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

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Comments

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I suppose I should do some more research but that would be my guess. A miniscule flathead that wouldn't weigh very much.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    I wouldn't even think of buying it for half the asking price. These Fords were about the crudest Euopean cars of their day. Think Model A with a '40s body style.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    edited February 2011
    From craigslist? Copy and paste the craigslist address after "Reply to:" near the top of the ad and send it to that. Or did it bounce back?

    I've always kind of liked old school just-postwar English cars, from their broke "export or die" era. They are like large scale models of slightly older American cars. I wouldn't mind looking at one. Years ago the MB specialist I patronized before he retired, unearthed an Austin Devon from a barn...it was in really nice shape, I really thought about buying it.

    I have to agree it is too much for an apparent non-runner with paperwork issues. I'd remove a digit from the price, any digit will do. No way is it worth nearly 2 grand, when a runner with nice cosmetics would be hard pressed to pass 5K.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If you want a cute English sedan from the 50s that you can actually get parts for, maybe a Morris Minor would suit your fancy.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    I've seen Toyota conversions in those.

    Maybe an old Toyota I6 would be more fun than an engine from an 81 Corolla, too.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm not sure a Morris Minor could handle that sort of power. The body might just twist like a pretzel :P
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I still can't get my email to post. Why people are afraid to put their phone numbers in ads is beyond me.

    No, this isn't a car I'm really interested in but I thought some of you might get a kick out if seeing it. I did check with the license people and getting a title would no doubt be a total pain and maybe impossible.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well if you ever get serious about a project car and you see anything in the SF Bay Area, I'd be glad to take a peek at it for you.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I appreciate that!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I love spending other people's money. :P

    And you *know* I'll be very critical :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    WRX engine in a little old tin can like that sounds fun too
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    If you really want to contact the guy, I could email him your info if you'd like.

    I suspect this state is very annoying with license and title issues.

    I have my doubts he'd take a real world price for it though...IMO that's a car that shouldn't break 4 figures.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I managed to reach him by email and he's in CHICAGO!

    WHY do these people pull these scams?
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yeah, I know.

    I've "known" you ever since you wrote a couple of books that I think I still have somewhere.

    When it comes to looking at old cars, "critical" is a good thing!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    Some people spam craigslist trying to put their listings in every city. No wonder he didn't have a number. Shipping would probably equal the value of the car.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Typical craigslist ad.

    I guess you get what you pay for.

    I didn't realize people were doing this but I'm not surprised.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    You find it in cars for sale and csrs wanted...some of the vintage car flippers also spam CL and put their want ads in many cities.

    When it's free, there'll be a lot of chaff among the wheat, but the site can be handy, I've bought and sold several things via it.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    It's embarassing to read some of the misspellings and bad grammar some of these sellers use.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    It shows how low the lowest common denominator is.

    When I sold my W126, I put it on CL just to get a feel for the market. Most people were offering half my price without looking - a typical hazard of the site is lowballer flakes. I ended up selling the car to an uncle of a Barrier finance guy who knew about the car - got much closer to my price, and felt good about who it was going to.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Some of my favorites:

    "1979 Camero"

    "needs new cadillac converter"

    "new breaks"
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,598
    "Camero" was a common error in newspaper ads here for years. I even saw it in dealer ads. One of my favorites from that era, along with classified ads selling "colored TV" sets. I always wanted to call and ask what color it was. :)

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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 54,066
    The one time I had a car on Craigs (my son's 1999 Contour) about 2 years ago, I was amazed by how many people called and started negotiating a price before even asking about the car (never mind looking at it).

    I did have pictures ( a must in my book), and a very detailed ad, but I still found it odd.

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  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    edited February 2011
    Here's how to deal with the lowballers and it works every time.

    Let's say your car was listed at 5000.00.

    " Will you take less for it?"

    " Well I don't know...would you pay more for it?"

    Or if you have your car listed for 5000.00 and they offer 3000.00.

    " Well, it looks like you're in the market for a 3000.00 car...I apologize if my ad wasn't clear but my price is 5000.00"
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    I remember when I had the W126 listed, I put 5K in the ad, I got a couple offers of 2500-3000. I told them I'd rather keep it than sell it for that. Someone else sent me an abrupt email saying they'd pay wholesale book and nothing more (mind you they hadn't seen the car in person)...I think I just told them to keep looking, this was a pristine 2 owner car with all records going back to the window sticker. The guy who ended up buying the car fell in love with it on the first drive, I could tell I had him when he turned on the AC and he was overjoyed that it worked. He also previously had a similar car, I knew he'd keep it garaged and he knew how to care for it.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    Back when there were still lots of them on the road, "Baretta" was also common.

    "Mercedez" comes up now and then too.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    and of course, the "classic" --- VW Carmen Gear
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Good ones! Have you actually used them, and, if so, what responses did you get? A click of the receiver; silence, while the prospect processed your answer; a cynical retort; or, maybe, a chuckle?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    Sounds like a British dialect :shades:

    I think I have seen "Carmen" Ghia though. And of course, "Volkswagon".
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    "Mercedez" comes up now and then too.

    Maybe they're trying to sound sophisticated and upper crusty, like how it was pronounced in "North By Northwest"...

    "Roger!! You didn't borrow Laura's Mehr-Ceh-Dez?!"
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I wonder if that Baretta comes with a cockatoo?

    image

    I've seen "Cadillac" spelled as "Caddilac" many times.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    I wonder if that Baretta comes with a cockatoo?

    Dunno about that, but I think it will help you get acquitted of murder, although you might still be held civilly for wrongful death!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    edited February 2011
    So, yesterday, the guy calls me on my cell phone. I was in a store at the time so I called him back.

    As it turns out, he lives in Chicago but the car is here where I live in an uncle's garage. The owner has never even seen the car. He bought it sight unseen from a guy in Gig Harbor, WA and had it hauled to where it sits.

    He says, the interior is shot, the fabric top has been covered by a piece of galvanized sheet metal. Missing the windshield and other parts. Engine is apart and missing at least one connecting rod. Not licensed, no title.

    When I told him I thought it might be too much of a project for me he got a bit testy.

    Talk about someone waving red flags in front of me!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    Now it's sounding like a $500 car, barely above a parts car if you are lucky

    You should have .told him to lay off the crackpipe.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yeah, it sounds like an "Organ Doner car to me too.

    The guy told me he had owned a 1952 at one time and just wanted another one.

    I suspect that he bought it sight unseen and when it arrrived at his "uncle" place someone looked it over and told him it was nothing more than a POS so he just decided to flip it and maybe make a profit in the process.

    It would be interesting to find out if it sells but unlike Ebay, we can't find out.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    I can't see it selling at all for his price, and really only selling at all to someone who needs parts or is building a dragster - and how many people do that anymore? People also don't spend $1750 on a parts car for their $5000 weirdo car. Owner will need to wise up or deal with owning it forever.
  • au1994au1994 Member Posts: 3,770
    don't forget about "duel" exhaust.

    I guess the pipes shoot at each other??

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    and of course all those Japanese cars with "V-4" engines
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    " A/C isn't working but I'm sure it just needs some freezone"

    " Dash lights dont' work but it probably has just a lose wire"
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    And all the V6 BMWs

    And cubic inches = the same number of horsepower

    Local dealer ran an ad for weeks with an R32 featuring as "32 valve V6"
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Did he add..." a rare find" ?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    It was our local Subie/VW seller, so they might try that.

    I remember seeing a 2500 ADM on the first CCs they received...nutty.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    edited February 2011
    I had this project out yesterday

    image

    Amazes me how easy it starts sometimes...2 revs of the starter motor seems to get it going. It has a new issue - idles a little rough in gear - but in park or neutral it is fine. I think I need to adjust the idle speed, which seems to influence how it runs at every throttle position.

    At least it's by far the most interesting thing in that parking lot :shades:
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,920
    I dunno, that Chrysler van is quite a looker! :P
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  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 21,030
    Could be that the gas is somewhat stale.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    It gets some fresh gas every time I drive it. I think its a fuel or timing issue...maybe I can adjust out of it.

    And yeah, that van is pretty cool. There's a Camry on the other side of it that was distracting, luckily the van blocks it :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Ignition points have to be EXACTLY right on that motor. I think it was 12", right? Not 11, not 13.

    Also you might test for a vacuum leak at the carburetor bases.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    My car has electronic ignition and FI :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oh yeah, it's an SE, I forgot---well it *used* to have points!

    Anyway, maybe you can check for a vacuum leak along the intake manifold or the power brake hose?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    The conversion is something I certainly don't regret. Almost 10 years ago now...it was getting harder to simply find new points, a hassle to keep them maintained, and the car runs a lot smoother without them.

    I'll take a look at vacuum lines next time I drive it...I think it must be minor whatever it is. Car starts up fine, idles in park or neutral fine, just kind of misses a little when idling in gear.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    When's the last time you adjusted the valves?
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