For you car guys (& gals)...

[REWahoo]

These photos are from a friend (same age as me, same number of kids, worked with me at the same company for years in similar jobs, etc.) who is still working and unsure of when he will retire. He bought this 67 Dodge Coronet sight unseen on eBay and had it transported over 1,000 miles to a third party to be restored. His contribution to the restoration was helping look for trim parts on the web and ponying up a little more than $20K for parts and labor. He says he spent about $30K total on the project.

He also has a 2004 Corvette, a 2005 BMW, and a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup. His wife drives a 2005 Lexus.

No, definitely not a LBYM type...but he's got some nice rides.

 

[Cut-Throat]

It looks like a nice car. - But yikes! - $30K!

 

[FinanceDude]

It looks like a nice car. - But yikes! - $30K!

Considering it was maybe $3500 new, that's a pretty good return................just NOT for the current owner..............

 

[yakers]

Yeah, I like the car but not for $30K.

 

[73ss454]

A full body off resto on a car like this is running about 70K+. Many guys can not recoup their investment because of these high costs. Prices on muscle cars are falling just like property values. If your plan is to keep it forever and you just have to have it the price doesn't matter.

The one shown by REW is a 440 4 barrell R/T. Current value for a #1 car is about 30 to 40K. But like anything else it's only worth what someone is willling to pay for it. But it is pretty cool!

 

[paradiseken]

Nice ride! Saw a similar vehicle, Plymouth GTX with same motor and carb going for $22,000 in SW Florida. I myself would LOVE to get a new Corvette Z06, but DW says NO WAY! Anybody have one of these and if so, how can I justify getting one?

 

[yelnad]

I saw that Corvette being built on the assembly line in Kentucky. Very nice. My mom got to "birth" one, meaning they let her be the first to start it and they gave her a certificate.

 

[Sam]

He also has a 2004 Corvette, a 2005 BMW, and a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup. His wife drives a 2005 Lexus.

No, definitely not a LBYM type...but he's got some nice rides.

LBYM type or not, I want to be his friend. What a nice nice car!

Here's mine. A 85 RX-7 GSL-SE. All stock, all original. Pictures taken in 2004.

 

[Dawg52]

LBYM type or not, I want to be his friend. What a nice nice car!

Here's mine. A 85 RX-7 GSL-SE. All stock, all original. Pictures taken in 2004.

I bought an RX-7 brand new in 1980. It was a lot of fun. I kept it 5 years and sold it for about 70% of it's orginal value. Wish I still owned it.

 

[Sam]

I bought mine used (LBYM ). Drove it, took care of it for 4 years. Sold it for more than twice as much as I originally paid. Gotta make room for the next toy

 

[Leonidas]

LBYM type or not, I want to be his friend. What a nice nice car!

Here's mine. A 85 RX-7 GSL-SE. All stock, all original. Pictures taken in 2004.

Beautiful car - I had an whore dog fire engine red 82 and it was pure fun. My oldest son loves the RX-8, but I think that the half-doors and the back seat are an abomination. He thinks I'm nuts when I tell him that "sports cars have two seats - period".

When I was a kid I salivated over this:

Of course I couldn't afford it then. So Dodge is scheming to get into my wallet for this:

It just looks so sweet and very true to the original lines. The photo is of the 2006 concept car, which had a 6.1L (425hp) HEMI! Dodge received such positive reaction to the concept car that they are going to put it into production 2008/2009 model year. The question they have not officially answered is what they're going to put under the hood. So I sent them an email and got this quasi-official answer from their spokesmodel:

"Dear XXXXX:
Thanks for contacting Dr. Z. Your message has been forwarded to us for response. The all-new Dodge Challenger will make its debut as a 2008 model, in calendar-year 2008. It will have the available 5.7-liter or SRT-engineered 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 engines coupled to either a five-speed manual transmission or five-speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick"

I foresee 2008/2009 as being a year in which I don't exactly qualify as LBYM.

 

[REWahoo]

I failed to mention that my car addicted non-LBYM friend also has a 2008 Challenger "on order". He said he put up a substantial bribe deposit with a local dealer to buy the first one the dealership could get from the factory.

Said he was still working on what part of his fleet he would part with when it came in...

 

[Leonidas]

I failed to mention that my car addicted non-LBYM friend also has a 2008 Challenger "on order". He said he put up a substantial bribe deposit with a local dealer to buy the first one the dealership could get from the factory.

Damn, I whish I had thought of that moves like that will drive up the price for the rest of us. He should have chosen my more sedate style, which was to include in my email to Dodge the statement "if it has a HEMI, I will buy it!"

