PRICE OF PARTS!

[VPOINTCUDA]

Hi ,
I was just on parts for sale. Blackjack asks what a set of seat belts are worth. One reply is $400.oo. Another said he paid $550.oo for a set!
I am looking for a set of seat belts for my Cuda , but theres just no way that a poor sap like myself can afford that kind of pricing! Listen , I am not restoring Racheal so I can just sell her when shes done and make a big proffit. I am restoring her because I love these cars. At this point , I am going to be reduced to installing cheverolet , how about ford, no , wait, how about volkswagon seat belts ? That sounds a little sacraligeous ( sp?) , but thats what will end up happening! I am a dedicated MOPAR nut, I got my first Cuda in 1978 . I have loved them ever since. But , I also have a mortgage to pay, and the typical home owners bills. Its bad enough to have to take care of these necessities, but when I have to pay $175.oo for a rusted freakin mirror, or $125.oo for a door handle, or $400.oo for a set of seat belts ? ? ?How about helping the poor guy ?  I know that some of you are thinking about the turn over value of a '70's era muscle car in "pristeen" condition, origonality = $ $ $ , But what about us few that really love the cars and just want to keep them alive?
I was going to appollogize for my ramble, but I think there are at least a few out there that feel the same way I do.
Love that cars, Help the little guy out that does too! 

[Carlwalski]

Yeah there are some pretty bad prices out there.........
I don't mind paying, I mean I'd rather not but high prices for parts is just the pyrimid for high prices on cars.

So, you folk out big dollars for parts for your big dollar car I guess.

I'm lloking for seat belts for Lucy too, but it's not the prices that botheres me it's the lack of parts that is.
I am yet to see a NOS or restored seat belt set complete for a 70 Challenger in black.

Cheers,
NZ

[Prowler Orange Challenger]

Hey, here's an idea why not try to look for some seat belts from either an A-Body, B-Body, C-Body, F-Body or a later model Dodge Ram or Dodge Dakota Pickup?  You think that's bad I paid over $300 for the window regulator in my 2000 Dakota and then that wasn't the $60 switches. But, anyways I know what you mean exactly. It's getting to the point where all us poor people can afford is little Hondas or older Camaros and Mustangs to mod out. Anyways, a leather headrest for my 2004 Ram for one is $200 with a MSRP of $254. So, it could be worse but I just wish things could be different for us true people that love these cars not for the money but for the hobby. I don't think Ford and Chevy people would have trouble finding most parts.

[VPOINTCUDA]

Yeah , I know that nothing is cheap. And if you want to play , you gotta pay, but sometimes it gets downright rediculous! I also realize that parts are getting more and more scarce , but $400.oo for seat belts ? Come on! I could see it if we were talking about a rally instrument cluster, or even a decent grill.
I went to a swap meet a couple weeks ago , I found a really nice rear valance for my Cuda with the exhaust cutouts ( mine is rusted ) I paid $80.oo for it. This is a really nice piece . A few places down is a " Dedicated Mopar Person!" He has a bunch of stuff( mostly dart and demon) in poor to fair shape. I ask him how much for the Chrome drivers side mirror. He says $175.oo . The control knob looks like it was chewed up in a pair of vise grips and is rusted beyond belief.The glass is cracked and the chrome is pitted, needed to be re-chromed. I guess I made him angry because , after I offered him $10.oo for it and he refused, I told him he needed to get off the crack cause he was definitly freakin high if he thought anyone was going to pay that much, His reply was , and I quote " Hey , we're all mopar guys and we need to help each other out !" My reply was " yeah, help my cash into your pocket to pay for your dope !" My cousin had to drag me away . Its a sad day to have to save up a year to buy a set of seat belts! ! !
Again , sorry for dumpin, but , Just needed to vent !

[Prowler Orange Challenger]

Tell your friend you found this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Mopar-Dart-Duster-Swinger-Demon-Remote-Mirror_W0QQitemZ8017821274QQcategoryZ33649QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Notice the starting bid.

Also, notice the other ones:  http://motors.search.ebay.com/Dodge-Dart-Remote-Mirror_W0QQfromZR40

[Prowler Orange Challenger]

As for venting not a problem.

[VPOINTCUDA]

Thats great ! I told you he was a wee bit on the high side ! ! ! LOL!
And thanks ! You made my day !

[Prowler Orange Challenger]

A wee bit is an understatement. If you think that's bad though you should see what I've come across price wise for some cars. Here's a good example:  http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/7/0/81267670.htm

You're jaw will drop even though it's a 440 4 spd car. Anyways, one other thing to take note of is does the name Gallup, New Mexico sound familiar? lol.

[VPOINTCUDA]

Go figure ! Now , see , me personally, I wouldn't buy that car, but someone out there somewhere will. Everone has a first true car love .
Yeah, Gallup. Is that where this car is?
I liked the resturaunt shaped like a steers head in the Vanishing point movie.

[mrcuda]

You forgot to mention that the mirroris for an A-body. I would never ask prices like that, that is the reason alot of guys like me just hang onto our parts. Waiting for the next project to come along. Just my 2 cents.

[torredcuda]

I hear ya on the $$ thing.After paying the big mortgage and the bills there is never much Mopar money left.I was also just out of work for almost 7 weeks on disability which only pays 60% and with Christmas coming up I won`t catch up on things for a while.Luckily I got most of my cuda done before prices went too crazy but I still need to finish my interior and a few other things but it doesn`t look like it will happen this winter.There are a lot more parts being reproed which helps some but certain parts will probably never be made like Rallye dashes and such so they will just keep climbing in $.

[Prowler Orange Challenger]

As for the price of parts yeah its just nuts. I wish I could have been born a little sooner to have a bunch of Mopars would have been great. Anyways, would help if they reproduce more parts. I was talking to an elderly woman who owns a 69 Camaro Convertible and she said that she doesn't have a problem finding parts for her car except for maybe a handful. Must be nice is all I can say.

[RusTy/SE]

  This is why i believe Forum/Message Boards such as C-C.com are so valuable. I've noticed over the years many factors go into what we pay for what we get. Greed at one end of the spectrum, possibly ignorance or misinformation at the other end can be applied to both buyers and sellers. Watching auctions on ebay is definitely an eye opening process. As quality remanufactured items become available, "fair market value" will take over. Without a doubt supply and demand rule the day. For instance even though 70 RT/non-RT Headlight Bezels are now starting to be remanufactured, auctions for NOS examples continue to end in the $400-$500+ range. Same with outside mirrors.
  But at the same time when an informed buyer does business with an informed seller, "good deals" are the norm. It's no coincidence that the best deals usually involve two factors - cash in hand, and both parties present in person. A person can only do so much research before jumping in the pool with the rest of us. I've got many magazines that i pore over but like i mentioned earlier, boards such as ours give a chance to put our decisions to the test and be steered in the right direction. A little tough love can go a long way these days

Russ