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

bhill2

In the twin stick, the left lever was a normal 3-speed shifter and the right stick was a more stylish controller for the overdrive. My question on the car is 'where are the armrests'? It is a top-of-the-line model and most certainly had them when it was new.

explorerx4

That black and white Dart is about 40 miles from me.

qbrozen

The '63 Rambler is very cool, but does that driver's seat look crooked to anyone else? The '60 body looks very nice, but that engine compartment is a bit frightening. O threw in the Javelin because it is the cheapest non-junker example I found. That dash is just awful.

The B&W might be my fave Dodge of that bunch. I do love what they did with the blue one, but its just the 6-cyl. The blue one with the powertrain from the B&W or the gold one would be my ideal version. I do like the gold but wish it had a white or black interior and that they didn't put those graphics on it. The green is a nice color combo but poor attention to details on it and is the 318 enough in that car? BTW, here is a link to the pics on that one: http://www.frankscarbarn.com/vehicles/56/1973-dodge-dart

omarman

1973 AMC Javelin Coupe. The seller's ad copy claims "very well preserved original Gloss Black paint." The door plate has a D7 paint code which I think is trans am red similar to the red overspray on the door plate itself. Maybe from a previous repaint? And there's black overspray as well. Painted front bumper is ugly. And the overall cosmetics just seem wrong. Missing trim or painted over? Something/everything looks wrong. And seller is asking $22K for "this 69 Javelin." No.

qbrozen

Good catch on the paint code. I meant to comment that the paint can't be original, but you have proven it.

ab348

I don't know about any of those Darts. I agree the white one is the best of the bunch assuming all are structurally sound. The blue one has a bad choice of paint, a bad choice of interior materials and a 6-cylinger. Pass. But all of them strike me as somewhat questionable although at least the pricetags aren't crazy. Darts were never robust or good-driving cars even new so I always felt putting serious money into one now was a gamble.

The Javelin needs some stuff undone but isn't hopeless. Unfortunately the price is way out of whack.

Mr_Shiftright

Cool thing to do with that '63 Rambler is put a 4-speed in it but keep the original shifter, and then use the twin-stick overdrive lever for reverse on the 4-speed.

qbrozen

ab348 said:

I don't know about any of those Darts. I agree the white one is the best of the bunch assuming all are structurally sound. The blue one has a bad choice of paint, a bad choice of interior materials and a 6-cylinger. Pass. But all of them strike me as somewhat questionable although at least the pricetags aren't crazy. Darts were never robust or good-driving cars even new so I always felt putting serious money into one now was a gamble. The Javelin needs some stuff undone but isn't hopeless. Unfortunately the price is way out of whack.

Oh, I disagree on the blue one. i think they did a fine job on the color and interior. Just seems really odd to me to put all that effort into a 6-cyl. Would be an ideal candidate for a crate motor swap.

ab348

They could have chosen Chrysler B5 blue for it, one of the best paint colors ever and one of the colors it could have had originally. They used gray for the interior, which a Dart never had. Two big strikes in my book.

stickguy

How about this one? Rocking that 70's style something fierce! Looks in nice shape.

My 74 duster looked just like this, but not a hang 10 package. Too bad it is an AT though. Should be decently quick with the 318 (not a heavy car), and being a V8 already, certainly easy enough to add some HP.

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/?p=60296#&gid=1&pid=1

qbrozen

I could never live with that interior

qbrozen

ab348 said:

They could have chosen Chrysler B5 blue for it, one of the best paint colors ever and one of the colors it could have had originally. They used gray for the interior, which a Dart never had. Two big strikes in my book.

Well, as I have established, I don't shy away from restomods, especially a base model Dart

gsemike

omarman said:

1973 AMC Javelin Coupe. The seller's ad copy claims "very well preserved original Gloss Black paint." The door plate has a D7 paint code which I think is trans am red similar to the red overspray on the door plate itself. Maybe from a previous repaint? And there's black overspray as well. Painted front bumper is ugly. And the overall cosmetics just seem wrong. Missing trim or painted over? Something/everything looks wrong. And seller is asking $22K for "this 69 Javelin." No.

