Muscle car or Hot Rod

[the reel ess]

I'm feeling that midlife itch for a muscle car or some kind of hot rod to wrench on. I'm a pretty competent shadetree mechanic. I used to have a '66 Mustang for a daily driver for a couple of years and I carried a toolbox and spare parts in the trunk. There's nothing like an old car to teach you how to diagnose simple problems.

 

What you got? What advice would you offere, besides "Don't do it." ? 

[MN Fisher]

Don't - unless you got lots of spare cash laying about. I looked into it myself about 10 years back...wanted what I'd learned stick on back in the 70s. $30k+ for a 30+ year old car that was in fair condition? Nope...not on my budget.

 

BTW: Car I learned stick on? '73 Plymouth Cuda.

[the reel ess]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Don't - unless you got lots of spare cash laying about. I looked into it myself about 10 years back...wanted what I'd learned stick on back in the 70s. $30k+ for a 30+ year old car that was in fair condition? Nope...not on my budget.

 

BTW: Car I learned stick on? '73 Plymouth Cuda.

Yeah, Cudas and Challengers are out of my budget. I could do it, but I'd rather go cheaper. I'm partial to 2nd gen Camaros. My first car was a '78, but it was a real dog. The 305 2bbl could hardly get out of its own way. I was routinely embarrassed by guys with 4 cyl pickups. That old Mustang 289 I had is a decent place to start a build and can still be had well under $15K. 

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

The 305 2bbl could hardly get out of its own way.

Ya, mine had the 340-4 bbl - ran like a greased pig...gas mileage sucked though.

[the reel ess]

6 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya, mine had the 340-4 bbl - ran like a greased pig...gas mileage sucked though.

Hehe. I'm prepared for bad fuel economy. I drive a Jeep. 14 MPG around town. I'd really like a 4-speed geared toward lower torque.

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Hehe. I'm prepared for bad fuel economy. I drive a Jeep. 14 MPG around town. I'd really like a 4-speed geared toward lower torque.

Well, back then I was a HS student with a part-time job making $2.75/hr for 12-15 hrs a week and gas was $1.35 a gallon. Add to that a girlfriend and things were tight.

[newriverfisherman1953]

‘69-72 Nova. 

[Randy Price]

I routinely watch the Barrett Jackson Auto Auctions and am often surprised at how inexpensive some muscle cars go for.  I recently saw a mid 70's Corvette in great shape go for like $ 7,500.00.  Granted it wasn't rare or have an awesome engine but it was a 100% accurate Corvette. 

[the reel ess]

30 minutes ago, Randy Price said:

I routinely watch the Barrett Jackson Auto Auctions and am often surprised at how inexpensive some muscle cars go for.  I recently saw a mid 70's Corvette in great shape go for like $ 7,500.00.  Granted it wasn't rare or have an awesome engine but it was a 100% accurate Corvette. 

I've noticed recently that the base Corvettes with the 300 HP 350's are much cheaper than the LT1 or the big block cars. The later C3 Vettes come with weaker motors, but there's always performance potential with a small block under the hood. And they handle like they're on rails with the independent rear suspension.

[Mike L]

 

Say Hello to Mr G!

 

You have some decisions to make first, here are few...
How much money do you have to buy one?

 

How much disposable money do you think you’ll have in the years after you get it?

Do you want a trailer queen to take to shows far and wide?

 

Do you want a 20 footer to take to local shows and cruise inn’s?

 

Do you want something, anything to putz around with and drive and not care if it gets dinged in parking lots or get rained on??

 

Do you want speed, handling, both or don’t care?

 

How much hands on restoring do you want to do?
 

Does having an original, numbers matching, classic or muscle car important to you?

 

It’s all about the money, what you like and what you’re gonna do with it. 

I would never tell anyone not too,

but you need to answer those questions first, which will help you narrow down your search. 

 

 

I’ve been to car shows all over the Southeast and Midwest with mine for the last 29 yrs and seen enough regret, disappointment and pure joy everywhere I’ve gone. 
If showing isn’t in your plans, your options are endless. 
 

Good Luck in your search and Welcome to the club!!
 

 

 

Mike
 

[the reel ess]

13 minutes ago, Mike L said:

 

Say Hello to Mr G!

 

You have some decisions to make first, here are few...
How much money do you have to buy one?

 

How much disposable money do you think you’ll have in the years after you get it?

Do you want a trailer queen to take to shows far and wide?

 

Do you want a 20 footer to take to local shows and cruise inn’s?

 

Do you want something, anything to putz around with and drive and not care if it gets dinged in parking lots or get rained on??

 

Do you want speed, handling, both or don’t care?

 

How much hands on restoring do you want to do?
 

Does having an original, numbers matching, classic or muscle car important to you?

 

It’s all about the money, what you like and what you’re gonna do with it. 

I would never tell anyone not too,

but you need to answer those questions first, which will help you narrow down your search. 

 

 

I’ve been to car shows all over the Southeast and Midwest with mine for the last 29 yrs and seen enough regret, disappointment and pure joy everywhere I’ve gone. 
If showing isn’t in your plans, your options are endless. 
 

Good Luck in your search and Welcome to the club!!
 

 

 

Mike
 

Beautiful car! I want a driver. Handling is nice, but I can work toward that. I like the 4-speed, low-geared feel. I'm handy enough to do a lot of my own work. I'm not really into trailer queens, nut and bolt restorations or matching numbers. I even like the recent rat rod truck trend. I could afford about anything within reason, but I'm still a cheapskate. I can live with a less-sought-after model to save some bucks. I don't want a car that's so complete there's nothing left for me to do.

