John_S_in_Penna

I'm not a Corvair expert myself, but here in Pennsylvania, there are quite a few Corvair owners and even a chapter of CORSA, the Corvair Society of America. ( https://www.corvair.org/) That model of Chevrolet has very good support if you should ever need anything, so I think a Corvair would be a good choice. Its back seat probably isn't comfortable for adults, but your children should love to go out with you for ice cream! That Corvair looks good, insofar as can tell. I understand that Corvairs can be rust-prone, so that example merits a further look. There are 4-door Corvairs, but since other body styles are more popular, one doesn't see 4-door versions very often. Here, however, is an excellent low-mileage example owned by a local AACA member. It's not for sale, but I show it for an example:

Since no one here evidently has the answer you need, that is an excellent question for someone at the Lincoln Zephyr Owners' Club: https://www.lzoc.org/ Maybe you're already a member, but specialized clubs are full of specialized knowledge!

The message by "Chris Berne" sounds like a pre-scripted response. You asked for ONE item, and he replied, "Yes, I have these PARTS..." Plural! Another warning flag which, put together with his newness, continues the suspect nature. If you continued corresponding with him, I think the dishonesty would come to the fore. The moderator can see where his I.P. address is from.

It's just a cautionary flag, Alf. It doesn't rule anyone out. It's like an Ebay seller writing, "If you have fewer than 'X' transactions please call so your bid won't be rejected."

I'm glad moderator Matt Hinson saw your question. If you give the information needed, you'll be in good hands.

If he contacted you from this forum, what is his User Name? One cautionary flag is someone who just joined and has only 1 posting, or a very small number of postings. Look below his User Name, and the quantity of his postings is shown.

Larry, you probably know that scams are out there, and that the criminals, probably from backward nations, use fake American-sounding names. Tell us a little more about what he wrote to you, and maybe we can tell if any "red flags" come up. If you're buying a part, ask for a picture of the part on top of today's newspaper or current magazine. Scammers, if he is one, simply lift pictures from other internet sources, or claim to have an impossible-to-find part without any proof. If he wants you to send money via a Moneygram, Wal-Mart card, etc., it is certainly a scam. You're wise to look into him further.

I think that 1963 Plymouth Fury looks excellent, at least from the pictures. And you can probably obtain it for less than the seller's $10,900 asking price. The price guide I previously mentioned shows $9700 in #1 condition and $6790 in #2 condition. The condition ratings, #1 through #6, are widely recognized in the old-car hobby. Here's a brief synopsis of the conditions, at least as I interpret them: #1 is a car that is PERFECT in every way, and is capable of winning an award at a national show. There are very few #1 condition cars. #2 is a car that is pretty close to perfect, and wins first prize at a local show. #3 looks perfect from 20 feet away, but as you get closer you see some imperfections, such as wear on the seat, or chrome that has pits or small spots, etc. Most cars at local shows are #3. Unless that Plymouth has won a top award, I'd consider it #2. (Some other forum members might have other thoughts.) I wouldn't be surprised that, if you and the seller "hit it off" with sincerity at a personal visit, you could obtain the car right now for $9000 or $9500. And if the car is too optimistically priced, you should print out the ad and call him in March, and he'll likely be more flexible. Meanwhile, the possibilities are vast! Enjoy the search!

Wondergrape, here's another EXCELLENT reference book. The "Standard Catalog" series of books is highly respected in the old-car hobby, and this particular book covers cars 1946-1975. It has all sorts of information, including lists of all models, quantities made, lists of engines available, body styles, dimensions, production numbers. It has a lot of pictures, too, and though it doesn't picture every model every year, it will give you a good idea of the cars made in the 1960's. It's as large as a big-city phone book (but of better quality printing), and it will give you plenty of enjoyment as you parse the pages. "Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975": https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Catalogue-American-Cars-1946-75/dp/0873410963

Mike Natale of the A.A.C.A.'s Chesapeake Region (Maryland) has one: He wrote a good article, "An Engineer's Long Term Evaluation of His Own Chevrolet Volt" for that region's January 2016 newsletter. Maybe you'd like to talk to a fellow A.A.C.A. Volt owner. If so, I could put you in touch---send me a Private Message.

The monthly magazine Hemmings Motor News and its accompanying website, www.hemmings.com, are the most respected places to buy and sell collector cars. You'll find everything there from $3000 to $300,000 and up. And they vet their advertisers, so anyone found to be dishonest or unreliable is prohibited from advertising again. Mr. Wondergrape, we ask again: WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? With members' keen and knowledgeable eyes, we might be able to find some interesting possibilities fairly close to you.

By the way, never assess a car's value by what others are ASKING. Actual selling prices, such as those documented on Ebay and corroborated by a good price guide, are what you want to use. In recent years, a lot of antique-car dealers have cropped up, and their asking prices are almost always far higher than a car's value: by 50% or 100%! I much prefer a private seller, especially one who is honest, knows the car, and has really cared for the car over many years.

That looks like a potentially good candidate, Mr. Wonder-- but Auburnseeker's caution about "body redone" makes me wonder too. The pictures are of very poor quality, so it is hard to tell. Unless you're quite close to car's location, I would request high-resolution digital pictures. That will save you from wasting your time. Also, phoning the seller and talking to him will give you an idea of the condition of the car and the condition of his character. ANY car you expect to buy you should see yourself and test drive, because even good pictures can't show everything--such as poor rust repair behind the wheel wells, or whether the chrome bumpers have small pits, the mechanical condition, etc. And even an honest seller and you can have different interpretations: "Paint is nice" may mean different things to different people. And seeing the car will eliminate most scams, where a "seller" (who doesn't even have a car) will post pictures he got from the internet, tell you that it's impossible for you to see it, and have you just send him the money. I once bought a car all the way across the country, figuring that a $300 plane ticket is a lot cheaper than misjudging a car. It made a nice little vacation. You shouldn't have to go that far, and if you find a car that isn't near you, a hobbyist from this forum or this club (AACA) may be happy to look at it for you if he lives fairly close and you pay his expenses. Lots of people help each other out!

