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

berri

Now I've always liked the first gen like that one best. I think that those sort of lines worked better on it than the 62 downsized Polar and Fury. But I know a lot of people loathe all of them.

Mr_Shiftright

Gee, a 1961 Valiant or a Pontiac Bonneville convertible with a 421 and 4 on the floor....I just can't decide how to spend that $28K.

ab348

I always liked the somewhat weird styling on those early Valiants and that one is certainly unique. I also find the price ridiculous but maybe someone wants one like that really bad.

It is fortunate that over all that time rodents didn't chew everything chewable, that the garage wasn't broken into, whatever. I wonder how the title, inheritance, and other legalities were handled after all those years. I think anything rubber on that likely would need to be replaced. Sitting forever does mechanical systems no favors.

fintail

Looks like it would be right at home in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World".

ab348

fintail said:

Looks like it would be right at home in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World".

I watched that last night for the umpteenth time. Was on TCM. Still made me laugh.

"What can happen to an Old Fashioned?"

explorerx4

Someone liked that Valiant so much they stopped driving it after 4000 miles?

Michaell

uplanderguy said:

Calling andre!

I'm typically not a fan of these cars, but geez I like 'original' and this certainly looks the part:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/plymouth/valiant/1925074.html?refer=blog#&gid=1&pid=1

I personally wouldn't pay the asking price, but what an interesting car.

Huh - my hometown!

ab348

explorerx4 said:

Someone liked that Valiant so much they stopped driving it after 4000 miles?

Passing away tends to drop the miles one drives rather dramatically.

explorerx4

@ab348,
Good story if you choose to believe it.
When I was looking to buy a Mustang GT, there were quite a few LX convertibles for sale(obviously rentals), but they were all supposedly traded in by a widow whose husband passed away not long after buying it.

ab348

Well, if it's fabricated, someone sure went to a lot of trouble to cover a Valiant in dust in order to take a picture of it.

fintail

If any 60s car screams "little old lady", a 61 Valiant is certainly on the list.

IAMMMMW is an all time classic, maybe in the top 10 comedies. Must have had Mopar sponsorship, too. Who can forget:

https://youtu.be/-dEQTOz9BUU

stickguy

I'm coming Mama!

explorerx4

For the asking price of that Valiant, it better have a good story. You'd be buying the story, not the car.

explorerx4

Looks pretty good except for vinyl roof.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6071411423.html

xwesx

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

I'm a bit confused by the writeup on this, as it sounds like it is all about preserving originality, yet a '64 Galaxie with a 302 and 4-speed auto certainly ain't original. Aside from that, though, looks to be a gorgeous car and has an incredible sound. I'm quite interested.
http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/milwaukee/1964/ford/galaxie-S36.html

Everything that was done to that car I dislike, from the stance to the engine to the paint color to the interior to the spotlights, which are a particular pet peeve of mine.

I don't have quite the eye for originality stuff. I'm more interested in whether it "works" for what it is. For example, I love the color! Overall, I like this one, but there are a few things that nag at me:

1. Trunk lid fitment. What's going on with that?! The lid on this car is far too prominent of a feature to have such poor fitment (particularly on the passenger side).
2. Also trunk related, the exposed rear seat cushions. That's just asking for trouble (if you actually were to use this car).
3. The paint over the left rear wheel seemed off to me. Looked like drips, or maybe bubbling or something.
4. The vinyl wrapped around the rear of the door posts. Maybe it was just how the photo(s) caught it, but that seems like a weak point. Not only does it look sloppy to me, but if you have rear seat passengers (e.g., BOYS!), rubbing against that area might cause it to start coming lose.

I guess I don't mind the spotlights too much, but they do seem out of place to me.

berri

If any 60s car screams "little old lady", a 61 Valiant is certainly on the list.


I think in that category I might go mid - late 60's Dodge Dart or Chevy Nova. Sure, they could be gussied up into pretty quick vehicles, but most were just plain and ordinary sedans. When US compacts first came out the Valiant and Corvair were considered a bit controversial actually. The conservative buyer back then went Ford Falcon or Rambler American. Studebaker Lark is a little harder to place then I think.

