Ah ha!


I got a call last week from a good friend -- he has money - is retired... and doesn't own a screwdriver.... He's asking me about buying a '61 Dodge Powerwagon like he used to drive on the farm. Brings back good memories. He just wants it to putt around Sun Valley. It was "only" 20K.

The reason he's calling me -- he's just certain I'd work on it if it needed something. I'm like Oh F NO I won't.... And - Go ahead and buy it - but plan on your 20K truck being 30K before the year is over.

I'm happy to be a mentor.... you asked a very good question and stated your intentions. There's many guys on this forum that mentor the others regardless of talent level - or the issue they're asking about. It's what we all hang out on here for. Think of it as hanging out in the garage.... but we're doing it with our computers.

Really think long and hard about how you want to spend your time and money - both are hard to come by. Old cars are a kick in the ass.... and the feeling a guy gets driving them and working on them is priceless -- but that pricelessness doesn't come without a price. That price is time and money - and dreaming won't get it done -- so it's busted knuckles --- or a big wallet....

you know I offer a huge military discount and you can't get more mom and pop than me.

Here are a few I have been eye balling....for a client build. Waiting for the right one. Honestly, if you pass on that silver car I may shoot for it. Its a great car for $4K.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/4508346602.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/4553813464.html
http://modesto.craigslist.org/cto/4492661465.html

This is the one we really want for the pedigree but not for $10K....gonna wait him out till we see $6K. http://stockton.craigslist.org/cto/4541042948.html

Maybe but that is what we said it is worth; the guy wants $7.5k . Not a great car at that price.

I can knock him down...theres a bunch there to talk about. :slingshot:

We always appreciate a military discount. Thank you for that.

If I call the guy and talk him down on the price...If he does go lower I will then feel stupid if I dont buy it...taking up his time, just like a tire kicker. At that point ill be locked in.
Let me give it some thought

I think it's a 5K car waiting for 25K in repairs and will then be worth about half that spent.


That's the car hobby. It's not about THE car it's about the dream and the doing and the hunting and the gathering and the friends and the memories. If it floats your boat and you can afford to play the game - then that's all that matters. Just don't be upset when your chick has a dick. That's what happens when you pick them up in a bar and don't know what you're looking at... LOL It's the same with cars.

Don't worry about how you feel. He's selling a car it is expected. Its up to him on how much he is willing drop, you just have to ask.It's part of it. But do it in person cause it gives you some merit. Over the phone negotiations is a red flag cause the buyer is thinking "he hasn't even looked at the car". Each negative thing found during an inspection carries a dollar amount. The seller knows it. If he was really serious about getting $7.5 he would have sanded down that roof and primed it.

Seriously, if you are into the car go down and see it for yourself, sit in it, poke around the back, ask him were he parks it at night, look for leak stains, crawl under it, start moving stuff around the trunk, hang over both quarters look under each quarter panel under side,look at the inside of the tailpan, look for rust broken seam sealer, crawl under look for a smashed dented fuel tank, start it up, let it idle, get it up to operating temp, look at the oil pressure when you rev the engine to 2 grand, 3 grand, does it smoke, does it stumble on accel, does it flutter on decel, ask the guy how long it was without that air cleaner lid, no lid equals cylinder scoring, lay under the rocker, look at the floor pan, look for rust, repairs, from the top push down on the carpet at the lowest section of the floor, push against the seats, go under hood, look for rusty water stains, squeeze some hoses, pull the air cleaner base, look for burn marks at the carb, look for leaks, grab the fan blade see if it wiggles, look at the harness, touch it, look for amature repairs, push on the belts, touch the radiator... Do all these things with him present and comment on what you find.
One thing, hang around the lower passenger quarter edge, near the tire. There is a patch of filler there. You can see the pink in one of the pictures. That's gonna be the game changer. Look at it from inside the trunk. Is it a dent or rust. That will be a quarter repair and will eat 3k of your budget. Another spot to focus on is that roof. See if any of it is deep, scratch it with a coin. Just pick at it and go back to it a few times, peek around the rear window trim. I know there is rust in there, see how war down it goes. Look from the under side in the trunk. Each rust hole you see equals 1k to repair.

Bring a friend and a flash light. Each one can drop the price a bunch.

Remember if anything turns you off walk away. Be honest with yourself and listen to your gut. Leave the guy your number and cool off. Just because you travelled all the way or managed to get him down don't feel obligated to buy right now. Give him your offer and put it in his corner.

Luckily he is buying to keep and it's going to be up to him on how nice he wants it. The deal killer will be the quarters and the engine.

Man I wish this car was in your neck of the woods. SD is ~5hrs from me so it's not an easy round trip.
I have these additional pics of only rust spots, please let me know if they're what you're talking about:

Run for your life!