What’s The Word?
For a time just before the Mustang premiered in the mid-1960’s, Ford Motor Company’s top franchise was the Thunderbird. After the first generation Thunderbird’s were produced, the T-Bird increased in size to become a mid-sized car. One of the most desirable of that second-generation of T-Birds was the 1959. It was the year that Ford decided to set its sights on NASCAR. They came out with the big 430 ci V8 which was the most powerful mill on the planet that year. You might say it started the big block muscle car wars between the Big Three auto manufacturers.
This week Streetside Classics in Atlanta just posted a super rare 1959 Ford Thunderbird Convertible born with a 430 ci V8 from the factory. They say it has been restored “to a high standard and is absolutely stunning.” The popular Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels set it off, and it has the continental kit as well. This one has it all. The correct two-tone red and white interior, bucket seats, console and disappearing white convertible top are attention getters. But what makes this car so collectible is the rare J-Code 430 ci V8 engine which was optional that year. It is one of only 1,168 J-code Thunderbirds produced that year. It is backed up by a Cruise-O-Matic transmission. It has a power convertible top.
With innovative monocoque construction, the T-Bird was long and low with an overall height of only 52.5 inches. The door tag indicates that it was an original J-Code. Be sure to look at the undercarriage photos on the ad page. Very clean.
New Listings
New Listings Page
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Classic Car News This Week
Big Car Show Weekend
This is a car show “crowded” weekend. Just check our Car Show Calendar and you will see what we mean. One of the shows you will want to catch if you are in the area is the Sloan Museum Autofairat the Flint, Michigan Cultural Center. They are celebrating “Wonderful Woodies” with wood-bodied station wagons “taking center stage” all weekend. But that is only one of the great events noted on the Cars-On-Line Car Show Calendar this weekend. For those of you out East you can’t miss the big Syracuse Nationals in New York. In Minnesota, the giant Back to the 50’s Weekend might set a record with over 11,000 street rods in attendance. And Corvette afficianadoes will not want to miss the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show held on the campus of Illinois State University. Stay tuned to the COL Car Show Calendar all summer for upcoming events.
This Weeks Featured Stories
Cord 812 Supercharged
Here is a new arrival at the Ellingson Motor Cars showroom in Rogers, Minnesota. It is a 1937 Cord 812 “Coffin Nosed” Sportsman Cabriolet. The Lycoming V8 is supercharged and it transfers power via a 4-speed manual transmission. The “sports car” of its day was also way ahead of its time. Its innovations included rear opening hood, front wheel drive, hide-away convertible top, and “roll up headlights.” Additionally, Cord’s “coffin nose” front wheel drive design allowed for a lower ride height, which eliminated the need for running boards. But this Cord’s greatest innovation was the supercharger. First introduced by Cord in 1937, the supercharger bumped the 812’s horsepower from 125 to 170. Since Cord was running out of money in 1937 they believe only a handful of these supercharged Cords were produced. This may be the only one you see for public sale. They tell us that this car is a full CCCA certified classic car and ready for CCCA events. We are very impressed with the undercarriage photos of this car. We can’t wait for the video which should be out soon.
Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
Sometimes we don’t realize how advanced some of our auto makers were even in the post-war era. This 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible was just listed for sale by The Throttlestop in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Compare this design to a Chevrolet or Ford or Chrysler during this same era and you will see what I mean. Of course, this is a beautifully restored example of the original Series 62 Cadillac. The Throttlestop tells us it has been in the same family for the past 50 years. They say it is as close to factory original as is possible to find. The 331 ci V8 moves it with smooth effortless performance as the Hydra-Matic transmission transfers the power. The Fiesta Ivory paint is elegant and contrasts the luxurious red leather interior. Click here to watch a walk-around video and hear it run.
1978 Pontiac Trans Am Y88
This 1978 Pontiac Trans Am Y88 is one of those collector Trans Ams that might fly under the radar of the uninitiated. These Trans Ams have not yet gone up in value. Today it is still being offered in a low price range. But it checks all the boxes to make it one of the most desirable TA’s for collectors. The Y88 was a special edition Gold Package. It is one of only 1,267 Y88’s built in 1978. This one comes with the WS6 and the W72 Performance Package which features a high-output 400ci V8 engine combining higher compression and performance camshaft making 220 horsepower and 340 lbs-ft of torque. The private party seller says it has the numbers matching, WC-coded 400ci V8 engine mated to its original Borg Warner T10 4-speed manual transmission and 3.42 Posi-traction rear axle. He says it is rust free, and he has the build sheet and window sticker to prove authenticity. It not only checks all the boxes, but the seller’s asking price is very reasonable. There is the potential to buy it now and watch it increase in value. Have a pre-purchase inspection done first, however, to ensure the car is in a condition class that will appreciate in value.
