Classic Nation

Trolling A Scammer Who Tried To Sell Me A Classic Mustang

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:48:13 -0700

Over on the Classifieds section of the Classic Nation website I often see cars that look solid and are being offered at a reasonable price. Every now and then I see some really great deals on project cars. But - it's rare to stumble on something that looks like a finished car at a project car price. Here is what I saw:

The posting for this car listed some details about the car. $5,000 was the asking price.

I knew the $5K price had to either be a typo, or a scammer. So - I sent an email to the person who listed the car. I had done this once before when, on a popular class car classified website, I saw a $12,000 '65 Cobra for sale and sent an email. The response I got about the Cobra clearly indicated it was a scammer. For this Mustang, I already expected this to be the case.

This is an unedited email thread between myself and the person who listed this car:

Always be cautious when purchasing items from private parties online and do your research. Hopefully you never have to deal with a scammer like this. If you find yourself in a similar situation, please, please, PLEASE mess with them (and hopefully they become better people because of it).

Is there hope for this abandoned 1957 Chevy Bel Air?

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:09:19 -0700

While this isn't exactly a barn find, this 1957 Chevy Bel Air is looks abondoned and has definitely seen better days. I can imagine lots of different ways that I would love to restore this classic Chevrolet. If this looks like the perfect project for you, you can buy it.

The body, glass, chrome, and trim appear to be in pretty good shape.

This side looks a little rougher but still very salvagable. It's hard to tell if that is just surface rust on that rear fender or more serious damage. But - everything still looks very intact.

I was pleasantly surprised to see an engine still in the car, let alone a V8. Apparently it's a small block 400 with a turbo 350 transmission.

I'd love to have this as a project. If this car inspired you to get a project of your own, drop by our classified sections to see that classic cars for sale.

To Blast or to Dip: The Classic Car Restoration Dilemma

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:53:22 -0700

To blast or to dip a classic car is a topic that is often hotly debated despite the fact that the decision is rather straight- forward if you have your facts in order and know the condition of your car. Many people get lost in this particular argument thinking it's a matter of opinion, but when you know the benefits and flaws of each method it's easy to see that the issue is more about science - and your budget - than it is about personal preference.

First, let's examine the negative aspects of media blasting and chemical dipping:

Primary Reason Not to Chemical Dip

A chemical dip will remove everything from the body of your classic car; not just the paint. Dipping the car means that you'll lose everything including seals, gaskets, adhesives, filler, bondo, underseal and antiflutter in addition to nearly complete removal of rust. This means that some cars once dipped are impossible to return to their exact factory specifications; a discrediting move in some show and club circuits. For cars with only light rust, this option is likely to be overkill.

Additional Chemical Dip Drawbacks:

*Dipping is expensive

*In most cases will require shipping to one of the country's few dipping facilities

*Welding and replacement of panels required

*Acid not washed away or neutralized or chemicals trapped in seams may quickly cause rust and paint bubbling

Primary Reason Not to Blast

The primary reason not to blast your classic car is that the media will never be able to penetrate all areas of the body, leaving rust behind that will quickly undermine even the best blasting job. This is true regardless of whether you choose sand blasting, soda blasting, or blasting with any other media like ground walnut shells.

Additional Blasting Drawbacks:

*Can easily lead to heat buildup and distortion of panels

*Takes a long time to do correctly

*Media can become trapped in areas that are impossible to clean, leading to early body compromise

When to Dip

If the body of your classic car is moderately or heavily rusted, or if you need to strip the entire body down to nothing, a chemical dip is not only the best option; it is the only option, as blasting cannot accomplish this task. A chemical dip will work its way into areas that media simply cannot reach, ensuring that even "invisible" seams, channels, nooks and crannies will be penetrated.

Additionally, a chemical dip combined with a zinc dip, electrophoretic E-coat or a similar process uses electricity to positively charge the body of the car while negatively charging the primer, allowing for both chemical and molecular bonding that cannot be achieved using any other method.

