A friend of mine is looking to buy an "old car" for that vintage V8 sound and look. He knows he cannot afford the high dollar stuff such as Chevelles, Camaros, Novas, Challengers, RR/GTX and that's okay. He's not brand loyal but kind of likes Mopars. I told him to search for Olds Cutlasses, Skylarks, Pontiac Lemans, 318 Dart Swingers, and that kind of non muscle car stuff. I started looking on FB and Feebay to help.

It's unbelievable what people are asking for this stuff! Some is absolute junk and it's priced in the thousands. Even six cylinder, four door stuff.

I told him be patient, don't rush and to remember asking price doesn't mean selling price. But it sure is discouraging.

Some of the engines in the BOP cars have some issues from less than great engineering designs so it's important to do some research over those things ahead of time. Some Buicks have oil pressure problems as one example. All 3 of them will cost more to rebuild as well. Better to pay for one that has a good engine that doesn't need rebuilt. Honestly that should be said about pretty much anything these days.

People overlook Mercury's, but some of the early Comets are very good looking cars. Cougars and Rancheros are also not super in demand, and some look pretty good.

62-67 Novas with a six can be converted to a V8 for dirt cheap. Not sure those cars are cheap though.

Older short bed pickups are fun, and easy to work on, and have good resale value. Can always buy a long bed and have it cut down to a short bed too.

Aspens or Volare with a V8, Early 60's Valiants, late 70's Dusters and Dart Sports if you can find one.

And, yes, many people are high on their own supply with pricing things they are trying to sell. Most of it will never sell for what they think it's worth, and their wives and kids are going to dispose of it after they are gone.

Cash is king being the timeless expression. Never know what folks will take until you show up with greenbacks

old is a relative term and it depends on how much work he is willing to put in or how "done" the car has to be for the price.

I have seen stuff from the 80's and 90's that are 30 to 40 years old now if you think about it, in the 3 to 4k range, even corvettes in that range, but the will require another 5 to 10 k of work to make them very nice, or you could drive it as a beater with only a couple grand of work.

anything from the 60's under 10k is going to be a project.
saw some old vette stuff 62 that is just the body. 65 that is just the running drive train/frame for around 20k .

but there is a 68 barracuda for 6k, but it is in parts.

C-bodies are still pretty affordable, you can get a BB c mostly done for under 20k

really need to pick an era and price point that makes sense.

I think the position that should not be overlooked from the seller's POV here, they are only looking for that one single motivated must have buyer, and they have the time to wait.
Meaning those as others stated, are not real market prices, but it does have an impact on the perception of market prices, and why the real market priced offerings quickly leave the market as being sold.

First-Time buyers almost always mess up. They set their budget too low to buy something great, they believe that asking prices on the internet have something to do with reality, they don't understand that many auction sales are fake, and they don't know how to tell a good car from a pile of crap. The point being, he may be able to buy a much more desirable car than he thinks he can at this point. And don't be afraid to borrow a little to buy quality.
So your friend will need a lot of guidance. One of the first things I think of if I'm going to spend money on a car is and what if I have to bail on this car because my health or financial situation changes, or if I leave the planet in my wife has to sell it. Resale value is important.

Two-Door performance model mopars and Pontiacs, mustangs, Camaros, chevelles, as long as they're good cars and are bought right are a safe bet. If you buy wisely you're probably never going to lose anything on it. There are a lot more buyers.
Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Fords that aren't mustangs, or anything with four doors, have a smaller following, are harder to sell, and increase your likelihood of taking a bath on it. Any disassembled project is most likely going to be a loser.

I have sayings that I use about buying and owning cars. "If you buy dogs you own dogs.'' "If it's hard to buy it's easy to sell, if it's easy to buy it's hard to sell." "When you buy the best, it only hurts once."
Good luck to your friend.

I agree.buy the best car possible.

