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

fintail

"Mechanics Dream!" - yeah, if you own a BMW repair shop and some poor/rich sucker brings these old things in

Guide to Craigslist ad terminology

ghulet

I think even at $1000 you'd be in over your head in that 380SEL--the ad is funny, but the car is banged up, resting against blocks (never a good sign); I like the house with the mismatched spray paint, behind which is a gas station or something (another 'not good' sign), and I see an SLC, I think, behind the car--perhaps seller is a deluded MB enthusiast that doesn't know how to pick 'em (or know when to quit?).

I always love, too, when sellers want you to take TWO heaps for equal to, or more than, the price of one decent example, as is the case with the 633s (I want the seller to show ANY 633 that has sold for '$6000 easily' in the last two years). Invariably, they have one with a fabulous body that doesn't run and another, older, beat-to-hell example with a 'great engine' that, inexplicably, barely runs....from which you're supposed to remove the engine and put it in the 'nice' one? $3700 would be a gift. You could spend less than that, probably find ONE nice, running 633 or 635 and have your neighbors not hate you.

ghulet

....at least it runs, and the seller seems honest enough:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/177707930.html

Not exactly the kindest nor likely most effective way to sell your beater, but the ad is funny. I think, sadly, at this price level, you get more looky-lous and tire kickers than buyers, and seller is aware of this:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/177718570.html

Mr_Shiftright

shoot I'd buy that Peugeot for $300 as long as there wasn't water in the oil. One thing you can be sure of, is finding plenty of dead Peugeots to get parts from.

kapbot

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/176240145.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/176449102.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/176611070.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/176954036.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/176765253.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/177270812.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/177233185.html
Hope this isn't too much. I like the Firebird, though. How much is it really worth? Seems to have about 110,000 miles on it.

Mr_Shiftright

Somebody in KC needs to open a new wrecking yard. There is obviously a lot of potential inventory on craigslist.

fintail

That 126 is undoubtedly a parts car by now...I just thought the ad was funny, as that locale isn't the greatest, especially for odd cars. I swear I've been by where that car is located...not a bad area, just a bad house. It looks familiar somehow. I noticed the SLC too...undoubtedly a wacko enthusiast. He probably also has a 280C that he thinks will break the bank soon.

lemmer

3 projects for $10,000 - from a man with eclectic tastes.

lemmer

King Cobra Mustang - Buy it now only $5000. I am speechless.

british_rover

Nightmare

AWD eclipse with no drivetrain

Nightmare 2 and no title

Good car for someone with a couple of years of spare time.

ghulet

The E-type is a great parts car--too much work to restore and you'd never get your money back (rust bucket+automatic=bad), but at least it's all there. Don't know enough about old Jags to name a 'value'.

It's funny (to me, I'm 37) that the '80s-90s Japanese/American things have become like the muscle cars were when I was a kid--that is, kids want them, but in this state (cool car, without any of the cool parts), it's virtually worthless, IMO. Difference is, this thing will NEVER be worth any money, unlike a rat shell-of-a-GTO/Camaro/Firebird.

That XJ-S is frightening--nothing like a car with '60s technology, a '70s body and '80s-'90s 'add-ons' (body kit stuff) to make a scary mutt. I think the opening bid is about spot-on, sadly.

The '38 Pontiac--what can you say? Probably near impossible to find certain parts, so difficult and expensive to restore, and why would you want to, anyway (what fun is it once it's driveable)? It's almost better as a lawn ornament/conversation peice than as a vehicle.

fintail

I don't think there is a greater automotive nightmare than a fixer-upper XJS. It's a black hole.

I don't know what an extra-low mileage Miata is really worth

Mr_Shiftright

Nobody wants the ugly 2+2 model, and especially as an automatic and especially all ratted out. This car has three strikes on it. It is the least desirable of all E-Types with the worst options and in the worst possible condition.

It takes a kind of genius to get it ALL wrong---lOL!


JUNK---bits and pieces.

bumpy

Turbo looks without turbo needs.

Anyone want a half-finished fastback?

Worth buying just to prove that a US-spec Benz with a stick actually exists.

More "fun":
Nitrous *and* forced induction on a Ford 3.8 V6? Ay caramba x 10.

I don't think the "original factory paint" is a selling point.

Sigh. The Z32 deserves better than this.

1975 was a bad year for cars in general. I don't think the Midget was an exception.

Are VW dune buggies really worth a '70 Camaro?

toomanyfumes

47,000 for a Torino? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-FORD-GRAN-TORINO-STARSKY-HUTCH-CAR_W0QQitemZ- 150005761618QQihZ005QQcategoryZ31836QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

british_rover

You know modern Mercs in general never really did anything for me. They have some interesting cars and all but for the most part they just did not interest me. I wasn't even sure why they did not interest me till recently but it was because they did not bother to import manual tranny cars into the US.

I would probaby buy that 190e.

