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Project Cars--You Get to Vote on "Hold 'em or Fold 'em"

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  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    hmmm, maybe a bit of fraud going on? It was a beautiful restoration, even the engine swap was very clean. Red, with white interior and white top, convertable.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    BMW 2002Tii----hmmmm, crappy color, blown head gasket (or worse) and the sunroof isn't "rare" at all. I dunno...it's a coin flip at that price. I'd have to see it up close.

    Mustang 6 cylinder---I agree, dime a dozen, could be worth $10K if it's real nice but the problem is people will only buy it to put a V8 in it, and at $10K to tear it apart?? Why not just buy a nice V8 coupe for $12K all ready to go AND #s correct.

    I'd say $6,500--$7,500 is all the money for a 6 cylinder 3 speed stick car as common as this one (they made a LOT of them).
    At that price you can do the conversion and still come out okay.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    ....and gone again....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    There must really be something going on with that ad. It is a beautiful restoration, if a bit overpriced.
  • chibearsluvchibearsluv Member Posts: 6
    I've got a 67 eldorado with 65K on it. I would like to restore the entire motor and give it a nice paint job. Does anyone know round about how much that'll be? Is a 429 easy to work on, and is there an alternate motor that can easily be mounted in there? Would you agree that this is a good car to restore and keep ahold of? I'd appreciate any inputs...
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736
    i've always had a bit of a soft spot for these, although I couldn't tell you why.
    http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/231809930.html

    but is the stick supposed to be that tall??

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736
    its tough to estimate a paintjob without knowing more about the car. If there is no rust, no deep scratches, no bodywork of any kind, it can make a big difference in price. You may not need to take it all down to bare metal. I think alot of purists say that any good paintjob involves going down to bare metal ... but, no offense, we're talking about a 67 eldorado here, not a Hemicuda or gullwing benz. So I think, if you can get away with a $3k paintjob and make it look real nice with no underlying rust or bodywork issues, then do it.

    Is anything wrong with the engine now? 67k miles isn't very much. If a full rebuild isn't needed just yet, there's no point in doing it, in my opinion. If you can get away with just rebuilding the top end, I think about $1k-$1500 should do it (i hope).

    So... let's see ... all in all? $4500 on the low end and maybe $15k on the high end.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If it's a coupe, I don't think the car is worth restoring, no, but it would be fun to keep and to drive. If it's really shabby, you're better off just going out and buying another one that is nice. If it's fairly decent as is, I'd think about just doing what it needs to be safe and reliable. A restoration will easily exceed the value of the car and this particular model won't appreciate very quickly in the future. So you'll never get your investment back.

    If it's a convertible you're a little better off but here again, convertibles are even most costly to restore than coupes, so I'd say unless the interior and body are really good on a convertible, I wouldn't restore this car either. If all you needed on a convertible were a nice paint job and an engine freshening, and everything else was top notch, then maybe, yeah, you'd be okay doing that on a 'vert.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    That AE86 might not be so far off. The Corolla GT-S is considered the shizzznizzle of drift cars...small, light, RWD, not too powerful...and has a huge cult following. In Japan there are cartoons and comic strips based on the hero and his AE86.
    I personally thing a 240SX/SR20DET would be more fun, and being 10+years newer, more sophisticated, but since I like 20 year old Audis, I can't judge anyone else.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736
    but his ad says "not GTS," although I have no idea what the difference is between the SR5 and GTS.

    I thought drift cars HAD to be powerful, no? Well, maybe HAD is a strong word ... but considering every pro drifter I've seen has big honkin horsepower ...

    Regardless, $4500 for a 20-year-old economy car with, at the very least, in need of a paintjob and a headlight fixin, is just silly, IMHO.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    It's a coupe. Cadillac didn't offer a convertible version of the FWD Eldorado until the overblown 1971-76 style, and then I think they were built in limited doses in 1984-85.

    It seems like these things are definitely less desireable than the Lincoln Mark III, or even the pimpy 70's boats. I always liked the style of the '67-70 Eldo, though. I guess it's just too tasteful to be in tune with the wants of the typical classic luxury car buyer, though!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oh that's right only a regular convertible, not an Eldo.

