Warren
Gold forum user
- Messages
- 3,872
Hi, my street has a new garage queen, well maybe my neighbor has an OG 71 Dodge Challenger conv. I am more partial to the Sunbeam and do not get the Mopar hype. She was few years into her 2nd. or 3rd owner as best as I can tell as she has had at least 2 paint jobs and the latest being a medium blue metallic, formerly a code 86. The resto. was a body shop or driver quality job but it was garaged and still looks respectable. Must go thru all hydraulics and brakes, but the good new is no gas tank cleaning. My last few projects have been motorcycles and I am so relieved to not have a rusty tank. If you ever do Google the keywords motorcycle gas tank cleaning and battery charger, the best!
Well here is my story: I couldn't believe my luck. My best career yard sale sale dumpster dive Craigslist or local rag finds was a 81 CT 70 Honda with 231 miles, then a T100 500CC Triumph with Rickman plastics 175$, lots of little trinkets that I hobby sold on e bay or kept like that 100 dollar valued klaxon prewar bike horn I bought for .25 cents at 2 PM well after my 9AM quitting time.
Although not a yard sale find the car was located as a result of a lead from a neighborhood yard sale conducted by a realtor in South Torrance.
There was a Honda scooter with 169 miles on it asleep since 1988, he put 10 miles on it his ex wife did not like it so she parked it till the yard sale.
The story goes this way, I come driving up on a bike, the sellers sister says dang I just sold this scooter for $425 and I bet you know what it is worth! Then she commented "my brother has Maxwell Smarts car that has been parked almost as long at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes". At first I pictured a Ghia, been there done than 3X, but I pressed on and probed more to find it was told to be a Tiger. Not believing the story I pressed on with the scooter as it looked like a 1/2 day project to get it running and then resold for an easy flip.
She then told me I was too late that she had an offer on the scooter and that buyer was coming back as was the brother at 2 PM. I offered to better the price and placed a back up offer. I also played good guy and advised that she could call AAA and confirm that the stale dated bike owed no back fees, and "I have bought bikes that owed hundreds in back fees buyer beware", and she could clear that up with a phone call. Off I went into the shopping. The day netted 4 cans of R-12, used as trade fodder some day.
Well, I came back at 145PM and lurked around the sale next door, and then the brother showed up, the prior bidder did not so I got the scoot and an invite to see the Tiger the next day, last Sunday. I saw it and I was scared but told him I wanted the car and was OK with his asking price, close to what said he paid in 1990 something.
I was just hoping he was a computer impaired person, with no ebay and/or Craigslist exp. as the computer has darn near ruined my yard sale dumpster diving fun. The following Monday, I set it up to see the car again with my pal the former foreign car shop owner who worked on Tigers back in the day.
As Luck would have it the seller recanted somewhat Sunday eve and asked for 2 grand more.. "Oh that price it near the top of my budget," sounds believable when you ride up on a Honda CT110 the first time the seller sees you, a pretty little yard sale machine in resale red that gets 100 MPG and you can go to 25 in the time it take to drive a car to 10 sales.
Monday AM I had downloaded and printed all the things to look for with my pals to refresh themselves on and he remembered all the fun he had with the whole in the firewall changing spark plugs. It passed his inspection and mine, but I was still nervous. We shook on a deal, and gave him a check to hold it he gave me the only key. I played nice guy all along saying thing like " we should go to the bank they will draw a legit cashiers check for you,'' The scooter I am going to give to my son this car is going to be a loved and cherished man toy. Wed. AM I remained nervous and my chewed fingernails showed it. My best pal a Honda R and D fella and a former Jaguar club big wig was able to see it , my luck continued as I got a CAT inspector as well to come view the car too one senior inspector down two to go. I could not believe my luck as again having both overqualified and available help on super short notice. The word "Survivor" was used.
I was nearly beaten and whipped by my pals as they thought me to be paying a Alpine price. I left my pals in the drive way waiting for the tow truck, it had been before 1993 when she last rolled. Still nervous as I went to the bank to have them draft a certified check with and for the seller.
She is home and in the garage and loved again after being garaged and neglected since approx 1990. I top oiled the cylinders and turned it over by several times by hand over the next few days. After draining the old nasty fuel changing the battery and giving it new fuel adding coolant she fired right up, WOW!
She was warm enough for a oil change so that got done too, next
had to R&R the thermostat as it was solid with crud, then add a gano filter. And now it idles and holds her temp and oil pressure.
I think the 71,000 is believable on the speedo and it looks to have a OG rear end and trans serial number is correct. There has to be a better way of finding the true block mfg. date rather then by removing the starter, ideas? It has a matching no. vale cover tag.
My collector exp. is/was.
Many many VW's but I still have a 64 conv. bug
72 3.0 CSI bought in Italy and brought back in 84 sold in 89 boy I miss that car.
65 289 2V Falcon 2dr. hardtop
64 Falcon Futura conv. 200 cu in 6 cyl. the Mrs. car yeah really, but she has a mini van too.
lots of 60's Honda motorcycles and Schwinn bikes mostly post war.
