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

tjc78

I didn’t think you could get the Mitsu 3.0 with a stick in the Duster. I thought it only came with the 4 speed auto.

I like the Mustang.

ab348

That LeBaron convertible must be something. First-gen K-cars were well-received at the time but really needed the mid-80s "Super K" refresh to give them some needed updates. I imagine driving one of these now must be a real throwback. The old angled-slab K-car dash takes me back.

fintail

Speaking of period Mopar, This nearly extinct thing came through my feed today - seems like a bargain, you just don't see these anymore.

stickguy

looks clean. and cheap. Heck, if it was local and a stick, I would buy it to beat around in!

mrwhipple311

fintail said:

Speaking of period Mopar, This nearly extinct thing came through my feed today - seems like a bargain, you just don't see these anymore.

Always liked those back in the day. Probably haven't seen one in 20 years and looking at it now my mind has trouble wrapping itself around the fact that cars looked like that once upon a time. Futuristic in a alternate reality kind of way.

tjc78

My mom had an 85 Charger very similar to that. Dad had an 86 Shelby Charger. Both were black.

Mom had hers for 6-7 years. Paint came off in sheets and the AC was repaired at least 4 times.

Dad totaled his and replaced it with an 87 Shadow ES turbo (two door) all loaded up. That was actually a really nice car.

My Uncle ran a Dodge dealer so in the 80s the family was heavy on the Mopar.

ab348

Those Omni 024s and Plymouth TC3s were everywhere for a while in the early '80s. Apparently if you equipped them with the right engine and suspension options they could be fun to drive, at least for the times. I don't remember ever sitting in one.

As for the look, they weren't bad compared to what Ford devised as a competitor:

tjc78

The early EXPs were pretty ugly. They got better once they got the composite headlights.

fintail

I think those are stock wheelcovers on the TC3 too, I seem to remember them, another oddly futuristic design. At that price, if I had endless funds and a big building, I'd rescue things like that and end up with an Adam-like fleet of oddballs. I am sure it is hilariously bad by modern standards, but it should be saved.

I always called the early EXP "frogface". Those wheels were also offered on Tempo at least for MY 1984.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I kinda like the Duster. just needs to be cheaper to be a throwaway toy!

Ad say 3.0L Chrysler engine. Mitsubishi made that engine.

tjc78

@oldfarmer50 said:
Ad say 3.0L Chrysler engine. Mitsubishi made that engine.

Yes you are correct. If only Mitsu made the transmission behind it too, instead of the self destructing 4 speed Chrysler.

Actually that 3.0 wasn’t all that great of an engine. By 100K most of them needed valve seals. In the mid 90s there were Caravans, Voyagers, Spirits and Acclaims all blowing blue smoke upon take off.

sda

tjc78 said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

Ad say 3.0L Chrysler engine. Mitsubishi made that engine.

Yes you are correct. If only Mitsu made the transmission behind it too, instead of the self destructing 4 speed Chrysler.

Actually that 3.0 wasn’t all that great of an engine. By 100K most of them needed valve seals. In the mid 90s there were Caravans, Voyagers, Spirits and Acclaims all blowing blue smoke upon take off.

Valves liked to tick as well. Keep oil in them and they run and run.

stickguy

That’s why you get the manual. Avoid the fragile ATs!

oldfarmer50

tjc78 said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

Ad say 3.0L Chrysler engine. Mitsubishi made that engine.

Yes you are correct. If only Mitsu made the transmission behind it too, instead of the self destructing 4 speed Chrysler.

Actually that 3.0 wasn’t all that great of an engine. By 100K most of them needed valve seals. In the mid 90s there were Caravans, Voyagers, Spirits and Acclaims all blowing blue smoke upon take off.

I sure hope not since I have a modified version of that in my Sebring. I know the earlier ones were noted for that.

I had that same Mitsu engine in my Cirrus and it went to 130k with no oil burning. On the same car the Chrysler transmission only needed the shift selonoids replaced over that same mileage.

tjc78

The Cirrus (or any of the cloud cars) never got the Mitsu 3.0 that I know if. It was a 2.5 V6

I believe like you said they are all related. I think the only version that suffered from oil burning was the original 3.0

oldfarmer50

tjc78 said:

The Cirrus (or any of the cloud cars) never got the Mitsu 3.0 that I know if. It was a 2.5 V6

I believe like you said they are all related. I think the only version that suffered from oil burning was the original 3.0

Yeah, that’s what I was saying, the 2.5 in the cloud cars was modified from the 3.0 in order to fit the cab forward engine bay. I think those 6g7 engines came in every displacement from 2.0L to 3.8L

andres3

I can't do Chrysler again, whether it's called Jeep, or RAM, or Plymouth or Dodge or Eagle, I just cannot!

qbrozen

andres3 said:

I can't do Chrysler again, whether it's called Jeep, or RAM, or Plymouth or Dodge or Eagle, I just cannot!

