Non desirable C500's?

[aerolith]

Heard this a lot over the years, a ''C500 is a messed up 69-R/T''...
Its just a 'halfway house' between a beautiful Charger and a Daytona.

To me its the pinnacle of pre-wing aeroness.

Do Folks say that to C500 owners out of pure envy, or are they just being honest?

Folks don't say that Daytona's are messed up C500's or 69/70 R/T's, do they???

Just this week an musclecar collector said to me that, ''C500's were not as desirable as R/T's and who wants a manual car''

Rarity doesn't mean more valuable, 'maybe less' to some Charger Folks...

Well you could have knocked me down with a feather as we say in Limeyland.

ps don't see many automatic Nascars???

[6pkrtse]

It's still a Charger. Personally, I have never liked the 69' 500's. I don't like the flush mount rear window. I think the standard roof line is what makes a Charger. I also don't like the flush mount non hidden headlights. Don't get me wrong if the price was right I would still buy one. I do have a 70' 500 S.E. though but I know that is a whole different animal.

[chaaargerb]

Just this week an musclecar collector said to me that, ''C500's were not as desirable as R/T's and who wants a manual car''

That's the first time I have ever heard an automatic is worth more then a manual shift car.
I can say when I bought my C500 the guy also had a green 69 4 speed R/T charger he was selling at the same time and he sold the R/T before I came out to buy the 500. The 500 was an automatic and copper in color but both cars were in the same condition (poor) and I think he got more for the R/T

[HANDM]

Back in the late 80's there was a light blue 500 for sale in Edmonds Wa, for 1800, and it just needed paint, less than a week later a dude in a 69 R/T drove up to me wile I was working on my sisters 69 Dart and offered it up for 4,000.
Given the choice  (and cash) I would have bought the R/T as I too was never fond of the rear glass or grille.

[DAY CLONA]

Heard this a lot over the years, a ''C500 is a messed up 69-R/T''...
Its just a 'halfway house' between a beautiful Charger and a Daytona.

To most Charger enthusiasts the "frog eyed" 500 is not a desirable looking package, front or rear, ... where as the hidden lights/grille treatment and tunneled backlite of the stock 2nd gen Charger are it's main styling points, aside from it's coke bottle side profile...

The Daytona has always been a love it or hate it concoction from day one, for those that appreciate the car, it's lines all flow in perfect execution of design and function and is the epitome of just not the Charger, but almost anything in automotive history, for those that don't "get" the car, it's an abomination on wheels

[BDF]

It is only "opinion" regarding looks. I like them all!
The person who was speaking to you does not sound like a very knowledgeable "muscle car collector".
   

[alfaitalia]

It's still a Charger. Personally, I have never liked the 69' 500's. I don't like the flush mount rear window. I think the standard roof line is what makes a Charger. I also don't like the flush mount non hidden headlights. Don't get me wrong if the price was right I would still buy one. I do have a 70' 500 S.E. thought but I know that is a whole different animal.

I pretty much agree with this word for word !

[tan top]

 would rather a C500  than a Daytona  , given a choice of only one    ,  Daytona would be second choice ,, although money no object would have both ,  &  quite possibly an assortment of second generation chargers  in every option & color combination

tell you something  , I know it was marketing / cheaper  to capture a wide range of buyer etc ..... IMO  the Daytona & C500 should of only been available with a HEMI a four speed , power disc brakes  & 2.94 / 2.76   rear gears  

[held1823]

the tunnel rear window is why i'd take a coronet r/t over a non aero charger any day of the week. not to mention way cooler looking hoods with a variety of available scoop treatments.

i prefer the bug eyed look of the 500, but i'd not kick a charger r/t out of the garage. i'm the oddball who prefers exposed headlights over hideaway ones on any make or model, like the later gen chargers, gto's, etc. the exposed headlight models just appear to have more attention to detail in the grille area,

[held1823]

oops, wrong button

[69_500]

All 500's are non desirable. So to do everyone a favor I will continue to try to buy all of them that I can afford

[Aero426]

All 500's are non desirable. So to do everyone a favor I will continue to try to buy all of them that I can afford

No kidding.   When I first saw the topic,  I had to wonder if it was April 1st. 

[alfaitalia]

I think desirable is perhaps not the right work....they are obviously a very rare and desirable car. But I place great importance on the looks of a classic (or even modern) car....and the 500 is just not as pretty as a standard bodied one....imo of course. It was built to do a job...be more aero....not to look better than stock.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

It's still a Charger. Personally, I have never liked the 69' 500's. I don't like the flush mount rear window. I think the standard roof line is what makes a Charger. I also don't like the flush mount non hidden headlights. Don't get me wrong if the price was right I would still buy one. I do have a 70' 500 S.E. thought but I know that is a whole different animal.

I pretty much agree with this word for word !

I too prefer the standard roof line...

BUT there is something about the '69 C500 that attracts me to it.  Maybe it's the fact that it is the least celebrated of the Aero cars.  I'd love to have one someday. 

[charger500440]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, desirability is determined by the market. I love the 500 for what is represents, the Nascar history during that era is fantastic and I do like the subtle differences from the regular '69 Charger. To me you can still love both. The Daytona is even more incredible from a Nascar/aero perspective but it's so over the top I've never really thought seriously about owning one. And now the prices keep that from happening anyway. Ideally I'd love to have one of each, throw in a '70 six-pack car and a '71 air grabber too. Bottom-line is the 500's still bring strong money, automatic or 4-speed.

To me they're all awesome and none of them say GM anywhere on them, which is another plus...

[odcics2]

I like them.
They won 22 times in 69 in Nascar!
(just not on a BIGGER tracks... )

p.s. anyone have an NOS "Dodge" sticker like the one above the spoiler?  I just need one.  Thanks! 