Even if getting a loan to make it happen


2nd....do not buy rust

I've seen some decent buys out here for an early mustang.
Some v8s.
But mostly 6cyls.

I looked at solid 67 mustang notchback last month.

289 car. Red with red interior. Paint could have been better. But was a solid no rust car
Asking high teens

80's Mustang are still reasonable, great small cars with performance.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1989-ford-mustang-ssp/

And there are deals on newer Mustangs

https://www.toyotaofmelbourne.com/a...SIuThu7LsD0NYvh3aTtRr_DORMMaAs8KEALw_wcB

***Edit: Ignore the above, you're not going to get much for $5k, those days are gone.

This is what I think may be the case. It's not a daily driver and they aren't hard up for cash, so waiting on that one person willing to pay. I couldn't stand to do that. When I'm selling something I just want to get it done.

He is not going to get a loan. His wife is against it so he's got to be on a budget. You married people know what I'm talking about lol. But seriously, he's got three young kids, a mortgage and all that stuff so he's got to keep it around $5k ish.

I have advised him to not buy rust. Buy something that may not be mechanically perfect, burning a little oil, that kind of thing. I told him metal work will eat him alive, but mechanical stuff we can tinker with over time. His price range being what it is is why I told him to avoid the popular models including Mustang GT's.

I've also told him this

Unfortunately, so much of the rust free stuff is out west. We're in FL.

Here's one example. Does this look like a $9k car? Nope. IF IF IF it were a running car it could be, but this is a project and he doesn't want a project. He's not prepared to take on a project nor does he have the money it would require even if he spent half on this project.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/390181836978595/?
"Clean Title
71,000 Original Miles
Great Project Car
Make an Offer might not turn it down.
Comes with 318 Engine (not currently in car)"

$5,000 is gonna be a tough price point to pull off, especially for a V-8.
Might be something like an early Mustang or Cougar or Fairlane/Torino/Comet; possibly an early Firebird, '68-'72 Nova, but even a basic Chevelle would be really hard to find at that amount.
For Mopars, maybe an early Dart or Valiant; maybe an early B, but that's also very hard to get for $5,000.
B-O-P from '64-'65 might be out there.
Agree, a "mechanic's special" would be easier on the wallet than needing body and paint work.
He should probably start cruising neighborhoods and auto repair shops looking for abandoned or gotta-go-away cars, that kind of thing.

It is looking like it's nearly impossible but I think it will just take a lot of time. I've searched Comets, Falcons and Fairlanes too. If he'd go for a four door he could swing it, but he's looking good for 2dr. I guess Starsky and Hutch and then Gran Torino jacked the prices by $10k on those cars lol.

So far, I can't even find a solid A body two door even with a 6cyl that's in his price range and not a project. I probably could convince him to drive it with the slanty and eventually swap in a V8 when he can afford to.

Look at this mess priced at $8k

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1743107406516031/?

near me there is an 84 5th ave, old m-body for 3500, runs and drives but still needs work. interior is ok, has a little body damage, but overall good car. used to be a 1k or less car, but such is today's car market.

94 camaro with a corvette motor, stick shift. only 3300, but it won't start now. paint and body look good. no interior pics.


that is another thing I noticed. stick shifts are lower on the price now. since new buyers can't drive a stick I guess.

Green thing needs a zero removed from the price, and even then that might be generous.

Somehow I just knew it was going to have a black spray bombed engine compartment.

Focus on a solid shell with all the panels/floor pans/frame/trim and interior intact. WAY easier/cheaper to put together engine/trans/suspension stuff than trying to do paint and body. Some of those "little" trim pieces cost $$$$$$ to find and purchase.

Under budget

https://www.facebook.com/share/18UCWSCXmc/

all of those have been up in price for years now.. hell 80's cars are way up in price.. not a good time to get into to classic cars if you don't want to spend 15+K.

