Yeah, the seller took $30K and left the car at the Cobra shop to be restored by the pawn shop operators.
But I agree, they should have sold it as is, and not muck it up with a crate engine and the wrong upholstery. There might have been some guy out there with a crashed Cobra who had all the right engine/trans parts. He would have paid handsomely to get that body, which looked to be in excellent condition.
Drove one of those one time. Weird car, but kinda fun to drive. That long straight six could really crank some torque at low rpm. With no rear weight, you could smoke the tires as long as you wanted.
A free Miata. It is a '95 M Edition in merlot mica. The car is simply awful cosmetically. It has been on the Mississippi Gulf coast for most of its life. The leather is dried, shriveled, ripped to shreds. The carpet is ruined. The instrument binnacle can be moved away from the dashboard. The radio and a/c are broken. The top still keeps out water but is horrible looking. The paint is sunburned and peeling. The front and rear bumpers as well as the hood have been smacked and scraped by a trailer hitch on a truck. The wheels are Miata wheels, but not M edition wheels. They look like the finish is gone anyway. I probably forgot some stuff, but you get the idea.
Mechanically the story is better. It has a recent timing belt, recent brakes and various other miscellaneous maintenance items. I am told that it runs great. It has been sitting close to a year because it is "really hard" to get into gear. The transmission and clutch were fully serviced (whatever that means) to the tune of $1000 by a mobile mechanic who has since gone into hiding. That kept it working well for about a month before it started not going into gear again.
I would just drag it home if it was anywhere near me, but it would be about a 12 hour round trip on a trailer if I wanted it. It belongs to my brother-in-law who is much more of a monster truck kind of guy. He just wants it to go away. I'd probably feel obligated to give a $100 or $200 for it.
I doubt I'd put much money into it, maybe just try to make it into a cheap autocrosser or something.
You could fly out to sunny California, buy a nice one of these for $3500 and drive it home.
Other than that, your best bet would be to drag it home and remove the engine and transmission and junk the car--then you might stumble across a nice Miata with a bad engine (not easy to find, as these cars are indestructible).
autoX'er is exactly what it is destined for at this point. Even if not for yourself, I'd get it running well and sell it.
There is a guy at my local club who picked up something very similar, as a matter of fact. He then proceeded to strip it down completely ... and I mean completely! It has no body! Well, none to speak of. He welded on something like a tub to surround the engine and passenger compartment. He put on a cage and a racing seat and runs it in XP. Its like a big go-cart now.
Personally, I wouldn't take it that far. Probably strip out the interior, put in the racing seat. A momo wheel and homemade gauge cluster. If at all plausible, I'd make it a hardtop, too. Then paint the whole thing in flat black at home.
Man, I'm jealous. You get a free Miata, britishrover's coworker gets a free E30 .... why can't I have the kind of family that gives me free cool cars? :mad:
'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
Somehow my brother in law left his cars sitting outside and none of them got flooded. His house didn't get flooded either. Dumb luck, really. Most of his neighbors were not as lucky.
Man, I'm jealous. You get a free Miata, britishrover's coworker gets a free E30 .... why can't I have the kind of family that gives me free cool cars?
Me too The only car I got for free was from my dad's friend, an 83 Accord sedan, automatic, in doodoo brown color about 9 years ago. Well I shouldn't complain because it was free and got me around.
"Drove one of those one time. Weird car, but kinda fun to drive. That long straight six could really crank some torque at low rpm. With no rear weight, you could smoke the tires as long as you wanted. "
I owned a 73 - my first car. It had the 232 six, and yes, I had to be careful or I'd spin the rear wheels. I liked the car, but it was not very comfortable on long trips.
When I got married my future-in-laws said I could have their 1978 Ford Fairmont as a wedding gift - provided I got rid of the Gremlin!
BTW the car got about 21MPG both on the road and in town...
I liked the part about "spending over $500 alone" on the suspension.
That would have bought me a couple of cotter pins for my Porsche 928
I used to have that very same year Mazda RX3 wagon. It is actually a very nice car....but.....BUT....I'm not sure this is exactly a "hot item", except for a tiny eetsy beetsy sliver of humanity wearing thick black rimmed glasses and a beret.