Video Ads
1937 Ford Coupe
A Baby Boomer from Austin, Texas was wondering what he could do to enhance his ad so more people would see it. We suggested using video in his ad to make that 1937 Ford Coupe come alive for the potential buyer. Undaunted by the technological know-how it would take, he called his grandson who had this video ready in just days. Check out the video at the window above. He even used a drone for greater effect. Now that’s just over-achieving.
Have you seen our CarsOnLine.tv Classic Car Video marketplace? To feature your car on CarsOnLine.tv, just add a video to your Cars-On-Line.com ad. Video ads have become the most important development for internet sellers. Just upload your video to YouTube and we’ll embed your video in your Cars On Line.com ad at no extra charge.
Here are a few more ads with interesting videos:
Collector Cars with Low Miles
1962 Chevrolet Impala
Here is a 1962 Chevrolet Impala 2-Door Hardtop still dressed the way it came from the factory. That is because it still only has 23,162 miles showing on the odometer. It is being offered for sale this week at Coyote Classics in Greene, Iowa. They believe the miles to be accurate. Powered by a GF-code 283 C.I. V8 breathing through a 2-barrel carburetor, this ’62 Impala makes for one sweet cruiser. Torque is transferred to the pavement by a 2-speed “Powerglide” automatic transmission. Click here to view a walk-around video by Coyote Classics. You’ll learn a lot from this video.
Here are more recent Low Miles additions:
2002 Camaro SS Anniversary from Englewood, FL, 26,000 miles
1988 Pontiac Fiero GT, Midwest Car Exchange, IL, 46k miles
2001 Corvette Convertible, Streetside Charlotte, 29k actual miles
2002 Ford Thunderbird, Unique Classic Cars, MN, 16,884 actual miles
2000 Cadillac Eldorado ETC, Streetside Charlotte, 6,675 actual miles
2002 Corvette, Jensen Dealerships, IA, 43k miles
You’ll find these and hundreds more in our Low Miles Section online now.
Project Vehicles for Restoration
1964 Pontiac Catalina
If you were to have this 1964 Pontiac Catalina 2-Door Hardtop in A-1 mechanical condition it would sell in a New York minute. That’s how popular these cars are among Pontiac collectors. So here is one that needs some significant mechanical help. It is being offered for sale through the Classic Auto Mall in Pennsylvania. They say it runs and drives but has a miss in the engine. The shocks need replacing, radio, heater blower and horn are not working. The TH350 has a different shift pattern than the one that came in this car. So even though this car looks great in the photos. It needs significant updates or a complete restoration.
The following are just some of the cars available in the Project Car Section this week:
1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III, Gullwing Motor Car Co, NY,
1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL, Gullwing Motor Cars, NY
1965 Ford F100 Pickup, Unique Classic Cars, MN
Find hundreds of project cars for sale in the Project Car Section.
Price Reduced
1969 Chevelle SS Pro Touring
Will pro touring and restomod cars ever come down in price? It seems they just keep going up in value. But here is a 1969 Chevelle SS Pro Touring car being sold by its Maryland private party seller. He just dropped his price. Born a real 396/375 SS Chevelle, it now boasts a built 496 ci with a Tremec 5-speed. It has a Hotchkiss suspension, coil overs, Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes, stainless exhaust and gas tank, and 18” Cragar wheels with Kumho tires. When he first listed it he was asking $122,500 for the car. But just this week he dropped the price to $110,000.
Here are more vehicles with price cuts this week:
| Vehicle For Sale | Original Price | Reduced To |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT | $160,000 | $150,000 |
| 1970 Chevelle SS | $135,000 | $125,000 |
| 1968 Chevelle SS 396 Convertible | $65,000 | $59,900 |
| 1941 Dodge Custom | $42,000 | $27,000 |
| 1991 GMC Syclone | $50,000 | $47,000 |
| 1993 Mustang Notchback | $55,000 | $52,000 |
| 1969 Dodge Dart GTS | $58,000 | $50,000 |
| 1985 Cadillac Seville Elegante | $21,000 | $14,905 |
| 1964 Chevrolet Pickup | $45,000 | $39,500 |
| 1970 Corvette LS5 Coupe | $55,000 | $51,500 |
| 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 SC | $22,500 | $19,500 |
| 1987 Corvette Convertible | $13,500 | $11,500 |
| 1974 Dodge Challenger | $45,000 | $20,000 |
| 1966 Dodge Charger | $46,900 | $42,900 |
See more great deals in the Street Rod Section, or watch the the New Listings page.
