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

gsemike · April 2017

You wonder how the two benzes ended up so far apart in the woods. Wouldn't it make more sense to put them right next to each other, unless he was going for some art thing

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

If you have some tin snips and an old BMW 2002 you can do this. Probably a 1/8th ton pickup

explorerx4 · April 2017

I thought for sure the second ad fintail posted would have something like 'I Used to drive but I have no hands'.

explorerx4 · April 2017

This has got be a rare Buick.
https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/6097075584.html

berri · April 2017

I like that vintage Riv and yeah T types weren't that common. I seem to recall the early downsized big Buick (late 70's maybe, or very early 80's) offered a T Type coupe with the semi fastback coupe roofline. I liked the looks of those too.

tjc78 · April 2017

Love that Riv.

ab348 · April 2017

explorerx4 said:
I thought for sure the second ad fintail posted would have something like 'I Used to drive but I have no hands'.

Guess the ad wouldn't say "Take it of my hands!"

fintail · April 2017

A lot full of sub-$500 fintail parts cars wouldn't draw any ire, right? Although I might want to put them in a pole building or something, even here, they can get rusty in the damp. Something else funny about the first ad, the blue car was on the road until the generator and bracket were stolen? Someone randomly stole those parts? That's a bit odd. Amusing though, as the generator bracket on my car developed a crack years ago, I forget how it was replaced. Hmm, maybe that explains it.

I don't recall a Riviera fastback from that era. 77-78 was its own unique design, but I only know of a fairly formal coupe.

ab348 · April 2017

fintail said:
A lot full of sub-$500 fintail parts cars wouldn't draw any ire, right? Although I might want to put them in a pole building or something, even here, they can get rusty in the damp. Something else funny about the first ad, the blue car was on the road until the generator and bracket were stolen? Someone randomly stole those parts? That's a bit odd. Amusing though, as the generator bracket on my car developed a crack years ago, I forget how it was replaced. Hmm, maybe that explains it.

You better hope the previous owner didn't engrave the S/N of their car on the generator bracket. Your mechanic might be the culprit!

fintail · April 2017

I want to say it was a junkyard part, but I don't recall exactly. I'll have to dig through the records. Funny coincidence, given the color of the car, too.

At least those cars shouldn't go straight to the crusher, I am sure any scrapper would know enough to save the shiny and small bits.

ab348 said:

You better hope the previous owner didn't engrave the S/N of their car on the generator bracket. Your mechanic might be the culprit!

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

Generator bracket theft is approaching epidemic proportions it seems. What's happening to our society?

qbrozen · April 2017

My Volvo is on Ebay now. My starting bid is a whopping $825 and someone jumped on that in the first few hours. Heck, the stereo cost me half of that. Ha. Someone will get some cheap transportation with many many miles left in it.

isellhondas · April 2017

explorerx4 said:
I you like big and 70's colors, this could be for you.
https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/6082046744.html

Yes, the worst possible colors it could be at least in my opinion.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

qbrozen said:
My Volvo is on Ebay now. My starting bid is a whopping $825 and someone jumped on that in the first few hours. Heck, the stereo cost me half of that. Ha. Someone will get some cheap transportation with many many miles left in it.

Post the link to it. Maybe I can send someone your way.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

Restoration Italian Style

qbrozen · April 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/282440892863

berri · April 2017

Hey Shifty, that's not the west side of Chicago. Of course these days it would be spray paint tagging instead

qbrozen · April 2017

Bid on the volvo was retracted. I don't know the reason. Oh well.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

You might want to condense your text. That's quite an opera you wrote there. I see no reason why you can't, for instance, just mention the paint damage without the deer and all that, and you really don't know why the AC isn't working, just that it doesn't. And "service light" isn't the same as CEL is it? If it's not, then call it a "service reminder light" and that you don't have the reset tool.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

Can you tell what this car used to be?

explorerx4 · April 2017

A Porsche 928 converted into a Pacer lookalike?

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

I think you got that backwards!

ab348 · April 2017

Y'know, that's actually not bad!

fintail · April 2017

I like the 928 and don't mind the Pacer, I can tolerate that too.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

ab348 said:
Y'know, that's actually not bad!

