I wonder how well they filled the hole that they cut for the turbo in the virgin hood after removing the other engine? It doesn't look too good of a job!
From the other photo, it looks like the ridge is still in the middle of the hood, so I guess the original piece was saved and tacked back in?
If someone wants to make a trailer queen out of this wagon ... it will need a new hood. Other than that ... everything that was done to the car is reversible I think. While I too like to see old cars in original configurations ... this car was for sale for quite some time if I understand the situation correctly, and lots of people had the opportunity to buy it. It wasn't selling ... so the guy from Shediac bought it and is having a bit of fun with it. I can understand that, and I don't think it is sacrilegious. It's not like it was a super rare car, and he has the pink slip for it so I guess he can do what he wants with it, even if I would have liked him to keep the original 283 in it. It seems there was no money to be made with the car in the original condition at the price it was at. I think that to get this wagon to a show car condition, you would have to spend way more than the car would be worth after the restoration ... even if you bought the car in the original condition for what the present owner paid for it.
I was talking to a friend who is in the car restoration/appraisal business and he told me that the high dollar stuff still has a fairly strong market, but the lesser cars have lost a lot of value. I asked him to explain. He told me to watch the market for ordinary 60's Mustangs in the next few years. A lot of older people are starting to want to get out of the hobby because of age etc ... there will be way too many Mustangs for sale than buyers for those Mustangs. Seems the younger generation of people, in general, are just not into these cars ... and that spells a market that is in the toilet! He told me the Barrett Jackson shows just do not reflect today's local markets.
Same with the two door Pontiac he has. That Poncho had been for sale for a VERY long time before the present owner got it. And it was traded in because NOBODY was interested in the car. It has been for sale now for about 2 months ... not sold ... not even tire kickers. As someone said to me about the car. ''I am just a tire kicker unless it drops to below 5K''. The market for older marginal cars seems to be in the toilet. After a bit ... he will probably put a small block V8 in the Poncho and see if it sells that way.
I had a chat with him about the cars he is modifying and he told me he would not butcher a rare car. He has had rare cars ... Yenko Camaro, rare Vettes, Cudas etc and has kept those in pristine condition. He is past that and is just having a bit of fun with marginal cars. That pickup in the background has dynoed at over 1150 HP! It's crazy! But it's his crazy, and he is having fun ... and I say ... why not! It's all good.
I respect everyone's opinion on this subject ... I just wanted to add my two cents worth ...
-- Edited by GaWajn on Monday 24th of August 2015 01:40:49 PM
I hope your friend realizes that for most of us, it is just a topic of conversation. I originally posted it because (A) the car was known on this board, and (B) I thought it was interesting what your friend did to it. Perhaps it's not the route I would have taken initially, but it's his car and he's having fun with it. If he loses money as a result of having fun, then join the club because I don't think many of us make money off this hobby (some do, though, I'm sure). He has a leg-up, though, as he is a car dealer and has avenues to reduce losses that many of us do not.
Discussion topics on the internet are just that, discussion. Not unlike what a couple of friends would do at a car show, except that everybody can read the discussion. It's important to not take any of it too seriously, though.
If someone wants to make a trailer queen out of this wagon ... it will need a new hood. Other than that ... everything that was done to the car is reversible I think. While I too like to see old cars in original configurations ... this car was for sale for quite some time if I understand the situation correctly, and lots of people had the opportunity to buy it. It wasn't selling ... so the guy from Shediac bought it and is having a bit of fun with it. I can understand that, and I don't think it is sacrilegious. It's not like it was a super rare car, and he has the pink slip for it so I guess he can do what he wants with it, even if I would have liked him to keep the original 283 in it. It seems there was no money to be made with the car in the original condition at the price it was at. I think that to get this wagon to a show car condition, you would have to spend way more than the car would be worth after the restoration ... even if you bought the car in the original condition for what the present owner paid for it.
I was talking to a friend who is in the car restoration/appraisal business and he told me that the high dollar stuff still has a fairly strong market, but the lesser cars have lost a lot of value. I asked him to explain. He told me to watch the market for ordinary 60's Mustangs in the next few years. A lot of older people are starting to want to get out of the hobby because of age etc ... there will be way too many Mustangs for sale than buyers for those Mustangs. Seems the younger generation of people, in general, are just not into these cars ... and that spells a market that is in the toilet! He told me the Barrett Jackson shows just do not reflect today's local markets.
Same with the two door Pontiac he has. That Poncho had been for sale for a VERY long time before the present owner got it. And it was traded in because NOBODY was interested in the car. It has been for sale now for about 2 months ... not sold ... not even tire kickers. As someone said to me about the car. ''I am just a tire kicker unless it drops to below 5K''. The market for older marginal cars seems to be in the toilet. After a bit ... he will probably put a small block V8 in the Poncho and see if it sells that way.
I had a chat with him about the cars he is modifying and he told me he would not butcher a rare car. He has had rare cars ... Yenko Camaro, rare Vettes, Cudas etc and has kept those in pristine condition. He is past that and is just having a bit of fun with marginal cars. That pickup in the background has dynoed at over 1150 HP! It's crazy! But it's his crazy, and he is having fun ... and I say ... why not! It's all good.
I respect everyone's opinion on this subject ... I just wanted to add my two cents worth ...
Ya, I know P---, I meant no disrespect to him. Doing these engines floats his boat, but he should take a little more time and conceal the turbos instead of cutting hoods, and making them unsightly. There is a way of plumbing in a turbo under the car, integrated into the exhaust system. It's much neater, and makes the car more of a sleeper. I just don't like holey hoods.
