Fender Tag...why???

[rklein71]

So I see these real nice Cuda clones out there, car is a C or G car. Why are people obsessed with a fender tag? I don't get it. The car is far from stock, way better than original in my opinion, and people still want a fender tag. I can't see the fender tag adding any value.

Am I wrong?

 

[Mopar426power]

I am kinda with you. I am building my Cuda the way I wish I could have ordered one...trying to stay "factory correct" but not factory original of course.

I think the cool factor of the fender tag is you can't just order one to match your build, it has to be factory.

When I bought the car 30+ years ago, it did not have the original 340, nor did it have a fender tag. I do have the original broadcast sheet I found in the back seat a few years ago, so I could have a reproduction made, but it would be for the original car specs not the way I am building it. The most obvious code missing would be N96. I am leaning towards leaving it off.

Other opinions?

 

[413]

hot rod modified cars don’t need a tag, but if it’s there then keep it.

Don’t make a fake tag, it just adds confusion and doubts about the car. You can’t get all the codes correct even with a broadcast sheet.

 

[MoparCarGuy]

hot rod modified cars don’t need a tag, but if it’s there then keep it.

Don’t make a fake tag, it just adds confusion and doubts about the car. You can’t get all the codes correct even with a broadcast sheet.

I agree it makes sense to install the original tag so people see what the car started as.

Also agree with not making a repro a.k.a. fake tag (repros are being made however you want them) with options not factory installed.

If you do have the broadcast sheet and need to replace a missing tag, you can get a repro with the correct codes but it requires a lot of knowledge about option packages and which codes do not belong on the tag.

Repro tags are expensive and the last thing you want is to buy one and find out it has mistakes. There are many on this and other forums that can assist you with a correct, repro fender tag.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

The tag makes a huge difference to some.
I'm always looking for M46's. I have 29 on my registry list.
One of my M46's is a drag car is no where near original, but it retains it's tag and provenance so I purchased it. Those little letters and numbers spell out money.
I am on ebay daily. I see all kinds of BH cars that are done up as restomods. Awesome cars. None of them have tags.
If I saw a good m46 that was 70K done up, but has the tag and M46, I might very well buy the car. But without that tag, I'm out.

Even being a restomod with almost no original skin or guts. I'm out without that tag. So, that's 70k walking away, regardless.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Here is my car. Well, one of them.
It's not anything near what it was originally.
I would not have purchased it without that tag.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Doesn't get much more modified than this car.
Chromoly cage.512 stroker, RVB trans, 4:10's, Switched everything.

But originally a white shell, with a black out bottom and a red stripe separating the white and black with red guts. Gotta be one of the coolest M46's out there.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Now, with the adding value comment. Sometimes without the fender tag a car still has some value.
Here are pictures of an M46 that the tag has totally rotted away. No tag or build sheet. The car retains it's original black out, scoops and some of the pin striping.
I purchased this car without that fender tag due to just simply saving the M46 provenance of this car. Traveled from Colorado to the depths of Alabama to get this one. I'll go anywhere.

You can see parts of the fender tag still left under the screw. Rotted away.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

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Here is a car that I asked about the fender tag a week or so ago. I liked the car the way it sits. Looks awesome in some ways. And at 28K, I would have been a player.
However, the owner states that there is no fender tag for this BH car. Therefore, I did not bid on this car.

BH23G0B195052

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Here is another barracuda that I asked about the tag for.
It has all the hallmarks for an M46 with the exception of the front rear rubber bumper.
The M46 package was not available with A22, only A21 was available.
But, knowing ma mopar I had to ask.
This is BH23G0B104723

Even though the car is totally clapped out, and no one is going to "restore" a BH car I have to ask in case it has the M46. If it were a real Fe5 car with M46 I was definitely interested.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Not everyone is into numbers.
Most just want one or two cars that they can smell some rubber burning on.
I have a car problem.

Any day of the week I can go out and buy lots of cars with no provenance and make them what I want, but I can only go out and buy actual cars with real recorded options occasionally.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Here is a different situation that I am in.

I have a V code challenger that has basically nothing. Some bones remain, but all skin must be replaced. Including half the inside metal.
I'm looking for a donor challenger that I can cut up to save this V code.
I am not after a mid or late build challenger as there are some difference's in the metal pieces.
If I am to do a restoration on the car, the car deserves a donor car that is in the same month range as my car. Otherwise, a buyer will look at the trunk and say, that's a late 70 or a 71 or a 2-4 trunk. This car was not restored with attention to detail and then it will lose ten's of thousands of dollars of value.

I am always looking for a same month, donor metal car.
Here is the tag of what I'm looking for.

But i won't buy a donor car unless it has a tag to prove the actual date of the car. There are exceptions on this one since it's going to be a donor.
build sheet, door sticker, number stamps and actually looking at the floors to make sure they are identical to my December built car.

 

[rklein71]

If you have a N code BH car, I can see the value of the fender tag. If you want to restore the car, then yes, the fender tag is good. If you are going to hot rod a C or G car, I still don't see the value of a fender tag.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Can't prove it's an M46 without that fender tag. Or build sheet. regardless of the engine.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

The value will not always be to you.
It may be that the value is the next guy who purchases it.
Or your family who inherits the car later.
If no value to current owner, there will be another owner later.
The value transfers with it's numbers.
Without the numbers, it has become just a hot rod.

 

[Mopar426power]

I tend to agree about the value of an original car with the tag. However, I don't think an original tag adds much value to a modified car?

 

[413]

The guy just explained the value of the tag in several threads.

Even if it means nothing to you today, it means something to someone someday.

 

[rklein71]

The M46 option really doesn’t do anything for me.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

And it doesn't do much for about 98% of cuda owners. Most think they are stupid.
But when resale is a thought, even 20 years down the road, I would prefer to sale the car to someone who is going to love it. That very well may mean that those numbers matter to someone. 2% of us. After all, it's about money right.

 

[notacuda]

A fender tag is like a birth certificate.