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

texases

What a mess ("OK" assumes it's in reasonable shape):
Dog: 1978 Stutz Black Hawk Drop Top Convertible
Likely Dog: 1975 Corvette custom
Likely Dog: 1932 Duesenberg Phaeton Replica
Any way to 'uncustom' it?: 1959 Chevrolet Impala custom
Not for me: 1962 Chrysler Imperial "Queen of England rode in this car" June 1962
Used car: 1998 Mustang GT
OK clone: 1967 Dodge Coronet 440 R/T clone green
OK: 1966 Dodge Charger Maroon
OK: 1966 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible
Hood?: 1968 Dodge Dart 360
?: 1954 Olds 88 hard top 2dr
?: 1958 Olds Super 88 Gold
?: 1951 Hudson green
OK clone?: 1971 Dodge Super Bee Clone
Andre?: 1972 Chrysler Newport
Likely dog: 1973 Lincoln MK1V custom
OK clone?: 1970 Olds Cutless W/442 badges
Collectible Dog: 1974 Bricklin
Dog: 1976 Rolls Royce Green
Two-tone dog: 1976 Rolls Royce two tone
Dangerous dog: 1966 Customized VW w/Chevy 350 V8
Not for me: 1962 Chrysler Imperial white
Old used car: 1966 Plymouth Belvedere
?: 1950 Desoto burgundy
?: 1956 Desoto 4dr Fireflight "Original Hemi"
?: 1961 Desoto 4dr hard top
?: 1957 Plymouth Belvedere 4dr
Why?: 1974 Buick Apollo

andre1969

I could probably deal wtih the 1972 Newport if it was a tasteful color, but watch it be olive green or baby-poop-caramel or something. :sick:

I'd be kinda curious about the '56 and '61 DeSotos and the '57 Plymouth.

garv214

...Good Lord... I don't know if Fred Sanford would even want any of that collection...

fezo

I saw the three Desotos and the 57 Plymouth and immediately figured you'd be in there....

The 74 Apollo is probably the biggest dog in there but it has competition for the title.

andre1969

Actually, if the Apollo was in decent shape, a good color, and has the 350, it wouldn't make for a bad car.

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah the Mopar stuff might move. The Hudson might move. The Rolls and Bricklin you can just push into the nearest river. The customs are unsaleable. The 54 Olds is a good car, and the '58 Olds might sell if priced right. The Apollo is a big nothing. Does anyone even want a '75 Corvette? I guess if cheap enough.

texases

"Actually, if the Apollo was in decent shape, a good color, and has the 350, it wouldn't make for a bad car."

You're right, I did a brain freeze, was thinking 'Omega', not Apollo. The Apollo would be an interesting change from all the Novas...

boomchek

I guess he has a quadruple whammy facing him before he sells the whole lot for one price:

People with 1. that kind of money and 2. that kind of space, who also 3. happen to like his collection, and who 4. have limited knowledge of old car market to realize most of his cars aren't worth much.

He should eBay the whole lot. If what you're sying shifty is right, then do you think he might get $150k for the entire lot?

fezo

Wouldn't an Apollo just BE a Nova with different trim?

I'll admit that neither the Apollo nor anything in the 74 model year appeals to me.

texases

Anyone with enough money to buy the whole thing would recognize that they'd have to dump, what, over half of it? Who would want to go through all that trouble? Like you say, perfect for Ebay, one at a time.

texases

Yes, that's all it is...just something a little different. I'm not buying 74s, either, but at least it's not an outright bad car like the Omega was (we had one, it almost killed my step mother). I'd be looking at the '60s Mopars.

lokki

I just can't make the math add up to $210,000 unless there are some $1,000 hulks in there.

I'm also concerned that he only shows pictures of his "prizes".... Where's a picture of the maroon 66 Charger? What kind of condition is it in? Does it even have an interior? Dare I even whisper the word rust?

In the end, though, I just come back to wondering.... why?

Mr_Shiftright

It's crazy trying to sell a whole collection together for one big price. Even Harrah's didn't try that.

