I’m not sure if this GTX Convertible is legit or not, but I sure hope it is. You see it’s a Hemi equipped 4 speed convertible, making it the rarest and most desirable versions of the Plymouth GTX. It’s clearly in rough shape, but the seller is asking $100,000 for it, which might sound lofty given it’s condition but the last one to have sold went for nearly twice that. It’s located in Syracuse, New York and can be found here on craigslist. Special thanks to Mike S for this amazing tip!
The seller claims this car is 1 of 12. Obviously they built more than 12 GTX convertible in ’68, but I’m going to guess only 12 were shipped with the Hemi and a 4 speed. They don’t offer any pictures of the VIN or engine tag, but at least they posted a photo of the engine. And it looks like a Hemi to me!
I can’t say whether this ad is legitimate or not, but boy I sure hope it is. It isn’t everyday that a rare and desirable Hemi barn find pops up on craigslist, so when one does, it’s a special day! While I couldn’t ever afford this Mopar, I wouldn’t mind seeing it while it’s still in the barn, and I noticed there looks to be something else interesting parked next to it in the barn. So do you think this car originally featured the Hemi/4-speed combo, or was it added later?
Already flagged for removal!
Why is that? Ya suppose someone asked to bring the spotlights and magnifying glasses and the seller said “I don’t have time for that nonsense!”
Craig if you look closely there is another mount for another carter carburetor behind the forward carb the carb is missing. Its a 2×4 intake manifold. The only thing that would concern me if this is a legitimate gtx hemi? The seller is asking way to high as is he would be lucky to get about 30k as is. If it rolled through auction restored he would get 50 to 70k if it wasnt restored but in peferect shape he would see a 100k or more.
I had one in high school kept her for twenty years bust car ever kick my self in the ass for letting her go. Looks legit not sure unless I saw her nice ride I would love to have her. Good luck.
Ads been pulled already .
…for that kind of jack, they best have the documentation to back it up…and someone who will pay that has the sense to ask for it…but I doubt it will bring that much…best find of the month…
This posting has been flagged for removal.
Flagged!.
These old eyes are telling me that the picture of the engine has only 1 carb. is that so? If so something isnt right, street hemi’s had 2 carter four barrels, Yep , for 100 K I would need a lot of documentation, seems fishy to me .
Craig, if you blow up the pic it looks like the rear carb is missing but you can see the opening for it
Upon further looking I think I see a mounting for another 4 BBL. behind the one pictured, I guess if your missing a water pump ya might as well be missing a carburetor .
What a find!!
I’m sure the seller will provide the vin# to the serious buyers for their research.
It was flagged for removal, my guess is someone seen it and wanted it so bad they took the guys contact information and flagged it so they’d have a better chance of buying it.
It takes more than 1 flag to remove a post.
There are ways around that………only takes one determined flagger.
It appears that the back carb is missing
Knew a fellow back in the late ’70’s that had one in red over white but even though it was less than 10 years old, the salt around Ithaca had created some phenomenal holes all over it. Wonder how much it would be worth now. Certainly no sense it would ever be worth $1,000 and never 100x that.
If you can buy it for the VIN tag and the original engine and trans you can rebuild a car around it.
Yeah, because this car is too far gone to restore. May as well commit fraud and start switching numbers.
Personally speaking, if I were to be owning something like this car and it was what I claimed it to be I’d be sure to have the provenance to show, and the LAST place I’d try to sell it is craigslist.
The second to the last place would be eBay.
Due to the back carbrator and the water pump and other front things missing on the engine! It looks like someone put that engine in with the hood still on, and could not get the exhaust manifold to fit(looks like it is missing) between the steering shaft and engine head.So they never finished it?(Engine swap?)
Looks like a factory installation but what I would be worried about is the missing radiator and water pump. This is in cold country and if it wasn’t prepared for Winter, anything cast iron could be split wide open.
WHY OH WHY with all the information about how ‘valuable’ Hemi cars are worth has this vehicle been left to deteriorate so long? Crying shame. If you don’t want to do something with it, let someone else have an opportunity.
Chuck i agree.But i would not worry about it because they did not leave the cars vin number for the real proof of this car!
It just goes to show us that very special cars are still in hiding.. Original Hemi 4 speed or not, it’s a true Barn Find. You can tell it’s been hiding right where it is for a long time. It may have been parked when it was just an old unwanted used car. Yes, there was a time when cars like this were junked. It may have been flagged since most people would believe it to be a scam but the car must exist. Here are the photos. I usually get a vibe, good or bad when I see a car like this. You know what? I think it’s the real deal. I just have that feeling….Never give up on finding that special old car in hiding. New finds are still waiting to be discovered.
