neil morse

Looks good to me.

😄 Exactly my sentiments. Another great MoPar, but the seller has a very inflated sense of its value, even assuming it's everything he says it is (and it sure looks like it is). Too bad there are no pics of the engine compartment.

Hi Bob: I looked up the plastic alignment tools you are talking about because I couldn't quite visualize what they looked like. Here's a link to what I found: https://www.drivparts.com/part-details.html?brand_code=BCWV&part_number=ES 72863&part_name={2} They seem like a really helpful idea -- I wish I had known about them. I ended up using a few long bolts to hold the pan in place and aligned while I got a bunch of the other bolts started. I held the gasket in place with thread -- not the easiest thing I've ever done, but it worked. If you look at my thread by clicking on the link I posted above, you will see that I didn't have to remove the tie rod to get the pan back on with the oil pump in place. By jacking the body up and turning the front wheels all the way to one side, I was able to achieve the necessary clearance so I could slide the pan back on with the oil pump in place.

Hi Justin: Yes, you're following me down the same trail, for sure. I don't know whether you saw that I have a lot more details about my oil pan/oil pump job on my thread in the "Me and My Buick" forum. If you click on the arrow in the upper right hand corner of the link below, it will take you to the beginning of the discussion in my thread. Good luck, and don't hesitate to send me a PM if I can be of any assistance to you!

I'm surprised at this statement. It seems to me that the styling is the one thing that this car has going for it. From what I've heard, the problem with these cars (and the Zephyrs) is the engine -- a failed attempt to tack four extra cylinders onto the Ford V-8. But either way, I agree with everything that's been said about the difficulties of selling a car that's in pieces. It's conceivable that an experienced Lincoln restorer could take this project over and make it financially feasible. But for anyone who hasn't done one of these already, this would be a jigsaw puzzle.

Oof -- what the hell happened to Chrysler Corp. styling in 1961? What were they thinking? It was pretty much a disaster across all makes, but I've always thought Plymouth was the worst. And it was one of the greatest years for GM styling. Did it affect sales? I wonder.

Hey @Matt Harwood, this has Melanie's name all over it!

Aye, laddie, 'tis another great Highlander! The Cambells are coming! I love these cars -- they are comfortable and bulletproof, they will go forever. Just needs a little detailing under the hood, and it will make a great entry level collector car for someone.

I will leave the debate about the grille to people who know these cars better than me. However, I have to say that I like this car a lot. I find the rear end styling with the roll down rear window very pleasing to the eye in an era where a clumsy lift-up window was the default design for wagons. And I've always been a huge MoPar fan. These cars were extremely well-built and engineered -- plus there's a hemi under the hood. Now, is it worth $16K? That's another question, of course.

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. The photos from the above article from 2014 are without question the same photos used in the craig's list ad. Can we now agree that this is a scam? Other red flags to me: He says that he may not respond because he's "in the process of moving." Also, the mileage of 101,310 seems odd for a car in such great condition (at least as shown in photos from 2014). And it's only driven once a month in "charity events." Sorry, but I agree with what @GregLaR said in the opening post -- something ain't right here.

Good point about the different engine -- I didn't look closely enough. I was relying on the fact that the car I found online has the same "Gotham" license plate number, as well as the all the same interior details. According to the site below that has the same car as the Mecum site for sale, it has an "estimated value of between $300,000 – $350,000 USD." So the $9K price seems questionable. https://silodrome.com/batmobile-propane-flame-exhaust/ Edit: Upon further review, I agree with @TAKerry. The car I found online appears to be a different car -- different engine, different seat belts, no autographs, as has been pointed out. I had no idea that someone was turning nearly identical versions out! However, the price on the Craig's List car still seems very suspicious to me.

Pretty sure this is a scam. Here's the same car offered by Mecum: https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0122-487450/1977-lincoln-batmobile-replica/

Thanks so much for posting your report and great photos of these wonderful automobiles! I would love to be able to attend an event like this. I especially enjoyed the couch fire photo! Neil

It's not upholstery. Those are period seat covers that some owners used to have the dealer install when the car was brand new. The question is what's under the seat covers. It's possible that the original fabric is perfectly preserved. This looks like another great MoPar, but the seller has a very distorted view of its value. When reality sinks in, he might end up letting it go for about half of what he's asking, which would be a fair price. It's too bad there aren't more photos. It would be nice to see the dash and the engine.

On my car, Don Micheletti and I measured the indentations on the rocker arms -- they varied by as much as .003 or .004, so I suspect you have the same issue. On the other hand, I think that Bloo is also correct that "anywhere in the factory spec clearance range will be fine as far as the engine is concerned." On the "adjustment with the engine running" issue, I found that it was possible (although difficult) with two people -- one on the feeler gauge and one with the screwdriver and wrench. I really can't imagine trying to do it alone!

Obviously spent too much on the restoration, and ended up "upside down." 😁

Another bridge with a lot of Buicks. (Also, multiple Nashes and a nice DeSoto convertible.)

It seems to me that much of what the seller has to say is highly suspect. Take, for example, the horrible interior on this $59K car. He says it's made with "NOS fabric" that was still on the roll from the factory. From a factory in the 60's maybe. Check out the door panels, tufted with buttons covered with the same odd fabric. I'm no DeSoto expert, but I have a very hard time believing that this is a correct interior. And the interesting part is that the seller actually seems to pick his words very carefully -- he doesn't actually say that it's correct, only that it was stitched from "NOS" fabric on a roll from "the factory." The black out part is also quite confusing, as noted above. My BS meter is pretty much pegged from reading his copy! (However, I have to say that the '42 Chrysler he's offering as part of a "package deal" looks very nice from the few photos he shares.)

The seller is a poet, and he don't know it! 😄

You would probably get a better response if you posted this on the Buick Buy/Sell forum here: https://forums.aaca.org/forum/12-buick-buysell/ Also, some photos will be a great help to any potential buyers. Good luck!

Look carefully -- a lot of Buicks on that bridge!

Thanks for that tip, Thom. The shop manual talks about breaking the welded joint, that's what I was referring to. I may revisit this in the future. Neil