He has to sort his collection, give the primo cars to auctioneers, the drivers to eBay and the unsaleable old iron to craigslist or autotrader at distress pricing. Probably he needs to have it all appraised so he knows what he's doing and what he's got (and ain't got).

fintail

Grey market Euro-only model, period AMG bodykit, monochrome brightwork, AMG steering wheel, period wheels (BBS?), Euro velour interior...all it needs are proper Euro headlights and a Becker tape player with a Falco tape stuck in it....if I had a place to put it, I might check it out...so tempting for someone who likes these cars

The height of malaise, same year

toomanyfumes

Ugliest T-Birds made. A co-worker had one all dressed up, and it looked even worse. :sick:

Mr_Shiftright

I'd nominate both that Benz and the T-Bird for the next demo derby.

explorerx4

although i haven't browsed the collection, too bad he missed bazooka joe's in scottsdale. maybe he didn't. they said we'll get back to you.

explorerx4

you can really see the fairmont bones in that tbird.
they are only asking 900 bucks.

andre1969

For $900, that T-bird might not be a bad car. My grandparents had a 1981 Granada 2-door with that same engine, the 200 straight six with all of 88 hp. I thought the '81-82 Granada was actually pretty classy for a tarted up Fairmont, but that T-bird never did it for me. I do like its Mercury sister though, the Cougar XR-7.

Still, if I'm going to get some downsized malaise-era personal luxury coupe, it's gonna be a 1980-83 Mirada or Cordoba! I imagine the GM coupes were probably the best of the bunch in this era...as long as you didn't get a Buick 231 V-6 or Pontiac 301 V-8...and presuming you had good luck with the lightweight THM200 transmission. :sick:

qbrozen

Now That's a pretty porsche.

explorerx4

fire extinguisher, front strut tower brace. looks like it could be ready for some track time.
is that white rectangle in the picture with the front brace for the brake fluid?
i would like to see under that carpet.

fezo

My late, great BIL had an 82 Tbird at one point. i have no idea why.

Andre - My folks had a Grenada at one point. Another one of those dad bought for mom cars. These were inevitably bad cars or at least inappropriate ones. We referred to the car as the grenade. Not one of dad's better purchases.

boomchek

Ugliest T-Birds made

I agree.

Looks like a misshapen box on wheels with ugly "luxury" trim attached to it. I must say one of the ugliest cars I have ever seen.

The Benz with the body kit looks odd, almost like the bumpers are too small.

fintail

Hey now, I like that W126! :P

Regarding the bumpers, it is wearing small Euro spec bumpers, so that might be part of it...the lips probably give it different proportions too. It's so 80s...not as cool as a widebody car, but beggars can't be choosers.

Mr_Shiftright

let's face it...it's not the pick of the litter. We used to call these "boy racer" cars and they were the subject of derision at auction. It's just not something you do to a Benz. It's borderline disfigurement IMO. The market agrees I think and prices them accordingly.

fintail

I think it's cooler than some boring champagne on tan 1982 US-Spec 380SEL anyway. If I had endless funds and room to store cars, I'd like to make some lineup tracing the history of AMG. Something like that would be a part of it.

Mr_Shiftright

You're a better man than I. I couldnt' stand to look at it. :P

fintail

I don't think it is tasteful or anything ...just cool in its own way, a piece of another time. :shades:

boomchek

I'm starting to like period modifications, not just on euro cars, but also on tuner cars that I grew up with.

I think Sir Mix A Lot had a lot of crazy cars like widebody Gemballas, and SEC coupes with crazy body kits.

Out of 80s euro tuned cars, I think the 190 Evo would be my favorite, and the first gen BMW M3.

qbrozen

How many excuses can you fit in 1 paragraph?

fintail

I've developed a soft spot for the old tuned cars ,too. Freaky widebody gullwing door SECs are amusing.

The 190 and M3 are very likeable cars...I also like the W124 Hammer cars, old time super-sedans.

fintail

What a pit...miled up and with a lot of cosmetic needs. I'd imagine for 5 grand more you could get one that was a lot more than 5 grand better.

Mr_Shiftright

Now why would someone rebuild a 911 engine ($12,000) and transmission ($5000), oddly enough not at the same time, and then sell the car for so much less? Unless of course it's not rebuilt but rather "gone through" (uh-oh).

If indeed the engine was totally rebuilt by a top shop, with receipts, I'd just remove the engine and trans and junk the car and put the rebuilt drivetrain into a cleaner car that is being restored. possibly one being restored.