Jon, you have the big advantage (for a car fan) of a salt-free environment. In the north, no amount of undercoating will preserve a 1960's car. My father's cars from that era would show rust bubbles after about 3 years, perforations after about 4 years. There was NO SUCH THING as a 10-year-old car on the road, except perhaps for a few rare instances where cars weren't driven in winter. Sorry to say, a 1960's car driven in even a few winters will be devalued, and history that survived intact for 50 years will be damaged and then gone. Mr. Wondergrape, where are you located?

I remember that several years ago, well known author Tim Howley wrote an editorial for the Lincoln and Continental Owners' Club about the pitfalls of low-mileage cars. He pointed out, as some of the above members have, that a car often has low mileage because it was stored for a long time, and usually not stored well. When it is finally brought out of storage and sold, it looks beautiful, but all sorts of things are likely to go wrong. So he advised not to put so much emphasis on the low mileage of a car. A dealer friend of mine advised that "low mileage" collector cars were worth 10% to 20% more, in his experience, but they certainly weren't a gold mine. Yes, Mr. Grog, low mileage is a relative term. A point which I noticed: Cars of the 'Teens and 'Twenties were not driven nearly as much as cars of later years: Roads were usually dirt, and few people made long trips. Therefore, it's COMMON to find an early car with 20,000 or so miles.

Welcome, Mr. Wondergrape! Any good dedicated hobbyist is happy to help a newcomer. I don't claim to be a mechanic, and I'm well involved in the hobby; so don't feel that mechanical prowess is a requirement to owning an old car. If our furnaces break, or our television stops working, we're likely to take it to an expert. Everyone has different knowledge. Consider buying a good price guide. One well-respected guide is the price guide put out by Old Cars Weekly. Here is their annual book: https://www.oldcarsbookstore.com/2018-collector-car-price-guide Four-door sedans are the most economical body styles to buy, because many collectors favor convertibles first, then 2-door hardtops. So almost any 4-door sedan from the 1960's is likely to be a nice survivor--a older person's car now in collectors' hands--than one that had tens of thousands of dollars spent restoring it. As long as you buy from a private owner, you should be able to find very good sedans in the $5000 to $10,000 range. Problems with parts, or problems with ethanol-laced gasoline, won't stop you. A fairly common model should have no problem with parts availability. Putting an ethanol treatment in the gas with each tankful should obviate the damage from ethanol. You definitely don't want to drive an old car in the winter, because cars from the 1970's and earlier will rust badly: Your pride and joy, and your monetary investment, will be badly damaged, even ruined. So consider keeping your old car as an occasional driver, one you can enjoy and preserve for decades. If your car is kept for hobby purposes, with occasional fun jaunts for other purposes, you can get antique-car insurance from good companies such as Hagerty, J. C. Taylor, Grundy, etc., and you may find the cost is only $75 a year! You'll find this hobby to be a lot of fun!

If they do, great! But other years in the past it was stated (by whom, I don't know) that Hershey people never saw the forum comments. Even in this topic, someone suggested writing a letter instead to the Hershey Region, and while that might be productive, members may be less likely to compose and send a letter. I agree with the others that food could be more reasonably priced. Consider that high-priced milkshake: A restaurant might charge half the price a Hershey vendor does, and the restauranteur has a building costing $500,000 to $1,000,000, and grounds and parking lot to maintain, and he serves the food with waiters, on real dishes, with silverware that they have to wash. The merchant may pay for advertising, too. A mobile vendor should have significantly fewer expenses.

In past threads over the years, AACA members have made helpful suggestions and comments about THEIR national fall meet. Sometimes the answer comes back, "The Hershey Region never reads the forum comments." Well, why not! While they do a good job as volunteers, there is always room for improvement, and some of these comments should be seriously pondered for the good of the event.

I just sent my own message to the scammer. Let's see what excuses he comes up with. "I'm inquiring about your Bonneville car. You know, your price of $24,000 is probably too low, and you could be getting more for it. Where is the car located? I am interested if this is an honest deal, and will come to look at it. Even if you are unavailable, please arrange to have a friend or a neighbor show it to me. We will take it for a minimum 20-mile test drive to check it out. All the best to you."

Looks beautiful, Dick! You might want to change the spelling of your "Pacakrd" in the heading to your topic, though. The right spelling will make it easier for potential buyers to find on an internet search. All the best to you in your sale.

You've probably noticed that owners of 4-door sedans are afraid to admit it, so the lead picture shows just the front end of the car. There's certainly nothing wrong with a 4-door car!

It's spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Our Australian friends think of Christmas accompanied by the warmest weather!

Here is Cadillac's interpretation of autumn in the colors of their 1928 line of cars. Their well known catalogue, "Color Creations from Nature's Studio," showed a line of color offerings inspired by the colors of nature. The picture shows their "Autumn" car complete with brass-plated grille, bumpers, headlights, and exterior hardware--very unusual for 1928:

I don't know the specifics of this book, but usually with advanced editions, errors are corrected, results of further research are included, and additional information may be supplied. If you just read for casual enjoyment, your earlier edition may suit you well.

I wonder whether the Atlanta Air Cargo Association has a museum of old aeronautical items. If so, it would be the AACA Museum!