All I can think of is the one they destroyed in Tommy Boy.
They destroyed a 67 Satellite for that movie and I seriously doubt they invested in a hemi for the purpose.
nessy i very do agree with with your post.And i hope Mike S. got the Craigslist listing number or phone number for this Barn find! I’m sure it would help someone save this car from getting in to the wrong hands! Just a note.This is the best Barn Find ever!
Thanks for your agreement in my comment above, Bmwtopgun1. If it’s real, it could be one of the best Barn Finds from this site ever but not the very best find. The very best Barn Find in my opinion on this site was that GTO Judge Convertible find from December 2015. So far, that one has been untouchable and it was 100% for real. This new Hemi find is still a bit of a mystery..
I guess if you’re a Mopar guy.
What about the ’66 Shelby GT-350 carryover car a few months ago, if you’re a Ford/Shelby guy? I think it would be high on the list of Barn Find listings.
I believe only 36 conv. or so were built with a hemi . Very rare indeed .
Not to mention only 12 with a 4 speed.
$100k for a VIN Hemi eng and 4 speed trans? Really? While I love Mopar’s, and I love Hemi’s and I love 4 speeds, that’s worse than crazy money, that’s silly money!
You get a little more than a VIN, engine and trans.
For comparison, 2016…automatic…$150,000
https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0116-229798/1968-plymouth-hemi-gtx-convertible/
ya but you could make this one look like that one for $50K difference in price
No you couldn’t
It’s great to see anyone restoring a muscle car. The problem I have is alot of these people are asking crazy money for alot of rust and mechanical problems. Can you imagine the cost of restoring this car. No seller wants to take that into consideration . If your lucky enough to be able to do it yourself great but most of us have to pay big money. Soon only the very well off will be able to afford one. Sad.
Even if it was a factory 440 car and a convertible it is big bucks. I always loved this body style. I had a few challengers and cudas in the the late 1970s but never a GTX or road runner.
I had a 68 GTX convertible, with a 440 4 speed, since 1977 but had to sell it in 2012. I have been sick about it since. Though I tried for moderately big bucks, it was still rough enough that I couldn’t. A great car for the interstate and I am hooked on convertibles. I had a stroke in 2010 and my left leg does not enjoy clutches anymore.
nuf said, it’s gone..
Obviously someone saw it and got their panties in a bunch. :) https://syracuse.craigslist.org/cto/5994404441.html
Deleted by author….
I too love the 68 GTX , and clicked to look at the ad.. I was hoping to get a more specific location , so I could offer up my ” services” and give it a closer look for anyone that needed me to ( no, I am not a professional ) but she looks pretty beat !!! … $10K… maybe… possibly… 100K ? I want the drugs the seller is on !!
Mike d I don’t claim to be an expert on this but if the finished product is worth 200k then doesn’t that make the shell of the beast worth half that? That’s all they’re really after is the matching numbers, right?
#2 pricing for a #5 car. How much is your happiness worth?!
Looks real. 100k is pushing it, i think the owner is just setting the bait and wait, i would do exactly that. Sure he could get 65~75 k for it from 4 or 5 potentials, but why not wait for the full 100. After all, this is the only one he will ever have, might as well let everyone know when and where. And no, you cannot get the motor in without removing the hood carb or no carb, unless you slipped it in from underneath. I say it is worth 100k in its original form. Congratulations whoever you are, i would love to clean this bad boy up!
Fender tag is there……..
A factory 4-speed in a ’68 440 GTX is rare in and of itself. Now factor in a hemi with a factory 4-speed and your’re talking super rare. Add the convertible in on top of that and the number produced is miniscule. It would take a Galen Govier Certification to check all the right boxes to know just how much the Seller is or isn’t in la la land. I don’t think he’s totally out in left field based on the incredible demand for super rare MOPAR muscle right now.
I hate the thought of it, however, based on the cars I watched go across Barrett-Jackson in January, this car as a “Custom” would probably go through the roof in terms of dollars.
A trick of Craiglisters is to see a listing they are interested in, get all the info for contact purposes and then flag it for removal.
Is that a Plymouth Arrow parked beside the GTX? That passenger quarter louver sure looks like one on an Arrow.
RoughDiamond and the rear window has that upswept window of an Arrow too. I always thought a 2.6 turbo out of a Conquest TSi would make an Arrow a fun car.
