By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Unless you're drunk, like the guy that hit the telephone pole in front of my house. Not that I advocate drinking and driving, but I've often wondered if a drunk might fare better in an accident than a sober person might...if nothing else, simply because they may not tense up and panic like a sober person might? Of course, in a serious enough accident, no amount of liquor or "loosening up" is going to save you!
Also, that guy got lucky, probably, BECAUSE the pole snapped. Had the pole not budged, his truck probably would've just crumpled up against it as it stopped instantly, and the impact on the driver would've been much more severe.
Maybe the saying "don't drink and drive" should be amended to "don't drink and drive...unless you're planning to get into an accident," or "If you're going to get into an accident, better belt a few down before you drive." We could let MADD wordsmith the exact language.
Yes, but how nimble was the handling of that Packard, and how responsive was the steering? I guess what I'm asking is, could you swerve or stop to avoid the telephone pole if you saw it coming at you from, say, 100 yards, and you were driving at 60 mph, or were you doomed to hit it?
My great-uncle (my grandfather's brother) had the ugliest smashed-up nose you ever saw. He got it when my grandfather was learning to drive in the family's Model T. My grandfather drove into the end of a bridge rail on a little country road. The Model T's spring steel bumper absorbed the energy and threw the car backwards for about 15 feet; then it got enough traction to go forward and hit that @#$%@ bridge again! Note - (my great-uncle's description of the bridge, not mine. I'm sure it was a very nice bridge most of the time)
He and my grandfather used to argue about whether his nose got all smashed up on the first hit, or the second one! :P Oh, and it didn't break the windshield either!
Seems to present fairly well. Although if the paint is only a year old, it doesn't shine very well. I love how the "options include manual trans and manual windows." What exactly did those options replace? no windows or trans at all?
Anyway ... as a track car project??
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Small "hemi"
Rare "lemo"
Land yacht
Lemko-mobile
Not a good idea either
Fancy beater
"who knows whats wrong"
"Does need some mechanical TLC" ...I bet
"I also have a complete engine w/turbos and transmission and other misc. parts that can be negotiated if you are interested. "
Would those be the ones he just took out, or the ones that need to be put into the car?
Probably more often than that with those old Biturbos....
I think it's change your shorts; change your short block
That was back in 1986, when he sold it. The guy that bought it tried to jump start it with a 12 volt system, fried something, and then gave up on the car and pushed it to the edge of the woods in his back yard. I have cousins who live a few houses down, and in 1989 my Mom & stepdad moved about a mile away, so I'd drive by every once in awhile and still see it in the guy's back yard. It was there the last time I drove by, but that was a couple years ago. I've entertained the idea of trying to buy it back, but I hate to think of what 22 years sitting out in the yard would have done to it. It was rust-free when Granddad sold it, but I'm sure it isn't by now!
I've never heard of a Firedome "500" though. As far as I know, they just had the cheaper 6-cyl lineup called PowerMaster, and the uplevel V-8 called Firedome. Also, it's a minor nitpick, but that thing would have a 276.1 Hemi, not a 271 as the ad says. For some reason, Mopar listed some of their engine displacements down to the 10ths like that for a few years. I'm sure GM or Ford would've just called it a "276". They did that in '56 as well, with the 330.4 and the 341.1. For 1957 though, they just rounded off to 341.
That '79 Electra Limited looks like it's in really nice shape, from what I can tell in those pics. I know there's not exactly a huge demand for these things, but that price seems reasonable, as long as it checks out. Lemko, you up for a road trip? :shades:
Well, that's ok. I thought about it and decided a 13B would be better, anyway. A carb is probably not the best idea for a track car.
Now this on the other hand ...
'82 280Z
But does is the year correct? Wiki seems to indicate '82 was the year for the slight redesign when all those scoops were added, which this car seems to be lacking.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
PS: I liked the RX-7 better, although the red interior was a bit much. Did the RXs get heavier with the 13b series?
JRW
The 2+2 Z is about 175 lbs heavier than the 2-seater. Looks like the wheelbase is about another 8 inches. As Shifty said, though, its a porker either way. Just over 2800 lbs for the 2-seater and just under 3k for the 2+2.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Spelling both words wrong doesn't bode well
I had a 164. Fun car, but it'll keep you busy.
The 300SD is indeed nice, looks almost like new, but for that price you can find much newer examples.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Those wheels won't fool anyone :sick:
The only fake I ever saw or heard about that I actually liked was that guy who built the Countach in his basement.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Those that want used luxury can find plenty of pre owned 90s E or S Classes, 5 or 7 series BMWs, Lexuses, Acuras, Infinitis, Jags, and pretty much most midsize sedans that have same features that that old Benz had (leather, sunroof, a/c, CD, power windows, and locks.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
So if he thinks his '79 Benz oil burner is worth $11,000, then my friend's 1995 toyota Corolla is worth $16,000 and my 1997 Subaru Outback is worth $20,000.