I liked those Mk VIIs when they came out, but I'd want an LSC, I don't think that is one. Also, aren't those aftermarket alloys? Lots of $$ for that car...
Its an LSC look at the pillar behind the doors it has a small logo "LSC". If it was a Bill Blass the interior would be diferent and it would have digital dash. The wheels are factory for that year. Later model LSCs got BBS wheels.
Yes they are on 1988s, and 89s, 16". I have always liked the MK VIIs. It seems as if low mileage examples bring good money. If I was looking for one, I wouldn't hesitate to part with 7,500 or 8,000 for a low mileage example like the one posted. Higher mileage ones typically have bad seats as the side bolsters are so big they are prone to wearing and the leather rips.
yes but low mileage cars with a lot of age behind them have their own set of problems sometimes. I'd definitely budget for leaks, bad tires and rusted exhaust systems.
I'd definitely budget for leaks, bad tires and rusted exhaust systems.
Very true, the thing I would be most leary of on any Mark VII (or VIII) is the air suspension. Nothing worse than walking out to your car and the bumpers are two inches from the ground :sick:
What does it think it is, an old Mercedes? :shades:
That LSC does look nice though...to about the point where one would be kind of paranoid driving it, as not to put on too many miles or create any wear.
Well I agree here. For a lot less money you could find a 50 or 60K mile example with a blemish here or there that at least you could enjoy. When I had my 89 Town Car it was in beautiful shape but I bought with with around 60K and was able to put around 5K miles without hurting the value much and enjoyed it (sold it for what I paid for it 3 years later). When I am in the market again for a suitable land yacht I will take the same approach.
Yeah, that's kind of what I mean. Not literally keeping the car sealed up, but driving it carefully and not using a preserved low mileage old car as an abused heavy-duty commuter.
Paying a premium price for something that's just going to continue to lose value year after year, until it becomes worthless, seems pointless to me---but of course, this is everyone's personal decision.
I wouldn't even baby it, if say I inherited it---I'd just use it up, or loan it out, or keep it around outside for a second car. It IS transportation, after all. You can't really "show" it, you can't "race" it, you can't haul much with it---it's kinda useless except as a "car". :P
Of course, there is the joy the seller will receive from singing Happy Birthday to the car once a year.
I'd guess that a price tag of $5500 would put it out the door (maybe). Again, we are talking about sales appeal to a sliver of humanity, and that sliver not being noted for their readiness to grab their checkbooks.
I feel your pain when it comes to the 928, I have two identical 1983 928S. Its like a bad doublemint gum comercial. The second car was supposed to be a parts car for the first one but the parts car turned out to be in much better shape than the first car.
Comments
Same engine AND color as my '79 CJ7. Too bad its an auto.
'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
But I agree, they should have sold it as is, and not muck it up with a crate engine and the wrong upholstery. There might have been some guy out there with a crashed Cobra who had all the right engine/trans parts. He would have paid handsomely to get that body, which looked to be in excellent condition.
OK, we all know I'm crazy ...
But I think I LIKE that Hornet. Such a shame its an automatic. Looks like it may be decent inside, too.
'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
Yellow '74 (or was it a 75?) Gremlin X, but it was a 6 (4.2l) and 3 speed stick.
then later a '75 Hornet (green, of course).Not the wagon, but it was the sportabout (hatch). Also 6 cyl, 3 speed stick.
What can I say. I had strange taste!
also in the same time frame was a yellow duster and a '75 Opel Manta (man, what a mistake that one was).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
"after applying electrodes to the patient, a series of photos of bizarre and uninteresting cars will be flashed on the overhead....."
'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
I still liked the American better.
A free Miata. It is a '95 M Edition in merlot mica. The car is simply awful cosmetically. It has been on the Mississippi Gulf coast for most of its life. The leather is dried, shriveled, ripped to shreds. The carpet is ruined. The instrument binnacle can be moved away from the dashboard. The radio and a/c are broken. The top still keeps out water but is horrible looking. The paint is sunburned and peeling. The front and rear bumpers as well as the hood have been smacked and scraped by a trailer hitch on a truck. The wheels are Miata wheels, but not M edition wheels. They look like the finish is gone anyway. I probably forgot some stuff, but you get the idea.