The low end of the market is terrible up here in the Northwest. The same cars are on Facebook Marketplace for months and months and they keep dropping the price. Good cars are getting good money though.

as others have posted.
finding a V8 car for $5K will be difficult. if you do find one it will probably be a fixer upper type car unless you get lucky.

i will add to the suggestion list.
C4 corvettes. these cars are somewhat difficult to work on so they are the cheapest of all corvettes. they have significant online support and best part of them is parts are usually not that difficult to find and reasonably priced. there will be some $$$ and difficult to find.
Fox body Lincoln Mark VII, T-Birds and Fairmont's.. these cars use the same drivetrain as a Fox body mustang. there is significant online support so working on them isn't hard and most parts are reasonably priced. And not difficult to find. some parts especially the Lincoln's will be really hard to find.
Lincoln mark VIII. they have the same drivetrain, 32 valve V8, as a cobra mustang. they have .so so online support. bad part is they are a pain to work on. breakdowns are common. parts are somewhat difficult to find and are $$$. these cars can usually be found pretty cheap for these reason. NICE cars can easily be found in the $5K range.

a non V8 car to look at in his price range that might tickle his fancy. S197 V6 mustangs. 05-09 cars needing work can easily be found in the $5K range. he might even find a V8 car needing work in his budget. from the outside no one will know it has a v6. significant online support. for the most part easy to work on and reasonably priced and easy to find parts.

i myself have a supercharges 08 Bullitt mustang. it's faster than 80% of the cars on the road. drives and rides great. is actually rarer than most mopars and the best part is i have less in the car than it cost to build a hemi motor that was in my 72 Roadrunner.

Prices are high but ..

I had a really nice 1 owner , 79 Aspen two door , tried to get $3500 for it for over a year , gave up sold it cheap to a friend

Well said! I sold my car for half what some people (and ‘dealers’) are asking, but I got what I would have thought was a fair deal if I was buying. There are some pretty nice cars near me that have been for sale for over a year…the sellers are asking top dollar and are willing to wait for that motivated buyer. I do think the muscle car market is higher than it should be for the regular cars…a ‘69 318 Coronet 440 isn’t worth $20k (to me) unless it’s in perfect condition - not something with rust around the rear window and a tired interior.

Buyers: "Prices for junky cars are ridiculously high and the sellers won't come down!"
Sellers: "My car is priced for half of what I put into it and just a bunch of tire kickers calling but not making a serious offer!"

A tale as old as time--it's all about your perspective. (The truth is actually somewhere in between.)

Something that might help the guy out - assuming he has more money to spend without messing up family life - is to get something that will hold or increase in value.
Obviously, that can move the purchase from scratching an itch into investment territory.
I'm interpreting the guy's desire as being a vintage ('60s - '70s) car, though some '80s cars are appreciating.
Of course, a lot depends on his ability and/or desire to repair/spiff up a vehicle, and whether he wants/needs a turn-key deal or has the time, patience, & funds for a project.

IMOP a IF you find a $5K V8 classic type car. it will probably need a fair amount of work to get it on the road. you will probably probably have about $8-$10K in it to be a decent driver.
as posted earlier spend a little more for a nicer car and in the end it will actually be cheaper than the budget car.

honestly if things were a little different for me financially and i have the space i would be all over this $9K 08 Bullitt mustang that looks to be a turn key driver..
in spring time this would be a easy $12K -$15K car. i am surprised a flipper hasn't picked it up already. he lists it as having 555,000 miles but the odometer reads 55,000.miles. he thought the tenths were actual miles.

https://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/cto/d/lewisville-08-ford-mustang-bullitt/7808493649.html
.

Wow! That's a nice piece for that price! I have the 9k but not the time to fetch or place to put it. Site prep on my new small toy barn was done today but the building won't be done till spring. Timing is everything and mine always sucks....lol

I like that mustang too! This seems like a good deal…sale price seems reasonable.
68 GTX

At that price point it isn't something you'll find online...

That is something someone had tucked away and just wants to sell...

