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

british_rover

but I like the converitable version more.

This one just seems fishy though for some reason.

fintail

I smell lots of badly repaired body panels, bondo, and a very rusty underside

Makes me appreciate where I live

british_rover

I know that frame repair that could be done by any decent welder looks bogus just from the picture.

lemmer

You guys seem to love these huge 2-door Caddys.

Corvette with mismatched tires and unexplained large amounts of HP.

This quote really sells the car for me "This Car is First year Chrome is First year Fiberglass which is why its so fast:)" What does that mean?

Mr_Shiftright

The corvette might be an L82 engine option but still there's nothing like 375HP in there...more like 250HP on a good day.

Just another ho-hum de-fanged Corvette automatic with regrettable "coke-bottle" styling ...opening bid is PLENTY for this car. ...

andre1969

to cough up $900-1000 for that Coupe DeVille. It looks like it's actually pretty solid, apart from the bumper/endcap damage to the back and other scrapes and such. I think that teal-ish color is pretty cool.

lemko

...and it has the good 425 V-8 as well. There are aftermarket sources for those rear bumper cap fillers.

andre1969

please forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Actually, apart from the oversized rims and the funky lower interior door panels, I don't think this customization is TOO hideous. I kinda like the black-over-silver 2-tone job, although I don't think these '73-77 A-bodies generally take very well to two-toning. Unless it's just a contrasting vinyl roof. There's just something about the way the beltline kicks up in the door, just ahead of the B-pillar, and the way the creases flow with it, that just doesn't lend itself that well, IMO, to two-toning.

If factory pimping is more your style, this 1977 Electra Park Ave looks pretty nice.

And finally, rounding out the year 1977 for Buick we have this Riviera. Probably one of the least loved, but more practical Rivs. It bridged the gap between the massive excess of the '76, and the FWD complexity of the '79. Little more than a high-spec LeSabre coupe in '77-78, it still had a decent blend of performance with the 403, good interior room, and a nimble size (for the time). I think I'd be leery of something that sat for 23 years without being started, though!

And don't ask me why I'm stuck on '77 Buicks today. Maybe Ghulet put the thought in my mind, with the two Regals he posted the other day. :P

volvomax

I've always liked this car.
This one is on ebay link title

Is it worthwhile to buy and restore or am I out of my mind?

qbrozen

WELL, i can't say for sure ... but I look at it this way ... check out the seller's shop. Now, if HE isn't restoring it to make a buck, then I would think its not worth it.

Of course, better pics might turn me on more. Who knows.

volvomax

I did talk to him, he is a jeweller who is selling the car for a good customer of his.
Car needs alot of cosmetic work.
Could easily spend $20 grand restoring it I'm afraid.

Mr_Shiftright

Well if you spent $20K restoring it and the bid is already at $16K, you're about done bidding right there...you can find these clean and ready to roll at $35K--$45K.

You'd have to be brave and pray that the engine is okay. Very few people will even work on them. They are very complex to get right.

The proper name for this model is "AMV8" Series 2/3.

I like the 200 mph speedo though :P

lemmer

kind of a project car.

What do you do with this?

Maybe you've got a great Vette with a rusty frame?

qbrozen

hmmm... so who has all those restored classics and new lambos in the pics? The jeweler or his customer?? Do all of those cars belong to his customer? Is his customer a restorer (which is what i suspected, which is why i made my comment). I guess it could be just a really nice place he rents space in which to store his car (???).

shifty - wow. i wasn't thinking they were THAT cheap. That would be a heck of a cool car to have for that kinda $$.

andre1969

was the '58 Corvette? I've never seen just the frame from one, but with that big X member and the boxed frame, you'd think it would've been a pretty solid car. Or at least a solid basis for a car!

Just out of curiosity, when did GM stop boxing their frames? When they started using those wasp-waisted X-frames? Or perimeter frames? All I know is that no GM car I ever owned had a boxed frame.

stickguy

from the comments section, it doesn't sound like this guy knows what he has!

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, he knows all right....the '58 Vette is IMO a "bitsa" car---bitsa this and bitsa that, which greatly diminishes its potential value. Not much about the car is correct...a [non-permissible content removed] Vette. And not a very good restoration from the looks of it. I don't know what kind of "shows" he's been winning, but I can't imagine the bar is set very high, given what I see.

So what we have here seems to be an amateur street cobble of a classic car. Totally correct and perfect, this car might be worth $60,000. With a good body, paint, upholstery chrome, on this frame, (engine, trans, etc.--the whole enchilada built up from scratch) , maybe $30,000 on a good day if you're lucky and the car looks great.

So the bid (if you even want such a Corvette) is already more than enough.

What would I do? I'd have the Italians hammer me out a simple aluminum body to my specs and I'd use seats, instrumentation, etc. from some other salvaged sports car--make it a two seaters with side curtains and a flimsy top (like an early Cobra). This way you'd have something unique and not just a beater Vette that all other Vette owners will sneer at.

