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

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Comments

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    Does your car have HID/xenons?

    I assume back in the day, the upper light was for low beam and the lower light for high beam, as it is on my car,

    Now these are stacked lights

    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    Hmmm...maybe something that could be partially financed by your upcoming "stimulus" check...

    Those bondo spots need to be removed from that blue car asap. I didn't know nice colors existed in the 70s.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,109
    Those bondo spots need to be removed from that blue car asap. I didn't know nice colors existed in the 70s.

    Ain't that the truth! It seems like car colors really ran to extremes back in the 70's, from really nice to really tacky, and everywhere in between. Now that I think about it though, I don't think I've ever seen an R-body in a really awful color. Here's a brochure scan that shows the available colors. They only offered 11, which is downright paltry compared to GM, who probably offered 20 or more. I guess with Chrysler being on the ropes by that time, they had to limit the color choices to what they thought would be the most popular. And thankfully, I guess that eliminated some of the nastier ones.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    No, I am not kidding. They want $25,000 for it.

    http://mapleleafmopars.homestead.com/MofMnov2006.html
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    What? You could buff that out.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    I think the blue is the best color there. Not as much brown and pukey colors as I would imagine...maybe by 1979 that fad was passing.

    Funny stuff there...backup lights...oooh!
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    I don't get it. Is it a joke, or do the VIN tags have some intrinsic value to the seriously insane? Like Shelby cars or whatever?

    Seriously befuddled, I remain
    -Mathias
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,815
    I think you are right about the tags. I guess the theory is you could take a plain car, and transplant the tags and bingo, an instant platform for a big-money Hemi.

    Or keep one piece and just build an entirely new car around it, and call it a rebuild.

    That, to me, is the problem with a majore restore. How much of the original is left? what do you need for it to be the "same" car? a frame rail? The cowl? A vin tag?

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Specs on 2007 Cadillac DTS headlamps:

    Headlamps, Intellibeam, automatic low/high beam controlHeadlamps, Xenon, High-Intensity Discharge (HID).
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    We in the classic car trade use the joke about "Washington's Axe" to describe how some people "rebuild" cars. It goes like this.

    We had to restore Washington's Axe. First the handle rotted off, so we replaced that, and later the axe head rusted, so we replaced that.

    On a Mopar muscle car, what you'd do is cut out only the pieces that have ID #s on them, like the fender tag, VIN tag, and radiator support; then you'd find an engine trans differential, etc, that was date coded to be plausible, in relation to the fender tag production date (you can't have an engine dated Nov. 1969 in a car dated Sept 1969. Naturally you would install the options and paint colors listed on the fender tag.

    Lot of work? Sure, but on some of these cars, you have a million dollars to play with.

    You can even get new fender tags made but you have to have the old one.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,800
    well... it is just canadian money. ;b

    I notice at the bottom of the page it states "off the market."

    '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

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,159
    "well... it is just canadian money"
    Now Canadians can almost say "well...it is just US money" - $1.00 US = $1.01 Canadian :sick:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah I saw that. I wonder if someone reported these odd goings-on. Maybe Canada doesn't take too kindly to possible auto fraud.

    I wonder if one could actually rebuilt a car like that. Seems like you'd really be re-making it.

    I know the Italians do this all the time. They'll find just a frame with a VIN plate and create an entire Ferrari out of it, new body, everything. They'll even cast a new engine block.
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,438
    I don't think that technically there is anything illegal about selling a rusting hunk of metal that was once a car for 25 grand. Unethical is a different question because the only thing missing from the ad was a banner stating 'Attention scammers'
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    Cool, nice to see they finally embraced that technology for that car. HID lights are superior.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,109
    I just realized something. It was 3 years ago yesterday that I bought my '76 LeMans. April 17, 2005. Amazing how fast the time flies! Sure doesn't seem that long.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Time then for another car to add to your collection? When you're single, you don't have to worry about naggy wife syndrome! ;)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes that dashboard message is encouraging isn't it?
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I swear I should open a business on how to market cars on the internet.

    I see so many ads that are just so poorly put together that I am sure you could make money doing that for people and work mostly out of your home.

    Side not:

    What do the resident Merc experts think a 1988 SEC560 in gray with gray leather interior is worth?

