For Sale https://syracuse.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-dodge-polara-convertible/6765971007.html

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Well this is already sold... I inquired.

$8000 seems like a fair price

They're probably gonna be disappointed if they paid asking price

I made the blue car's owner a take-it-or-leave-it offer below his ask, after @Big_John braved the snow to have a good look at the car for (and very generously shared his expert opinion with) me; it was rejected. I understand that someone else made a higher offer, also below $8k; it was also rejected.

FWIW, I think that the Syracuse car looks good inside and out, the color is great and in demand, and it should make the new owner happy -- assuming (as Dave points out) that he knows what he got.

Attached, for the record, are a few photos of the Syracuse car so that everyone can see why I offered less than the asking price. John found old-style rust repairs with screws in the lower rear quarters, lower body repaint, apparently recurring rust on the door jambs, a cracked dash (not shown), a discolored steering wheel. Taking into account the fact that the car had sat for 12 years (contrary to the text of the initial ad, it had not been started frequently) and thus would need a full mechanical refresh, and the fact that I already have a sister of this car, $8k was too high IMHO. Whoever bought it clearly disagreed with me.

Assuming that the blue car has indeed sold at (or close to) the asking price, then the market has spoken -- and, IMHO, this means that prices have gone up quite a bit for Polara 'verts. Specifically, those recent sales suggest to me that a 1970 Polara ragtop with a 383-2 in #4 condition is now worth about $8k -- which happens to be where Hagerty says the market is (and which, BTW, is up 12.5% from Spring).

To wit, the three cars that emerged from obscurity this Fall all had issues. Yet, the two that sold at auction went for $10k + fees (green one, sold Nov. 10, DL27L0D211393) and $8k (orange one, sold Nov. 14, DL27L0D182194). I understand that the seller of the last car (blue one, apparently sold Dec. 10 or after, DL27L0D151852) was apparently firm at $8k.

Consistent with that observation, recall that a fourth 1970 Polara convertible sold this year -- the ER6 red small-block Pennsylvania car that I bought from its second owner back in March of this year, and for which I willingly paid a non-trivial premium over Hagerty values because it had just 31k actual miles, zero rust, full traceability through the years, a superb interior, and was all original (in contrast, the three "fall cars" all had been partially [FF4, EB7] or completely [FK5] repainted and had some rust).

Here is fender decode (courtesy of MyMopar) of the blue car:

DL: Dodge Polara
27: Convertible

L: 383 290HP 1-2BBL 8 CYL
0: 1970
D: Belvidere, IL, USA

151852: Sequence number

E61: 383 cid 2 barrel V8 290hp
D32: Heavy Duty Automatic Transmission

EB7: Medium Blue Metallic Exterior Color
L2B3: Trim - Low, Vinyl Bench Seat, Unknown Color
EB7: Medium Blue Metallic Int. Door Frames

B05: Build Date: November 05
018225: Order number

V3W: White Convertible Top

A01: Light Package
A04: Basic (Radio) Group

L31: Hood/Fender Mounted Turn Signals

M25: Wide sill moldings
M31: Belt Moldings
M85: Front & Rear Bumper Guards

R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)

V01: Mono Tone Paint Treatment
V5X: Body Side Stripes, Black

Y05 : Built To USA Specifications

END: End of Sales Codes

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I looked at this car almost two weeks ago right before jumping on a cruise ship headed for the Caribbean.

IMHO, this car would make a decent driver. It's gong to need tires, fluids etc. before that would happen, but that't to be expected after sitting 12 years. As @ayilar said, the car has a rust repair on the rear quarters. Looks like sheet metal pop riveted over original steel, so a proper repair isn't going to take a lot of heroics. The rest of the car looks solid, but the "never saw rain or snow" and the "original paint" statements are false. After talking to the owner, I don't think he really has a clue and has this nostalgic memory of his uncle and this car that isn't based in reality.

Still.... It's a decent car... For less money, this would be worth dragging home. Good "bones", nice top and it's just a really nice color combo. At $8k.... Not so much, but somebody might really want it too... This car might pop up somewhere, I'll keep my eyes open.
 
I looked at this car almost two weeks ago right before jumping on a cruise ship headed for the Caribbean.

IMHO, this car would make a decent driver. It's gong to need tires, fluids etc. before that would happen, but that't to be expected after sitting 12 years. As @ayilar said, the car has a rust repair on the rear quarters. Looks like sheet metal pop riveted over original steel, so a proper repair isn't going to take a lot of heroics. The rest of the car looks solid, but the "never saw rain or snow" and the "original paint" statements are false. After talking to the owner, I don't think he really has a clue and has this nostalgic memory of his uncle and this car that isn't based in reality.

Still.... It's a decent car... For less money, this would be worth dragging home. Good "bones", nice top and it's just a really nice color combo. At $8k.... Not so much, but somebody might really want it too... This car might pop up somewhere, I'll keep my eyes open.

John, is the steering wheel green with blue horn pad?
 
The craigslist ad has not been removed.

Given that the car is not in "awesome" condition, but mediocre condition, I agree that the price is too high. However, if I really wanted a 1970 Polara vert, blue with white top would be my choice. I bet the color combo made the difference, plus rarity, if it sold at $8K.
 
Here's what I don't understand about people.

1. If somebody wants this car because "he just has to have it ❤️❤️❤️", then throws it aside amongst his other cars, he will complain 8 grand is too high. I don't suffer these "Hummel" collectors easily.

2. If someone has been looking for this car "like forever" to restore ($$, 000. 00) then the difference tween 8 grand and 4-5 grand is gonna be chump change in the end.
 
Here's what I don't understand about people.

