Mid Week Match-Up: Find The Best $10k Classic
Welcome to another edition of Mid Week Match-Up, where find the best cars for our favorite people — today we find a driveable classic for L.K. No projects, no ticking time bombs, just the best classic pre 1980 car you can buy for around $10k-$15k.
L.K. lives with his family in Texas, so I found him a classic truck — this 1961 Ford F100 bidding for $8,788 here on eBay
with 4 days to go, located in Alberta, Few Hours From Montana Border, Canada. It is powered by an inline-6, so it won’t be some tire melting monster truck, but it looks cool and would be a nice classic addition to any garage.
Nice find on the Ford, Vince. Bonus: it's a "unibody" pickup, with the cab and bed integrated in one assembly. Still has a separate frame so it's more like an El Camino than a true unibody car, but I digress. I see these around occasionally but they are getting rare; Ford went back to a separate bed very quickly after releasing these.
Those unibodies are favorites of hod rodders for their structural rigidity…
1952 Plymouth Cambridge
[img] i.imgur.com/Wx9V8qZ.png?1[/img]
Didn't intend to find one of a similar color to the F100! Coinkydink.
Nice. I would have given anything to have been able to pick this one up at the time:
Cranbrook
From Texas. No ticking time bombs…. must have AC! A lot of this depends on the owners proclivities, but… a brief search of the DFW CL yields the following interesting options:
62 Newport for $10.5
dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/5139970310.html
[img] images.craigslist.org/01515_dNUT4Bcr1w2_600x450.jpg[/img]
'62 Stude Hawk GT for $7
dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/cto/5155978688.html
[img] images.craigslist.org/00D0D_l2M9VXWrtKa_600x450.jpg[/img]
'67 TBird for $7.5
dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/5158348525.html
[img] images.craigslist.org/00000_lLh9kQHtmaX_600x450.jpg[/img]
I only searched locally using 'Classic' as a search term in Craigslist and an upwards limit of $15,000.
I know it said no projects, but this seems like just a little project and you have $10,000 left over for the interior. And you'd likely have the only one.
1926 Star
Maybe you can bend your pre-1980 rule a little and buy this 1981 Alfa Romeo GTV-6 in Bellevue, WA for $8K.
Or how about an Alfa Spider?
Here's a last of the chrome bumpers 1974 with a bad second gear synchro in the Bay Area (you can learn to double clutch). Not sure if it still has it's SPICA intact. For $6K it looks like a deal.
Or if you want a rubber baby buggy bumper Spider, here's a nice '78 in Boise, ID for $9.9K. It looks really original down to it's SPICA with the air injection system still intact (most were tossed for better performance).
Dang it Gianni, now you are making me want a GTV-6 again. I miss my Milano. But I don't miss being broke even BEFORE I bought an Alfa.
Evan, you should rescue this Verde in Portland. I wish I had the room.
One hand on the shifter, air conditioning keeping your lady cool, 7.5 liters on tap, and the left lane is calling your name. 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix
Great suggestions so far. K2, will an older 50s car be reliable? Zack, I like the Newport, but the styling on the Studebaker isn't my thing, and vinyl tops are yuck. Abnmike, can I give my wife your cell phone number when it breaks down? Gianni, I've never considered an older Alfa, not sure if I can afford the maintenance costs, I don't have much time for working on cars. Rene, this is great, except the vinyl top.
J.K. / L.K. Given the additional parameters, maybe you should just get one of these. Seriously. I have one in addition to my Alfa and I love them both. This is a good price, especially with the factory hardtop. The lack of AC in this particular example might be a killer for you.
I'm old(er) and I'm reliable. So I'd say yes. Especially if rust is less of an issue where you live, these are simple cars. Very easy to work on and maintain. Thems were the days.
Or this one with an awesome roadtrip on the way back?
1997 5-speed Miata in AK
The 69-72 Pontiac Grand Prix's are great cars. Proven engine, transmission, and rear end. This model is rock solid and sells under market prices. I have had friends that owned them and reported the same. So put this model on your radar. Upsize the wheels and the handling really gets enhanced with less tire wall. Get a low mileage original if possible.
That said… If you can talk the wife into owning a 2 seater, go for that AK Miata and make it a vacation.
If no time, check out this MODIFIED MIATA
Watch the video, Ohh yeah that would be fun to drive! Also reliable having 40,000 miles.
I have a '91 with the 1.6 and my son has a '97 with the 1.8. I prefer the 1.6, even though it has less power and torques. It feels more rev-y and makes the car feel faster, plus the '91 is lighter without the passenger air bag and less bracing. Either NA would be fun.
Why did I write my name as J.K?
1972 Karma GT Dino
[img] i.imgur.com/HxnXqFL.jpg?1[/img]
1973 "John Deere Edition" Tuk Tuk
[img] i.imgur.com/AvYoRBo.jpg?2[/img]
1972 Honda Z600
[img] i.imgur.com/B2yBSKz.jpg?1[/img]
Who said the 70s were boring? I will kick them right in the frenum!
Two owner 1962 Buick Electra in Lynnwood, WA for $9k.
[img] images.craigslist.org/00c0c_6w9kTMBdOae_600x450.jpg[/img]
The period picture of the original owner makes it really cool:
[img] images.craigslist.org/00f0f_1t1CQmg1lvD_600x450.jpg[/img]