Good 80s cars for restoration?

[MinisterofDOOM]

YES! I LOVE THE HELL out of the 8 series. So gorgeous. Amazing proportions. Great engines.

[audtatious]

or



or



Close to an 80's car....

[themadscientist]

over twenty in driving distance!

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale ... 5190&Log=0

It's so damned quiet at triple digit speeds. It seems wrong somehow to be going that fast without the engine screaming or wastegates cracked open.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDnp3tsTzpM[/youtube]

[300ZXttZMAN]

I don't want to be "that guy", but I really think you should get a Z

Is that the Black Gold edition?

Yes

[300ZXttZMAN]

I don't want to be "that guy", but I really think you should get a Z

Yea I didn't want to be that guy either (even though I normally am ) I just love Nissan Z cars and I can't help it.

+1 on not restoring a foxbody

[jbracy7]

1989 300zx or a1989 240sx case closed

[jbracy7]

On second thought that bmw 8 series has a v12, I did not know that,but dawm if it ain't pricey

[Kompresshun]

I've always loved the SVO Mustangs and they're pretty unique looking:



Mark III Supra's are sexy too:



Turbo Coupe Thunderbird:



Dodge Daytona:



That's just a few of my favs that haven't been mentioned yet.

[Jesda]

That Supra is impossibly pretty!

[alms24sebring]

I've always loved the SVO Mustangs and they're pretty unique looking:

NO! NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!


+1 on the 8 series. There are a few of them around here that I see. Im not sure how much it would cost to put some money in it though, could be pricey. Could be a hoar to work on too, but it is a pretty Beamer regardless. Really a good choice would be any 80s/early 90s Beamer IMO.

Mmm Mark III. Restore a nice 1JZ, keep it stock. Kelly couldnt turn away from that. Oh and speaking of Kelly and restorations...



Looks like she put some money in that and remembers how to drive a stick

[Razi]

E24s are pretty.

[Kompresshun]

NO! NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!

I can get there on the fox body in general, but not the SVO. The SVO will always be special to me, because you don't see very many of them and you can build the hell out of that little 4cyl. A buddy of mine owned one that looked very similar to this one back home:



It was laying down 450hp at the wheels with the 2.3L Turbo and he autocrossed it every weekend too.

[audtatious]

1983 Hurst Olds

[Heavy]

if you can find one.... 500E



http://newlondon.craigslist.org/cto/3055455931.html
http://providence.craigslist.org/cto/3002899916.html

[Bubba1]

On second thought that bmw 8 series has a v12, I did not know that,but dawm if it ain't pricey

The 8 series Bimmer kinda falls into the same category as a Porsche 928, or Ferrari 308. Sexy exotic cars, that can be acquired dirt cheap. Doesn't mean you should. The 800 lb gorilla problem is that people get easily seduced by them, but end up grabbing their own ankles &taking it in the arse when the euphoria wears off and they realize how insanely expensive they are to repair. Then when (not if) one throws in the towel and try to sell it, if those expensive repairs don;t get done to make them roadworthy, no one will give you anything for it. Unless you can wrench BMW's, I'd advise against owning big Bimmers.

As far as driving the 850i. They are comfortable and the V12 is smooth and torquey, but that V12 is not as peppy as you would expect for such a sleek looking car, and it
s fairly thirsty when it comes to gas. It's more of a weekend cruiser than canyon carver. And should not be considered for DD duty. And yes, I've driven one. A better car to drive than to own.

[frapjap]

On second thought that bmw 8 series has a v12, I did not know that,but dawm if it ain't pricey

The 8 series Bimmer kinda falls into the same category as a Porsche 928, or Ferrari 308. Sexy exotic cars, that can be acquired dirt cheap. Doesn't mean you should. The 800 lb gorilla problem is that people get easily seduced by them, but end up grabbing their own ankles &taking it in the arse when the euphoria wears off and they realize how insanely expensive they are to repair. Then when (not if) one throws in the towel and try to sell it, if those expensive repairs don;t get done to make them roadworthy, no one will give you anything for it. Unless you can wrench BMW's, I'd advise against owning big Bimmers.