That's what I thought, too. A vast improvement over the Pacer and not a half-bad 928 imitation either...and I bet a LOT cheaper to fix!

stickguy · April 2017

hey, I liked the 2002 pick up truck also. But I have always had odd tastes I think!

isellhondas · April 2017

Here's a question for the experts here! I'll try to condense the story because it has some painful elements to it.

When she was two years old, my niece inherited a 1929 Model A Ford from her grandfather. (don't ask!)

Believe it or not, the little truck had been in the family since it was new in Portland Oregon. It came out of the family's plumbing business and for many years it was a working truck in the business. Finally, probably fifty
years ago it was retired. It went through an amateur restoration and sat on display in the Plumbing Shop's showroom. It was never driven during that time or at least I don't think so.

It has now been professionally moved from Oregon to Arizona to Washington State at great expense. The family has no attraction to it and since they are buying another new house have decided maybe to cut it loose.

Body is straight as can be. fiberglass fenders with originals in the bed that actually look good. No title, no ignition key no floorboards but everything else looks great and as original as can be. About five years ago,
I checked and the engine turns freely.

Old Cars Price guide pegs a Number 5 at 4000.00 but I think it's between a four and a five

Should I? What do you guys think? I would love to see the old gal running and I would hate to see it chopped up. Am I nuts?

isellhondas · April 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:
Restoration Italian Style

So. California style!

qbrozen · April 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:

You might want to condense your text. That's quite an opera you wrote there. I see no reason why you can't, for instance, just mention the paint damage without the deer and all that, and you really don't know why the AC isn't working, just that it doesn't. And "service light" isn't the same as CEL is it? If it's not, then call it a "service reminder light" and that you don't have the reset tool.

Thanks. I wrote it originally for the swedespeed folks who like their details. Made some of your suggested revisions, although I left the deer in there only because that first one is the accident reported on carfax.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

isellhondas said:
Here's a question for the experts here! I'll try to condense the story because it has some painful elements to it.

When she was two years old, my niece inherited a 1929 Model A Ford from her grandfather. (don't ask!)

Believe it or not, the little truck had been in the family since it was new in Portland Oregon. It came out of the family's plumbing business and for many years it was a working truck in the business. Finally, probably fifty
years ago it was retired. It went through an amateur restoration and sat on display in the Plumbing Shop's showroom. It was never driven during that time or at least I don't think so.

It has now been professionally moved from Oregon to Arizona to Washington State at great expense. The family has no attraction to it and since they are buying another new house have decided maybe to cut it loose.

Body is straight as can be. fiberglass fenders with originals in the bed that actually look good. No title, no ignition key no floorboards but everything else looks great and as original as can be. About five years ago,
I checked and the engine turns freely.

Old Cars Price guide pegs a Number 5 at 4000.00 but I think it's between a four and a five

Should I? What do you guys think? I would love to see the old gal running and I would hate to see it chopped up. Am I nuts?

Very good buy at that price. I'd buy it sight unseen for that if you don't want it. Wanna trade for a good-running 4X4 Dodge Dakota pickup + I'll throw in cash?

It obviously needs some work and may have hidden issues but unless you have to rebuild the engine you can hardly go wrong here. I would encourage you to put the original fenders back on. You can buy all the parts you need from a vast aftermarket, at very reasonable prices.

The only downside is that Model A owners can be the most pedantic and tedious of collectors, so beware when you show it locally anywhere. There will be hours of debate on how you have the wrong head bolt nuts and how the wire to your ammeter is off-color and your hose clamps are really from a late build 1931 2-door sedan engine built in Brazil. These discussion would go on for days if it were not for nightfall and dehydration of the participants. And there will be at least 3, perhaps as many as 8, old guys telling you everything that is wrong on your truck, even if it's not. They will dress in straw boater hats and shirts with sleeve garters, both of which are from the wrong time period, and play the wrong music for 1929. Correcting them about this will do no good.

The most fun, though, is Model A swap meets. You can learn a lot from vendors, even though you have to wade through acres of useless rusted deplorable junk.

You can buy LOTS of improvements to the truck out of catalogs, including better brakes, a heater, anti-rattlers, rubber motor mounts, better lighting--the list is as endless as your checkbook is bottomless.

