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

tjc78

That 54 Caddy got me to thinking that green seemed to be popular in the mid 50's, mid 60's and then early to mid 70's

Don't forget it had a brief time in the early 90s. Ford was all over it, inside and out. Willow Green was the interior color name IIRC. Taurus, Mark VIII, CV/GM and Town Cars all had it as an option.

Chrysler made about a bazillion emerald green cars but the interiors were never green.

andre1969

Back in 1978, my Granddad bought a wrecked '53 DeSoto Firedome sedan from his brother in law, and it was that light seafoam green, similar to the body of that '54 Caddy, although maybe a bit bluer in hue. He found another '53 Firedome sedan at a place called Leon's Auto Salvage down in Culpeper, VA, that was a darker greenish color...similar to the roof of that Caddy!

Granddad got the hood, driver's side fender, bumper, and all the grille "teeth" for something like $100-125 back then. Never did get around to painting it so it all matched though, so the car was always "two-toned" but not in the way Chrysler had originally intended!

The last time I was down in that junkyard was probably 1997, and that '53 was still there! For all I know, it could still be, although I've heard that the owner did finally start clearing the place out and crushing some cars. As for Granddad's '53, he sold it in 1986, about the time I got my learner's permit. The new owner tried to jump start it with a 12 volt car, fried something in it, lost interest, and put it back in the woods behind his house. He lives down near my Mom, in Southern Maryland. Last time Google Maps took overhead pics, it was still showing up...

It's scattered among the other forgotten treasures in his back yard, toward the upper right corner.

qbrozen

Came up with a few searching local craigs.

At least its a v8. Price seems reasonable enough.

Good looking truck.

I'd ask for more pics, but I'm not sure I'd feel very manly in that color.
Of course, you have to overlook the fact that he calls it a "high 4, low 3."

Mr_Shiftright

63 Rambler -- looks like somebody died in that back seat---but it might clean up. Given the interior photos and engine bay, the car looks a little rough. Certainly not "loved". Priced a little high--I'd offer $2500--$2750 tops.

60 Ford F250--price seems fair enough, although a 250 is worth less than a 150.

62 T-Bird -- price is about retail correct for a #4, "fair" condition. Actually a Hagerty #4 is a nicer car than most other price guides' #4.

tjc78

I like the front end of the 62 T-bird. Looks pretty nice. I don't understand why the seller of the Rambler wouldn't have cleaned the interior.

The Ford truck would make a nice sleeper, drop a 460/C6 in and have fun.

berri

I was just a kid when my dad bought that used 54 DeSoto. I tried to talk him into a flashier 55 Dodge on the lot. The DeSoto was a nice looking car with lots of chrome inside and out. It was also a nice for the times highway cruiser with that small hemi. But, as I recall it wasn't the most reliable car. My dad had to carry a wedge of wood along in the winter to prop open the butterfly valve so it would start. I seem to recall a number of other oddball maladies including a collapsed gas tank. His next car was a Ford, but then he went back to a Plymouth.

Mr_Shiftright

Who knows why people are so lazy? I've seen MILLION DOLLAR cars run out of gas going up the auction ramp!!

qbrozen

Hell, I'm not sure I've ever found a private party car for sale that didn't have very simple needs that could be addressed and increase the value. Maybe my attention to these things is why my cars usually sell so quick. :confuse:

tjc78

It is, people see your car that all they have to do is pay for it compared to the other junk that is out there.

I sold the wife's Elantra to the first person who looked at it. He was just stunned how clean it was.

I hope the 03 Camry I have to sell my for my Mom goes as well. That's my next project in the next couple of weeks. My Stepdad kept it really nice, so I'm thinking a quick wash/wax and maybe a half hour sprucing up the engine and it should be good to go.

fintail

Around here anyway, you'd have people lining up for that Camry, esp if it is nice and clean. The 97-06 generation are hugely demanded in the used market, as they are so durable, but haven't aged as much as older models.

When I sold my 126, it went to the first person who looked at it as well - because it was immaculate and had a pile of paperwork. Also, it was a warm day, so I could show off the working AC. For subsequent cars, I have just traded in - too many lookie loos and joyriders in the used AMG market.

fintail

I really like the color of that Seville, and I like bustlebacks - but I would have to seek a 1980 model with a metal roof/no add ons/actual wheels.

