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

qbrozen

I liked the Marauder.

qbrozen

I think my kids would like this

tjc78

Tough 46k

Givenchy

Cruiser

Pricey Wagon

442

stkntraffic

I agree the MB seller is dreaming. I like the Lincoln though.

Back in the 80's you used to see those Rivieras (and the Olds equivalent Toronado) all the time, but I haven't seen one of these in ages.

Good finds.

Mr_Shiftright

FJ40--- people never cease to amaze me--his "minor dings" are about $1000 in body damage (easy), he has "lots of parts" he just hasn't had time to put on, the floors are banged up, the headliner is shot, and he wants $11.5K? Nice old truck, but get real, man. $7500 would be all the money here.

Mercedes Wagon---current bid of $4200 (and probably the last bid) is market correct.

1985 Olds 442: yeah, it's rare but how many people care? For this kind of money you can buy a Regal turbo T Top. It's going to have to look a lot better than it does for $11.5K

andre1969

1985 Olds 442: yeah, it's rare but how many people care? For this kind of money you can buy a Regal turbo T Top. It's going to have to look a lot better than it does for $11.5K

I've tended to notice that people want an awful lot of money for those 80's Olds 442's. Personally, I like them, but not enough to over-pay on one! In stock form, they're not that great of a performer, either. Olds got 180 hp out of the 307, same as the Monte SS's 305, but IIRC, the Monte SS was always a bit quicker. And in the final year or two, I think the 442 got cut a bit to 170.

The Monte SS and turbo Regals were pretty hot sellers, but the Olds 442 never took off. And I always wondered why Pontiac never put out a version of these revived musclecars for the Grand Prix? After all, Pontiac was supposed to be the performance division.

Pontiac did have that Grand Prix 2+2 for a year or two, but it was all show and no go. Just used the plain 150 hp 305 that a regular Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, or Bonneville G used. And it was a VERY poor seller.

fintail

I like the MB, it is weird, but 5K is probably about all it could ever bring. Old MB wagon people either want something really old (like a fintail Universal, which bring good money) or diesel, nothing else. If it was a diesel, it could bring twice that bid. That specific engine was pretty old by 1984 - there's not a lot of demand for that unit, the 4cyl would probably be worth more today. To be positive, condition looks nice, Euro model is a plus, I like the period correct wheels - but the colors are also period correct, not the best. It would be worth more if shipped back home - but probably no more than the cost of shipping and repatriation. Interesting that it has ABS - it was offered for a few years by then. Would really be something if it was an airbag car, which was offered in later run W123s, but seldom seen.

Lincoln is probably the deal of that lot.

tjc78

I thought the same thing about the wagon, neat but certainly overpriced as the bidding pretty much showed.

The Lincoln is a nice example of a rare model. That may be the rarest of all the Mark V's, factory slick-top which is a big plus IMO.

Mr_Shiftright

The problem with those old "designer Lincolns" is that they are huge, heavy, poofy cars and you have to have really up-to-snuff suspension parts and bushings, and very tight steering, and stout radial tires, or the car is going to wallow and bounce and wiggle all over the road to the point of being very unsettling to drive.

Given the low miles, I didn't think that car looked so great. It looks like it sat around doing nothing for a long time.

tjc78

I think with minimal work the one I posted would be a decent show/cruiser car. The hardest thing to sort out on the designer models is the interior and that is in really good shape.

I had a 79 Town Coupe. It certainly was a "floater" but still capable enough to drive along with much newer cars (I owned it in the late 90s). I was always surprised at how well it stopped despite it's bulk and not being 4 wheel disc. It was Hydroboost I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh it'll stop once or twice, but brake fade would be severe.

True, though, interiors would be prohibitive to restore on a car like that.

yeah, the chassis could be cleaned up and detailed, as well as the engine bay, trunk mat, etc.

It just wasn't that sharp a car for that money IMO, but not bad, not bad. The seller should have gone the extra mile.

fintail

Reminds me of the ~78 Town Coupe a coworker's parents have, the one I posted here some months ago. Has something like 23K on it, but not a spotless concours piece. I told her that before they sell it, they need to shell out a few hundred bucks and have it detailed from top to bottom. They won't do it, and she looked at me like I was crazy to suggest spending the money.

Lately, she seems concerned about how long her dad might be around, and has mentioned she'd sell it to me cheap enough to where I could flip it and profit. I told her it's worth maybe 5K or so with any issues sorted - not the 7K+ they wanted for it as-is.