Says the man with 3 VWs.

andres3

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

I can't do Chrysler again, whether it's called Jeep, or RAM, or Plymouth or Dodge or Eagle, I just cannot!

Says the man with 3 VWs.

And all 3 of them are as reliable as any Honda

Maybe even more reliable in some ways. I'll grant you that it appears our Tiguan is defying the odds since I don't hear great things coming out of CR about them.

fintail

CL lookie:

Oval

50s style, probably worth as much 30 years ago

Really clean looking save for that front rocker area

The 70s

50 footer

Four holer

We need better pics for that price

Maybe thin on the ground now

Again, wonderful pics

Rare and a little rough

Uncommon model, nice color combo

stickguy

MB is pretty. from back when a mercedes was still a Mercedes.

tjc78

Love the color on the MB

The Futura is just begging for a hopped up EFI 302 from a late fox body Stang. It is done all the time, but just makes for a great sleeper.

That 200 inline 6 is a slug to say the least.

sda

Did Ford offer the 250 six in the Futura/Fairmont. It was marginally better. What was it with Ford’s sixes that they were such dogs compared to Chrysler’s 225 slant six or GM’s Chevy 250 six, or even AMC sixes? The AMC 258 six had a little perk to it. Don’t get me wrong, none of them were quick.

ab348

sda said:

Did Ford offer the 250 six in the Futura/Fairmont. It was marginally better. What was it with Ford’s sixes that they were such dogs compared to Chrysler’s 225 slant six or GM’s Chevy 250 six, or even AMC sixes? The AMC 258 six had a little perk to it. Don’t get me wrong, none of them were quick.

Off the top of my head, I only remember the 200 ci six in those cars. We had the 250 in our '74 Maverick and it was pretty gutless. I think I read something that the intake/exhaust breathing was pretty constricted due to the way the head and intake/exhaust manifolds were designed for ease of manufacture and cost savings. The Ford 240 6-cyl used in trucks and the full-size cars was a different design and apparently much more amenable to being hopped up.

stickguy

tjc78 said:

Love the color on the MB

The Futura is just begging for a hopped up EFI 302 from a late fox body Stang. It is done all the time, but just makes for a great sleeper.

That 200 inline 6 is a slug to say the least.

not bad looking. drop in the 302/5 speed, and suspension and brakes, might be good to go.

tjc78

@stickguy said:
not bad looking. drop in the 302/5 speed, and suspension and brakes, might be good to go.

As far as swaps go it’s actually pretty easy. At the end of the day they are all Fox platform cars, so with the right parts it all bolts up.

I saw an LTD wagon done up with all Mustang parts. Cool idea.

stickguy

Actually would prefer a fairmont wagon swap. Really no point on a 2 door coupe. Might as well just keep the mustang!

You could get a fairmont (sedan, doubt the wagon) with a V8 manual drivetrain. So converting a wagon should be easy.

fintail

Took the old dear out this morning, started and ran fine, got a fun "I love your car" comment from a cheerful grandma type lady in an Econoline that appeared to be wearing hubcaps from a 70s F-series, also got a few other waves and thumbs up, older guy in a clean W211 was into it as well.

For gratuitous pic time, I guess it is official now even though closing isn't for around 2 more weeks, I stopped by to see some work being done by the owner:




I noticed a recent Adam video where he mentioned he prefers an unrestored/not detailed engine compartment, so I thought I'd snap a pic of mine - lots of plumbing here not seen on most cars of the era:

stickguy

nice. you are going to love having the garage.

ab348

stickguy said:

nice. you are going to love having the garage.

Good place to keep the lawnmower, hedge trimmer and whipper snipper you are going to need as well.

sda

House and fintail in driveway look like they’re made for each other. How far is your new house from your apartment?

fintail

Fortunately not a ton of grass, that's the big patch. The corner area around the tree, and most of the back, are rock - so I will just have to pull weeds. It also has underground sprinklers and drippers. The prior owner was into it, old street view pics show a lush garden. I am not so much into that, I might see about clover and bushes or even some cactus if it can live here. I plan to get an electric lawnmower, as it isn't a huge patch - there was a lawnmower in the garage when I toured it, maybe it will be included.

ab348 said:

stickguy said:

nice. you are going to love having the garage.

