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

Mr_Shiftright

Well if it needs too much work, I can put you in a nice '65 Catalina 2D HT that is turn-key road ready, rust-free, one owner and tip-top mechanically for around $6K. (estate sale). Only downside is no AC if that's important.

fintail

Pretty cool, lots of memories of the old Galaxie in that - learning when to give it gas when the engine first catches, and telling when it needs it as it begins to starve. Sounded fine after it was running for a few seconds. I should make a more modern cold start video of the fintail, next time I drive it.

I once uploaded a video to photobucket, it showed up hours later.

andre1969 said:

Well, I finally woke my '67 Catalina up from hibernation today, and did a cold-start video. Sucker kept crashing when I tried to load to my Photobucket account, so it might have been too big. So I finally broke down and made a youtube account. Anyway, here goes...

xwesx

andre1969 said:

Well, I finally woke my '67 Catalina up from hibernation today, and did a cold-start video.

That was a fairly smooth start, all things told! Considering that gauntlet through which you backed it as you came out of the garage, I think I would probably have grunted now and again, too.

andre1969

xwesx said:

That was a fairly smooth start, all things told! Considering that gauntlet through which you backed it as you came out of the garage, I think I would probably have grunted now and again, too.

Yeah, I think I need a bigger garage. Or a bigger driveway. Or both! Today I fired up the Silverado, and used it to run out to get some gas for the mowers, and a quick trip to Safeway. It's loading to Youtube right now, but taking its sweet time. This one doesn't have the highest production values. At one point I turned the phone without realizing it, so most of it's sideways. And then I had to get under the hood to spray some starting fluid in it, and at one point had to put the phone down when I pulled the throttle cable back to set the choke. But, once it started, it didn't stall out, at least!

isellhondas

I really like Pontiacs of that era and I've owned a couple. A 64 Grand Prix, a 66 and a 67 GTO and the oddest one of all, a 1964 Catalina 2 door hardtop with a factory 421 engine and three on the tree. The guy special ordered it that way! No A/C but it did have factory reverb.

I once raced a Road Runner and despite the time it took to shift it from first to second, I managed to dust the RR.

Weak point were the front suspension. tiny lower ball joints and control arm busings that would wear out.

Overall, great cars!

ab348

As a kid in the 1960s, Dad owned '62, '63, '65, and '67 Pontiacs. All 4-doors, the first 2 sedans, the last 2 4-dr hardtops. I loved the '67 design. In '69 he bought an Impala and hated it. Sadly, he never owned another Pontiac, switching around between Dodge (4 of them), Chevrolet (3), Volvo (2), and Oldsmobile.

isellhondas

Watch this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtZHQxAV9Gk

stickguy

that guy was good at his job.

explorerx4

Bragging rights back at the yard for sure!

stickguy

could have shaved off a bunch of time with a crane though.

the dude in the Charger must have been flying to cause that carnage.

qbrozen

It was a good job pulling it off, but having a cop operate it while half your body is under the car? That's gotta be against safety regs!

fintail

Some furrin cars from CL (will have to do domestics next)

I wonder how this got here

Pretty and pricey

Not cleaned before sale, not pretending to be mint anyway

These are pretty thin on the ground these days

So of course there's another

Just one little issue

Rare faux hardtop

Still a few of these kicking around

Of all the things to preserve

Very 80s

It'll run as long as the body holds up

A number of these still around too, seems to have held up well

Aftermarket (?) pillows

Nearly extinct

Can't recall last time I saw one

I wonder if it's a Tercel

Maybe the most 70s color combo

Very early run car, but not there yet

"(but I do know what it's worth)" - I bet you do... It's not a 5-speed SL...

This looks really nice, I bet the wiring harness is going

De-tint the windows, and we'll talk

I bet it's a Japan import, legal here soon

No COMAND? Has to be a Japan import

Seldom seen anymore

Unusual powertrain, price seems dear

Nice blue brick

These seem rarer than the first gen

This can be imported now

Angular and wedgy

Never caught on

I think these had issues

Ditto, but the small bumper ones look nice

stickguy

I would love teh '70 510. if it was a stick. Pricey, but I think unmolested, clean ones are hard to find now.

I really love the '85 Celica convertible. I always had a yen for that generation GTS.

ab348

Wow, Fin, you must have had a lot of time on your hands...

Seeing all those '70s/'80s Japanese cars is strange. Up here in the Northeast they have been nonexistent for nearly 20 years or more. They just did not survive the road salt and died a very early death. A few of the ones you listed looked totally foreign even though they were sold here, because they have been gone from the roads for so long.

