Looking for first C

[OneEyedEagle]

Hello all. I'm a new appreciator of the C bodies (I'm an A body legacy), and am somewhat passively looking for a driver/cruise-in quality car. I'm still trying to get the lay of the land regarding all the models, supply, market, etc. by searching the archives, but if anyone is willing to impart wisdom along the way, I'd appreciate it. Are there any good "entry level" prospects to search for due to good price, availability, etc? I see the Euro buyers are snatching up cars and driving up prices in some cases, but I'm not locked into too many specifics.

I'd like to find a 69-72 of any brand in either 2DR or 4DRHT that is solid and can do cruiser duty, and still come in under the "standard" $5000 price. If any of that is unrealistic, I'd appreciate that info as well. Looking forward to learning and talking with you guys.

Rick

 

[The Goose]

Hello all. I'm a new appreciator of the C bodies (I'm an A body legacy), and am somewhat passively looking for a driver/cruise-in quality car. I'm still trying to get the lay of the land regarding all the models, supply, market, etc. by searching the archives, but if anyone is willing to impart wisdom along the way, I'd appreciate it. Are there any good "entry level" prospects to search for due to good price, availability, etc? I see the Euro buyers are snatching up cars and driving up prices in some cases, but I'm not locked into too many specifics.

I'd like to find a 69-72 of any brand in either 2DR or 4DRHT that is solid and can do cruiser duty, and still come in under the "standard" $5000 price. If any of that is unrealistic, I'd appreciate that info as well. Looking forward to learning and talking with you guys.

Rick

Hey man welcome to the "bigger" world. I love the Abodies too.

Here's what I wound up with.

1969 318 150k original miles. Untouched mechanically but thrashed otherwise. Ran ok looked terrible.

Car 3 grand new dist 80 bucks tires 350 paint 300 and I did the horrible bodywork myself. Steering wheel 100 and I did cheat and add a 4bbl Holley carb I already owned. And just yesterday 300 for circa 1970's Montgomery Ward seat covers (for now ).

Grand total $4130

 

[shooter65]

IMO you shouldn't have a problem finding a nice driver for that price. The fact that you're not tying yourself to one Make or Model should help you significantly, especially if you're willing to look at 4DRHT's.

My only advice is to try to find a rust free example. Most of the mechanical s are available but body panels are very rare even to find a parts car.

It's a very popular pastime on this forum to post cars we see on line. You will get a pretty through critique of the cars posted on here and it's pretty much a one stop shop for c-bodies. Not that you shouldn't keep an eye on Craigslist and eBay but most will be posted here.

We do tend to be hard on cars for sale so don't be too discouraged by the comments on a car you're interested in.

 

[The Goose]

If I had one word of advice to give it would be ----- AVOID RUST.

 

[JC68vert300]

Your best bet for a lower price will be a four door car. You know how it goes-when the top goes down, the price goes up, add doors and the price goes down. I think most of the fuselage body four door cars were very attractive. I don't think there is a big difference in prices between a Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge of your year range (69-72). Make sure whatever you pick has no or minimal rust. Mechanical parts are easier to source than body and frame parts for the full size cars.

 

[Imperialist67]

I'd say don't be intimidated by their size, these cars were/are surprisingly nimble for their size, and with most (especially with 65-68 C's and their "pontoon" styling) the generally good visibility makes them much easier to maneuver than you would think. There are a lot of them out there, don't be in a rush, think about what you want, what your tolerance for power accessories is like, and go from there........

 

[shooter65]

BTW, check out this post.

For Sale - 71 Dodge Polara Custom

 

[shooter65]

And another one, hard to go wrong with a car from the Pacific NW.

For Sale - 1970 fury convertible ( incl hose !! )

 

[OneEyedEagle]

BTW, check out this post.

For Sale - 71 Dodge Polara Custom

The Germans beat me to that one.

 

[Davea Lux]

Another bit of advice, avoid anything with ATC or ATC ll. Parts for the auto temp systems are often obsolete and these systems were troublesome when new and have only gotten worse as they aged.

Dave

 

[1970FuryConv]

Welcome!

 

[Turboomni]

Welcome. Burning oil ,bad trans,no brakes, worn interior, bad paint all together pale in comparison to rust.
You will be chasing rust the whole time you own it if it's bad enough.
I fell in love with the 69 Fury specifically the 2 door. I owned a 72 4 door and loved it as a kid. I decided the 69 was the only one. I looked and looked even bought the factory manual for it [for bathroom reading!] It took some time and when I found it ,it was abit over priced. I got it lower but was still on the rather high side. But, it was still less than half the price of a ratty 70's Nova. If it is your dream and you are not out to flip it and make a few bucks it is well worth it as compared to other more popular makes. These are as cheap as beans compared to the rest. Good luck to you.

 

[OneEyedEagle]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the welcome and you guys taking the time to share your knowledge and experience.

 

[mr. fix it]

Best of luck finding your C bodied beast!

 

[Yeahrightgreer]

Whats the most you'd consider traveling to go get the car? Would you ship it to yourself?

SearchTempest: Search all of Craigslist nationwide & more and this forum were by far my best friends in the search for the last C I bought.

 

[OneEyedEagle]

Whats the most you'd consider traveling to go get the car? Would you ship it to yourself?

SearchTempest: Search all of Craigslist nationwide & more and this forum were by far my best friends in the search for the last C I bought.

I flew to NY from Chattanooga, TN and drove back an SRT Charger once upon a time. Never done longer, but I wouldn't turn down a cross country tour if the circumstances were right. Thanks for the link.

 

[Turboomni]

I used Autotempest.com same thing I guess. I saw a 69 VIP in AR it just came on the market that day. Called said they had it,, next morning was about to book a flight there that morning and called them to tell them when they would be there. They said some guy from Germany flew in,payed cash shipped it and left. Moral of the story, if the car is nice they are highly sought after in Europe not only cause they are great cars but are cheap. You should be prepared to move quickly to see it then decide.