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

stickguy

that one looks OK considering the usual rust buckets you find in NJ. At least there is the chance of having good "bones" to work with, but I personally wouldn't be interested in that oneas a sunday car.

I looked at Mustangs of this vintage a few years back (in my last toy phase). I also was looking at cheaper ones, and drove a few that frankly scared the crap out of me. Not nice driving at all. That, and knowing that the rust you see is only the tip of the iceberg..

I decided that if I got one it would be a later model (Mustang, Camaro, etc.). Something like a '71 -'72, with some padding in the interior, a few (minimal) safety features like shoulder belts, etc.

Of course, I ended up with a Miata...

texases

As you well know, it's the rust with these - my 65 6 banger rusted to pieces, before catching on fire. If there's complete documentation, and the body is as good as they claim, it might be worth it. But for a bit more, wouldn't a v8 let you deal with modern traffic? That 6/auto's gotta be slow.

Mr_Shiftright

That was a pretty rough 47,000 original miles. Very doubtful.

Also, he conveniently eliminated the 20% deduct for 6 cylinder engine off the value chart.

One would have to put the car on a lift to see what's what underneath. With a rotted out exhaust manifold and exhaust system, one has to wonder what's going on under there.

The 6 cylinder isn't that slow really. The V8 was certainly no powerhouse, although it made a lot of noise.

Simple car to work on, and if it's really solid, it might be worth $5K. You should be able to buy a very very nice 6 cylinder car for $10,000 all ready to go inside outside and under.

jlflemmons

I owned a '66, and while they are easy to work on, you will be working on it a lot. Dangerous brakes, rust like there is no tomorrow, and if he is saying the turn signals work, but slow, you can bet there are rusted ground points in the beast.

I would put it at $2500, top dollar. And I don't believe the mileage. After all, in one statement he says two owners, in another that it has only been titled to one owner.

hmmm.

Mr_Shiftright

It's hard to value a car like this without eye-balling it. Mustang coupes of this vintage are really going up in price fast, having been dragged upwards by their more desirable fastback and convertible siblings...I agree, these early Mustangs are cheaply made cars but people love 'em and demand dictates value not merit.

The seller's claims of low mileage are reckless, as he could be held to it by the buyer and be up the creek on this sale.

fintail

Most of these out there seem to be clapped out

"GREAT INVESTMENT CAR"....uh no

Speaking of Mustangs...I know the 65-66 is more desired, but this looks decent

qbrozen

i like the '67s better myself, if for no other reason than you see them less often than the 65-66s.

as shifty said, the 6-cylinder isn't that slow. it can hold its own against today's 4-cylinder family cars. they had good torque and it is a relatively light car.

i think i've told this story around here before, but that 6-cyl 3-speed auto combo is the one I drove through 3 states at "over 110 mph" (and i can only say it was somewhere over 110 because that is as high as the speedo went and i had the needle buried). So it has no trouble keeping up with today's traffic. heck, if nothing else, it would be quite a bit faster than my Alfa.

Anyway, wife said no to the stang.
she's no fun.

akangl

There was an accident down the road from me, someone towing a yellow 1966 Mustang on a trailer, lost control of the trailer, it came off the truck and went down an embankment. That's one less 1966 Mustang in the world, its totalled. Troopers found it there, guess the driver left.

Mr_Shiftright

Couldn't have been worth very much. Maybe it was a mercy killing

You wouldn't believe the junk people call me to appraise after Uncle Fred dies and leaves the 'classic' in the back yard. Right off they want to kill the messenger, as if somehow I was the one who bought a brand new 6 cylinder Mustang coupe without power steering in 1965 rather than the K code 4-speed convertible.

texases

My friend had a '67 while I had my '65. His seemed better put together, sturdier, had no rust problems. It seems like they solved some of the rust issues (not all, of course) for the '67. His was a 200/3spd man., and come to think of it, it went OK. I guess my experience with my 170 cid made me wish I had the v8.

toomanyfumes

A friend of mine has a '67 Mustang. Neat car, has a rebuilt 289 with a 4-speed. Dark metallic green with a black vinyl roof. Not a fastback. Has some kind of special interior with brushed aluminum trim. No power steering or brakes.

