John Schneider's/Bo Duke's car goes for $450,000 Barrett-Jackson

[Mike DC]

To each his own.


I personally wouldn't pay much extra for a matching-numbers car. 
Nothing against them or the people who do like them, but I just don't care when I'm shopping for my own cars and I probably never will.

So from my viewpoint, paying several million for a '71 HemiCuda convert seems downright idiotic.  (To tell you the truth, paying half a million for John Schnieder's road-racing GL sounds at least a little tiny bit MORE logical in comparison.) 

But when the whole car-collecting world agrees to assign a value to a car because of the VIN, I can certainly understand why the practice continues.   

 

[69charger2002]

mike i agree, and i've said it many times before.. the longer time marches on, the more CLONES and 318 cars will be bought for deals and people will be happier with them.. while in my opinion the R/T's, matching number 383 auto cars etc, won't just keep going up and up. the younger guys more and more(including my now 30 year old ass).. personally don't care near as much about matching numbers. i'd take a solid 318 69 charger with a 440 in it for $20k WAY faster than a rusty numbers matching 69 R/T 440 car fpr $20k. i am sure i'm not alone
and as far as JS's car, it's overpriced, and the hemi cudas etc are too. the "investors" have taken those cars to that level, and some of them have already started to get burned with their investment. i don't feel bad for most of them, as they didn't buy the car to enjoy or because they love those particaluar cars. hell most never even come out of a climate controlled garage probably. as time goes on the die hard mopar fans will determine the real value of a muscle mopar, not the rich-fad types who are snatching them up right now because they are hot



trav

[Ghoste]

Well said Travis and I hope that day comes really soon.

[MattAShine]

mike i agree, and i've said it many times before.. the longer time marches on, the more CLONES and 318 cars will be bought for deals and people will be happier with them.. while in my opinion the R/T's, matching number 383 auto cars etc, won't just keep going up and up. the younger guys more and more(including my now 30 year old ass).. personally don't care near as much about matching numbers. i'd take a solid 318 69 charger with a 440 in it for $20k WAY faster than a rusty numbers matching 69 R/T 440 car fpr $20k. i am sure i'm not alone
and as far as JS's car, it's overpriced, and the hemi cudas etc are too. the "investors" have taken those cars to that level, and some of them have already started to get burned with their investment. i don't feel bad for most of them, as they didn't buy the car to enjoy or because they love those particaluar cars. hell most never even come out of a climate controlled garage probably. as time goes on the die hard mopar fans will determine the real value of a muscle mopar, not the rich-fad types who are snatching them up right now because they are hot

trav

When I started looking for a 1969 Charger in about 1998 and early 1999 (which I had a few then), I knew JACK compared to what I know now, but I did know that R/T's with 440's were pretty much the best, then 383's and then 318's (didn't acknowledge the 6 cylinder until about 2001). However, I always said (and still do) that I would be perfectly happy with a 318 "Grocery Getter" as a 440 car. I fell in love with the looks of the Charger, and the Charger was one of the very rare cars that unless you really know what to look for, the outside of an R/T and a plain-jane Charger is identical.

Now, having owned one, I do want to upgrade the engine and have pro-cured a better engine as there is the fun value and the knowledge that I don't have to worry about getting out of a parking lot REALLY quickly, but if I had a crack at another one, I would be just as happy with a 318 as a fun driver.

Investors have really hurt the Chargers in my opinion. There is no damned reason that a rusted to shit 318 '68 should go for more than $2000-$3000, but they did and for now at least still do. That hurt those cars, as the people who actually loved them and would take care of the cars (but may be of more modest means) could not get one.

One of the sad facts is, how many people on this board actually love the cars, and how many love what the cars can do for them down the road, either on ebay or an actual auction block? This hobby, to me, has been infected by those who look at Chargers with dollar signs in their eyes. Now, if a Charger lover, for whatever reason, needs to off their car that is different, but to the investor who looks at their '68 Charger and only sees their kids college fund, or maybe a sizable down payment on a house, it's pathetic, and I hope they all lose their asses.

Just my opinion of course.

[68charger383]

mike i agree, and i've said it many times before.. the longer time marches on, the more CLONES and 318 cars will be bought for deals and people will be happier with them.. while in my opinion the R/T's, matching number 383 auto cars etc, won't just keep going up and up. the younger guys more and more(including my now 30 year old ass).. personally don't care near as much about matching numbers. i'd take a solid 318 69 charger with a 440 in it for $20k WAY faster than a rusty numbers matching 69 R/T 440 car fpr $20k. i am sure i'm not alone
trav

I think people are gonna start looking for the 5.7 and 6.1 conversions, especially to the younger crowd who may not want to turn a wrench.. New car inside with the old car outside.

