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

ab348

xwesx said:

texases said:

Anyone heard of this collection/dealer before? Amazing number of JDM cars:
http://jalopnik.com/have-your-mind-blown-by-the-most-amazing-secret-car-col-1792485778

Mind = blown. Pretty cool place; and interesting also that this is an active dealership as well as a collection.

And they say there's no money in selling cars...

Guy seems like a really bad hoarder with a lot of money to support his sickness.

ab348

xwesx said:

I am finding those little kei trucks really interesting. For 6-7K, they seem like a decent buy.

Scary things to drive in. In a crash, your legs are the crumple zone.

Mr_Shiftright

Don't think I could live with the RHD stuff, though....especially those that couldn't pass a loaded garbage truck..

fintail

RHD - bad for passing, good for parking!

In a few years the V12 Century will be eligible for import, I bet that's a smooth ride, without the hangups of German or (much worse) British V12s.

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, some German V-12s turned out to be real turkeys...remember the 850s?

fintail

Or just as fun, the E32-E38 750s? Or W220 S600s? All just too complex for the sake of complexity.

xwesx

ab348 said:

xwesx said:

I am finding those little kei trucks really interesting. For 6-7K, they seem like a decent buy.

Scary things to drive in. In a crash, your legs are the crumple zone.

True, but these are not a daily driver. They're more a workhorse for the yard, like a Gator or similar (except way cooler).

qbrozen

1972 MG BGT Hatchback

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/mg/bgt/1838200.html

stickguy

I like it. Always been fond of those. Cheap enough. My son is about 10 minutes away. Actually, my BIL works in Lathem. He can drive a stick (he is the one with the Superformance Cobra). I could send him over!

Here is a bit of a project that does not sound too bad. Even cheaper!

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/mg/bgt/1916930.html

ab348

xwesx said:

ab348 said:

xwesx said:

I am finding those little kei trucks really interesting. For 6-7K, they seem like a decent buy.

Scary things to drive in. In a crash, your legs are the crumple zone.

True, but these are not a daily driver. They're more a workhorse for the yard, like a Gator or similar (except way cooler).

Actually around here, not. Places like microbreweries and other specialty businesses use them for deliveries and as runabouts, so they are on the roads. I wouldn't want to drive one on the expressway.

xwesx

ab348 said:

xwesx said:

ab348 said:

xwesx said:

I am finding those little kei trucks really interesting. For 6-7K, they seem like a decent buy.

Scary things to drive in. In a crash, your legs are the crumple zone.

True, but these are not a daily driver. They're more a workhorse for the yard, like a Gator or similar (except way cooler).

Actually around here, not. Places like microbreweries and other specialty businesses use them for deliveries and as runabouts, so they are on the roads. I wouldn't want to drive one on the expressway.

Well, more power to them! It their lives on the line, not mine. So, I should have clarified my self-centered position: For me, NOT a daily driver. Hahahaha.

I do have a small fleet of old rigs that are far less safe in a crash than modern vehicles, but I still use them from time to time. The risk of collision is so inestimably small - even on a regular day - that I have no worries about the chance of a collision the day I happen to be driving one.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

I like it. Always been fond of those. Cheap enough. My son is about 10 minutes away. Actually, my BIL works in Lathem. He can drive a stick (he is the one with the Superformance Cobra). I could send him over! Here is a bit of a project that does not sound too bad. Even cheaper! https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/mg/bgt/1916930.html

That one frightens me. And for the ~$3k difference, the green one is far far better off. You couldn't even paint the blue one for that $3k savings.

I do like the green one, and, like you, have always been fond of these. I think my heart is just set on something with a v8 this go around. 

stickguy

if you look at the page for the blue one I think they have a link to a black "holy grail" one (the only factory built LHD V8 GT in the US). If you want one of those will have to DIY!

ab348

If you really want to show off you can get one of these, a MG RV8, a car I never even heard of before this week:

http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/one-last-hurrah-1994-mg-rv8

qbrozen

A different kind of British v8
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/689800707/overview?aff=share_text

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

I like it. Always been fond of those. Cheap enough. My son is about 10 minutes away. Actually, my BIL works in Lathem. He can drive a stick (he is the one with the Superformance Cobra). I could send him over!