I think that the painted bumper thing has gone on long enough. It always looks to me like it was done because the cost of chroming has gone through the roof

Mr_Shiftright

There used to be an excuse for it---World War II.

Sometimes I see old pickup with painted bumpers and grilles and they seem to get away with it.

That Javelin looks just awful, awful awful...red flags all over that car. I'm surprised that that dealer is even risking his reputation on it.

gsemike

Mr_Shiftright said:

There used to be an excuse for it---World War II.

Sometimes I see old pickup with painted bumpers and grilles and they seem to get away with it.

That Javelin looks just awful, awful awful...red flags all over that car. I'm surprised that that dealer is even risking his reputation on it.

Is it weird that the decklid says AMX? Wasn't the AMX 2 seater?

stickguy

they used the AMX name later on too. Just the original 68-70 model was the 2 seater.

qbrozen

I am trying to figure this one out.

Original 318, converted to a 440, with a 383 badge. Why?

Mr_Shiftright

The least loved Charger--the '66.

explorerx4

On the outside that Charger look great, body and colorwise.
I like that there are only 3 colors, silver/red/black.
Not sure how you tell what size the engine is. Don't like the drum brakes. The badging is strange, too.

Mr_Shiftright

Engine prefix in front of the left side cylinder head I believe.

qbrozen

Mr_Shiftright said:

The least loved Charger--the '66.

Well that can't be true. Maybe least loved of first 3 generations.

Mr_Shiftright

Well I meant the "real" Chargers....like when I say "Mustang" I don't mean Mustang II.

(I *knew* you were going to call me on that!)

qbrozen

Haha.

well, I dig it. At least in that color combo. But we know I'm weird.

Mr_Shiftright

I find it a bit clumsy looking, but.....

uplanderguy

I don't like it proportionally, but that one is certainly a straight-looking, authentic example.

I bet it was built with a 383 but the seller isn't aware of that, LOL.

tjc78

I thought everyone loved these Chargers lol
I liked the 66, nice colors too

explorerx4

Here's the VIN: XP29E61203400
decoder link: http://www.degeneratepress.com/newport/vin66-74.htm

Mr_Shiftright

Probably a "bitsa" car. Bit o this and bits of that.

fintail

Now this is a Charger:

Mr_Shiftright

Yep. 135 tire-shredding horses, and a blazing 0-60 in just under 14 seconds.

uplanderguy

I was with a good friend of mine when he sold his triple-black '75 Charger SE to Vineville Auto Sales in Macon, GA, for cash. I can't remember how much, but he didn't turn the car off when we got there and had it appraised as he was afraid it wouldn't start again! We walked back to his home, probably six blocks. Good memories.

uplanderguy

135 net hp is no fun, but at least the car seems substantial, which is more than can be said about cars that came in the next couple decades IMHO.

ab348

Even in the pre-Malaise era, the 318 was no ball of fire.

You could get a 360 or 400 optionally, the choice depending on where you lived. But they were not much better.

fintail

And torque too, right? I guess with low speed limits and diminished expectations, just sit back in the big bucket seat, admire the shag carpeting, and put something good in the 8 track player

Mr_Shiftright

Surprisingly, the 318 in my 4X4 Dodge pickup (1998) is very strong. Thank you fuel injection and 20 years of progress.

sda

ab348 said:

Even in the pre-Malaise era, the 318 was no ball of fire.

You could get a 360 or 400 optionally, the choice depending on where you lived. But they were not much better.

Wasn't the 360 an enlarged 340 and a better engine than the 318 or 400?

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, the 273, 318, 340, and 360 V-8s were all "A" engines. The 318 and 360 were later converted into "Magnum" versions in 1992 and 1993 respectively, and were very substantially redesigned in the process.

