!971 Cuda Convertible

[70 Challenger Lover]

As mentioned by others, there was a buyer who paid exactly $50k for a plain numbers matching 318 Barracuda ragtop in restored condition. Me. Looking back, I am very happy I bought it as there just aren't many 71 ragtops period. Mine isn't flawless by any means but it is super nice in every way. I throw this out there as a basis for comparison and my transaction is only 18 months old. I doubt there are many plain cars like mine left since they typically get cloned into hemi Cudas.

(I included my fender tag by the way to show mine had no radio either so maybe it was a common thing to do in ragtops in 1971?)

I sold my Vette recently and had a little over 40k just burning a hole in my pocket. I reached out to learn more about this car because the only thing better than a 71 barracuda ragtop is a pair of them hanging out together. Unfortunately, I kept hearing stories that the car being in bad shape and the seller adjusting the price wildly each passing week. In the end, I shied away and picked up a bitchin 69 Coronet RT.

No disrespect intended to the seller. It's your car and you should have the final say of course but if it were me, I'd put it on eBay with a super detailed description and very candid photos of the work needed. You may be surprised to find your 60k buyer. It costs very little to place the ad and you can have a reserve so you risk nothing. You hit a worldwide audience as well. Craigslist is for bottom feeders. With eBay, you get a fairly honest appraisal of value even if it doesn't hit your reserve.

Another word of advice...everyone thinks their car is worth more than it is. I certainly do of mine. And most guys who dig in and refuse to let their car for too little watch it rust into oblivion on the side yard. Eventually, they do leave it to their kids who sell it for a fraction of it's now diminishing value to some douche who flips it to another buyer for a profit. There is no shortage of those stories. Selling it to a true Mopar guy now, even for less than you hoped, is a way of ensuring that car would be restored to its rightful glory and cherished for years to come.

[Cudabob71]

Thank you

[RSI700VIPER]

So what do the members think this car will be worth when done?  My buddy is thinking of selling his FC7 '71 vert.  Factory 340 rubber bumper car with Auto (billboards and rear spoiler added), well documented.  He is looking to get below $120K.  Nice #2 car.  My guess is a quality resto for a car in this condition will be north of $70K. 

[Cudabob71]

 Story about pricing. I put car up for best offer over 50,000 originally. Then i had numerous people ask what is your buy it now price so i said 70,000 (why not) Or best offer. I guess those people thought the price would be less. Also a lot of people have offered money who have never seen the car. How can i take them seriously? I took if off the market locally for about 10 days to take a break. I'm sure if you sold a car on here you went thru it.

[anlauto]

So what do the members think this car will be worth when done?  My buddy is thinking of selling his FC7 '71 vert.  Factory 340 rubber bumper car with Auto (billboards and rear spoiler added), well documented.  He is looking to get below $120K.  Nice #2 car.  My guess is a quality resto for a car in this condition will be north of $70K.

We are kinda taking the original poster's ad off topic, but your friend will have no problem selling that car (if it's clean and not a bondo basket) for $120K. In all likely hood, a dealer will buy it to flip it.   I restored a red 383 4spd that cost s $135K BEFORE the restoration, likely comparable to your friends purple car.

[anlauto]

Story about pricing. I put car up for best offer over 50,000 originally. Then i had numerous people ask what is your buy it now price so i said 70,000 (why not) Or best offer. I guess those people thought the price would be less. Also a lot of people have offered money who have never seen the car. How can i take them seriously? I took if off the market locally for about 10 days to take a break. I'm sure if you sold a car on here you went thru it.

Stick with the $60K OBO....if "REAL" offers don't come in, then you can decide how much you might want to drop the price. I agree with a run on eBay with a reserve will be your cheapest best bet for National advertising, and I'll be the first to say it will likely sell overseas.  
You could also try an ad on Cars-On-Line, I've had good luck with them as well.

P.S. If I had $50K, I would be comfortable buying it sight unseen based on your Facebook videos only....but I've restored a lot of cars....I know what I'm looking at, and I personally get more excited over documentation then the car's condition 

[70 Challenger Lover]

So what do the members think this car will be worth when done?  My buddy is thinking of selling his FC7 '71 vert.  Factory 340 rubber bumper car with Auto (billboards and rear spoiler added), well documented.  He is looking to get below $120K.  Nice #2 car.  My guess is a quality resto for a car in this condition will be north of $70K.

A #2 car like this is a great find in my opinion and if I bought it, I'd be very hesitant to do another full resto on the car. I'd keep the costs down and just freshen a few things up like interior if needed. The way I see it, a #1 is as close to perfection as they come and it costs a lot to get it there. Once it is perfect, you don't want to drive it because it's too perfect. What's the point unless your just an investor?

[Finoke]

So what do the members think this car will be worth when done?  My buddy is thinking of selling his FC7 '71 vert.  Factory 340 rubber bumper car with Auto (billboards and rear spoiler added), well documented.  He is looking to get below $120K.  Nice #2 car.  My guess is a quality resto for a car in this condition will be north of $70K.

He will definitely get 120k for the inviolet car in #2 condition. Not sure what a resroration would add to that. Probably not 70k.

[RSI700VIPER]

So what do the members think this car will be worth when done?  My buddy is thinking of selling his FC7 '71 vert.  Factory 340 rubber bumper car with Auto (billboards and rear spoiler added), well documented.  He is looking to get below $120K.  Nice #2 car.  My guess is a quality resto for a car in this condition will be north of $70K.

He will definitely get 120k for the inviolet car in #2 condition. Not sure what a resroration would add to that. Probably not 70k.

Let me clarify.  Didn't mean to confuse.  I was suggesting the brown vert from the OP would cost $70K to restore, not the FC7 vert. 

[RSI700VIPER]

Here is a nice one for $109.9K - make offer. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Plymouth-Cuda/174504603572

[70 Challenger Lover]

I think hitting the 70k restoration cost would happen pretty quick. The gold vert I posted here was restored by a reputable company back East. Fortunately for me, I was able to speak with the owner of the shop and he remembered my car. He even sent me the full invoice for all the work done. The restoration was in the early 2000s and the total cost was $55k then. And there were no rust issues. I'm sure some shops could do a nice restoration on that bronze Cuda for $70k but that seems a little low for most quality shops in my opinion. It's not uncommon for metal work to be tens of thousands alone depending on what they have to do.

I sure would love to see that Cuda get done right though. That's a car worth having!

[maxy426]

Sorry, not on here enough... is this car still available? $ Seems ok to me? I am going to look at a project 71 rag, small block 4 gr car (hopefully before the holidays) so am curious to see what else is out there comparable....

[anlauto]

@maxy426 you would have to ask @Cudabob71 he just ran the car on eBay 

[Crocha617]

It was relisted again a couple of days ago. Still on ebay with starting bid of $50k.

[anlauto]

Oh yea  https://www.ebay.com/itm/353318331666?ViewItem=&vxp=mtr&item=353318331666