I also am not sure why but I always liked those Supercoupe Thunderbirds and that one has a manual oohhh which I also like. That 40 shot of nitrous is probably fairly safe. Should do more to cool the intake charge coming off of the Supercharger then anything else. I think those Supercoupes also had an air-to-air intercooler as well.

I have never really played with nitrous but I thought the idea behind a dry shot system was that you bumped up the fuel pressure when using the nitrous to provide extra fuel.

qbrozen

Nobody wants the ugly 2+2 model, and especially as an automatic and especially all ratted out.

Don't forget about me. I'm the one who wants a 2+2.

But, no, I don't want an automatic or even a fixer-upper. Since they don't go for all that much money, the 2+2 I want would need nothing (and be a stick, of course).

Mr_Shiftright

1975 was a very painful year for automobile enthusiasts in general. I remember how I felt as if the Roman Empire had fallen and barbarians were now sitting on the throne.

fintail

If I was in England, I'd be drooling...I'm still impressed. Just too bad it's not an SE

Mr_Shiftright

Finally, an eBay ad claiming low mileage with some CREDIBLE proof of same.

That's a mighty price he's asking though. Half that would be enough.

fintail

Yeah, it's kinda steep. It might do better if it was LHD, then some nutty German would ship it back home (there are several fintail owners groups there, and the highest prices I have seen have been in Germany). I don't know if they still do this, but the MB classic center would sell cars, and a few years back they had a couple low mileage (under 20K) 220SE fintails, for around 18K Euro apiece. The cars were legit and from that seller were of course top quality...but they were only listed for a few weeks, which led me to believe they sold. I don't know the transaction price, but I bet it wasn't cheap.

But here, yeah, even a pristine low mileage W111 would be hard pressed to hit $10K - and that one is a single carb lowline car. You should be able to get a much nicer than average one like mine for maybe 5K, even with it being a SE. I think a W112 might go a little higher though, esp the LWB model that I would love to find. I think a nice one of those should be able to hit 10K, they do have a small but devoted enthusiast base, and "new" discoveries are fawned over.

ghulet

...this one just popped up on Chicago's craigslist. Actually, the later (post-85) 126s are always all over craigslist here; this one looks nice and all, but something tells me a twenty year-old car that gets 14mpg with 200k on the odometer is going to be a hard sell at this price:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/178375917.html

ghulet

...this is not my favorite vehicle, and I hate the color, but wondering if the engine is toast if it just needs a timing chain (of course, it's impossible to tell what else it needs with it not running). Price is right, anyway:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/178358358.html

ghulet

Three vehicles for the price of......oh, I'd say a lot more than these three are worth:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/178339718.html

I don't know what the bike is worth, but it's a nine year-old 500cc Ninja (crouch rocket), so can't be too much, the Stratus looks $3500-4000 on a good day, the Concord about, what, $1500-2000?

ghulet

...looks a bit better than the seller describes (all mentioned are petty nuisances, though the a/c will be expensive to fix, expected on a twelve year-old car; this is in a $1M-plus neighborhood, so it's a heap to them). Price is great, unless it's really a total mess:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/178335904.html

fintail

That 560SEL looks nice, but with those miles it is double priced. You can get pristine extra low mileage obsessively maintained examples for 10K, might as well spend a little more and get a lot more.

LOL at the two transmission eaters and the "Kowaski" (the Polish knock-off brand? It is Chicago and all...) "crouch rocket" for 11 grand....hard to believe that isn't a joke.

british_rover

If it was a manual it would be better.

fintail

Nice somewhat unusual land yacht survivor

Might be a fun little thing

Looks pretty, scary miles

andre1969

I always had kind of a love/hate relationship with the '68 Cutlass. I always hated that front-end, with the turn signals in between the headlights (I didn't like it when Cadillac and Pontiac tried it, either), but I always liked the rest of the car, and really liked the rear end styling.

That one looks really nice. You don't see too many 4-door hardtops of that style around. And it's a cool (IMO) color. If it were closer, I would definitely check it out!

Mr_Shiftright

1994 BMW 525i -- not as good a deal as it might seem. The AC can cost a bundle and a car like this is pretty useless without it; and RUST in the doors--well that's at least two doors painted.

You can buy these cars clean and ready to go for $4,500 all day long, so I don't see why someone would pay $2,500 for one with issues.

It would have to be cheaper for me to bite. I doubt a wholesaler would give you half that much for it.

lemko

That reminds me of what happened to my friend's Corvette. He also has a dog, (ugliest little dog you've ever seen)and the mice were filching dog food from a similar bin and storing it in the HVAC ducts of his car! He turned on the A/C and got the foulest blast of air. He didn't know what it was until he took it to the dealer. The ducts were absolutely packed with kibble.

lemmer

How about an MGB with a Ford V6?

I know I was really wrong on that last MGB, but this one seems worth the opening bid to me. I know the engine swap likely hurts the value, but it seems like a decent idea to me.

