CarDomain Blog » Dan Strohl

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1975 Chrysler

Dan Strohl — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:48:12 +0000

Okay, so I’m a sucker for a station wagon, especially one with that wonderful faux wood siding that always seemed to age faster than the rest of the car. Of course, nothing screams Seventies quite like Avocado Gold Metallic (or all 27 variations of brown), which is exactly what’s slathered on this 1975 Chrysler Town & Country with an asking price of $13,950. From the seller’s description:

1975 Chrysler New Yorker Town & Country 9 Passenger Wagon – 84,000 One Owner miles on this very well cared for mid 70’s Full Size Luxury Wagon! 440 TNT Motor – Factory A/C – 50/50 front seat (LH power) – Power Tailgate, Window & Lock – Avocado Gold Metallic in color with Black vinyl interior – No Rust Here!!

See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1979 AMC Spirit

Dan Strohl — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:58:50 +0000

Of course I’m going to highlight any 1979 AMC Spirit that comes through the Hemmings.com classifieds, especially a 1979 Spirit sedan such as this one. The sedan was by far less popular than the hatchback, which makes it more unusual today, but it does serve as a very visual link between the Gremlin and the Spirit hatchback, which are almost exactly the same under the skin. This one in particular looks like the one that sold out of the Steve Green collection last year for $9,000. From the seller’s description:

1979 AMC Spirit two door sedan – Only 10,556 miles on most probably the nicest ‘79 Spirit in existence today!! Equipped with the Inline 6 cylinder motor – RARE 4 Speed Manual Transmission – AM/FM Radio – Rear Air Deflector – Luggage Rack – Styled Steel Wheels – Light Khaki in color with matching cloth interior.

See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1970 Dodge Challenger

Dan Strohl — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:24:20 +0000

You know nowadays exactly what kind of condition a Challenger has to be in for the asking price to be in low four-figure territory; it’s just unusual to see an unrestored big-block Challenger around now, as well as to see one for just $2,500, as with this 1970 Challenger for sale now on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:

Car is an original big block model, automatic transmission with the factory “slap stick” shifter, power steering and air conditioning. Several body panels have been changed out (see pics). No seriuos rust in the body – quarter panels are good, rear light assembly intact, front fenders are rough. Engine is currently a “B” block 383 c.i.d. Mag. Condition is not so good – but it should be a re-builder. Transmission will at least need seals, probably has a shift kit in it – don’t know if the converter is anything special or not. Car has a Dana 60 rolled under it. It is a positraction unit with 3.56 gears. Differential is dry (no oil) so clutch packs are stiff – doesn’t roll too easily. Include is a trunk and interior full of parts, pieces, gaskets and whatever.

See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day – Mercury Marauder Concept Convertible

Dan Strohl — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:56:30 +0000

Heyyyy, didn’t we just see this 2002 Mercury Marauder concept car recently? Yes, it was one of the many cars that crossed the block at Mecum Kissimmee last month (the Mecum ad for the car remains up for now as well). We see from the auction results on Mecum’s home page that it bid up to $50,000, but didn’t hit the seller’s reserve. So now we see the seller’s putting it up for sale again, here on Hemmings.com, with an asking price of $75,000. From the seller’s description:

This one-of-one 2002 Mercury Marauder was built by Ford for the Chicago Auto Show. Ford invested over $300,000 in this unique contender, which features a supercharged 4.6 liter V-8 rated at 335 horsepower, 3-speed console-shifted automatic. Beautiful Leather interior with just 107 miles.

See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1962 GAZ 69M

Dan Strohl — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:13:40 +0000

How did a GAZ ultimately make its way to Kentucky? How did a Bulgarian engineer come up with the parts to restore it? Should I sell my left or right kidney to come up with the quick cash for it? These are the questions you should be asking yourself when viewing this 1962 GAZ 69M for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:

This GAZM started its life in Russia but was soon sold to the Bulgarian military. After serving a peaceful life in that service it was purchased by a enthusiast/engineer in Bulgaria who painstakingly restored the GAZ to its original specifications. This was done over a one and a half year period using OEM and NOS parts throughout. No time or expense spared. I could go on and on about the details of the restoration process but suffice it to say all is tidy and correct. You may contact me for further details and photos. This vehicle has traveled only 200 km since the full restoration.

