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Mercury Makes History
When a 1965 Mercury Econoline Pickup was first listed this week we had no idea the layers of history surrounding the amazing custom pickup from Canada. First off, this was the first time we’ve ever seen one of these classic pickup trucks built by Mercury for the Canadian market. In doing some research, we found out that Ford produced the same Econoline light pickup truck in Canada that they produced in the U.S. only under the Mercury brand at their Ontario plant to avoid Canadian tariffs. As Ford developed the first-generation Ford Econoline pickup they also allowed Mercury to produce the Econoline EM-series light pickups which shared the Ford van body and cab. They looked very much like the Chevrolet Corvair Rampside pickups of that same era.
Now feature this. Streetside Classics out of their Phoenix store, just listed this very rare 1965 Mercury Econoline 5-Window Pickup for sale this week. As we have said, we have never seen one of these in stock original form. So it threw us off completely to view this one as a show quality custom build. Yes, this is one of the nicest custom builds we have ever seen. Somebody knew their Econoline history to refabricate the bed, the cab forward and the interior with the detail in which this one was completed. More than a classic pickup truck, this is an automotive work of art. It could have been entered in the Ridler Award competition in Detroit. It is that kind of custom quality.
Not only is this 1965 Mercury Econoline Pickup incredibly rare, but it also is a significant custom restoration. It has a 302 ci V8 engine with Cobra air cleaner, a four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power 4-wheel disc brakes, air conditioning, coil-over suspension, tilt steering and comes with a CD player and Bluetooth. Click here to watch a walk-around video and see all the custom fabrications.
When the U.S. and Canada signed the Auto-Pact in 1965, it brought an end to tariffs and allowed free movement of cars produced in the U.S. across the border in Canada. For a few years Ford used the Oakville, Ontario plant to produce Mercury branded M series trucks. But by 1968 Ford terminated Mercury pickup truck production. No Mercury branded trucks were ever sold in the U.S., only in Canada.
New Listings
New Listings Page
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Classic Car News This Week
Tariff Talk
U.S. Customs has corroborated what we had reported earlier about tariff rules on collector cars. In a post this week by West Coast Shipping, one of the big overseas car shipping services, they talked about the latest news from the U.S. Customs. Tariff talk is updated almost daily by the Customs office. While the tariff duties on products coming from the EU remain at 15 percent, the duty on classic cars over 25 years old is still just 2.5 percent as it has been for decades. With the United Kingdom, the U.S. has a reciprocol tariff of 10 percent, but classic cars are exempted. That means, if you are bringing a car into the U.S. from a foreign country, and that car is 25 years old or older, there would only be the standard 2.5 percent import duty which has always been in place.
In 1989, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated new rules so that collector vehicles could be imported into the U.S. Those rules say that any vehicle 25 years old or older may enter the U.S. at the standard 2.5 percent import duty. U.S. Customs has confirmed that these rules will remain in force.
AMC AMX Inspection
When a New Jersey buyer asked us to inspect a classic 1970 AMC AMX muscle car for him in Wisconsin. His concern was about which condition class to peg it in. The car was a “barn find” so he wanted to know where “the rust and rot was.” Was it a low Number 3 Condition Class that runs and drives but needs some cosmetic work short of a full restoration? Or was it a low Number 4 Condition Class that needs a lot of panel replacement and structural repair? There was a lot to consider as there always is in the pursuit of a “barn find.” The inspector seemed to be overall impressed with the body panels and structural integrity of the AMX. There were some troublesome discoveries along the way, mostly little things like the window regulators and horn not working. You can read the entire report here.
The first item on a buyer’s “To Do” list should be to contact the Cars-On-Line Inspection Service. Buying a collector car is much different than buying a new or used late model car. It is always a “buyer beware” type of sale. With a network of inspectors all over the U.S. and Canada, your first line of protection in any sale is a COL Collector Car Inspection. Learn more about collector car inspections when you read our COL Inspection Referral Service page.
