clone than being restrained by the strict rebuild quality required of an Aero WING-car?


Why do Folks actually want to own a Winger NOW?
Myself it was the fun of Resto, no concern of cost or end value, but not everyone is like me though.
Do they just wanna buy one and see the prices go up...

5J

[qwick68]

I still want a wing car, but honestly I like the the 500s better.  Yea I thought about "building" one and even though it would be a clone that wouldn't bother me.  The cost and time to build a clone is what's stopping me right now, what's it's going to cost me I can almost pick up a 500, daytona no, 500 maybe.  That being said its really not a dollar thing it's the time issue.......

[charger chris]

If you ask me they was built to drive not sit and collect dust. I truly love the Daytona and super bird  very cool cars always wanted one not because of the money but to enjoy them. But like you my only option is to build one or find one that some one want to sell me dirt cheap and I don't see that ever happening to me. It must run in the blood because my 2 year son love his wing car he has. So maybe I'll build one and pass it on to him enjoy

[70 sublime]

I think what got me into wanting a wing car was just to have something a little different than normal
There has been 2 Daytona's in my area and my lifetime that I have known about but were out of my means (long gone now so do not ask  )
I have even had a real lime green Superbird in my driveway that stopped to look at a Charger I had for sale
I will never have enough $$ to own a real Daytona so I am going to build one that looks as close to real as I can
Drive it everywhere and park (with in reason) where I want just to see others gawking at it when I jump in to drive away 

[billssuperbird]

That is why I built my clone Superbird. I could never afford a real one. 

[62 Max]

Hi Aero's,

My dream along with many others was to own a Wingcar, its the pinnacle of all things Mopar.
Primarily I'm a muscle car guy, followed by a drag racer and in close third a Nascar GUY!
I always thought that owning a Wingcar was a right of passage.
Even though I could have bought one in the 80's I felt I had to cut my teeth on other Mopars first.
Looking back I feel that maybe I made a bad choice.
Wingcars were laying around waiting to be picked up at rock bottom prices.

Thats certainly not the case now...
I have realised that my dream will not ever be a reality, now the prices are getting mentals.
I see Daytona fenders dearer than complete cars were in the late 70's!
Even if you find a reasonably priced Winger, rebuild costs will be staggering at best...
I think it was much easier to rebuild a Winger in the last Century.

I admire the few people that endeavour to build a Clone and praise the Folks who help them on their way!!!
By a strange token my original plan to build a clone would probably have suited me better.
You can do a self-build interpretation of an ICONIC car, without the restraints of ORIGINALITY!

I have toyed with the idea of selling my C500 and joining the Merry bunch of Wingcar cloners!!!
Is there more fun to be had doing a clone than being restrained by the strict rebuild quality required of an Aero WING-car?


Why do Folks actually want to own a Winger NOW?
Myself it was the fun of Resto, no concern of cost or end value, but not everyone is like me though.
Do they just wanna buy one and see the prices go up...

5J

Bought this in 1982 for $4200,finished it in 1992,here are then and now,averages about 500 mi a year,it doesn't sit and gather dust.

[1970Moparmann]

Never say never.   I thought my dreams of owning a Bird was over when the prices skyrocketed.   4 years ago I saw a post by a member of selling his Bird.   My biggest issue I had was selling a car to make up most of the cost of the Bird.  I had all factors against me, but it worked out.   The car needs some TLC, but after 4 years, I just brought it home from storage and will have it on the road next year.  

You have a 500, which is an awesome car!  I had to give up my dream Charger to get my Bird, but it worked out for me.

[500Jon]

440 4-speed C500 is a truly awesome car indeed!
Its funny how I have to justify its Nascar heritage to other people though?
Mostly they say, ''its a ruined 69 R/T''...
I know they is jealous because they've got a 318 4-door car lol.

But herein lies the problem, its just not a Wingcar, only a fixed headlight Aerocar.
Some Folks say I bought it because I couldn't afford a real Wingcar...
Every comment belittles it uniqueness in the struggle to be a winner at Dega and Daytona.
Given time I'm sure the Charger-500 would have triumphed at the fast ovals, but the Daytona overshadows its heritage.
The real winners were the Superbirds, straight of the drawing board and straight into Winners Cirlce!!!

Yes I am a PLYMOUTH guy first and a C500-Daytona guy second.

When you are married to a beautiful woman, you sometimes get to thinking of her even better looking sister!
Yep I know how it is, from an experienced divorcee...

[Old Moparz]

Same story for me, the wing cars are just too much money to ever consider buying one. Yes, I could probably sell my other cars, finance a portion & be able to buy one but I won't because I don't believe a car is worth the price of a house. There was only one time I've ever came across what I thought was a truly good deal, meaning a nice car that was drivable & didn't need anything to enjoy it. It was a white Superbird for $15,000 in 1990. This was right after I bought my house when I was completely broke, so it may as well have been $15 million.    

Seems I've always been 1 or 2 steps behind finding one I could afford & I am not going into hock to get a car I like, so I've gathered almost everything I need to build a Daytona replica.

