Is it possible that all the affordable project cars are now taken?

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Big Dad

Big Dad

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Been some time since I saw something actually affordable that was worthy of time and effort to do it ( Dodge / Plymouth) all I have noticed lately is rotted, rusted, stripped out junk and all of it is priced easily 4 times what its worth, even 4 doors.
 
Big Dad said:
Been some time since I saw something actually affordable that was worthy of time and effort to do it ( Dodge / Plymouth) all I have noticed lately is rotted, rusted, stripped out junk and all of it is priced easily 4 times what its worth, even 4 doors.
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Early a’s and slant six Dusters going for $15k+, project cars in pieces for $10k. This hobby isn’t for regular people anymore. If I didn’t promise my wife, I’d go back to bikes.
 
I was recently commenting somewhere on this. My comment was " no one is going to pull a car out of a field and restore it today (in 2023) its just too expensive...."

this is why you see the "junkyard" craze on YT the "will it run" videos. Pull a car out of the weeds see if the engine will run..yeah thats easy but will it go down the road comfortably and stop? well never know because no one is going to take it that far...is it a 340 car? oroiginal 383 Road runner? even a rusty hulk road runner the seller wants 10 grand so...yeah thats where i see it. save your money and buy one that has been garage kept the last 30 years...another option is you buy one that someone has started and quit on but theres usually missing parts and you have to figure out how it goes back together...
 
Sometimes you can score a 4 door 6 cyl car, one that you can drive away for 5 K but I se they are drying up or price is going up now the yare about 7 -8 K in my area anyway. Alot of the oddball makes are 5-7 K Olds, Buick, Pontiac , Ford etc... anything bog boat gas guzzler will be cheap a 65 cadillac etc. Mopars are generally gold now go figure...:)
 
Yeah, prices are really up in my area of NY. The 12 to 15K decent buys are in the 20's now. Good if your selling, but buyers are out of luck. I bought my Charger 7 years ago, I would never spend what it's valued at today.
 
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Dartswinger70 said:
under 5 k doesnt buy much not now...:)
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Not just with Mopars either, I’m also into Japanese cars/mini trucks and the prices are through the roof. I’m looking for a clean 2wd 85-88 Toyota pickup. $8k+ for anything that doesn’t need paint with a manual transmission. I don’t think they cost that much new!
 
MidnightSwinger said:
Not just with Mopars either, I’m also into Japanese cars/mini trucks and the prices are through the roof. I’m looking for a clean 2wd 85-88 Toyota pickup. $8k+ for anything that doesn’t need paint with a manual transmission. I don’t think they cost that much new!
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Ahhh the Back to the Future Toyota pickup truck that had the famous 22-RE engines. Those are great trucks.
 
H22A4 said:
Ahhh the Back to the Future Toyota pickup truck that had the famous 22-RE engines. Those are great trucks.
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One of the best trucks ever made! I just want the 2 wheel drive, they use to be affordable, but they go for almost as much as a 4x4 now.

I grew up riding in my Dads 86/87 1ton, cool little truck, blue everything. He passed in January and I’ve been looking for one since. I’m the younger kid, not wearing a helmet hahaha.

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I dont agree, you just have to get away from buying from internet, this 70 duster i bought last fall from Oklahoma was $800 and had a 440 in it. Going back down there labor day weekend for a 70 swinger for $500 slant 6 and complete. Get away from buying from like minded people. To.some farmers they are just in the way and want them.gone

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Josh owen said:
I dont agree, you just have to get away from buying from internet, this 70 duster i bought last fall from Oklahoma was $800 and had a 440 in it. Going back down there labor day weekend for a 70 swinger for $500 slant 6 and complete. Get away from buying from like minded people. To.some farmers they are just in the way and want them.gone

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I don’t think that happens around here anymore, and I’m in the farm country. But I’ll keep my eyes peeled!
 
MidnightSwinger said:
I don’t think that happens around here anymore, and I’m in the farm country. But I’ll keep my eyes peeled!
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I'm in Wisconsin. Went to Oklahoma and just drove for 2 days intentionally getting lost i found dozens of honey holes full of cars. Wish I had more time and money and a few semis and start bringing them all home 6 or 8 at a time! No rust is such a heart warming thing bringing back to the rust belt and tucking them away inside until its time to restore them.
 
I guess maybe is one has time , you can make a trip around looking and knocking on doors , nothing in my area any longer 2 door that is just a complete mess ..

been looking for a 55 Plymouth two door hardtop forever , it doesn't need to be nice but, not $6000-7000 , I am going to cut it up and make hot rod s don't want perfect
 
Josh owen said:
I dont agree, you just have to get away from buying from internet, this 70 duster i bought last fall from Oklahoma was $800 and had a 440 in it. Going back down there labor day weekend for a 70 swinger for $500 slant 6 and complete. Get away from buying from like minded people. To.some farmers they are just in the way and want them.gone

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I agree. I had a popup camper in my yard and a young man knocked on my door asked about it . At the time I was like "we haven used it in a few years, kids are grown let this young man use it" and I let him have it real cheap...nothing wrong with knocking and asking it made sense in my situation to let it go...
 
I also derby so I buy tons of C bodies from 65-78 i see what they sell for on c bodies forum and I'm blown away because I haven't paid over $1000 for one ever. They are usually 500 bucks and most have big blocks and 8 3/4's so I make all my money back parting them out. All it takes is a phone call or knock on the door. You'd be surprised how cheap cars are when they aren't online!!
 
Yeah and people think its worth scrap price so if you are there with a trailer willing to haul it away thats a plus.
 
If the OP will define a budget, I'm sure most of the FABO/FxBO family will take that as a challenge to find suitable cars to at least investigate or asses actual market conditions if not purchase.

Might also help to at least loosely define the target.

Anything 62-79?

...or only a 2 door with manual transmission from 68-72?
 
MidnightSwinger said:
Early a’s and slant six Dusters going for $15k+, project cars in pieces for $10k. This hobby isn’t for regular people anymore. If I didn’t promise my wife, I’d go back to bikes.
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I put the slant 6 duster up for sale for a ridiculous price last year locally. It was really an exercise in "letting go" of stuff. I did not really want to sell but again, an exercise in detachment.

I had a guy send me a threatening message that I should respond so he could find me.

Now its less than a year later and those prices arent just an exercise. Guys are figuring out that for a clean body they can buck up and spend it at a body shop, buy a welder and get to work, or build a bondo buggy.

After this barracuda is sorted, Im going more rat rod on ****. use up what I got and never look back.
 
Brought this home in December. $400. Had been sitting at a transmission shop for 10-15 years. Near perfect interior. Needed a roof skin, floors and typical lower qtrs. We are building my 15 year old's high school ride.
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