Here is a bit of a project that does not sound too bad. Even cheaper!

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/mg/bgt/1916930.html

That one frightens me. And for the ~$3k difference, the green one is far far better off. You couldn't even paint the blue one for that $3k savings.

I do like the green one, and, like you, have always been fond of these. I think my heart is just set on something with a v8 this go around. 

They actually made MGB-GTs with a V-8 (hard to find though).

The green one looks a little shopworn and has a bunch of Mickey Mouse stuff on it. Wish they had shots of the engine and underside. No overdrive is a minus if you plan on freeway driving.

qbrozen

Huh. Anybody with experience here?
https://www.premierfinancialservices.com/whylease/pfs-simple-lease/

texases

All that flexibility results from paying an amount, which could be big or small. I could come up with a penalty-free lease:  have the payment handle the depreciation for that month. Starts off high, drops each month. 

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

Huh. Anybody with experience here?
https://www.premierfinancialservices.com/whylease/pfs-simple-lease/

Oh yeah, I've appraised cars in the 1/2 million range that they've financed.

qbrozen

I am curious more about the leasing. I found an article that suggests places like this only lease cars that are $50k minimum. I'm just curious how much depreciation would really be at play on a decent classic car. It may depreciate very little, not at all, or appreciate. So I'm wondering how it would work. Would not be surprised to find a classic dealer or dealers who advertise such leases, but I have yet to find one.

texases

It's a puzzle to me how they handle classic cars, rare ones especially. Must be LOTS of added $$ to give them the needed flexibility to do what they say they can do. So the cost may not be in the depreciation, but in the overhead.

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, I think Premier would lease you a classic car. It works differently than a regular new car lease though. IIRC, there's usually a substantial down payment, and as for "residual", that's something you and the leasing company agree upon. Then you make your lease payments down to the residual, at which time you can either buy the car outright, re-fi it on a purchase, or just give it back.

With a classic, one never knows if the car will depreciate, appreciate, or remain stagnant. I could give you examples for all of those scenarios. So you could have equity, break even, or take a bath if some "bubble" bursts on your particular choice of car. Sometimes bursting bubbles are not too painful, and sometimes there are brutal. But you'd know that pretty much going in, if you chose a car that's in a buying frenzy at the moment.

Another thing to watch out for is that you're going to have to "maintain" the vehicle, and with an older car this is likely to be more costly than with a new car that's leased.

I would expect if you leased a 60s musclecar--I mean a pretty valuable one like a Mopar Hemi or some such, you'd be paying $1K a month plus a hefty down.

qbrozen

There is also the issue of actually driving the car. Some are worth what they are worth due to low miles, so driving it enough for a lease to make sense probably kills the value. Would really have to pick the "right" car, I guess. 

And the maintenance thing also crossed my mind. I mean, if the engine or trans needs a rebuild or rust starts to surface during your time with the car, you are on the hook for a hefty bill on a car you are just renting.

qbrozen

Easy project

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/auction/mercury/Cougar/1915679.html

stickguy

that will buff shovel right out.

Mr_Shiftright

Misplaced decimal point. Should read "$13.58. "

explorerx4

Damage is summed up pretty well.
"Primary damage: Exterior burn, Secondary damage: All over."

gsemike

What were they thinking with those headlights?

https://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5983292172.html

fintail

That's just the "open" position, I hope.

gsemike said:

What were they thinking with those headlights?

https://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5983292172.html

ab348

They actually made a run of those like that. Why, I have no idea. I thought they looked hideous. Whether there are hidden headlights behind those things I do not know.

texases

I'm pretty sure that was the 'closed' position. I remember them driving around like that during the daytime...

Here they are on a Mark IV (ad calls them 'optional'):

fintail

Nice, so you got to pay extra for that look, and got to see it all the time. The "80" font is also amusing. Malaise was still strong.

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, but "power vent windows"---how cool is that?

tjc78

Yes those lights were factory.  Thank goodness they weren't all that popular an option

The pictured isn't a Town Car it is a Mark VI as well.  There was no Town Car for 1980.  It was still called the Continental.  First year for the Panther platform for Lincoln. Ford and Merc were downsized for 79. 

fintail

The vent windows are actually pretty cool in action, but did they leak?

sda

fintail said:

The vent windows are actually pretty cool in action, but did they leak?

