Would You? Trade a restored hemi clone for the real thing unrestored?

[lilwendal]

Heres the deal. Looking for some opiniuns on what the masses think.  I have an offer to trade my fully restored 68 hemi clone charger for a unrestored real car.  Its a complete car except for the original engines is missing.  He is providing another engine with correct heads, intake and exhaust manifolds but the bottom end is mopar performance stuff.  Lots of nice options.  Power steering, Power disc, Console car, Power windows, Rear defrost, Rear speakers. Its hard to give a just completed car and go back to square one but I can build a clone anytime but there are so few rear hemi cars out there.  The color scheme kinda reminds me of a pimps car.  JJ1 Gold with  white top and white interior.  Gotta go back correct with it because  he has the original build sheet and fender tag.  Would be wrong to not build it from the sheet. I have no pics that i can post but did attach the fendertag plus a pic of my car.
Well, What do you think?

[Ghoste]

For me, it is a probably.  It depends on how fully restored and how unrestored we're talking about. 

[Hemidoug]

Can't go wrong with an original car!!! How much work does the body need? For me, it would depend on how much rot/body work was needed.....

[dkn1997]

The only way I would pull the trigger is if the real hemi car had it's original motor.

[Chargen69]

The only way I would pull the trigger is if the real hemi car had it's original motor.

I'd keep my car if it was as fine as yours is.

[PocketThunder]

How may summers can you stand to go without a car?  2..... 3...5.??  I dont know, my impulse would be to trade but after just finishing 2 years restoring my 68 i'm sick of it and just want to drive it!

I say do it if you have the bankroll to get the other one restored within a reasonable time frame...

[6pkrunner]

The main draw for wanting an original car these days is for the money factor. The money factor means keeping the thing in primo shape so the investment potential remains high. To do that the car is seldom driven. So the question is, do you want a 2 ton paperweight that seldom sees the light of day for fear of destroying an investment, or something to use more often? Only you can answer that.
Or if you're really rich and don't need to worry about the return on investment, in which case you don't own a clone but the real thing as you could afford it initially.

While having a pedigree is indeed a good thing, if said toy then tells you what to do or not to do with it, well......

[BigBlockSam]

The only way I would pull the trigger is if the real hemi car had it's original motor. 

you can drive and enjoy your car rite now. you'd be starting all over again . 

[WheresMyCharger]

The only way I would pull the trigger is if the real hemi car had it's original motor.

I'm with dkn
You have a sweet ride now, enjoy it. (Original motor with non-matching body )

[terrible one]

As others have said, becuase the real deal doesn't have it's original motor, I wouldn't do it. Enjoy your car!

[lilwendal]

I enjoy the restoration.  I've already started into the next 68 charger I've got here now.  True its great to hop in the hemi clone to go pick up a gallon of milk but I would do the same with the real hemi.  Its still a car. Unfortunatly i would be forced to sell the real hemi shortly after its completion because of the money involved. I'm not rich. I do everything to these car from the metal work to the actual painting myself. 1000 hours a car easy.  I just keep rolling the funds from 1 car to the next.The blue 69 I finished in Jan.  I had 15 into and sold for 30. This car I have 40 into and was selling for 80. If I get this hemi I'll end up putting another 10 to 20 into it to finish.  So if you call it 80 to 100 into the car whats it worth completed? I had promised the family a nice vacation when the clone sells but now there wont be any money changing hands. The wife realizes the importance of a real hemi car so I'm lucky there. It was currently being restored and all metal work and most body work has been completed. It really is at nice point to pick it up.  This car completed could almost get me to a point were after it sells I could do this full time. Thats my plan in about 5 years. Well Sundays the day we are supposed to swap if we do so I've got a day to think on it

[8WHEELER]

Boy that is not an easy decision, I know how much I would like a real Hemi car, but
I could not afford a Hemi project car so I don't have your problem 

The color combo I have never seen before, every JJ1 Gold 68, with a white top, I have
ever seen or heard of, had a tan/gold int. My wife's 68 RT Charger JJ1 Gold car has a white
top and tan/gold int. There is one on ebay that somebody put half white int in a gold int car,
looks real strange.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Charger-1968-Charger-383-330-HP-Auto-Trans-Disc-Brakes_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6199QQhashZitem260053531629QQihZ016QQitemZ260053531629QQrdZ1

Dan

[hemi68charger]

Mike... Well.... How do you feel thus far..... Planning on it? Did I sway you one way or another?...... One thing about your thoughts on selling after completion is that, depending on the market and condition of the restoration, you could probably pay off your mortgage... Believe me, those thoughts about my j-code '68 creep into my head as I get older.....

