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

oregonboy

I think the question was asked in jest because the car was located in Paris...
(Texas)

lokki

Oregonboy's prize is in the mail!

That bug is in Paris, Texas.... and the way you can be sure is that the license plate is a Texas plate...

The owner is a brave man, obviously, as that's probably the only vehicle for 100 miles that's not a pickup, and a domestic pickup at that... and it's definitely the only one in that color.....

Everybody in town knows him, I'm sure, but I'm not so sure how many people will talk to him.

gsemike

With this guy with the Pontiac, don't forget that any profressional paint job with a minimal amount of body work can top $1,000 and maybe even go to $2,000. Based on the condition of the Chieftain, I doubt any of his other cars will roll in and not need a drop of bodywork which I assume he will want included in exchange for his gem

Mr_Shiftright

You can't get a decent paint job for $2000 anymore, at least not where I live.

How could a man possibly prep an entire car carefully, remove chrome and trim, and use the highest quality paints, all for $2000? Just the paint, primers and solvents for a quality paint job would cost nearly $1000.

Maybe some folks ideas of "quality" differ from mine, and they are content with something that looks great at 10 feet?

But things like taping off trim and glass rather than removing it, any orange peel, fish eyes, dust, curtains, etc.---none of this speaks quality to me.

I'd say $5000 at least to make an old car look really sharp, and this presuming no heavy dent/rust repairs.

Most collectors I know spend $8000 to $10000 for paint, and if you want to go to Pebble Beach, $20,000 is not unheard of.

texases

And what's the value of that Pontiac, once painted and restored? $10,000?

Mr_Shiftright

Looks like it's a Streamliner Coupe, right? I'd say if it was restored inside and out, with shiny chrome, nice paint, clean upholstery, rebuilt undercarriage and purring like a kitten----maybe $13,500 if you could find anybody who wanted it.

This body style and era is quite unpopular in general, except maybe for a Ford convertible or a modded coupe in the old hot rod style, (not something you'd do with a 51 Pontiac) and would be enormously difficult to sell.

Given these hard times, you'd be lucky to get even $10,000 for it. Given its condition, I think it would take maybe $30,000 to get there. And that's not a #1 car, at best a low #2 for $30K investment. If you wanted #1, you're looking over $50K.

gsemike

I hate to be a tool to a total stranger, but sometime you want to shoot the seller an eMail to give them a dose of reality

andre1969

If the seller waits much longer, he's gonna have to pay someone to have the carcass of that '51 Pontiac hauled away! So he'd better be grateful to just take what he can get!

texases

Don't forget - if you want it, and have the money, you still have to demonstrate that you'll take loving care of his baby and restore to the highest possible level!

gsemike

Don't forget - if you want it, and have the money, you still have to demonstrate that you'll take loving care of his baby and restore to the highest possible level

Right, after he's let it rot in his yard for decades

gsemike

I don't know if I like the attitude or the pictures better Did he intentionally turn the flash off

Tired old 4 cyl and no seatbelts = "great daily driver"

No price reduction for recent accident

Nice car but I don't know about the price

Should this be resurrected?

Not a turbo

Goes like a champ

fintail

Apart from the Caddy, the best car there is probably the Hyundai. That says a lot....what a junkyard selection. Wow, I wish I lived on Lawn Guyland :P

Mr_Shiftright

I used to do that, try to be helpful, but the sellers get absolutely enraged, livid, etc---which sort of confirms the fact that they were crazy to begin with. :P

I did used to enjoy though when they'd ask me "well what do YOU know Mr. know-it-all? What do you think you are, the Blue Book?"

Then I'd say "actually I DID write the Early Car Edition of the Kelley Blue Book 1998-2005"

mikeyp53

A kelmark GT with a 383 elephant motor. Makes me horney just thinkin about it.

Mr_Shiftright

As long as you can make it steer and stop, you're okay...or you can steer with the gas pedal...that's always kinda fun.

tjc78

Is it a handbag or a Caddy?

andre1969

It's wrong, whatever it is. Shame, too, because when left alone, in their stock form, those big Caddies are nice cars.

fintail

I remember some idiot around here did that to a ca. 79 Coupe deVille...it even had the "LV" pattern on the vinyl top. It's amazing how some cars attract the worst sense of taste.

Mr_Shiftright

I am shocked....SHOCKED...that he didn't get any bids.

On the other hand, he's in Las Vegas, and I guess what is ruined in Vegas, stays in Vegas?

tjc78

This car reminds me a lot of what people do to the 80s Caprices. However, IMO its much more of a sin on a nice Cadillac like this one.

andre1969

When people put those awful wagon-wheels on cars like that, do they have to make any mods to the suspension? Or can that sin be rectified relatively easily by just putting stock wheels and tires back on?

Did Cadillac ever make any kind of road/rally/alloy wheel for those big Fleetwoods and DeVilles? It seems like I only see them with hubcaps, either plain or wire. Or occasionally some real wire wheels, which on a car like this, actually don't seem too out of place.

tjc78

I don't think there are any mods necessary as long as the tires are low enough profile so that the entire wheel/tire combo isn't any taller than stock.

