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

explorerx4

@isellhondas,
A lot of radiators are at least partially made out of plastic, not sure that they can be refurbished for less than the price of a new one.

qbrozen

Radiator appears to be in very good shape

stickguy

yes, these days, many parts are not nearly as simple as in the old days. And for many components (such as the tranny) it is likely way more efficient and cost effective (plus higher quality) to remove and replace with a reman unit.

qbrozen

If the tranny goes on this, you can be sure I will not be keeping the 3-speed. 

texases

I looked around Dallas, found several 'radiator and muffler' shops. Sound like parts replacers. 

Mr_Shiftright

Nope. There's even one in Marin county of all places.

fintail

I know there has to be a radiator shop around here, as I had the one in the fintail reconditioned a few years ago. It took some time to have the job done, but it seems to be working as new now - the car had an issue where it would get hotter the faster you drove. I suspect it there was an obstruction.

uplanderguy

In my small hometown in PA, there's a radiator shop. This probably isn't all that original, but they have painted on the side of the building, "Best place in town to take a leak", LOL.

qbrozen

Love it!

isellhondas

fintail said:

I know there has to be a radiator shop around here, as I had the one in the fintail reconditioned a few years ago. It took some time to have the job done, but it seems to be working as new now - the car had an issue where it would get hotter the faster you drove. I suspect it there was an obstruction.

I looked and the only one I found was in the industrial part of Seattle. Hey cater to the big, industrial stuff.

ab348

The main surviving radiator company here (their main competitor seems to be OOB) has had a slogan for years of "Nothing's so sad as a bad rad", accompanied by a carton of a human-face radiator with sad eyes and a mouth with a thermometer in it.

qbrozen

So BTW, my fixed fan has 7 blades and seems quite small.

Anyway, took her out for her first real shakedown today and almost got stranded. Turns out I'm only getting about 11.5v from the alternator. Cruises down the highway just fine, but I really don't have much confidence in the steering yet. 

xwesx

qbrozen said:

So BTW, my fixed fan has 7 blades and seems quite small.

Anyway, took her out for her first real shakedown today and almost got stranded. Turns out I'm only getting about 11.5v from the alternator. Cruises down the highway just fine, but I really don't have much confidence in the steering yet. 

Ah, the joy of old cars!

I had a bad bushing on my Econoline's manual steering that was causing all sorts of slop. I used to have to turn the wheel about a quarter-turn back and forth constantly while driving just to keep it in a straight line. After replacing that (not as simple as it would seem), the steering feels nice and tight! A normal person would probably be freaked out by it, but it feels pretty good to me! LOL

Maybe yours is something similar.

ab348

qbrozen said:

So BTW, my fixed fan has 7 blades and seems quite small.

Anyway, took her out for her first real shakedown today and almost got stranded. Turns out I'm only getting about 11.5v from the alternator. Cruises down the highway just fine, but I really don't have much confidence in the steering yet. 

A fixed small 7-blade fan does not sound right for a car of that era.

11.5 volts from the alternator will not allow much driving time before the battery goes flat. It sounds like it needs a rebuild or replacement.

qbrozen

Still waiting on my steering column rebuild kit to arrive.

Meanwhile, it seems I need to rewire a bit. Also probably upgrade to an alternator with internal regulator.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges2.shtml

qbrozen

Found this in my son's collection today. Maybe I should add these stripes on mine.

Mr_Shiftright

Not the side flash, but maybe a narrow trunk stripe, yeah. Here, you decide from this photo:

ab348

If you do the rear stripe I'd leave the open circle out.

qbrozen

The R/T would probably be my choice.
http://www.performancecargraphics.com/Stripes_Lettering/Coronet_RT/69_Bumblebee.htm

Mr_Shiftright

There you go.

explorerx4

msn.com/en-us/video/tunedin/should-you-buy-a-collector-car/vi-BBzV7Tu

qbrozen

Oh boy. He advises to speculate on '80s cars that might become collectible. I don't think that is exactly smart money.

Mr_Shiftright

"Never own anything you have to paint or feed" ---Mark Twain

fintail

80s collectibles are tough. There is/will be a lot of "special interest" material that isn't insanely expensive, but the big ticket items are already big ticket items, and I doubt there is anything ignored today that will be a fortune tomorrow. 80s supercars are already quite expensive, and stopped depreciating a long time ago.

Mr_Shiftright

I think most 80s cars that are collected will be the "drive and enjoy" variety, not sitting behind velvet ropes being dusted with Kleenex.

tjc78

What 80's domestics are actually collectible?

