31K Mile 1955 Buick Riviera

This 1955 Buick Riviera is said to only have 31,461 miles. I’m inclined to agree with that after looking over the pictures here on eBay. It’s located in Bakersfield, California, and is said to have been garaged it’s entire life and has no rust!

It’s pretty obvious the paint is glossy in the pictures due to being wet, but I’m betting the paint would come up nicely if treated correctly (Josh, do you offer classes?) I love the look with all the chrome, wide whitewalls (but not too wide) and what I think are the original wheel covers. The two-tone paint is just right, too. I suspect it’s been repainted, but it looks like a quality job–I’m not going to count it against it being a “survivor,” but feel free to do so if you feel that way.


What a great grin! All the shut lines look pretty straight as well; it looks like this one hasn’t even been in a fender bender! I would love to have this one to drive the family around. The seller gives us the history of the car, which was a two-owner car prior to the current seller (doesn’t that just make it a three-owner car?) There’s a lot of original documentation included as well, and the spare tire is said to be the original one!


While a little dirty in spots, the interior is really gorgeous and I’d encourage you to visit the ad to see how pretty the detailing is. There’s a period “motor minder” aftermarket vacuum gauge attached to the steering column. To be honest, I’d prefer an automatic in a car like this, but I’m certainly not going to complain about the three-speed. The “air conditioner” mentioned by the seller is really a window-mounted swamp cooler, but it would be a neat accessory to try–I wonder how much cooling they actually provide? Is there a reader out there with experience?


Needless to say, the under hood appearance looks as original as the rest of the car. Assuming that’s the original engine, it’s a 322 cubic inch “Nailhead” V-8. In case you haven’t guessed, I really like this beautiful car and wish I were in a position to consider bidding on it. While not being perfect, this would be a great weekend driver and a car you could be proud of owning, and over time some detailing would go a long way!

Source: barnfinds.com

1953 Nash Rambler Deliveryman

When this 1953 Nash Rambler Deliveryman popped up here on eBay with active bidding and the reserve unmet, I immediately began digging for more information on this funky variant. But there’s some deja vu at work here as well, since Chevy tried to recreate this vehicle with the modern-day interpretation (or was it an abomination?) known as the HHR. Like all attempts to imitate the original, the effort fell flat and the model was later discontinued. This little Nash actually still has windows behind the slab-sided panels that convert it into a miniature delivery van, and it looks very original in the photos. While the design is considered most iconic in Metropolitan form, I’m surprised by how well it translates to a mini cargo carrier. Of course, it’d be hard to resist the urge to customize and convert it into the baddest mail truck in town! What would you do with this rare Rambler wagon if you owned it?

Source: barnfinds.com

1959 Nash Rambler American

Here’s a vehicle that you don’t see every day – a 1959 Nash Rambler American that someone started to convert into a pickup! Listed here on eBay in Elmer, Missouri, “El Rumblero” is a vehicle that will have you standing out in the crowd at your local Cars and Coffee gathering. With a buy-in-now price of $3,500 and an unmet opening bid of $2,900, maybe there’s some wiggle room if a buyer showed up with a roll of $100 bills?

The bodywork that has been done so far actually looks pretty good, but there aren’t any photos of the bed. It would nice to know what’s left to do to turn what was once a very cool 2-door wagon into what will presumably be a very cool pickup. There will be some fancy fabrication work to do to make it a show-stopper.


Even though this car/truck is supposedly a Tucson native and the seller says that there are “virtually no rust problems”, you’ll need a welder and a lot of skill, or least a lot of ambition to finish this project.


Personally, I can do without the over-sized wheels, but it sounds like those don’t come with it anyway; it’ll arrive with a set of 15” Chevy rally wheels on radials. I’d sell those to offset the price of some AMC factory mags. You’ll also need to factor in the price of a new drivetrain which is El-Missing here. I’d look for an AMC V8 and 4-speed to sink into this truckster to make sure that it’s DNA-correct.


