Your "AFFORDABLE", (with a tip o' the hat to Jeff Perkins), "Dream Car"

[C Carl]

As we all know, Jeff Perkins / MN has started an extremely popular topic which has us submitting the one dream car we would have (if wishes were horsepower ?), in our garage. Some are more modest and more down to earth in our daydreams. So to differentiate between the original intent, and what might, just MIGHT be feasible, I submit this extrapolation from Jeff's fun topic. 

 

Wishing all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, and if you don't find that next car under the tree, here's hoping a HAPPY NEW YEAR gives you the opportunity for it !        

 

I'll start  : When I cash in my Seattle house, I might be able to swing my "AFFORDABLE dream car", some inexpensive but road ready iteration of a T - Model Ford.                 With thanks to Jeff and all, in this case not "Cadillac", just plain,         -    Carl 

[CHuDWah]

52 minutes ago, C Carl said:

As we all know, Jeff Perkins / MN has started an extremely popular topic which has us submitting the one dream car we would have (if wishes were horsepower ?), in our garage. Some are more modest and more down to earth in our daydreams. So to differentiate between the original intent, and what might, just MIGHT be feasible, I submit this extrapolation from Jeff's fun topic. 

 

Wishing all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, and if you don't find that next car under the tree, here's hoping a HAPPY NEW YEAR gives you the opportunity for it !        

 

I'll start  : When I cash in my Seattle house, I might be able to swing my "AFFORDABLE dream car", some inexpensive but road ready iteration of a T - Model Ford.                 With thanks to Jeff and all, in this case not "Cadillac", just plain,         -    Carl 

 

 

Thing is, what's "AFFORDABLE" for one may not be for another.  It also depends on variables like condition.  I cheated on the other thread and listed 3 choices, although I specified which is number one.  It and one of the others in mint condition probably would be around $250K each.  The third might be had for 1/10 that.  Even if I could afford my top choice, would I?  Or would I buy the cheapest one and use the other $225K for something else?  For that matter, would I buy any of the three?  These questions are rhetorical to illustrate the point.  I don't know the answers, even in my own case.  It depends on how one defines affordable.

[C Carl]

Affordable is defined by the individual. Right now, I can't afford a new pair of shoes, and can't afford the stakes to "throw bones" in hopes of doing so. When the house sells, affordable will be far more optimistic. Happy hunting !     -   Carl 

[1912Staver]

My 1974 TVR 2500 when I first brought it home . Reasonably cheap, light project. Just needs a bit more assembly . A car I have known for a few decades, used to work on it when it was in the hands of its original owner back in the early 1980's. Finally had a chance to buy it so I did. Bought it at the right time , about 6 years ago. They have steadily  gone up in price since, to the point I probably could not justify spending todays price to replace it. But I bought it well even by 6 year ago prices. The long overdue replacement for one I sold as a broke student back in 1983.

 

Greg

Edited December 23, 2019 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

14 minutes ago, C Carl said:

Affordable is defined by the individual. Right now, I can't afford a new pair of shoes, and can't afford the stakes to "throw bones" in hopes of doing so. When the house sells, affordable will be far more optimistic. Happy hunting !     -   Carl 

 

 

Understood.  But say I have $250K disposable cash to buy my dream car, but I decide to buy my $25K second choice and use the extra $225K for something else.  Is my first choice affordable?  I dunno.  Maybe I'm overthinking the philosophy of it all.  🤣

[auburnseeker]

13 minutes ago, CHuDWah said:

 

 

Understood.  But say I have $250K disposable cash to buy my dream car, but I decide to buy my $25K second choice and use the extra $225K for something else.  Is my first choice affordable?  I dunno.  Maybe I'm overthinking the philosophy of it all.  🤣

That would be perfect 25G for the car and you would have 225G for the garage.  Don't laugh you could easily spend that on a garage if you want more than a tin shed and it doesn't take long to run the tab up.  I would probably have twice what I have in mine if I hired out the work.  Maybe even 3 times as much.  I'm also a long way from being done. 

[Bloo]

Oh thats easy... 1937 Graham Supercharger!

 

 

Edited December 23, 2019 by Bloo (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

Based on my personal view on affordability, a non red, white or black C4 ZR-1 Corvette.  

