I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)

Mr_Shiftright

I think this gentleman does not understand the auction process. You don't put a starting bid that represents top dollar; otherwise, as happened here, you get 0 bids. It's like hanging a sign on the car for Ultra High Blue Book. ZZZZZZZZZ....no excitement, no suspense.

Maybe he'll rethink it, put a $95K reserve on it, start the bidding at $40,000 and see what happens.

fintail

Lots of ebay sellers don't get that idea

One of the prettier cars to show up lately, that's all

ghulet

Near my mom's I saw a clapped out (could it be any other way?) but running Datsun F-10 hatchback. My, but those were ugly. I was a little shocked to see one on the road.

wimsey1

well, just thank you for bringing that nasty little toad stool of a car back into my brain in all it's aesthetic violence.

jrosasmc

And what exactly made the Datsun F-10 a bad car?

ghulet

It was just a strange looking little car. And it was built in probably the worst years ever in the automotive industry (mid-70s to early 80s). They probably were durable enough cars, most Datsuns were.

andys120

http://stegix.bei.t-online.de/images/img048.jpg

That oughta answer your question.

fintail

Those also had honeycomb hubcaps right? I remember those

ghulet

....a bit larger with a hatchback or two-door sedan. My dad won a B210 hatch from Coca-Cola at one point in the late '70s, which he sold.

fintail

OK, yeah, now I remember it more clearly, the side window design was different, like a two piece rear side window.

Man, the Fiat, a B210....your family had some awesome cars LOL

Mr_Shiftright

It's the 300Sc that's the really valuable one, fintail. That has the Gullwing motor in it. The 300 S  is a nice car but doesn't perform very well.

jlawrence01

Wasn't the initial price along the lines of $3995?

You drive it 140k miles and expect $1500? It might be worth $150 in the high scrap market.

andre1969

I was in my truck, driving over to my condo to get the washer and dryer out of it, and I spotted a '79 5th Avenue at the traffic light, about 4-5 cars ahead of me. I had to do a double-take at first, to make sure someone hadn't hotwired mine (I know, why would they want to, but ya never know!). Then I noticed that the padding on the landau roof was coming loose. If he got that sucker up to highway speeds, it might lift off entirely! I knew someone with a Dodge Mirada CMX, the type with the fake convertible roof, and theirs blew off on the highway!

I met the guy who's remodeling my condo. Last time I saw him, he was driving a Ford Contour. This time, he pulled up in a big black Lincoln Continental! I'm not sure of the year, but I think it was around an '80-83. I think it was one of those Mark VI sedans. Even though it was a 4-door, it still had a little oval opera window in the C-pillar, and instead of the usual hidden headlights of that era, this thing had single round headlights that were stationary. Every pimp should own one! Looked kinda funny though, seeing this former luxury icon loaded up with paint, spackle, and some long pieces of trim stuck out through the vent windows. I guess those vent windows did come in handy, after all!

And on the way back to my house, I saw an old Ford Escort 4-door hatchback. The roof had been flattened, and it was actually sitting in a garbage truck, on top of a pile of scrap. I see flatbeds all the time with 10 or so flattened cars on them, but this was the first time I saw one by itself, just thrown in with the rest of the trash!

fintail

I forgot about the SC...maybe that's what I was thinking of

I saw the 2 door version of that Lincoln at an estate sale a while back. Very pimpy...that was an odd trend in domestic luxury for a while, the pimped out look. And then there were the neoclassic cars...scary times.

seminole_kev

Borrowed my friends digital camera and took some shots. Not great with it as some of the pics are blurry.

I've never messed with Imagestation, so I don't even know if you all can see it (I think you might even have to have an imagestation account to see it???). Anyway, give it a shot and let me know if I need to change something.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4287673139

ateixeira

I see it, you do have to register with them I think.

Looks good, congrats.

-juice

andys120

great colors too, or should I say colours. You need an auto-focus camera, Kev. <?:^P

seminole_kev

digital camera, but he didn't tell me about how to use some of the features. So basically I had to take pictures like I was back shooting my M16. Slow, controlled breathing and body movement. So some of the shots are crappy. Turns out I was bypassing one of the automatic features that keeps the pictures from being blurry in the first place........I'm a moron.

wimsey1

just video technology challenged. Who can keep up with everything after they are 16 or so?

seminole_kev

sad thing is I'm an IT guy. Mess with computers and network stuff all day.....just lousy with cameras. Always have been.

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andre1969

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item- =2460830219

What the heck are these wheels off of, the General Lee?

ateixeira

I can't believe it actually runs. Scary.