    The interior is in good shape but the outside is questionable

    Front and rear bumper look like a Manhattan Taxi. Rust bubble about the size of a half dollar on the front passenger side corner of the hood. Front air damn is all smashed up and the passenger side fog light is missing.

    AC doesn't work, radio doesn't work has worn snow tires on it ummm lets see what else..

    Oh yeah it is originally a Canadian car and has 90,000 km on it. Not sure if it qualifies as gray market or not.

    I wish I had taken a picture of it when it came in earlier this week maybe I can get a picture next week. Give me your best guesses and then I will tell you what he wants for it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like about $2,000--$2,500 if it runs well.

    Actually that's what somebody might pay for it, but in fact it is a parts car at this point, so whatever a Mercedes breaker will give him is probably actual market value.

    I'd figure $750 for parts value if it had any good sheet metal left on it and decent seats.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    With the exception of the hood the rest of the sheet metal is pretty much perfect and the interior is in very good shape. It does run very well and the guy drove it down from Mass about an hour and a half away from me.

    The guy seems to think he will clear 10,000 DOLLARS

    I never told him what I thought it was worth and managed to get the deal done without insulting his pride and joy.

    He is buying a used Range Rover Sport.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    I love ads with malfunctions shown on the dash.

    That SEC is worth a 2-3 grand. It's one you drive til it dies. 10K is money for a pristine SEC with under 100K and absolutely no mechanical needs - in a cosmetic condition you could take to a MB gathering and be proud of. The 86-88 560SEC are also less desireable than the 89-91 models, which had some upgraded interior materials and more commonly had dual airbags.

    Being from Canada is a negative for a 126. The rustiest 126 I have ever seen was originally from Quebec.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well the market will educate him to the grim reality.

    Actually the more I think about it, I think $2,500 is generous, based on what you told me.

    And a gas hog besides, and it doesn't look so good. Sounds sale proof in April 2008 doesn't it?
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    No it doesn't. We were going to give him 1,000 dollars max for it and that most likely would not have been all real money.

    I think we would have ACVed the merc at 500-700 dollars.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,955
    maybe you can put one of those vinyl bras on the front and cover up some of the acne. ;)
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    Sounds like a good entrant for one of those 24 hours of lemons races (if those don't have displacement or fuel economy rules...I can't recall)
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    "Bremsassistent. Werkstatt aufsuchen." LOL

    Thanks. My chronic homesickness just went into a couple weeks of remission.

    I've got an '07 Vibe and an '85 Chevy conversion van. Heaven, compared to an S-Benz.

    Cheers, -Mathias
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,815

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,815
    I agree about the poor ads. I have been cruising Craig's lately (looking for the boy's first car), and some of tha ads are amazing. I can understand no pictures if you are one of the few people w/o a digital camera.

    What kills me is, no words. These are free people, not the local paper where you pay by the line! No mileage (although that might be on purpose!), no mention of 2/4 door, tranny, etc.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well you could melt down the Mercedes 560SEC in a huge forge and pour yourself new synchros and bearings for the Audi Quattro. And you could knit a headliner out of the unraveling carpeting.

    Remember the guy who was crushing cars into little cubes and selling them as coffee tables on eBay?

    Great idea except he forgot that your coffee table now weights two tons.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oops! Looks like those nice Triumph bike photos are way too big for our format. Wonked the whole page for everybody. I'm sorry I had to remove them. Could you size them down and try again? Thanks Shifty.

    PS: As for the dangers, I am reminded of what one old motorcycle racer told me: "You ain't gonna fall off unless you let go".
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Ughh I thought I already did.

    Maybe I linked to the wrong ones let me check.

    Edmunds forums really needs to get onto the 21st century for formating.

    Hmhh thats weird I did resize those pics 30 percent smaller and reuploaded them to photobucket but it is pulling the full size pics for some reason.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah it totally messed up the page so that the response/edit buttons were obliterated. You know, there's just so much room on a page and we need those ads!

    Just Google up some nice pix of the bike.

    I rode Triumphs and Nortons for quite a few years, then switched to BMWs and had one Ducati. I never cared for Japanese bikes or Harleys. In the former case I don't like bikes with light flywheels & glitzy styling and in the latter I don't like bikes that weigh two tons and handle like pianos. British bikes are great handling bikes and they are "fast enough" for America.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I did resize them for this Post here not sure why it isn't working now



    image

    image

    image

    image
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    It would be nice if the setting here could be adjusted for resolutions on computers made after 1994, yeah....

