Muscle Cars 1962 to 1972

[Lee Stewart]

One car that has substantially dropped in value - the 1970 LS6 Chevelle:

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 454/450 HP, 4-Speed - High Bid: $67,000



http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...pe=&startRow=1


1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 454/450 HP, 4-Speed - High Bid: $68,000



http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...pe=&startRow=1


1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 454/450 HP, 4-Speed - Sold: $58,500



http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...pe=&startRow=1


1970 Chevelle LS6 454/450 HP, 4-Speed - Sold $62,000



http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=241


To show how far the value of a 1970 LS6 Chevelle has dropped . . .

1970 Chevelle 454/450 HP, 4-Speed - REPLICA - Sold $57,000 (Friday)



HIGHLIGHTS

- 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Replica
- Brand new body, chrome, trim, glass
- Show quality Astro Blue PPG base/clear paint
- All new Ivory bucket seat interior
- Pro built 454 CI big block, built to LS6 specs
- Rebuilt M21 4-speed transmission
- Rebuilt 12 bolt posi rear with 3.73 gears
- Functional cowl induction
- Power steering
- Power disc brakes
- F41 suspension
- In dash tach and gauges
- Super Sport wheels with Firestone wide oval tires
- Meticulously built and detailed by one of the best in the business

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=169

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

1969 Hemi Road Runner, Automatic, 4,069 Miles - No Sale $100,000



HIGHLIGHTS

- Low miles 4,069
- All original drivetrain
- All original sheet metal
- Original interior
- One repaint
- 1 of approximately 187 1969 Hemi Road Runner automatic hardtops made in the USA
- 1969 Hemi Road Runner, Motor Trend Car of the Year
- Matching numbers
- Trac Pak Dana
- Original factory line build sheet
- AHRA B/Stock automatic and IHRA B/Option world record holder

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=337

For a Hemi RR with just over 4,000 miles, original drivetrain and original sheetmetal, that bid is low. '69 Hemi RRs just don't seem to be the "flavor of the moment."

1969 Hemi Road Runner, 4-Speed - No Sale $87,500



DESCRIPTION

- Real J code Hemi 4-speed
- 45,000 actual miles
- Complete frame-off restoration 10 years ago
- Very few miles since then
- Arizona and New Mexico its entire life until last few years
- Rare bucket seats with center console
- Vintage correct Hemi 426 CI engine
- Original Dana Go rear end with 3.54 gears

NOTE: Wrong wheels - should be 15" body colored with hubcaps

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=337


1969 Hemi Road Runner, 4-Speed - No Sale $75,000



DESCRIPTION

- 1969 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner
- Galen Govier decoded
- This beautiful 1969 Hemi Road Runner recently received a professional nut and bolt restoration
- We were told at a cost of just over $200k
- It retains all of its original sheet metal and was restored to exact specifications as listed on its original fender tag
- Everything was either restored or redone back to new
- Correct 426 CI 425 HP 2x4 engine
- Original A-833 Hemi 4 speed transmission
- Original super track pack dana rear with 4:10 gears

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=313

The '68 model didn't fare much better either:

1968 Hemi Road Runner, Automatic - Sold $95,000



HIGHLIGHTS

- Real Hemi Road Runner
- Factory original rust free sheet metal
- One repaint in QQ1 bright blue
- No expense spared
- Rebuilt engine
- Believed to be 35,897 miles
- Silver and black two-tone interior

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=121

Same can be said for the companion Dodge Super Bee:

1968 Hemi Super Bee, Automatic - Sold $85,000



http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=&startRow=289


As a comparison:

1969 Dodge A12 Super Bee 2-Door Hardtop, 4-Speed - Sold $87,500



http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...e=&startRow=73

[Lee Stewart]

Did you know . . .

The 1969 Dodge Charger 500



Used the matte black grill from the 1968 Dodge Coronet R/T & Super Bee





NOTE: The Super Bee emblem is not correct for the front grille. Should just say; D O D G E

[Lee Stewart]

Dart Swinger 340, 4 Speed, 3.91 Posi



^^ Should not have the DART Fender Emblem.





^^ Head restraints initially were an option but then became standard equipment on Jan. 1, 1969





LM23: Dodge Dart Swinger 2 Door Hardtop
P9B: 340 275HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL, 1969 model year Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI assembly
E55: 340 cid 4 barrel V8 275hp
D21: 4 Speed Manual Transmission
F6: Bright Green Metallic Exterior Color*
D4X: Trim – Vinyl Bench Seat, Black
X9: Black Int. Door Frames
502: Build Date: May 2nd
A31: High Performance Axle Package w/3.91 Ratio
A46: Decor Molding Package
J54: Sport Hood
M21: Roof Drip Rail Moldings
M85: Front & Rear Bumper Guards
R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
V1X: Black Vinyl Top
V8X: Bumblebee Stripe, Black
END: End of Sales Codes

*One of the new, Spring Colors. AKA; Rallye Green - formerly a special paint color

http://rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/i...r/131432/80080

The 4 Speed manual was standard on the Dart Swinger 340 while the 3 Speed Auto was standard on the Dart GTS. Bucket seats were not available on the Swinger 340. Nor was a Tach because it was console mounted.The 340-4V came standard with dual points distributor