    Well then, it's definitely not worth spending more than $7,500 on a restoration. If you can't make it look pretty wonderful for $7,500, then don't start, would be my advice.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    On a sidenote I've seen one of those RWD Corollas in service at our Honda dealer because it had a S2000 motor stuffed under the hood. Looked like crap on the outside, a total sleeper.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    Meh. $4500 is way too much for a stock SR5 with a body kit. The GT-S had the hot dog engine, while the SR5 was the mild-mannered version. It doesn't matter much since the first thing anyone would do is swap in the higher-compression JDM engine.
  • troyabletroyable Member Posts: 3
    http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/224265987.html

    Anyone have any have advise for a guy who drives an Altima with a litte extra dough to maybe put something together on weekends for travel? Saw this site and dont really know the inns and outs.

    Thanks, :confuse: :shades:
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736
    since you are looking at that... i think the man you want to speak to is andre. ;)

    just one thing ... shouldn't the price be $1976? ;)

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds fair enough if that's what you like. Of course donation cars are always suspect, so watch out.
  • troyabletroyable Member Posts: 3
    is it a "bad" year, i know the interior looks shakey and the paint needs to be treated, but at 77k miles any major problems (charicteristics) on the horizon?
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    I don't think 1976 is a particularly bad year for these dreadnaught Cadillacs. IIRC, 1973-74 were the years that they were really bad with rudimentary emissions controls and choked down engines that got horrible gas mileage and stalled out all the time, all for the sake of cleaner emissions. In 1975 they started using catalytic converters, which were reviled at the time, but they really did help the cars to run cleaner, with fewer stalling problems and improved fuel economy.

    The 1977-79 Caddy was a better car in just about every respect. Better built, much more nimble, more economical, and better accelerating. And IIRC, even a bit roomier inside, despite being downsized. But it just doesn't have the pimpy exhuberance of the pre-downsized mastodons.

    Basically, expect it to squeak and rattle, and over time, the soft-touch foam-backed plastics on the door panel will fall apart if you don't take care of it. AFAIK though, the 500 V-8 was basically bulletproof, and the THM400 automatic transmission was about as overbuilt as they ever came. Don't expect it to be fast...0-60 in about 12-13 seconds stock. Just about anything made in 1976 is going to be rustprone, but GM's larger cars tended to be among the more resilient of the era. Suspect areas would be along the edges of that landau roof. The part where they put the border trim was notorious for causing rust. I have a 1976 LeMans, and that's the only place that it has any rust.

    Also, don't expect much in the way of fuel economy. I doubt you'd break 10 mpg unless you took it on the highway. Overall though, I think that '76 isn't bad looking. It's in one of the more tasteful color choices of the era, and I think it wears it well. And that striped velour pattern is kinda neat. If the thing was local to me, I'd be tempted to look at it, although my dreambarge from that era is more along the lines of a 1976 Buick Electra 4-door hardtop. :)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    Hey Fintail, what was this car? It looks like the post got deleted.
  • troyabletroyable Member Posts: 3
    thanks for the info, i think ima check it out. i just talked to this guy i work with who'll go with me and make sure its mechanically sound. i really like the peanut butter and jelly look to the car too. :D hopefully i'll be crusin soon in this tank, by the way i haven't bought many cars new or old... so can i take it to a mechanic i know when i check it out? what should i be looking for, knocks/pings? should i negotiate aggresivly or is it a fair price if everything is as it looks and sounds.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    you're welcome. Actually, I don't think the $1977 is a bad price for it, but you could probably get the guy to come down a few hundred bucks.

    One thing you might want to do is bring a magnet with you, to check for bondo. In addition to the areas around the vinyl roof, these things tended to rust along the bottoms of the rear quarter panels, as well as the lower part of the front fenders, ahead of the doors. And once it really sets in, they'll start rusting along the rocker panel (the part underneath the door, and the lower rear quarter panel ahead of the rear wheel (the part that would be an extension of the rocker panel if it was a 4-door)

    Also check for signs of water leaks, such as around the back window and the rear quarter windows (for some reason, those stationary opera windows could still leak). Some telltale signs would be the condition of the package shelf, as well as interior trim around the back windows.

    Sometimes they'll leak around the base of the windshield too, and the front part of the door opening. This would be evident by the condition of the carpeting in the front footwells. GM cars were comparatively good about keeping the leaks out, but it is 30 years old!

    As for knocking and pinging, that could just be a sign it needs a tuneup, or the combustion chambers are a bit carboned up and you need to run a higher octane gas. But check for other, more evil sounding sounds. Also check and see what, if anything, blows out of the exhaust system. If the exhaust is fairly clear, it should be good. If it comes out kind of a light dirty grayish, I think that means it just needs a tuneup. Bluish means that it's burning oil. White with a sweet smell means coolant is getting into the combustion chambers. And I forget what black means, but it's not good!