-juice

andre1969

the engine bay doesn't look half bad. I just noticed though, that the sucker doesn't have power brakes. I had a '67 Newport that had manual brakes, and it actually wasn't *too* bad. Looks like it was fitted with a 1958-era 4-bbl carb as well, which was an option on the Firedome, boosting hp from 295 to 305. My Newport was a comparative wuss, with only 270 hp. I'm guessing it might be a bit more scary trying to bring this monster under control. I can't remember for sure, but I think my Newport also had a dual master cylinder...I dunno if that helps any with braking, presuming the system is functional in the first place?

stickguy

no way that Desoto could possibly be restored for less than it would be worth. If you are going to devote the time and energy (and $$) that beast would take, save something that might be worth it when you are done.

As Shifty would say, send it to the crusher. If you want one of these (Andre, can never have to many Desoto's right?), go out and buy the best restored one you can find and be bucks ahead.

For $1,200, he should throw in the mobile home.

Only caveat is if the parts (motor, trim, whatever) might be worth something on their own.

fintail

I'm too lazy to fill out the registration thing for some site that will bombard me with spam...but that dash pic looks cool. Toggle switches are always a good thing

That Desoto looks like it was taken from a junkyard. What's it worth mint? Under 10 grand for sure.

andre1969

from that era that are going to bring big money would be the Adventurers and convertibles, with the non-Adventurer 2-door hardtops being the next runner up. A '58 Firedome 4-door sedan would be the bottom of the barrel though. About the only Mopars from the era that would probably be less would be a Plymouth Plaza or Savoy sedan, or a 6-cylinder Dodge sedan!

About 8 years ago, I had a chance to buy a 1958 DeSoto Firesweep sedan for $800. It was the bottom-level DeSoto, which was actually on a 4-inch shorter Dodge wheelbase. They were the same size inside, as those 4 inches were taken out in front. But then the DeSoto grille jutted out 2 inches further on Dodge fenders, so the net effect was a car that was only 2" shorter. So much for downsizing! This '58 had a Mopar 350 2-bbl with 280 hp, and was in much better shape than that '58 Firedome on eBay. It needed work, but it would've been mostly useable, as-is. It had the obligatory rust in the rear quarters, and the seat adjuster was broken, leaving it a bit too close to the steering wheel for my tastes.

Why didn't I get it? Well, the seller had another buyer before me, and if that guy backed out, I would've had the next shot at it. Of course, that guy jumped on it.

Still, I don't think a '58 DeSoto sedan, or most late 50's 4-door sedans, are worth much, if any, more now than they were 8 years ago!

That '58 would make a good parts car, though. Unlike most old cars, the 4-door DeSotos have had a relatively good survival rate. Part of that was because DeSoto sold mainly workaday cars, even in '57-58. Mainly family sedans, with hardtops being fairly rare and convertibles being downright scarce. DeSoto offered convertibles in all 4 series for '58, but the most popular, the Firesweep, only sold 700 units. The mid-line Firedome sold something like 596, and the more luxurious Fireflite sold about 480. The high-performance Adventurer only sold 82! In comparison, they probably sold about 9,000 Firesweep 4-door sedans, and also about 9,000 Firedome 4-doors.

wimsey1

I have spent over 6 years driving CAD stations and there are a lot of things like that that make me feel Amish.

lancerfixer

Saw an odd car that I'd never heard of before (but I don't know my old Mopars, though...) a Dodge Pioneer 2 door. It was obviously a repaint, but wasn't in too bad a condition.

lemko

...is the DeSoto hierarchy Firesweep - Firedome -Fireflite -Adventurer?

I recall a cool 1958 DeSoto ad that showed all four cars. The tagline below read "Pick Your DeSoto - Pick Your Price."

Four door sedans are rarely worth anything as a collectible. About the only exception I can think of is the 1938-41 Cadillac Sixty-Special sedan. However, I do appreciate a well-restored or well-preserved example of a four-door sedan as they are more representative of what most people actually drove back in the day.

andys120

cuz I wasn't real interested in SW's when I was 19-20.

http://www.stationwagon.com/gallery/1961_Dodge_Pioneer.html

Looks like essentially a Polara Wagon. Boy those ChryCo stylists had no idea what to do with the backs of their cars once the tailfin craze was over.

andre1969

the Pioneer was a trim level in the Dart series. I think it was only offered in '60-61, as I believe the Dart went to numerical designations for 1962, like "Dart 330".

1960 was when Chrysler started its "divisionalization", merging the car lines into "Chrysler-Plymouth-DeSoto-Imperial", and "Dodge". As a result, they tried to duplicate the models each division offered as much as possible. So for 1960, the Dart lineup was introduced, to give Dodge an equivalent car to Plymouth. It was on the shorter Plymouth wheelbase, only cost a few bucks more than a Plymouth (but was much better looking...if you thought that Pioneer you saw was ugly, wait till you see a same-year Plymouth!) And in advertising, they even compared it to Ford, Chevy, and Plymouth!