With the prices of these cars, a 318 car with a 440 is something people who want one can afford to buy.

[Crazy Larry]

If I could throw my  into the bucket.....

the biggest disappointment for me is that, there are quite a few dead Chargers out there, resting and rusting in fields or on the side of someones garage, with a half assed tarp tied across it...and the asking price is way too high - like Matt said, a rusted, non-working 318 '68 for $3,000. It should be $500 tops. Why? Because it will never ever be fixed or driven, and it should be given to someone who is willing or able to bring it back to life.

What happens now is that the very few who save up enough for a project, then look at that Chevy or Ford because they can be widdled down to a reasonable price.

The aftermath, is that those Chargers just sit there and rust away while the owner waits for a BJ auction price to come to them. It's sad.

I wish everyone who owned one and didn't plan on doing anything with it but wait for the highest bidder would just up and sell it so we can see some more of these beauties on the road.

[MattAShine]

If I could throw my  into the bucket.....

the biggest disappointment for me is that, there are quite a few dead Chargers out there, resting and rusting in fields or on the side of someones garage, with a half assed tarp tied across it...and the asking price is way too high - like Matt said, a rusted, non-working 318 '68 for $3,000. It should be $500 tops. Why? Because it will never ever be fixed or driven, and it should be given to someone who is willing or able to bring it back to life.

What happens now is that the very few who save up enough for a project, then look at that Chevy or Ford because they can be widdled down to a reasonable price.

The aftermath, is that those Chargers just sit there and rust away while the owner waits for a BJ auction price to come to them. It's sad.

I wish everyone who owned one and didn't plan on doing anything with it but wait for the highest bidder would just up and sell it so we can see some more of these beauties on the road.

I agree. Right now, if I wanted to, I can probably score a '69 Charger that originally had a 383 (no longer). This poor car sat in a field in Kentucky since probably 1985, ass end down in the mud. Kids shot out the windows, water got in and nothing happened to it until earlier this year when the old codger who owned it sold it to a neighbor of mine. The complete rear end is basically gone, the roof is horrible, the truck, tail-light panel, floors, spring-perches, rockers, etc, all are shot beyond repair. Interior? I think I may have been a scrap of carpet and some horridly shot door panels. So bad it is that the spring perch on the passenger side actually gave, so the car now has a twist (the passenger side door is about 2 or 3 inches lower than the the beginning of the rear quarter). Hell, even the fire-wall is damned near shot.

So sad is this car, that I have been seriously contemplating getting it and trying to bring it back. Hell, with all of the replacement parts out now and the ones coming, no Charger will be considered unsalvageable (if you have the deep pockets to buy new shit and don't mind basically having a new body with a few old parts on it).

Alas, I have not the means to fix that car, so it will be cut up and sold for parts. Another dead, and for what? How many people have those "cars in barns" that have no intention of doing shit with them, or, like mentioned above, will just wait until the highest dollar amount comes asking about it? It's disgusting.

[SFRT]

Chargers are the coolest musclecars ever made, end of story. DOH and 'Barret Jackson Land' don't really intersect my reality, so all of that doesnt really bother me. I always wanted a black 4 speed 1969 Charger. To drive. I could have bought a perfect one,a finished one, but instead, I bought one that needed fixing, because I have also always wanted to fix up a really really cool car and make it mine. I have lots of other really cool cars and trucks and bikes, but i didnt fix them up. I bought them new and modified them. Not a whole lot of fun, really. Off the rack. Money, ultimate resale value are meaningless to me. The experience of owning, fixing up and driving a REAL 1969 CHARGER-the ultimate Muscle Car is the only thing that matters. I will never sell it, never even take it to a show. I am going to drive it and work on it.

a lot.


The Charger is my vacation from my 'real life'.

Time is running out for the experience of owning and driving the ultimate 20th century american car. in 30 years they will be illegal and it will be all solar powered pods.

[lee]

My buddy saw the car really up close at the auction and from the front wheel to the back it had big rust bubbles the size of silver dollars trying to push through and scratches all over it and touched up with the wrong color orange interior was pretty fair though he said john must of really had fun with this car.He looked around to see if anyone was looking then touched it thats are small town claim to fame. lol

[Mike DC]

I think B/J and big-money collectors are just the most recent excuses that these people have.  If it wasn't for B/J, then I think most of these hicks would just be claiming some other reason to hold onto their $500 cars. 


