HARDTOPS you might not remember

[Sixty8panther]

I'm able to save 50-80% off the "high" cost of maintenance & repairs

on my three German cars by doing the work myself. That $1000 you

pay for the brake job is prob. 80% labor. Call NAPA or AutoZone and

you might be shocked to hear the parts add up to less than $300 or

$250 or whstever

[A Horse With No Name]

Which is why domestics or high production imports are the way to go. I have started doing all of my own work on my cars...

Balthazar, I love diesels but I'll hold Sylvester down while you punish him if he swaps the B-59...

Chris

[Sixty8panther]

Haha-ha.

So wait. We can applaud Neil Young's electric '59 Lincoln

but keeping the B-59 internal combustion but adding a

turbocharger while eliminating the need for ignition and

boosting fuel economy & possibly mechanical longevity

would be the end of the world.

[Sixty8panther]

OR

How about if i dropped a TWIN-SIX V-12 out of a BMW 760iL in the '59 'Sabre?

[balthazar]

The electric re-powering of an unloved late '50s Lincoln doesn't bastardize it by mixing lineages.

The re-powering of a much-loved Buick with a mercedes or bmw mill is blasphemy.

I have repowered my B-59... with another Buick mill. All in the family.

You are free to do as you please here, of course- I wouldn't really put a 'hit' out on your ass,

but if you want a V-12 bmw (this is going to get better MPG than the 364? Really ??), buy a V-12 bmw.

[A Horse With No Name]

...I'm with balthazar on this one. We have a guy in the VW TDI club and the Miata club who goes by the screen name bhtoofer on the forums he visits. When things get really messed up when were wrenching on a car, we say that they have been "toofed"

Eric/toofer is a good friend of mine, and I love him to death...but not in the C and G sense. We will sometimes both autocross my car...and I hate to admit, in some ways he's a better driver. Last autocross we both ran he did pull a faster time for the day than I did, and in my own car to boot.

But toof is always dreaming of wierd swaps that will never work in a billion years. Were he to spend that time making minor incrimental improvements to his car, he'd gain speed in the autocross.

Sixty-Eight, If you spent a tenth the time and a tenth the effort in making the old girl reliable...you'd have an unusual and desireable old car. Fix the damn thing right and keep it until Sofia is collecting Social Security. (assuming social security is still around, which is a whole 'nother matter.)

Today between the Dublin 4th of July parade and the Doo-Dah parade (a spoof 4th of july parade held in Columbus) I went to the book store with Joanna. Read about a 60 Corvette that a guy bought new, drove forever, and just now got around to getting restored. The family's goal is to pass that Corvette on to the next generation and keep it in the family for 100 years.

But if you can't pass up the urge to modify it, sell it. That's why I no longer have my 1966 Mustang Fastback. It was too nice and too original to molest, and I found a collector in Baltimore through the back door who is taking really good care of my old '66.

But I would vote for the 100 year route for the B-59. Sofia will need something to enjoy/remember you by in a world of Prius and Insight automobiles.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

...plus there is just something about an unmolested old car. When Joanna and I were parking the Miata for the Doo-Dah parade today, a guy in an old Chrome bumper MGB with wire wheels, red, beautiful, was parking across the street from us.

Yes, the B would have been faster with modern upgrades, but it would have destroyed the car.

If it would have done that to the 'B, what would it do to the B-59?

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

...and besides, from a cost standpoint...if you want 'Benz power, buy a modern 'benz.

I've got a 19 year old and a 16 year old who both ahve permits and both will be getting lic. soon. So we've been looking at other cars...including the maroon 4WD truck I was talking about in another thread.

Son and I saw a 2000 or 2001 Benz with a straight title and a little over 100k...for $5500. And it was clean and nice! Granted it wasn't of the oil burner variety...

But exactly how much do you think you'll have wrapped up in time and $ swaping a Benz into a Buick?

Chris

[Robert Hall]

I couldn't see myself doing an engine swap unless I had a blown engine. I've seen countless Fox body Mustangs with heavily modded engines, or other engines swapped in--460s, 4.6 DOHCs, etc. Even Chevy motors (blastphemy!).

But how many '87s are out there like mine---one owner, excellent condition, original engine, original paint, original interior, under 65k miles? Other than routine maintenance, I'm not going to change a thing...same w/ my '69, been in one family for 40 years now, original engine, but fully restored....both cars came to me from my late father, so they have a lot of sentimental value to me.

[balthazar]

A car's only original once, so they say.

And if it's in VG shape to begin with, yeah; it's hard to justify a swap... unless you just HAVE to have your vision.

My B-59 was a $500 'old used car' when I bought it... but regardless- I need it to move.

[Robert Hall]

A car's only original once, so they say.

And if it's in VG shape to begin with, yeah; it's hard to justify a swap... unless you just HAVE to have your vision.

My B-59 was a $500 'old used car' when I bought it... but regardless- I need it to move.

No doubt...something like that is like a blank canvas to build as you want. Cool that you are putting a Buick engine in it.

I have some ideas for a project car w/ an engine swap I'd love to build, alas no space, no time, no mechanical skill.

[balthazar]

I toyed with the idea of building up the nailhead 401... but the rest of the powertrain is/was funky with no aftermarket support, so it forced my hand.

You can swing someone building your project, no? If a vintage piece, you have Ford roots- not expensive, relatively.

You only go around once....

[Sixty8panther]

Yes of course, all joking aside both of you speak the truth, esp.

about a bizzare motor/trans/rear/fuel tank etc... swap like an

M.B. diesel being the opposite of a BUDGET Hot Rod.

