1971 Cuda Hemi Convertible Export

[Spikedog08]

Yea, that's not how I remember the story, but I admit, it's been a few years since I spoke with Kevin.

Wow on a car like this one, that is something I would not do . . .

[JH27N0B]

Yea, that's not how I remember the story, but I admit, it's been a few years since I spoke with Kevin.

Wow on a car like this one, that is something I would not do . . .

I repeated the story of the cars "unintended sale" online several years ago, and got chastised by Rick Simpson who said he was on stage during the auction with the owner, and he did indeed want to sell it if the price was right.
I know Tom Lembeck but not very well, but I do wonder if he'd really want to let that one go.  He does have another '71 hemi cuda convertible, but if it were me, I'd keep this one over his red one.
He listed a half dozen or so cars at Mecum Kissimmee a few years ago.  If memory serves, not even one met reserve and sold?
I also don't know why anyone would use an auction for these high end cars, you'd think word of mouth among the small group of collectors in the income bracket to afford this grade of car would get them sold without having to risk the cars hauling them around to auctions and having them on display with the unwashed masses drooling on them?
I do seem to recall that the blue one sold at the Mecum auction to an "unknown" type collector, so there is that.  An auction might draw a person outside the known high end collector network who has very deep pockets ready to write a huge check for a rare car if one comes to an auction.

[RzeroB]

  with Brad ... These top-tier cars do not need an auction to sell. The guys at the top of the food chain know who's who and if one of their peers is considering selling way before anyone else does.

[MoparCarGuy]

I also don't know why anyone would use an auction for these high end cars, you'd think word of mouth among the small group of collectors in the income bracket to afford this grade of car would get them sold without having to risk the cars hauling them around to auctions and having them on display with the unwashed masses drooling on them?

Agree with this statement. At MECUM Kissimmee 2021, I watched a gentlemen open the door on the recently, well-bought 1970 HemiCuda (9,939 mile unrestored car with original white exterior/black interior). He then jumped into the driver's seat and rowed through the gears. I assumed he was a knowledgeable, potential buyer of the car. After asking him if he was considering buying the car, he and his wife said, "No, it needs to be restored."  I casually told him this was a 9K mile original and would likely reach $200k or more as it sits. He and his wife had no idea what they were looking at.
That car sold for $192,500. https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0121-444786/1970-plymouth-hemi-cuda/

[71vert340]

 So bring me up to speed on this 71 B5 Hemi Cuda convertible. Is this the one that was from Oregon and sold after some drug bust? The reason I ask is around 1990, my wife and I were at a car show in Portland that was held at PIR. I saw a 71 B5 Hemi Cuda convertible there with a blue interior. My wife and I were looking the car over and she had her hands resting on the top of the door when a young guy came up to her and stated she shouldn't even be touching the car if she knew what it was worth. We didn't even get to comment back when a grey haired gentleman came up and introduced himself. Turns out he was the owner and I had sold parts to him several times by mail. He then told my wife to go ahead and sit in it and start it up, handing her the keys. We smiled as the guy who had told us we shouldn't be touching the car turned red faced and left. He at that time had paid I believe $40k for it. I wonder if this is the same car. I have photos of it from that car show somewhere. I'll have to see if I can find them. On this 71 Cuda convertible that started this topic, it's a beautiful car. I'd certainly fix the scratched billboard or remove them all if I didn't really care for them.
Terry W.

[gzig5]

Ha, ha: WTF do you expect for your $5M?

This view makes it look like a crease in the metal.  Maybe not, but either way I'm surprised to see it on a car at that price level. 
Must say that I do like that color....

[71vert340]

Ha, ha: WTF do you expect for your $5M?

This view makes it look like a crease in the metal.  Maybe not, but either way I'm surprised to see it on a car at that price level. 
Must say that I do like that color....

Hmm, you're right about it looking like a slight crease. If so, it would be interesting to see if Paintless Dent Removal could get it out. The dealer had some removed on my 2015 Challenger shortly after it arrived at the dealership. I couldn't tell where the dents were after the PDR guy did his work.
Terry W.

[Cudino]

Hi All,

A few comments about Kevin Suydam's sale of his blue '71 HC 'Vert in 2014:
- Regarding the Initial Bidding, I've been told there were 2 other bidders who were involved up to ~2.5M.  After that it was indeed just the one bidder vs. Kevin's reserve.
- I too have heard that Kevin put a price on his car he thought was so high that it either wouldn't be reached, or if it was reached then Kevin would be happy.  If you rewatch that auction, and focus on Kevin's demeanor, you'll see what really happened.  Specifically, just after the sale the TV crew took a commercial break, and immediately after this break Bill Stevens interviewed Kevin.  This moments-after-sale interview is very telling, and I recorded it on my phone.  It is too large to upload, but I just watched it again and in Kevin's very own words here's what he said: 
"[I have] Sellers remorse.  I had it [Seller's remorse] probably hours after I told Dana I would do it [consign the car].  I had a weak moment.  I am a car collector first and the money part's second.  I um, yeah, you know, normally a guy would be leaping up and down with joy about now, but I'm not.  I just, uh, well, you know, this was one of the pinnacle cars in my car collection and I just, uh, kinda overwhelmed and I just, I don't know.  I guess it's done now, I have no choice in the matter."
- The buyer of this blue car at that auction was and still is a somewhat private collector, but prior to this auction he had already bought several big-dog '71 Hemicuda hardtops.  He still owns this car today, and reportedly turned down a $5M offer.

So, this takes me to Tom's car, the Winchester Gray one.  Sure, Tom could sell it privately, and he has floated the idea around a bit.  But putting this car in front of the world does take it to a whole new level, both in terms of audience as well as availability.  Look at the Kevin Suydam example above.  Before 2014, given Kevin's enthusiasm could you imagine how difficult it would have been to try buying that car from him privately?  Basically, for that car to trade hands, it took an auction process where Kevin was contractually obligated to sell his car if it met a predetermined reserve.  I've been there, car collectors are reluctant to sell their most prized possessions, so getting them to agree to sell, let alone put a price on their car, is a very difficult task.  This is true for any car collector, whether you're inquiring about somebody's prized Duster or somebody else's Hemicuda rag.  In Tom's case, similar to Kevin, Tom is required to agree to a reserve price.  Will it be high?  Sure it will, but this opens a whole new territory, because the emotions of the seller have been removed.  Now, if a buyer wants this car bad enough they only have to meet the reserve, whatever that may be.  And if it turns out this car does trade hands, good luck in trying to buy it from the next owner!  I don't know if it will sell, or what the reserve is, but with a wider auction audience and the contractual availability of such a pinnacle car this will be very exciting to see.

If you were in Tom's position, and owned one of, if not the, most valuable Musclecars on the planet, how much would you sell it for?

- Wade

[anlauto]

So Wade, does that mean you're not going to buy it ?

[Cudino]

So Wade, does that mean you're not going to buy it ?

I wish I could Alan.  I really, really, really wish I could.
- Wade

[RUNCHARGER]

That does look like a crease, I would sure imagine it would be tended to before the auction.
Thanks for the insight Wade, you have a better perspective than us of course but I could imagine two guys haggling on a car at that level that it would be very tough to come to a conclussion. I could see a trade happening privately because then both guys get something they want, but selling something you love for money is actually a harder thing to do and then putting a value into that would probably make it impossible to finalize a deal I would think.