I had a friend/coworker who owned both a RX7 like the one you showed (a real problem-filled vehicle) and a Corrado that replaced it. I liked the Corrado a lot, though I believe eventually it had nearly unfixable issues.

andre1969

Finally, after many hours, my '85 Silverado cold start video finally posted to Youtube. So here it is, if anyone's interested. Again, I apologize for the sideways slant on the phone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIhfxQZ_wR4

fintail

I'm good at CL mining, I can find things pretty quick

The gentle climate here is pretty good for the tin can metal of old Japanese cars. They do rust, but it takes time - and we don't have the sun baked issues found in California, so it evens out I guess.

ab348 said:

Wow, Fin, you must have had a lot of time on your hands...

Seeing all those '70s/'80s Japanese cars is strange. Up here in the Northeast they have been nonexistent for nearly 20 years or more. They just did not survive the road salt and died a very early death. A few of the ones you listed looked totally foreign even though they were sold here, because they have been gone from the roads for so long.

I had a friend/coworker who owned both a RX7 like the one you showed (a real problem-filled vehicle) and a Corrado that replaced it. I liked the Corrado a lot, though I believe eventually it had nearly unfixable issues.

fintail

Cool stuff. Somehow, cold start videos are interesting, maybe because the concept is so alien to modern cars. I see your videos have a little attention already. People like that kind of thing.

andre1969 said:

Finally, after many hours, my '85 Silverado cold start video finally posted to Youtube. So here it is, if anyone's interested. Again, I apologize for the sideways slant on the phone!

qbrozen

i like that first Prelude, but I wonder if he's been running it without that air cleaner.

stever

A TV reporter is looking for a family with a car in need of repairs, but is holding off because the estimates (preferably $1,000 or more) are too high and/or they can’t afford to pay for the repairs at this time. The reporter will work with Edmunds to evaluate the estimate and help the family find ways to bring down the cost of the repairs. If you'd like to participate, please reach out to pr@edmunds.com by no later than Friday, May 29, 2015.

explorerx4

@fintail,
I'm in sensory overload! Alfa was the highlight for me.
Those Japanese cars are all sitting as lumps of rust in the storm drains here in the NE.
I like those Toyota pickups. All I need is something to carry my weed whacker/push lawn mower/snow blower.

sda

andre1969 said:

Well, I finally woke my '67 Catalina up from hibernation today, and did a cold-start video. Sucker kept crashing when I tried to load to my Photobucket account, so it might have been too big. So I finally broke down and made a youtube account. Anyway, here goes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_uD9QKxqGM&feature=youtu.be

Took three tries to get it started, and then I put it into gear too soon, so it stalled. There's also a bit of power steering groan, as it "wakes up" for lack of a better word. And a little heavy-sounding breathing from me...it's amazing how much that iPhone picks up! Oh, and that one sound isn't what it sounds like...it's the vinyl creaking as I get in and slide over!

Anyway, it made it to the bank today, and the gas station, and back home. It's going in the shop on Tuesday to get an oil change and general looking-over.

The start up and general balkiness reminded of a couple of Pontiacs and Olds that blessed our driveway. Each car had their own personality and you learned quickly how to finesse a cold start and drive away. I was impressed that yours sounded tight, no excessive exhaust or manifold noise, no valves ticking. Sweet.

fintail

I promised domestics:

These are neat

Christine wagon

If you like buying cars based on size

Wagon

Turbo

Black and white

White and white

Powder blue and white

I think this is a Mercedes

I guess this was a sleeper

Rich Corinthian leather

Andre-mobile?

Ex-John Voight

Things were getting weird

A battleship or a tank

2 doors, not a coupe

From Paris

442

One year later

Big cat

7-Up

Breezy

Turbo pony

Most were coupes, I think

Woody

Worst wheel choice

texases

Fin - not a fan of those 1st gen Preludes, the ones that followed were just so neat. It's like they replaced the styling department.

And yes, those G60 Corrado "G-lader" engines were nothing special when new, and now it doesn't run? Fuggedaboudit! Had it been a VR6, that would be nice, that body style has aged VERY well, to me.

berri

Battleship or tank; neither. Just a heavy chunk of metal. A buddy of mine had a similar vintage convertible version of that big Mercury. At around 40K the engine block cracked. Got that fixed and about 10K later, the tranny went out. In all fairness, Ford wasn't advertising Quality Job #1 back then

qbrozen

$14k for an '87 Daytona?! hahahahahahaahaha

I kinda like that '69 Olds. Kind of sinister/gangster looking.

