This isn't political, but it was

sort of inspired by the "cash for clunkers" post. This just my own three first desires in the automotive world, which I could actually "sort of justify", and would be for under $50,000. If I won the "lottery" (which I rarely play), or some rich uncle I don’t know about passed on and I had "spare" money for my own discretionary use I would spend it on a car, but not some new plain jane gas-sipper. I just don’t drive often enough to justify one. I would love to buy one of these from the first link, but in blue and white not red and white. The GT replicar would be great fun.

Goto:

V-8 Archie -- Pontiac Fiero V-8 Kits and Kit Cars

and then click on GT4T in the Kit section.left

Or for an even more unique choice, perhaps one of these Studebaker Hawks:

Studebaker:eBay Motors (item 170345824289 end time Jun-24-09 19:30:00 PDT)

Or:

Studebaker:eBay Motors (item 160342275672 end time Jun-25-09 10:17:13 PDT)

I like the color of the Black Hawk better, but the performance of the original Silver Hawk and Golden Hawk of the fifties were SUPER! Always loved the "look" of the Hawks, until they went with the mid-sixties GT Hawks, those weren’t as good looking even if the R2 versions were supercharged like the Golden Hawks. If I could find an original Avanti, one of those would be great too. Sadly the few of those around aren’t cheap.

 

Heck, if I had that money, i'd buy a completely restored 65 Mustang as well as a completely restored WW II Willys Jeep. :-D

 

Here ya go Lou, although the T-Bird my cousin Lee had in Black and White, with a red interior was prettier (to my eye). Lee had the two tops, the removable hardtop with the porthole, and the regular canvas top as shown here.

Ford : Thunderbird:eBay Motors (item 220438155890 end time Jun-29-09 07:50:48 PDT)

These guys also have a fully frame off Golden Hawk for sale, with the supercharged 289 that is just an awesome combination. Studes 289 made even the Shellby optioned 289 of the sixties hang its head in shame.

Goto:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1957-Studebaker-Golden-Hawk_W0QQitemZ220438156054QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item3353235316&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A317%7C240%3A1318

At least it did so on a '65 Mustang my other cousin had ordered when we ran up against a Golden Hawk. Of course the Stang was really just a hotted up Falcon, and didn't handle for squat.

 

Here ya go Carl. Even in your neck of the woods, no?
www.ebay.com/ebaymotors
item #220432330916

 

Hi Luke, nice--verrrry nice ;-))

Also, about a year or so ago, my youngest Nephew bid for a near new BMW. This thing was absolutely beautiful. Hunter Green paint and tan leather interior. It was a convertable. This thing was only about 2 years old with less than 25,000 miles on it-got it for ONLY $6,000! The thing ran beautifully. The guy he got it from kept it perfectly maintained, and said that the reason why he was getting rid of it-was because he had two other BMWs sitting in his driveway and had said the wife was tired of driving a green-painted car-so he bought her a black one.

 

I asked my wife if I could buy that Jeep. She laughed at first and then gave me a "look". If eyeballs could ballpunch a guy, I'd be hunched over right now. Your nephew lucked out!! I wonder how the current economy is treating that guy?? Be interesting to know.

 

I have an aunt who owned a 57 Chevy, followed by a 65 Mustang convertible. She told me I could have the Mustang and she would keep it for me. I was about 8 years old at the time and said "no thanks." I was quite a fool, even then. Still, my dream car remains a Ford Model A or anything with a rumble seat!

 

We had an antique car parade/show tonight in my small town. The family and I skipped it and went up north about 15 miles and a I bought a pistol. Win/win if you ask me, but anyways. On the way home we passed many of the cars in the parade and after about 9 miles we passed a lone Model A Ford. I was quiet for a few and said finally, "YOu think right now that guy is thinking "F**k this lack of horsepower". Got a laugh from the better half.

 

My only input to this is for Ford to bring back the Bronco. Not the big O.J. looking thing or the "Bronco II"; but, the standard issue Bronco with removable top.

Brad

 

Kind of depends on which year of "A" we are talking about, the original version did have just a slightly larger 4 cylinder than the "T" it replaced. But, a few years into the production run they slapped in the Flathead 8, and it was "stand back jack", the most affordable fast car in the world hit the road. Too bad the old flatheads overheated so easy!

 

I'll wait until your uncle's pass away and when you have carefully restored your cars I will ship them to Europe and when you are asleep.