[SC38dls]

I did affordable with my $1500 49 Ford F3 pickup out of the last barn in Chicago. It took another 15 years and about $4000 to get it in this condition. I did all the work it was a lot of metal work on the fenders and the bed. I put a Ford 5.0 V8 EFI with a 5 speed in it. Drove it twice and sold it for $6500. Then bought the beast. 

 

[CHuDWah]

20 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

That would be perfect 25G for the car and you would have 225G for the garage.  Don't laugh you could easily spend that on a garage if you want more than a tin shed and it doesn't take long to run the tab up.  I would probably have twice what I have in mine if I hired out the work.  Maybe even 3 times as much.  I'm also a long way from being done. 

 

 

No doubt the sky could be the limit but a $225K garage for a $25k car?  Not sure about those priorities.  🤣

Anyway, we downsized when we retired - my current attached 20x20 probably is as good as it's gonna get.

[auburnseeker]

Just remember you need room for the parts car and the tools to keep it running and all the crap we all seem to accumulate to work around the house.  My problem is the yard is just big enough I had to upgrade to larger equipment.  I bet they thought i was kidding when I told them I wanted to build an equipment shed as they figured it would be full of cars.  It ended up being half full of equipment with the only old vehicle in there being my Father's old truck that I have to get running. 

[Guest]

Thank you Carl and Merry Christmas to you, yours and all here.  As a person of simple tastes I would like to have my Custom Sedan totally and professionally restored or a Diamond T pickup similar to either of these.

[John Byrd]

Guess I'm lucky since I've had several of my "Affordable" dream cars..... does it count if I want one of them back instead of something else that I don't know about yet ?

 

If I could get one back exactly like I had it in the 67 through 71 time period, it would be this little rusty, funny looking Ranchero with the Econoline front axle, 9 inch 57 Ford rear end, various transmissions, El Camino bucket seats, tin snipped rear wheel wells, behind the absolutely wonderful 289 Hi Performance Shelby engine we had balanced and blueprinted and used a couple of different cams in . More fun than a barrel of monkeys !  It really made people with "nicer" cars mad when I beat them drag racing back then.  We put that little engine in 5 different cars from 65 through 2010.  Oh, Affordable ?  I gave a guy $60.00 for the engine minus the heads, but got some for free from a friends wreck. After buying the truck for $325.00, selling the 6 cylinder stuff, buying misc parts and "fixing it up" with friends, I seriously doubt if we had more than 5 or 600 bucks in it .  It ran low 13s and high 12's drag racing, hauled all our belongings from East Tennessee to Fort Worth, Texas and then back 2 years later, was our daily driver, and used for everything we and anyone else could  think of.  Those days are gone for sure, and luckily we're not because it was ....uh, quite unprofessionally or carefully built, ha !  Loved it !

[padgett]

I still already have a dream car for each type (no two alike) and I guess there may be one more for me tnow that depreciation is having its way

A Cad XLR (not a -V & updated with Android Auto) retractible. Are still quite a few around mostly owned by people who do not know it has a manual shifter. Also all of the toys but before the nanny cars. Was looking for one when got sidetracked but the CTS-C that is my DD now. Know how not to be trapped in one.

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

Thanks for starting this one C. Carl. Yes, it’s as much fun to dream realistic too. As I showed in my last post in the other thread I was able to enjoy an achievable dream with my Packard. Alas it is gone now, in the hands of a new caretaker. But what a fun ride!

Edited December 24, 2019 by Jeff Perkins / Mn (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

Take one clapped out rag top, one solid coupe, some tools/ability/beer, a very ugly story and a dream/courtesy car is born. (one free ride to a hand full of people out here) Ugly story aside, do love the car. Tough to beat a 47 Hudson convertible, great styling. 

[mercer09]

It depends on how one defines affordable.

 

 

reminds me of people saying throughout life- that guy is rich...................

 

what is rich? please define.

 

I am rich in spirit...........................................................................................................................lol!

[wayne sheldon]

A nice twist to a couple recent threads. Thank you Cad Carl!

