One of the more common emails I receive contains the question, “What is my car worth?”. That question is usually followed by a one or two sentence description of the car in very general statements. No photos are ever included. Included in this are the people looking to buy a specific Talladega or Spoiler II car and want to know a fair price. Their descriptions are usually even less descriptive.
Those of you who have bought and sold a few cars already know the impossibility of this request. Heck, I can’t even judge a fair price of a car on eBay with 30 photos and a page of detailed description. I have hooked up the trailer, put cash in my wallet and driven three hours knowing I was going to bring a car home based on such information plus a phone call to the owner. I have gotten there and within minutes known I have wasted my time and headed home.
Price Guides
I am always happy to help when someone ask, but with the disclaimer that I am simply guessing. I try to give them suggestion on what they should be looking for in the way of missing parts or areas of rust etc. I also suggest they visit our For Sale and Sold Car Prices web page. This is available to only our Team Members. It includes private, auction and consignment sales that I am aware of. 175 sales or offers for sale are included at this time including 109 Talladega listings. (some are for the same car with multiple listings over time with different owners)
If you still want someone to help you with the price of your car or one you are looking to purchase you should invest in a price guide. There are free versions on the internet such as NADA Classic Cars and Hagerty Insurance. I also subscribe to a printed version of the Hagerty Price Guide which is handy for “in the field” values when there is no internet or time to use it.
Warning
If you rely solely on a Price Guide for limited production cars such as the Talladega and even more so with the Spoiler II you better beware. These cars were produced in very small numbers, as I am sure you are aware. Not only are they very few that ever come up for sale, but the authors of the price guides often don’t even recognize one when they see it. For years the Talladega did not even show up in some guides. The Spoiler II and Spoiler are often still not found.
Even worse is, as in the case of the Hagerty Guide, a listing that is more confusing than useful. Their current guide does not list a 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler. I can live with that. However, they do list a 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II with 428 CJ! What the heck is that? Is it a Spoiler II or a 428 CJ Spoiler? This information is worse than none. It continues the confusion that surrounds these cars.
What is your car worth?
Now that I have ranted, what is your car worth? In the 2019 January-April Hagerty Pirice Guide here is what they say:
1969 Ford Talladega
Condition 4: $25,500
Condition 3: $43,700
Condition 2: $62,600
Condition 1: $80,300
1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II (what ever they think that is)
Condition 4: $18,600
Condition 3: $30,300
Condition 2: $44,200
Condition 1: $60.600
Our shop has been doing Appraisals of Muscle Cars (America made)
for years now. There is no way you can give a true value of a car or truck with out looking at it in person. We use “Spot Rot” to find hidden bondo and mill gauges to check for paint thickness.
Hours of research as to correct parts and date codes plus years in the restoration business to look over the unit in question.
Price guilds give you a base line to go by and that is it….You can look at a Talladega and the seller states it is all original and you open the hood to find a 390 GT carb setting on a 390 block with a 67 intake…when you question seller they say “Well that what owner before me told me”. It is a ruff field to play in…Look at the latest Muscle Car Magazine….story about barn find Talladega which was on e-bay month or so ago….author states ” Every one power by……….driving 3.00 gears…..” really..goes to show why some price guides do not even list Talladega’s or Spoiler II’s….they do not know about the car’s!
Wayne on Chasing Classic Cars said it best ” Look at the car, study what they are selling for, know what it will cost to replace missing or incorrect parts and paint if needed” “than is it a wise investment or not ???” With the internet we have a whole new way of obtaining information….and hunt down a man or lady that our really into the car you want to buy….talk to them when they have time, get information about what they know I have never found a man or Lady who was a car lover who did not want to share their love for a certain make or model.