Troy

[mridolfo]

Do you think that unrestored nom hemi car worth $80K ?

[Chris G.]

Did I see that purple car being shopped on ebay a few weeks ago? I could have sworn it was that car.

Me personally, I would love to own a real Hemi car (or six pack). If the car is not a complete basket case, I would seriously consider it.

ps- Did a guy that owns a purple '68, refer to a factory gold car as being "pimp like"? 

[lilwendal]

Troy, At this point I'm going to do the swap. The only issue would be if he cant come up with the other items for the car he promises he has. IE hemi K member, correct exhaust manifolds. Monday morning is the swap.
mridolfo I'm not exactly sure what this unrestored car would cost in present condition.  Theres not a lot to compare it to. Honestly, I really want to do a correct hemi car and since actual cash I have in my car is 40 I think Its OK. I Could  continue to push a cash sale on my car then make him a cash offer on his but we both have something the other wants now.
Chrisg, You got me with the "pimp like" quote. That was funny.

[lilwendal]

Anybody have a picture of this color combo on file?

[blackcharger]

The only way I would pull the trigger is if the real hemi car had it's original motor.

thats the oNLY way I'd even consider it. Then I'd pass if my car looked a sweet as yours. Hard to beat a finished car.

[8WHEELER]

Anybody have a picture of this color combo on file?

I said I did, but no white int with JJ1 Gold, I would bet they never made one   

Dan

[bullit68]

when i first read your post,i was going to reply-DO IT!because to most mopar guys,an original hemi car is the holy grail.i have two that i have to restore and am happy just owning them.to me i'm living my childhood dream.but after reading further down in your post that you are only interested in it for the resale value,i now say dont.not that thats a bad thing,to each his own,but the economics dont make sense.if you can get 80k for your car,then you are paying 80k for the hemi car.regardless of what you have into yours.now with 80k plus all of your time and money invested,what is the hemi car worth?how much profit?when the cars price gets up over a 100k,people tend to get more picky.being a  gold car and not having the original engine will hurt its resale value.percentage wise,how does the potential profit on this car stack up compared to the other cars you've done?

[tecmopar]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to remember that in '68 the Hemi blocks were NOT stamped like the other motors. It would just need to be a "Date Correct" casting. If it is the case, how would anyone ever know for sure, and how DO they know today if their cars are " Numbers Matching". It would still be dishonest though. If the market takes a dive I believe that a "Clone" would be affected more and the LEAST affected cars would be the Original Hemi Cars. Again, for some reason that keeps popping into my head, about the stampings, but I just can't remember for sure. Good luck on what ever choice you make.

[BrianShaughnessy]

  I wouldn't agree to that swap.    By stating you only have $40K into your finished car... does that mean your time and labor was free?    If you time and labor is free,  can I send a car over to have you restore it for me for $parts$ only?   

  By my guesstimates,   a unrestored '68 hemi car without the #s motor is worth that same $40K but how much is your time away from the family worth to you starting over?

  People that ask for swaps are usually the ones thinking they're getting the better end of the deal. 

  Do what you want - I'm just stating what I think.   Good luck. 

[firefighter3931]

  I wouldn't agree to that swap.    By stating you only have $40K into your finished car... does that mean your time and labor was free?    If you time and labor is free,  can I send a car over to have you restore it for me for $parts$ only?   

  By my guesstimates,   a unrestored '68 hemi car without the #s motor is worth that same $40K but how much is your time away from the family worth to you starting over?

  People that ask for swaps are usually the ones thinking they're getting the better end of the deal. 

  Do what you want - I'm just stating what I think.   Good luck. 

well said Brian.  To me numbers don't mean a whole lot....and your car is done....not a project.



Ron

[hemi68charger]

Mike,
Here's a picture of a HH1 Light gold / black interior '68 Hemi... Belongs to a cool guy up North..... It's the closest I have to Medium Gold Poly I have...

Troy

[hemi68charger]

... By stating you only have $40K into your finished car... does that mean your time and labor was free?    If you time and labor is free,  can I send a car over to have you restore it for me for $parts$ only?   
 

Some people get enjoyment from the restoration of their rides.

Troy