"There is no such thing as a cheap Porsche".

texases

I thought it odd he said "The motor doesn't leak and was resealed with the rebuild". How could one 'rebuild' a motor and NOT reseal it? Sounds like it was 'gone through' at the Quicky Lube! :sick:

jlflemmons

Uh, the Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo were all the same exact care, just the grill, trim, and tail lights were different. Maybe the 350 was brand specific, but I think they all used the Chevy. Not sure on that.

You did notice that someone in marketing had a sense of humor in that the first letter of each spells "NOVA" ?

fintail

I have a friend who has noticed the drop off in used car prices, and is considering a Porsche 996/911. Are these known to be troublesome, I think I have read the 993 cars are better? I've told him to have anything gone over by a specialist of course, but I wouldn't know what to look for other than records and general damage. He likes the 996 that were optioned with the aero/GT3 bodykit.

jlflemmons

No leaks apparent immediately after power wash. :P

lokki

A little change from my usual "What were they thinking?" posts

1967 MGB. Chrome bumpers, wire wheels, aluminum hood, steel dash car
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/996438104.html

Advertised as "Convertible"
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/993187216.html

For the Pickup Truck crowd
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/992627403.html

67 Cougar w/ hypo 289
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/988485694.html

1955 Chevy BelAir 2 door hardtop -
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/986551458.html

lokki

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA CABRIOLET 1987 - $17500
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/983917099.html

Since there's been some interest in these.

hpmctorque

"Uh, the Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo were all the same exact care, just the grill, trim, and tail lights were different. Maybe the 350 was brand specific, but I think they all used the Chevy."

I don't know which V8s the Ventura and Apollo offered, but I'm quite sure the Omega offered Oldsmobile 260 and 350 V8s, in addition to a six (250 ci Chevy I-6, I believe). The Nova offered Chevy 305 and 350 V8s, of course, in addition to its 250 I-6.

Regarding the other sixes, I think the Ventura used the Chevy 250 I-6, while the Apollo had the Buick 231 V6 (not as good as the Chevy 6 in those days).

andre1969

Back when you could still get a 350 in every version of the X-car, I think each division used its own engine. At some point though, I believe Buick/Olds/Pontiac stopped offering a 350 in these cars, and the biggest engine offered was then a Chevy 305. I think the Nova continued to offer a Chevy 350 right up through the end in 1979, though.

And the Olds 260 V-8 was definitely one of the choices for the Omega. I remember seeing a '76 or '77 Omega Brougham at a local park and sell lot back in the late 90's, and it had the 260. It was an attractive little car...light blue with a matching velour (actually more of a felt-type, I guess) interior.

boomchek

Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo

= NOVA

Haha, good one lol

andre1969

but I just got a call from my mechanic, and the trim pieces for my '67 Catalina finally came in. He expects to have it finished by the time I get off work at 4, so hopefully that car finally, FINALLY, gets to come home!

Weather's not too bad either right now. I think it's about 45 degrees out. I wonder if I should try driving with the top down? :shades:

xwesx

Hell, if it was 45 here again, I would definitely have the top down!

lemko

My Dad had a 1981 T-Bird and it was prettier than the one pictured in the ad - in the sense that a razorback boar is prettier than a warthog. That car was a dog with its anemic 255 cid V-8. I had to floor that thing just to get it up a hill. I'd say it would be downright dangerous merging with it in modern traffic.

fezo

it was prettier than the one pictured in the ad - in the sense that a razorback boar is prettier than a warthog.

Thanks, lemko. Exactly right and almost a killed keyboard...

Andre - we'll be needing some pics when you finally get the Pontiac back.

I has one of those Novas with the 250. Since the engine compartment was designed to hold a much bigger engine along with things like AC that mine didn't have it was stunning how much room you had to fool around in there.

qbrozen

A Porsche wearing a wife-beater T-shirt?

qbrozen

Anyone know what a "restoration style paint job" is?

qbrozen

huh. he's right. it does LOOK nice on the outside.

this one actually interests me. and, hell, why rebuild the 6 when you can drop in an 8?

qbrozen

and the hits keep coming.

Ok, here the car is smokin'

and here the owner is smokin'