 

It's funny to me how badly I wanted things when I couldn't afford them. Now that I can, I don't want nearly as many things. I'll probably think on this one long enough to talk myself out of it. LOL.

[Mike L]

There is a publication called Hemmings Motor News that is kinda the classic car buyers bible. 
Even tho it kinda caters to the mid to higher end, it has enough listings for all budgets, models and years. 
 

Mike

 

[A-Jay]

The year before I retired, I bought this one new in 2006, last year they made them.

Happy Birthday to me.

Loved quite a bit about this ride, especially the 6 speed. 

She was kind of a sleeper, but the LS2 pulled pretty good.

Not an overly skilled wrench turner, this one was mostly stock, sort of. 

Ran her around for 10 summers and then sold her with just under 20K on the dial.

Used the $$ to help fund the Lund Pvo-V Bass.

I miss her - a little. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[the reel ess]

4 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

The year before I retired, I bought this one new in 2006, last year they made them.

Happy Birthday to me.

Loved quite a bit about this ride, especially the 6 speed. 

She was kind of a sleeper, but the LS2 pulled pretty good.

Not an overly skilled wrench turner, this one was mostly stock, sort of. 

Ran her around for 10 summers and then sold her with just under 20K on the dial.

Used the $$ to help fund the Lund Pvo-V Bass.

I miss her - a little. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

I like it. You definitely don't see many of those anymore.

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, the reel ess said:

I like it. You definitely don't see many of those anymore.

I don't think they made that many - 

It wasn't very popular I guess.

When they brought them back in 2004, I drove one; didn't like the 5.7L.

Drove it again in 2005, still sort of a dog.

After just a few minutes in the 6.0L in 2006, I drove that one home.

?

A-Jay

 

[Mike L]

When they came out in ‘04 I thought about buying the ‘05.

I thought it would be great to having another 40 yrs apart but it just didn’t seem even remotely close to the 65. 

 

It just seemed wrong and down right un-American buying a GTO that was just a rebadged Australian compact and parking it next to the “Great One” 

?

 

 

 

 

Mike

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, Mike L said:

When they came out in ‘04 I thought about buying the ‘05.

I thought it would be great to having another 40 yrs apart but it just didn’t seem even remotely close to the 65. 

 

It just seemed wrong and down right un-American buying a GTO that was just a rebadged Australian compact and parking it next to the “Great One” 

?

 

 

 

 

Mike

I can't totally disagree.

But the only other new LS2 came in a Vet for twice the $$.

So I just squinted a little and fooled myself.

A-Jay 

 

[NHBull]

The only muscle car I would open my wallet for is a 74 Boss Mustang.

There is just something about that car

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, Mike L said:

When they came out in ‘04 I thought about buying the ‘05.

I thought it would be great to having another 40 yrs apart but it just didn’t seem even remotely close to the 65. 

 

It just seemed wrong and down right un-American buying a GTO that was just a rebadged Australian compact and parking it next to the “Great One” 

?

 

 

 

 

Mike

The Aussies have had some really cool cars. They just should have maybe named the car something else. Like maybe the Pontiac Holden.

[Mike L]

11 hours ago, the reel ess said:

The Aussies have had some really cool cars. They just should have maybe named the car something else. Like maybe the Pontiac Holden.

Agree

It might have had a chance of being successful in the US competing in the sports compact market. 
In the end Pontiac admitted it was a mistake.  
 

 

Mike

[Boomstick]

I always wanted a Buick Grand National myself, although they tend to be a bit pricey these days.

[SuperDuty]

I say DO IT!

 

My wife wants me to get her a classic. She wants either a pre-78 Bronco, or a 69 Nova. 

 

For me, it would be between an old scout, bronco, 67 Chevelle, or Chevy Apache 4x4.

[the reel ess]

On 12/24/2019 at 7:58 PM, Boomstick said:

I always wanted a Buick Grand National myself, although they tend to be a bit pricey these days.

Yeah, that was the premier late 80s muscle car. If you look long and hard, you can find T-Type turbo Regals that have been upgraded with go-fast goodies. What scares me about them is the early computer control of a turbo'd EFI motor. If it's been buggered with, I'd have to take it to a tuner to work out the kinks. That could turn into an inanimate pile of parts in the carport.

[Boomstick]

36 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Yeah, that was the premier late 80s muscle car. If you look long and hard, you can find T-Type turbo Regals that have been upgraded with go-fast goodies. What scares me about them is the early computer control of a turbo'd EFI motor. If it's been buggered with, I'd have to take it to a tuner to work out the kinks. That could turn into an inanimate pile of parts in the carport.

People used to tweak the hell out of those things too back in the day. A lot of them had an "adjustable turbo" which could greatly increase the power of the engine but at the engine's long term expense.

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, Boomstick said:

People used to tweak the hell out of those things too back in the day. A lot of them had an "adjustable turbo" which could greatly increase the power of the engine but at the engine's long term expense.

Yes, it's the wastegate. There's a spring in it to relieve compressed air pressure before gets to a damaging level and causes detonation. The computer is supposed to re tard timing when that happens. It can happen so fast the computer can't stop it. By changing the spring, you can increase or decrease available boost pressure. If the car came with a tamper-proof wastegate, you can replace it with one you can that swap out the springs. Those engines were built for a certain boost level with a safety factor built in. Increasing boost on a stock rotating assembly is removing the safety factor. Simply swapping out the intercooler for a larger unit and a larger exhaust is good for some horsepower without risking the motor. The upgraded intercooler can decrease detonation risk because it cools the incoming air.