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

Mr_Shiftright · January 2016

Here's one all done that failed to reach $10K as a Buy It now

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/06/23/stately-japanese-2-door-1972-toyota-crown-ms75/

Here's one in nicer condition for the same basic price.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C664249

fintail · January 2016

And then they want this for this:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C357975#

With Japanese metal of this era becoming popular, a mint Crown coupe would be worth a little money, but not quite the 27K the owner thought he could get for that green one - I was thinking maybe around a third of that.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2016

I'm seeing an Estate in that ad.

fintail · January 2016

Yep 3K GBP for a Crown wagon with heavy "patina", to put it nicely.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2016

Another one with a decimal point error.

fintail · January 2016

Or 5x overpriced, at least. Nobody is restoring a Crown wagon yet, not even in Japan.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2016

I don't imagine anyone ever will---but they might preserve some survivors. Cars like that one just get passed from one idle dreamer to another, without much ever getting done to them.

stickguy · January 2016

yet one more (likely very expensive to make) answer to a question no one (well, apparently 1 person) asked.

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/5404887849.html

explorerx4 · January 2016

Whomever built that Nova thinks someone would actually ride in the passenger seat?

Mr_Shiftright · January 2016

I'm just not seein' $24K here. I'm seein' something...(squinting)...I'm seein'....maybe $12,5-$15K or a swap for a clean pickup truck and a hot tub.

steine13 · January 2016

Tastefully done, though...

fintail · January 2016

My favorite part is the sun visor. Classy.

Looks like someone is trying to cut losses - it seldom works that way.

stickguy said:
yet one more (likely very expensive to make) answer to a question no one (well, apparently 1 person) asked.

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/5404887849.html

stevedebi · January 2016

fintail said:
My favorite part is the sun visor. Classy.

Looks like someone is trying to cut losses - it seldom works that way.

stickguy said:
yet one more (likely very expensive to make) answer to a question no one (well, apparently 1 person) asked.

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/5404887849.html

Yup, the sunvisor is as classy as it is aerodynamic...

fintail · January 2016

Dodged the rain today:

As usual, started right up and ran without complaint. Turn signals are doing well too - biggest annoyance is a dash rattle that I think involves the radio, and only comes out on certain road surfaces.

I got several chats about the car today. First, went to the gas station, where a guy approached me before I got out of the car. Then drove the car to an estate sale where a few people asked about it. I don't think a modern Ferrari would get that kind of attention here.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Don't know if there's an upside here---no engine, lots of rust. All restored could bring $300K, but you're looking at a long road ahead. Must be easier ways to make a buck. $80K? Ouch!

http://www.sportscardigest.com/cars-for-sale/yard-find-1957-porsche-356-speedster/

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Another victim of the IMS world conspiracy!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/5430358299.html

(He's dreaming--a rebuilt engine is $18,000. A clean 1999 Porsche 996 is worth $15,000. Do the math).

ab348 · February 2016

Mr_Shiftright said:
Another victim of the IMS world conspiracy!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/5430358299.html

(He's dreaming--a rebuilt engine is $18,000. A clean 1999 Porsche 996 is worth $15,000. Do the math).

But you can fix it, put it away, and in 35 years it will sell at B-J for a million dollars!

texases · February 2016

Man, that IMS bug has me scared off Porsches...of that age...that I could afford...

stickguy · February 2016

looks like something a Porsche qualified mechanic would pay $1,000 to work on as a side project.

or of course, could get a couple of cases of beer and a wrecked Camaro, and shove a SBC in it!

fintail · February 2016

Seldom seen color - nice looking car, doesn't have typical 116 interior issues. Might be worth a 6K offer.

stickguy · February 2016

I can't even imagine how upside down you would be on this car if you actually tried to restore it. I also think the seller is a bit optimistic on how much the parts are worth, otherwise it would be parted out already! Or maybe his tetanus shot is not up to date.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5415835315.html

And there seem to be a bunch of people that like old Olds/Pontiac wagons around here. This one is not as nice. But much cheaper! But obviously no profit potential.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5413339246.html

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Both for the wrecking yard I'm afraid. Even a '65 Impala SS 396 isn't worth all that much money. You'd restore this if it were a '71 Hemi Cuda convertible--because they only made 7 of them.

texases · February 2016

Mr_Shiftright said:
Both for the wrecking yard I'm afraid. Even a '65 Impala SS 396 isn't worth all that much money. You'd restore this if it were a '71 Hemi Cuda convertible--because they only made 7 of them.

And all 7 keep showing up on BJ...

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

You mean all 15 of them---LOL!

stickguy · February 2016

I've seen graveyard carz start with less than that Chevy. The the end product is worth a lot more!

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

The end result might be worth $50K---how are you going to get from that pile of junk to a restored car for $50K? It's just not adding up for me.

gsemike · February 2016

Mr_Shiftright said:
The end result might be worth $50K---how are you going to get from that pile of junk to a restored car for $50K? It's just not adding up for me.

Yeah, floors? Quarters? Whole interior? It's not a Camaro. Where are you going to find all that for a 65 impala?

andre1969 · February 2016

I just did a Google search, and you can get new quarter panels and floor pans for a '65 Impala. Now, how well they fit, that might be a different story! By 1965-70, the floor pan might have been the same for all B-bodies, and for all years, so a part like that might not be too hard to find. Even the C-body might be similar up front, but probably elongated in the rear footrest area.