Mr_Shiftright

I think people found the Valiant styling a bit off-putting. The Corvair was quite popular (for a while, until you-know-what). The Falcon was the cheesiest of the bunch, until they tarted it up around 1963. A 1960 Falcon with the 144 cid engine was a grim piece. The Lark was very popular, too, and thought of as rather cute in a bulldog sort of way. Studebaker was always stressing economy back then, and wasn't considered a "youthful" car.

fintail

Maybe she was an adventurous older lady who wasn't wooed by a Falcon or Rambler.

The often spartan 60 Falcon played a role in a great episode of a well known TV show:

berri

I think people found the Valiant styling a bit off-putting.

You mean Avant Guard

bhill2

Mr_Shiftright said:

I think people found the Valiant styling a bit off-putting. The Corvair was quite popular (for a while, until you-know-what). The Falcon was the cheesiest of the bunch, until they tarted it up around 1963. A 1960 Falcon with the 144 cid engine was a grim piece. The Lark was very popular, too, and thought of as rather cute in a bulldog sort of way. Studebaker was always stressing economy back then, and wasn't considered a "youthful" car.

Get the Falcon with a Fordomatic and it was an almost religious experience in masochism. It might have been able to keep up with a 240D Mercedes, but my Rabbit diesel would have dusted it.

uplanderguy

Speaking of 'original', my friend who's going through my new '66 Studebaker emailed to say he looked at the air filter and it has the Studebaker part number on it, making him believe it's the original or possibly one put in by the Studebaker dealer at some point. There's a lot of NOS for later Studebakers, but I'm not aware of filters.

He's replacing it, but giving me the old one.

uplanderguy

That Falcon with the ribbon and bow was on "Dennis the Menace". I remember that episode!

uplanderguy

Years ago, I'd have preferred the Falcon's styling to the Valiant's. Can't say that now. Could that rear wheel opening of the Falcon been any droopier, LOL?

I wouldn't buy that Valiant, and not sure what the buyer would do with it at this point, but it is under-the-radar and I like that. Go to most car shows around here and one would think that red Mustang and GM convertibles, laden with accessories, were the only things the industry built back then.

ab348

Regarding the '64 Galaxie: my view is that while metallic orange may look good on a Viper or a S2000, it has no place on a '60s car, especially with the array of colors that they were available with originally. It just looks wrong to me. The interior on this one is a total disaster. Not only is the seat upholstery done wrong, but look at the door panels. I guess whomever did it did not like armrests. I mean, really... what else did they totally botch that you cannot easily see? I would run, not walk, away from this one.

qbrozen

I just talked to them about the Galaxie. He admits the 302 is not up to the job in that car and if I want something fast, that ain't it. So, moving on.

I'm digging this, although I know, at least in stock form, this one isn't exactly fast, either.

qbrozen

hey, whaddya know? I'm high bidder on this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/322465993572?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true

Am I crazy or is that a really low reserve? I was not expecting to meet it.

I bid on this one from the same seller first because I figured it would go cheaper. It SHOULD go cheaper. But I did not hit the reserve. Huh. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Buick-GS/322466018145

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

hey, whaddya know? I'm high bidder on this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/322465993572?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true

Am I crazy or is that a really low reserve? I was not expecting to meet it.

I bid on this one from the same seller first because I figured it would go cheaper. It SHOULD go cheaper. But I did not hit the reserve. Huh. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Buick-GS/322466018145

No, that reserve is pretty much spot on. It's not a Hemi and it's not a '68 or '69 or '70, which bring more money. Also it's a non-matching motor, so the "purists" drop out. It'll probably bid to around $21,5K. If it were "local show" quality, correct engine, etc. it might pull close to $40K. This one sounds like a #3.

qbrozen

Weird. So Hagerty is way off again. Although I guess non-numbers matching is tough to get from Hagerty. They say a #4 is $19k.

I'm thinking about calling him and buying it outright at this point. I sent an email to him with 2 more questions. Is it a real RT? is the title clean?

tjc78

On the GS is it just me or is all the HVAC stuff not present under the hood? I see no heater hoses to the firewall, nor A/C lines. I didn't see any mention of that in the ad copy.