This isn’t a project for the faint-of-heart, but it sure would draw a crowd once it’s finished. The seller has done some modifications to the suspension and obviously to the body so you’ll have to find a drivetrain, figure out how to put it in, finish the bodywork, sort out the interior, and then just ramble up to the front of the line at the next cruise event. Do you like the idea of this Nash pickup or is this project just plain loco?

Source: barnfinds.com

1954 Ambassador

1956 Hudson Rambler Sedan

Pretty isn’t exactly a word that the average classic car lover would use to describe a car. And, pink isn’t exactly the color that the average classic car lover would want on a classic car. So then, why do I like this car so much?! This 1956 Hudson Rambler sedan, found here on eBay in Bethel, PA, is one pretty, pink car that I wouldn’t mind owning. I’m a huge fan of this grille, and of this design, in general; it’s got the unusual factor that I look for in cars. There is no buy-it-now price and the current bid is $3,300 which seems like an absolute steal for a pink project this pretty!

To me, this car defines the 1950s American automotive scene as much as any other car does; yes, even as much as the 1957 Chevrolet. I admit it, I’m an AMC / Nash / Hudson fan so maybe I am biased to both the design and the color combination here, but at least with this one you won’t see yourself coming and going several times at every car show as you will with a lot of other 1950s models. As most of you know, in 1954 Nash merged with Hudson and became American Motors Corporation but the Hudson name would carry on through 1957. Both Nash and Hudson carried the Rambler name in 1956, this one happens to be of the Hudson variety.


As you can see, the seats have been recovered in the ubiquitous velour material that seems to be popular with folks who vary from stock materials. I’m pretty sure that the solid gray seat color and pattern has been toned down quite a bit from what would have been the original color, of which fifteen were available that year. You can also see the overspray on the door jambs, I might expect to be doing a little bodywork on this car if you’re the winning bidder, I have a feeling that it’s been dolled up for the sales photos but maybe the current owner bought it this way. I might have laid down $0.40 worth of masking tape before hitting the gray with a spray can, that’s just me.


This is one cool, albeit hard-as-steel dash. I would personally wear the seatbelts here for a bit more safety against those pesky texting drivers that you’ll encounter every day on the road. According to the auction listing, the current owner bought this car last August to restore it but has too many other projects so this pretty pink project is being pushed out the door.


Again, more overspray here and the pink looks pretty thick on the door jambs, covering up things that may not have originally been painted at the factory, but the seats seem like they’re in nice condition even though they’re not the original color or pattern. There should be enough leg and headroom here for anyone this side of Michael Jordan. I’m guessing that the fold-down seat / bed still functions and would make for some interesting overnight stays at a campground.


This is the 195.6 straight-six “Typhoon” engine that was used until they came up with their own V8 and it had 120 hp on tap, as well as a 12-volt system for the first time. You won’t be able to show off to Jay Leno in a burnout competition but it should move this car along at legal speeds without too much trouble, all while getting around 30 mpg. With about 80,000 miles on this engine the owner says that it runs but it also smokes a bit.


I think that this would make a great project car for summer cruise nights. This car looks like it’s in nice shape and if a person doesn’t mind a non-factory interior this one looks usable enough until you can afford to bring it back to an original color scheme. Or, maybe you’d rather just enjoy the car as it is now. Is this partial project car too pink for you or would you park it in your driveway?

Source: barnfinds.com

5 Window, 1968 Dodge A100 Pickup

It’s hard to imagine there was a pick-up truck war brewing in the 60s that featured single cab designs with low loading floors and beds out back. But with compact cargo carriers like the Corvair Rampside and Ford Econoline racking up sales, Dodge set out to get a peice of the action with trucks like this ’68 A100 Forward Control here on eBay. This example is a rare 5-window version that will need some work to return to hauling duties.

Despite looking a bit rough around the edges, this A100 runs and drives but will require some brake system troubleshooting. Rust is said to be minimal and contained to the lower sill behind the driver’s door (visible in this photo). Not much else is said about the truck’s history other than the mention of its distinctive window configuration, but more info may be needed to kick-start a listing with a $4,000 opening bid.


