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Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/9/20 9:13 p.m.
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:

77-79 Lincoln Town Car

Europa

70's custom van

Geo Metro convertible

Dodge Neon ACR

We have a 72 t bird, an acr, and a mutant miata. Close enough? Come visit. Bring meat. Drive cool E36 M3.

My first car was a '72 T-bird.  If it is green/green with a cloth interior I will trade you all the things for it.

 

How's THAT for a bad idea?

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Nope. Mustard yellow,  brown vinyl top, brown leather interior. Its brother Dustin. Been in the family since new. He was brought home in it from the hospital by his mom and grandparents. Not for sale, ever. At least so far. 

759NRNG (Forum Partidario)
759NRNG (Forum Partidario) UltraDork
6/9/20 9:44 p.m.

'03  Oldsmobile Aurora with the engine/cradle in the back seat.....with side door strakes ala Ferrari testarossakindish......ya gotta squint  a little to see it....in normal FWD 135mph is not a prob....only for the po po....just sayin'......late

M2Pilot
M2Pilot Dork
6/9/20 9:55 p.m.

Sometimes I think I'd like to buy the world's best '67 Rover 2000TC.  I would be delightful when runnng but would probably be no more dependable than the one I bought in '69.

Restomod Renault Dauphine also appeals to me. My first car was a '62 Dauphine.  Worst car ever.

Jay_W
Jay_W SuperDork
6/9/20 10:28 p.m.

I don't think I've ever had a *good* idea written all over it automotive temptation. I'm pretty sure they've All been bad ideas, some worse tha  others. My daily driver Mercedes is in the 11's but I want it to be in the 10's. I also (with lots and lots of help) put a Toyota gearbox in a Mazda rallycar in the name of reliability.  See what I mean? 

Funny, I was just talking to friend about this eariler today. Over the past couple decades I keep circling back to the same bad ideas

-Taking over someone else's half-finished Lotus Seven/Locost/CMC/Westfield/Rotus/whatever build...because it would give me a real leg up over just starting my own. indecision

-Something vintage, stylish, Italian, and affordable (read: rusty) like a 60's/early 70's Lancia, Alfa, Maserati, or Fiat...because that sounds like a wonderful bad idea...

 

 

westsidetalon
westsidetalon HalfDork
6/9/20 11:58 p.m.

Buying a beater b5 Audi A4 or TT for rallyx

Powar (Forum Supporter)
Powar (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
6/10/20 7:55 a.m.

In reply to MrFancypants :

Me too. There was a filthy red FD with somewhat attractive but oversized wheels and hideous aftermarket headlights sitting under a tree on a farm not far from our house. It had been there for years and didn't seem to move much. My wife and I finally stopped and asked about it a month or so ago. The car turned out to be a '93 R1 with 78k miles on it. I drove the car home a few days later.

As found:

Last weekend:

\

 

I should probably do a proper build thread on this one.

buzzboy
buzzboy Dork
6/10/20 7:58 a.m.

My neighbor has a bobbed M35A2 for sale. I've always wanted an M35.

lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter)
lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) Reader
6/10/20 8:07 a.m.

I want a last generation(2002-2005) Thunderbird in white for some damn reason. I would like to have a convertible for Sunday rides, but I want something that she would drive. I've really haven't heard anything horrible about them, but nobody raves about them either. I like the looks for some strange reason as I feel it is a classic retro look and pulls it off better than a Mustang or Camaro of the same era. Apparently the engine(Jaguar derived) has some quirks and electrical issues. 
 

Anyone have first hand knowledge of these cars? I get tempted on occasion but need to do some additional research.

 

 

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
6/10/20 8:16 a.m.

*turns his head and looks out the window at work at automotive bad idea that he drove to work*

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter)
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/10/20 8:17 a.m.

Saturn SW2 Land Speed Car at Bonneville.

Going 200+ in one of these, blown 2.0 class.

Apexcarver
Apexcarver UltimaDork
6/10/20 8:17 a.m.

I even went as far as getting a spitfire and miata suspension parts to build a bike engined little roadster. Then I became a parent and decided that just getting an F500 was a better idea.  (Andy Newman has the spit now)

 

 

Powar (Forum Supporter)
Powar (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
6/10/20 8:30 a.m.
lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) said:

I want a last generation(2002-2005) Thunderbird in white for some damn reason. I would like to have a convertible for Sunday rides, but I want something that she would drive. I've really haven't heard anything horrible about them, but nobody raves about them either. I like the looks for some strange reason as I feel it is a classic retro look and pulls it off better than a Mustang or Camaro of the same era. Apparently the engine(Jaguar derived) has some quirks and electrical issues. 
 

