I'm entering grandparent and retirement phase, and want a fun cruiser I can ride the grandkids around in.
I want my grandkids to have great memories of riding around with grandpa in his cool old car, not remember him as the crotchety old fart who was always locked in the garage alone working on some piece of crap car they never got to ride in.
It will be a cruiser. Something with a big enough engine to get it motivated occasionally, with AC, a stereo, and comfy seats.
It needs to have a back seat, or a rumble seat, or a convertible.
I'm a big fan of the simple lines of a 30's vintage street rod. The gaudiness of the 50's dripping with chrome is also appealing. Not sure why the 40's seem to be pretty bland. I love the muscle cars of the 60's and 70's, but that's not what I'm looking for.
Something a little quirky and unique. I don't want a show quality or numbers matching anything.
Medium project is ok, but not a major one. (Although I do have a really nice big block drivetrain). At $20-25,000, I'd want it fairly complete (but obviously not show quality). At sub $10,000 I know it would be a project. For some reason $12-16,000 seems to be a bad price point- it seems to be where people who have a crappy car that still shines a little try to sell their overpriced cars...
I'll take ideas, recommendations, or links! All help is welcome!!
trucke
SuperDork
4/29/20 12:31 p.m.
My BIL looked around for a couple of years and landed on a 69 Cadillac convertible. Couldn't place my hand on a picture of 'Lucille', but she looks like this except blue over white.
In reply to trucke :
First thing I thought of. Also, wagon. I mean, it's meant to haul. Mopar longroof or top dog Vista Cruiser.
1938 Dodge Brothers or similar sedan. Nothing better then explaining suicide doors to grandkids. Modern drivetrains go in easy, and the bodies / weatherstripping should handle modern speeds without substantial buffeting and wind noise. All things considered with seatbelts added safety is probably similar to anything pre 1975 and not Volvo for rear seat occupants. They are on my list for "next" project.
40s vehicles are drab because there was a war and they basically just continued to produce late 30's vehicles with more subdued bumpers/grilles.
Though I also want to put C4 Vette running gear under a speedway motors fiberglass Ford body modifies to have a rumble seat. .. so you could do that for a more extreme project.
VW Carman Ghias or a Type 3 would be cool also. With a Subaru swap you could relatively easily put AC in.
A few outside the box 1950's looking cars. For the most part cheaper than the popular domestic options and I actually dig the looks better. Besides, who just wants another 50's chevy?
Jaguar MK2? keep it stock, or upset purists with an engine swap? (imagine that with a modern turbo 4) a stock one may even be in your budget.
Morris Minor, yes, you could probably fit that big block in there. (and good god, I love the stance on the pictured one)
Volvo PV544
Appleseed beat me to it. Vista Cruiser all day every day.
I always thought Willys wagon hot rods were cool. This one's on an S10 chassis so getting this stance will require fab work. Not sure if that's what you're after.
+2 on a 70's wagon with rear seats. Room for the grandparents, the parents and the grandkids. Maybe it's just me, but being a kid in the rear/side facing seats on the way to the ice cream shop sounds like fun.
I have this for sale if you want. Super low miles, will let it go cheap for someone who wants to drive and use it and not flip or store it.
Uper low mile, can get up and go, would need a classic air system if you want.
I was going to say FactoryFive Hotrod, but its only a 2-seater apparently.
wearymicrobe said:
I have this for sale if you want. Super low miles, will let it go cheap for someone who wants to drive and use it and not flip or store it.
Uper low mile, can get up and go, would need a classic air system if you want.
If you go this way ive done a lot of ac retrofits over the years. Classic auto air would be perfect for it. I can help with install.
It will be a cruiser. Something with a big enough engine to get it motivated occasionally, with AC, a stereo, and comfy seats.
Some outliers in the cruiser realm:
1983-1985 makes this old but not too old. The fwd keeps this from increasing too much in price but the car has a presence everwhere it goes.
In reply to wearymicrobe :
Wow that's nice. What's "cheap" to you?
Old car is a relative thing.