When to Blast

If your classic car has only light rust or you only need specific parts or panels stripped, blasting may be the best option although it is not the most thorough one. If you need to ensure that only the paint is removed from the body and panels, then blasting is the only option when compared to chemical dipping.

Of course, if you don't have the rather large budget required for a full chemical dip, then blasting is your best and most efficient choice...unless you intend to attempt the project the old fashioned way; by hand.

Important note for both methods: it's critical to remember that once bare metal has been exposed on your car, it must be immediately treated or it will flash-rust. Stripping a car or a part bare and returning to work on it later without protecting the metal first will result in disaster every time, as many exposed surfaces will rust in 24 hours or less.

About the author:

Jim Davis is the founder of Zero Tolerance Restorations in Oakland Park, Florida and is a passionate collector - and restorer - of 1953-1967 classic Corvettes.

1969 Boss 494 Mustang - The Real Thing

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:21:36 -0700

Here's a Mustang that I never knew existed. It's a 1969 that was build for Mario Andretti to race in the Can AM series, and featured an all aluminum 494 engine. This was excellently built by Bodie Stroud, and it's one of the most impressive Mustang's I ever seen. Check out this video.

Here's Jay Leno taking a peek at this Mustang and chatting with the builder.

Have you ever heard of this legendary Pony before? Looking for your own project? Check out all of the classic cars for sale that we've got on CN.

Craigslist Find of the Day - 1964 Malibu for $4500

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:14:53 -0700

If you've ever considered buying a '64 Chevelle/Malibu, you'll want to take a look at this one that's for sale in Kent, WA.

It seems to be really straight. The owner said that this car was his grandfathers car, who recently passed away. The car has a running 350, new floors, no dents, and no bondo. Looks like this would be the start of a great project! Here's the full listing.

If you bought this car, what would you do to it? Or you can check out more classic cars for sale.

What is the ideal wheel for a classic car?

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:25:37 -0700

When resurrecting a classic car, there are several flavors of builds that are popular options. From pro touring, to pro street; original to period correct, each style has something different to offer it's respective auto culture. One of the distinguishing factors between each style is the wheel choice. It is the starting visual cue that really sets the standard and look of the entire car.

Here's one of the most popular wheels for a classic car; the Torq Thrust 2 by American Racing.

Classic Cragar Wheels

Here are some various examples of modern muscle car wheels.

Every person has their own preference when it comes to the perfect wheel for their car. What are your preferences for the ideal wheel for a classic car?

Which of these 5 cars is the best muscle car?

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:15:32 -0700

Ask a couple people what their favorite muscle car is, and you're likely to get a couple different answers. Some prefer straight-line raw power, while others prefer a muscular design. Here are 5 cars that we think are worthy of being on a list. Give them a quick look over, then comment at the bottom with your favorite of these five.

Here's a '69 Mustang Boss 429.

Here's a beefy 1970 GTO.

This is a 1969 Charger.

Here's a 1969 Chevy Camaro Z28.

Here's a badass '67 Chevelle.

So, what's it going to be? Which of these cars is the best muscle car of the lot?

The World’s Biggest Classic Car Show

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:45:35 -0700

Who would have thought that the largest American classic car show is actually located in Sweden? Well, it is.

The Power Big Meet is an annual event held in Västeräs, Sweden each year, and features over 10,000 American classic cars are in attendance. The show started in 1978 and had 80 cars and 400 spectators. This car show takes place on nice green grass during the day, and as night sets in, the entire town turns into one giant classic car cruise and party.

If you don't think you be able to check out the show in person, this video does a good job of capturing the show.

So - have you ever been to this event? Can you share some details (or share your photos)? Let us know in the comments.

What year Chevelle is your favorite?

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:51:10 -0700

If you like Chevys, you probably love the Chevelle. Each year Chevelle from '64-70 are all pretty distinct. Which year is your absolute favorite Chevelle?

Here's a 1964 Chevelle (convertible). You'll notice the flat grille and short boxy body.