Here's pictures of one of his creations that I took at his shop:
Here's the Laurentian for sale that you are talking about Stephen:
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I know what you're sayin' ... I don't really mind the holes in the hoods. It's a half full or half empty thing I guess.
But take that Pontiac. One point I am trying to make is that the car is worth every penny of the asking price in my opinion. Let's say it was negotiated down to 7K ... still worth every cent ... based on CONDITION mind you! Based on market condition ... I don't think that car will ever sell. The sedans have pretty much always been the low end ($$$) of the market. Well now, these cars are a dime a dozen. People want to get out of them ... but there are practically no buyers. Look at that nice 56 Pontiac that is or was on PEI. What a nice car! Still for sale at about 10K right?
What about the PEI Parisienne that was for sale at 12.5K ... down to 10K ... for a nice 2 door hard top! Still no buyer.
I myself bought a car that is arguably worth 15K based on condition (appraised at 14K in 2012) ... for 8.5K. And if I didn't buy it ... it would probably be still for sale ... maybe well into next year.
I think it is a shame that some car clubs do not want to include the rice rocket gang. They are the future of the hobby .. and we are not making any room for them and their cars. After a bit ... they might get interested in the older iron ... who knows. But right now ... I think the future market for marginal old cars is looking quite cloudy due to lack of interest from the young people in general.
I myself have no illusions about the car I bought. I got a good car in very good condition for a fantastic price. When I die ... my kids will probably have to give it away to some charity auction also. That's what happened to the car I bought. Someone restored it ... didn't sell ... was given to a local minor hockey auction ... was bought by a local who has money to support these causes ... he then sold it to try and recoup his money.
Anyways ... didn't mean to get so off topic. Rant over ... :)
-- Edited by GaWajn on Monday 24th of August 2015 07:21:03 PM
When you look around, it does look like the hobby is in decline. The premium stuff still seems to stay up there, but lower end stuff like 4-doors and such (which have always been cheaper than 2-doors anyways) have really dropped. Just scanning kijiji, I have seen several nice less-popular models for sale as running, driving, presentable (not mint) cars in the $3000 - $5000 range. Decent 2-doors are still hanging in the $7000 - $12000 range, with good musclecars typically still hanging in the $20K+ range. There are a lot of exceptions, of course, but in general that's what I've noticed.
If I can be honest, I think part of the reason that the wagon in this ad hasn't sold is that for the money, the buyer is expecting a painted, presentable car, even if it's not perfect. What they would be getting is value in the parts installed plus a good solid car, but I don't think that's enough in many cases for the average buyer. This is especially the case for a wagon with a hole torched in the hood - and frankly a lot of buyers might think the rest of the work is done to the same level (buyer beware, and all that). In my opinion, it is a decent value for somebody looking for an oddball combination like that (I like this kind of car - a wagon with a big block and a 4 speed), but most people would gloss over it and continue looking for a hardtop or convertible.
Not meant as a criticism of anybody, but usually every time you modify a car to suit your tastes, your buying market becomes a little narrower. Unless a potential buyer has the same vision as you do, they will likely pass and try to find something closer to their tastes, which is much easier now in the days of the internet.
In my opinion, the hobby is best enjoyed when you do what you want with your car, and have fun with it. Take the concept of profit out of it and it's a much better world for all involved, IMHO. I mean, it's a hobby and you have to expect to lose money while you are enjoying it. How many people ask for the green fees back after a round of golf? Or their hotel costs back after a weekend of skiiing? More fun, less focus on money - that's my preference for the hobby.
Whether the kids will embrace it in the future is still a bit of a question, but I think the signs are there that it will be on the decline. When I was a teenager, even people I knew who weren't "car guys" had an interest in cars. Everybody wanted to get their license when they turned 16 and just about everybody wanted a cool car of some sort. Today many young people don't have the interest. It's more expensive and more complicated that it was back in the day, and thus enthusiasm for cars will be on the wane. Just my opinion, of course.
I owned that wagon for a few weeks before I took it East
It was/is a great car BUT painting it would put way above its retail value
With the 283 auto it actually drew crowds wanting to see the patina
At 8-9 grand its a good deal
anything added to that is personal choices
Yeah, I know what you mean, Carl.
The point I wanted to make, and I could be wrong, is that once you get near $20K in price, most buyers want to see shiny paint unless they are looking to buy a rat rod or something like that. It's funny, what is considered 'cool patina' now was what we used to say 'looks like a POS'.
Just to be clear, I like 'em all, including the wagon just as it is. The big block 4-speed would be a lot of fun to drive, I'm sure, and the fact that it's a wagon with worn paint surely add to the sleeper factor.
I wish the seller all the best, I hope he finds the right buyer for the car. It's obvious that he is a car guy and likes cool cars 'out of the ordinary' like myself.
Seen it today at the Welland car show.The guy was parked next to me early in the morning watching the cars come in.
I asked him about it being on Kijjii,its the same car.He didn't buy it off Kijjii he says but he did buy it from NB.
Looks the same,so I wont go further on that subject.He did help me out.When I got there I forgot to shut off my lights,
he noticed about 1/2 hr later and of course battery was dead.A buddy of his had booster cables same time my daughter
pulled up in her truck.So she gave me a boost and we wiped down the truck as my truck charged.
IT'S been a hell of a day boys.
__________________
"The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worth while. Therefore strive for excellence, not perfection"