    Basically though, this is just generic stuff applicable to any car. Oh, when you turn the steering wheel, it's going to be numb and floaty, with no feedback whatsover, but you shouldn't hear any clunking sounds. If you do, that's a sign that something in the suspension, or perhaps the steering box, is worn. Now the good news here is that GM suspension parts tend to be pretty cheap. At least compared to Mopar parts!

    As for taking it to a mechanic to check it out, that's a good idea. But that's something you might want to talk over with the seller. Make sure it's a mechanic you trust though, and not one that's going to find everything imaginable under the sun wrong with it, just to pad HIS profits!

    Peanut butter and jelly, huh? Interesting, I never thought of it like that, but I knew there was a reason those colors went together! :P

    Oh yeah, I think that car is something like 233" long, so make sure that it's going to fit into wherever you plan on storing it! I'm out in the boonies, on 4+ acres, so size doesn't matter to me. But it might be a concern for others. I have a buddy who bought a 1978 Mark V, which is about 231" long, and it won't even fit in his driveway, let alone his garage! He lives in a townhouse, and the driveway is so short that it would block the sidewalk, a ticketable offense. He knew it would be too big for his garage, but the driveway was a shocker.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Doh.

    It was a mustard yellow 1977 MB 240D 4 speed manual with no power options and a pukey caramel-brown interior. It was very clean looking and the guy wanted only like $1700 for it. I am sure it actually sold.
  • chibearsluvchibearsluv Member Posts: 6
    yeah it's a coupe, it looks pretty nice thoughm, white on white. The guy that owned it before me tried to supe it up and make it a nice show car, but didn't have the funds to complete it. I've been doing a little research and I think I'd be better off maybe selling it than trying to restore something that won't gain much in value, but it's a Cadillac why is that? I appreciate your input, thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well old car values are based strictly on supply and demand in the marketplace, not on merit or rarity or reputation per se. Some of the most god-awful cars in the world sell for high prices and some really good ones go for dirt.

    It's all about what people want, what they think is "sexy" or "cool" or "exciting" or "interesting" for their particular generation.

    If you want to restore an old Cadillac, make sure it's a convertible.
  • chibearsluvchibearsluv Member Posts: 6
    well, it's only got a little surface rust that kinda comes off when you wash and scrub it. The interior is pretty nice with just minor touch ups that need done. As far as the engine goes, when I picked it up I had to drive it 350 miles back to my house and it just cruised, but there was a nice cloud of white smoke coming out the exhaust. I also had to keep filling the oil about every 75 miles. It's been sitting in my garage ever since. I was told that the rings need to be done and the gaskets. I was also advised to just go ahead and rebuild the whole motor so that I've got nothing to worry about later on... We'll see, I hope I can get some good price quotes so that I don't invest too much more than I could sell it for in the long run. Thanks for your advise and estimates.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It would be nice if you could pluck the motor out of some grandpa 4-door sedan that nobody wants...it'd be a lot cheaper. Rebuilds are expensive if you do them right.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    Looks like the first posting got deleted already. I really like that second one though, the '78 Eldorado. I think it's the color that really turns me on to it. With these big pimp barges, the color can often make it or break it for me.

    Seems like Lincolns back then tended to go for the nice soothing greens and blues that catch my eye, or even a nice, subdued black, where Cadillacs were often louder, grating colors...oranges, lemons and mangoes like Mother Nature never intended!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    I always had a soft spot for the 1963 Fairlanes, but this one's not exactly a showdog. And I'm sure that in person, all sorts of flaws would rear their ugly head.

    Which V-8 should this have? Were they still offering 221's in these things, or would it be a 260?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Doh again...the first posting was a nice looking 71 Cutlass 2 door HT/fastback for $7500. It was from an out of state party who might have been a curbstoner. Seattle CL is monitored by trolls who will flag anything they deem inappropriate, no matter if it is or not. It looked nice.

    I think that Eldo color is nice too. The car, however... :P

    Here's another Fairlane

    I think a 260 would be as low as it would go, and by 64 the 289 was around too.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    I really do like this 1975 Delta, but at that price, I'd expect the nicest, most loaded convertible in the world, and not just a 4-door hardtop with a 350.

