By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Our second eBay Motors Showdown went to the 1973 Duster 340 by a pretty wide margin. It’s interesting to note that the Duster only got bid up to $13,600 before the auction ended, well shy of the $16,5000 reserve. The 1972 Nova sold for $14,500. Have any ideas for next week’s match up? Post them in the comments below!

By Brian Lohnes

BangShift.com

This is a confusing piece. isn’t it? Normally people turn stuff into El Caminos by adding a truck like bed. Few people actually modify the Elky to be more car like. The seller of this creation is one of the few. See the eBay auction here.

Talk about having two faces. Up front there’s the boxy, angular 1980s styling and out back there is the swoopy early 1990s Cadillac bumper, tail lights, and trunk lid. You can open the trunk, which extends all the way to the back of the cab with the press of a button.

We’re not knocking the car when we ask the simple question, why the hell would someone do this? It appears to be done very well, we’re just looking for clarification on the reasons for the mashup. Make a bid on it and we can guarantee that you’ll have the only one on your block!

Thanks to BangShift.com member Mr4Speed for the tip.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Duster owners always hate it when people say, “Nice Nova!” so I thought I’d put the two together in this week’s eBay Motors Showdown. Originally my plan to was to look for beaters, but then I found two nice “survivors”—yes, an overused term, but I think it applies fairly well to these examples. The 1972 Nova is not really an SS, and it’s unclear whether it’s wearing original paint, but it does seem to be quite clean and original. The 1973 Duster 340 seems to be a very original and well-documented one owner car. Auctions are ending very soon (and may be done by the time many of you see this blog post) and it’s unclear if either will make the reserve, but they seem to be priced pretty close. Anyway, click the links to the two auctions above and then let us know—which would you choose?

Continue reading "Nova vs. Duster: Which Would You Choose?" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

3rd gen Camaro convertibles have great lines, and Ricardo’s car is a very nice example. See more pics on his ride page!

By Sam Barer

Apexstrategy.com

You’ve seen it frequently in Craigslist and eBay advertisements: “mechanic owned”. No matter what the make, model or age of the vehicle, those two little words are supposed to evoke confidence in the quality and completeness of the service history.

The only problem is that if you ask most mechanics, they’ll tell you that mechanic-owned cars are usually in more dire need of past-due maintenance than most urban public schools. As the saying goes, a cobbler’s kids wear no shoes…and when it comes to a mechanic’s car, its brake shoes are probably down to the rivets.

The crux of the issue is that anyone who spends all day doing something for someone else doesn’t want to continue doing the same monotonous task for himself. I can understand, because I once tried doing oil changes on just four of my cars in one day and by the end of the afternoon I was ready to set myself on fire.

Despite all I’ve just shared, it didn’t stop me from jumping at the opportunity to buy a 1979 Chevy K10 pickup from a friend who is a professional mechanic. As fate would have it, he had purchased the truck from another mutual friend who is one of the best professional mechanics I know.

Continue reading "The Perils of Buying a "Mechanic Owned" Vehicle" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

These are the same guys who brough the green Challenger convertible to SEMA last year. Looks great, but I think I’d wait for the factory version. More pics at Drop Top Customs.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I decided to check back on that H.A.M.B. thread (now locked) to see if there were any updates, and I found this post from the Chevy II owner. Looks like he’s happy now…

Thank you to all the hambers who positively added to the content of this thread.
At this point ASK that we DROP the THREAD. I asked for a re-traction and recived this via e-mail:
We understand you and our editor spoke. If you would send us a letter stating your position concerning the photograph on page 76 of the October issue, we will be glad to publish it. You can send the letter by e-mail, or send it via regular mail. Please include your name, mailing address, and phone number.

Our mailing address is:
Car and Driver Editorial Offices
1585 Eisenhower Place
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

editors@caranddriver.com
CARandDRIVER.com

This is what I asked for and looks like justice was served.
Thank you again H.A.M.B. for your support John

By Brian Lohnes

BangShift.com

We have to thank Bangshift.com member Mr4Speed for this amazingly awesome eBay find. It is true perfection. A 1976 El Camino limo, one of three actually built and the longest of the troika. It the reverse mullet of cars. Business in the back, party in the front.

It was actually listed last week at a starting price of $3,000 but the owner is obviously interested in moving this bizarre creation as he has relisted and dropped the starting bid by a g-note, down to $2,000.

If you are planning on going to your local Halloween party as a redneck 1970’s pimp, this is the ride you need to have to totally capture the theme. Do it!

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Ok, so first the good news: it looks like we will be getting a Holden Zeta platform-based Chevy after all. The new Caprice will come with a 6.0-liter LS2 V8 which puts out 355 HP and 384 lb-ft of torque. Now the bad news: it will only be available as a cop car. Via Jalopnik

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Car and Driver recently ran a feature article on the BMW X6 M where they took the new Bimmer off roading, road racing and drag racing. One photo in the article appears to show the Bimmer pulling ahead of an altered wheelbase 63 Chevy II at Milan Dragway. A close look at the photo shows that it is clearly Photoshopped. Well, the Chevy owner is pissed, and has posted on the H.A.M.B. and the Car and Driver forums. And he doesn’t mince words.

Buddy called a coupla days ago kinda laughing asking me when did you get your doors blown off by a suv,I thought he was kiddin me. I know this world is messed up but WHY try to decive the public? Alls I can say is the mag,editors and writers are LAIRS,CHEATERS and WANNA BE SCAMMERS.
Bring that ol bmw out,title fer title and write an artical bout that.
I’ll be driven around in a little red suv.
No wonder the only time i see that mag is in the doctors office,makes me sick.

Keep in mind that the Chevy runs the quarter in high 9s @ 135 mph while the Bimmer covers the quarter 12.8 seconds @ 110mph. A bit of a difference, huh? So does the Chevy owner deserve to be angry? Does Car and Driver owe him an apology for altering the photo? Thanks for the tip, Tim!