Rock n Roll 50’s
Find more in the Off Road Section on Cars On Line.com. There’s even more on the New Listings page!
Find more in the SUV Section online. You can see all the fresh ads on the New Listings page.
Fresh ads appear first on the New Listings page.
Fresh ads appear first on the New Listings page.
Classic Luxury
You can see all the fresh ads as they are listed each day on the New Listings page.
You can see all the fresh ads as they are listed each day on the New Listings page.
You can see all the fresh ads as they are listed each day on the New Listings page.
Chevy Muscle
Find more on the New Listings page of our website.
Find more in the Ford Muscle Car Section, or watch the fresh listings as they appear on the New Listings page.
Check the Mercury Muscle Car Section. Or you can see all the fresh ads as they are listed daily on the New Listings page.
Check the Pontiac Performace Section for more. See all the fresh ads listed on the New Listings page.
Check the Oldsmobile Muscle Car Section . See more listed each day on the New Listings page.
Check out the Buick Muscle Car Section. More listed daily on the New Listings page.
You’ll find many more modern sports cars listed by year in the Late Model Sports Car Section.
Scroll through the Trucks & 4x4s Section for more. The newest ads come in on the New Listings page.
Classic Customs
You’ll see more for sale in the Customs Section and on the New Listings page.
You’ll see more for sale in the Pro Street Section, or on the Cars On Line New Listings page.
Classic Pickups
See more for sale in the Truck Section or watch for fresh listings on the New Listings page.
See more great deals in the Luxury Section or on the New Listings page.
See more great deals in the Mustang Section and on the New Listings page.
Muscle Car Clones
Bullitt Mustang
If you are a Bullitt movie fan you’re going to like this listing. Channel your inner Steve McQueen and check out this 1968 Mustang Fastback done in Highland Green. Not a perfect car but it is a really sweet driver type Bullitt, according to Classic Auto Mall in Pennsylvania where the car is for sale. It has a 302 instead of the 390 ci V8, but Classic Auto Mall says it performs. Find out more when you call for an appointment to see this movie replica. But watch out for the black Dodge Charger behind you.
The following are more recently listed Muscle Car Clones:
1968 Chevrolet Impala, Streetside Nashville, SS tribute
1973 Plymouth Satellite, Streetside Nashville, Road Runner tribute
1965 Mustang, Streetside Charlotte, Shelby vibes
Make sure you watch our New Listings page for daily updates. There’s even more in the Muscle Car Section.
Deals of the Day
1964 Ford Fairlane 500
A private party seller form South Carolina just posted a 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 for sale. It looks really sharp in the photos. But the asking price is pretty affordable. They say it has 75,264 miles on the odometer, and comes with a 289 2-barrel V9 with automatic transmission. The price is so right that we can imagine some entrepreneuring mechanic will likely turn it into a 289 K Code Fairlane or may even a Thunderbolt. The interior looks that nice. See dozens of photos in the Slide Show ad on the ad page. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Saturday. Their asking price is $14,500. Hurry!
1962 Studebaker GT Hawk
This is where a pre-purchase inspection comes in handy. Here is a 1962 Studebaker GT Hawk which was listed for sale this week by a private seller from Wisconsin. It looks good in the photos, but from the description it sounds like it has not yet been fully restored. This is definitely a worthwhile car to restore. The seller says it has had new paint, interior, tires, battery, hubaps, radiator, rear bumper and some trim inside. He says it has a new gas tank and sending unit, fuel pump and also a rebuilt starter. This is a 4-speed car. He says it has excellent glass, a very solid frame and glass packs. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Sunday. The asking price is $13,500. Be prepared to do some work on this one.
1965 AMC Marlin
The fastback styling and hardtop window opening on AMC’s little Rambler Marlin has been a treasured styling cue for collectors for generations now. You just don’t see very many of them come through our pages anymore. But this week Unique Classic Cars out of Mankato, Minnesota listed a 1965 AMC Marlin for sale. It’s not perfect, but its not expensive either. Interestingly this Marlin fastback is powered by a 287 ci V8 with an automatic transmission. It has a console and shifter on the floor. Unique notes that the paint has some minor imperfections here and there but overall has a good shine. Blower fan and wipers work! Have it inspected before you buy, but hurry. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Monday. Their price: $19,900.