I don't know why Corvette nuts are so fussy about numbers and originality when Ferrari owners are not, but that's how it turned out, and the values are very much affected by this nit-picking devotion to numbers. Given the early Corvettes humble nature, it seems rather silly, but hey, you pay and you get to play your way. Model A Ford owners are even WORSE about this.

Aston-Martin -- it's potentially a car from hell, or the mistress who pouts and asks for diamonds once a week--this is why it's so cheap. If that engine blows up, you are totally, thoroughly, irretrievably screwed to the tune of maybe $30,000. If you can find anyone to fix it, that is. Do the math...maybe ten people in America with that expertise. They are going to charge you up the wazoo. At least with a Ferrari you have more options with parts, bargaining and mechanics--and in the case of 70s cars, at least a chance for appreciation. Not so with the A-M. It'll stagnate for another decade, value-wise.

lemmer

What does that Hummer in the background have on its trailer?

qbrozen

looks like a Willys.

au1994

a Jeepster maybe?

volvomax

They are storing the car w/ a mechanic who works on exotics.

AM V8 prices are all over the place.
There was a decent one up in Seattle that went for @$25k on ebay a few months ago.
Some dealers are asking $50-60 for nice ones.

I think I'm gonna pass, I really don't have the time to get into a complete restoration project and I don't want to pay big $$$ for a pro to do it.

lemmer

A 2+2 converted to Twin Turbo specs. I love the idea of a 4 seat TT Z, but something tells me this is probably a bad idea. He wants too much for it anyway.

qbrozen

Geesh.
I don't have good memories of reliability on a factory TT, so I can't imagine what a fraken-Z would be like.

lemmer

I had a normally aspirated 1995 300ZX. It seemed to be pretty reliable. I hadn't heard that the turbos were significantly less reliable.

xwesx

Looking at that grille, it is definitely a Willy's, but cannot see enough behind it to determine body type, etc.

Mr_Shiftright

Why don't you look for a nice clean low miles Ferrari 308 or 328? Or you could buy a killer Porsche for this kind of money. British cars from the 70s are generally really bad news.

jrosasmc

This isn't really a project but you have to take a look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrysler-New-Yorker-Fifth-Avenue-216E3120219T_W0Q- QcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6178QQitemZ4635595146QQrdZ1

Since when does a late-80s Mopar M-body go for that much with 35k miles? I thought they weren't collectible cars.

andre1969

Ummm, I'd say about the last time a car like that went for $11,000 with 35K miles on it would have been around 1990 or 1991, when it was a fairly new used car!

This is probably being overly generous, but if I really wanted it, I might offer the guy maybe $4,000. They're about as collectible I guess, as any other sedan from the 80's, which isn't saying a whole lot. They do have a bit of a following because they represented the end of the line for that breed of car, at least in the Mopar ranks. And a lot of Mopar fans consider the M-body to be the last "true" Mopar, as many people don't think the term "Mopar" should be applied to anything based on the K-car or anything that followed.

If it was a later 88 or an '89 it would have been a bit more interesting, because it would have had an airbag. Shame it doesn't have a sunroof.

Also, while I'm normally not a fan of those Lazy-Boy button tufted seats, I think they actually suit a car like this very well. The car itself is kinda neoclassic and throwback in styling, so the seats seem appropriate. In something like the '79-85 Eldorado, which IMO was a bit more sleek and modern in its style, I don't think that type of seat pattern works as well.

lemmer

Is this driver '60 Vette worth the bid? Has a 350 engine from who knows where

Anyone like a Torino?

andre1969

in the Chronic Car Buyers forum, but figured it would look good here, too...

Somebody please talk me down from this! And show me how to block eBay so I can't go to that site anymore! :shades:

qbrozen

Interesting find. And in my neck of the woods, too. Too bad I already bought a car for my brother, this would have been good for him.

andre1969

that really concern me about that St. Regis are the mention about it taking awhile to shift into reverse and the windshield wipers. Might just need an adjustment, or it might need a whole rebuild. I think a rebuild on a tranny like this would be around $800-850 these days.

As for the windshield wipers, well my '79 NYer has a problem too, and my mechanic wasn't able to fix them. He at least got them to work again, but they "park" in the upright position, and sometimes make a clunking noise when I use them. It doesn't bother me THAT much, since I don't drive the car a whole lot.

But these R-bodies can be difficult sometimes to find specific parts like that for. Some generic things are really easy...for example when my NYer needed new power window motors, I just cannibalized them from my '89 Gran Fury.

Anyway, I'm almost tempted to bid. Someone please stop me. :shades:

fintail

That St. Regis looks like a really nice survivor...I think you could do a lot worse for the money, especially seeing as you really like those cars to begin with it. I'd be really hard pressed to not go for it...

andre1969

that St. Regis has a reclining passenger side seat. My NYer has that feature, but my '79 Newport didn't. Was that something that was still pretty rare on big domestic cars back then?