1. If somebody wants this car because "he just has to have it ❤️❤️❤️", then throws it aside amongst his other cars, he will complain 8 grand is too high. I don't suffer these "Hummel" collectors easily.

2. If someone has been looking for this car "like forever" to restore ($$, 000. 00) then the difference tween 8 grand and 4-5 grand is gonna be chump change in the end.

It does really depend on what you want. If you are looking for a nice, original car that needs next to nothing, then this isn't the car. If I wanted a B7 Polara vert with a white top, and didn't mind putting the time and money in it to bring it to the level I would want, this would be the car I would buy. I've seen guys start with much less and have more in it by the time they are done.

This car would be a great one to restore, and really deserves to be done correctly.

Bottom line is that it's not priced correctly based on the condition, but to someone that has been looking for a car like this, the price is probably close enough.
 
Never seen one with the Magnum 500s. Are they from a b-body etc? Or could they have been ordered on a C. Looks nice to see original, appropriate size, not overchromed and non-Chinese like on the bronze one with the weird Suburban looking interior that was for sale recently.
 
It does really depend on what you want. If you are looking for a nice, original car that needs next to nothing, then this isn't the car. If I wanted a B7 Polara vert with a white top, and didn't mind putting the time and money in it to bring it to the level I would want, this would be the car I would buy. I've seen guys start with much less and have more in it by the time they are done.

This car would be a great one to restore, and really deserves to be done correctly.

Bottom line is that it's not priced correctly based on the condition, but to someone that has been looking for a car like this, the price is probably close enough.

He was made a fair offer by someone here, actually two. If he got 8 I commend him.
I do not like those interiors. But B7 was hard to walk from.
 
Never seen one with the Magnum 500s. Are they from a b-body etc? Or could they have been ordered on a C. Looks nice to see original, appropriate size, not overchromed and non-Chinese like on the bronze one with the weird Suburban looking interior that was for sale recently.

They are not C body wheels.
 
I don’t see why the desire for a car should be positively correlated with the ability to pay, or why the ability to pay necessarily implies the willingness to pay:

-> In @Carmine's first scenario, would someone who would just buy the car but then not use it, be more or less likely to have been cash constrained? Not clear to me.

-> In the second scenario, is an implicit assumption being made that the passionate person has the extra $2-3k to spend? That may or may not be true, and if not then $2-3 k can make a big difference in someone's ability to buy a car.

I think all of us agree that a seller needs to find one person who (1) really wants the car being sold, (2) has the funds to buy it, and (3) is willing to put his money where his mouth is. He needs to find only one such buyer. Short of that one, the price would have to fall -- either to get to an unconstrained potential buyer's indifference curve between money and car pleasure, or to meet a cash-constrained potential buyer's budget limit.

I know that several folks on this board, including yours truly, had either (1) and (3), or (2) and (3) -- and bid accordingly. Good for the seller if he made the trifecta. The fact that three cars sold this fall at prices from $8k to $10k suggests that there are currently (finally?) enough "trifecta" buyers for 1970 Polara 'verts and, as a result, their market price is up quite a bit.
 
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I don’t see why the desire for a car should be positively correlated with the ability to pay, or why the ability to pay necessarily implies the willingness to pay:

-> In @Carmine's first scenario, would someone who would just buy the car but then not use it, be more or less likely to have been cash constrained? Not clear to me.

-> In the second scenario, is an implicit assumption being made that the passionate person has the extra $2-3k to spend? That may or may not be true, and if not then $2-3 k can make a big difference in someone's ability to buy a car.

I think all of us agree that a seller needs to find one person who (1) really wants the car being sold, (2) has the funds to buy it, and (3) is willing to put his money where his mouth is. He needs to find only one such buyer. Short of that one, the price would have to fall -- either to get to an unconstrained potential buyer's indifference curve between money and car pleasure, or to meet a cash-constrained potential buyer's budget limit.

I know that several folks on this board, including yours truly, had either (1) and (3), or (2) and (3) -- and bid accordingly. Good for the seller if he made the trifecta. The fact that three cars sold this fall at prices from $8k to $10k suggests that there are currently (finally?) enough "trifecta" buyers for 1970 Polara 'verts and, as a result, their market price is up quite a bit.

I know what mine sold for. Granted, it was the best of the best. If I had ten I could have sold ten, because of the interest I could have sold it for more. The fact of where it was going ( me choosing the buyer) was important and worth something to me.
 
I don’t see why the desire for a car should be positively correlated with the ability to pay, or why the ability to pay necessarily implies the willingness to pay:

-> In @Carmine's first scenario, would someone who would just buy the car but then not use it, be more or less likely to have been cash constrained? Not clear to me.

-> In the second scenario, is an implicit assumption being made that the passionate person has the extra $2-3k to spend? That may or may not be true, and if not then $2-3 k can make a big difference in someone's ability to buy a car.

I think all of us agree that a seller needs to find one person who (1) really wants the car being sold, (2) has the funds to buy it, and (3) is willing to put his money where his mouth is. He needs to find only one such buyer. Short of that one, the price would have to fall -- either to get to an unconstrained potential buyer's indifference curve between money and car pleasure, or to meet a cash-constrained potential buyer's budget limit.

I know that several folks on this board, including yours truly, had either (1) and (3), or (2) and (3) -- and bid accordingly. Good for the seller if he made the trifecta. The fact that three cars sold this fall at prices from $8k to $10k suggests that there are currently (finally?) enough "trifecta" buyers for 1970 Polara 'verts and, as a result, their market price is up quite a bit.

The market is definitely up! Dons restored N code had trouble getting 9500 4 years ago.
My N code was a bargain then and more of a bargain now. She had zero interest besides me 4 years ago and the reserve was ten.
 
Listing is still posted on Craigslist. I wonder if it's been sold or not.
 
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