Forget driving over 45-50 mph. It's frightening. Of course you can install juice brakes and a two-speed differential. Then it's a little less frightening.

I wouldn't call Model A Trucks a "good investment" but it's hard to actually lose money on them unless you go crazy. Their values remain pretty steady year after year. In time, though, interest will wane I think in the marketplace.

Short Answer---Model As are a lot of fun and, with a few exceptions, simple to work on requiring no special tools. (exception---removing the springs, pouring babbitt (alloy) bearings, etc.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

qbrozen said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

You might want to condense your text. That's quite an opera you wrote there. I see no reason why you can't, for instance, just mention the paint damage without the deer and all that, and you really don't know why the AC isn't working, just that it doesn't. And "service light" isn't the same as CEL is it? If it's not, then call it a "service reminder light" and that you don't have the reset tool.

Thanks. I wrote it originally for the swedespeed folks who like their details. Made some of your suggested revisions, although I left the deer in there only because that first one is the accident reported on carfax.

Just put in enough to protect yourself from any misrepresentation; otherwise it is 'as is' all the way.

isellhondas · April 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:

isellhondas said:
Here's a question for the experts here! I'll try to condense the story because it has some painful elements to it.

When she was two years old, my niece inherited a 1929 Model A Ford from her grandfather. (don't ask!)

Believe it or not, the little truck had been in the family since it was new in Portland Oregon. It came out of the family's plumbing business and for many years it was a working truck in the business. Finally, probably fifty
years ago it was retired. It went through an amateur restoration and sat on display in the Plumbing Shop's showroom. It was never driven during that time or at least I don't think so.

It has now been professionally moved from Oregon to Arizona to Washington State at great expense. The family has no attraction to it and since they are buying another new house have decided maybe to cut it loose.

Body is straight as can be. fiberglass fenders with originals in the bed that actually look good. No title, no ignition key no floorboards but everything else looks great and as original as can be. About five years ago,
I checked and the engine turns freely.

Old Cars Price guide pegs a Number 5 at 4000.00 but I think it's between a four and a five

Should I? What do you guys think? I would love to see the old gal running and I would hate to see it chopped up. Am I nuts?
Very good buy at that price. I'd buy it sight unseen for that if you don't want it. Wanna trade for a good-running 4X4 Dodge Dakota pickup + I'll throw in cash?

It obviously needs some work and may have hidden issues but unless you have to rebuild the engine you can hardly go wrong here. I would encourage you to put the original fenders back on. You can buy all the parts you need from a vast aftermarket, at very reasonable prices.

The only downside is that Model A owners can be the most pedantic and tedious of collectors, so beware when you show it locally anywhere. There will be hours of debate on how you have the wrong head bolt nuts and how the wire to your ammeter is off-color and your hose clamps are really from a late build 1931 2-door sedan engine built in Brazil. These discussion would go on for days if it were not for nightfall and dehydration of the participants. And there will be at least 3, perhaps as many as 8, old guys telling you everything that is wrong on your truck, even if it's not. They will dress in straw boater hats and shirts with sleeve garters, both of which are from the wrong time period, and play the wrong music for 1929. Correcting them about this will do no good.

The most fun, though, is Model A swap meets. You can learn a lot from vendors, even though you have to wade through acres of useless rusted deplorable junk.

You can buy LOTS of improvements to the truck out of catalogs, including better brakes, a heater, anti-rattlers, rubber motor mounts, better lighting--the list is as endless as your checkbook is bottomless.

Forget driving over 45-50 mph. It's frightening. Of course you can install juice brakes and a two-speed differential. Then it's a little less frightening.

I wouldn't call Model A Trucks a "good investment" but it's hard to actually lose money on them unless you go crazy. Their values remain pretty steady year after year. In time, though, interest will wane I think in the marketplace.

Short Answer---Model As are a lot of fun and, with a few exceptions, simple to work on requiring no special tools. (exception---removing the springs, pouring babbitt (alloy) bearings, etc.

I was hoping you would jump in and I appreciate your comments. having owned an A years ago a lot of that sounded familiar. I think you would like this one it is TOTALLY original and a one family little truck.

I had to laugh at your Car Show comments I know exactly what you're talking about! I was once at a Ford show and some woman decided to proudly pull her Shay " Model A" into a line of A's that were already there.

