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

Mr_Shiftright

It's really okay---the suspension is all reworked so the car doesn't dip or wallow in the slightest--however, one does wonder about speed bumps. Probably this car won't be driven around all that much. Anyway, oil pans are easily replaced.

qbrozen

I worry about road debris. Lots of truck treads strewn about the highway in these parts. One took out my sister's grille and bumper one time.

Sure, easily replaced. ha. too bad it holds the car's lifeblood and you may not know it sprung a leak until its too late.

Mr_Shiftright

True. That INDY engine alone is probably $12,000, or maybe more with the 6 pack.

qbrozen

do you have a better shot of those long-tube headers? they look massive.

fintail

Those wheels, no. What's the point of that oil pan?

qbrozen

i guess they needed the capacity and there is just nowhere else to go to gain it.

I agree the wheels are... not the best choice.

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

do you have a better shot of those long-tube headers? they look massive.

qbrozen

Thanks. Appear to be impressively crafted.

Mr_Shiftright

It is. I thought you guys might be interested, since we rarely get to see exactly why a '68 Dodge Charger could be worth so much money---obviously this is not your usual $30,000 hot rod.

Just look at how the INSIDE of the hood is finished!

stickguy

So wicked fast, but doesn't matter, because you can't drive it? Or at least will never be driven? Basically a rolling sculpture.

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

The finish is like glass, the body panels are perfection, every square inch of the car is absolutely flawless. Every single nut and bolt restored.

Not sure why they didn't buy aftermarket nuts and bolts like so much else on it. Very little original anything on that.

I am of a dissenting view on these. I am sure the craftsmanship and engineering is top-shelf. I would much prefer that effort be applied to making it the best original possible. These things just seem to be Frankensteins to me, and sacrifice what could be an original restored car in the process. Money cannot buy originality, nor good taste I suppose.

Mr_Shiftright

Probably 600 HP, yeah.

gsemike

Looking for a Driver on Long Island

2500-5000

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5973735642.html The little beemer

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5973740994.html 1st gen Slade. These GMC looking ones are pretty forgotten these days

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5973609695.html F150 with decent miles

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5973715699.html X3s have been out this long?

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5949315385.html Does that got a hemi?

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5951726976.html Trans Am 3 pedals and seller seems to think much of the car. Style never appealed to me, but 300 hp and 6 speed for 4 grand

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5965511777.html High mileage Mazda3

qbrozen

none of them really appeal to me

stickguy

Tell the TA dude to not take pictures at night without a flash.

texases

That 1st gen X3 always looked a little 'off' to me, kind of like the 1st Caddy SRX. Too tall and long, maybe?

gsemike

texases said:

That 1st gen X3 always looked a little 'off' to me, kind of like the 1st Caddy SRX. Too tall and long, maybe?

I agree. I believe that those had the straight 6 so it has the long hood. On a compact SUV, it makes the proportions look weird

Mr_Shiftright

The TA seems to be a pretty good bang for the buck---shoddily built cars, though, with cheesy materials.

A clean post year 2000, 4X4 club cab pickup with decent miles seems ok at $4K or so.

qbrozen

Mr_Shiftright said:

The TA seems to be a pretty good bang for the buck---shoddily built cars, though, with cheesy materials.

A clean post year 2000, 4X4 club cab pickup with decent miles seems ok at $4K or so.

She's got rocker rust, though, on the driver's side. Would need to be checked out.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh yeah---good eye. I didn't see that (didn't look at all the photos actually). Well that cuts the price down a LOT.

Rust never sleeps.

qbrozen

Aside from price, I'm Digging this one:

1964 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/impala/1905186.html

This is sharp!

1950 Chrysler New Yorker

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chrysler/new_yorker/1820041.html

Mr_Shiftright

That '64 Chev. needs a disc brake conversion kit!

As for the '50 Chrysler, selling any 4-door domestic car at that price level from 1946-54 is going to be tough.

qbrozen

what are you thoughts on value of those?

Mr_Shiftright

Both need price adjustments I think. The asking price of the Impala would be for a "clean driver" but this car is kind of a stripped down model. I don't see power steering although he says it's there, or power brakes. That would make the car somewhat unpleasant to drive. Maybe we need better photos. For this money you should not see any serious faults. Be nice to see what's underneath, too, condition of the chrome and stainless, etc. Might be worth close to asking price if its nice.

I don't see the money in the Chrysler. You could buy an equivalent Cadillac for that.

uplanderguy

Per the ad, "The Impala was the Mustang, just a foot bigger"?

Uh, OK.

texases

That wasted text talking about the Mustang, and how Chevy beat Ford to it, was just weird.

Regarding the Chrysler, I can't imagine the market for flathead postwar cars, no matter how nice, is that big.

gsemike

uplanderguy said:

Per the ad, "The Impala was the Mustang, just a foot bigger"?

Uh, OK.

Completely subjective, but the 64s don't appeal to me. They look too flattened out and plain to me. IMO a blah transitional year

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, I'm not seeing much of a market for flathead 50s cars, except of course "flattie Fords" that are ragtops or woodies.

I just saw a really nice '46 Cadillac 4-door sell for $16K with rebuilt V-8 and transmission to boot. Even THAT took forever to sell and included tons of extra parts.

qbrozen

That '50 is just so damned pretty. 