This Weeks Featured Stories
2020 Lamborghini Huracan
The Exotic Car Section of the Cars-On-Line.com website is full of over-the-top super cars that perform as well as they look. A 2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder was listed for sale by Reina International Auto in Brookfield, Wisconsin yesterday. The color is Nero Helene metallic with a Nero Ade interior and Verdo calipers. This Huracan has Dallas Engineering oversized Twin Turbos to boost the V10 engine producing 630 horsepower. The transmission is a 7-speed double clutch. This is the model that initiated advanced four-wheel steering, integrated all-wheel drive and has the Lamborghini Dynamic Vehicle Integration (LDV) system. The aero-dynamic improvements are other worldly.
1970 Mercedes 280SL
Among the classic Mercedes-Benz Sport Luxury (SL) series sports cars, the one that gets the most respect is the 280SL. Its sophisticated luxury features made it stand out from the crowd. Restoring one of these cars is $$$ expensive. This week a collector from Wilmington, Illinois listed his California dreamin’ 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL which was expertly restored. He claims it to be “one of the best examples in the world.” It has undergone a “best of everything” restoration by master Mercedes restorer Gernold of SL Tech in Kennebunk, Maine. The redo incorporated many rare NOS parts including, trim, seals, chrome and glass. The engine was rebuilt by Metric Motors of Los Angeles. Even the color is rare: Bronze-Brown Metalica Code 461 G. Natually, he reports that it runs and drives perfectly.
Video Ads
1984 Camaro Z28
Dave from Showdown Auto in Michigan walks us around his 1984 Camaro Z28 which he believes to have only 6,828 original miles. If you are interested in collecting 1980’s sports cars you really should consider this one. This is a complete inspection tour of the vehicle. It has T-tops and T-top bags for storage, COLD air conditioning and the 5.0L V8 engine with automatic transmission. Most everything is factory original. It comes with a clean Carfax (see ad photos.)
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
Fiero Indy Pace Car
This 1984 Pontiac Fiero Pace Car was one of 2,000 dealers editions produced at Pontiac to celebrate the ’84 Indianapolis 500 race. What is significant about this particular example is that it still has only 1,674 actual miles, according to Cruisin Classics in Columbus, Ohio. All of the Fiero Pace Cars had the 1985 GT nose and they were the first 4 cylinder cars to be used as Pace Cars since the early part of the 20th Century. Each Pace Car replica could be ordered with a host of options. They tell us this one checked all the boxes and remains a true time capsule view to what a Fiero Pace Car should look like.
Here are more recent Low Miles additions:
2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 Convt, Ideal Classic Cars, FL, 6k miles
1967 Lincoln Continental, Classic & Collectible Cars, NV, 30k miles
1965 Corvette Convertible, Streetside Tampa, GA, 38,080 actual miles
1975 Corvette Convertible, Verrillo Motor Car Co, NY, 46,000 miles
1989 Mazda RX-7 Convt, Mershons, OH, 46,000 miles
2001 Corvette Convertible, Verrillo Motor Car Co, NY, 7,260 miles
2003 Corvette Convertible, Sovereign Auto Group, MI, 32,759 miles
You’ll find these and hundreds more in our Low Miles Section online now.
Project Vehicles for Restoration
1960 Corvette Convertible
Some auctions are only for collectors who are going to buy someone else’s hard work. However, the Carlisle Fall Auction in Carlisle, Pennsylvania will have some project cars to offer its buyers. If you are interested in restoring an early 1960 Corvette Convertible, here is one which will be coming up for sale at the Carlisle Fall Auction in October. They say it is an unrestored survivor which runs and drives. (“Drive it home,” they say in their ad.) In fact, they say it was a daily driver until now. It has a 283 ci V8 engine with a Muncie M20 4-speed transmission. Contact Carlisle for a list of new parts with which it has been updated. The Carlisle Fall Auction will happen October 2-3, 2025, during the Fall Carlisle Car Show and Swap Meet.
