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

stickguy

that FUry is too big for my taste, but looks nice. other than the wheels. Seems like a lot of car for the money, and someone is taking a bath. Assuming it isn't rotted underneath, and runs correctly.

I told QB to throw a crate hemi into his Dodge.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

i'd actually like to see more pics of the Diplomat

I can't make up my mind about which photo I like better.... the first or the second!

I would much rather have one decent photo than all that useless crap the BMW owner posted. That kid needs to learn how to take a photo.

fintail

Both the Fury and Diplomat could be deals if they check out. Someone definitely put more that that into the Fury, which may beg a question about why they are selling.

explorerx4

@fintail,
After I thought it about a bit, I think the Fury isn't for real. I guess I just got dazzled by it.

stickguy

pictures look like they support the write-up. what seems unreal about it?

fintail

Nothing screams scam in it either. I think someone may have just lot interest in their restomod, or maybe it doesn't drive like they imagined.

stickguy

could be. lots of guys spend a fortune then lose interest when it is done.

stickguy

and that Fury was probably a bad platform to start with. not a very desirable car. If it was a road runner, or whatever model it was that they based it on, at least more people would probably want it.

Mr_Shiftright

I thought it was interesting that he put a quick-ratio steering box into a barge like that. Maybe not a good idea.

stickguy

so, that snazzy Jag is up into 5 figures. With 3 days to go.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1962-jaguar-xke-roadster/

this one is interesting. some assembly required. 2 weekends should do it, right? At least seems like the expensive mechanical stuff done, but getting that body back to pristine can't be cheap.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1964-porsche-356c-12/

qbrozen

That Fury may be one of the most unattractive B Bodies. Nothing wrong with the platform at all. I do think it is potentially a good deal, though, if you don't mind the styling.

Mr_Shiftright

I think the allure of these abysmal wrecks is that on the "other end", down that long, long road, people see these cars at auction selling for impressive prices. The Jaguar is a Series I, the most valuable of all, worth considerably more than a Series 1.5 or a Series II. It doesn't appear to be the most desirable "flat floor" early version.

My question is that if you have the money to make that heap into a $200,000 car (or more), why not just go out and buy a finished one?

Or, why not buy a Series II E-Type for $75K?

fintail

If anyone likes neglected classics, Beverly Hills Car Club is the place for them. Some of the prices are less batty than others, but most seem to be in the range of "you can't get there from here". Maybe they are negotiable.

I like their 220SE Ponton coupe:



7K for this.

Mr_Shiftright

Forget it. That car is done, done, done. Just spend a fraction of the restoration costs and go buy one. $65K should get you a real beauty.

Parts car.

fintail

Not sure if I see 7K in parts there.

They have an E-Type roadster, too:



27K for this.

Mr_Shiftright

Does he ever actually sell any of this junk? Or are these projects just passed on, untouched, hoping to prove the "greater fool" theory?

berri

You sure that's not a blow up Photoshop of an old metal Tootsietoy found in a sandbox or something

fintail

The cars in this condition arte fascinating, but I don't know the seller's angle.



A tune up and a cut and polish will make it like new

Mr_Shiftright

Looks to be without an engine as well. Well you could patch it up with bondo and 30 cans of Krylon, put an old Volvo engine and transmission in it, gut the interior and install two bucket seats and off you go!

fintail

This one appears to have a coating of bondo over the sheetmetal:



All yours for only 39K.

bhill2

fintail said:

If anyone likes neglected classics, Beverly Hills Car Club is the place for them. Some of the prices are less batty than others, but most seem to be in the range of "you can't get there from here". Maybe they are negotiable.

I like their 220SE Ponton coupe:



7K for this.

I’ve always wondered what the story was with Beverly Hills Car Club. I keep coming across them when I am browsing Hemmings Motor New. They advertise a variety of cars, some of which sound very desirable, but I don’t know if that is real or whether they are just putting lipstick on pigs and selling them.

fintail

Their pics are fascinating, I suppose the prices are, too.

From what I see, they have a lot of less desirable cars that appear to be cosmetic fixers, not too bad. But they are often priced like a nicer car. A lot of their higher end material looks like it spent time at the bottom of a lake, but is priced like a nice barnfind.

I mean, this will buff right out (and the original roof will buff right on), right?



Just 42K.

bhill2 said:

I’ve always wondered what the story was with Beverly Hills Car Club. I keep coming across them when I am browsing Hemmings Motor New. They advertise a variety of cars, some of which sound very desirable, but I don’t know if that is real or whether they are just putting lipstick on pigs and selling them.

fintail

Had the project car out today in the beautiful weather:



Ran fine, no issues. I got to use the horn a few times, which is always fun as it is loud and people wake up. I kept an eye on the oil blowby - didn't notice a drop today. I think what I saw last time was leftover from when I drove it on the highway several weeks ago - it has lost just a little oil out the dipstick at high speeds since I bought it. I wiped down the area under the dipstick and kept track of it, nothing new. I know that can be a dire engine wear sign, but also can be some kind of clogged pressure system, I will have to bring it up next time the car is in for a service.

berri

Noticed the weather while I'm watching the Seahawks Cowboy game.

ab348

Had the Cutlass out today too, lovely day here. Might be the last drive for a while. I noticed earlier this summer that it was dripping coolant from the weep hole in the water pump so I ordered a new one. Today I noticed it was making noise and when I got home the fan and pulley assembly had some play in it, so it needs changing. Never done one before but it doesn’t seem too hard. 

stickguy

a lot easier on that car than on a transverse engine.

texases

Does it have a fan clutch? Make sure that's not the source of the play.

ab348

texases said:

Does it have a fan clutch? Make sure that's not the source of the play.