You're right in that Caddy would have died if that 1985 model look had continued. Even by 1992, Caddy knew the error of its ways. For the 78 levels of GM management, that's actually a quick response.

I don't like the mousefur velour in old cars too - I think a lot of the greybeard set likes to put that in their hot rods.

fintail

Were there many manly colors in 62? I think the Bird looks good in that color, myself.

To me, "low 3" is a no worries driver - a 10 footer. Mechanically sound, reliable enough, you can drive it without freaking out about a stone chip etc. I put my fintail in that same range.

hpmctorque

The '85 GM C bodies were conceived shortly after the second major oil price spike. The primary objective was increased fuel economy, while retaining as much of the space and ride that luxury buyers had been used to. These objectives were achieved through weight reduction and space efficiency. These models were reasonably well received, but a significant number of buyers pushed back. The subsequent freshenings reflected that most luxury car buyers felt that GM had gone too far, and that size mattered.

I was a fan of the '85 C bodies, although transmission problems, mainly, plagued my '85 98 Brougham. It did make it to 154,000 miles, though, which was good for the time, but that's when the third transmission crapped out.

explorerx4

I was thinking the same thing, but wasn't positive.
Another funny thing is the case of Corona stuck in the rear wheel well of the blue 90's Caprice. Maybe to show clearance?

fintail

The continual maintenance on this thing will make it a project car - but wow, it's beautiful. The asking price viewable on the link isn't out of line either.

Mr_Shiftright

Unfortunate color. The 6.3 sedans look good with black paint and red interior.

bhill2

Oh Fin. What have you done to me? That's only about 1 1/2 hours from here. Oh well, as beautiful as it is I'd rather be able to keep buying food.

fintail

Never seen one in that combination - has to be rare. Most I have seen are beige/cream, white, brown...I did see a pretty blue one once. I can deal with that green and the light interior.

fintail

And it's not the purchase price that would break the bank, but the future needs. If only I had an infinite bank account and similar sized garage.

stickguy

T, what's the deal with this Camry? And why didn't you have it when I actually needed a car?

not that I couldn't be convinced to expand or rotate the fleet!

actually, my Integra is helping to do me in lately. I strained my lower back a few weeks back and keep retweaking it, and getting in and out of that little thing is doing me no favors. And nice high comfy mobile sounds nice right about now.

Mr_Shiftright

Like $1500 bucks for a waterpump?

bhill2

And it's not the purchase price that would break the bank, but the future needs.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to, although the purchase price is not exactly chump change either. Maybe I could quickly buy a lottery ticket and if I win I will be able to afford to buy and support it (maybe).

tjc78

T, what's the deal with this Camry?

It was my Stepdad's car. He passed away in March. Mom doesn't need two cars and since the RAV4 is leased she is keeping that. Her lease is up in December so I thought maybe she would turn it in and keep the Camry but she wants another SUV.

lemko

What year and model was your W126 and how many miles was on it? Heck, if I lived out your way, I'd have probably bought it. A working A/C on one of those is very important.

lemko

I was also an owner of one of those FWD C-bodies - a 1988 Buick Park Avenue that turned out to be an awesome car. Of the three, I think the Park Avenue was the cleanest looking of the bunch. Trouble is, despite being a great car, it just wasn't my idea of what a Buick Park Avenue should've been - a big grand stately automobile. Instead, it came off as rather apologetic. It was rather petite compared to my wife's 2005 LaCrosse.

What really made those C-bodies look awkward was putting those '70s styling elements on a much smaller car. It was like pimping-out a Dodge Aries.

andre1969

What really made those C-bodies look awkward was putting those '70s styling elements on a much smaller car. It was like pimping-out a Dodge Aries.

If it makes you feel any better, I remember my ex-wife going off on someone who got her mad for whatever reason, who was driving a 1988+ New Yorker, and she ended up calling it a pathetic, wanna-be Cadillac, pathetic excuse for a car or something like that! So, in her mind at least, those shrunken Cadillacs were still more prestigious than the FWD NYers! And I guess it showed that she had some knowledge of cars, as she could tell that the NYer was trying to ape those Caddies a bit...especially towards the rear with the vertical taillights.