1979 Lincoln Mark V
Unique Classic Cars in Mankato, Minnesota is wholesaling collector cars. They have been doing it for so long that you might say they are pretty good at it. This week they came up with this 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V and are selling it for under $20,000. It has the popular Dove Grey paintwith matching quarter vinyl roof and opera windows. This is an elegant look. The sunroof, they report, is inoperable. It is equipped with power steering, power brakes, power windows, power locks and remote mirrors. Yes, it has air conditioning. Click here for a detailed video walk-around. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Tuesday. They are asking $19,900.
1989 Ford F-150
Unique Classic Cars also just listed this 1989 Ford F-150 Pickup for sale. It looks as though they have not gotten their description on this vehicle posted yet. From the few photos they have on the page it looks clean and solid. This is where a pre-purchase inspection would benefit you. You should fill out the inspection form right away. The ad page says it has only 43k miles. You should call them to verify that. Then have it inspected. Rating services say these trucks are extremely reliable. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Wednesday. Their asking price is $14,900.
1985 Corvette
What makes this 1985 Corvette a “collector grade investment?” Well, first off, its a Corvette which automatically gives it Gold Standard status. But, most important, this Corvette has only 11,500 actual miles, as Rock Solid Motorsports tells us. They have just posted the Corvette for sale. They say they have it documented with the original window sticker, build sheet, pre-delivery inspection report, warranty card and the original owner’s card. As a point of interest. This Corvette comes with the Doug Nash 4+3 manual transmission. Remember that? It will be our DEAL of the DAY later next week. Their asking price is $17,995.
Often there are more cars that deserve to be in the DEAL of the DAY than we can schedule for our front page feature. Here is a list of cars that just missed the cut for the DEAL of the DAY this week. Remember, you saw them here first:
| 1966 Buick Skylark | $19,500 | Cranston, RI |
| 1996 Corvette Collector Edition | $17,900 | Mundelein, IL |
| 2002 Corvette Convertible | $19,995 | Nashville, TN |
| 1985 Cadillac Eldorado | $12,700 | Troy, MI |
| 1978 Cadillac Sedan DeVille | $19,900 | Mankato, MN |
| 1981 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham | $16,900 | Mankato, MN |
| 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE | $15,000 | Flushing, MI |
Cars for under $10,000:
| 1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SL | $6,000 | Flushing, MI |
| 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL | $9,999 | Mankato, MN |
| 1975 Lincoln Mark IV | $8,900 | Mankato, MN |
| 1994 Corvette | $9,999 | Sherman, TX |
| 2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon | $3,600 | Two Rivers, WI |
Cars On Line features vehicles here based on their listed price. We are not endorsing these vehicles. We have not inspected or appraised any of the above vehicles. We are only pointing out that these vehicles are priced at a discount to the market. When you buy from a private party the purchase is always “as is” and “where is.” There is no warranty implied or given on any of these cars by Cars On Line. It is your responsibility as the buyer to protect yourself from misrepresentation of any car advertised. We strongly recommend having a vehicle inspected as one precaution before you buy. Click here to purchase a detailed vehicle inspection.
NEW Free Parts Ads Section
… NOW FEATURING PHOTO ADS FOR PARTS
Check out our NEW Parts For Sale Section with Photo Ads. We think you’ll really like using our FREE Parts Listings. It is now much easier to place your ads. Have some old but valuable parts you want to sell? Cars On Line Parts Ads are FREE. And we just added photo capability. It is the best of both worlds.
You can run Parts For Sale ads for FREE! Check it out. Just click go to the Parts Section. Once there, look for the FREE Plan, and click “Get Started Now.” We also have ad plans for vendors at a very modest cost.
Thank You
Thanks for reading Cars On Line ads. We really appreciate the community of car enthusiasts who read our website daily to keep up on what’s for sale. This newsletter is designed to make your efforts a little easier and give you a shot at the great deals when they first hit our pages.
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DISCLAIMER: Readers should be aware that the editiorial comments made in this newsletter are strictly the opinion of the author, Larry Kolb. Mr. Kolb offers his editorial opinion of the marketability of these cars based on information provided by the sellers. Neither Mr. Kolb nor Cars On Line.com has seen or inspected these cars. These comments are not to be mistaken for advertising, nor should they be considered an endorsement of any product. They are strictly editorial in nature. Neither Mr. Kolb nor Cars On Line will profit from the sale of any of the cars mentioned here. No warranty of these vehicles is implied or given. It is strongly recommended that anyone interested in the purchase of these vehicles should have them inspected before the sale.
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