It has long been known that whenever the word “hemi” is attached to a car, the price goes up. It goes up even more when the words, “factory hemi” are used. This 1966 factory hemi Charger may be the ultimate example of this logic. Why? Well it has been burned up, chunks of the burning building it was in apparently landed on the car during the fire and battered it nearly flat, and yet the thing is ringing up bids and money on eBay like crazy. We know the Mopar lot is hardcore and their devotion knows nearly no bounds, but this is pretty wild. With three days left in the auction, budding had already crested $13,000 when we wrote this item. You KNOW that someone is probably going to spend around $30,000 on what you see before you by the time the auction is closed up in the middle of the week. What does an insane restoration cost after that? It costs an incredible amount, but swapping VIN tags and other bits to make the “new” car seem legit is a lot cheaper….and highly illegal. We’re not saying we recommend doing that but we aren’t stupid enough to deny that it is the most painless way to recoup any sort of investment in this scorched biscuit of a Charger.
This is an undoubtedly rare car and no one is making 1966 hemi Chargers anymore but holy cow, this is nuts. The Lambrecht auction was an example of complete mania with people buying plain Jane cars for big money because they had little to no mileage on them but at least they were in decent shape. They had not been burned to a crisp, squashed, and generally mangled like this poor car has. The seller knows the history of the car well and actually painted it back in the 1970s. The fire happened in 2010 and the car has apparently been outside since then. The car has the original air cleaner on it and the seller claims the original oil is in it, but that would mean that the oil wasn’t changed for like six years before the car was parked, but that is pretty much small potatoes because the engine would need to come apart anyway.
The good news is that the fire didn’t get too hot under the hood because the plug wires and other stuff didn’t melt. There was some cooked wiring, but other than that the engine bay seems to have been the least damaged part of the car. We have to admit that the hemi looks damned good sitting in there with its two four barrel carbs on top. It needs to be pulled out and saved, but even in its current state the car has mystique for days.
You need to scroll down to see all the photos and the link to the eBay ad but before you do that we have a question….
Is this insane or does the fact that this burned up hulk of a 1966 factory hemi Charger is bringing big money on eBay make sense?
eBay Link: Burned up, squashed, and generally destroyed…but complete 1966 factory Hemi Charger
I’m one of the Mopar faithful, but this is beyond insane. All you are buying is parts and a fender tag. But it wouldn’t surprise me to see this at Barrett Jackson in 3-4 years, “fully restored”(cough cough).
wish I could get that for my 66 charger 383 bb only thing is my numbers don’t match
Saw this car at the Wampsville, NY car show swap meet this year. The best part is, the guy was trying to tell everyone that it hadn’t burned, as if the charcoal briquettes for interior and melted plastic didn’t give that away.
The sad part is someone with more money than brains is on the phone with their accountant justifying it. Maybe the Hemi is saveable, and if so, I’d say the appropriate price for a date-coded early 2nd Gen Hemi is appropriate. That being said, the fact that it’s bringing more than a couple grand is insane even by the psychotic Mopar faithful.
Wouldn’t think it will go much higher, a new crate hemi is 12-13k, so you are buying a “correct” hemi and getting a four speed and dana rear for free.
Wonder how much is a well restore example of the one shown above?
Is it worth the investment?
May be just swap the tags and engiene to a well restore non hemi car?
Would that be legal?
Mmmm crispy
Ran when parked!
It can buff out!
Lost garage, EZ father and son project, has dent in roof, needs minor interior, have parts to fix!.
love to see what Graveyard Cars would do with it
Patina!
Bumper jack-up the top. Glue in a new windshield . . . quickie wiring job . . . Swap in a racing seat and a six-point bar . . . Hit Drag Week with it . . . .
SUIT HANDYMAN LOL
I would throw rocks, however, much love to someone who’d spend the time and dollars it takes to put that back together.
Plus, they can do Before and After pictures and always hear the same words “holy shit man! that thing was trashed.”
Anyone can buy a done car from BJackson, but it takes some large stones to write the check to fix that thing.
‘reserve not met’ hahaha you have got to be kidding me
If you wanted to have a numbers matching, one of none ’66 Charger convertible, this might be a good starting point.
Some bondo and a can of spray paint. Who’d know the difference?
Needs a minor tune up, some detailing of the interior….and of course A/C needs a recharge
You Yanks have had it to easy to long we Aussies have been dealing with this stuff for years . Stop sulking go out in the shed get the big hammers and a pota power and fix it .Dont worry about recouping money saving a cool car is what its all about.
PS You can probably buy most of the parts anyway (F*%$#*% sooks )
I have to laugh at the guy, wetting the car does make it looking shiney!
what’s insane is ‘reserve not met’ at 13k.
Its got a console shifted automatic in it…ain’t no 4spd!
I’d like the clean rear quarters for my 67-440 auto
Maybe he should take it to the next Barrett-Jackson auction. Some of them boys with more dollars than sense might think it’s cool enough to give $150,000 or so for it.
They should have called it a, modern day Rat Rod. Just get it running, no paint or body work, throw in a pair of his and hers goggles. Bam. There is a sucker born every minute.
A complete original hemi will bring $25,000 or more all day long. Don’t compare original hemis to crate motors. No comparison.
I agree. Just the parts left in that car is an easy 25K in crispy condition.
Hemi, k member, 18 spline four speed, Dana rear, rad, fender tags, and all the little hemi bits alone are at least 25K and you still have whatever generic charger parts are left.
This goes to show you the “Scene” has gotten out of hand. Too many people watching TV and getting ripped off by someone who thinks he has something. Don’t get me wrong a rare car is a rare car but honestly in this case it isn’t a COPO or a Shelby KTR. This is right on the verge of a parts car and somebody making scrap off of it. Sure it can be fixed but it will never bring the money that is put into it. There are tons of cars that go across the stage at Barrett Jackson that have had tons of money thrown at them that don’t fetch near close the money spent…..Sad but true. Cars are a piss poor investment, unless you are rich.
Sold for 17,700.?Wow.