1-of-22 Dodge Daytona Hemi Achieves $3.3 Million, Setting New Auction Record

Mecum’s Monterey, California auction is typically known for featuring high-end European exotics, not the classic American muscle cars like the 1969 Dodge Daytona. The Bay Area’s affluent crowd, largely driven by wealth from the tech industry, contrasts sharply with the industrial roots of the Midwest, and this difference is evident in the types of cars that dominate these auctions.

A prime example is the F8 Green 1969 Dodge Daytona Hemi with a four-speed manual transmission, which made headlines when it sold at Mecum’s Indy auction in May 2022 for a then-record $1.3 million. Fast forward to this past weekend at the Monterey auction, and the same car shattered its previous record, fetching an astounding $3.3 million—a new high for Hemi Daytonas.

This particular Daytona, one of the most highly optioned 1969 Hemi four-speeds ever documented, became the centerpiece of a fierce bidding war on Saturday, August 17. Under the auction lights, the car’s F8 Green paint gleamed as wealthy bidders vied for ownership, driving the final price to $3,360,000 (including fees).

While this figure might seem astronomical, it’s not the highest amount ever paid for a Mopar. That honor goes to a 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda four-speed, which sold for $3,850,000 at a Mecum auction in Seattle back in 2014. Even more impressive was Shelby’s 1962 CSX2000 Cobra, which sold for $13.5 million, making it the most expensive muscle car ever, though it’s often not categorized as such.

What makes this Dodge Daytona so special? Of the 503 Daytonas produced to meet NASCAR’s homologation requirements, only 70 were equipped with the powerful Hemi V-8, and just 22 of those had the desirable four-speed manual transmission. This particular example, being the most highly optioned of them all, has now cemented its place as the most valuable Hemi Daytona ever sold.

The dramatic price increase, from $1.3 million to $3.3 million in just over two years, highlights the immense wealth concentrated in the Bay Area. While the nationwide value of 1969 Dodge Daytona Hemi cars has risen by about 25 percent between April 2022 and today, the value of this specific car has skyrocketed by 158 percent in the same period.

For collectors and speculators, this sale underscores the potential gains from buying in a smaller market, like Indy, and selling in a wealthier one, like Monterey. The nearly $2 million profit realized in just 26 months is a testament to the power of market timing and location, leaving both the seller and the new owner delighted with their transaction.