    Here's a big 'un

    This '74 Swinger seems reasonable, until you read the details. "Some issues but driven almost daily". I wonder if some of the issues are rusted-out quarter panels and around the rear window, two of the first places that usually get it on these cars? I think the main thing that caught my eye on this one was the green, which IMO is much more tasteful than the more prevalent pondscums and pukes and meconiums of the era! :P

    One of the few Japanese vehicles of the 70's that looks like it was made out of real metal instead of beer cans.

    I think 1972 is the last year that I really liked the Dart's styling. The later ones were okay, but I think this one just looks more aggressive. Or at least it would if it had all of its trim pieces.

    I recognize the neighborhood that this car is in. Neighbors are probably bitching at him to get rid of it. One of my friends used to live in this neighborhood, ages ago, and had a '66 Belvedere that was wrecked and had no tags on it...basically just a carcass. The city told him to get rid of it and got nasty about it. So he waited until the final day, when they sent out some official to make sure he got rid of it. And he went out in his driveway with some kind of heavy duty saw and a blowtorch and took that car apart, piece by piece, and hauled the parts around to his back yard. He said that man from the city waited the whole time and watched in disbelief as he cut that car apart.

    He ended up burying parts of it all over the back and side yards, which I'm sure that whomever ultimately buys that house is simply going to adore! One thing that surprised me though, was one day when we dug up a piece of it, which had probably been buried about 10 years at that point, and there was very little deterioration. The blue metallic paint could easily be buffed out, and the only real rust was along the edges where it had been cut. I figured that a piece of sheetmetal buried in the damp earth like that for so long would have been ready to crumble! Too bad they couldn't make them that rust-resistand when they were above ground! :P
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736
    i really like that. and seems like a much better starting point than the $600 one fintail posted.

    Of course, I think you are looking at a labor of love because just battling the rust alone will probably run you more than its worth.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    what car this back seat came from? It's currently in a 1976 LeMans, but it's not a pattern I recognize. I don't think any '76 LeMans had a cloth interior that nice. Maybe something like a Buick Regal of the same generation?

    It also doesn't look like it fits quite right, either. Now the backrest cushion didn't extend all the way to the sides of these cars anyway, so that's not it. But they look kinda flat and thin, and like they came out of something that needed a raised spot to straddle the driveshaft.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Looks kind of buickish to me so a Regal is a posiblity. What was the oldsmobile twin for that car back then?
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    The Olds version would've been the Cutlass Supreme/Salon. Most of the plusher Supremes I've seen have kind of a loud striped pattern to them called "Valencia" or something like that.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,685
    Great post, Andre: It was extremely informative and had me laughing at the same time.....

    And I forget what black means, but it's not good!
    Unburnt fuel - typically means it is running rich or is somewhat out of time. Also in terms of high octane fuel, this is probably a non-converted lead fuel consumer with soft valve seats. Consider higher octanes and/or "lead substitute" additives to prolong the life of valve seats. If you hear a "clackety ticking" - especially pronounced after warm up, that is likely a sign of worn seats and will require a valve job to replace the seats with hardened variants... though the good news is that the octane/additives will no longer be an issue.

    I'm out in the boonies
    Hahahhahaha.... okay, well, a matter of perspective I suppose....

    size doesn't matter to me
    Yeah, yeah.... that is what they all say until they get home! :P

    Okay, so now for a question to really flaunt my ignorance: Why the reference to Chrysler and related automobiles as "Mopar?"
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    Doesn't Mopar refer to Chrysler's Motor Parts Division? Shortened to Mopar and refers to all Chrysler products. I had a 1976 Cutlass Supreme and that wasn't the rear seat pattern. Like you said it had vertical stitching. Those parts might not have rusted because there is no oxygen for them underground. A few years ago when I had a sewer lateral repaired the contractor connected it with rubber sleeves. I asked if it would rot, and he said without exposure to air, it would not.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well those old clunkers don't ring up very much in the bidding department do they? --LOL!

    I dislike those 240s, they are depressing to drive. P1800s are okay really but drive like little trucks....I think with some effort and plenty of mods you can make a "sports car" out of them, but it requires a B20E engine and lotsa parts from IPD. I'd prefer the sport wagon myself with fuel injection and an automatic--this way we can stop pretending. :P
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    I have a small carlot with my son - we sell 4x4's - not classics.

    If that's the case, what's that blue sedan behind that Falcon?

    Otherwise, nice, clean car.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    A price would be nice. No telling where he is going with this one. '66 Mustang
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
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