 

To sleep, perchance to dream. Life had never treated me very well.  Corrupt politics didn't help any,  corruption follows corruption, and greed grows ever larger aided by a government with no real interest in protecting the eighty percent of the people that work hard and pay most of the taxes (directly or indirectly). But it was totally messed up family that really did me in. I have had most of the cars I really wanted, and wanted to keep and enjoy for the rest of my life. Every one of them has been sold to pay bills run up by family, medical bills, ridiculous expensive vacations, often the debt run up by my family resulted in nearly losing the house. Cars got sold to keep a roof over our (my) head. The last running antique cars I had (two model T Fords) got sold a couple years ago. Currently, at 68 years of age, I am trying to work on a couple model T projects, trying to do what nobody in my family understands. Earn my way back to being able to tour with the few clubs I have continued my membership in.

What I want today, is probably more than I have a right to. Although I certainly believe I have earned the right to have them, regardless of what my worthless family thinks. I want my '15 model T runabout up to decent looking and tour-worthy, It will be my primary horseless carriage and general antique tour car. I want a model T speedster. I don't want that as an "only" antique, but as the secondary antique, they are a lot of fun for the money!

Beyond that, I really want a decent nickel age car! A non-Ford, preferably a smaller midsize car, nothing really valuable, Buick, even Dodge, or any of a dozen others would be wonderful! If I can get the two model Ts done enough, maybe I can get back to restoring the '27 Paige my dad bought and never did.

But if I were to really dream? There are two other cars, I really really do want. I had both of them until I was forced to sell them to keep the house. Again, I don't need nor really want any top end, or even moderately high end, cars. Either one could be purchased for under 20K in a condition I would be thrilled with. I want a decent horseless era two cylinder car. And I would really like to have a pre-'16 midsize car. Almost any non-Ford four cylinder pre-'16 that can tour at at least 35 mph.

You can keep all your Stutzs, Mercers, and Duesenbergs. As much as I miss the series 80 Pierce Arrow I used to tour with, just those five lower end decent antique automobiles would get me on almost any club tour I would ever really want to go on.

[Xander Wildeisen]

Both US Senators offices told me "it sounds like a State issue". The State Attorney Generals office told me "the State Attorney General only looks into elected County officials". I was asked to step down from a council in the Chamber of Commerce. After one of the meetings I was speaking with a person, and I expressed concern that you could have people incarcerated. That are wrapped up in a legal structure, that really is just a funnel to move money through. I can show how it could happen. That person said to me "but that is not you is it". I can explain to all of you, and to the Police/media how a person can be walked down a road of entrapment. People tried to do it to me. It did get exposed, and from that all of the other possibilities then become possible. This is just one part of this story. It was just chance that I got on an annexation committee. The State police told me "there are no coincidences in a criminal investigation". I got a call from a US District Attorney, and explained this stuff to him. He said the DEQ well reports sound like an environmental crime. The 49 Hudson is getting closer to being on the road, looking at different places to live. It does not go away Idaho.

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

Sorry, staying on topic. 

Edited December 24, 2019 by Xander Wildeisen (see edit history)

[zepher]

My realistic dream car would be to have my '64 Malibu SS Convertible completely restored.

I had wanted that car all through HS and back in '86 I found one and bought it.

Still have it but it has been very neglected since I took ownership of my two pre-war cars.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

10 hours ago, Tinindian said:

Thank you Carl and Merry Christmas to you, yours and all here.  As a person of simple tastes I would like to have my Custom Sedan totally and professionally restored or a Diamond T pickup similar to either of these.

 

 OH YEAH!

 

  Ben

[Billy Kingsley]

My answer is the same for both topics. An El Camino or an Edsel. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Well, since I keep going back to one of these, I will go with a T series MG.   I have been lucky enough to own most cars I wanted that were "realistic" but not a T series yet.  I could buy one but am pretty engaged in the A roadster (not just the car but the associated knowledge built, network, spares, etc. ) and not wanting to walk away from that.  I do like to window shop at a lot of things but have found 2 cars is my sweet spot, more is just too much to divide time, atrention and money to, the possible exception being a couple of As.  In other words, something new is fine, but something has to go then.  So this could be called a dream...

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

I have been looking seriously at this rather rare and unique MG as a possible project. It looks a lot better that it is........

[Steve_Mack_CT]

9 minutes ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

I have been looking seriously at this rather rare and unique MG as a possible project. It looks a lot better that it is........

