Ask the Car People.SM


'69 GTX and '66 Satellite converts - record prices?

48 messages,  Last post on Nov 23, 2007 at 12:57 PM

You are in the Classic Cars Forum.

What is this discussion about? Plymouth, Classic Cars, Convertible

Messages Page 2 of 5

#9 of 48 Re: The green '69 GTX on Ebay [parm] by andre1969

Aug 28, 2007 (4:30 am)

Replying to: parm (Aug 27, 2007 8:32 pm)
Y'know Parm, the more I look at those pics, the more things out-of-whack I'm finding, too. As for the seatbacks at different positions, I think what happened is that either the driver's seat has bent more from use, or perhaps someone pushed the passenger seatback forward and then when they went to put it back, it didn't latch all the way? In one or two of those pics, it looks like they're both at the same angle, such as photo 35. As far as I know, Mopar never offered reclining bucket seats back then, but I could be wrong.
 
As for other things I'm finding? Well, the seat coverings in general don't look like they fit very well. It almost looks like someone put a new covering down over the old material. I know workmanship could be sloppy back then but c'mon, it wasn't THAT sloppy!
 
Also, I'm sure its going to get points deducted for the speakers in the back seat (photo 36 and others). And it's missing a trim piece on the driver's door panel, as evidenced by the hole just behind the remote mirror adjust (photo 38). The vinyl door inserts also look a little ragged at the bottom, and the metal part of the door looks like it has signs of water leakage (also 38). Something about the steering wheel was bothering me too, and I couldn't quite place my finger on it. It just looked familiar, somehow. Then it hit me...that's the same steering wheel they used in a 1969 Dodge Dart GT! I guess it's possible, though unlikely, that Plymouth and Dodge would use the same steering wheel design, but I doubt if they'd use the same logo! (photo 31).
 
I also just noticed that this car doesn't appear to have a tach. The GTX was supposed to be a top-of-the-line musclecar, and fairly well optioned. If you wanted a cheap stripper musclecar you got a Roadrunner, which eschewed such niceties as a tach, bucket seats, center console, extra interior lighting, all that ploodgrain trim, and cool rally wheels or even hubcaps, all in the favor of a low base price. As I recall, you could pay extra for a tach on the Roadrunner, and it was a little afterthought that they stuck on to the right of the temp gauge (you can see the empty spot in photo 31, a blank area with a big + through it). But I thought the GTX had a different instrument display, with two big round dials for the speedo and tach, and then four small ones for gas, oil, temp, and amps?
 
Maybe that full-gauge display was extra cost even on the GTX in '69? Or it could have been the Dodge Coronet display I'm thinking of?

#10 of 48 Re: The green '69 GTX on Ebay [andre1969] by lemko

Aug 28, 2007 (5:30 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Aug 28, 2007 4:30 am)
Wow! Good eye! The next time I feel like buying an overpriced Mopar, I'm bringing you with me! That Dodge steering wheel is a glaring error. The speakers in the back would bother me as I really really hate aftermarket radios in classic cars. If I'm paying $67.5K for a Plymouth, EVERYTHING better be perfect.

#11 of 48 Re: '69 GTX and '66 Satellite converts - record prices? [parm] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 28, 2007 (9:31 am)

Replying to: parm (Aug 27, 2007 8:14 pm)
True but think of the liabilities! What happens if ol' Galen says your Hemi 'Cuda is real and then you buy it for $150K, only to find out it is a very clever counterfeit and thus worth only $40,000 as a clone? So Galen gets sued for $110,000? Ouch!
 
I suppose he could write disclaimers but if he's issuing a certificate of authenticity....er...how's that defense gonna hold up?
 
Scares me.

#12 of 48 The red '69 GTX by parm

Aug 28, 2007 (1:32 pm)

The red '69 GTX for sale (see earlier post) at $58K looks like a much better bargain - that is, if $58K can be considered a bargain. This red one appears to have the dash tach mentioned earlier. Plus, it has factory A/C which I suspect doesn't work anyway (they rarely do) and it would be a drag on the motor, but factory A/C seems to be the "gotta have" option to get maximum value - unless we're talk'n hemi.
 
Regardless, I'd be proud to have either one in my garage. The only catch is that I'd first have to sell my house in order to afford the car. Catch 22!

#13 of 48 Re: The red '69 GTX [parm] by andre1969

Aug 29, 2007 (6:44 am)

Replying to: parm (Aug 28, 2007 1:32 pm)
Plus, it has factory A/C which I suspect doesn't work anyway (they rarely do) and it would be a drag on the motor, but factory A/C seems to be the "gotta have" option to get maximum value - unless we're talk'n hemi.
 
Maybe I was just lucky, but every old Mopar I had with the old-style "V-2" compressor, still worked. These included a '67 Newport, '68 Dart, and '69 Dart. Those things blew nice and cold, too!
 
Now with the newer style compressor, that's cylinder shaped and more compact, I haven't been as lucky. I've had three 1979 Chryslers and none of them have worked. My '89 Gran Fury worked when I got the car in 1998, but it was losing its cooling power by the time I retired that thing in 2002. Might've just needed a charge, or it could have been something worse. My '88 LeBaron, which I gave to my ex-wife when we divorced, crapped out around 1997 I think. And even my 2000 Intrepid is starting to lose its cooling power. I first noticed it about a month ago.
 
I wonder if it's hard to convert one of those old-style V-2 compressor a/c systems to R134A?

#14 of 48 Re: The red '69 GTX [andre1969] by lemko

Aug 29, 2007 (7:32 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Aug 29, 2007 6:44 am)
The A/C compressor in my 1988 Buick Park Avenue finally crapped-out in mid-June. I was financially reckless and self-destructive enough to get it repaired $1,110. The car still uses the old R-12 stuff they were able to get a hold of.

#15 of 48 Re: The red '69 GTX [lemko] by andre1969

Aug 29, 2007 (8:13 am)

Replying to: lemko (Aug 29, 2007 7:32 am)
I was financially reckless and self-destructive enough to get it repaired $1,110. The car still uses the old R-12 stuff they were able to get a hold of.
 
Lemko, while it's true that you'd never get your money out of that repair if you tried to sell the car, it was probably still worth it, considering how much you drive that car, and if you plan on keeping it for awhile.
 
Now if it were me, I would've just let it stay broken. But I'm also down to about 6,000 miles per year in driving, so I'm usually not in a car for that long, anyway. And as long as the windows roll down, I'm usually okay.

#16 of 48 Re: The red '69 GTX [andre1969] by lemko

Aug 29, 2007 (11:47 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Aug 29, 2007 8:13 am)
Shoot, my 1988 Buick Park Avenue might become my third good car if I get it painted. I just can't be seen in a beater. My plans for the Park Ave are to simply drive it 'til it dies - which looks a l-o-n-g way off as it's going. That or if its severely damaged in an accident. It's worthless as a used car unless I donate it to some charity.

#17 of 48 Re: The red '69 GTX [lemko] by texases

Aug 29, 2007 (11:50 am)

Replying to: lemko (Aug 29, 2007 11:47 am)
Even then, now you only get to deduct what they sell it for, not 'blue book'. A friend of mine lucked out, donated a 15 year old beat up, hail dented Malibu before the rule change, deducted $2000 on a $500 car.

#18 of 48 Re: The red '69 GTX [lemko] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 29, 2007 (7:17 pm)

Replying to: lemko (Aug 29, 2007 7:32 am)
Now why does everyone think R-12 is hard to get ahold of? A licensed shop can just order it up like they would a pizza. They still make R-12, they just don't sell it OTC to the common riff-raff like us.

Messages Page 2 of 5

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement