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

explorerx4 · March 2017

Q, for some reason I think you dodged a bullet on that one. For some reason I didn't like that car. I don't know if the auction houses work like this, but it sounds like they asked the seller, We have a guaranteed bid for 20k, do you want to take it? They said ok and the 3 bids they had were presented. Didn't need to go out to the in person bidders.

sda · March 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:
Well since they offered the 350 Olds diesel as an option, and the only other engine is the 7.0L 425 cid, I expect it's the notorious diesel all right. But you are correct, it should have a little teensy "diesel" label under the Cadillac script on the fender and on the trunk lid. Best way to know would be if he had an engine shot---it says "DIESEL" in big letters on the air filter housing.

Dad had a '79 Eldorado diesel. In addition to the Diesel emblems outside on the fenders and rear deck lid, there would be "Diesel Fuel Only" at the fuel gauge as well as a Diesel plaque on the glove box cover. Under hood there would be two batteries, one on each side. The standard and preferred engine for '79 was the Olds based 350 gas engine with fuel injection. For '80 the Cadillac based 368 V8 became standard. In '81 the 368 became the troublesome V8-6-4, and 82-85 the weak and fragile HT 4100.

qbrozen · March 2017

stickguy said:

When does the duster run? Is this on velocity?

Duster should hit between noon and 1 tomorrow Eastern time. It is on NBCSH

fintail · March 2017

If that Eldo could be had with a FI 350, it might not be too bad. I'd want different colors, but the equipment looks good anyway - no Rolls-Royce grille, cabriolet top, wire wheel covers, etc.

sda said:

Dad had a '79 Eldorado diesel. In addition to the Diesel emblems outside on the fenders and rear deck lid, there would be "Diesel Fuel Only" at the fuel gauge as well as a Diesel plaque on the glove box cover. Under hood there would be two batteries, one on each side. The standard and preferred engine for '79 was the Olds based 350 gas engine with fuel injection. For '80 the Cadillac based 368 V8 became standard. In '81 the 368 became the troublesome V8-6-4, and 82-85 the weak and fragile HT 4100.

explorerx4 · March 2017

@sda, That is a sad tale you just told.

explorerx4 · March 2017

This is kind of cool.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6058500993.html

explorerx4 · March 2017

Hey Q,
I just saw that white Buick GS clone go over the block at Mecum. Sold for 13k.

qbrozen · March 2017

explorerx4 said:
Hey Q,
I just saw that white Buick GS clone go over the block at Mecum. Sold for 13k.

actually not sold. They kept the reserve on. I'm pondering calling and offering 14. haha.

qbrozen · March 2017

explorerx4 said:
This is kind of cool.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6058500993.html

I like it.

explorerx4 · March 2017

@Q, I had just turned on the TV and was going through the channels to find the basketball games coming up when I happened to see that car and saw 13k on the screen.
Of course, watching Mecum instead of basketball now.

qbrozen · March 2017

they are done for the day. what is on TV is from earlier today.

qbrozen · March 2017

Huh. Just sold a '71 Judge replica for $15k. That one was not posted on their website inventory. I may have been interested. No idea what engine was in it.

ab348 · March 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:

texases said:
If one started with the Olds diesel, would swapping in an Olds gasser be fairly straightforward?
Oh that's a thought...but no, not exactly straighforward. You'd have to fit a gasoline tank, and fuel pump and lines and computer and harness, etc. etc. It might also be illegal.

The early Olds diesels were so bad that most of the cars with them that were in otherwise good shape had the engine swap done It was fairly straightforward since it involved taking more stuff off the car than it did putting stuff on. There were a bunch of them running around here in the mid/late '80s.

sda · March 2017

ab348 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

texases said:
If one started with the Olds diesel, would swapping in an Olds gasser be fairly straightforward?
Oh that's a thought...but no, not exactly straighforward. You'd have to fit a gasoline tank, and fuel pump and lines and computer and harness, etc. etc. It might also be illegal.

The early Olds diesels were so bad that most of the cars with them that were in otherwise good shape had the engine swap done It was fairly straightforward since it involved taking more stuff off the car than it did putting stuff on. There were a bunch of them running around here in the mid/late '80s.

Before dad traded his Eldorado diesel for an '85 Mercury Grand Marquis he considered the gas engine swap. Unfortunately the last time the diesel blew the head gaskets, it overheated worse than before because he couldn't pull off the road soon enough..no where to go. It ruined the transmission as well. After the head gasket repair, the trans would slip after about 45 minutes of driving. Rather than getting $5-6k trade in (gas engine), he got $1500. It was 10 years later before he bought another GM car. In retrospect I understand it was the fuel water separation system that was not effective which caused the engines to blow the head gaskets. Water does not compress!

texases · March 2017

I thought I remember reading that swapping in a gasser was one 'cure' when the diesel went belly-up.

bhill2 · March 2017

fintail said:
If that Eldo could be had with a FI 350, it might not be too bad. I'd want different colors, but the equipment looks good anyway - no Rolls-Royce grille, cabriolet top, wire wheel covers, etc.

sda said:

Dad had a '79 Eldorado diesel. In addition to the Diesel emblems outside on the fenders and rear deck lid, there would be "Diesel Fuel Only" at the fuel gauge as well as a Diesel plaque on the glove box cover. Under hood there would be two batteries, one on each side. The standard and preferred engine for '79 was the Olds based 350 gas engine with fuel injection. For '80 the Cadillac based 368 V8 became standard. In '81 the 368 became the troublesome V8-6-4, and 82-85 the weak and fragile HT 4100.

Fin, Shifty, sda, and company,

I came in on this '79 Eldo discussion late, but I need to put my oar in. The standard engine in the '79 Eldo indeed was the 350 EFI gas V-8 (also used in the Seville). The poster of that ad probably speaks the truth.

tjc78 · March 2017

There is a 79 Eldo on Old Car Brochures and yes the 5.7 for 79 is in there with Diesel optional

qbrozen · March 2017

Same thing happened with the Duster. I opened at 10 and it shot to 20 in 2 bids. My bidding assistant agreed with me the car is not worth that. Bidding went to 23k AND RESERVE NOT MET! WHA?!?

ab348 · March 2017

Mopars with the 340, 383 or 440 engines are crazy hot right now. Even ones that aren't particularly good cars bring crazy money. I might want to focus on Oldsmobiles, Buicks, or Pontiacs in the GM line, or Mercurys in FoMoCo-land.

qbrozen · March 2017

didn't take long for this unsold car from the auction to hit ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Buick-Skylark-GSX-/152485523598?hash=item2380d8708e:g:SsQAAOSwB-1Yoywd&vxp=mtr

sda · March 2017

I saw a Plymouth Sundance Duster today. That's no Duster in my mind.

qbrozen · March 2017

Ooo...a real GS400.
http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/atlanta/1969/buick/gs-S137.html

stickguy · March 2017

my friend, you are on the slippery slope of "for just a little more, I can have XXX"

qbrozen · March 2017

haha. yeah, i know, i know.

But can I get from here to there for ~$5k difference?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Buick-Skylark-GS-/122406057416?hash=item1c7ff835c8:g:~~4AAOSwa~BYNo31&vxp=mtr

stickguy · March 2017

probably not, if it devolves from a couple small projects to ripping large sections apart! That one is interesting, depending on how much you prize originality. Though often that translates to tired.

I do think that green one is really nice, but I do prefer the buckets and console option.

xwesx · March 2017

qbrozen said:
didn't take long for this unsold car from the auction to hit ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Buick-Skylark-GSX-/152485523598?hash=item2380d8708e:g:SsQAAOSwB-1Yoywd&vxp=mtr

BIN at $15K. Good thing you pulled your bid on that one. You would likely own it now! LOL

explorerx4 · March 2017

Funny, the vin decoder picture lists it as a GS455. Probably was that in later years.

ab348 · March 2017

I would stay away from the yellow one unless you could get it cheap. Wrong color, needs paint anyway, and some of the pics give me a funny feeling. For example the radio surround looks melted. Too bad being an Arizona car and essentially rust-free.

The green car is in very nice condition but appears fairly basic.

Maybe if you picked up the white one for $10K or so you could do what you wanted to it.

qbrozen · March 2017

This is kinda cool, but ... $83K?!?

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1985-renault-r5-turbo-2/

berri · March 2017

...and the "bring trailer" fits for a Renault

omarman · March 2017

qbrozen said:
Ooo...a real GS400.
http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/atlanta/1969/buick/gs-S137.html

That looks like the same GS you linked to on March 1. Maybe some attractions are "meant to be."

Re: R5
No mystery there. Group B.

fintail · March 2017

A real R5 Turbo indeed goes for that much these days, at least I am pretty sure. It is a legend of the era, effectively a homologation special, and has a cult behind it.

qbrozen · March 2017

omarman said:

Ooo...a real GS400.
http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/atlanta/1969/buick/gs-S137.html

That looks like the same GS you linked to on March 1. Maybe some attractions are "meant to be." Re: R5 No mystery there. Group B.

Ah! So it is. I have just looked at SO MANY ads.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2017

texases said:
"It was no reserve, so they spent absolutely NO time on it."

I get a laugh when they declare "The reserve's off! Now folks can bid it up, knowing they'll get the car!"

Then no more bids, typically...

Probably a shill bid. There was no bid higher than yours (I'm speculating) so the buyer probably bought it back.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2017

bhill2 said:

fintail said:
If that Eldo could be had with a FI 350, it might not be too bad. I'd want different colors, but the equipment looks good anyway - no Rolls-Royce grille, cabriolet top, wire wheel covers, etc.

sda said:

Dad had a '79 Eldorado diesel. In addition to the Diesel emblems outside on the fenders and rear deck lid, there would be "Diesel Fuel Only" at the fuel gauge as well as a Diesel plaque on the glove box cover. Under hood there would be two batteries, one on each side. The standard and preferred engine for '79 was the Olds based 350 gas engine with fuel injection. For '80 the Cadillac based 368 V8 became standard. In '81 the 368 became the troublesome V8-6-4, and 82-85 the weak and fragile HT 4100.

Fin, Shifty, sda, and company,

I came in on this '79 Eldo discussion late, but I need to put my oar in. The standard engine in the '79 Eldo indeed was the 350 EFI gas V-8 (also used in the Seville). The poster of that ad probably speaks the truth.

Oh you're right! I thought only the Seville kept the 5.7 EFI engine, but nooooooo........

qbrozen · March 2017

This very uninformative ad caught my eye:
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/6055307113.html

Emailed for more pics, but he only has 1 of the engine bay (which looks clean enough but seems to have overspray both way (some blue on black and some black on blue) and nothing else. I just replied again with a series of questions.

fintail · March 2017

A carbureted version of the engine in my fintail, rebuilt and out of the car - sounds great

qbrozen · March 2017

Seller knows nothing about the car. He bought it 3 years ago exactly as it is now.

I'm thinking I may pay for an inspection even though he's an hour away.

explorerx4 · March 2017

That car looks great in pictures. I would want to swap out the 4.11 gear.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2017

Looks like he might have fatter tires on the rear?

Be good to know what kind of cam he put in there--sometimes if builders don't do the math, you can end up with a car that isn't tractable at low speeds. It has to be a good match to the carb, fuel delivery and ignition. Road Test!

ab348 · March 2017

Yeah, so many hot-rodders put in way too much cam. Car won't idle or run very well without a lot of revs, and it causes problems for power brakes due to lack of vacuum too. Also a 4.11 rear gear is no fun at all once you get above 40mph or so, and on an expressway the engine is turning way too many revs. Cars with that rear end often get a modern 4-speed automatic (in one of those, typically a THM200R4) with an overdrive top gear swapped in. That is a car I would definitely need to test drive first.

qbrozen · March 2017

Certainly I want to change the gearing. That is relatively easy. From the one engine pic, I do know it is a PS and PB car. Needs AC added. Advantage to this one is that it would leave me plenty of money for upgrades.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2017

Yep, Vintage Air does a great retrofit...small powerful compressor and easy to use dashboard controls.

gsemike · March 2017

qbrozen said:
Certainly I want to change the gearing. That is relatively easy. From the one engine pic, I do know it is a PS and PB car. Needs AC added. Advantage to this one is that it would leave me plenty of money for upgrades.

I like it well enough. The color may be strong to my taste but that is subjective. He mentions GTO taillights but I don't think that the GTO had special taillights. Looks like decent fun for the money.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/6030207755.html

I'm trying to get more info on this car. Might be an affordable entry to the hobby

stickguy · March 2017

I always liked that vintage Camaro. That one, some bad vibes. Could live with the hood, but that tach. ouch.

berri · March 2017

I did too, but preferred the first few years of that gen before cost cutting and some chunkiness entered into the picture. I think those are actually my personal favorites when it comes to Camaro actually.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2017

The late 70s, early 80s Camaros are hard to find in good shape, despite how many were made. They seem to either be abandoned, impounded on parole violation, or stuffed with aftermarket goo-gahs.

stickguy · March 2017

well, in my area, they were also seriously rusted within 5 years of being sold. so a car like that 76 would have been swiss cheese by the mid 80s

gsemike · March 2017

stickguy said:
well, in my area, they were also seriously rusted within 5 years of being sold. so a car like that 76 would have been swiss cheese by the mid 80s

I could do without the tach. That is easily corrected. The passenger quarter my be full of plastic. Another ad woefully short on details. I've asked for engine pics and underside. For all I know, it could be a 305

I do like the 70-3 more, but the price is right so it doesn't hurt to look

qbrozen · March 2017

gsemike said:

qbrozen said:
Certainly I want to change the gearing. That is relatively easy. From the one engine pic, I do know it is a PS and PB car. Needs AC added. Advantage to this one is that it would leave me plenty of money for upgrades.
I like it well enough. The color may be strong to my taste but that is subjective. He mentions GTO taillights but I don't think that the GTO had special taillights. Looks like decent fun for the money.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/6030207755.html

I'm trying to get more info on this car. Might be an affordable entry to the hobby

I think the blue is more subdued than my grabber blue Mustang was, so I'm good with it.

I am thinking it needs some charcoal stripes to break it up a bit.

I booked an inspection company to take a look at it. Used a more expensive one this time per shifty's previous comment about the one I previously used.

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

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