I love the colors on the Coronet. That too has no heater hoses and you can see the open nipples of the heater core. OTOH It does look really clean, and solid. Good luck.

qbrozen

He said he got it from Jacksonville, FL, so I guess they didn't bother with a heater. I have to add AC, too. But, all in all, far less work than I have been thinking I need to do on other vehicles I have looked at for more money.

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

Weird. So Hagerty is way off again. Although I guess non-numbers matching is tough to get from Hagerty. They say a #4 is $19k.

I'm thinking about calling him and buying it outright at this point. I sent an email to him with 2 more questions. Is it a real RT? is the title clean?

Well the general rule on NOM engines is that you deduct what it costs to find, rebuild and install a date-correct engine (at least). Also the missing heater is going to take a little effort to correct.

Hagerty ALWAYS presume a) a correct car and b) very good condition in each class or category. So if it's a #3, it's in pretty nice shape, is correct, and doesn't have things missing.

Most cars you see at local Show n Shines are actually #3s or 3++.

qbrozen

He said clean title and true R/T. I'm going to make an offer to end the auction now. Taking a risk at not getting it inspected.

stickguy

so the Coronet is missing the heat? I guess you can handle that piece. I would not even bother with AC myself, but if you think you need it, go for it. But sharp looking car. I would want buckets with headrests though, and shoulder belts, just to feel more comfortable. But at least you should have plenty of power, and a 3.23 rear is a good all around set up.

I actually like that Torino. Upgraded to a 4bbl, a 351 should not be too bad. Easy to squeeze some more HP out of it if you really need it. Silly that he goes on about the Clint Eastwood connection, since that was a much different model.

good luck with the R/T. Looks really nice.

qbrozen

$18k offer accepted.

stickguy

Very nice. based on the other stuff you posted along the way, if that car is as nice and clean as it sounds, a good deal. And pretty spot on for what you are looking for. Just enough work for you (and not stuff that has to happen immediately) to keep you busy. Good luck having it shipped from Wisconsin.

qbrozen

thanks. he is going to ask his shipper for a quote. I got a quote already from someone I previously spoke with. $525 open transport or $840 enclosed.

xwesx

That's not too terrible!

For the same or less money, I vote ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!

Wisconsin is a pretty quick jaunt from your haunts.

xwesx

whoops (comment deleted)

stickguy

well, the drive is not too bad in a modern car. Not sure about that one with no heat or AC. But, it would really shake out any bugs!

texases

tjc78 said:

On the GS is it just me or is all the HVAC stuff not present under the hood? I see no heater hoses to the firewall, nor A/C lines. I didn't see any mention of that in the ad copy.

I love the colors on the Coronet. That too has no heater hoses and you can see the open nipples of the heater core. OTOH It does look really clean, and solid. Good luck.

I see two black heater hoses going to the firewall at the far left of one of the GS pictures. Two open heater connections on the Mopar, no hoses, like you said.

xwesx

Spring is the best time! Moderate temperatures, humidity not awful... just the hum of the engine and raw machine all around you.

I need me another road trip in my C20.

explorerx4

Looks great but price is insane.
https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/6069353999.html

qbrozen

That is just silly

tjc78

qbrozen said:

$18k offer accepted.

Fantastic!  Keep us posted on how everything goes.  As for shipping, I'm paranoid so I'd probably spend the few bucks more for enclosed.  

stickguy

That Jeep must be part of a Price is Right game. One where you have to take a number off the front or back to get to the right price!

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

qbrozen said:

$18k offer accepted.

Fantastic!  Keep us posted on how everything goes.  As for shipping, I'm paranoid so I'd probably spend the few bucks more for enclosed.  

They have everything they need so it is just a matter of when it gets delivered now. I'm imagining it could happen this week.

I did opt for the enclosed. Heck, a simple rock to the windshield would make saving that $300 difference look awfully foolish. 

Mr_Shiftright

yep, a car can get really beat up on an open truck.

stickguy

I get amused by what I see on those trucks (obviously shipping personal cars). Often a mix of normal regular cars, with a weird old car of some sort mixed in that really looks out of place.

fintail

Congrats on the R/T, nice color combo.

qbrozen

Thanks.

Shipper just emailed me. Estimates the car will be here Friday.