Thoughts on a 440 'Cuda

mrhp · #1 02-15-2008, 12:16 AM

This seems like a very nice car:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BH29M9B27...1QQcmdZViewItem

What is the story with the re-body, as far as value & collectibility?

**njsteve** · #2 02-15-2008, 01:55 AM

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What is the story with the re-body, as far as value & collectibility?

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I guess if you leave out the minor legality issue of what he did, it would be fine.

This would be the perfect car for you if you like taking long romantic strolls through mine fields.

old5.0 · #3 02-15-2008, 02:16 AM

Wow. I never knew that car was a re-body.

camarojoe · #4 02-15-2008, 02:27 AM

At least the seller is open and upfront about what it is...I'll give him credit for that.

**Stefano** · #5 02-15-2008, 03:43 AM

That is what I was thinking?

**njsteve** · #6 02-15-2008, 04:06 AM

...Or he has no idea that he just confessed to a felony in front of 20,000,000 people. Oh, wait I thought I was watching the congressional steroid hearings again....

mrhp · #7 02-15-2008, 04:28 AM

Sounds pretty serious. For my education, at what point is the line crossed? I've seen some restored cars where every body panel was replaced due to rust or accidents, etc. Or cars where the frame was rotted or bent so it was replaced. I remember replacing the blue GM vin tag on the door of my '72 T/A with a repro & being advised that typing the vin # onto it was illegal!!!

**Born30YrsLate** · #8 02-15-2008, 06:08 AM

...a guy I know locally has survivor car like this except it is all green...a pretty rocking car...he hasn't had it out in years...

**tom406** · #9 02-15-2008, 06:56 AM

I know that car. I had my first dealership job in Mpls in the summer of '93, and that car was stored upstairs. It was very nice then. I talked to the owner at the time. IIRC, it had another of these "coveted now, not then" stories. It had supposedly sat on the dealer's lot until 1971, until they finally got an older guy to buy it to tow his boat. If he backed said boat in and out of water, plus a few Minnesota salted winters, it probably did need a bit of work.

I also remember that in the post price crash era of '93, he couldn't get $25K (or was it $20K?) for the car with a fresh restoration. He ended up trading it off to an exotic car broker.

The restorer had many early Cudas, and they weren't expensive at the time, so I doubt there is any ownership history issues here with the M-code car or the Texas car.

NJSteve, while I can appreciate your perspective, isn't every E-body that has had the dashboard replaced (gotta pop that VIN and grind those rivets) or every early Mustang that was hit in the front technically afoul of the law as well? (for reference, Mustangs had the VINs on the tops of the inner fender aprons, often replaced with ones from other cars when repaired. Many have been hit, and those front bumpers don't bump, they're just trim pieces

).

I like the car. I still think its worth owning. I know he had a complete but rusty M-code Cuda when he started, and had a nice restored one when he was done.

mc25t190 · #10 02-15-2008, 03:43 PM

Don't buy a car like this and you won't find yourself defending it every time you are accused of owning a rebody. Only buy it if you plan to drive it, keep it, don't show it, and you won't have to explain it.This is one you drive it like you stole it every time you take the wheel, but, listen to these guys and don't buy it.