Off the top of my head,

Grand National

OK, I'm done.

Mr_Shiftright

Slim pickins' in domestics that's for sure. People can "collect" cars (as in "collecting in the back yard") but as to cars of real "significance", there isn't much. And aside from the GNX, none of the following are big buck cars, and none of them would be worth restoring if they were totally trashed (aside from the GNX).

Off the top, the ASC/McLaren Mustang Convertible, the Eldorado Biarritz convertible, Regal T-Top Turbos, GN, GNX, The Chevy El Camino SS, Camaro Z28 coupe (80-81), Fiero Indy Pace Car,

berri

The younger generations don't seem as interested in vehicles. That may change or otherwise there may not be much of an old car market in another decade or two. Presuming it does change, I'd guess maybe imports and trucks will play more into it down the road.

qbrozen

While not "collectible," full-size Broncos and Blazers from the '80s are in some demand now, at least clean ones are. Certainly not worthy of restoration ... yet.

Michaell

qbrozen said:

While not "collectible," full-size Broncos and Blazers from the '80s are in some demand now, at least clean ones are. Certainly not worthy of restoration ... yet.

Speaking of Blazers, I was watching the classic 70's disaster movie "Earthquake" the other day. Charlton Heston's character drives a custom Blazer, with "8 forward speeds, and 3 reverse".

Now, of course, many brands offer 8 (and 9 and 10) speed automatics, but I don't quite get the three reverse speeds. Dramatic flourish?

Mr_Shiftright

Maybe the 80-81 Bronco 4WD models---Blazers, not so much. Oh, the Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe is fairly strong right now.

fintail

Nice 80s Toyota 4x4s are in demand already, too. I'd love to have a clone of the Marty McFly pickup, or maybe a mint early 4Runner.

High end 80s sporty material can have some value, price out a Countach or Testarossa these days, not to mention a 288 GTO or 959.

There will definitely be a car market in 20 years, but I think a lot of standard boomer fare from 20 years ago will suffer the same fate as common 20s-40s cars today.

Mr_Shiftright

Ah---we were talking about domestics. Foreign stuff has a better chance in the 80s I think.

Michaell

Here is a picture ...

fintail

Ah the targa top custom Blazer from Earthquake, very cool. Someone would want one of those today,

gsemike

80s

How about a turbo GTA?

You see a lot of listings for 'rare' cars from the 80s that are rare because nobody gives a hoot about them.

Mr_Shiftright

Trans Am Turbo Coupe 80-81? ---yeah, that's worth some money. GTA not so much (about half as much)

qbrozen

Earlier than we are talking about, but a '71 K5 Blazer sold at Kansas Mecum for $37k! Another was a no sale at $18k. A quite average looking '88 version with crappy repaint sold for $8k. A '79 Bronco with ridiculously small tires/wheels sold for $13.5k.

Mr_Shiftright

'79 Bronco is an earlier generation, so worth more. Blazer buyer was obviously drunk.

qbrozen

yeah, that one is pretty baffling.

ab348

I am not into pickups, but Jim Rockford's dad Rocky's GMC pickup in The Rockford Files always appealed to me.

qbrozen

Reminds me of The Fall Guy's truck.

ab348

Similar, but the main difference was Rocky's was a short bed. I liked his color scheme better as well. Also prefer the '70s GMC front end.

explorerx4

I you like big and 70's colors, this could be for you.
https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/6082046744.html

tjc78

Nice clean Mark. My least favorite of the 70s. The III and V were styled much better IMO.

xwesx

explorerx4 said:

I you like big and 70's colors, this could be for you.
https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/6082046744.html

Ah, yes.... baby poop brown! That's one of the most iconic 70s colors out there!

berri

Boy, that had to be quite the big calf that cr... that one out

Mr_Shiftright

In terms of square footage and price per pound, quite the bargain!

fintail

If I had land, and the price was half, I'd be accumulating stuff like this - black car is interesting as it is a very early car, not an automatic as claimed. Also not V6, not 3 speed, seller is a bit funny. Blue one would be pretty in that color combo.

Not sure what's going on here - seller correctly describes a 220S engine, but the fin trim and rear lights/bumpers are 220. Automatic badge on one of these is late 1964-65 only. Other details also don't align with the stated date. Maybe a mix of parts.

Mr_Shiftright

Parts cars IMO. As you say, if half the price, you could strip them, catalog all the good parts and store them and just junk the rest. I'd keep any good glass, lenses, trim, gauges, little knobs, mirrors, ornaments, relays, switches--stuff like that. You can find most mechanical parts, and you can bang out metal, so you don't really need that stuff.