[Beep Beep Dave]

I always (since I was 10) wanted a Daytona. I think I could be happy with a Superbird too. Still lots of other Mopars I like too. Dreaming is living! Hopefully one day but sometimes I think I may have missed some opportunities.

Dave

[birdsandbees]

I'm similar to 62 max... scraped every penny out of the grocery money jar in the Fall of 1989 and paid $23,000 for my 'Bird. Other than correcting the engine colour I didn't do much to it over the years other than drive it some and put about 5,000 miles on it in that time frame. Currently have about $4,000 in trinkets / parts to clean it up somewhat and I'd say it's somewhere between a 3 and 2 car. Not scared to drive it down the road...

[Stevetona]

Do you guys see the prices of these cars going up, up and up in the future? Most of the " baby boomers" are getting into their 60's now. I'm 38 and love these cars. Many people my age think I'm nuts for wanting an outrageous looking car like a Bird or Daytona. They all say if you're going to spend 6 figures get a Porsche or Ferarri. 

[birdsandbees]

The owner where my 'Bee shell work is being done keeps telling me I should sell now... as "our generation is about gone". The next tier are wanting Dad's 1989 Monte Carlo or their rice rocket restored and "our market is a dying breed".

Then I sit back and see how many Daytona's and Birds are lined up that "our generation" is still spending money on and figure I have about 10 years before worrying about a price drop in value.

[Stevetona]

The owner where my 'Bee shell work is being done keeps telling me I should sell now... as "our generation is about gone". The next tier are wanting Dad's 1989 Monte Carlo or their rice rocket restored and "our market is a dying breed".

Then I sit back and see how many Daytona's and Birds are lined up that "our generation" is still spending money on and figure I have about 10 years before worrying about a price drop in value.

Thanks. You said what I was thinking. I own an airplane and it is worth less than it was 15 years ago because the costs of flying are pricing people out of the hobby.

[birdsandbees]

Thanks. You said what I was thinking. I own an airplane and it is worth less than it was 15 years ago because the costs of flying are pricing people out of the hobby.

Oh, I know way toooo much about that! I have a yard full of airplanes, it's what I do and these days it's hard to even give them away. Even with our 72 cent dollar.

[Stevetona]

Yep I'm a fellow Ontarian. I feel your pain. 

[birdsandbees]

Yep I'm a fellow Ontarian. I feel your pain. 

Irish Field Aviation.. who I am..

[qwick68]

Do you guys see the prices of these cars going up, up and up in the future? Most of the " baby boomers" are getting into their 60's now. I'm 38 and love these cars. Many people my age think I'm nuts for wanting an outrageous looking car like a Bird or Daytona. They all say if you're going to spend 6 figures get a Porsche or Ferarri. 

I'm 35....I've had my 68 20 years now, picked it up for 500 bucks in November 96

[Stevetona]

Yep I'm a fellow Ontarian. I feel your pain. 

Irish Field Aviation.. who I am..

Cool. I'm down by London. I'll have to fly the C-140 up some time!

[birdsandbees]

Cool. I'm down by London. I'll have to fly the C-140 up some time!

So you tell all the gals that you have a C-140 and "that's only a C-130 out there on the tarmac currently"...  

PPR.. one way strip, landing North and take off South.. 1995 feet long.

[white]

500 Jon never say never to finding a wing car, you could win the lottery tomorrow. I to would love to own a wing car somday but I am very happy to have a 500. Hang in there and enjoy the 500 and if a wing car opportunity shows up maybe you could do a Troy trade.

[41husk]

I traded a nice Daytona clone for a real C500 needing lots of love.  20 years ago I said "if I had a C500, I would put a wing and a nose on it and make it a sweet Daytona clone"  times change attitudes change.  I can't wait to enjoy the C500.  The Daytona is so iconic you need not explain the NASCAR heritage.  I guess 20 years ago it was more important that other people understood my car's rarity.  Now I am fine even if only a rare few know what my car realy is

[qwick68]

I traded a nice Daytona clone for a real C500 needing lots of love.  20 years ago I said "if I had a C500, I would put a wing and a nose on it and make it a sweet Daytona clone"  times change attitudes change.  I can't wait to enjoy the C500.  The Daytona is so iconic you need not explain the NASCAR heritage.  I guess 20 years ago it was more important that other people understood my car's rarity.  Now I am fine even if only a rare few know what my car realy is

I couldn't agree more.....live the 500s, Daytonas are ok too lol

[djcarguy]

   hey 500 jon think i saw a small pic of ya 500 .  sound like you have a great 4 spd car,but still want the Daytona package.   how bout a flat black 500 with a Tona kit for some years an enjoy that bad boy. get it rolling ,out on the road and enjoy it..  just my idea of a great comprimise an a HELL of alot of fun.      DJ


PS  missed a yellow 4spd Bird.early 80es,was $6,ooo.  i was in my early 20es an just bought a house an new wife said car or her,pick.... Should of took the car,divorced soon after i passed on car.



                          WING AN FUN, my solid loominum wing is on my dartona bird nose project.  DJ west USA

[Scaregrabber]

It's about the history for me. I wouldn't give up a real 500 to build a fake anything.

Sheldon