 

[Sam]

My oldest son loves the RX-8, but I think that the half-doors and the back seat are an abomination. He thinks I'm nuts when I tell him that "sports cars have two seats - period".

Your son ain't know nothing!

Seriously, in the Mazda RX lines, the third generation RX-7 is the most beautiful car. The RX-8 is the ugliest, followed by the second gen RX-7.

 

[Outtahere]

Oh man I love that car, the Dodge that is, that could put a serious dent in my FI plans really quickly. Although there is a guy that wants to buy my Fatboy, he has a 72 Corvette I'd really like to have, I told hubby I'd trade him even, he might just take the deal.

They really are appealing to the boomers with these cars, first the Mustang now the Charger, what next?

 

[azanon]

The upcoming 2008 Dodge Challenger is a beautiful car; no doubt. I saw pics of it over a year ago, and drooled big time. My heart would love one, but my brain's probably gonna keep me with my Honda Fit.

Ive just decided cars are too expensive a hobby. There are other things I REALLY love and those range from not very expensive to free.

 

[yakers]

And now for another vintage vehicle:

My regularly used 1985 VW Westfalia. It has been modified with a Subaru engine but otherwise stock. I trust it enough as you could understand from this pic being taken in Death Valley, nowhere to go if you can't trust your vehicle.

I have had some serious offers to buy it but what would I replace it with? And the buyer would have to tear it out of the cold, dead hands of my 17 year old son, the Mohawk haired rock drummer.

 

[Nords]

"V-8 engines coupled to either a five-speed manual transmission or five-speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick"

"Auto Stick automatic transmission"?!?

What self-respecting testosterone-poisoned card-carrying macho gearhead would roll into the parking lot of the hardware store on a Saturday morning to hitch up his belt buckle, belch, spit to one side, and proudly proclaim: "Uh, yeah, boys, it's got an automatic transmission!" ?!?

As for depreciation, I've always wondered what happened to that 1986 Yugo I bought in 1989 for $995 and sold six months later for... $995. Cheapest car I ever drove, and it can't be all bad if you can fix the clutch with a pair of pliers.

 

[REWahoo]

Email from hell...

My darling husband,

Before you return from your overseas trip I just want to let you know about the small accident I had with the truck when I turned into the driveway. It's not to bad and I really didn't get hurt, so please don't worry too much about me.

I was coming home from Wal-Mart, and when I turned into the driveway I accidentally pushed down on the accelerator instead of the brake. The garage door is slightly bent but the pickup fortunately came to a halt when it bumped into your car.

I know how much that car means to you but I am really sorry I put a little dent in it. I hope with your kind heart and loving nature you will forgive me. You know how much I love you and care for you my sweetheart.

I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again.

Your loving wife.
XXX

 

[Leonidas]

"Auto Stick automatic transmission"?!?

What self-respecting testosterone-poisoned card-carrying macho gearhead would roll into the parking lot of the hardware store on a Saturday morning to hitch up his belt buckle, belch, spit to one side, and proudly proclaim: "Uh, yeah, boys, it's got an automatic transmission!" ?!?

Girlie Men perhaps?

\

Ach, Hans, look at zat Girlie Man! Jah Franz, und look at zat Girlie Car he is gettink into!

 

[kathyet]

I used to drive a Dodge Coronet it had a slant 6 engine it was a 65 or 66 I think can't remember....I had it for years hubby had a brand new Volvo and he would use mine when his wouldn't start finally one day it just up and died....thanks for the picture and memory. That was a great car !!!


Kathyet

 

[Outtahere]

So are we in agreement that a good muscle car HAS to be a stick shift? Preferably a Hurst?

 

[haha]

The muscle car demographic passed me by. In the 60s I was driving Volvo, Saab, and last but definitely not least, a Citroen. Muscle cars look to me just like they drive- a big hunk of metal with 400 pounds too much way up front.

I wouldn't want any old car. My idea of a car now would be the Porsche Cayman S. I guess I could be convinced to go with a Twin Turbo Carrera if the dealer was all out of Caymans. (Caymen?)

Ha

 

[Sam]

You had a Citroen? What model, year?

And how old are you?

 

[haha]

You had a Citroen? What model, year?

And how old are you?

2 actually. ID 19, and a DS 21 Pallas. I'm 65. Those were the most fun cars ever, but a real pain to keep running. I always felt like I was in a 40s French noir movie. I lived up in LA, and had to drive them down to an enthusiast in Long Beach who let me work on them after hours in his shop, and helped me out too.

Ha