And I have a slight soft spot for the '81 Fairmont since I had its twin, a '79 Zephyr. But it ain't a V6 and it definitely ain't worth anywhere near $4k.

texases

Seems like about half those domestics are overpriced by about 2X...$9k for a parts car (Christine wagon)??? Kinda odd to do a frameoff on that Wildcat, had to cost $$$ Did Pontiac tripowers come from the factory with those 3 little air cleaners? For some reason I like that '69 98, just looks right. And that 7Up Mustang sure looks clean, nice seats, a stick.

ab348

Some cool stuff there, Fin, though as was said above some of the pricing seems wacky. I love that '68 Olds 98, and the '75 Electra. The Wildcat is great. My now-deceased elderly neighbor told me he bought a '60 Pontiac like that one new. For some strange reason I like that Pinto wagon. And it is difficult to remember now that in the mid-80s, the Daytona was a desirable, hot little ride.

Mr_Shiftright

Don't you just love the way people toss off numbers in those ads? On the '60 Desoto 4 door "worth $50K when finished!" Someone needs to understand what lovely cars you can buy for $50K other than a 1960 Desoto 4-door.

isellhondas

It's amazing how either will get the attention of a balky engine!

uplanderguy

What gets me often, is where on earth do people get the "...only (xxx) made"? I know the general old-car books are notoriously sloppy for that, but I laugh at about half of those numbers thrown out.

I like that '69 Ninety-Eight, and also the '75 Electra Limited. I feel pretty sure (but am too lazy to look), that by that time, the Limited used leather instead of vinyl, if the velour interior wasn't selected.

I like that FC Jeep, although that electric blue color--ugh!

I like the funkiness of the Checker, too. They used leftover Studebaker wheelcovers in the mid-sixties, as did International into the '70's. The president of Checker refused to consider building the Avanti on their line after Studebaker shut down, as he felt the car was 'ugly'. I remember that Nate Altman, Stude dealer who resurrected the Avanti in '65 as the Avanti II said in an article, "Ugly? He builds the Checker Marathon!". LOL

Normally, I'd like a '65 Wildcat, but I feel pretty sure (although not totally) that that is not a factory color. Why restore so nicely otherwise, and then paint a non-factory color? I know, you can do whatever you want with your own car.

We've talked about this here before, but the best way to see what was available when new is to look at the "Old Car Manuals Project" online, where most brochures are available. It's a great resource I think.

andre1969

Of that batch, once you factor in pricing, I think the white '76 Olds Delta 88 4-door hardtop appeals to me the most. That '75 Electra and '69 Ninety-Eight are nice, though. I like the '77 4-4-2 at a quick glance, but the interior and under-hood shots turn me off. And, I guess by that time, the 4-4-2 was just a trim package, and didn't give you much in the way of performance? I'd imagine a stock Olds 350-4bbl puts out 170 hp? Maybe the 4-4-2 gave you a quicker axle ratio, or different transmission ratios? I'd like to think it was more than just an appearance package, but that's probably all it was.

Something about that Wildcat's color seems a bit off to me, too. For some reason, that pale blue makes me think of a Ford.

I like how the guy says the '60 DeSoto would be worth double if it had the Hemi. Umm...no. If it had a Hemi, it would be incorrect! DeSoto offered three engines for 1960. The Fireflite had a 295 hp 361-2bbl, while the Adventurer had a 305 hp 383-2bbl. A Cross Ram 383 with 333 hp was optional, only on the Adventurer I believe. And by this time, the Adventurer was a full series comprising of 4-door sedan and 2/4-door hardtops, with starting prices around $3500 or so. Previously, the Adventurer had been a low-volume high performance car, DeSoto's version of the 300 Letter Series.

The last Hemi DeSotos were the '57 Firedome/Fireflite, which used a 341.1 unit, and the Adventurer, which used a 345. DeSoto would go all-wedge for '58, using 350's for the Dodge-based Firesweep and 361's for the bigger models.