Mr_Shiftright

Not an easy car to flip unless you but it cheap. Remember the old saying: "The profit on a used car is in the buying, not the selling".

That goes DOUBLE for "collectible cars".

fintail

I told her I'd be hard pressed to give her more than a couple grand for it - I just don't have much interest, nor a place to store it.

As gas prices continue to rise, the values of those yachts probably won't do likewise.

Mr_Shiftright

It's conceivable that some of these old barges will cost .75 cents a mile to drive in the not too distant future, if gas goes to $6 a gallon. (hey, we've already seen $5).

andre1969

I just ran the numbers for my '79 New Yorker, and its last fill-up came to almost 52 cents per mile. It had only gone 115.7 miles on its last tank, and it cost $60 on the nose to fill up. 15.547 gallons of 93 octane, at $3.859 per gallon.

Now, its last fill-up was back in September of 2011, so I'm sure driving that little in a year and a half didn't help things much. I'm sure if I drove it more, things would improve. And my 2.5 mile commute to work is going to kill the mpg on just about anything. It did manage 19 mpg on a trip. Once.

Mr_Shiftright

Ah, that's okay. I rode my bike last weekend about 30 miles and got so hungry I stopped for lunch and a beer--that also worked out to about .50 cents a mile!

Mr_Shiftright

It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time

fintail

Those are some strong drugs, yikes. I like the dirty seat, too. I can get an actual Ferrari for that kind of money.

texases

That disaster almost makes this one look classy and restrained

andre1969

I think that "El Cedes" is actually kinda cool. I think it shows some imagination and artistic talent, whereas that botched-up Mustang just seemed so wrong on every level.

fintail

Yeah, the ElCedes is ugly, but looks well built, at least in the pics. And at least they had the sense to use the flush Euro lights.

xwesx

Oh, my goodness. That takes ugly to a whole new level! Wow. I'm shocked that the seller is asking money for that atrocity. I think a better approach would be to lease it to folks for about $200 a month (as in, the owner pays $200 a month to whomever is willing to drive it!). Of course, there would have to be mileage minimums worked into the deal.... :sick:

toomanyfumes

I kinda like the "El Cedes," too. That Mustang doesn't look good from any angle, the front is especially hideous.

tjc78

The Mustang creator must have lost a bet or done some good drugs.

xwesx

I'd think that El Cedes looked pretty decent too, without that spoiler. As difficult as it is to say this, I think that particular "feature" really spoils it for me. :P

Mr_Shiftright

...is this considered "rare"? Or was it "rare" in the bad sense, as in "nobody ever bought one"?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/3820147863.html

fintail

A little of both. Malaise, bad economic year, unloved design.

I actually don't mind those, probably because I remember seeing another 442 one (black yellow and red, I think) when I was a kid, and thinking it was cool.

Mr_Shiftright

Is this just a set of GM decals?

fintail

I am sure it is mostly decals, rear louvers, louder exhaust.

texases

What, no excitement for that screaming 260 cid mill?

Mr_Shiftright

whoa! Don't let that baby get away from you! :P

andre1969

I used to think that era of 442 at least had a Chevy 305 4-bbl standard. But, seeing the 260 listed in that ad copy shattered that illusion for me.

In checking my old car book, they don't list the 442 as a model/trim level, so it was just an option package for the Cutlass Salon hunchback, of which they built around 32,000 total. It does list a 305-4bbl with 165 hp as being an option for the Cutlass, which is interesting, because at Chevy, they only offered it with the 145 hp 2-bbl.

My book also shows the Buick Century/Regal offering a 160 hp 305. Wonder if the 165 versus 160 is a misprint, or if Olds really did something to get 5 more hp out of it? In 1979, the 305-4bbl got wider use, offered at Chevy as well, and by this time it had 160 hp, while the 2-bbl got cut to 130. For 1980, I think they only offered the 4-bbl, with 155.

And, to add to the confusion, Olds also offered a Hurst in those years, which was based on the more formal notchback coupe. It used a 350, and they kept production low, at something like 2499 units, to keep from having to get it certified through the EPA.