The interior looks pretty rough, with some old towels being used as seat cushions. New seat upholstery will definitely be needed, but if the slant six and automatic transmission remain in usable condition, throwing some money at the interior doesn’t seem unreasonable. The seller says in one of the bidder questions that he has driven the truck daily but that the brakes are “scary.”


Only a face a mother could love? The A100 certainly isn’t the prettiest face in the crowd, but the 5-window design is attractive – though it doesn’t come close to giving the 21-window VW Buses a run for their money. But that’s not what this Dodge was about, since it was answering a challenge from the VW work vans and offerings from Chevy and Ford. Which would you choose and why?

Source: barnfinds.com

1951 Nash Airflyte

Well, maybe it’s not a beauty yet, but it sure could be with a lot of work. This 1951 Nash Airflyte coupe found here on craigslist in Independence, Kansas is in surprisingly good shape, or it appears to be at first glance. The asking price of $1,600 seems like a bargain, but it isn’t all quite as squeaky clean as the exterior looks upon first glance.

This is one uniquely-shaped car. I love the “bathtub series” Nashes and when you find a 2-door model it’s even better. This one is basically a rolling shell that looks like it’s been painted a bit to slow down the surface rust that’s on every square inch of this car, inside and out. It is somewhat rare to find a 2-door Nash that isn’t totally rusted out or hasn’t already been turned into a drag car or a restomod. Maybe you have what it takes to restore this car back to it’s original glory, or, dare I say, to turn it into a restomod akin to something from any number of tv reality shows would do.


Instead of a bathtub beauty this is more like the shower scene in Psycho. You’ll need a media-blaster for this project for sure. As you can see, this car will have to be stripped clean and blasted of its rusty finish inside and out so you can add a color of your own. Would you go back to original colors and finishes or would you turn it into something of your own creation with a modern drivetrain and modern conveniences inside? Either way, you’ll have some work ahead of you. You’ll need a full interior here, there’s nothing but a rusty shell and an oddball steering wheel.


Someone must have been planning to turn this car into an SBC-filled restomod from the looks of this aftermarket steering wheel. And, even that has rust on it! I thought that Kansas was supposed to be a dry climate?! I mean, other than when there’s a tornado..


Yes, you guessed it, there’s more surface rust on the interior under the non-existent headliner. Luckily, it looks like this car isn’t totally shot and could be brought back by a person with some basic tools and a spray gun. According to the seller, the “Bumpers, Grill, side chrome, inside garnish moldings, sun visors are inside the car.” They’ll need restoration as much as the rest of the car will, but at least you won’t have to track them down somewhere.


The big straight-six here looks like it’ll need a little help as will the whole area under the hood. It looks like most of it is there, including a couple of very, very corroded six-volt terminals on the battery. The owner says that the engine turns over so that’s a good thing.


Luckily, the rear glass isn’t broken as that would be hard to replace, but every other piece of glass on this Nash is broken and will need to be replaced, even the curved, one-piece windshield. I literally have dreams about restoring a car like this 2-door Nash back to what it would have looked like when it left the plant in Kenosha, WI back in 1951. Would you restore this beauty back to original spec or would you restomod this bathtub Nash?

Source: barnfin

1950 Nash Airflyte

There’s just something about these cars that I like. This 1950 Nash Airflyte is in Bellevue, Texas and is listed on eBay with a starting bid of $2,500. In all fairness on the price, the body does look pretty good other than all of the surface rust. Er.. I mean, patina.

The whole front clip must have come off of another car, the paint line ends at the front of each door so I wonder what’s going on with that? It does look super straight, though, I don’t even see any dents. A TV reality show could totally restore this car and turn a profit in 3 days; just barely making their deadline! (crickets)


Now that’s a fastback! This car looks rock solid, at least body-rust-and-dents-wise. Even the rear bumper and the trim look good. The seller says that they don’t have the front bumper, unfortunately. This car looks solid enough that I can actually picture it being restored, unlike some other rusty hulks that are left out in a field. There are no engine photos and, oddly enough, not even one mention of an engine even being in this car or coming with it in any fashion. The seller calls it a “roller”, so that must mean that there is no drivetrain at all.