    I think about getting a motorcycle all the time...usually those thoughts are stopped by driving around town for an hour and how many idiots I encounter when driving a car. If I was on a bike, I'd be stuck up in the grille of a trophy wife's RX my first day, no doubt.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Riding a motorcycle safety is mostly about a high level of concentration. No spacing out like we do in cars.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,109
    Time then for another car to add to your collection? When you're single, you don't have to worry about naggy wife syndrome!

    It's really tempting, and around this time of year I do tend to get the urge to buy something. Spring fever, I guess? But, when I look out the door and see 4 cars in the driveway, and knowing there are 3 more in the garage and one more over at my grandmother's, I come to the realization that I need to learn how to part with them, too!

    I wish that kid who was interested in my Dart would come back! But common sense probably told him to stay away. :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,647
    That's probably why I hate driving around here...I pay too much attention and become aggravated by the incompetence surrounding me. Always on guard, always going around someone elses idiocy.
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,438
    Joe may be waiting a while on this I'm reading this that he wants 11 grand for a pile of parts, right?
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    But it's a pile of parts with "all numebers macthing" -- in light of the recent rustpile with numbers discussion, maybe one could send Joe a check for $10k, and he mails the little vin plates over and sells the sheetmetal for scrap?

    Nothing like a fresh start.

    -Mathias
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's a 327 automatic. It's a low shelf Camaro in terms of value. Matching numbers doesn't matter very much because the numbers aren't the "right" numbers. You can buy very nice ones like this for $20,000 and you ain't getting from Joe's pile to THERE in $10,000.
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,438
    When you're selling a not even half done project, breaking even is not a remote possibility unless it's something really special. Joe would be better off selling the parts individually. Eventually, he would get more money for everything.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Joe is between a rock and hard place at this point. Yeah, I'd sell the car and not even mention the parts, and then sell the parts later.

    Camaro parts are laughably cheap compared to restoring a Porsche, but labor is labor no matter what you are fixing.
  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    But at least with the Porsche you would end up with a Porsche. I have been in many of those Camaros, and even brand new they were rattle traps. My sister-in-law had one for about five years and with every bump I swear you could hear a dozen separate rattles.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Should say:

    BRAKE ASSIST
    U R SOL
    DRAIN YOUR WALLET!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yep, original Camaros were slammed together by blind men, but I have been in restored cars that drove pretty nicely, $50,000 later. The fit and finish on these cars far exceeded factory standards.

    I've seen some amazing workmanship on restorations of this sort. Body sealer everywhere, all welds ground smooth, not a speck of overspray,mirror-like finishes, powder-coated suspension parts, highly polished stainless, leather-trimmed dashboards with chevy- bowtie embossed headliners. (resto-rods), even painting a part of the door jamb the color of the upholstery so that no body color would show with th door closed!

    My current favorite type of restoration is "Pro Touring", which gives a basically stock looking classic car with a modest engine upgrade and lots of suspension, brake and tire work to make the car handle more like a modern one.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,800
    alrighty .... someone is working on something that is ... ummmm... interesting?

    Coworkers 17-year-old has been approached by someone who has offered to trade their '96 Cobra Mustang with 58k miles for the kid's $3k motocross bike. Of course, I instantly said "there's a catch." Yup. Cobra has what the owner claims to be a "certified rebuilt title." OK, I dunno what the heck certified is in this case. Sounds like a BS word he tacked on. Let's call it rebuilt. On a trade, that car is worth about $6500 without title problems. Using the "50% rule," it sounds, on the surface, like its a monetarily fair swap. What say the gang? anyone know anything about such things in NJ in terms of what this title means?

    obviously, no matter the $$ involved, I would suggest they have the car checked out by a pro.

    '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

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Hmhh 17 year old + 96 cobra mustang + rebuilt totaled vehicle + NEW JERSEY = ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS and probably guaranteed wreck waiting to happen.

    My gut says the trade is about even but I just couldn't let a 17 year old drive that car. Not even responsible 17 year old like I was should have that car.

    They only made 7,500 Coupes that year so that is kind of cool and you know half of them have been totaled by now. :P
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,800
    Well, the kid HAD an LT1 camaro up until it caught on fire and burned to the ground. So it seems he won't be parentally limited.

    '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

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