$250 1972 Cutlass Supreme for sale: Buy or not to buy?

A 1972 Cutlass Supreme sounds like a bargain at $250. My friend spotted the car at the end of a dead end dirt road in Cullman County, Alabama. ‘It looks like a decent project car,’ he said. He sent me on my way with this threat. ‘If you don’t buy it, I will.’ My task was at hand. A possible classic project car for chump change. Was it too good to be true?

Hot trip
Driving alone for 50 miles to see a car on a hot August day in Alabama is no fun. So I took my dad along for a sweltering ride in my latest ‘box’ Caprice. Vintage 1986 General Motors. Uninsured driver essentials such as random body dents, sagging springs, a droopy headliner and nonfuntioning A/C were along for our trip. Twenty-plus years of decay and neglect rolling on shiny wire wheel covers. Making matters worse, the foam headliner backing material was crumbling and blowing into our eyes with the windows down. We lowered the windows just enough to prevent suffocation from the stiffling heat eminating from the Caprice’s ‘air’ vents. Sweat ran down my shins. The pea green velour seat, our couch-like sponge. I mentioned to my dad that our long, hot trip to a dead end dirt road was wearing on my enthusiasm. 

The car

The Cutlass was dutifully planted behind a house at the end of a dead end road. An overgrown single-wide trailer also graced the backyard. The owner paused from picking vegetables long enough to tell us her Cutlass was parked due to transmission issues. Decals decorating the back window glass told more of the Oldmobile’s story. ‘B!tch from hell’ and ‘Calvin’ peeing on the word ‘ex-husbands’ stickers were proudly displayed. Rust holes oozed beneath the rear window and splattered sunlight into the trunk. Moisture trapped by the tan vinyl top had caused the only damage to the otherwise flawless creme-colored body. Its brown interior contained the junkyard smells of mold, assorted papers and discarded memories. The driver’s seat bore the brunt of years of wear but otherwise the Olds’ upholstery could be cleaned up. Raising the hood to look at the Olds 350-cubic-inch engine proved to be a difficult task. Pulling the latch and gently rocking the hood side-to-side a dozen times freed the stagnant hinges. I didn’t expect the swarm of wasps I laid eyes on when I lifted the hood. My dad had already backpedaled, years of junkyarding taught him to beware. I jumped away and we waited for the swarm to calm. A quick glimpse of the dirt-glazed engine bay revealed the original 350-V8 engine and 2-barrel carburetor. 

Deal or no deal?

I didn’t buy it. I should have.

Car buyers remorse in reverse

Looking through these pictures is painful. I missed out on a deal. 1972 and older models are like money in the bank, even if they are projects. Its always a good idea to make photos when you check out a car for sale. I should have looked at the photos the day after our trip. My decision would be different today. With a bit of research I would have known that the fenders go for $200 each. Selling a few parts would have covered the cost of the car if I had gotten into a financial bind. I would also have been the proud owner of an Oldsmobile, another GM make that has ceased production.

Gone for good
The car is gone. My buddy, Michael, drove to the dead end road for another look. The dead spot in the grass was all that remained of the 1972 Cutlass. The owner likely scrapped it out for a few hundred bucks.

Plan your purchase options before you go
Without a buying plan, I turned tail without a Cutlass. Maybe I was crazy from the heat? No, I just failed to see the potential of the car.

Buyer’s checklist for cheap cars

•     Research the values of vehicle and their parts online. Try sites like these link, link, link
•     Will cost of vehicle and repair costs total exceed market value of vehicle?
•     Most of all — is it a vehicle you love enough to live with on your lawn?
•     Asking price too high? Make an offer before you walk.

    Be prepared to haul it home

•         Buy a car trailer if you plan on buying and selling vehicles frequently.
•         Factor in the cost of a towing if you don’t have access to a trailer.

 

 

VIN # fodder see this link. First digit is a 3, its covered in photo.

Test Drive: 1972 Pontiac Firebird

You don’t see early, second generation Firebirds in the classifieds often. So when this 1972 Firebird appeared in the newspaper for $3,500, I knew I had to act fast if I wanted to see it. I contacted the seller and we arranged a meeting spot where I checked out the ’Bird.

