What American Classic?

[Darren156]

Hi everyone,

By the end of the year I'll have £5000 saved up to buy my very first 'Yank Tank' / 'Muscle Car'.

Now I know that this budget is small but it will be a 'Car For Life', as in that I'll want to spend a fair amount of money to make it something really special and unique over the course of the next 5 years.

I've been looking at Old' Cutlass's, Ford Fairlanes, an onslaught of Chevy's etc etc all of which will need some cosmetic work but all that run, drive and stop OK, with MOT's and TAX etc.

I'm after a working classic that can be enjoyed whilst fixing her up.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to what sort of car to go for, engine etc?

I'm mainly into 2 Door Coupes such as the Cutlass, Chevy Nova's and the such as that to me personifies the true meaning of an American classic. Obviously, if money could afford it I'd love a Mustang or a Charger but sadly I need to get something at the end of the year with a maximum budget of £5000 for a running and tested good condition American car.

I'm not into the 80's at all so would be after something from the 60's or 70's.

The reason I need to get the car at the end of the year is because I'm getting married in September next year and don't want the future missus throwing all of my hard earned car cash into the wedding, lol

All help will be seriously appreciated as the hunt is now officially on!

Thanks in advance,
Darren

[chevy-stu]

mid 70's GM f-body ... Camaro/trans-am/firebird....

BUT.... I' buy one with the body in good shape that needs some mechanical work, It'll be cheaper in the end..

[AdeTuono]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Perfect! Go on, you know you want to!

OK, so it's got 4 doors, but it's pillarless...

[Darren156]

Ooooh, I quite like that actually, it's very nice. What about Ford Galaxies though and the such?

This one on ebay's taken my fancy a fair bit:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-GALAXIE-500-1970-5-8-V8...

But it only has the 5.8 small block engine, would that pull enough, or be quite sluggish?

[Matt Harper]

Not sure you could describe Newports and Galaxies as 'classics' - nor the Olds Cutlass (other than Hurst 4-4-2 of course).
As stated already, 60's/70's build-quality left a lot to be desired, so finding a car that is neither disintegrating or been heavily dicked-around with is increasingly difficult.
I had a 68 Cutlass S, Sport Coupe with a 350 Rocket motor. 68/69 F-85's are arguably the prettiest, but it was in piss-poor shape, when you took the rose-tinted specs off.
Boot floor, - in fact the entire floor, rear bumper, mountings and vallance, front scuttle, inner fender seams and rocker panels (inners and outers) were all essentially unprotected from the ravages of rock salt.
Olds/Buick sheetmetal was/is(?) much more difficult to source in UK than comparable Chev/Pontiac panels too.
There are the occasional diamonds still to be found though. I knew a guy that bought a 1970 AMC Javelin from an American serviceman based at Menwith Hill in Yorks. The yank had been posted back home and he figured the car wasn't worth the shipping cost. I think it changed hands for 50 quid (back in the early 80's). It was in super-good nick and (here at least) they are now considered very collectable.
Not wishing to pop your balloon, but a 5k US muscle car is going to need a lot of work to drag it back from it's deathbed.

[LuS1fer]

You will really struggle to find a decent car for £5k. In the Us, old cars are going up in price all the time:

http://www.oldride.com/classic_cars/buick.html

In the UK, you're going to be looking nearer £10k for a decent car.

[aeropilot]

Darren156 said:

I'm not into the 80's at all so would be after something from the 60's or 70's.

You really need to look at something pre-1973 to further gain advantage of nil-VED, but, as has been said, you really are not going to get an awful lot for £5k.

Most of the stuff already here in that price bracket are not going to fall into your desired category, and you can't really look to import, as that'll take £1500 of that budget straight away for shipping, taxes SVA etc.

You should have been driving around the summer US/hot rod car shows to see what's about, but you are now towards the end of the season, so you'll be looking at the ads in the mags such as Classic American.

This would fit the bill though......a good project car

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/details?adId=903...