Here's an example of a Dodge Dart ad from 1960...
http://www.dodgedart.org/brochure/60drtad2.jpg
The Dart was organized into a 3-series Seneca-Pioneer-Phoenix lineup, with the Pioneer being the mid-range, equating to a Ford Fairlane 500, Plymouth Belevedere, or Chevy Bel Air.

Here's a '61 Dart ad... http://www.dodgedart.org/brochure/61dartad.jpg
So basically, if the car you saw had "normal" tailfins, it was a '60. If it had reverse-slant tailfins, it was a '61.

Mr_Shiftright

A 50s Seagrave fire truck, painted in primer, driven by a guy with a long beard and a cowboy hat. I did not stop to ask questions.

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seminole_kev

I uploaded a few pictures of the Jag to a personal gallery. It is only 4 pictures, but it will give you an idea of the car and you don't have to register to see them.

http://www.jag-lovers.org/v.htm?1077064836

wimsey1

as a man with inate good taste. I have yet to see any evidence that contradicts this statement.
Padded dashboards (hey, that IS a dashBOARD, ) are for pansies. Please excuse the shameless pun.
"Tre Groovy", kev. May it exceed your hopes & dreams.

seminole_kev

Might crush my wallet, but I'll probably still love it just the same. Always loved these cars for some reason.

Mr_Shiftright

Just take care of it and don't let monkeys work on it and you'll be fine. Biggest bugaboo is overheating, so some creative customization of the radiator/cooling system would be a good idea. SU carbs are fabulous if you protect them from meddling hands that don't know what they are doing.

Fastidious maintenance is the key to success with an older Jaguar...preventive, I mean, not reactionary.

seminole_kev

is an additional electric fan for low speed, around town driving. But that's about it. Needs brake work. I think it's leaking out the servo, but I haven't charged it back up to see yet. Steering box seems to leak a tiny bit, but that seems to be the norm for these cars.

Mr_Shiftright

You'll never stop the leaks, so learn to live with them. Trick is to make sure whatever is leaking doesn't "all leak out".

Electric fan is good but you may also be able to fit better fan blades. You could also consider running a "water-wetter" additive to raise the boiling point and stabilize corrosion.

Every used British car needs new battery cables, new fuses and the radiator boiled out, or at least those things should be carefully checked. That'll improve reliability right there. And a more modern fuel pump if it is running the old "contact point" type of pump. That's a devil and should be swapped out for a modern electronic pump.

Fllushing out the brake fluid and clutch fluid is also a good idea.

fintail

Nice looking Jag

seminole_kev

thanks fintail, I appreciate it.

Shifty, that brake fluid flush has been done for me by the car ;-)

As far as the electrics go, they are in good shape, and the car has been converted to negative ground. I laughed very hard when I saw the single page (only one side mind you) wiring schematic for the whole car! I used to work avionics in the military and I'm used to reams and reams of wiring schematics (which modern cars are closing in on). Very funny to see.

Need to replace some of the hoses. The radiator was recently redone (but I'm not sure to what extent). Some weatherstripping has become dried out and cracked.

seminole_kev

I've heard the term "water-wetter" before, but what is it exactly? Is that a brand name, or who makes some. Can't say I've messed with it before, but I've heard it mentioned as a good addition to an older car.

Mr_Shiftright

It's a product name. Here's some more info on it.

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/redline3.htm

andre1969

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item- =2461071649

This one looks like it's at least getting some interest, as it has 6 bids on it and it's up to $787.00. Maybe the fact that it has the Hemi, plus an intact grille, helps it! I'm sure the 15" Mopar Rally wheels up front that look like they came off a mid-70's New Yorker or Newport, combined with the stock 14" rims in back, also add to the appeal! ;-)

Mr_Shiftright

Looks like another one for the boneyard. Might be good for parts though. Rust =Death on an old 4-door. Seller is doing well already.

seminole_kev

Thanks for the info on the water wetter stuff. I'll have to look into that.

Mr_Shiftright

Water wetter is very cool stuff, no pun intended. Better living through chemistry. Vintage racers use it all the time.

seminole_kev

back to anyone who has chrome (or really any shiney metal) they need to take care of and shine up (and you all may already be familiar with the product) but it is called Nevr-dull. http://www.nevrdull.com/

Used to use it in the military and it is awesome stuff. Not a liquid or paste. Just cotton "clumps" that are soaked in the stuff. Easiest and best thing I've ever seen for chrome or shiney metals of any sort. Easy as all getout to use. (By the way, I don't own stock in the company or profit from it in anyway just in case it came across that way. Just great stuff)

fintail

I use that on the fintail yearly. It really is good stuff. About $4 a can, and you can do many cars worth of chrome with a can.