Yeah, I'd say $3,000 is a fair price for it.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Back in 1979, nobody would have considered that Benz to be a large sedan. At least, nobody in America. It pretty much fell in range with the cars that were marketed as compacts at the time. The EPA rated it at 96 cubic feet of interior and 15 cubic feet of trunk. That put it ahead of the Granada/Monarch and AMC Concorde. It had the same interior space as a Nova (96) but a larger trunk (Nova only had 13 cubic feet). But the Fairmont/Zephyr, Aspen/Volare, and Diplomat/LeBaron were all larger, at least in 4-door form.
My '79 Newport, which had a 318-2bbl with a small throat and a tall 2.45:1 axle, would get around 22 on the highway. I wonder if there was any "true" full-sized car back then that could hit 25? The most efficient full-sized configurations I could find for 1978 (the EPA only listed combined numbers in 1979, but 1978 shows the city/highway cycles) were...
18/25: Olds Delta 88 with the 260 V-8
17/25: Pontiac Catalina/Buick LeSabre with the 231 V-6
17/24: Pontiac Catalina/Bonneville and Buick LeSabre with the 301 V-8
16/23: Olds Delta 88 with the 350 "Rocket" V-8.
Oh, and any full-sizer with the 350 Diesel was rated 21/30.
Those were the old fashioned, overly generous, raw laboratory numbers, though...the same ones that gave so many small cars in that era EPA ratings of 40+ and even 50 mpg.
People would line up to pay 5-6K for it, I have no doubt. Heck, if its as good as it looks, I'd pay 3K for it right now. A nice diesel W116 is uncommon anymore.
I don't consider it large now (at least the interior). Look at the last pic of the back seat. There is no legroom at all. I would think a CamCord would have more room with the front seats all the way back.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
or is something amiss?
This blue is prettier, but twice the mileage.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
* Major tuneup - replaced plugs, plug wires, cap, rotor and distributor
* Brake work - replaced all brake lines, relined shoes, replaced brake cylinders & master cylinder
* Electric - replaced battery and cleaned cables
* Other - "R & R fuel pump and filter". Replaced fuel lines and fuel tank
There is a note on the invoice that states "Backing plate rusted up adjuster inop for ebrake cable. E-brake cable cannot be made" - what does this mean?
MIL wants $5K for it, but notes that it needs a carburetor.
Nothing to write home about, but like you said, still should be a fun car. 2800 lbs and mid-engined.
Seems like a heck of an idea for my "fun/track" car. Although I suppose I should be scared of maintenance. And there is something about a rash of bad engines??
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
As for paying $11,000--one fool does not make a market. If anything, he re-defines what it REALLY is. For $5K, it had better check out as damn near perfect.
EARLY BOXSTERS -- Yep, they are not worth very much. You have to remember that Porsche made a BOATLOAD of these cars---these are mass-produced vehicles, not 911 Turbos.
JEEPSTER -- Why can't you make a cable? Or is it 'I don't want to be bothered trying to make a cable?" I used to make up cables for 50 year old boats and British motorcycles after all.
I didn't consider how much room is up front, just that the back seat looked small to me. I am sure the 300SD is a tank. Its actually a nice vehicle, but like you mention, I wouldn't even think about 11K for it.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
I did happen to follow in an old 300D turbodiesel today (it was on the S chassis, I never have understood how they named these things) - nice looking car, and I envy the headroom.
Sorry Shifty, but when compared to American cars, in 1979 that car was a compact. The EPA rates it at 96 cubic feet of interior volume, and 15 cubic feet of trunk space, for a combined total of 111 cubic feet. Now technically that makes it marginally a midsize (110-119 cubic feet combined) and once the EPA started rating interior volume, in 1978, it turns out that many cars marketed as compacts actually WERE midsized (Aspen/Volare, Diplomat/LeBaron, Fairmont/Zephyr). Some midsized cars were actually full-sized (1978 Fury/Monaco sedans, AMC Matador sedan). And some cars we'd think of as full-sized, like the Mark V, and possibly the Eldorado/Toronado, ended up being midsized according to the EPA!
No, the 1979 Benz S-class wasn't a Mark V when it comes to interior room. But the simple fact is that it wasn't even a Fairmont or Volare! Sure, it was a much more substantial car than any of those. And while it might have had good headroom and good legroom, you have to look at the big picture. It wasn't that wide inside, back seat legroom was non-existent, and that 15 cubic foot trunk was definitely compact, or the lower end of midsize.
You talkin' to me?
I am probably the least mechanically inclined person who posts to this board.
Plus, the Jeepster is in Cheyenne and I'm 150 miles away.
The idea is to sell it to someone as-is - a restoration that was interrupted by illness.
Good car? Reliable? Fun?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Having a ton of brochures, in brochure photos you'd notice that in compact cars, they move the front seats all the way back, to show how much room is in the front.
For a rear seats photo of the same car, they move those front seats all the way forward, to show the amount of room in the back seat. This guy just forgot to move them forward a bit when taking the photos.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
These cars were designed with a lot more room up front than behind, too. However, with the seat all the way back in one of those things, a 7 footer could probably drive it OK, so someone of average size would never have it back so far. That car is probably marginally larger than my fintail, and the fintail has a bit more legroom with the seat at a normal position. I used to cram 3-4 other guys in the car now and then when I used it as my everyday car in school, and everyone fit just fine.