I don't know if they leaked but they often failed.

berri

I believe the term they used back then for power vent windows was power ventipanes or something like that

Mr_Shiftright

I can see the ad now: "Largest ventipanes in the luxury car field!"

qbrozen

Only looking through my phone, but I'm liking this:
http://www.blacktieclassics.com/details.asp?VID=281573

stickguy

I have a soft spot for that vintage "small" Mopar too. I could actually walk to that place if I was ambitious. I wouldn't of course, but I could. So if you want eyes on it, let me know!

that one does look nice, though I suspect overpriced. I would be careful with that dealer though. I believe a lot of the stuff is not exactly pristine. Also odd, he has a huge place, but I see some of the same cars there for what seems like years. Used to be the Lincoln dealer, and actually has 2 buildings (the old used and new car showrooms).

Michaell

qbrozen said:

Only looking through my phone, but I'm liking this:
http://www.blacktieclassics.com/details.asp?VID=281573

I like that.

texases

A co-worker at the Sohio station had a Dart like that. Had low miles, but he bragged that he put them on "1/4 mile at a time"...

My '72 Duster had the same non-functional hood scoops. But with a 198 under the hood, they were PURE decoration

andre1969

I think those fake-me-out lights on the covers of the Mark VI were actually some kind of low-intensity running/parking light. When you turned the headlights on, they still flipped up to expose quad headlights, I believe. They'd actually make sense nowadays, as some kind of daytime running light, but at the time, they were probably useless. In Maryland, at least, once it started getting dark, if you'd just drive around with the parking lights on, you could get a ticket. They'd want your headlights on.

ab348

andre1969 said:

I think those fake-me-out lights on the covers of the Mark VI were actually some kind of low-intensity running/parking light. When you turned the headlights on, they still flipped up to expose quad headlights, I believe. They'd actually make sense nowadays, as some kind of daytime running light, but at the time, they were probably useless. In Maryland, at least, once it started getting dark, if you'd just drive around with the parking lights on, you could get a ticket. They'd want your headlights on.

That's correct from what I read, though I can't remember ever seeing one of those Marks with the auxiliary lights in the flesh around here.

Here's an interesting interview with Ford designer Gale Haldeman about that entire program and others as well:

http://www.lincolnmarkv.com/LincolnMarkV/The_Stylists/Pages/Gale_Haldeman_Part_2_2.html#3

tjc78

stickguy said:

I have a soft spot for that vintage "small" Mopar too. I could actually walk to that place if I was ambitious. I wouldn't of course, but I could. So if you want eyes on it, let me know! that one does look nice, though I suspect overpriced. I would be careful with that dealer though. I believe a lot of the stuff is not exactly pristine. Also odd, he has a huge place, but I see some of the same cars there for what seems like years. Used to be the Lincoln dealer, and actually has 2 buildings (the old used and new car showrooms).

How does that place stay in business?  I've walked the lot, some of the examples are a little scary. 

stickguy

I actually spent some time reading their website last night. Turns out that it is heavily (largely?) consignment stuff. And I don't know as if everything they list on the web are on site? But they don't front anything, take a cut of the sales, and I believe do a lot of work out of the service bays. Must be worth it, since it can't be a cheap location to support and they have been there a long time.

qbrozen

I stopped there once a very very long time ago. I don't even recall why I was there. And I don't remember much about it except I think they had quite a bit of what he said was higher end stuff piled up in one of the buildings.

Mr_Shiftright

Entry level way into the "classic" car hobby. Turn key, ready for cars n' coffee.

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/6021464339.html

gsemike

Michaell said:

qbrozen said:

Only looking through my phone, but I'm liking this:
http://www.blacktieclassics.com/details.asp?VID=281573

I like that.

It's nice, but 21 grand is pretty rare air for a Dart.

texases

Looks nice, but I'd rather have white walls to go with the vinyl top. Just looks 'off' with blackwalls. The opposite for the Jeep Cherokee XJ I saw yesterday - had whitewalls, also looked 'off'.