[/footnote]

Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 26th August 22:42

[Darren156]

I do like the Impala's and would love a 67 hard top 4 door, they are brilliant looking.

What about something like this though? It seems quite well priced at under £5000:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

[aeropilot]

Darren156 said:

What about something like this though? It seems quite well priced at under £5000:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Put some proper wheels on that and your onto a winner....

[Darren156]

I quite like the wheels!!!

[Matt Harper]

Darren156 said:

What about something like this though? It seems quite well priced at under £5000:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Classic?

The Impala is nice though. Looks reasonably straight and the right body shape. You could really do something with a car like that - with a pretty conservative budget.

[ws6]

Matt Harper said:

Darren156 said:

What about something like this though? It seems quite well priced at under £5000:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Classic?

The Impala is nice though. Looks reasonably straight and the right body shape. You could really do something with a car like that - with a pretty conservative budget.

I wouldn't touch it as it's RHD

Hows about this :



link : http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C55415

Edited by ws6 on Wednesday 27th August 17:29

[Marquis_Rex]

You'll struggle at that price.

There's a Dodge Dart currently for sale on racingjunk here in the USA. I think it's a Dodge Dart Swinger from 1971-1973- so square looking.
It's listed around $6-8000 if memory serves.

The 225 cu in slant six and the 318 cu in engines are almost indestructable.

How about e Pontiac.
Something like an old Four door Le mans (four door GTO)- is a different choice, perhaps different enough to be reasonably low priced. Catalinas are nice old barges also, but I dont know the going rate.

[autoholic]

I disagree. I reckon there's plenty of choices for 5k if you know where to look. Try the less obvious www.autotrader.co.uk as well as of course good old ebay. Also if you don't already look in Classic American, Custom Car and American Car World magazines.
3rd gen Camaro's and Firebirds are quite cheap and there seem to be quite a few. They come with their own problems, as I can tell you, but are generally a good buy with parts avaliable off the shelf from Autopontiac and USAutomotive to name two.
I'm sure you will do well with your 5 grand, obviously pre 73 is very desirable but remember it's quite an old car and won't drive like a new one.
Good luck

[Darren156]

Cheers for all of the advice guys, it's appreciated.

I'm going to go and view this one tonight;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAMARO-1971-RS-TAKE-A-L-K-PU...

What do you reckon a decent offer would be?

[AdeTuono]

Darren156 said:

Cheers for all of the advice guys, it's appreciated.

I'm going to go and view this one tonight;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAMARO-1971-RS-TAKE-A-L-K-PU...

What do you reckon a decent offer would be?

Given that he's had a bid of £5600 so far, and it's still not reached reserve, probably around £7-8k to end the auction early.

[Darren156]

If I could get it for £6000 do you reckon that would be a bargain or not?

[Marquis_Rex]

Darren156 said:

If I could get it for £6000 do you reckon that would be a bargain or not?

Is it a number matching car?

Seems like a good price- but then there's less of a market for these tanks in the UK.
Do your home work and find out if it's a genuine RS.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/items/Cars-Trucks___W0...

Here are what they are listed for on ebaymotors over here.
Non RS cars can be had fairly cheap apaprently, and you could build you own clone if that was what you're up for. No sense paying good money for a secret clone.

Check out the rust underneath the car on the pictures- in the UK its unlikely to be superficial.....

[Motown Junk]

Darren156 said:

Cheers for all of the advice guys, it's appreciated.

I'm going to go and view this one tonight;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAMARO-1971-RS-TAKE-A-L-K-PU...

What do you reckon a decent offer would be?

There's far too many 71 Camaro's in PH already

Check quarter panels - between doors and rear arches, bottom of doors, panel where bootlid hinges, bottom of rear wings behind rear arches, bottom of front wings,and eveywhere else!

Hope it's a good un.

[LuS1fer]

70's Camaros are like Alfasuds in the rust department so please check it very carefully.