I know he spent a long time restoring it, and now a few years later rust is bubbling up already. I don't know if it's the sheetmetal or the bodywork that was done.

texases

I guess the other reason I'd go for a v8 is all the upgrades I could do over time: wheels, front discs, all the engine mods. 6-cyl with the 4-stud hubs won't have as many options.

benjaminh

buy it now price, 60K. But it looks like it might be fun to drive:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954-A6-GCS-CONVERTIBLE-MASERATI-REPLICA-7-OF-7-M- ADE_W0QQitemZ200101912970QQihZ010QQcategoryZ7251QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

benjaminh

They've done something strange to this one. But at least it has a manual transmission.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-Honda-Accord-Wagon-JDM-H22-swap_W0QQitemZ170- 106872639QQihZ007QQcategoryZ6254QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

benjaminh

Seems to have been owned by George Lucas:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-ACURA-NSX-actual-miles-15-790-Mint-extras_W0- QQitemZ230123505786QQihZ013QQcategoryZ5337QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

benjaminh

It looks to be in good shape. Andre-mobile?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1G4CW5133H1411640_W0QQitemZ170106864903QQihZ007QQ- categoryZ6139QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

steine13

Benjamin,

Could you please stop this? Or at least wait until I've had breakfast? The Honda wagon was the worst.
Mercy.

The Lucas mobile is sorta interesting... I like how they call it "a 'used' car". What SHOULD we call it? An 'unused' car, since it wasn't used much in its 17 years of life?

I don't think Andre does old front drivers..

-Mathias

andre1969

I don't mind that '87 Park Ave. I like that color. I just wish the seller took some pics that showed the whole exterior, as well as some interior shots. It's nowhere near as majestic as something like a 1984 or older Park Ave, but this one looks like it might make a decent beater.

What year was it that GM started to really boost the reliability on these cars? IIRC, the 1985-86 models were pretty bad, but by 1988 they got a lot of the kinks worked out. But I can't remember what side of the fence, reliability-wise, the 1987's fell. Thinking back though, my ex-wife's mother had an '87 LeSabre, which is mechanically identical, and she never had anything major or expensive go wrong with it. Last I heard, which was awhile back now, was that it was up to around 120,000 miles. She was running into financial problems though, and wasn't able to take care of the car, so she couldn't afford to get the little problems fixed that could potentially turn into big ones.

Lemko bought an '88 Park Ave not too long ago that looks like a close color to that '87. I think he's had pretty good luck with his.

texases

Not sure the year, a friend had one for years, only problem was it ate alternators about every 25k.

isellhondas

That is probably because he boughht cheap rebuilt alternators. They never last long.

texases

Could well be. I had my car in the shop, borrowed his Buick, and I noticed the radio going away, along with the fan/AC (Dallas, summer, not good). He took it back to his mechanic, put in another, ran fine enough for him to sell it. Don't know how good an alternator the mechanic put in. I put a new one in my Suburban 5 yrs ago, no problems, sure pays to get the better ones.

benjaminh

Hmmmmm....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-Amazon-122s-1961-Personalized-Vintage-Car_W- 0QQitemZ130104755859QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6458QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

fintail

Another one to drive 'til it dies

Good if you own an oil company

Not a project or anything too odd...just seems like a really decent used car, this style Accord has grown on me over the years, sound design

Whale

fintail

In a weird way, that's pretty cool.

benjaminh

I actually like this one! When I was a little kid of 8 or 9 I loved that style of rear tail light & fin. I thought it was the ultimate in style, for some reason. The last of the fins...This example looks to be in good shape.

Mr_Shiftright

Better yet, just take fistfuls of dollars and throw them into a wood stove. You can accomplish the same thing as buying one of these cars, without having to wait in line at DMV.

benjaminh

Loaded. 35k. Wonder what this thing listed for new? 55k?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/V-4-dr-Sedan-Manual-5-7L-V8-SFI-Red-Line_W0QQitem- Z160109995740QQihZ006QQcategoryZ43903QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

fintail

Yeah, I know, money pit with no way out. But aren't most all MB sedans? 126s have just always appealed to me, ever since I was a kid. I saw a beautiful diamond blue (the best color) 560SEC yesterday, it looked brand new. Senior citizen driver too. Such a good looking car.

Mr_Shiftright

I don't think a very well kept, realistically priced old Benz sedan has to be a money pit, but these overpriced high mileage rats you see all over the place---they are just going to eat their new owners for breakfast.

grahampaige

come on guys, your not trying
This has to be the slowest and worst handling car suggested yet
You wanted a money pit how about two
now this one tempts me

qbrozen

probably somewhere in the top 20 of volvo 122s in the country ... but $8K?? i don't know if the nicest one in the world is worth $8k. well... ok... maybe the nicest one in the world.