No, just the fixed 4-blade fan. 

Mr_Shiftright

ab348 said:

Had the Cutlass out today too, lovely day here. Might be the last drive for a while. I noticed earlier this summer that it was dripping coolant from the weep hole in the water pump so I ordered a new one. Today I noticed it was making noise and when I got home the fan and pulley assembly had some play in it, so it needs changing. Never done one before but it doesn’t seem too hard. 

Just clean the surfaces meticulously, and don't over-torque the bolts or over-tighten the fan belt. And make sure the belt alignment is straight with the other pulleys.

tjc78

ab348 said:

Had the Cutlass out today too, lovely day here. Might be the last drive for a while. I noticed earlier this summer that it was dripping coolant from the weep hole in the water pump so I ordered a new one. Today I noticed it was making noise and when I got home the fan and pulley assembly had some play in it, so it needs changing. Never done one before but it doesn’t seem too hard. 

Biggest problem will be the bolts. They may be pretty rusted in there.

Mr_Shiftright

Good point. Start with a small ratchet, not a 3-foot lever! I think PB Blaster is a good solvent.

tjc78

Yes, spray those bolts and wait a day!

sda

ab348 said:

Had the Cutlass out today too, lovely day here. Might be the last drive for a while. I noticed earlier this summer that it was dripping coolant from the weep hole in the water pump so I ordered a new one. Today I noticed it was making noise and when I got home the fan and pulley assembly had some play in it, so it needs changing. Never done one before but it doesn’t seem too hard. 

Do you have recent pictures you can share? I remember yours being very sharp in red and am partial to the '68. I think I've shared this story before, my grandmother special ordered her '68 Cutlass S in a light metallic blue with oyster white interior. She was in her late 40s at the time and widowed. When she got it her mom quickly asked why didn't you get a red one? Men are more attracted to women who drive a red car!

ab348

I try not to post gratuitous pictures but my favorites were done by an acquaintance a few years ago, Mark Stevenson, when he was managing editor at The Truth About Cars and did a feature on my car and one other he borrowed to evaluate in a retrospective sort of way.








Here's a link to Mark's piece: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/09/comparison-test-1968-oldsmobile-cutlass-s-1968-ford-mustang-gt/

stickguy

That’s nice looking. Love the wheels.

tjc78

Yes. Perfect wheels for the car.  Nice pics 

jpp75

Great pics and enjoyed the article @ab348 such a great car.

ab348

tjc78 said:

Yes. Perfect wheels for the car.  Nice pics 

Those are actually 1971 Cutlass wheels. I had a set of the correct 1968 SSII wheels for it and ran them for many years but they only came in 6" rim width that year and I wanted a 7" width to fill the wheel wells a bit more, so I tracked those SSIs down and refinished them.

Here is a shot from 15-20 years ago (scanned from film) with the other wheels.

xwesx

ab348 said:

I try not to post gratuitous pictures but my favorites were done by an acquaintance a few years ago, Mark Stevenson, when he was managing editor at The Truth About Cars and did a feature on my car and one other he borrowed to evaluate in a retrospective sort of way.

Here's a link to Mark's piece: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/09/comparison-test-1968-oldsmobile-cutlass-s-1968-ford-mustang-gt/

I love the window profile on the Cutlass!

xwesx

ab348 said:

tjc78 said:

Yes. Perfect wheels for the car.  Nice pics 

Those are actually 1971 Cutlass wheels. I had a set of the correct 1968 SSII wheels for it and ran them for many years but they only came in 6" rim width that year and I wanted a 7" width to fill the wheel wells a bit more, so I tracked those SSIs down and refinished them.

Based on the differences there, I'd say mission accomplished!

tjc78

South Jersey Craig’s

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/ratrod-hotrod-53-dodge-pickup/6698619741.html. Always preferred the later models with four headlights.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/buick-regal/6691894634.html. Just need some small stuff

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/1989-super-clean-toyota-sr5/6698755571.html.
Decent

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-cutlass-supreme/6708205655.html

qbrozen

An '80s toyota truck with an automatic makes baby jesus weep.

fintail

Column shift too, don't recall seeing one like that before.

Turbo Regal also has to be rare.

tjc78

Just realized my comments got all out of order.  

The four headlight was directed at the Regal.  I didn’t even think they had turbo in the early years of that style 

explorerx4

The description is pretty amusing. Truck, not so much.
https://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/d/1989-f350-4x4-lariat/6709019378.html

tjc78

That’s a beast of a truck.  I’ll reckon he has zero problems selling at $1700.  

People love that generation of Ford trucks.  

stickguy

I just wonder, with all the sheetmetal rust, how bad the frame rails are.

explorerx4

An F-350 from that era will probably give you concussion symptoms driving in unloaded.

xwesx

I could go for that truck. It would be quite the upgrade from my '76! The axles, if in good shape, alone are worth the asking price.

xwesx

This popped up on the local Facebook sales board:

1966 Triumph TR4A
$6,250
Fairbanks, AK
Classic British 1966, TR4A roadster, original California car, all original (except old repaint). Nice 15’ driver with great potential. All maintenance records/receipts since 1971. Newer convertible top, tires and radiator. New carpet kit, misc. parts and manuals included. Great parade car and Sunday driver.


BRG, looks pretty decent. If there's rust, you can't see it from the photos provided.