Good place to keep the lawnmower, hedge trimmer and whipper snipper you are going to need as well.

fintail

The color is suitable, I like it - maybe something subconscious that steered me to the house. The house had a gut remodel around 15 years ago, inside it is not a period piece, but outside still has kind of a 50s look.

It's around 5 miles from here, not too bad. My commute will be roughly the same.

sda said:

House and fintail in driveway look like they’re made for each other. How far is your new house from your apartment?

fintail

Already looking forward to it. It has some cabinets and a workbench. Debating if I should apply a treatment to the floor. It's not heated, but I saw some insulation.

stickguy said:

nice. you are going to love having the garage.

stickguy

when I move I plan to do something to the garage floor. I never got around to it at this house.

tjc78

@stickguy said:
when I move I plan to do something to the garage floor. I never got around to it at this house.

I said it in another thread but that is something I want to do as well.

@fintail
For the age of the car the engine bay doesn’t look bad at all. You can see some newer parts and wiring but otherwise just original. Not sure I’d mess with it too much other than minor cleaning when needed.

fintail

I wonder if it's a big or expensive job to apply coating, it'd look cool. This house could end up being a "Money Pit" re-enactment, but with less fall apart (a bathroom reno is already on the longterm list - what's in it is fine but I would like a walk-in shower).

Every blue moon I will wipe some of the dust and grit off the engine, but I've never steam cleaned it or applied engine dressing or similar.

tjc78 said:

@stickguy said:

when I move I plan to do something to the garage floor. I never got around to it at this house.

I said it in another thread but that is something I want to do as well.

@fintail

For the age of the car the engine bay doesn’t look bad at all. You can see some newer parts and wiring but otherwise just original. Not sure I’d mess with it too much other than minor cleaning when needed.

benjaminh

2002 Toyota Avalon with 195k miles. 1-owner. Clean carfax. Regular maintenance. Offered for $4350. Maybe an ok deal in today's market?

https://www.acuraatoxmoor.com/used-Louisville-2002-Toyota-Avalon-XLS-4T1BF28B52U251502

tjc78

I had one like that. Mine was an 03 with the revised grill. Good car, but the 06 I had was light years better. Everyone always loved the dashboard design in the 03.

fintail

$4350 is probably the new 3K, so if it all checks out, I am sure you could do a lot worse. Maybe offer $3900 or something just because.

That dash concept reminds me of the 92-96 Prelude.

qbrozen

I know I'm in the minority here (or possibly all by my lonesome), but, unless it is a diesel, any car with 200k miles is a throwaway to me. The most I'd give is $2k.

tjc78

@qbrozen said:
I know I'm in the minority here (or possibly all by my lonesome), but, unless it is a diesel, any car with 200k miles is a throwaway to me. The most I'd give is $2k.

I’m with you on that. You could be one repair from taking it to the junkyard.

stickguy

With the current used cars market, people will be pulling cars out of the junkyard to drive soon. Cost dumpy amici for when it’s mechanically totaled has changed!

sda

I keep crossing my fingers that our 06 TL with 165k soldiers on with minimal fuss. My daughter loves the car and named it ‘Baby’. I feel out of the loop currently as I can’t do my normal checks on it, like checking the oil level, etc. now that I am recovering from a broken leg. Good news is that it is healing correctly, a cast was put on yesterday. In four weeks they hope to put me in a walking boot. I don’t want to have to buy another car in this current crazy car market.

gsemike

Marketplace on LI 1960-1990

The prices on these F bodies has gone up Reports super low miles but those front seats look redone

20 footer... 30 footer Shiny on some parts but needs total resto

Well preserved Bronx beauty

Another real time capsule back to the days of Z Cavaricci Gotta be the cleanest one you'll find.

Really want this red tomato Looks like a better copy than most

Not much of a Falcon fan but this looks really well kept

If that is rust on the rockers, that price has to be way high

Never see these Capris anymore My Dad had one when I was a kid

texases

Maybe that's why there's only one pic on the "300ZX".

stickguy

$12,500 for a plain jane Falcon? Dang.

texases

With a 200? Nope. Gotta have a V8.

gsemike

@stickguy said:
$12,500 for a plain jane Falcon? Dang.

Seems high to me but it does look very clean. Can't hurt to start high

ab348

texases said:

With a 200? Nope. Gotta have a V8.

Yeah, I quite liked it until I saw the 200 under the hood, and the price. I swear every Futura of that design generation was red with a black vinyl roof.