As far as driving the 850i. They are comfortable and the V12 is smooth and torquey, but that V12 is not as peppy as you would expect for such a sleek looking car, and it
s fairly thirsty when it comes to gas. It's more of a weekend cruiser than canyon carver. And should not be considered for DD duty. And yes, I've driven one. A better car to drive than to own.

Lots of good info there. As much as I love an 850 and crank my head around when I see one, they aren't all that amazing from the factory. They can be had with a V8 (and thats what I'd buy), but the V12 is stupidly complicated- two mass air sensors, two COMPUTERS, two of everything. All to make 300hp.

Buy 850, install LS1, profit.

[alms24sebring]

He has step 2!!!

[Bubba1]

+1 on not restoring a foxbody

+2 on not restoring a fox body. It's not that they suck. They have a big following, but there are so simply too many of them, combined with they were built cheaply, means you'll never recoup your investment. Easier to buy a fixed up one for less than cost of the restoration than to do it yourself. then you simply take it to a cruise night and win a few trophies as people love 'em.

My neighbor has a pristine '88 GT 5.0 stock convertible garage queen, paid just $8K for it. and it drives fairly well, though the stock brakes are awful. It always seems to have something minor wrong with it. It feels so cheap, but that's the way fox bodies were. it never fails to draw admirers, and it does sound pretty nice when he tromps on the gas.

[Mr1der]

Lincoln MKVII

or a Thunderbird Turbocoupe. Something a little wacky.

[themadscientist]

Sure, it smells like tofu, but they are fun as hell.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Ok so I kinda quickly read this thread, and I've got to agree... German stuff from the 80s is just better than most other options.

[asoomal]

AMG Hammer.







http://www.insideline.com/features/1986 ... t-rod.html


Just thought I'd post it here.

[themadscientist]

Can't touch those....

[Bubba1]

Sure, it smells like tofu, but they are fun as hell.

I think you're on the right track, but I'd go older, like 1980-83 SR-5 Liftback. The older ones were so much nicer looking than the AE86. They were also roomy, built well, 35mpg, RWD, handled great, cheap to repair/maintain, and ridulously reliable. Parts are still easy to get. I owned one for many years and would have kept it had it been equipped with A/C. It was an option back then.

they were obviously not fast, but they were peppy and fun to toss around.

[Mr1der]

I think we all know the answer.

Monte Carlo Luxury Sport.

The body lines are slightly subdued in comparison to the SS. and I dig the one piece headlights.



also, Denzel had one with hydros. Not the Luxury Sport...but still.

[Mr1der]

look, I'm just saying...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1988-CHE ... 337733a629

They're not quite as desirable as the SS models were for whatever reason.

It's that or I'm gonna pull out Ford Rancheros. Dogs like almost truck cars.

[Mr1der]

f*** it, changed my mind.

You need this in your life.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-FOR ... 1e6ede21c1

Sweet christ...there's a bunch of neat looking Rancheros on Ebay at prices I wasn't expecting to be as low as they are.

[Bubba1]

I think we all know the answer.

Monte Carlo Luxury Sport.

The body lines are slightly subdued in comparison to the SS. and I dig the one piece headlights.



also, Denzel had one with hydros. Not the Luxury Sport...but still.

The onlyMonte Carlo's left around in my area have Sunoco official fuel of NASCAR decals covering the bad spots in the bumper, leaky mufflers, a decal in the back window of the little boy peeing on the 24, confederate flag front license plate, trunk lid mounted CB antenna, and yosemite Sam chrome mudflaps.

Hey Jesda, since you like Caddy's, how about a mid 80's sedan de ville? they're not particularly collectible but you can still find pristine garage queens dirt cheap at retirement communities. Heck, my father-in-law literally gave his away, and it was uber clean.

[themadscientist]

No, get a Bro-Ham.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Hey Jesda, since you like Caddy's, how about a mid 80's sedan de ville? they're not particularly collectible but you can still find pristine garage queens dirt cheap at retirement communities. Heck, my father-in-law literally gave his away, and it was uber clean.

Coupe DeVille > Sedan DeVille.

I miss mine. I just wish mine had had a proper engine and not the HT4100.