 

hmm i wonder who wouldn't. lol

 

Hi Luke, just tel your wife your only trying to do your part with stimulating our economy and that the purchase is for the good of the Nation ;-))

My Nephew did luck out. He was bidding against some guy who badly wanted that car-and sniped him on the last second. That guy was a poor sport so he sent my Nephew a nasty email. My Nephew and a few friends sent the guy back a photo of them all flipping him the bird )

Oh and I wish I had photos of my Nephews and Bro-in-Laws Willies Jeeps. My Nephews has the most restored of the two but my Bro in Law is catching up with him and just recently bought another hood for his Jeep. My Bro in Law is also restoring a 1919 Model T Ford. I rode in that thing once and it was a great ride. I don't think he's taken it out since then-which was about 25 or so years ago.

 

You got that right. I saw one for sale fully restored (Mustang) for sale in Corpus Christi. Beautiful white interior-painted Candy Apple Red-hard top. The price was only ONLY $5,000. I had my Bro in Law and Nephews check it out-test drove it and all-and found it was perfect in every way. I juuuuust missed out on getting it. I had asked the guy to hold it for me so I could get the money for it and he said he would. So we left and I emptied the Piggy Banks which took about 2 hours-we came back and saw the car was sold-and being towed away by the prick who bought it. The guy selling it screwed me over because the jerk who bought it-offered him $7,000 for it. And get this, this car had been sitting there in the parking lot fior about 2 months-and nobody had been really interested in buying it all that time-and then WHAMMO-the day I go to get all my Nickles and Pennies together-some %^&*#$*&^ jerk pulls a fast one on me. I've disliked that sum B--- since then.

However, poetic justice prevailed. In the news that evening-they were reporting a bad wreck that happened on SPID-which is THE main and busiest "artery" that runs through Corpus. Well, heh heh-it was great in a way and also sad to see but-the new owner had taken that car out for a spin-and wound up demolishing the thing on SPID because he was allegedly yakking on his cell phone and not paying attention. He was speeding, hit some sand that was on the road-which cause his car to swerve and he hit the concrete barrier-and smashed the ship outta that car. I hated seeing the car demolished but-loved the fact that he lost his $7,000-and he had not yet got the car insured :lol: :lol: Insurance would have been the first thing I did had the seller waited like he agreed on-for me to return with the cash. I'd be driving that beauty today had it not been for greed on others parts.

 

And when/if you ever pick up a "collector", be sure and use Grundy's insurance. The very best in the business for cars of "particular interest". The charges are right as are the deductibles since they recognize that cars like that are owned by "car guys" who don't abuse them nor risk them un-necessarily. And their replacement cost is for 'full value" as you stated, not some arbitrary "book" value normal insurance companies use to screw ya out of the payment. I had Grundy's when some "pleasant" female plowed into the rear end of my '72 455 GS Buick while it was parked. It was older, and I had bought it used, but it had the "through the bumper" exhausts, and she screwed the rear bumper. When her "insurance guy" told me my car was "totaled" and he would only pay me $500, I whipped out my Grundy policy, and showed him that the bumper alone was worth $600 (if you could find one) and she also broke off one of the rectangular outlet pipes, and they were worth $80 each at that time!

The guy grumbled, but the Grundy policy, a book of value for "cars of particular interest", and the threat of a lawyer got me a new bumber, installed, and a new outlet pipe. Parts and labor? $1200.

But "Big Bad Bertha Butts, the Last of the Bad Ass Buicks", looked better than ever!

 

An alternative to the Grundy Insurance is what I have.
I have a 73 Bronco that I have fully covered through my traditional Allstate. The policy specifically states: "Restoration costs at policy holders discretion". The term "restoration" v. "replacement" is huge.

The moral of the story is to keep all of your reciepts and track all of your time that you spend restoring classics.

 

Hi Clint-I have heard of Grundy. That's where my Bro in Law and Nephews have their Jeeps and his Model T-insured with. On the was down I-10 I think it was?? we found a few places on the road that had some great choices to choose from-but all wanted way too much for them. I stopped at one Yesterday, and saw that they had a red-and white '57 Chevy pickup-that was exactly like my bother inlaws truck (which he restored and drives to work sometimes) well the one i looked at was painted exactly like my bro in laws truck. This one however, the guy tried to paint over the badly rusted areas-which all those areas will have to be cut out-too far gone-and then i'd have to get someone to hand make those pieces. Well, for a truck that should not have been priced more than about $3,500-they guy was asking $10-I told him-Good luck on selling it at that price-then we left. I know other places between Houston and Austin-that have more and better offerings. Next time I head that way, I will be making a few other stops ;-))

Oh and, believe it or n ot but-i happened by some guys Tire business somewhere between Austin and Lago Vista, and the guy had a beautifully restored WWII Deuce and a Half-sitting just behind his workshop-for sale. I didn't bother asking how much because we all knew it would be much more than I had and or would be wanting to spend. Anyway, this truck had "Red Ball Express" markings on it-which I thought very cool ;-))