By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Carlos’s 1970 Mustang looked a little rough when he first got it, but after some new suspension parts, a few coats of paint, wheels and tires, and a refreshed 351, it’s ready to rock. Check out the build sequence on his ride page.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Holden’s ’76 Cordoba sat on brand new wheels and tires for two years out in the woods after he bought it, but when it started sinking into the ground, he decided it was time to get around to restoring it. Pretty much everything you ever needed to know about rust repair and sheetmetal work is photodocumented on his epic ride page. Looks like this big bad cruiser is getting pretty close to done!

By Austin Gaddis

1lowscort

As some of you might know by now, I have a hard time passing up a good deal. So when this extremely ugly beige 4-cylinder Mustang coupe showed up for 400 bucks on Craigslist in a town where I have friends, I couldn’t resist. I called the owner and talked to him, and was told the carb needed rebuilt and the rear shocks needed replaced, but the car came with both the shocks and the carb kit. So, naturally, I called up my friend and had him take a look at it.  The car was just as ugly as expected, but ran and drove and didn’t seem to make any bad noises. Despite the owner’s $400 asking price, when I called him, he talked himself down to $350. I told him I’d be there to pick it up just as soon as possible.

Continue reading "Basketcase Rescue: The Craigslist Special That Kept Getting Cheaper" »

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

This basketcase rescue actually involves a whole bunch of cars that otherwise would likely have been junked. Robert started with a 300-dollar Civic that had been run into a fire hydrant. Then he picked up a VTEC and 5-speed for $200 from a friend who’d wrecked his own Honda. Then to fix the mangled front clip, he got forward sheetmetal off yet another Civic that a guy was parting out. Then he picked up a junk Integra for 200 bucks, changed his mind about the Civic’s nose, and is in the midst of swapping over the Integra’s front clip. When Robert’s ride is done, it’s going to be a great example of built-not-bought. Cool project! Don’t forget to check out his page.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

While this isn’t the first 2nd-gen Camaro we’ve had on Basketcase Rescue, it’s probably the one with the greatest potential for a gorgeous resto. CarDomain member Manuel picked it up this weekend for 500 bucks. The car’s got no engine, no windshield, a caved-in rear quarter and a mashed roof. Fortunately, Manuel’s got a spare 350 lying around, and has brought Camaros back from the dead plenty of times before. Sounds like it’s in the right hands! Check back on Manuel’s ride page to follow the build.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Whenever I start to worry that my junk car habit is getting out of control, all I have to do is ask my ex in NY what he’s working on. Some of the cars he drags home–they can make a pile of dinosaur bones look roadworthy. This weekend he sent me some pics of his latest acquisition: a Ford Model A doodlebug that was thrown in free with a bunch of Model A parts he bought off Craigslist. He’s super stoked about it–he tells me a doodlebug refers to a Model A or similar car that’s been cut at the cowl and shortened. Apparently a lot of folks modded their cars this way during the Depression to serve as home-built tractors. Well, it’ll be pretty sweet if this one ever gets to the point where it can plow a field. I have faith! More pics below the jump.

Continue reading "Doodlebugging" »

By Austin Gaddis

1lowscort

My friend, Jason, happens to be an air-cooled VW nut. So he was the first person who came to mind when I received a text message last Friday from a friend saying that his co-worker had a VW Baja Bug and a split-window van that he was trying to get rid of.  He said the guy wanted $200 for the pair, so I got his phone number and then called him immediately to tell him I’d take the VWs. Right after that, I called my friend Jason and let him know that he’d just bought a splitty van and a baja bug for $200. He didn’t seem very interested in the bug, as he likes his Beetles to be original. I had gathered over the phone with the seller that the VW sale was kind a package deal–so, being the good friend I am, I split the cost of the pair and took the Beetle off his hands. We went for the 65-mile drive North to Ronan, Montana, to look at the cars on Saturday. The van was pretty rough and the bug was ok–at best. More…

Continue reading "Basketcase Rescue 2-for-1: 200 Bucks Takes Both" »