People get sentimental about cars.  And they get VERY ornery about admitting that they'll never have any money to do anything with it.  Once 10 or 15 people have asked them about selling it, I think a lot of them actually begin wanting to let it sit on principle. 

 

[Troy]

I think the primary difference that I'm reading here is between those that have and those that don't. I have a 318 car and you're out of your freaking mind if you think I'd sell it for less than $1,000 (or $2,000 or $3,000). I'd love to buy one at that price! As some people are quick to point out, the base models are essentially the same as the rare(r) high performance models so why should the price be that different? Frankly, most of my cars are worth more as parts so if I did get to the point of selling and got tired of all the lowballers I'd likely just strip them and sell the pieces. Luckily, lots of guys are too lazy to strip the cars so some nice, complete, projects are still available. I hate to even have to say that since I looked for over 10 years to get just one (now I have four) but that's reality. The two biggest complaints I hear are about sellers wanting too much for their "junk" (well then why do you want to buy it?) and buyers who make ridiculously low "offers" (you insult someone and they'll never sell it to you - even at the asking price). Somewhere along the line the two sides will have to modify their thinking and meet at an acceptable price or no deal will be made. Sellers will always want to maximize profit and the buyer always wants a great deal. The advantage always lies with the guy who has the car though. The people who refuse to sell are just doing exactly what nearly everyone else would do if they owned the car.

I always wonder how someone with a $1,000 budget thinks they can buy a car and get it on the street (for that price or less). It's not the fault of the seller, eBay, or BJ. Just try looking at Summit for drive train parts and see how far your money goes. If you want to be real disappointed then look at Year One or call a body shop! I'm speaking from experience here. Several years ago when I got my black car (for what I thought was a great price) I thought I could clean it up, get a quick paint job, and start cruising. I joined this site to figure out what all I needed to do and how to do it. I quickly realized that it was in worse shape than I imagined and I was going to need a much bigger budget. The first thing I did was went out and bought a better car with the money I was saving for the restoration of the first one. Yes, it was a 318 but needed a fraction of the body work and had nicer trim, interior, and suspension. Indeed, I spent twice as much on a small block car as I did for a big block car but saved (literally) thousands of dollars in body shop labor and on components that didn't require replacement or restoration.

Once again, cars are worth exactly as much as they sell for (at that time). If a guy can't sell a car then he's likely asking too much and will have to lower the price if he wants to sell. If the real value is less than what he believes the car is worth then that won't happen and he'll keep it. By the same token, if a guy can't buy a car it's because he's not willing to pay what it's worth then he's going to either decide to pay more or do without. (I'd still rather be the guy with the car.) Someone obviously wanted to own John Schneider's General Lee and, charity or not, they were going to buy it. Had there been two guys who just had to have it then the price would have been much higher. Something tells me that the dents, dings, and scrapes add character and history to the car and would make it more desirable under these circumstances. Was it last year when that Testarossa sold for some stupid amount after Don Johnson came out on stage and signed it? That car had absolutely no TV history nor was it affiliated with Don Johnson in any other way. At least this car has a connection to DOH.

Troy

[hemihead]

I say if you have one , hold on to it and even if it does rot into the ground , at least some greedy low baller won't get his hands on it . 

[Mike DC]

 

You're right Troy.  Calling any Charger that can still be pushed around on four wheels a "$500 car" is unrealistic.  Anything that is structurally solid enough to be moved and still looks like a whole Charger from 30 feet away is probably worth a couple grand.


But the issue with the ornery hicks still stands. 

There are still too many cars dying because the owner won't lift a finger to preserve it from the weather and won't even accept an overpaying offer to sell it.  People theoretically have a right to keep & destroy their own property if they wish, but realistically a lot of these owners need to protected from themselves.  The usually don't really WANT the car destroyed any more than the buyers do, but they're just grossly mismanaging ther asset.  It's legal but it's not always in the best interests of anyone involved.

 

 

[Troy]

For the record, all of mine are stored inside. I know several of those "hicks" who wouldn't sell a car if their life depended on it. I'm not talking about 318 cars either. I've tried and tried to get my hands on all of the cars but, the sad part is, I probably couldn't afford any of them if they did relent one day so I've learned to let it go. Most of these guys owned the cars before I was born so I doubt that I can change their minds. They also know what they have and the approximate worth so walking up to their door with $1,000 will likely end unpleasantly. I think that if you had the right amount, in cash, on the right day that one or two of them could be had. Most of these guys get so sick of tire kickers that they won't even listen to what you have to say. If the "looky-loos" wouldn't ruin it for the rest of us then maybe more of these cars could be saved?