The momo steering wheel would be the FIRST thing to go if it were in my garage.

texases

The Momo would be quickly followed by the air dam - looks out of place to me.

andre1969

I like that '72 Caddy as well. It's in one of the more tasteful colors of the 70's. I think these cars look best in something like a light blue or turquoise, but that pale yellow still beats a lot of the awful upchuck-goldish-greens and burnt-oranges and bile-yellows and other ghastly hues that seemed so prevalent in the 70's.

oregonboy

No one commented on the 91 Accord, so I have to chime in. When they were new, the styling of the 1990-93 series of Accord was disparaged as too generic and bland, but I always liked them, (particularly the wagons).

I felt that they were a clean, functional design with just enough Accord styling-cues to look like a proper Honda. It is the clean designs that age well, while the trendy ones soon become dated.

To me, the 1992-93 models are far more desirable than the 1991 posted, because the automatic seatbelts were deleted when the driver-side airbag was introduced in '92. Although I don't need a second car, I would be sorely tempted by a clean, unmolested, low-mile, 5-spd 1993 Accord Wagon. Fortunately, such a vehicle has become practically non-existent. :shades:

james

andre1969

When they were new, the styling of the 1990-93 series of Accord was disparaged as too generic and bland, but I always liked them, (particularly the wagons).

I think one criticism of the 1990 Accord at the time was the loss of the hidden headlights. I always liked the style of the '90-93, though. There's something a bit BMW-ish in the C-pillar shape, and I like the ultra-low beltline and generous use of window glass. I guess overall, the car was a bit reactionary to the 1987-91 Camry, but overall I thought it was nicely done. I think it's a style that's aged nicely, too.

Mr_Shiftright

I think the 3 or 4 people in the known world who want a postwar Alvis already have one.

texases

The color(s) will keep that one w/o a bid, I'd guess. Interior looks nice, but what's with the hood scoops? Odd thing to have on this kind of car.

Mr_Shiftright

The Alvis is just plain weird from the get-go.

As one book on classic British cars put it,(written in the UK by the way) about people who buy them and restore them:

"Current owners have saved a whale".

They were a well-built car, but vastly overweight and pitifully underpowered.

Next to a Jaguar XK120 of the same period, it was no contest whatsoever.

If you own an Alvis in America, you might as well epoxy the tires to the garage floor, because you're going to either give this car away or own it forever.

xwesx

Could you please stop this? Or at least wait until I've had breakfast? The Honda wagon was the worst.
Mercy.

As if the wagon was not bad enough, there was an ATV painted the exact same color in the last photo! :surprise: *runs screaming*

lemko

Holy smoke! That blue is beautiful! Now I've got to get my car repainted!

My '88 Park Avenue hasn't let me down. Maybe this car is my car's older sister? Heck, it's even got the same Duralast battery as my ride.

lemko

Nothing is more barf-inducing than that abominable orange-green color of that 1974 Sedan DeVille we saw. Looks like what it would look like if the Jolly Green Giant threw up.

andre1969

Yeah, that thing was pretty hideous. We ended up seeing it at Macungie 4 years running, but for some reason I never took a pic of it. You can see part of it in the corner of this pic that I took of a '71 or so Riviera. It was much nastier in person than what this picture suggests, though!

xwesx

So, what would you do? Keep it locked away or depreciate it at about $1000/mile?! :P

Buick Grand National GNX

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, lots of luck making any money on that car....Barrett Jackson fever has hit the suburbs...

lokki

Grandma in high-heeled sneakers

Going to CarMax if not sold

Matalic orange with gold flacks and two black racing stripes with gold flacks The custum paint cost $5,000 A must see car And, of course, no pics.

This is very cool, but what's the market for decal-deep replica of a car that won a race 47 years ago?

Hate the paint, hate the wheels, but what a CAR

xwesx

Did we not see that same Mustang here a couple weeks ago? I guess CarMax did not want it either, but oh, what an effective threat! :P

explorerx4

is that a full size 70's for pickup in the background of one of those pictures of the 'bed?

gsemike

It's a must see, yet it's posted without pics. Weird

fintail

" engine may have thrown rod"

"Rare car"

grahampaige

Hood scoops were standard on the grey lady. They needed them after the warmed over the engine. The grey lady was a guaranteed 100 MPH motor car, so was a pretty good performer for the period.

You are right though, the market for Alvi is small, even here. Though they still bring a reasonable value here (That one was cheap, if only I had the money)