Anyone have first hand knowledge of these cars? I get tempted on occasion but need to do some additional research.

 

 

I don't know much about them but I'm with you on the looks. They're excellent.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
6/10/20 8:52 a.m.

In reply to Shadeux (Forum Supporter) :

Did someone say carburetors on a Miata?

(I know, this talks about SUs and not Webers, but how could I not share?)

mike
mike New Reader
6/10/20 9:04 a.m.

In reply to dean1484 :

When I talked to my postman, he said they were all s10's underneath. Early 80's S10 blazer chassis, Iron Duke 4 cyl. IIRC they even used the S10 Instrument cluster. 

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/10/20 9:20 a.m.
Powar (Forum Supporter) said:
lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) said:

I want a last generation(2002-2005) Thunderbird in white for some damn reason. I would like to have a convertible for Sunday rides, but I want something that she would drive. I've really haven't heard anything horrible about them, but nobody raves about them either. I like the looks for some strange reason as I feel it is a classic retro look and pulls it off better than a Mustang or Camaro of the same era. Apparently the engine(Jaguar derived) has some quirks and electrical issues. 
 

Anyone have first hand knowledge of these cars? I get tempted on occasion but need to do some additional research.

 

 

I don't know much about them but I'm with you on the looks. They're excellent.

I believe they're Panther chassis underneath, so P71 bits should bolt on. 

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/10/20 9:23 a.m.
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

Saturn SW2 Land Speed Car at Bonneville.

Going 200+ in one of these, blown 2.0 class.

Back when I started autox in the late-90's a local guy had a 1st gen SC2 setup for the then-new street tire class. It was a hoot to drive, I remember it had a bunch of SPS parts on it, which are probably unobtanium now...but that's probably true for much of the car its self. 

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt PowerDork
6/10/20 9:26 a.m.
westsidetalon said:

Buying a beater b5 Audi A4 or TT for rallyx

Where's the bad idea part? Are you also planning a W8 swap?

frenchyd
frenchyd PowerDork
6/10/20 9:28 a.m.

Trying to go racing at my age. 

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt PowerDork
6/10/20 9:49 a.m.
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:
 

I believe they're Panther chassis underneath, so P71 bits should bolt on. 

The 2002-2005 Thunderbird is more closely related to the Jaguar S type and Lincoln LS.

chaparral
chaparral GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/10/20 9:56 a.m.

Lotus Elan powered by a Rotax 951 DI two-stroke.

chaparral
chaparral GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/10/20 9:59 a.m.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

My stepfather owns one and might be willing to sell.

It's a Jaguar S-type with a nice convertible top. They're good cruisers, OK on a back road. Fuel consumption is bad, reliability has been very good. Parts are commonly available from either Ford or Jaguar.

 

 

Tyler H (Forum Supporter)
Tyler H (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UberDork
6/10/20 10:02 a.m.
frenchyd said:

Trying to go racing at my age. 

You should do it.

Bad ideas -- every European car I've ever owned, and there's been a bunch.  Starting with the Corrado SLC.

Tony Sestito
Tony Sestito PowerDork
6/10/20 10:10 a.m.

I've had a few terrible ideas this week:

Pontiac Solstice


People are starting to throw these out. I always liked them, and they seem a little bigger than a Miata, so there's a chance I might fit in one. Plus, if it's cheap (and broken) enough, the LS V8 definitely fits. 

Go full-tilt build mode on my Power Wagon


I'm talking lift, giant tires, repaint with sweet late 70's graphics, and HEMI POWER. Highly unlikely, but bench racing is fun!

GM Land Yacht


I came home from the hospital in the back of a 1970 Olds 98 Convertible. Why not relive that moment in a land yacht of my own? It really could be any of GM's barges, but a Buick, Olds, or Cadillac would be preferred. A 4-door hard top would be amazing, as would a giant coupe or convertible. Watching Vice Grip Garage on YouTube and their field rescue of a massive 1970 Cadillac has not been helping matters.

Find another 1987-88 Cougar XR7 and build it



Back in my high school days, I had two of these. I regret selling the 2nd one I had, which was fairly clean and would have made a great project. I'd love to get another one and build it how I wanted to back then: 5.0 H.O., 5 lug swap, rear disc 8.8 swap, a supercharger, and a 5-speed.

Gambler-style Volvo XC70



These things are so cheap around here and plentiful. They make lift kits, so why not buy one and lift it and slap some off-road tires on it? I have no idea if they are good vehicles, but a lifted wagon with a comfy interior sounds like a good time.

Just finish this driveway tumor

By far the best/worst idea of all is to stop thinking about other crap and get this thing on the road. Cosmetics be damned! That reminds me, I should go work on the floors later.

 

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