I have never seen this generation of Fleewood with any type of alloy wheel, its always as you said hubcaps (usually wire) or real wire wheels. I believe the real wire wheels were a factory option

fintail

I think the earlier downsized sedans had a disc style hubcap as standard in the earlier years, 77-79 or so. Those even had a body colored center part like a Mercedes. But as the 80s wore on, I think the fake wires were standard.

I know Eldos had some kind of "sport" looking wheel as an option, and maybe Sevilles too?

gsemike

Holy crap... that's all I can say

steven922

one of a kind

guss

One of a kind for a reason, how many Sprite fanatics are out there. I know Coke has a big following , but Sprite I don't think so.

Just because their are one of them does not make it highly collectable. But for $1500 I could see tearing out the interior and making it camper. It is a high top.

Mr_Shiftright

Actually one could blend out the sprite name and re-con the van as a "fun taxi" in some resort area, for local trips (like Aspen does with the Magic Taxi).

lemmer

I sold it through Craigslist to a really nice guy. The deal went through five days after a guy on eBay welched on his winning bid. I ended up getting more money so it ended up working out pretty well.

It was a repainted car with a non-working odometer, but the biggest issue people seemed to have is that it was outfitted with 3 piece OZ Racing wheels instead of the original Fuchs.

qbrozen

congrats.
Now, is the in-law going to be upset with you?

You've easily beat me for shortest love affair with a car. I've never owned one for less than 8 months.

lemmer

It has actually been 7 months. My FIL should be ok with it because I gave him first right of refusal and I still own my other Porsche. Now if I sold my 944 and replaced it with a Corvette, I might get disowned.

I once owned an '84 Jetta diesel for about a week. I took it as a partial trade for an MGB. I've had maybe 3 others for less than a year.

steven922

1964 MG

Pimp daddy caddy, um...ok

This seems kind of high

lokki

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/1119971373.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/1076931065.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/ctd/1111948899.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/1115307416.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/1085437969.html

fintail

Hideous the lot of them. Beetle seller comes off as a shyster to me, and the 58 Caddy owner is drinking from the NADA Kool-Aid no doubt.

Mr_Shiftright

58 Caddy -- looks like a low #5, high #6 car, so about $750 is market correct.

55 Chevy 210 resto-mod -- looks like about $20000 is all the money here.

06 Pink Beetle -- quick, call the Mary Kay lady!

210delray

Wow, those hurt my eyes, especially the Grand Marquis, but I do like the '55 Chevy. Still, I'd rather have one restored to stock condition.

toomanyfumes

Can you imagine looking at that Grand Marquis (especially the interior) every day?
I think it would make me sick. :sick:

210delray

I agree -- it would make me sick, and that Louis Vuitton Caddy interior from tic78's earlier post would make me insane! :sick:

fezo

I've never owned one for less than 8 months.

And never more than nine months....

andre1969

I was looking through some car records, and it just hit me...it was 4 years ago today, that I purchased my '76 LeMans. I should've driven it to work to celebrate, but it won't start! No spark, so I'm guessing it's the coil or distributor. With any luck, maybe just a loose wire. But I don't usually have that kind of luck. :sick:

In May, it'll be two years since I bought my 2nd '79 New Yorker. And in October, it'll be EIGHT since I bought the 5th Ave. Where does the time go? :surprise:

Mr_Shiftright

Time and rust and dead batteries doth wait for no man --- Shakespeare

bumpy

pocket rocket

prehistoric suv

this should go in a museum

everyone will know it's you

one zero too many

homebrew

little jefe?

boomchek

CRX: I always liked these. Fun commuter cars, good on gas, and quick. The problem is most have been molested beyond hope. This one looks clean at least. Price is about rightif it had no issues, otherwise I'd drop $2000-$2500 on it.

Integra: It's funny how the first gen Integras look like the Accords from the same era. This one should go to a museum or a Honda/Acura collector.

Crew Cab Ford: That's gotta be one of the first crew cab light duty trucks. Interesting.

texases

I imagine that CRX is FAST, they weigh next to nothing (just don't hit anything). I do wonder about what kind of problems having a JDM motor in it would create for title, plates, inspections...

Mr_Shiftright

You'd never drive it in California.

boomchek

In Canada it's pretty lenient as long as it passes our smog inspection. There's a ton of Japanese cars here in Vancouver with JDM motor swaps.

fintail

Same here - apparently it doesn't take much to pass local emissions tests, or simply register the car in an area with no such requirements. Lots of swapped engine Hondas out there.

It's bringing in an entire car that gets the DOT/EPA control freaks upset south of the border.

qbrozen

And never more than nine months....

well.... rarely, at least.

Which reminds me, 11 months now with the G35X and still enjoying it. We were talking about it on the way to the NY Auto Show yesterday and my wife was asking if I wished I had gotten the 330 or S60R instead. My answer is still no. Although the R was my first choice without logic factored in.

gsemike

The paint looks cheap and it will never be worth big money, but that Gran Prix doesn't look bad for a grand or less

Mr_Shiftright

If you live in LA you come to like the EPA, bizarre as that concept might sound.

fintail

A place where I have no desire to live, strangely enough :P

And my old polluter predates emissions, so it's all good.