I don't think I need to tell you the result of THAT. She strutted about and talked about how her Shay was so much better than the "real" ones. I saw her drive out of the show after a few minutes.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

Some Model A people will tolerate a Shay but most don't.

explorerx4 · April 2017

At this point, a big highchair. I like the picture with the ladder on the other side.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6104639762.html

explorerx4 · April 2017

So close, but so far.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6100285122.html

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

explorerx4 said:
So close, but so far.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6100285122.html

Fright pig that one. Run away!

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

explorerx4 said:
At this point, a big highchair. I like the picture with the ladder on the other side.
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6104639762.html

Those high lifts really take their toll on suspensions. They need constant attention and repair.

qbrozen · April 2017

explorerx4 said:

So close, but so far.

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6100285122.html

That price is completely absurd. Should have zero rust at nearly $20k.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

It might even be unsaleable at anything but "parts car" prices.

berri · April 2017

Is that paint color original? Doesn't look like it from the picture.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

There was a color called Gypsy Red which seems close but in the charts it seems more orange-y.

texases · April 2017

That Chevy would be perfect for something like Fantomworks - "The owner said it was in good shape, just a few rust spots, but when we blasted it down, it was like Swiss cheese!"

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

Just walking near that car would make my shorts catch fire.

isellhondas · April 2017

Take a look at THIS car! I ALMOST made a bid and I probably should have done so!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-Plymouth-Deluxe-special-/142359590760?hash=item21254af768:g:3WgAAOSwvKtY~Q6O&vxp=mtr

It's in your back yard Shifty!

No word from the family members on that Model A and frankly I'm starting to lose interest. My suspicions are
that "someone" told them it's worth five times what it is and they don't want to drop that number on me.

That car has already caused a lot of trouble in the family to the point people no longer speak to one another so I'll probably pass IF I get the call 've been expecting.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2017

isellhondas said:
Take a look at THIS car! I ALMOST made a bid and I probably should have done so!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-Plymouth-Deluxe-special-/142359590760?hash=item21254af768:g:3WgAAOSwvKtY~Q6O&vxp=mtr

It's in your back yard Shifty!

No word from the family members on that Model A and frankly I'm starting to lose interest. My suspicions are
that "someone" told them it's worth five times what it is and they don't want to drop that number on me.

That car has already caused a lot of trouble in the family to the point people no longer speak to one another so I'll probably pass IF I get the call 've been expecting.

Looks to be a pretty decent old driver. At the bid price it should be extremely nice with no glaring faults.

RE: Model A Ford Truck --- well, gee, it's just a Model A, not a Bugatti. So if the family wants to fight over it, let 'em.

isellhondas · April 2017

I kept going back to that Plymouth and nearly put my hand in the air. Now feeling a bit like I should have gone for it. It looked to be a Condition 2 car if that's possible but photos can hide a lot. The seller seemed to be down to earth and open about everything. I noticed the winning bid was placed by a bidder with ZERO Ebay bid history. That would scare me I think.

imidazol97 · April 2017

isellhondas said:
I kept going back to that Plymouth and nearly put my hand in the air. Now feeling a bit like I should have gone for it. It looked to be a Condition 2 car if that's possible but photos can hide a lot. The seller seemed to be down to earth and open about everything. I noticed the winning bid was placed by a bidder with ZERO Ebay bid history. That would scare me I think.

I know it's been done here, but I'd be afraid to bid on any thing I hadn't assessed myself or had someone skilled whom I trusted evaluate the vehicle for me.

imidazol97 · April 2017

isellhondas said:
I noticed the winning bid was placed by a bidder with ZERO Ebay bid history. That would scare me I think.

It looks like a***r(0) started bidding in the 6000's and had automatic bids up to the winning amount. I'd love to
know what the maximum bid he had set was.

isellhondas · May 2017

Yeah, me too. The seller didn't put a reserve on it either. I would have to say it brought top dollar at least according to Old Cars Price Guide.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2017

For that money it would have to be very sharp all around. According to the heartless and cruel market, 4-door sedans from 1946-54 domestics are among the worst-performing cars in terms of value--actually dropping--which is a bit unusual.

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

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