I have spent a lot of time looking at toddler stuff and just crap that I once gave to the salvation Army, but every once in a blue moon you find a nugget. I can just think it is blind luck or a result of living the "Do a good turn daily" Boy scout motto. I prefer the latter.
Well here is my story: I couldn't believe my luck. My best career yard sale sale dumpster dive Craigslist or local rag finds was a 81 CT 70 Honda with 231 miles, then a T100 500CC Triumph with Rickman plastics 175$, lots of little trinkets that I hobby sold on e bay or kept like that 100 dollar valued klaxon prewar bike horn I bought for .25 cents at 2 PM well after my 9AM quitting time.
Although not a yard sale find the car was located as a result of a lead from a neighborhood yard sale conducted by a realtor in South Torrance.
There was a Honda scooter with 169 miles on it asleep since 1988, he put 10 miles on it his ex wife did not like it so she parked it till the yard sale.
The story goes this way, I come driving up on a bike, the sellers sister says dang I just sold this scooter for $425 and I bet you know what it is worth! Then she commented "my brother has Maxwell Smarts car that has been parked almost as long at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes". At first I pictured a Ghia, been there done than 3X, but I pressed on and probed more to find it was told to be a Tiger. Not believing the story I pressed on with the scooter as it looked like a 1/2 day project to get it running and then resold for an easy flip.
She then told me I was too late that she had an offer on the scooter and that buyer was coming back as was the brother at 2 PM. I offered to better the price and placed a back up offer. I also played good guy and advised that she could call AAA and confirm that the stale dated bike owed no back fees, and "I have bought bikes that owed hundreds in back fees buyer beware", and she could clear that up with a phone call. Off I went into the shopping. The day netted 4 cans of R-12, used as trade fodder some day.
Well, I came back at 145PM and lurked around the sale next door, and then the brother showed up, the prior bidder did not so I got the scoot and an invite to see the Tiger the next day, last Sunday. I saw it and I was scared but told him I wanted the car and was OK with his asking price, close to what said he paid in 1990 something.
I was just hoping he was a computer impaired person, with no ebay and/or Craigslist exp. as the computer has darn near ruined my yard sale dumpster diving fun. The following Monday, I set it up to see the car again with my pal the former foreign car shop owner who worked on Tigers back in the day.
As Luck would have it the seller recanted somewhat Sunday eve and asked for 2 grand more.. "Oh that price it near the top of my budget," sounds believable when you ride up on a Honda CT110 the first time the seller sees you, a pretty little yard sale machine in resale red that gets 100 MPG and you can go to 25 in the time it take to drive a car to 10 sales.
Monday AM I had downloaded and printed all the things to look for with my pals to refresh themselves on and he remembered all the fun he had with the whole in the firewall changing spark plugs. It passed his inspection and mine, but I was still nervous. We shook on a deal, and gave him a check to hold it he gave me the only key. I played nice guy all along saying thing like " we should go to the bank they will draw a legit cashiers check for you,'' The scooter I am going to give to my son this car is going to be a loved and cherished man toy. Wed. AM I remained nervous and my chewed fingernails showed it. My best pal a Honda R and D fella and a former Jaguar club big wig was able to see it , my luck continued as I got a CAT inspector as well to come view the car too one senior inspector down two to go. I could not believe my luck as again having both overqualified and available help on super short notice. The word "Survivor" was used.
I was nearly beaten and whipped by my pals as they thought me to be paying a Alpine price. I left my pals in the drive way waiting for the tow truck, it had been before 1993 when she last rolled. Still nervous as I went to the bank to have them draft a certified check with and for the seller.
She is home and in the garage and loved again after being garaged and neglected since approx 1990. I top oiled the cylinders and turned it over by several times by hand over the next few days. After draining the old nasty fuel changing the battery and giving it new fuel adding coolant she fired right up, WOW!
She was warm enough for a oil change so that got done too, next
had to R&R the thermostat as it was solid with crud, then add a gano filter. And now it idles and holds her temp and oil pressure.
I think the 71,000 is believable on the speedo and it looks to have a OG rear end and trans serial number is correct. There has to be a better way of finding the true block mfg. date rather then by removing the starter, ideas? It has a matching no. vale cover tag.
My collector exp. is/was.
Many many VW's but I still have a 64 conv. bug
72 3.0 CSI bought in Italy and brought back in 84 sold in 89 boy I miss that car.
65 289 2V Falcon 2dr. hardtop
64 Falcon Futura conv. 200 cu in 6 cyl. the Mrs. car yeah really, but she has a mini van too.
lots of 60's Honda motorcycles and Schwinn bikes mostly post war.
I have spent a lot of time looking at toddler stuff and just crap that I once gave to the salvation Army, but every once in a blue moon you find a nugget. I can just think it is blind luck or a result of living the "Do a good turn daily" Boy scout motto. I prefer the latter.