Very cool, I believe a Y type, T register accepts it and Abingdon Spares here in CT, owned by forum poster Daytona, could probably help a lot with parts.  Go for it!! 🙂

Edited December 24, 2019 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[Mark Wetherbee]

I’ve had several Model T Fords over the years, plus a 24 Studebaker, a 1922 Bay State (seriously rough car but it had local history), and two Model A Fords. My health forced me into disability while I still had the two A’s and a 26 T which I held onto until a decision was made to move to a warmer climate. The two A’s went but I kept my T. Well, if I had known about the traffic it would have been an A making this move but after moving my health improved thanks to a new medication and I went hunting for a car to keep up with traffic coming up with my Pierce-Arrow.

 

Was it affordable? Well it does replace two Model A’s and I am still working on making it right, but I’m not starving myself to do it. That said, I would not have gone looking if my T wasn’t dangerous to drive with the other idiots out there...

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Mark, you have a great ability to find nice originals to good to touch. Love the PA.  We sold two cars a few years back to buy a Packard which was a lot of fun.  You can have a lot of dream cars but it is hard to have them all at once.  Glad your health is better!  Merry Christmas!

[3macboys]

There is no rational explanation but I would take a Dodge step van - what better vehicle to vend from!  And just think of the adventures of getting to any flea market more than 60 miles away - better pack a lunch, oh and maybe a suitcase, this could take awhile getting there....

 

[Mark Wetherbee]

Thanks Steve, I was very fortunate that this car was available when I was looking. I found it on eBay and after buying it also found out it was listed on some thing called “barn find hunter” as well as the Pierce Arrow Society, how I was the auction winner remains a mystery as it was a very visible listing... my only guess is that a lot of people thought it was too good to be true on eBay. I asked one or two questions including for an extra picture angle on the engine to make sure it wasn’t a scam and then bid what I was comfortable with. In the end, the seller was vacationing in a town nearby shortly after it arrived and we got together and he brought a few extra bits he found after the sale for me. When both parties in a car sale are happy it’s a great thing!

[zepher]

1 hour ago, Mark Wetherbee said:

Thanks Steve, I was very fortunate that this car was available when I was looking. I found it on eBay and after buying it also found out it was listed on some thing called “barn find hunter” as well as the Pierce Arrow Society, how I was the auction winner remains a mystery as it was a very visible listing... my only guess is that a lot of people thought it was too good to be true on eBay. I asked one or two questions including for an extra picture angle on the engine to make sure it wasn’t a scam and then bid what I was comfortable with. In the end, the seller was vacationing in a town nearby shortly after it arrived and we got together and he brought a few extra bits he found after the sale for me. When both parties in a car sale are happy it’s a great thing!

 

You bought a car from an outstanding guy.

Milt is a truly nice guy and he would never try to take advantage of someone.

You happened to be in the right place at the right time and you were rewarded with a great car and a great transaction.

Great to hear your health issues are getting settled.

Merry Christmas!

[Mahoning63]

Most affordable would be '74 Lux LeMans. Stepping up a bit, red '70 Toro that I would customize by hiding the headlights the way GM Design probably had intended.

 

[ericmac]

I am very fortunate that I already have three of my four "dream, but dream affordably" cars. I have a car that is an AACA Senior Grand National winner, the '26 T Touring; I have a brass car, the '13 T Touring and a driver that can keep up with traffic, the '62 Lincoln convertible. The last car in the collection would be an open classic, ideally a Franklin. And I have my eye on one of those. Soon...mehopes!

[J.H.Boland]

Since selling the family farm a few years ago,I've been able to acquire a couple of my affordable dream cars. I'm now limited by space ! If I still had the room (or was willing to part with something) I would consider a nice original 1953 Chevy Bel-Air hardtop or ragtop. I learned to drive in my grandfather's '53 (in Horizon Blue and Ivory) and always loved that car. Not fast or flashy but as comfortable as an old pair of sneakers.

[Modeleh]

On 12/24/2019 at 5:56 AM, 3macboys said:

There is no rational explanation but I would take a Dodge step van - what better vehicle to vend from!  And just think of the adventures of getting to any flea market more than 60 miles away - better pack a lunch, oh and maybe a suitcase, this could take awhile getting there....

 

Not exactly a dream car, but I found this Dodge postal van this year and had to bring it home.  As I’ve said before it’s amazing how many rare and unusual vehicles can be found on Vancouver Island. This one had been stored inside for over 30 years. My plan is to make a personal food truck, a home for my popcorn machine, hotdog machine, and mini donut machine.  I plan to give it a Disney look with sleepy eyes and call it Dough-mater