Mr_Shiftright

They are well-made cars but I don't see this one keeping up with modern traffic...probably okay off the line but it'll run out of steam pretty quick. You'd have to drive it for an hour or so to see if you could live with it.

qbrozen

My father sent me this one, although I'm not sure why. I know they are painfully slow, but the color combo adds greatly to its appeal (to me).

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mercedes-benz/300cd/1765533.html

fintail

Too bad it isn't 81+, as it would be turbo. Nice colors, I don't mind it either, very period correct, but not too loud - MB had a huge color palette at the time, and it could end up being yellow or a brighter orange or taxi beige. Looks like a good car.

The rust spot would drive me nuts though. It is a common issue on those, as a friend of mine has a CD and it has a similar spot. I would want to deduct for the repair - it will be a window-out job, and not cheap, but can probably be done with a small amount of paintwork. Maybe deduct at least 2K for it.

qbrozen said:

My father sent me this one, although I'm not sure why. I know they are painfully slow, but the color combo adds greatly to its appeal (to me).

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mercedes-benz/300cd/1765533.html

uplanderguy

Completely subjective, but the 64s don't appeal to me. They look too flattened out and plain to me. IMO a blah transitional year

A lot of people I know really like the '64's, but I don't either. Of the '62-64 iteration, I like each year a little less than the one before. The '64 to me is blunt in the front, blunt in the rear, and if it's an Impala other than an SS, it had two levels of horizontal trim running down the side.

I love the '65, but a friend said if I had a '64 and '65 on lifts next to each other and looked underneath, I'd see how the '65 was cheapened, LOL.

ab348

qbrozen said:

My father sent me this one, although I'm not sure why. I know they are painfully slow, but the color combo adds greatly to its appeal (to me).

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mercedes-benz/300cd/1765533.html

Man, that is pretty in those colors.

Too bad it's a diesel.

stickguy

nice looking car. probably pretty pokey.

how hard would an engine swap be? A little weekend project?

fintail

I've seen a couple of smallblock Ford MB 123 conversions over the years. Not sure if I would do it to that car. A non-turbo 300CD will be slow, but not glacial like a 240D, The FI I6 out of a 280E/SE of that era will also drop right in.

Mr_Shiftright

It'll be slow enough to be painful. If you stay away from high altitude, short merges on freeways, and long hills, it's tolerable; otherwise you will scare yourself. Price isn't bad, really. It's hard to find these older diesels that haven't been captured and tortured by vegans.

stickguy

I was thinking maybe a nice massaged MB 6. Though if you are going to all that trouble, might as well just buy one that came with that motor!

Mr_Shiftright

Or just buy a 450SLC for cheap---similar body style, already has the V-8.

texases

Here's a '79 280CE for $13,5k. I didn't think they came with a DOHC engine...
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/mercedes-benz/280ce/1910240.html

stickguy

that is a nice looking unit. I always liked the style on the smaller MBs from back then. Just classic Benz.

Mr_Shiftright

.Yes, it's the M110 engine. Performance was...meh....it's a heavy-ish car and has only 140HP SAE in U.S. spec. You'd probably get 0-60 in around 11 seconds.

stickguy

well, I am sure if you are creative, there are ways to get more out of it. Even stock, that is plenty for classic car duty. Cruising around town, leisurely drives on the highway at off times. I doubt he plans to use it to commute on the NYC parkways!

might not be fast, but probably smooth as heck, pulls like a freight train, and will cruise all day at 75 without breaking a sweat.

Mr_Shiftright

Not a torquey engine, no--the M110. But sure, once it's up to speed, it'll stay there.

fintail

I know I've posted this before, this lovely thing brought a mere ~6K at auction in 2009 - similar aesthetic, also a cool color combination. These are tanks with equivalent mpg and sportiness, but nice ones are still worth little.

texases

Well, now I at least understand my confusion. The DOHC M110 was followed by the SOHC M103...wonder why?

gsemike

uplanderguy said:

Completely subjective, but the 64s don't appeal to me. They look too flattened out and plain to me. IMO a blah transitional year

A lot of people I know really like the '64's, but I don't either. Of the '62-64 iteration, I like each year a little less than the one before. The '64 to me is blunt in the front, blunt in the rear, and if it's an Impala other than an SS, it had two levels of horizontal trim running down the side.

I love the '65, but a friend said if I had a '64 and '65 on lifts next to each other and looked underneath, I'd see how the '65 was cheapened, LOL.

Check out this rundown. I love how in those early years, the car was so significantly changed every year. Can you imagine any manufacturer doing that now?

I was driven home from the hospital in a 65 Biscayne for my first ever car ride so I am a little partial

fintail

This came up in a side banner ad, I had to click At 20 years old, probably just about original MSRP, and probably not going to depreciate. Slushbox, but that can be corrected if one really wants. These are cool, but it'd probably get stolen.

Michaell

That 300CD is the same color of the '72 220D my folks had for a while in the 80's

Mr_Shiftright

fintail said:

I know I've posted this before, this lovely thing brought a mere ~6K at auction in 2009 - similar aesthetic, also a cool color combination. These are tanks with equivalent mpg and sportiness, but nice ones are still worth little.

And would probably bring a mere $6K today! Well that one's nice, might bring more because of year and condition, but it's a very bad car to take to an auction. They simply do not do well there for whatever reason.