Details
The seller wheeled his orange ’72 Firebird into the shopping center parking lot just before sunset. I started making mental notes as he filled me in on the history of the 66,000 mile car. He became the Firebird’s second owner 15 years ago. It was parked in a yard covered in a mountain of wet leaves and resting on flat tires. He purchased the car and got it car running with hopes of restoring it at a later date. The seller mentioned that he didn’t really want to sell the car. He placed an ad to please his wife. She hopes unloading the Pontiac will increase the curb appeal of their house which is for sale. His stalled plans of restoring the car are up to their stiffest challenge.

Body/interior
This Firebird appears to have its original, rare Sundance Orange paint and the Saddle interior has all the original but worn parts and pieces in place. It has factory a/c and the doors shut well. A walk around the rear of the orange Firebird revealed a rust-pocked roof. Most of the damage was caused by water soaked up into the old vinyl top. Quarter-size holes along the rear edge of the roof pointed the way to the rusty rear floorpans in the Firebird. The current owner removed the original vinyl top when it was purchased from the original owner around 1993. The trunk has weathered the wrath of the vinyl top issues without signs of rust.

 

Mechanical
The car drives great and the seller said he would drive it 500 miles without fear. I liked the throaty sound of the 350-cubic-inch V8. This engine was the economical V-8 choice for ‘72 Firebirds. Under the hood a few replacement parts from discount auto part chains have kept the Pontiac moving.

How rare?
Pontiac made 12,000 Firebirds similar to this in 1972. A total of 29,951 Firebird, Espirit, Formulas and Trans Ams were built. How rare is this one? I can’t tell you specifically, but how many 1972 Firebirds do you pass on your way to work, let alone see at car shows? Not many.

Verdict
Overall, this is a large project but one that could be driven as is. That’s always a plus. You never know what might turn up for sale in the newspaper. A new project may find you.

Do you have a cool ride? Send your story and photos here.

Honeycomb wheels minus the factory trim rings.

1972 Firebird has 66K miles and a 160 MPH speedo.

 

 

 

1972 Firebird has its original saddle interior.

 

Early second generation Firebirds like this ’72 came with an Endura front bumper.

 

I bet this 1972 Sundance Orange Firebird has been sold by now.

Cars in Yards: 1973 Gran Torino Sport

“I put blocks under it to keep it off the ground,” said the man with the yellow 1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport parked deep in his yard.  Robert Champion’s lawn has been home to his brother’s Gran Torino for more than a decade.  This relic from the muscle car meltdown years deserved a closer look. It appeared to be in much better shape from the road.

Champion’s brother, Bobby, bought the nearly new Gran Torino in 1974.  He sold his tired 1967 Chevelle SS to a family member for a few hundred dollars and started driving the fastback Ford.  It is still equipped with Ford’s last production year of the 351-cubic-inch Cleveland V8 engine and 2-barrel carburetor.  Bobby drove the Ford for the better part of two decades before  mechanical issues forced him to park it.  “Bobby’s been saying for several years that he plans to fix it up someday,” said Champion, “but I don’t know if he will ever get around to it.” 

The Gran Torino Sport will remain in Robert’s yard until his brother or the elements claim it.  So far, the bright yellow fastback is losing its battle with Mother Nature.  Old yeller, as I call it, has been a landmark for residents that get turned around in Mr. Champion’s Pinson, Alabama neighborhood.  Like it or not, old cars tend to disappear when you least expect it.  This landmark vehicle will eventually be claimed for a restoration , parts or scrapped out.  See another example here of another ‘Car in Yards’ that vanished not long after I documented its existence.

Love thy neighbor
Let this be a lesson to neighbors who view old cars wilting on the lawn next door as an eyesore.  It’s brotherly love, people!  Any good brother or sister would gladly provide storage space for an older vehicle that holds nostalgic memories for their loved ones.  One day you may be lucky enough to have a ‘project’ in your yard.

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