He also could have been talking about looking for cars and parts because there are surprises where you least expect them. This story begins last November. I had been searching for a Plymouth Volare or Dodge Aspen wagon for quite some time to build a hot rod out of. Every time I found something I either didn't have the money, it already sold, or it was junk. In November I saw an ad on Craigslist for a 78 Dodge Aspen SE wagon in Homasassa Springs Florida for 500.00. I sent an email to the owner and got pics sent. I also found out that it was driven daily from Homasassa to Tampa every day. It was also involved in an accident with a bus but was drive able still. After seeing the pics I told her l would take it sight unseen. I told her it would be a week or two before I could pick it upand asked if she wanted me to send a money order. She said she would call the other person who was supposed to look at it that night and she would wait till I picked it up for payment. I picked up the car two weeks later and drove it for close to six months with little more than an oil change and a set of spark plugs. All the while I began looking for a set of front fenders and a grille.

I was able to find regular fenders cheaply both locally and in Arizona. What I wanted was woody fenders because they would have the trim that surrounds the vinyl woodgrain. I was having no luck. If I found them the seller would not ship them. I found a pair in Oregon but they wanted between 350.00 and 425.00 plus shipping for a pair of fenders depending on condition. I found regular fenders in Arizona for 50.00 each plus shipping. I couldn't justify the Oregon fender price for the trim especially considering I paid 500.00 for the whole car. I continued searching Craigslist.

In May I saw an ad for two Dodge Aspens and a Plymouth Volare for 1200.00. I sent an email. The seeler and I played email and phone tag for a few weeks. He sent me pics of the cars and. It was a Volare woody wagon, an Aspen wagon that was a woody with the trim removed, and an Aspen four door that had the front and rear suspension removed. I finally got up to Orange Springs to look at the three cars. I made a deal to buy the two wagons and the parts from the four door for 800.00. After that he asked me if I was interested in a B-body? I asked what he had. He said he had a 77 Chrysler Cordoba with a 400 under the hood. He showed me the car. It looked ok and seemed to run well and he wanted 1200 for it. I told him I wasn't really into Cordobas and passed on it.

He then asked if I was interested in another package deal. I asked what he had. He said he had four A-bodies that he wanted to sell. I said I would take a look but was sure I couldn't afford them. He said I could afford them. I looked at the four cars. The oldest one was a 1966 Dodge Dart V-8 four door from Texas. It had a little rust and the 318 that was in it was out of it. It was originally a 273. The second car is a 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger with little rust. It was originally a slant six car but that had been yanked and in its place was a 383 big block and a big block K-frame. It is a project car because the motor knocks and the body needs done. The third car is a 1974 Plymouth Duster slant six. It is complete but rusted badly in the roof under the vinyl top. The rest of the car had a little rust. The last car is a 1970 Plymouth Duster 340-3 spd on the floor. This car was wrecked and has a swayed nose. It also has the build 318 that was in the 66 Dart. The numbers matching 340 is in his garage needing a rebuild. It smokes real bad. I asked how much and he said 2500.00. I told him I couldn't afford them. He said what? I said they were not affordable. He didn't understand. I said 2500 times four equals ten grand and it was not affordable. He then said he didn't say ten grand. It is a package deal. All four cars for 2500. I said sold. He was willing to take payments.
I went there looking for a pair of fenders and ended up getting 7 cars. He ended up giving me the last Aspen instead of just the parts. I have checked Craigslist. The big block dart is worth 5500 as a non numbers matching project car. The 340 Duster project starts at 4500.00. The 74 Duster is somewhere between 750. to 1000.. The 66 Dart is worth at least 350. In scrap
I think I did well and just goes to prove you never know what you are going to find.

 

Deff sounds like u came out good on the deal

 

Nice Deal..

 

You need to get a camera so we can see pics of all the projects you have going.

 

My old computer and my Blackberry won't allow me to post pics. I sent Rick pics yesterday thru email. Perhaps he will be kind enough to post those pics. Sorry guys.

 

Ha, that's a cool story. Also gave me clues on finding my car parts.
Now, if I can come across the same fortune in my hunt for a clean roof for the '76.

;]

 

Hows the wife feel about this growing collection of cars??? Maybe in 10 years those little girls of yours can have something to drive at least!

Sounds like you got a steal... I'm sure you're thankful for that deal! We can't even get a single Ford in NC for that price!!!! Okay, my Torino was $2000....

 

everyone here in GA thinks every car 1984 and under is a classic and slaps $10.000 on the window and will let it sit for 3 years untouched before going down on the price. typically, they dont go down. they just park it in a field for a while... thinking that will raise the value?

i would have went for the Cordoba. lol.

is it just me, or does the 77 Cordoba kinda look like an old Monte Carlo?

 

The Cordoba is very similar to the 73-77 Monte Carlo in dimension and shape as they were sales competitors. I may end up with it yet as I am also buying more of his parts. Each time I see him he tells me of another stash of parts that I can have cheap.

 

The wife doesn't mind the collection all that bad. She would prefer that I get to work on making a few of them road worthy and cruise or show quality. She also wants me to add a 65 Mustang and a 57 Chevy Bel Air to the collection. My girls will definitely know what a classic car is. As far as them driving them is up to them.