Mechanically the story is better. It has a recent timing belt, recent brakes and various other miscellaneous maintenance items. I am told that it runs great. It has been sitting close to a year because it is "really hard" to get into gear. The transmission and clutch were fully serviced (whatever that means) to the tune of $1000 by a mobile mechanic who has since gone into hiding. That kept it working well for about a month before it started not going into gear again.
I would just drag it home if it was anywhere near me, but it would be about a 12 hour round trip on a trailer if I wanted it. It belongs to my brother-in-law who is much more of a monster truck kind of guy. He just wants it to go away. I'd probably feel obligated to give a $100 or $200 for it.
I doubt I'd put much money into it, maybe just try to make it into a cheap autocrosser or something.
Other than that, your best bet would be to drag it home and remove the engine and transmission and junk the car--then you might stumble across a nice Miata with a bad engine (not easy to find, as these cars are indestructible).
I certainly wouldn't put a nickel into it myself.
There is a guy at my local club who picked up something very similar, as a matter of fact. He then proceeded to strip it down completely ... and I mean completely! It has no body! Well, none to speak of. He welded on something like a tub to surround the engine and passenger compartment. He put on a cage and a racing seat and runs it in XP. Its like a big go-cart now.
Personally, I wouldn't take it that far. Probably strip out the interior, put in the racing seat. A momo wheel and homemade gauge cluster. If at all plausible, I'd make it a hardtop, too. Then paint the whole thing in flat black at home.
Man, I'm jealous. You get a free Miata, britishrover's coworker gets a free E30 .... why can't I have the kind of family that gives me free cool cars? :mad:
'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
Can you say Hurricane Katrina :P ?
Me too
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I owned a 73 - my first car. It had the 232 six, and yes, I had to be careful or I'd spin the rear wheels. I liked the car, but it was not very comfortable on long trips.
When I got married my future-in-laws said I could have their 1978 Ford Fairmont as a wedding gift - provided I got rid of the Gremlin!
BTW the car got about 21MPG both on the road and in town...
And after all that bitching and moaning, he still doesn't actually say what he wants for it!
'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
No reserve and no rust!
'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
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
That would have bought me a couple of cotter pins for my Porsche 928
I used to have that very same year Mazda RX3 wagon. It is actually a very nice car....but.....BUT....I'm not sure this is exactly a "hot item", except for a tiny eetsy beetsy sliver of humanity wearing thick black rimmed glasses and a beret.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
But, I'm sure it can't be that hard to stick one in there. Or heck, find the guage cluster from a GT, that should fit.
Now, if it only had a sunroof!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Very true, the thing I would be most leary of on any Mark VII (or VIII) is the air suspension. Nothing worse than walking out to your car and the bumpers are two inches from the ground :sick:
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
If I had Leno's means, I'd have already built several of those...some of them out of fintails, too.
That LSC does look nice though...to about the point where one would be kind of paranoid driving it, as not to put on too many miles or create any wear.
Well I agree here. For a lot less money you could find a 50 or 60K mile example with a blemish here or there that at least you could enjoy. When I had my 89 Town Car it was in beautiful shape but I bought with with around 60K and was able to put around 5K miles without hurting the value much and enjoyed it (sold it for what I paid for it 3 years later). When I am in the market again for a suitable land yacht I will take the same approach.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
I wouldn't even baby it, if say I inherited it---I'd just use it up, or loan it out, or keep it around outside for a second car. It IS transportation, after all. You can't really "show" it, you can't "race" it, you can't haul much with it---it's kinda useless except as a "car". :P
I completely disagree.
At that price, it is going to continue posing as a nice lawn ornament. :P
'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
I'm not saying the price is realistic, but it's old enough to be a curiousity now.
Of course, there is the joy the seller will receive from singing Happy Birthday to the car once a year.
I'd guess that a price tag of $5500 would put it out the door (maybe). Again, we are talking about sales appeal to a sliver of humanity, and that sliver not being noted for their readiness to grab their checkbooks.
But still, I got $6500 for the car as is, so I was happy. I had a lot of fun with it, but you know, "enough's enough".