Troy

[Mike DC]

 

I've always been a big believer in a combination of humility towards the owner and a lot of cash bills.  Offering XXX in cold hard bills sometimes speaks as loud as twice that much in promises or checks. 

 

[JimShine]

It also helps to talk to the owners rather than listen to the gossip between local Mopar guys. I remember a certain '68 Charger I heard was 'grossly overpriced' up where I used to live. Matt checked into it and the guy wanted $2500. He had been asking that for 10 years. Everyone wanted to trade their Darts or $500 for it and he wouldn't barter or budge. Ofcourse after we bought it everyone was up there trying to get him to reneg his deal with us.

[Crazy Larry]

 

You're right Troy.  Calling any Charger that can still be pushed around on four wheels a "$500 car" is unrealistic.  Anything that is structurally solid enough to be moved and still looks like a whole Charger from 30 feet away is probably worth a couple grand.


But the issue with the ornery hicks still stands. 

There are still too many cars dying because the owner won't lift a finger to preserve it from the weather and won't even accept an overpaying offer to sell it.  People theoretically have a right to keep & destroy their own property if they wish, but realistically a lot of these owners need to protected from themselves.  The usually don't really WANT the car destroyed any more than the buyers do, but they're just grossly mismanaging ther asset.  It's legal but it's not always in the best interests of anyone involved.

 

 

Troy, your idea of a rusted out 318 must not be the same as mine. I doubt you have what I was referring to. Matt described perfectly what I was referring to as a $500 Charger.

Dead, submerged in mud with windows shot out - rusted all the way through. Dead by any other definition.

That is what I am talking about - the pure negligence which may be legal, yes, but IMO it is against all the laws of car/Charger lovers.

I tossed out the $500 line because that is what it will be worth in 40 years when it never moves and is completely gone and is worth its weight in scrap...I say take the $500 now and send it to the real world of working cars.

I purchased my 383 Charger running with a bad block, no rust, for $6,000 back in 2002.

Now why the heck would a rusted out dead Charger missing one fender and engine - stuck in a field be worth half of that?

It is only common sense to get what you can for it, sure...but do not wait for the highest bidder or what some say it could be worth.

I think the age-old romantic notion of the "buried treasure out back" idea is what drives this problem. They will never get rich on that 318 rust bucket laying out there. A dead car is worth nothing, I don't care how many books of lost Car treasures or BJ auctions come down the pipe. These farmers who think they have a hidden lotto ticket stuffed away need to re-assess their values.

It is and will always be worth $500 until they can prove otherwise. That means prove to me that there is a possibility of something happening with that car. Until then, if they are part of the Charger-loving universe, it would be their moral obligation to see it into someones hands who may or may not fix it up. At least it will have a chance.

But life will go on - they will think otherwise and ask $2,000 for the dead rusted out Charger - and there is one less Charger on the road.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining though, from a collector's standpoint, the value on my Charger will only go up. But as a Charger fanatic, I'll go kicking and screaming - because I love these cars and wish more could get saved.

[Chad L. Magee]

I tossed out the $500 line because that is what it will be worth in 40 years when it never moves and is completely gone and is worth its weight in scrap...I say take the $500 now and send it to the real world of working cars.

I purchased my 383 Charger running with a bad block, no rust, for $6,000 back in 2002.

Now why the heck would a rusted out dead Charger missing one fender and engine - stuck in a field be worth half of that?

It is only common sense to get what you can for it, sure...but do not wait for the highest bidder or what some say it could be worth.

I think the age-old romantic notion of the "buried treasure out back" idea is what drives this problem. They will never get rich on that 318 rust bucket laying out there. A dead car is worth nothing, I don't care how many books of lost Car treasures or BJ auctions come down the pipe. These farmers who think they have a hidden lotto ticket stuffed away need to re-assess their values.

It is and will always be worth $500 until they can prove otherwise. That means prove to me that there is a possibility of something happening with that car. Until then, if they are part of the Charger-loving universe, it would be their moral obligation to see it into someones hands who may or may not fix it up. At least it will have a chance.