Here's a great looking '65 Chevelle. You'll notice that grille is a little different from the previous style, and the body is slightly larger.

Here is a 1966 Chevelle

This is a 1967 Chevelle. (It's a badass build which isn't stock. Here are the details)

This is the 1968 Chevelle.

Here's a 1969 Chevelle (Yenko Style)

And here is the 1970 Chevelle.

So - which year is your favorite and why? If you've got a Chevelle (or pictures of someone's Chevelle you know), add them to our pictures page to share!

Is this the meanest 1961 Buick Skylark you have ever seen?

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:52:49 -0700

This beautiful 1961 Buick Skylark belongs to Royce, who is also the man who build this custom car at his home. It's 388 ci SBC engine with a th400 w/Gear Vendor transmission. That giant thing sticking off the top of the engine? Oh, thats a 8-71 Hampton Blower.

This car Runs on pump gas (91 octane) and has Dart Pro 1 heads 215cc (ported), custom solid F/T cam, 8.47:1 compression, two Holley 750 DP's, water/methanol injection, 3500 stall, 4.11 gears, with 325/50/15 MT drag radials. Pretty impressive!

Want to hear what it sounds like?

Awesome. Check out all the other classic car pictures we've got, and let us know what you think about this car in the comments.

Meet the SWEET Pro-Touring OverClock Camaro [VID]

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:12:21 -0700

If you've ever built a car in your garage, you can appreciate Justin Smith's dedication to this '67 Camaro project that he started in 2003. Taking over 8 years to complete, it's easy to see that the worksmanship was meticulous. Here's the rundown: 500 HP with a 6 speed transmission. It's also got lots of extra goodies which really set this pro-touring build apart.

Nothing could take the place of seeing this car in person, but this video comes damn close. Sit back and enjoy.

Awesome video work, guys. For more info, check out the official Overclock Camaro page. I know the die-hard purists might take offense to Justin's choice of wheel because they look modern, but try to relax. Not all Camaros need to look factory. This one is badass just the way it is.

Cherry '67 Mustang Coupe

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:59:54 -0700

The 1967 Ford Mustang couple is one of the all time classic pony cars. Because of the availability of many aftermarket companies who still produce reporduction parts, these are relatively ideal to restore. Here is a great looking '67 with what looks to be GT trimings.

Do you have a '67 Mustang? Share your pictures on our pictures page.

Which 60's Camaro is your favorite?

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:18:25 -0700

If you're a Chevy fan, chances are you like Camaros. They were some of the baddest muscle cars in the late 60's. 1967 through 1970 Camaros are all very sought after by collectors and owners alike.

This 67' Camaro looks great with those custom AR TT2 wheels.

Here's another great looking 67'.

For the 1968 Model, Chevy most noticably did away with the front quarter window. (67' was the only year to have those, so you can easily tell them apart)

This beautiful 1968 Camaro is a great example of what they looked like.

This is a 1969.

For the 69' model, the quickest way to tell them apart from the 68' is the louvers on the lower side right behind the door.

This is a sweet 69' Camaro. As you can see, it was a Z28 model.

This Custom 69' Camaro has some large custom wheels, and several other custom mods.

This 69' Camaro looks pretty mean with it's primer looking paint.

So, which year Camaro is your favorite and why? Do you own one?

If you're a Chevelle fan, you might want to check out these pictures and tell us which year is the best Chevelle.

On another level... OCD Custom's 60' Buick Convertible!

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 20:50:43 -0700

It is true, there are a ton of great custom cars out there. Many are built to better than new specs, where attention is paid to all panel alignments, body gaps, and overall part fittent, while other cars are just "put together". Then, there are a few cars that are built to exacting specs, where attention to detail and precision is the baseline from which they are constructed. These cars flow, and have a certain continuity throughout the body, interior, and dressings, that show carefully chosen parts and seamless integrtion that add to the entire car as a whole. This is one of those cars.