In general, I like the '60 DeSoto. I think it's an attractive looking car, and manages to have a modern, clean, up to date look about it, despite the towering tailfins. There's always a few that show up at the Mopar show in Carlisle, PA. But, it's nothing I'd lust after and pay a premium for. And if I was getting one, it would either be a hardtop coupe or sedan.

sda

Thanks Fintail, what fun to browse and ponder. I so dislike the color of the 65 Wildcat, yuck. Love the name Wildcat, how cool. I'm partial to the 69 Olds 98. No AC, really? Dad bought a metallic medium brown with black vinyl top, black cloth interior Luxury Sedan (LS) in 71. It was the first car that we owned with electric windows, seats, factory 8 track. It is also the only car that I remember dad driving extended periods of time on the interstate over 90 mph. We were on vacation and driving thru the great state of Texas. I was 12 and thinking, go dad!

andre1969

The first car I can remember with power windows was my neighbors' 1970 Coupe DeVille. One morning the Mom took me to school, along with their own kids, and I was mesmerized by those windows. I remember rolling them up and down a bit too much, and getting hollered at.

As for my own family, it seems like we discovered power windows in 1985. That year my grandparents on my Mom's side of the family got a new LeSabre and Silverado, and on my Dad's side they got a Fox-based LTD, all with power windows. Mom got a new Monte Carlo in '86 with crank windows, and I remember Granddad, after getting accustomed to this newfound luxury, teasing her about it being a "cheap" car. Now that I think about it, that Monte was the last new car in our family that had crank windows.

I didn't notice at first, that the '69 Olds Ninety-Eight didn't have a/c. I'd imagine that was pretty rare for that price class of car, by that time. But, up in the Pacific Northwest, I'd imagine a/c wasn't considered as essential as in other, hotter areas.

gsemike

ab348 said:

Wow, Fin, you must have had a lot of time on your hands...

Seeing all those '70s/'80s Japanese cars is strange. Up here in the Northeast they have been nonexistent for nearly 20 years or more. They just did not survive the road salt and died a very early death.

I agree. I remember when those Preludes were high style, the most wanted car for girls whose family had money. But they were always rusted to hell after 4 years

stickguy

They rusted. In the early 90s (maybe late 80s) my friends roommate had one. One day,it literally snapped in half.

Michaell

Help with an old car ...

http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/34651/general/x/transporting-my-grandfathers-car#latest

isellhondas

Here is another CL car that has been relisted and relisted for at least two years now.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/5026675986.html

You would THINK he could at least clean it up instead of stating that the interior needs to be cleaned!

It could be a decent car under all of that filth!

texases

He's hoping to cash in on the 'barn find' craze!

andre1969

Hope this isn't too much Youtube overload for y'all, but here's a video of my '76 Grand LeMans starting up this morning...
https://youtu.be/hxPGzxXL2NQ

It had been sitting about a month, I think. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it started. Just 3-4 pumps of the pedal, some cranking, and then it fired up. Probably a lot less effort and annoyance than most 70's cars.

ab348

What's that red light on the dash about?

andre1969

The light that came on and stayed on was the "fasten seatbelts" light. Normally it goes out after a few seconds, but this time it stayed on the whole time. That's a new one. The joy of old cars, I guess...

uplanderguy

Best domestic instrument panel of the '70's I think. I can spy the little emblem that says "Radial Tuned Suspension".

On your '67, I'm reminded of how the heater controls and radio controls aped each other on '65-68 Pontiacs I think. The '67 Catalina was the first Pontiac panel I can think of where the Catalina panel was the same panel as the Bonneville and Grand Prix (other than nameplate, and that the Bonneville had the 'suitcase handle' under the glovebox, where it looked 'stuck on' to me, in comparison to the '65-66). Basically I mean the Catalina panel was full-woodgrain unlike previous years.

That '66 Star Chief Executive we talked about briefly was back on eBay, but was pulled as 'no longer available'. Twice a friend of mine who was very serious about the car asked for underside photos, and twice he was told he'd get them, but never did. I think that was a very, very nice car and while you don't have to like the seller to enjoy the car, that kind of thing is soooooo frustrating if not lazy.

Mr_Shiftright

UTTERLY HOPELESS:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/5046919629.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/5033403049.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5028451341.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/5018084306.html

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

UTTERLY HOPELESS:

Yup, I'd say that about sums it up.

fintail

What's the going rate for scrap?

lemko

Nice 1979 Coupe DeVille I spotted on Knorr Street in NE Philly. Too bad about that gash in the door!

lemko

Who among you has the courage and very deep pockets to take on this one? This 1962 Cadillac Coupe DeVille is for sale and can be found on the SE corner of Bleigh and Oxford Avenue in NE Philly.

lemko

I brought my 1989 Cadillac Brougham out for my birthday.

ab348

Happy Birthday, Lemko!

uplanderguy

What ab348 said, lemko. That overhead shot is a great one!

Is yours leather or velour inside?