Ok, the interior needs a bit of freshening up, as they say, but it’ll look great once it’s restored. You have to love that Uniscope instrument pod! You can see a little rust in the trunk and the seller mentions that there “is some rust in the floors and the trunk”. According to them, the title was “last dated in 1960”. If I had the restoration skills, experience, and shop space I would love to tackle a car like this Nash someday. Would any of you restore this car or does it look too rough around the edges for you?

Source: barnfinds.com

1970 Plymouth Superbird

We have already featured two others this week (1, 2), so why not a third Superbird? This one was in storage for over 25 years, but underwent a respray 10 years ago and some more recent restoration work. It’s ready to drive now and does look stunning. With all these Superbirds hitting the market, it makes you wonder if we are about to see a shift in values. This one is located in Mansfield, Massachusetts and is listed here on eBay with the option to place a bid or buy it now at $149,000!

As with the other two cars we already featured, this one is fitted with the 440 V8 and column shift automatic. The automatic and bench seat surprised some of you, but that is just how most of these came. They were built to go fast in a big circle, so why would it be any different? So, of the three we’ve listed so far, which one would you pick and why?

Source: barnfinds.com

1956 DeSoto Garage Find

This car not only pushes my buttons, whomever buys it and drives it gets to push buttons as well! It’s located in Phoenix, Arizona where it was recently removed from more than 30 years of storage in a garage. The seller has cleaned it up and checked some things out, and is now selling it here on craigslist for $5,400.

“That’s not the same car, you say!” Actually, it is, after it’s been nicely cleaned up! The seller tells us the car has been an Arizona car since at least the early 1960’s, but possibly for it’s entire life. The paint is brittle but can shine up (as you can see). Chrome is “fantastic” and that old license plate adds just the right character. Personally I think this car does a great job of appearing sporty despite being a four door.


Pretty doggone straight sides, don’t you think? I even found you a replacement tailight for that broken lens. I love the detailing here; not too much, not too little — just right! Those beautiful wide whitewalls are brand new from Coker Tire. The seller seems delighted over the car’s condition when they say “All the lights outside and inside work, including the turn signals and dash and dome lights. The power windows still go up and down. Even the original radio still plays!” Sometimes I wonder why folks sell cars (my track record of selling cars I think I’m going to isn’t very good).


The dashboard looks like it belongs on a sports car, apart from the push button transmission controls on the left, anyway. The seller tells us that the dash is in nice shape, and that there’s even an extra chrome horn ring, gauge cluster and dash parts. I think the upholstery and carpet are probably only good for patterns, but at least they are there.

 
Unfortunately, the 331 Hemi is locked up at the moment, although, of course, we are told it was driven into the storage location originally. The seller has squirted oil down the holes, but has done nothing else to try to free it up. Given the generally nice condition of the rest of the car, I’d be surprised if it was abused before the car was taken off the road, which based on the license plate was 1972. I really do like this one, and honestly, once I made it running and safe, I don’t know that I’d even restore the interior–I’d just enjoy it!

Source: barnfinds.com

1961 Chrysler Turboflite Concept Car

Source: yourclassiccarnews.com

1958 Edsel Bermuda

Source: yourclassiccarnews.com

1954 Buick Skylark

Source: yourclassiccarnews.com

1954 Buick Wildcat II Convertible Concept

Source: yourclassiccarnews.com

1957 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine

Source: yourclassiccarnews.com

1951 Supersonic Studebaker

Source: classiccarnews.com

1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2

Source: classiccarnews.com

1971 Gremlin X, 1972 Pinto Runabout, and 1973 Vega GT

Source: classiccarnews.com

1953 Dodge ‘Zeder’ Storm Z-250

Source: classiccarnews.com