I'm sure even attempting the swap would eclipse my entire

cost of ownership thus far well before the car moved under its

own power. I just think it would be insanely unexpected.

Now If I was Jay Leno I might drop an inverted V12 from a

German Bf.109 into the BACK of a B-59 wagon basket case...

only after spending $500,000 on a rolling tube chassis.

Not to worry.... haven't hit the lottery.... YET.

[A Horse With No Name]

A cool idea for you...buy a Buick LT1 wagon in good shape...Load Wfie, Sofia, and Amelia in car...and go explore the lower 48.

Good luck getting the B-59 back on the road...

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I couldn't see myself doing an engine swap unless I had a blown engine. I've seen countless Fox body Mustangs with heavily modded engines, or other engines swapped in--460s, 4.6 DOHCs, etc. Even Chevy motors (blastphemy!). But how many '87s are out there like mine---one owner, excellent condition, original engine, original paint, original interior, under 65k miles? Other than routine maintenance, I'm not going to change a thing...same w/ my '69, been in one family for 40 years now, original engine, but fully restored....both cars came to me from my late father, so they have a lot of sentimental value to me.

Your goal isn't to build, its to preserve.

Nothing wrong with that...you own two cars I'd give up my oldest son for.

Actually you can have my oldest son even if I don't get the car...J/K...

Chris

[Intrepidation]

[Drew Dowdell]

All the beauty of a dustbuster van and a Renault COMBINED!

[§carlet §wordfish]

Avantime is one of the few hardtops I'd really like to own.

This thread needs more Ambassador.

[balthazar]

Diggin that '55 !!

[ocnblu]

What year is that last one? I am not "up" on my Ramblers. That last one is pretty.

[Robert Hall]

What year is that last one? I am not "up" on my Ramblers. That last one is pretty.

1969.

Rob

[Drew Dowdell]

Avantime is one of the few hardtops I'd really like to own.

This thread needs more Ambassador.

Love those. They have a turning radius of what.... 900 feet?

[balthazar]

>>"They have a turning radius of what.... 900 feet? "<<

You KNOW I went right to my files with even a rhetorical '50s question. :wink:

Found a spec for a '50 Ambassador (same wheelbase : 121"); turning radius : 21.17'.

For comparison, 121" wheelbase '50 Buick Special : 19.75'.

If the numbers look weird : different publications/sources/eras use turning radius vs. turning diameter. T radius is the 'circle the tires would make in snow', so to speak, while T diameter is the 'width between alleyway walls you need to do a 360' (so to speak). In other words :: radius= tires, diameter= whole car.

[Drew Dowdell]

It's that close to a Special? I would have thought the front fender skirts would have caused more interference than that.

[Robert Hall]

It's that close to a Special? I would have thought the front fender skirts would have caused more interference than that.

Maybe the front track is a lot narrower than the width of the body..plus, that's on '50s tires, which are about as wide as motorcycle tires today..j/k. Wierd looking car, never seen on of those in person.

Rob

[§carlet §wordfish]

There's just something about the older Nashes that you just want to hug them. They're clean and round but very distinctive.

The '69 on the other hand is a perfect blend of formal and agressive.

IKA-Renault Torino - popular Argentine car based on the Rambler American

[balthazar]

RE: the Nash- yes; it's primarily a relatively narrow track that allows a deceptive amount of room between the tire & fender. Nash engineering was sound (Unibody in '41, IIRC); obviously they didn't build something that couldn't be driven like any other car.

[Sixty8panther]

That '69 Rambler is very handsome & clean.

As far as that Renault Avantime.... i"ll thank you to NEVER

post that hideous, grotesque bastardized botched Prius

abortion again! :wink:

That car is reason enough for Germany to invade France

a 3rd time.

[Robert Hall]

That '69 Rambler is very handsome & clean.

As far as that Renault Avantime.... i"ll thank you to NEVER

post that hideous, grotesque bastardized botched Prius

abortion again! :wink:

That car is reason enough for Germany to invade France

a 3rd time.

For some reason, even though it's FWD, I really like the design..it's unique inside and out...I usually like French car interiors also.

Another piece of trivia--there were Renault Ramblers (the Rambler Classic) in France the '60s, 20 years before the notorious Alliance/Encore.

Rob

Edited August 1, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Intrepidation]

That '69 Rambler is very handsome & clean.

As far as that Renault Avantime.... i"ll thank you to NEVER

post that hideous, grotesque bastardized botched Prius

abortion again! :wink:

That car is reason enough for Germany to invade France

a 3rd time.

But, but...it has no B-PILLARZ!111!1

It's ugly as sin, but I do think it's cell they made it a hardtop.

[§carlet §wordfish]

You're no fun, 68.

The rear window doesn't roll down, but it has no b-pillar so as far as I'm concerned it's a hardtop.

Edited August 2, 2009 by §carlet §wordfish

[Drew Dowdell]

Well in that case, the 1970-1985 E-Body coupes were hard tops. They had frameless front windows and no b-pillar.

In a move that would make 68's head explode. In the Caliente edition of the Toronado, you could add a FAKE b-pillar. It was held in with one screw at the bottom and a metal clip at the top.

[Sixty8panther]

LoL @ Oldsmoboi

The gremlin's rear side windows COULD have been

made to retract in a tumble fashion, into the fat,

triangular C-pillar... IF AMC had, you know, wanted

to stay in business by building exciting products.

Relax... I'm mostly J/K