And yes, the 360 has an advantageous stroke-to-rod ratio and most pros say the A engines were distinctly more efficient than the small block Fords and Chevys of the day.

stickguy

a little toy. someone wanted one I think. Maybe QB? Too many miles but cheap. Might be concerned it comes with a new (you install) cat and exhaust.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5993379149.html

qbrozen

Interesting find. I dig the colors.
I think shifty was eyeballing these, too. Wrong coast for him, of course. 
Price is right, but the care and feeding on these really concerns me.

qbrozen

According to the email I got (lately, the emails have been disclosing reserves?), the reserve is the same as the BIN. $20k feels like way more than it should be worth, no?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/182447587803 

stickguy

Listing is gone

fintail

This pic is from another forum I frequent, posted by someone who works at an indy MB shop:



Original owner. 689K miles - not a typo. Someone loves it and got their money's worth.

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

a little toy. someone wanted one I think. Maybe QB? Too many miles but cheap. Might be concerned it comes with a new (you install) cat and exhaust.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5993379149.html

Best bet on these, come to find out, is 2009 on up. The car was much improved starting in that year---that's the one to have. Otherwise, I've deemed this, even by my low standards, a "risky purchase". Problems on pre 2009 include faulty oil injection (yes, they inject oil into the engine), faulty ignition coils resulting in misfire, resulting in overheating, resulting in instant engine destruction. You're lucky to get 65,000 miles out of one.

My friend Jay Lamm's comment was: "I'd like to have one, but only when I'm driving it--that way, I wouldn't have to look at it".

Great little car though, in concept. It's still on my radar, but pre 2009 is definitely out out out unless it came with a completely rebuilt engine and all the new modifications.

Mr_Shiftright

fintail said:

This pic is from another forum I frequent, posted by someone who works at an indy MB shop:



Original owner. 689K miles - not a typo. Someone loves it and got their money's worth.

Probably could have bought 12 of them for the money they spent to get that far.

uplanderguy

A college friend of mine had a mid-seventies one of those, same color, in his garage. He died unexpectedly at age 50 several years ago.

His wife asked me what I thought it was worth. I sent her several similar eBay ads.

A M-B shop ended up buying it when she advertised it locally. It had some needs, but she got less than $1,000 for it. I think that was a classic case of taking advantage of the widow. She just wanted it gone and needed the money.

fintail

A minty mint mint 450SLC might not bring much more than 10K, and a nice driver is half that. They are thirsty and not cheap to maintain. Neglected ones tend to have needs like HVAC repair that can be very involved. You'd have to love it.

I know I have posted it a few times, this pretty one (I still can't get over that interior) brought a mere 6K at auction at the height of the recession:

http://www.murrayco.com/car_collection/1973_mercedes_450_slc.html

A bit of a bargain, but it's not like it was a 100K car. This is the one to have, small bumpers and less complex emissions junk.

Mr_Shiftright

If it had lots of needs, she probably took advantage of the shop Any V-8 SL with major problems is a parts car IMO.

uplanderguy

Solid body and decent (not great) interior, I remember that. He'd paid somewhere between $5K and $8 or 9K IIRC, and never used it much.

Michaell

A cardiologist friend of my dad's had a 450SLC. Always thought it was a nice car, if a bit ungainly in proportion.

omarman

Latest Torino search on clumbus CL

I always look and smile at the S&H Torinos (Torini, Torinites?) but I can never put a value on them. Because I never wanted one. I just like to look.

This 72 Gran Torino looked good at first. It's not a sportsroof I know. And it's not running. And no pics underneath but under the hood it looks bad, rusty, yuck. Seller wants it out of his driveway for $2500/offer. Seller needs to want it gone a little harder and go much softer on the price.

And then this 1970 Cobra from dayton area popped up. What a strange beast! Those options! That tach! No high back buckets but plenty of bench seat 70s style! Without the buckets you are stuck with the column shift automatic. No VIN listed but appears to be legit J code ram air through the hood option with a 429cj. But doesn't show any signs of having drag pack. Too bad though. Without drag pack and scj upgrade then it's really not a $50k car. Still a great cruiser/hobby car.

edited to add: That rim blow wheel! Somebody had fun ordering that car.