When ever I see the fender blinkers, it takes me back to my father’s 69 Road Runner, I’m guessing he filled it with GTX options, like buckets, 390’s and air conditioning other stuff that slip my mind. I know they were all options, but my father’s was pretty loaded. Lord I wish I knew where that car was now….. 😔
2 scenarios. With the amount of stuff removed from the bay, it was either 1) a project to INSTALL a hemi into a non hemi car and never got finished. or 2) the motor is dead and was scavenged for parts over the years. Either way, I doubt it’s a viable project.
If it’s a real hemi car, you got lots to contend with. You might be able to see if the motor is stuck or not – that’s about all you can figure out without a LOT of work.
Or… the numbers turn out to show it isn’t an orgiinal Hemi car. Which decreases the value.
either way,, not a $100K car. And the ad is going away anyway.
sum ting wong with this
rando, agree w your assessment. sounds like those 2 scenarios are most likely.
but, does the hood with the scoops give away any clues as to the what motor was factory?
jaymes – ROFL!
look closely at the dirt and oil patterns, the fender well matches the pattern on the valve covers and fire wall brake master, an obvious boil over blown radiator or h2o pump. this in my opinion is the original engine.
Today money only exist in a virtual world, banks are empty . This hemi ragtop will become a symbol of flashing ones wealth.
trust me its real i touched it
Hearing rumors of its existence and knowing the actual owner, I pulled off the road to look in the dilapidated barn that was practically missing its west wall. To my shock, the yellow convertible was in the back corner with its hood up. Obviously, it had been there for years and the decades old metal roof had preserved the girl. A hollow feeling consumed me and it was the overwhelming disappointment my phone was home.
The engine, as shown in previous photo, was missing the expensive top components so I quickly looked at the hood to see if inches were displayed. HEMI! From there I did a fast walk-around and was surprised how solid the entire car was. Looking inside, the white interior was totally intact, but crusty and a 4-speed sat between the seats. I could feel my pulse shifting to second and could not believe I have been driving past this barn twice a day for 40 years. Since my car was out by the road and getting nervous, looked to see if a fender tag remained. It was and I quickly got a pen and paper and captured its history and promptly headed home to the computer.
End; To be continued
The computer indicated 36 Hemi GTX’s convertibles were built 12 with 4-speeds. I’ve had a passion for vintage and muscle for years but muscle was playing with my blood pressure today. The next couple days were spent again on the computer investigating hemi engine rebuilding costs and values of existing similar collector mopars. Interestingly, I have an AACA hard bound book of prestigious cars and found a GTX hemi owner in a southern state. I called him to gather his thoughts of value and restoration. He was miffed that such a find existed and stated his was valued at around $150,000.
Obviously, the call ended with, “Please, if you aren’t interested in the purchase, I would be!”
Ok, now I’m thinking, a “383” could be a temporary solution. The mind was a bouncing.
Having known the barns owner for years, I sought to locate where he was living as his residence had been closed up for several years. Fortunately, a phone number given me landed his voice on the other end. Even more climatic, he remembered me. I shared the events of “gandering” into his barn, the condition of its west wall and oh, that yellow Plymouth. It was an interesting story to hear
The gentleman had been ill for a number of years and had to leave his residence due to additional care required. My visit found him of sound mind and memory and he shared the story of his Plymouth hemi. He stated he saw it in a used car lot around Troy, NY in 1970. He didn’t really care for the automatic and installed the 4-speed. One night, in 1973, he said he was coming home and romped on it and bang!
Looking at me , “you probably saw the rod or piston through the side of the block”. I responded I hadn’t but did see some components were missing from the top of the block. He responded, everything is in the trunk. He also mentioned he had a replacement 1969 hemi that he was always going to place in the car. When the engine failed, he said I stuck it in the barn and left it there. He discussed its rarity and having all the parts would take $100k and nothing less.
I did my best to disclose restoration costs and including authentic component prices but the 100k figure never flinched. One side of me was pleased that after all these years, the car was actually for sale and my would have to continue further discussion with him. I let a couple months go by and called again. No budging on the price. Several months later my wife called, excited and said she drove by the barn and it was being loaded on a flatbed trailer. Running errands. I shot home that way but the barns west wall was fully exposed and the convertible gone. One additional phone call disclosed the owners nephew was asked to remove the car to a secure location and advertise her. Sure enough, I found it on Craigslist in Syracuse. Having restored a 30’s Ford coupe and receiving the coveted Dearborn Award from the EFV8 National Club, I recognized the “TIME and $” required surrounding the purchase. Ten years younger and a few more dollars saved, I would had jumped. It takes deep passion, $$ and the greatest reward are the wonderful people you meet on the journey.
The best to them,
John Tesch