I have used POR-15 myself, and the stuff is terrific. But I suspect that the front end of your truck wasn't gone -- POR15 can only stop rust before it gets to a point of no return.

Most pre-1973 cars that cost under $2k will have rust that is beyond POR-15's abilities.

Just sayin,
-Z

So a pre-1973 under $2k cool driver to take ladies on dates? Would you please share whatever it is you are smoking?:p

Depends on what it is. And what the girl likes. I know some hippie chicks who'd think a 70s minibus would be the coolest thing in the world (and probably some opportunity to turn it into a shaggin' wagon).

I think you'd probably go right through the floor on a $2k pre-1973 shaggin' wagon VW. That might ruin the mood.:D

Agreed. :D

I just spent 10 minutes looking on eBay and there was nothing I would even remotely consider taking a date out in . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fiat-giannini-fiat-500-giannini-showcar-hotrod_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ39Q3a1Q7c66Q3a2 Q7c65Q3a3Q7c240Q3a1318QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQ hashZitem220281751073QQitemZ220281751073

Not really in your price range at all, but damn cool all the same:)
Matt

Shaun, do you aspire to date hippie chicks, or just quirky chicks that have esoteric tastes?

Maybe the best way to approach this is to find a woman... or several... and take them with you car shopping one Saturday.

Make sure you find something that has front seats go all the way back. Cloth, not leather or vinyl, too. If you need me to explain all that, you might not be esoteric enough to date this type of woman.

I'm thinking a Dart Swinger with the slant six.

Better yet, forget about the practicality/gas mileage and buy a sixties/seventies era hearse, paint it white with a ghost busters logo.

Wait....you're fairly young and chicks of your generation wouldn't get it.

How 'bout an old Grumann van painted up like an ice cream truck complete with music?

Yeah...that'll have 'em lined up.

http://smileys.on-my-web.com/reposit...ng/lol-045.gif

That's gotta be it. Shaun, this is your destiny... you'll embrace it as soon as you take it for a test drive and hear those lifters.

http://i518.photobucket.com/albums/u...artSwinger.jpg

Until the Spring, anyway. :D

All 0n ebay for less than $1900
 

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221598735.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221598753.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221598774.jpg

1973 Orange Super Beetle Convertible. $975. Needs minor welding (would take me about 2 hours based on description) and signal light wiring to be on the road. Has been stored since 1981 so would need tires, but he's driven it around the yard over the years so it does run and drive now. $975, could probably get it for $750.

ghey? or sorta cool? i've always thought of Beetle convertibles as chick cars whereas an early 60s coupe in Heron Gray with red interior as more something I would drive.

Thanks Dean!

Well having owned several beetles as a teen, I can tell you that that car will need some serious work to get the bugs worked out and to get it presentable and reliable. Fortunately the parts are cheap and it would make for a fun project.... but make no mistake, it WILL be a project. ;)

I'm not worried about presentable Tim, that's called patina!:D I probably shouldn't say this, but I love driving the truck around. Scare's the bejeezus out of anyone with a nice car. let's just say I always get the right of way.:D

yeah, any beater old car will be a project. rebuilding the front end of the 4Runner was a BIG job, even with cutting most of the junk out and installing only new parts, still took some time.

my hope is in the next few months to find some unloved car that someone needs to get rid of that I can relatively easily and cheaply get into good drivable condition. I would think any 60's VW product would be pretty darn easy to achieve that goal. There can't be more than 30 parts on a whole car.

ordered those sticks today BTW. should be here Friday. should start cutting/welding following weekend.

A presentable car...in Boston? ROFLMAO! Clearly you've never been in Boston, Tim. :D




j/k, j/k. I think I saw one or two many years ago...

How about a Volkswagen Fridolin!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221623128.jpg

Mike

My vote is for a VW notchback, although I'm not sure it fits the price point your looking for.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221624172.jpg

That one has a little something special in the trunk...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221624336.jpg

And for the non-sleeper look...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221624361.jpg

Super beetle convertible is a great car, drove one for 20 years. The seal around the rear window will probably leak, and the heater is not great for Mass. winters, you will need to replace the front suspension or it will shimmy like it is going to come apart at speed.

The dimensions are almost identical to a 914, wheelbase, track, weight...of course the weight is distributed well in a 914. For under a grand it almost certainly has major issues(if front frame head or shock towers are rusty, run away. The window regulators for the convertible bugs are NLA, if the rear seat is missing, keep in mind it is not the same as a coupe, and will be virtually impossible to get

I vote chick car. Are the hardtop bugs hard to find?

Here you go. (No affiliation)
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/844099408.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/825239796.html

http://providence.craigslist.org/cto/841860295.html

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/799666792.html

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/788378588.html

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/836379179.html

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/cto/842264428.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/804789375.html

http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/807122863.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/843030519.html

Older Benzes are awesome. They're tanks. Only problem is they're not smog-exempt unless they're pre-1975 here.

Older Benz is a great idea, but Shawn wants pre-73. If you consider '80s stuff Shawn, there's a lot of interesting cars that would come into play.

I vote for a 65-69 Corvair. Great gas mileage, super easy to work on, parts are easily available & cheap (can you say $19 for a fuel pump that you can install in less than 15 minutes?). Body looks nice, you don't see them every day, and when my wife & I drive our 2, we get more questions and "thumbs up" than when we drive our Porsches. I would not hesitate to jump in either of our Corvairs and drive cross-country today.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1221672107.jpg

If you could get a good GT-series Alfa for under $2k, I'd be driving one. I wish......

A friend of mine is desperately trying to sell an '86 Alfa 4dr Milano for $1400

It is, uh, remarkable looking

whoops... didnt see any price restriction.

pick up an alfa 'beater' and 'rat rod' it?

You can find a reliable "beater" 2002 for under $2K. Although the ultimate in "coolness" is the Touring (hatchback) but that would be a bit out of your budget. Great, fun, easy to work on cars.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...touring007.jpg

Classic Mini. You'll get more attention then the rest..
Next best: Austin Healy Sprite.

AMC Gremlin, 258, with a 3 speed.

I missed this one by a few hours: http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/841826040.html

Beautiful cars Steve! you know when I lived in this area 20 years you'd see a Touring model almost every day if you just drove around Cambridge. They're all gone.

Damn, that wasn't a half-bad deal. Too bad you missed it.

Are you looking at 240/260Z? I've seen a lot of driver condition Zs with some rust for $2k-ish.

You might try looking at this web site.

http://bringatrailer.com/

I look at it almost daily just to see cool classics for sale. Not much for $2 K there though..

Too bad, looks like a good deal. Follow up with the guy. I've had 2 people committ on my CB400F only to flake at the last minute. Stupid me for trusting them. I don't think I really lost out but one "buyer" swore he had cash in hand when I called him. 3rd times a charm principle will be tested tonight.

I second Jerry's advice. I recently tried to buy a boat off Craig's List. Three sellers in a row changed their mind well into the deal. CL sellers and buyers can really be flakey. Stay on this one.

How about a vintage Land Cruiser, a bj60 with a diesel engine. They get 23 to 25 city mpg, and can get 30 mpg highway, 4wd, nearly bulletproof.....

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/843918558.html

There's also the "jeep" version of the Land Cruiser if that's more your thing, also diesel, bj40, bj42, or bj44v.

e

I'd trade my Nanny for a decent BJ60. About two years ago, one came up for sale locally for $4500... the guy had no idea what he had. A friend of mine saw it advertised and went on his lunch that day to snap it up, with $4500 in hand. It was already gone, someone else called in sick from work to go get it. What a steal.

Awesome! I'd love one of those.