<VV> Re: Chrysler (actually has some Corvair)

[Tony Underwood]

At 06:56 hours 03/27/2006, Padgett wrote:

>>Funny thing is Lido Iocca admitted in his book that it was common 
>>knowledge in Detroit that Chryco made the best engines and 
>>transmissions in the 60's & early 70's.  (71)
>>
>>I wonder if that is why today those Hemi Cudas are fetching more 
>>than a classic Vette.
>
>Possibly true but keeping a torsion bar suspension in alignment was 
>a never ending task


??   One of THE most trouble-free parts of any Mopar I ever had was 
the front suspension and the torsion bars.   Simplicity in 
itself.   Never had any alignment problems in any Chrysler product, 
in the family ever, and there have been about a dozen now.    My Sat 
went close to 200,000 miles (on the chassis) and the only time I ever 
needed an alignment was when I changed the front spindles to 
accommodate big brakes.


>and saw Plymoths and Dodges rust out while still on the dealer's lot.


Again...  ??    Mopars were among the least likely to rust, what with 
the unibodys being dipped in acrylic sealant vats at the factory 
which coated every nook and cranny throughout the body.

No Mopars "rusted on the lot".


Too bad the General wasn't doing this with Corvairs.   Maybe we'd 
have more cars with original floors.   Today, many manufacturers dip 
their car bodies.    It's one of the reasons modern cars don't rust much.


>May be why Hemi Cuda's bring a fortune - not many survived.


There were only a handful built.

Chrysler built 107 Hemi-Cuda coupes in 1971, the last year for the 
Hemi engine, with 59 being 4-speed cars (most desirable).   According 
to the production sources, there were only 11 Hemi-Cuda convertibles 
built in 1971.  Records show that only three were 4-speed cars.


However, of those '71 Hemi-Cudas built, a rather surprising number 
are still around.  I think that *all* the convertibles are accounted for.


People bought many of these Hemi outfitted Chrysler products as 
investments, what with so many showing up in auctions in 
mint-original shape with few miles on them.

The '71 Hemi-Cuda ragtops (original cars, not clones) are the ones 
bringing millions of bucks at auction.   Earlier variants bring 
less...  usually only around the mid-six significant figure 
mark.    Other Hemi cars, depending on condition, would auction off 
at ~50,000 to 100,000 bucks.   A resto project would obviously go for less.

I've heard of Roadrunner projects which had no driveline, interior, 
or exterior trim on them, basket case cars, which sold for over 
10,000 bucks simply because it had a VIN tag with the Hemi engine 
code in the VIN.

Collectors with deep pockets have basically ruined the Mopar 
musclecar markets these days...  unless you're a seller, of 
course.   If you wanna pick up a Hemi musclecar to play with, you're 
gonna have to pay.    Too many people along the way have previously 
been buying Hemi musclecars as investments, watching the modern-day 
lunatic fringe with too much disposable income buying up these cars 
at every opportunity, paying whatever it takes to get one of these cars.


Insanity.



http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/26/pf/autos/wednesday_muscle_car_prices/index.htm 




One wonders as to whether such collector fever would ever migrate 
into the Corvair community.   Of course, we'll not be seeing any 
Corvair anywhere bring over two million bucks at auction like a '71 
Hemi-Cuda ragtop, but as time passes, it's not unlikely that some of 
the "exotic" Vairs like Corsas and Spyders etc, particularly ragtops, 
may well start climbing in value to the point that it will no longer 
be practical to use one of these cars as a driver because it's too valuable.


Again, good for the investor/seller... but not for the guy who wants 
to really enjoy the car and drive the pants off it.

I guess until then I'll just keep driving my 'Vairs.   I sure as Hell 
won't be buying a Hemi-Cuda.   ;)



tony..