First 69 Charger 500 changes hands

[Ghoste]

I don't know where it's going to yet but it is not coming back into Canada.  It sold at auction on Saturday for $294,250 US dollars!

[Shakey]

That's all?   

[Ghoste]

Yeah, he considerably exceeded his first reserve that he had on the car.

[Highbanked Hauler]

  I dread asking,what was the reserve??  Is this the one that had or does have the inner structure painted white?This car was at Carlisle in 94 and it was the first one or the  first production 500.

[Ghoste]

I think you're thinking of the prototype one with the 68 marker lights.  This is the red Hemi car that was used for the magazine road tests.  The four speed one.

[Magnumcharger]

I think you're thinking of the prototype one with the 68 marker lights.  This is the red Hemi car that was used for the magazine road tests.  The four speed one.

You mean this one?

[Magnumcharger]

I think you're thinking of the prototype one with the 68 marker lights.  This is the red Hemi car that was used for the magazine road tests.  The four speed one.

You mean this one?

[Ghoste]

That would be the prototype 500.  This is the car I am talking about.  The first production one.

[PocketThunder]

 

[69_500]

Or here is another photo of the car Ghoste is talking about.


Ghoste, any ideas on who was the lucky bidder?

[ChargerHound69]

That is a good looking car.  That is as much as my last house.

[69_500]

It is a gorgeous car. If I could own just 1 Charger 500, and nothing else, I would go after that car. It is to me a better by for $250K than the black HEMI 500 that was for sale on Ebay for $395K. Hands down a better buy.

[Highbanked Hauler]

It is a gorgeous car. If I could own just 1 Charger 500, and nothing else, I would go after that car. It is to me a better by for $250K than the black HEMI 500 that was for sale on Ebay for $395K. Hands down a better buy.

Nah, I'll keep my blue one for $3500 and call it the bargin of a life time.

[Ghoste]

I don't know if I can post the new owners name.  Until I get an okay, it will have to stay a mystery for the moment.

More alarming to me was the 71 Hemi Cuda vert clone that sold for 214,000.  I know that car very very well as it was local and it was no "clone".  It was a Barracuda convertible with a Crate Hemi in it.  It was extremely clean and rust free and he did add the shaker hood and fender gills but cooling, suspension, brakes, everything else was just for a plain old Barracuda.
It makes the 500 look like a deal.

[69_500]

Its fine if you don't post it, but I take it you know who purchased the car. I hope the new owner still takes it to shows and such.


yeah Al I think you got a steal on your 500. Kind of how Jerry Nerramore bought his HEMI 500 in 1970, I think he said he paid $2,700 for it used with 900 miles on it. Talk about a steal.

[Darkness]

Only $250k.   When will the madness ever end?

[Ghoste]

Closer to 300k actually.

[69_500]

Still though don't you see that as a bargain Ghoste? If they were expecting to get $395K out of the black one on Ebay don't you think that car should go for more than that? I realize the black one didn't sell, but it was up for auction the same week as BJ anyone know if it sold then?

[Ghoste]

It's a bargain if they continue to appreciate 100 to 200 per cent per year. 
I believe the black one changed hands for 195k.

[69_500]

Ah so that means the owner of the black one actually took a hit on the car then.

[Ghoste]

Who knows?  Honest to God, Danny, there is so much smoke and mirrors with the auction houses.  What they report can be so different from how deals actually went down that the only way to know for sure is if you personally know the parties involved and trust them.

[69_500]

Well I am about 99% sure the car was sold last year for more than that. So unless it changed hands between oh say July of last year and when it went up for auction then someone took a loss on the car.


But yeah unless you know who the people are who are buying these cars personally you can't always believe someone when they say they sold a car for say $300K. Unless you were there when the transactions took place.


That first HEMI 500 though, man what a car. Out of curiosity it wasn't the same person who bought both was it? What a collection that would be, to own the first HEMI 500 made, and the last HEMI 500 made. Which in both cases would be the 2nd of each. If you consider the 68 prototype as the true first one, that would make the first 69 the 2nd one built, and the last HEMI 500 is the 2nd to last 500 known of to be built.

[Ghoste]

Interesting thought.  I'll try and find out.

[Ghoste]

Well, it's funny what you find when you dig a little deeper.  My first information on the sale of the car was not entirely accurate.  The price was but the new owner was not.  To make a long story short, the car will be returning to Canada as the new owner bought it from himself at the end of the day.  Remember what I said about smoke and mirrors?  That is why I get so frustrated when B-J prices are declared to be the barometer of the hobby.
I have a peripheral involvment in it and I still have to go behind the scenes to get at the truth.

[69_500]

Well good, so it is still in the same hands it was when it went to the auction.

Hopefully I'll run into him at a few shows this year. Did you tell him I know where the car his buildsheet belongs to is?

[Ghoste]

I tried.  It's a long story and becoming a somewhat strange one as well.  I'd like to get to the bottom of the 500 being "sold" issue.  He did have a number of other very nice Mopars at that auction and as far as I know, some of those were legitimately sold. (although I was assured the other one was legit too, I even had a name, it wasn't until much later I found out the truth)
Apparently, he wants to start collecting extra clean survivors.  Or at least that is what I was told.

[69_500]

Well then he should keep the 500 then. It is a clean, but its not what I'd call an extra clean survivor. His Superbird is a gorgeous car though.