Introducing a 1960 Buick Convertible built by OCD Customs in Spokane, Washington. The car will have an LT1 engine, that it borrowed from a Corvette, as well as a full air ride setup. What makes this car standout, however, is the custom work done the body. The team at OCD Customs fabricated entirely new rocker sections on the car as well as acustom built a convetrible top "hard cover" using portions of an extra 60' Buick decklid. Countless other body, engine compartment, and chasis modifications adorn this car, and the final touches are currently being put on it before getting painted.

This 60' Buick Convertible by OCD Customs really is on another level. Take a look and stay tuned for more progress pictures as well as pictures of the completed car. More info and pictures can be viewed at www.ocdcustomcars.com

This Custom 68 Roadrunner is sure to Impress!

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:21:07 -0700

This red beauty is a 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner. She's got a 440 with a Tremic 5 speed transmission. There are plenty of custom touches as well. But noting can do this car justice quite as well as seeing it and listening to it run.

Take a listen (and look) at this beauty up close.

This Roadrunner is such as nicely put together mild custom. Is there anything about it you would want to change?

Is the 57' Chevrolet Bel Air better than the 55' and 56'?

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:39:57 -0700

The 57' Chevrolet Bel Air is certainly more sought after by collectors, but I'm a fan of all three classic designs. To a completely untrained eye they look quite similar. Most Chevy fans (and classic car enthusiasts in general) can quickly spot the difference between all three years of the Bel Air.

This is a beautiful 1955 Bel Air.

You'll notice that the 55' has the completely horizontal trim on the back quarter panel seperating the upper and lower quarter panel. And, the profile of the rear end is pretty square and drops almost straight down from the tail light to the bumper.

Here's a good shot of the rear end of this 55'.

For the 1956 Bel Air model, a couple things were changed that can easily distinguish it from the others. Here's a 1956 Bel Air:

On this 56' Bel Air, you'll notice that the fender trim piece isn't horizontal. It's curved down towards the lower bumper. Here's another look at the 56':

You can also notice that on the 56', the trim piece that runs down along the side of the body is much thicker than the previous style, and it is wide enough to allow for a little strip of paint inbetween the chrome. Among some other differences between the two cars is the grill and hood emblem, front turn markers, and front bumper.

In 1957, the design of the Bel Air got tweaked a little more. Here's a 57' Bel Air:

As you can see, the 57' has a different side trim than does the 56' and 55'. The trim on the 57' is a single chorme piece that runs the side of the car, and fans out to the rear end without covering the top of the rear fenders.

And, unlike the 55' and 56' models, the tail fins on the 57' model have a sharper angle coming back to the tail lights and bumper, creating a much more distinct fin.

And as you can see, the grill is different from the two previous designs as well.

So - even with these somewhat subtle differences, the 1957 Bel Air has been a much more desired car for classic car enthusiasts and collectors. It would be hard to argue that the 57' looks dramatically better, so why do people seem to like it more? Did they produce fewer of them making them more rare?

Is the 1957 Bel Air better than the 1955 and 1956 Bel Air?

The Rare and Elusive 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:42:43 -0700

Fewer cars are more regarded as the best classic sports car ever made as is the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. Having only been produced from 1962-1964 and numbering only 39 cars ever produced, you can imagine that the handful of these remaining cars can draw upwards of 10 million dollars when they're sold, a stark contrast from the $18,000 original asking price. One even recently set the record sales price of $35 million dollars. The GTO cars, originally designed to be race cars, are now often created from kits based on the Datsan Z cars and other similar sized sports cars.

This car is a kit based off a Datsan Z car, but it was built to look almost exactly like the real deal. So, what do you think about this car? Beautiful design, or over hyped?

Which of these 5 classic cars is your favorite and why?

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 20:42:53 -0700

These 5 cars are pretty amazing and anyone would be so happy to own one of them. So, which one of these is your favorite car and why?

Of these 5 cars, which one would you want?

What are your winter hot rod projects?