I saw another B that was advertised as restored to British standards. What does that mean?

qbrozen

restored to British standards

hmmmm... reading that sent a chill up my spine. So it can't be a good thing.

An MGB with a Ford V6? For $8900??! Uhhhh.... ummmm.... Maybe shifty will have more constructive things to say. You know what mom says ... if you can't say anything nice ...

andre1969

I saw another B that was advertised as restored to British standards. What does that mean?

I think that means they squeak, rattle, rust, leak water, look like they were pounded together with sledge hammers, and have electrical nightmares aplenty to ensure your mechanic will have a very comfortable retirement. Sorry, couldn't resist. :P

As for that one with the Ford V-6, at first I was thinking Duratech or Vulcan or Essex 3.8. But who knows? That little 2.8 V-6 was designed for small, lightweight cars, and was used in the German Capri and the Pinto wagons, so it might not do evil things to the car that a bigger V-6 or a V-8 would.

stickguy

actually looks kind of nice to me. But, it also depends heavily on how well the conversion was done (cooling system, etc). The 2.8l used in the Capri, Pinto, etc. certainly was developed for small cars, and may not weigh much more (if any) than the standard I4. Heck, they fit the Buick/Rover V8 in there, and it doesn't look too crowded in the engine compartment.
'
Of course, only on a British car could you advertise "German reliability" as an upgrade!

For comparison, in the latest R&T, a dealer in NJ (The stable, they seem to have 4 ad pages in the back of every issue with some real neat but overpriced stuff) has a BRG '67 listed. All restored to a high standard according to them, sounds like it was done right, and may be one of the nicest you will find, probably better as new.

But, asking 22K for it!

qbrozen

The desperation in the ad is what scares me the most.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/178461839.html

not to mention the lack of details regarding the engine swap.

qbrozen

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/178438051.html

qbrozen

Let's see... pay for this guy's overinvestment or buy one at barrett jackson for half that .... man, what to do?

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/178427895.html

qbrozen

Maybe not to most folks ... but I like it.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/178391119.html

british_rover

I really liked the SVX's. Thought they were pretty cool.

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah well I share your curiosity but the SVX is a VER-Y pricey car to repair. They are interesting though. Too bad they are porkers in weight and only come in automatic. I drove one and liked it but it had an awful lot of push during aggressive driving. Thank god for the AWD at least. Pricey parts on a car worth nothing isn't a good situation to be in unless you "buy the best for cheap" to begin with.

MGB/Ford V-6: The pictures do tell the story and it doesn't read like a fairy tale. The engine compartment looks like a cobble to me, with mismatched heater hoses, corrosion, etc. Not something that "so and so racing" should be so proud to put their label on. My vote? An abortion of a car. Note also you can't seem to see the join line in the rear splash below the trunk (next to the backup lights). That means bondo. And look at how tall the gearshift is!! You'd have to shift with your forearm. And nice crusty brake drums behind the fancy wheels. Carelessness all around is all I see here. I mean, why take out an engine that's simple and cheaply rebuidable for one that isn't and that you can hardly find parts for? Makes no sense to me. What am I missing? I bet the MGB engine blew up and he looked around the back yard, and there under a tree was.....you guessed it!

the only MGB engine conversion I ever liked was a Mazda RX-7 rotary conversion, because it was interesting, beautifully done, and the car ran like a bat out of hell. The owner wanted a high revving engine that could run AC with room to spare.

MGB people will hate the MGB V-6, but the 7 or 8 remaining Capri V6 enthusiasts in America will love it and still not bid on it.

E-Type Roadster @ $100K: Well here you have the typical 'checkbook restoration', or as we say in the classic car biz "more dollars than sense". Try $70,000.

lemmer

It seems that the promise of these mixed make engine swaps never meets up to the reality.

Anyone willing to take on this Rolls? Even if it was free?

qbrozen

If it was FREE? hmmmmm....

you think a crate 350 would adapt easy enough?

qbrozen

hey, where's that 3000gt guy?

If this truly looks as good as the pics, i think this is alot of car for the money.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/178626268.html

As a matter of fact, I'm kind of thinking this is a bogus ad. No year and no location. hmmmm...

british_rover

Yeah I bet it is. Almost positive it is.

qbrozen

i sent an email. i'll report back IF i hear anything.

fintail

The ultimate money pit, so much better than an old 750

Dopey ad, scary looking car, priced 20x true value

qbrozen

man, that rolls is classy ... especially the fuzzy steering wheel cover!

lemmer

I liked those 405s back in the day. The magazines liked them too. If you were brave enough to buy it, where would you take it to get it fixed?

Mr_Shiftright

80s Rolls, unless perfect and dirt cheap, are all parts cars and should be scrapped before another poor soul gets ruined financially.

You can't give these cars away. They are basically sale-proof unless you deep-discount and run to the bank to cash the check.

$8,000 for a NORMAL brake job is not uncommon.