According to Dodge, the shipping weight of a Swinger 340 was 3087 pounds. The shipping weight for a Super Bee Coupe was 3396 pounds (shipping weight does not include gas, oil or water). The MSRP for a Swinger 340 was $2819 while the Super Bee Coupe was $3059

If the V8- Bumble Bee stripe was deleted (V88 - very rare) then you would get the DART fender badging:



Bright Red (R4) was a Swinger 340 only color. This car has the optional head restraints - see how they differ from the ones that Dodge made standard on the Green car above



1969 Swinger 340 - Special Paint - Butterscotch



1969 Swinger 340 - Special Paint - Omaha Orange



1969 Swinger 340 with V1H Floral Top (1 of 50) - incorrect wheels













Notice above that the Swinger 340 did not come standard with carpeting (when ordered the Auto trans). It came standard with a black rubber floor mat. If you wanted carpeting, you ordered C93: Carpeting for $18.20. Black carpeting was standard with the 4 Speed:






Dodge built 20,000 1969 Swinger 340 Darts. As a comparison, Dodge built 23,831 383-4V Super Bees


1969 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Show Car

[Lee Stewart]

1970 Dart Swinger 340







^^ Notice the headrest design reverted back to the optional 1969 version.




Lots of changes for the 1970 Swinger 340:





New Options:

V21: Performance Hood Treatment



High Impact Colors



S84: "Tuff" Steering Wheel (incorrect dash)



N85: Tach with STD Rallye Cluster Dash & STD Steering Wheel



J45: Hood Pins and J81: Rear Wing Spoiler





W21: Rallye Wheels (14")



Hubcaps with body colored wheels were STD



C55: Bucket Seats





1970 Swinger 340 4 Speed, Factory A/C






Two additional Colors (Blue & Green) are added for the Bumble Bee Stripe







V88 - Stripe Delete





Ordering body side mouldings automatically triggered Stripe Delete




Performance Axle Packages

A36: Performance Axle Package w/3.55 Ratio

A31: High Performance Axle Package w/3.91 Ratio











A Swinger 340 with every option that could be ordered would have an MSRP of $4,427.30



1970 Swinger 340 Production Numbers:

3 Speed = 950
4 Speed = 4,423
Auto = 8,412

Total = 13,785

[Lee Stewart]

Did you know . . .

In 1970, neither the Coronet R/T nor the Super Bee had the optional V21: Performance Hood Paint/Treatment. Only the Charger R/T, Swinger 340 and Challenger R/T & A66 had this option.

[Lee Stewart]

Did you know . . .

In 1970 for Dodge's performance cars, only the Swinger 340 had front disc brakes as standard equipment. They were optional on all others.

[Lee Stewart]

Did you know . . .

1970 Dodge performance cars, the N42 Chrome Exhaust Tips were standard only on the Swinger 340 and Challenger R/T. They were a $20.80 option on the Charger R/T, Coronet R/T and Super Bee

[heatherprotz]

Ah!! They were as strong as our grandfatherss

[GAOldsman]

Originally Posted by heatherprotz

Ah!! They were as strong as our grandfatherss

Yes they were. The 340 packed quite a punch with very little massaging And the engines are highly sought after even to this day.

[Lee Stewart]

1968 SS396 El Camino



Chevy built 5,190 SS396 El Caminos in 1968. No known breakdown on engine size or transmission. 1968 was the first year for the SS396 El Camino.

[Lee Stewart]

1969 L78 SS396 375 HP El Camino





Missing the A.I.R System

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli...n=1515&aid=304

Total '69 El Camino with the Super Sport option was 9,717 units. Breaking down the L-78 option was 835 with manual trans and 165 automatic's = 9.7% of production

As a comparison . . . 1969 Chevelle SS396:

1969 SS396 Chevelles = 86,307

L78/L89 = 9,886

11.5% of total production

But . . .

I do not know if the 9,717 SS396 El Caminos and the 1000 L78 El Caminos are part of the 86,307 and 9,886 totals. If they aren't, then by subtracting them we get 76,590 and 8,886 which is 11.6% - almost exactly the same %.

An SS396 Chevelle and an SS396 El Camino would have the same Z25 code which means "SS Equipment."

http://www.myss396.com/ChevelleInfo/...tionCodes.html

BTW . . . .

1969 L89 SS396 El Camino - the only one known to exist

[Lee Stewart]

The last 426 HEMI ever installed on an assembly line vehicle - from a 1971 Charger R/T



Car and motor under restoration at RK Motors

[Lee Stewart]

Did you know . . .

In 1966 Chevy offered the Chevelle SS396. It came standard with the L35 325 hp Turbo-Jet 396 Engine. This was the least popular engine of the model run:

L35: 325HP = 1,865

L34: 360HP = 24,811

L78 375HP = 3,099

The same thing happened in 1968:

L35: 325HP = 2,565

L34: 350HP = 12,481

L78 375HP = 4,751

But in 1969, the numbers changed:

L35: 325HP = 59,786

L34: 350HP = 17,358

L78 375HP = 9,486