But life will go on - they will think otherwise and ask $2,000 for the dead rusted out Charger - and there is one less Charger on the road.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining though, from a collector's standpoint, the value on my Charger will only go up. But as a Charger fanatic, I'll go kicking and screaming - because I love these cars and wish more could get saved.

As Troy mentioned, some Chargers are worth more in parts than they are whole.  For example, that $500 Charger missing the fender and engine that you are talking about, can be parted out and net anywhere from $500 to 2,000 more than the orginal $500 offer, plus you still have the shell bringing a good price (alot more than scrap metal price).  Thus, the $2000 price the guy is asking is not totally out of line.  Price parts that are either not being reproduced or the reproduction parts just arriving onto the market: grilles, fenders, hoods, insturment clusters, etc. and you will see that they command a nice chunk of change that adds up.  I bought a 1969 Charger parts car a decade ago for $200 and everybody laughed at me because the car was way to rough to restore (rusty clear to the roof on the body).  What they did not consider was the amount of parts that was on the car (good hood, pair of 68 front fenders, grille, three sets of interior door pads, two good Magnum 500s, good chrome, good glass, etc), and that I got 10X my money out of it just in a few parts alone, plus I still had the shell to sell.  Unfortunately, that car ended up getting swiped while in outside storage a few years ago (basically the shell and just some rough sheetmetal was left).  Nowdays, even that shell is worth a grand or two to the right person.  The key to this whole issue is supply vs. demand and the supply is not going up (unless they repop the Charger bodies for a few grand or less, which I don't see happening), while the demand is not going down anytime soon.  It is not the late 1970s/early 1980s anymore, where they were just used cars that you could pick them up cheaply, drive them hard and then find another to replace it.  Otherwise, why would we collect them?..........

[Troy]

Yes, my 318 car is probably much nicer than what you're talking about but I didn't pay a whole lot for it when compared to the others. Believe me, I've looked at many, many, many overpriced rustbuckets though. I live in Ohio after all. Within the span of just over a year I had looked at over 60 and found maybe three that were worth "fixing up" - at any price. There was one car in particular that I could see through the top of the driver's side fender from the street(!) yet the guy wouldn't budge off his $3,000 asking price. Frankly, I wasn't going to bother dragging it home because it was too much work fix and only had a few pieces that could be used as parts. It probably *could* have been fixed by an expert with an open check book but I certainly don't fit that definition. In his defense, it did have a very good running 440 in it which may have been important to some people but I've got too many engines already. Again, prices may be set by the seller but the buyer determines the value. Only when the car sells is the "worth" determined.

Even with the sheet metal and other reproduction parts available now it would cost an extraordinary amount to resurrect a $500 rusty 318 car and, in the end, it'd be "worth" less than half of what you had in it. To be clear, I mean a real restoration and not slapping it together with Bondo, house paint, and baling wire just to get it on the street. First and third gen cars are even worse due to the lack of available parts. It doesn't make any sense to me to buy a rusted pile that was once a Charger (for any price) and try to fix it. The time, money, aggravation, and headaches are more than enough to make most people bail in mid-project.

This is a far cry from the original subject though so I'm not going to hijack it any further.

Troy

[Mike DC]

 
I find it amusing how many Chargers are "totally not worth fixing" when you talk to a tire-kicker, and then they're "another precious Charger we've lost forever" when it's covered in bondo and 20 feet in the air at Dukesfest. 

[hemihead]

 
I find it amusing how many Chargers are "totally not worth fixing" when you talk to a tire-kicker, and then they're "another precious Charger we've lost forever" when it's covered in bondo and 20 feet in the air at Dukesfest. 

Or when someone wants to buy it " why leave it rust " and when they own it " it's not for sale unless you have $$$$$$ because it's rare " 

[2Gunz]

If your worth a bazzillion dollars then $450,000 is chump change.

And if your a dukes fan then I would say that is THE General Lee to buy.

Original Lee #1 blah blah lee #17 who cares.....

But if your into showing off your money, what better way to do it

than Buying Johns PERSONAL GL that went for $450,000 at Barret Jackson.

Now thats a great story. And hey everybody loves a good story.



So if I where bored and rich, the car would currently be in my garage.

Its all a matter of perspective.


Me personally is it worth $450,000?

Nope dont have that kinda money to spend.

But if the cars asking price was within my means, I would be ALL over it.

Just like most people on here.


My 

[PocketThunder]

Wow 5 pages of this?      

[General_01]

Wow 5 pages of this?      

Get back to work!!

[The70RT]

Wow 5 pages of this?      

I hear ya....where is the stroking emoticon ...