It may be something coming out of an estate sale...

It isn't going to be just waiting for someone to come take it...

He'll have to be the first to find it and have the money in hand...

I always take my trailer if I hear of a good lead on something...

that ad was written by an idiot. I'll pass on dealing with an idiot's leftovers.

Is he open to a truck? I talked to a guy with some big block dodges this fall. Would be around his range and be fun.

That's kind of how I got my Imperial last fall.

A friend of mine at a cruise nite told me about it and that he was thinking of buying it. He passed but not because there was anything wrong with it and called me.

It was in the OP's price point, that is to say a you can't not buy it price.

47k original miles, unmolested. Still had L78s on it.

Kevin

That was good timing seeing as how you only get about 6 weeks of good enough weather for cruises...

Too many guys get hung up on having to have rare...matching numbers stuff...

Mine are all Mutts and I have a blast in all of them...

Kevin I did take the Duster to the track in November...11.93 @ 112 mph with 3.55 gears...

That car was a good find when I bought it in 2016 and would have fit into the ops budget...

The only cars you might get for $5000 that are worth buying are probably old luxury cars. Everything else will probably be a project of some sort. You can find some decent trucks for that. A rust free 1st Generation S10 with a V8 isn't hard to find and can be bought for $5000.

i don't think common S10's came with a V8. except for the limited edition, and expensive, Cyclone or Typhoon or something similar to that name.

No factory V8 S-10s. The typhoon/cyclone was a turbo V6.

Iron duke S-10's are really cool, if you can find a rust free example..it won't be fast, but it's gonna get you to your destination.

Does your friend have any experience with an "old" car?

If he's expecting a get in, turn the key and drive experience for $5k, he'll be disappointed unless he finds a screaming deal.

Not trying to be a Karen about it but his budget is only going to get him a car that's going to need more work to be dependable.

True. Even the Typhoon and Syclone were Turbo V6s. I thought I might have mentioned V8 swap, but I didn't. V8 swaps, especially the GM small block (327, 350, 400) are fairly easy in them and fairly easy to find already done.

at one time, i got an s10 that had a stock 350/350 transmission combo as a trade in on another vehicle.
that thing was a hoot to drive !
i drove it for a while, then sold it for $2500.00. [i only had roughly $500.00 in it] the guy i sold it to was happier than a pig in $hit with that truck !
however, that was over 25 years ago or longer..........not sure what that would be in today's money.

S10s (or GMC S15s, same truck) with SBC swaps are pretty snappy. And, IIRC, Mopar Action had an early Dakota with an LA swap.
Back in the late '70s, a buddy had a Chevy LUV with a 350/350 swap - pretty much a rocket on the street.
And an LA will fit in a D-50 - another good power/weight ratio.
I can't imagine any of those being only $5,000 unless they're rough or it's a fire sale.

I don't even know if the guy likes or wants a truck, but I found a few examples of S10s. Hardly anyone uses craigslist anymore, but it's always been easier to search than facebook. I don't have a facebook account either, so when doing a search I can only view a few until it wants me to log in.


In SE Georgia- $5000 https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...l_code=null&referral_story_type=post

Central Arkansas- $5200 https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...l_code=null&referral_story_type=post

Southern Missouri- $3500/has engine noise https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...l_code=null&referral_story_type=post

Eastern Nebraska- $5500 https://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/d/fremont-v8-swapped-1982-s10/7810062638.html

You aren't going to find much with a V8 and 2 doors for $5000.

No but thank you. He is set on a two door sedan/hardtop.

I guess. The consensus here seems to be he's not going to get what he wants for $5k I'm going to try and point him toward a slanty Dart Swinger and tell him drive the heck out of it until he can afford a small block swap. I'll ask him about S-10's. He said he really doesn't want a truck (I mean he'd love one but since he can only buy one thing now he'd rather it be a two door sedan) but maybe the S-10's will appeal to him.