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:16:54 -0700

Over here in the Pacific Northwest, snow is covering the land. Most classic car builders and rodders have some type of indoor space where they can wrench away on something during the several months where driving or working ourside is not an option. Here are some current projects we know of:

Here's a great looking 1970 Challenger.

This is the start of a pretty wild 1968 Raodrunner!

Here's a 1960 Buick Convertible!

This is a 1971 Pontiac Formula 400. All these great cars are projects over at OCD.

What are you working on this winter season? Let us know in the comments below, and share pictures on our pictures page! And if you're keeping any eye out for classic cars for sale, you never know what you can find right here on this site. Be sure to post your extra parts on there too.

Do you see anything salvageable here?

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 08:59:00 -0700

Yesterday we posted some pictures of some pretty cool barn finds on the blog. Since then, we've had several people add their own photos of abandoned cars that they've seen. Here are some of the best ones:

Do you see anything rare in these pictures? Is there anything worth restoring?

Barn Finds are perhaps the most exciting thing ever.

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:24:37 -0700

There is something magical about discovering a barn find classic car burried deep inside an old structure that had been long forgotten. Heck, I even get really excited just looking at barn find pictures. That is why we started a board on Pinterest just for Barn Finds. Here are some of my favorites!

Here's a solid 1955 Corvette! It's hard to imagine a scenario where someone would have put this into a barn a "forgotten" about it.

This 1965 Mustang Fastback barn find has definitely seen better days, but it wouldn't take much to get her back on the road and looking sharp!

This 1970 Dodge Charger RT would make a great restoration project!

Although not in the best condition, I'm sure the value of this 1953 Porsche 356 1500 fully restored would make this a very worthwile project to restore.

Here's a 1968 Charger.

You definitely don't see 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air barn finds very often. This beauty seems to be in great shape as well!

Wow. 1965 Shelby Cobra just sitting in a barn some where. From the looks of it, I'm guessing this isn't a kit either. This folks, is the real deal.

If anyone has any information about any of these barn finds or any restoration updates from them, we would love to hear! Have you ever come across a barn find? Tell us the story in the comments!

Which Classic Car Websites are your Favorite?

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:18:03 -0700

Hey gear heads;

Which classic car websites are your favorite? Most of us enjoy looking at pictures, participating in tech talk with others, and sourcing the best spots to buy and sell cars & parts. We are working on a big list of the best sites, and we will use everyone's favorite submissions in our list. (We made a top 10 list of our favorite last year)

So - sound off in the comments below. Tell us your favorite classic car websites. Once you do - be sure to add your classic car pictures to our site to share with everyone!

Pro Touring Vintage Camaro

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:55:16 -0700

Here's a beautiful pro touring build of a classic Camaro. I'm not sure what this beauty has under the hood, but judging from these modern black wheels, I'm taking a guess that this entire car has been gone through and modernized.

So what you think? Like it?

The Ronster Mustang; too custom or bad ass?

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:49:49 -0700

Several years ago, the boys over at Mustangs Plus started working on a pretty unique idea. They wanted to build a roadster mustang, so they took an already damaged couple and brought it back to life. Then - they started hacking it up and added some metal and fiberglass. The results are wild!

Now - a classic car purest might scoff at this type of a custom build. But what do you think? Does this custom Mustang bring the right amount of modern design for you liking while still maintaining it's classic heritage, or is this look just not working for you?

LeMay Auto Museum

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:27:27 -0700

On Sunday I visited the LeMay Auto Museum for the first time. They've got some fantastic classic cars there, and I especially enjoyed checking out cars that are a little older than the muscle cars that I tend to favor. Here are a couple cool ones:

I'm guessing you might not have ever seen one of these before. Do you have any idea what it is?

Have you been to this Museum? Did you like it? If you're planning on going anytime soon, it couldn't hurt to learn the differences between 55', 56', and 57' Chevy Bel Airs. We wouldn't want you to not be able to tell the difference.