See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day: 1973 AMC Matador Cop Car!

Dan Strohl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:51:53 +0000

I wonder if the seller of this 1973 AMC Matador cop car chose that photo location on purpose? Was he just looking for an appropriately gritty background in an attempt to emulate Los Angeles? Is he making commentary on AMC’s traditional underdog status and correlating that to an inability to keep the peace? Is he trying to juxtapose a symbol of law and order against a symbol of lawlessness in a statement on the futility to suppress human design? Continue reading at Hemmings…

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1985 Ford Sierra Cosworth

Dan Strohl — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:39:21 +0000

I’m tired of seeing those “future collectible cars” articles that go no further than the GMC Syclone and the Buick GNX. Let’s see those authors start to think beyond the no-duh future collectibles and focus more on the high-performance cars that we’re less likely to see at the local cruise-in, like this 1985 Ford Sierra Cosworth currently for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:

Excellent competition body (with no sunroof), new black paint (not serious show quality but, to my eye, quite nice), all of the Cosworth body pieces and bumpers, louvered original Cosworth bonnet, correct whale tale, just rebuilt (under 1,000 miles since the work was completed…this engine was built to a high level using the best components available and professionally blueprinted) 2.0 liter Cosworth YB engine with steel crank and con rods, new Wiseco forged pistons (of a special design made for this car), sixteen valve twin cam, Group A head gasket, 42 pound injectors, 3 bar map sensor, Garrett turbo, Weber-Marelli fuel injection, 3” downpipe with custom fabricated stainless steel 3” exhaust (I am told it took the last owner a hundred hours or more of painstaking fabrication to create this masterpiece), new Cosworth RS500 aluminum intercooler (the size of a truck radiator), new Cosworth alloy radiator, probably around 350-375hp…maybe more (running at 24 to 28 psi boost) with the capability of up to 650 hp.

On the other hand, the point of the “future collectibles” articles is also to highlight cars that aren’t yet selling for the $25,000 asking price on this one. And cars that aren’t as rare as hen’s teeth. See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1989 Ghia Saguaro

Dan Strohl — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:17:52 +0000

Currently, concept cars of the ’50s and ’60s = teh hotness. Then how about concept cars of the 1980s? Say, for example, the 1989 Ford Ghia Saguaro, a precursor to today’s crossovers? It debuted at the 1988 Turin Auto Show, then made its way to the states for the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, and has apparently remained here since. The only public sale price of it we can see was at the Christie’s concept car auction in 2002 in Dearborn, where Ford sold for just shy of $6,500. So would it be worth buying now and hanging on to it until MC Hammer-era nostalgia overwhelms us? See more pics at Hemmings

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1940 Tatra T87

Dan Strohl — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:42:09 +0000

What would you pay for a Tatra? We ask simply because the Chicago-based seller of this 1940 Tatra T87 has listed his example on Hemmings.com sans price, and quite frankly, when was the last time you saw one of these sell at auction? From the seller’s description:

four door Sedan,3 liter ,V- 8 rear aluminum alloy 75 HP-OHC engine,four speed manual transmission with 2 synchronized gears,sunroof,stunning example of a streamline design,silver metalic,red leather interior,1200 km after complete restoration,mint condition,very rare.

See more pics at Hemmings

Scottsdale Un-Preview: Two Cars Pulled from Barrett-Jackson

Dan Strohl — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:18:43 +0000

It’s not unusual for auction houses to pull cars from the docket prior to the actual auction, but two rather high-profile cars were pulled from Barrett-Jackson’s lineup this week, and the company has been none too shy about saying why.

The first, lot 1258.2, a 1958 Chevrolet Impala that the auction house previously advertised as once owned by Buddy Holly, was pulled on Wednesday because questions arose about whether Buddy Holly really did own that particular Impala. Continue reading at Hemmings