[Simonic]

/quote]
You're in the uk ?

[odcics2]

 

[XS29LA47V21]

would rather a C500  than a Daytona  , given a choice of only one    ,  Daytona would be second choice ,, although money no object would have both ,  &  quite possibly an assortment of second generation chargers  in every option & color combination

tell you something  , I know it was marketing / cheaper  to capture a wide range of buyer etc ..... IMO  the Daytona & C500 should of only been available with a HEMI a four speed , power disc brakes  & 2.94 / 2.76   rear gears  

I am in this stack.  You hit it on the head.  68s and 69s are great.  Once they went past what I could buy a Viper for I started to loose more and more interest in having a Daytona.  Not opposed to the right color for me (white with black or red....lol).    I have preferred 500s over Daytonas from when they came out with that poster of a red 500 with centerlines in front of a old shed ...... I was hooked.  Additionally I like the rarity without the big flag.  LMAO..... hmmm maybe that is why I pulled off that emblem off the fender the first night of my 2 yr old Challenger which now has 35,000 miles and between 17-19mpg depending on number of highway merge ramps on my path.  It is just so good at finding just the right hole to merge into.  

They (500s) are sure coming around in the last 5-10yrs in cost with the RTs and others, but I think there is still a preference towards the wing or high optioned RT over having a 500.  All fine with me, just will make it easier to slip another one in my collection if my wife is not paying attention...  Seems to me there is not much price difference in an 440 RT to a 440 500 in a simplified general thought for the last couple years anyway.

[aerolith]

Wonderful replies from Knowledgeable Charger Folks.

I expect 'doing it down talk' from prospective buyers but a lot of the FUGLY comments were from friends with Mopars!
Even today with all the superfast internet, Folks still think that a 69 500 is a 'shadetree' concoction done by Daytona wannabees...

It don't matter to me, as real enthusiasts 'like me' love to be 'put-down' by ignorant Muscle car owners.
Nascar outside of the USA is not really followed by many and the Folks who were there in 69/70 can't remember the great days of Dodge anyways lol...

Yes there are TWO C500's in the UK, a non-option 4-speed Nascar (mine) and an optioned to the max 'auto' for err cruising?
Yep I have a date coded 69 hemi to go in too, to complete the 'Tan Top' package...

ps manual drums for REAL RACERS!!!

[odcics2]

I see you posted the RARE OPTIONAL right hand drive version!   

[XS29LA47V21]

Really I think part of the reason is just the short spotlight the 500 had in NASCAR days and quickly over shadowed ever since by the big shadow of the wing.  The wing car found spot light by the end of the 1970s at car shows and wing warriors for sure, if it ever really lost it in the car guys back then. The guys counting cars can chime in, but production numbers being about the same.  I think I see the survival rate on Daytona's really really high compared to 500s and more than one 500 has been sacrificed to save Daytona's.   500s have been fewer at car shows, fewer in magazine, fewer found inside storage, any on TV shows? and generally not talked about as much.  The reality of their rarity is just now making a showing these recent years. 

For a reality check, couple years ago I took mine to a mopar show out west of me where there were 3 birds, 0 Daytona's and my rough old 500.  I visited at length during the day off and on with the Super bird guys.  Two had never seen one in person and one said he has only seen a couple up at the Mopar Nats over many yrs of going up there.  If two fellow collector aero car guys have not seen any, that is interesting.  Just fewer out there and fewer seen to be appreciate in person maybe. 

What is not to love... no issues with vacuum front headlight doors and only hitting you head on deck lid not a wing.

[fc7_plumcrazy]

in 2017 in Carlisle you could see any rare Mopar Muscle performance car.
Of course there were several Birds and Daytonas.
Just no C500.

It was the only rare model which didn't attend in a nearly 3.000 car Mopar Show

They are pretty rare in Europe, too.
There are the two green ones in England,as well as an originally Y2 yellow one which got painted B5 blue and finally my own B5 blue 500

Carsten

[alfaitalia]

Sounds about right to me.....the US owners will only let the horrible colour ones out of the country!

[aerolith]

Yep, the Yellow ones DOH!

The F8 and F5 greenies are the most desirable...

Then a crazy guy painted my F8 car RED and Black!!!

[aerolith]

Hideous F8!

How could you paint cars this AWFUL colo(u)r...

[Simonic]

I look forward to catching up with you (and your c500) at a show sometime 

[alfaitalia]

Hideous F8!

How could you paint cars this AWFUL colo(u)r...

Just winding you up mate !....to be honest, even though I could not live with that colour on a Charger, that one looks great. I love British Racing Green ( which is just a bit darker than that).....but BRG has to be on the right (ie smaller!)  car !

[odcics2]

Hideous F8!

How could you paint cars this AWFUL colo(u)r...

How about Lime(y) Green?   

[6pkrtse]

C500 hundred owners just like to brag because there window is flusher then mine. LOL.

[odcics2]

What did the C500 owner tell the Charger R/T owner?

Man, your car is a drag! 

[69_500]

Wish my computer wasn't down or I would post a picture of the newest 500 to our garage. I will say all 3 kids prefer this one over the Red one

[moparstuart]

ill take the red one   

[Derwud]

Hideous F8!

How could you paint cars this AWFUL colo(u)r...

Just winding you up mate !....to be honest, even though I could not live with that colour on a Charger, that one looks great. I love British Racing Green ( which is just a bit darker than that).....but BRG has to be on the right (ie smaller!)  car !

I don't know about that.. I drove a 90ish BRG Bentley Continental, She was large and in-Charge, and beautiful...

Now, I would not like my E-Type in BRG, but a C or D Type, YES!!

My Charger is light Green Metallic. I hope to change it soon!

Back to the C-500, I love them and wish I had one!!