If the grand kid is 10 then a car 15 years old will be old given that it is from an era before time (at least the kids time.)
this means cars older than 2005
Get a 2005 Mustang GT and the grands will always see it as old. Even if it is a 2010 the grands will still always see it as old.
If your kids are 30 then to the grandkids a car older than their parents will be ancient too.
This means cars older than 1990
I like the way you guys think!
I would generally rule out Cadillac's, but Weary, you have my attention....
I also think the big wagons are more than I want... although, I grew up in a Vista Cruiser. Hmmm...
The Morris Minor, Jaguar, and the Willy's are 2 very unexpected options... I like them!
I'd like to see a few more ragtops, open tops, and rumble seats.
I'd also like to see a few 30's vintage ideas...
Too bad 70’s isn’t an option - the 74 Cutlass 4 door for sale right now would be great candidate for a big engine.
Oh I forgot to do my duty and recommend a Mercedes.
How about a W108
yupididit said:
In reply to wearymicrobe :
Wow that's nice. What's "cheap" to you?
Asking 36K, would take 26K for someone on the board though if they were going to use it and not flip it. Everybody wants to drag it overses and sell it for 6 figures but want it to stay in the states. Restoration allegedly cost somewhere near 50K when it was done. I love this car but it has to go, have a offer out on something big and Italian and I need an indoor parking space.
Two things, its on black walls now so it looks a bit meaner and is tuned for sea level and crappy California gas..
Only 27K original miles, fully restored in 2001 including full chrome paint interior and engine. Runs great. Needs some things for modern traffic like disk brakes in the front. Still have all the OEM parts.
Converted to a 1406 carb and alternator to make it a bit more reliable and had one of those modern stereos that look 100% stock in the dash.
Was a AC car but that stuff went missing in the restoration due to parts availability. Would be an easy conversion. Would love it to go to someone who wants a mild project that they can fiddle with and drive. I put ~400 miles a year on it with one of the bigger Cadillac cruises and it just eats up the miles.
I also may have a line on a old blower mainfold if you want to go fast. For the big weilands.
What it looks like on Steel wheels and black wall tires.
John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:
Old car is a relative thing.
If the grand kid is 10 then a car 15 years old will be old given that it is from an era before time (at least the kids time.)
this means cars older than 2005
Get a 2005 Mustang GT and the grands will always see it as old. Even if it is a 2010 the grands will still always see it as old.
If your kids are 30 then to the grandkids a car older than their parents will be ancient too.
This means cars older than 1990
No.
I am not talking about a 2005 Mustang. And I am not measuring "old" by a child's viewpoint.
This car will be 80-90% driven by me alone. I'm the one who has to enjoy it. They just get to ride now and then.
I'm trying to use the right words to communicate clearly. Hot rod. Street rod. 1930's is best. Fiberglass is fine. NOT a numbers matching show car. Quirky and unique.
That's not a 1990's anything. And it's not a Mustang.
Think '32 Deuce with a rumble seat. Or a cabriolet Vicky. Or a forgotten project with a chopped top.
The Willys and the Morris Minor surprised me. I wasn't thinking of anything like that.
The Riviera does earn a few points. But only because it's a rag top.
In reply to wearymicrobe :
I like your Caddy.
I don't think I have a garage big enough for it.
I once knew of a 39 Dodge that had a 4th gen Firebird T/A under it. Apparently the wheelbases of the 39 and 94/95 (?) are identical. Front subframe bolted in, I think the driveshaft didn't even need to be modified. Guy took the T/A dash and cut the right 1/4 off to shorten it to 1939 width. The whole thing was odd/cool. It was on the stock Friebird wheels that really needed to go. AC cruise and LS/T56. The three pedals didn't quite work with the width of my feet, otherwise I likely would have it now.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to wearymicrobe :
I like your Caddy.
I don't think I have a garage big enough for it.
Nobody does. That is why I still have it. She is also a fat bottom girl, 80 inch width. IE 5 inches wider then my Viper and just a smidge narrower then a LP640
1946 Chevy Suburban. You need a Burban.