Personally, I think those shrunken C/H bodies would have made a nice replacement for the old RWD G-body sedans...Bonneville, Cutlass Supreme, 4-door Regal, Malibu. They were about the same size externally, had similar trunks, and slightly larger interiors. Or, if nothing else, a companion to the bigger cars, but not a direct replacement.

But then, offering two sizes of "full-sized" car didn't work for Chrysler ("The New, Small Fury, the car a lot of people have been waiting for !" but apparently didn't get the memo) or Ford ("Only Ford offers TWO choices in full-sized cars...the traditional-sized LTD or the new, trim-size LTD-II" where nobody was fooled by the fact it was simply a restyled Torino).

And even with GM, once word got out that the cars were getting downsized, buyers flocked out to try and score one of the big models while they still could.

fintail

I had a 1989 300SE - the SWB I6 model. It was at about 200K when I sold it - so even though it was pristine, it was getting up there. Still, it sold to the first person who saw it - I was the second owner, had all papers going back to the original window sticker, everything worked, etc. I sometimes regret selling it as it was a lovely car, but I didn't have a place to keep it indoors, and I had moved on to something faster.

fintail

And the air suspension and fuel consumption and no doubt the engine consumables, etc. But if you're going to go broke, might as well do it with some style :shades:

fintail

Same price as a decent Camcordusionatabu, maybe it could be justified that way. Until daily expenses come around :shades:

bhill2

That's a good thought, but the daily expenses would come around (and come around and come around and ...) which would interfere with my ability to keep eating and living under a roof and so on. I need to remember to buy that lottery ticket.

lemmer

Both of these cars have been on the market a long time, even with some price drops.

944S2 with 205K miles!

185K mile M5.

texases

What's the most important thing about the M5? The engine. What do we NOT have a picture of? The ENGINE...grrr...

hpmctorque

Tastes change, but at the time I thought those 1985-1990 C-bodies were elegant.

Your 1988 Park Avenue was improved over the 1985s. First, the transmission was considerably stronger, and, second, the 3800 engine was reengineered to be more powerful and stronger, while retaining the same displacement of what was earlier referred to as the 3.8. However, the 3800 also had those infamous composite plastic (or whatever that material was called) intake manifolds.

For 1990 (I think that was the year) they added some torsional rigidity to the C-body. The tradeoff, I believe, was a little more weight, but not much.

fintail

Maybe what... 50 cents a mile in running costs? Could be worse! :shades:

If I hit a big lottery, I'd probably have a 6.3 in the collection.

bhill2

I would have to do some thinking about whether I wanted a 6.3 or a 600 (short wheelbase) sedan. Maybe both, if the jackpot were big enough. I would alternate between them until I had a choice, then I would sell the other one and buy something that caught my fancy. Yes, I do have an active imagination.

Mr_Shiftright

I'd predict more like $2 a mile if you really keep it up.

At the advertised price, I already know it's a 6.3 where you're going to be playing catch-up.

stkntraffic

I used to work with a guy many years ago who loved the Park Avenue "T-Type" cars. He owned a couple of them and swore they were the ultimate sleeper cars.

Anybody remember those? I haven't seen one around for years.

tjc78

I don't remember a "Park Avenue T-type". There was the Electra T-type and then above that in 89-90 you had the first use of "park ave ultra" which was a trim level above the t-type.

In 91 the Park Avenue was it's own model and the Ultra had the supercharged 3800.

The 85-90 C-body was always confusing to me. There were four trim levels all under the Electra nameplate:
Limited
Park Avenue
T-type
Park Ave Ultra.

I think generally even the base "limited" was referred to as a Park Avenue.

hpmctorque

I hadn't thought of the Buick T-Type models in quite a while, but now that you mention it I remember the Electra and the Century T-Types. Nice cars! Buick should have kept them in their line-up, and continuously improved them.