I think 1964 and earlier, floor pans might not be as interchangable, because some cars used an X-frame, while some used a perimeter frame. And often, the transmission would even make a difference. For example, there were a few years where Catalinas and Grand Prixes used a different floor pan from the Star Chief/Bonneville, because the smaller cars used a Slim-Jim automatic while the bigger ones used the old-style HydraMatic, which was a physically larger transmission.

stickguy · February 2016

Ad said the impala came with 4 new floor pans, and a trunk pan. Not installed of course!

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Well just keep beating me upside the head with a 2X4 until I say: "Hey, let's restore this one!"

texases · February 2016

stickguy said:
I've seen graveyard carz start with less than that Chevy. The the end product is worth a lot more!

That assumes a lot about what they show and say vs. reality!

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

To say nothing of being underwritten by a TV budget.

fintail · February 2016

I could do some good cheap restorations if I didn't have to bill for labor.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Free labor helps, considering that that '1965 Chevrolet would be at least 1800 hours of work.

stickguy · February 2016

GC is a real shop. And doing customer cars. Though they never talk about what the jobs cost! Has to be a lot.

The only legit looking place that shows the bill is the one down in Norfolk. I forget name of show now though. But he breaks out parts and labor costs,mand just follow customer jobs,

Gas monkey and WD are just entertainment, and what they show as cost is meaningless.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

I would expect a full restoration of that '65 Impala convertible here in California would cost about $150,000--$175,000.

stever · February 2016

Truth in typos?

"I have for sale a 1999 Mazda Miata 1.8. Cosmetically needs work but car runs good asking 3000 obo. Willing to trade for another real wheel drive car "

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

I hate those Miatas with the tank treads.

ab348 · February 2016

stickguy said:
GC is a real shop. And doing customer cars. Though they never talk about what the jobs cost! Has to be a lot.

The only legit looking place that shows the bill is the one down in Norfolk. I forget name of show now though. But he breaks out parts and labor costs,mand just follow customer jobs,

Gas monkey and WD are just entertainment, and what they show as cost is meaningless.

GC? Translation please.

The Norfolk place is the Fantom Works show, which I don't mind as much as most of these. Dan Short runs DRS Automotive Fantom Works and although there is some manufactured drama involved in the show, most of the people seem real and not caricatures like so many of the others. I do like the way they break out the bill and am amazed at some of the tabs that people run up without batting an eye.

stickguy · February 2016

GC is graveyard carz. also a real shop, up in Oregon (Salem?) They do OEM type Mopar restorations to show quality. Done some nice Superbirds.

Yeah, Fantom works. I did read about it, and it is real customers. They just pick some that are interesting, and agree to be followed for the show. I would trust Dan to work on my car! If you look at some of the projects, not hard to see how they eat up 80-100 hours, on smaller jobs, and that adds up. And most of what they do are more normal cars, not high $ classics. He is clear with some of the people up front that they will spend more than the car will be worth, but they do it anyway for sentimental reasons.

lemko · February 2016

At $150K-$175K, one would be much much better off finding a 1965 Chevrolet Impala that was already in Concours condition! The only reason I would have for spending such an enormous sum on a particular car is if I was really sentimental and had an unlimited budget - i.e. the car once belonged to my Dad and I'm a billionaire.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

For 175K, you could find a '65 Impala convertible in concours condition, buy it, and still have money left over for a new Mercedes and a trip around the world.

gsemike · February 2016

I like Graveyard because it does seem to get pretty real about the work involved. It's the only show where I've seen them cutting rust out of a firewall. The head guy seems to know everything that can be known about his mopars. I remember one Charger where the talked cost. I think that it was $40k for a 318 fuselage car.
On Phantom, I like that they get into costs, but I do have an issue with the never bats an eye part. Some of those bills are tremendous and nonbody ever complains that they could have reused more parts?

stickguy · February 2016

Owners agree in advance and approve the budget. So they already know what to expect.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Ideally that all works out but there's always costs overruns with classic cars. On some very rare or exotic cars, no shop in their right mind would create a budget----perhaps a rough ballpark.

I remember one sign in a restoration shop in CA that caters to doing top notch Pebble Beach restorations of every bizarre old car you can think of (think Leno's Garage and such).

The sign says: "It will cost a fortune and it will take forever--anything else you need to know?"

gsemike · February 2016

Dead of winter shopping

$5,000 craigs challenge

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5411383163.html Award winner??? What???

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5441161773.html E320. Does back seat look more worn than the fronts?

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5443142548.html Not your every day build

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5435434840.html Scandinavian styling

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5443196730.html Spitfire

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5420157668.html 5 series

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5450297832.html Looks like a good GT

stickguy · February 2016

Mustang looks nice but I would check it real careful!

And no rust on a spitfire means you just didn't look hard enough. Like, at all.

qbrozen · February 2016

740 does not have "the troublesome turbocharger." Yeah, all that extra power is such a problem.

Worse ways to spend $3500 than on that 5-series, but gotta be very very careful, of course.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2016

Hmm....so he drove that Volvo wagon every other day to his chiropractor? Maybe it needs new shocks?

Spitfire----the ominous phrase "runs and drives"....translation: "You were expecting windshield wipers and brakes?"

ab348 · February 2016

The Fairmont must have gotten a "participant" trophy.

I am guessing the E320 owner had large dogs in the back.

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

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