I'm not sure, but I think all of the R-bodies that had a split bench seat had a passenger-side recline.

Dangit, this is getting frustrating! My rational side says no, but it's only 3 hours away, wouldn't have to be inspected, would only cost about $51 every two years to register, and about $24 per year to insure if I could get Hagerty to cover it. Or about $293 per year if I was forced to put it on my regular insurance.

And my insurance went down about $600 this year, so in the long run, I'd still be paying less than last year. Dang, now my rational side isn't helping things much anymore...

Mr_Shiftright

'70 Dodge: Well for one thing that 360cid V-8 puts out a whopping 150HP on a good day, while sucking gas doing it, so the only thing that police cruiser is going to be doing is chasing bicycles. Aside from that, the transmission sounds like it's about to burp. I personally don't see what type of pleasure one might derive from owning a car like this, especially at the price being asked. The seals are probably hard in the transmission, causing the misfire. $1,200 all day long and that's generous IMO. Might make an okay winter car or short hop commuter.

'60 Vette -- car is fully priced at current bid of $35,000 with NOM engine and other issues IMO. A bastardized Vette takes a big hit in value (should be $60,000 for a #2) but still, it's a Vette and most people looking at it won't know. PS: I'm always amazed that people e-mail the sellers and ask "Why are you selling it"? It's like asking "why are you swimming?" What's he supposed to do? change his mind after further reflection?

88 Chrysler --- it's not actually "going" for that price, that's just asking price, with ZERO bids. It's not collectible and never will be, so eBay bidders know what's what here. Demo derby.

andre1969

I shot off an email to the guy asking what rear end it had in it. It's actually not a police car, but a civilian model that the guy was trying to turn into a police car clone. That's why it just has the 360-2bbl, and most likely it just has the 2.45:1 rear end.

That's the drivetrain my '79 NYer has in it, and for only having 150 hp, it's really not a bad performer. It's not going to blow off a musclecar, or even most new cars. Well, it might take on a Vulcan Taurus or a 2.7 300, or maybe an '05 Civic. Horsepower's kinda low, but I'd imagine torque is around the 270-280 ft-lb range.

Speaking of rear-ends, if you took a car like this St. Regis or NYer with a 2.45:1 rear end and swapped in a 2.94:1 or 3.23:1 rear end (both were options), but didn't make any other mods, would it do much for acceleration?

My '89 Gran Fury had a 2.94:1 rear, and it could kick pretty well, but it was also a police car, so it had a mildly hopped-up engine. It was just a 318, but it had a 4bbl, and 175 hp. It also had a different 1st and 2nd gear ratio than what these R-bodies would have.

Basically this St. Regis is just a lower mileage, less pimpy version of my NYer, so it's not like it's going to give me a vastly different driving experience. But I'm still tempted. Someone snap me out of it!

qbrozen

some of you seem like you might like this Monte Carlo.

qbrozen

I'm waiting for the seller to post what is GOOD about this Integra

qbrozen

now i know these have a bit of a following ... but it sounds kinda rough for 5 large. Not to mention, when it comes down to it, it IS just a 23-year-old Buick.

qbrozen

i know, i know, i'm insane for even looking at this.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/155121276.html

qbrozen

Ah... yes ... the infamous inline V6.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/155121801.html

lemko

I had a 1979 Park Avenue with the same excellent 403 V-8 engine and factory chrome wheels! Shoot, even the tires look similar to the ones on my old ride. Grbeck and I saw a 1979 Electra 225 for sale for a mere $595 but on closer inspection, the car was a total wreck. The driver's side door trim was just barely hanging on due to the generous application of "duck" tape.

lemko

That car would make a really nice companion to your New Yorker!

lemko

Holy smoke! I had a red and silver 1985 model. My brother is still driving the car with 235K+ miles on it! The $11,000 price is really steep. I only paid like $4,500 for my car in 1992.

qbrozen

who says you can't get anything nice under $1k these days?
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/155121801.html

andre1969

especially for $299! It doesn't seem like it's in horrible shape, even though the interior is doing that annoying fade thing that seemed to afflict GM cars worse than Ford or Chrysler at the time, where the interior would fade to 3 or 4 different interpretations of the original color! I always thought the '75-79 Nova coupe was a good looking style. They were called the "European" Nova when new, but these days I think "redneck" is more like it!

qbrozen

can't beat the price for a runner.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/155497539.html

andre1969

that Olds seller doesn't list which engine it has. Most likely it's a 307, which should run forever and give adequate performance. Standard engine in these suckers though was a 231 with 110 hp. It had the newer, more durable block by that time which also eliminated most of its lubrication problems. But it would be dog-slow with the 231.

volvomax

I have real concerns about the reliability and maintenance on an older Ferrari.
Everybody and their grandmother has a Porsche.

The Aston owners that I have talked to said that the cars are generally good mechanically. Not as tepermental as an older Jag.
Plus, they are very rare.

bumpy

About the only non-GNX that's worth anything is the '87. The rest are just beaters with some pep.