Thinking about it, though, there was probably too much redundancy between the Pontiac 6000 STE and Bonneville SSEs, and those Buicks, and Pontiac was GM's performance division.

andre1969

Thinking about it, though, there was probably too much redundancy between the Pontiac 6000 STE and Bonneville SSEs, and those Buicks, and Pontiac was GM's performance division.

There was definitely some redundancy, but that was still the era when each brand was trying to be all things to all people. And they were just coming off a recent high where Olds had been outselling Ford for several years in a row, and there was even one year in there where Buick topped Ford! By the late 80's, GM's market share was starting to shrink, but I think they were still acting like it was the 60's, 70's, and early-mid 80's.

I always thought the late 80's LeSabre T-type coupe was a sharp looking car. Back in the 90's, I worked with a woman whose husband had a 1986 Olds 88 coupe. I don't think it was anything special, but it was all black and had alloy wheels, so it had sort of a muscular, menacing look to it.

hpmctorque

"...there was even one year in there where Buick topped Ford!"

I'm thinking that might have been 1979, when GM introduced the X-cars, or 1980, but that's just a guess.

I liked both the LeSabre T-Type coupe and the Olds 88 coupe. The latter looked especially nice with the black exterior and the tan leather interior, plus alloy wheels. I'll like one with the touring suspension.

fintail

Is there any 6.3 that's really truly 100% sorted?

fintail

6.3 would be more fun and easier to drive in the city, but maintenance costs might be a wash.

If I had a big jackpot, my garage would be the size of an aircraft hangar, so no worries about cost.

Mr_Shiftright

"Is there any 6.3 that's really truly 100% sorted?"

Yes, on any given day. :P

stkntraffic

Maybe it wasn't a Park Avenue T-Type then. I just remember it was basically the same badge-engineered car as my Dad's '86 Delta 88 (FWD w/the 3.8).

Anyway, they were pretty sharp back in the day.

andre1969

Initially they used a "300" and "380" designation with the 1985 Electra, but I think they dropped it pretty quickly. I don't think very many Electras were ordered with the 3.0 V-6, although it was nominally the base engine. Kinda like how in 1981-84 the 4.1 V-6 was supposedly the base engine, but the vast majority came with the Olds 5.0/307 V-8. Or, the Diesel. :sick:

stkntraffic

Ha! You mentioned the Olds diesel... My Dad (who didn't know anything about cars) listened to some bad advice and bought a 1981 Delta 88 Diesel. I seriously think it had more miles vertically going up and down on lifts than it did horizontally on the road. Truck engine + car transmission = big trouble.

The only saving grace was he had the foresight to buy the top-of-the-line extended warranty, and believe me that paid for itself many times over.

Of course, he went from the frying pan into the fire when he traded the oil-burner for the 86 FWD Delta 88.

Five years later I was finally old enough to have some influence with him. I convinced him to buy a 92 Crown Vic. I told him, think about it- every cop and taxi driver in the USA drives one. It's got to be a reliable car. They've worked out the bugs just by sheer numbers. The Vic ended up being the only car he ever loved

tjc78

92 Crown Vic.

They've worked out the bugs just by sheer numbers

Love the 92! Ironically that was the first year of the 4.6 in the CV/GM but AFAIK they were reliable, but did suffer from some oil burning once they crossed 100K (valve stem seals) The best part about a 92 was the one year only grill/front end.

andre1969

I liked the '92 Crown Vic a lot when it came out, as well. I thought the grille-less design looked great. But, I guess the traditionalists whined, because Ford tried fitting one in for '93. However, I don't think Ford really got it sorted out to where it looked good until 1998.

I also liked the fact that the Crown Vic had a different roofline than the Grand Marquis, with the quarter window in the C-pillar. Shame they changed that individuality for 1998, but with the rest of the car seeming a bit more squared-up in general, maybe the older roofline wouldn't have worked? I'm sure the real reason they did it was to save on production costs.

tjc78

92 was a great look. I do believe there were some problems with cooling in extreme climates, but not a huge problem. The 93-97 grill was never that great IMO. The 98-2011 grill I don't like either. If I had a Vic it would get a Police interceptor grill with the surround painted body color. That looks great.