I think those hunchbacks are pretty ugly for the most part, but in the right color combo, and with some nice wheels can work. I've seen black 442s with gold trim that don't look bad. And black-over-silver Centurys that look pretty sharp.

omarman

Maybe this old Electra 225 coupe isn't a classic but at least an old favorite from the 70s. Well liked when new and maybe collectible to some now. Probably not $6500 collectible though. I like it. :shades:

fintail

Might not be too far off, if it is as nice as it looks. Sharp with the metal roof. Really needs some of those Buick style mag wheels, would be a classy ride.

tjc78

Wow! slick top. That is pretty rare! If it checks out, the price is fair.

andre1969

Yeah, it does look really good without the landau top. I wonder what engine it has? My guess is, just a 350. The car looks pretty low-option overall, so I'm guessing the original owner didn't splurge on the engine either. But then, you never know. The 403 option probably cost less than an 8 track option!

Mr_Shiftright

That would be a home-run price for the car, but if it's really only 15,000 miles, and the car is mint top to bottom and under, it might bring close to that.

But if mileage is not verifiable, or if it's looking less than perfect underneath, then $4500 is more like it.

explorerx4

there are 2 of them?

andre1969

Quick, somebody kill them before they multiply! Or at least, neuter and spay!

ab348

The paint on that Electra looks too shiny and thick for me, and the exterior trim around the rear quarter window looks "off". I suspect it may have had a half-vinyl roof originally that was removed during a repaint.

fintail

Quick trip through Craigslist:

The horrible ravages of time and damp

Looks like someone has a fixation

Surely you jest

Kind of rockabilly

Bustle

Nice seats

Excess

Very important

What old cars were really like (pretty sure those are 65-66 hubcaps)

Not your father's, maybe your grandfather's

Definitely this one

Well preserved mate to the car above

Cute ute

Those are some strong drugs

Power Ram

Real Time

Looks like another metal top

Big Poncho

Must be rare

steine13

.. fintail gets bored
-Mathias

Mr_Shiftright

67 Morris Convertible---fair enough! He did all the good things one has to do to make this car drivable in a postwar industrialized nation. :P

72 Pantera---that can't be a real GT-5 if it's a 1972 model. They didn't start making them until 1980 or so. This history needs sorting out.

83 Imperial --- $1000 bucks sounds like a good starting point for bargaining. I'd say $750 is all the money here, given the condition.

78 BRAT -- be the only one on your block!

78 Olds-- what's an XS and why did they upholster it in bubble-wrap?
Price seems unrealistic.

69 Fury "VIP"--- yep, rare but who cares? Try $4500.

62 Ford Galaxie Sedan -- yeah, probably worth $3500, now and in the year 2050

68 Triumph Frankencar -- just torch it.

67 Olds F-85 wagon ---fair enough

omarman

72 Pantera...can't be a real GT-5

That's got to be some kind of GT-5 clone, maybe a body kit built on a '72 Pantera project. Still it looks great in the few pics listed and leave it to fintail to find something wild like this on his CL! I still cannot believe the range of cars posted for sale on CL in Seattle. Sublime to ridiculous, survivors and the occasional wild bird. It can't be just the weather.

Mr_Shiftright

I *think* you can cobble a GTS into a GT-5...I hope that's not what happened.

The Pacific NW is a hotbed of car collecting...much better than the San Francisco Bay Area IMO. Maybe not always as slick but much more diverse I think.

andre1969

78 Olds-- what's an XS and why did they upholster it in bubble-wrap?
Price seems unrealistic.

The XS was an upmarket model of the Toronado, that featured the wraparound rear window. I think they only made a few thousand of them. Dunno if that's worth a premium, but I'd rather have an XS than a regular Toronado. I think the XS came with a standard sunroof as well.

There was also a prototype model called the XSR, which had T-tops that were retractable. However, there was some kind of issue with it that made it cost prohibitive to produce effectively. I think it also had some kind of drainage issues, so it would not have been practical.

fintail

The relatively gentle climate here, and west coast attitude that accepts odd cars, combine to give a diverse car population. Unfortunately, the car scene here is much less social than probably anywhere in the country.

This was posted on Jalopnik, I am somehow kind of taken by it - would have sketchy reliability with German maintenance costs, but it has to be one of the best remaining. I remember I liked these a lot when I was a kid, almost a direct Euro market car shipped to the land of Celebrities and K-cars.

michaellno

This was posted on Jalopnik, I am somehow kind of taken by it - would have sketchy reliability with German maintenance costs, but it has to be one of the best remaining. I remember I liked these a lot when I was a kid, almost a direct Euro market car shipped to the land of Celebrities and K-cars.

The Scorpio is in the next town over from where I live.

I wonder who could (or would) do service on it?

stickguy

well, if you want one, that probably is the one to get. pretty cheap too.

and, he seems to own every spare part in the US!