Another reason I don't read HotRod. That magazine isn't really for the average guy who owns a g-body. Just my opinion.
HOT ROD mag: G-bodies=beaters
- Thread starter Bonnewagon
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This is actually good news as the masses will now need to swallow up all remaining 82 & up mustang GT's & Z28/Irocs in order be in the collectors lane... is barrett Jackson helping write this.... I'll keep my 78 Malibu & venture against the "Bull" market
I think the editors have a skewed opinion due to where they live. I personally love roadkill and it shows that even though a lot of nice stuff is in the magazine, frieberger and finnegan are really "hacks". They zip tied a fuel pump to the frame on a rusted out datsun.
To me, if its over 15 years around here and still on the road its either a rusted pile, or low miles and in nice shape and not affordable for beater status. I was in southern california and saw a few 1st gen camaros unrestored in nice shape. Still with 14's and straight sixes. Theres older stuff actually driving around in the southwest. I was kinda in awe because there was driveable pre 90's cars that werent "nice" cars. To them, g bodies are plentiful and cheap.
The only beaters that they have on the list that actually are believable are the 94-04 grand cherokee, and 99-04 chev pickups. Most of the 94-98 grands are rusted piles and the 00-04 pickups are either hick specialties and have horrible "ye-haw" "bone collector" stickers or guady chrome stick on accessories and burnt out glasspacks or rusted work truck piles. Full size wagons dont exist, shos dont exist, northstar cads are broke or too nice and worth something. 87-01 cherokees, ive got an 88 but its rusty (5" hole in the drivers floor, rusty door handles, lower rear quarters, and its still one of the CLEANEST ones around here. Seen some sub 100K mile 99-01's clean but they are 4k plus. Only reason mine is nice is because it spent 20 years in oregon. Broncos dont exist. Driving a RWD car around here is pretty tough to do if you need to get to work at 7AM every morning around here too.
I bought a 2000 durango with a blown motor because there was NOTHING 4wd OBD2 for sale that wasnt a PILE for under $3500. I still needed to throw pistons in it, a fan motor, sterilize the interior, and still have some minor rust issues to resolve. Durangos are actually one of the cheapest thing out there.
Currently on the hunt for a 04-07 buick rainier 5.3 for next winter. I dont like pickups. Ill be lucky to get a decentish rainier for under 4000.
To me, if its over 15 years around here and still on the road its either a rusted pile, or low miles and in nice shape and not affordable for beater status. I was in southern california and saw a few 1st gen camaros unrestored in nice shape. Still with 14's and straight sixes. Theres older stuff actually driving around in the southwest. I was kinda in awe because there was driveable pre 90's cars that werent "nice" cars. To them, g bodies are plentiful and cheap.
The only beaters that they have on the list that actually are believable are the 94-04 grand cherokee, and 99-04 chev pickups. Most of the 94-98 grands are rusted piles and the 00-04 pickups are either hick specialties and have horrible "ye-haw" "bone collector" stickers or guady chrome stick on accessories and burnt out glasspacks or rusted work truck piles. Full size wagons dont exist, shos dont exist, northstar cads are broke or too nice and worth something. 87-01 cherokees, ive got an 88 but its rusty (5" hole in the drivers floor, rusty door handles, lower rear quarters, and its still one of the CLEANEST ones around here. Seen some sub 100K mile 99-01's clean but they are 4k plus. Only reason mine is nice is because it spent 20 years in oregon. Broncos dont exist. Driving a RWD car around here is pretty tough to do if you need to get to work at 7AM every morning around here too.
I bought a 2000 durango with a blown motor because there was NOTHING 4wd OBD2 for sale that wasnt a PILE for under $3500. I still needed to throw pistons in it, a fan motor, sterilize the interior, and still have some minor rust issues to resolve. Durangos are actually one of the cheapest thing out there.
Currently on the hunt for a 04-07 buick rainier 5.3 for next winter. I dont like pickups. Ill be lucky to get a decentish rainier for under 4000.
Carlola said:
My idea of low budget was spending 1500 bucks just on parts to rebuild the front suspension and steering. That was nearly 15 years ago. I won't go into the money I've spent on everything else. I have a large manila envelope full of receipts and paper work on my car.
marcar1993 said:
The only Fox body I ever owned (so far) was a 1988 Thunderbird Sport. That said, I remember a co-worker years ago talking about the Fairmont he used to have. I'd mentioned I was going to take a look at one for sale, and he'd said how the think would just never, EVER die. Sure, he said, the winters and road-salt here in NJ eventually rusted the body out, but no matter what was going on with the body, the car would start, run, and get him where he needed to go EVERY day, without fail. "Couldn't kill it" he said.
I'll say this. When I ran out of room for my Cutlass Cruiser I tried to get rid of it. I was being cheap about it but no takers from serious folks. I ended up getting $350 from the junkyard. It was a running car and had all the interior parts. Right now I can't even give away a really nice dashboard so I am taking it to the dump today. I have a bunch of good hard-to-find parts in the shed I was going to try to sell but it just isn't worth my time. No one wants them. The type of people that drive g-bodies around here drive them because they can't afford to buy a new car and, except for the rims, don't give a crap about the rest of the car. I know I sound a little disgruntled but I after seeing this I am glad I got rid of the POS. It was a fun car to drive, though.
carmangary said:
I hear you, when we raced metrics (G bodies) we bought whatever low price metrics that we could find for spare parts that we needed. We never needed interiors or glass and alot of other components. We tried to sell at real low prices what we didn't need to help fund our racing program and when that didn't work we tired to give it away to help clear out the area. We ended up sending it to scrap and never wasted our time again trying to sell anything.
Yep, I hear you guys. I have a shitload of nice, not particularly rare, but still nice G body parts and I can't give them away. My attic is filled with stuff that nobody seems to want.
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