The following are just some of the cars available in the Project Car Section this week:
1957 Ford Thunderbird, Gullwing Motor Cars, NY
1960 Chevrolet Impala, Unique Classic Cars, MN
1958 Mercedes 220S Ponton, Gullwing Motor Cars, NY
1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1961 Corvette Convertible, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
Find hundreds of project cars for sale in the Project Car Section.
Price Reduced
1930 Brookville Roadster
Brookfield Roadsters are highly sought after Deuce Ford reproductions. Their claim to fame is that they are all steel with body shells refabricated for the modern street rodder. This is a premium build 1930 Ford Brookville Roadster offered for sale by a private party seller from Ontario, Canada. It has a Walker 4-core radiator, Bitchin firewall, Rootleib 3-piece vented hood and Dan Fink hidden hinges. In other words, it was built with the best in parts. Originally the seller was asking $59,900 for this Wild Cherry HOK beauty. But just this week he dropped the price to $37,000. Do you think it will last the weekend?
Here are more vehicles with price cuts this week:
| Vehicle For Sale | Original Price | Reduced To |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 Hudson Pickup | $44,000 | $28,000 |
| 1963 Pontiac Tempest Gasser | $55,000 | $50,000 |
| 1972 Plymouth Cuda | $62,000 | $58,900 |
| 1970 VW Bus | $38,000 | $35,000 |
| 1956 Ford Courier | $14,500 | $12,000 |
Pro Touring and Resto Mods
Street Rods
See more great deals in the Street Rod Section, or watch the the New Listings page.
Exotic Car Section
Rock n Roll 50’s
Off Road, 4x4s, and Jeeps
Find more in the Off Road Section on Cars On Line.com. There’s even more on the New Listings page!
Future Collectibles
Corvettes
Air-Cooled Porsches
Specialty SUVs
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.
Vintage Motorcars
You can see all the fresh ads as they are listed each day on the New Listings page.
Find more in the Ford Muscle Car Section, or watch the fresh listings as they appear on the New Listings page.
Pontiac Muscle Cars
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.
Station Wagons
Late Model Sports Cars
You’ll find many more modern sports cars listed by year in the Late Model Sports Car Section.
Late Model Trucks
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.
Motorcycles
Convertibles
Volkswagen
Imported Sports Cars
Classic Pickups
See more for sale in the Truck Section or watch for fresh listings on the New Listings page.
Late Model Luxury Cars
See more great deals in the Luxury Section or on the New Listings page.
Classic Mustangs
See more great deals in the Mustang Section and on the New Listings page.
Muscle Car Clones
1970 Chevelle LS6 Tribute
This 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Tribute has benefitted from a frame-off restoration, according to Collectible Motorcar of Atlanta. They are located just outside Atlanta in Marietta, Georgia. This beautifully executed LS6 tribute captures the essence of Chevelle muscle cars. The color is a deep Fatham Blue with iconic SS striping and a cowl hood. It has the period correct 512 block with a 4-bolt main and estimated 450 horsepower. The rear end is a 12-bolt, and it has the F41 Performance suspension with power steering, bucket sets and a center console. The manual transmission is a Muncie M22 “Rock Crusher” 4-speed. This is a lotta’ car right here. Click here to view a walk-around video.
The following are more recently listed Muscle Car Clones:
1967 Camaro RS/SS Convertible, Ideal Classic Cars, Pace Car Tribute
1969 Camaro, Super Sport Classics, FL, SS tribute
1967 Chevelle, Jensen Dealerships, IA, SS 396 tribute
1966 Chevelle, Ross Customs, MI, SS tribute
1968 Chevelle Convertible, Carlisle Fall Auction, PA, SS tribute
1968 Chevelle, Super Sport Classics, FL, SS tribute
1969 Camaro, Streetside Phoenix, AZ, SS tribute
1968 Camaro, Streetside Tampa, FL, RS/SS tribute
1968 Camaro, Streetside Tampa, FL, SS tribute
1968 Chevelle, Super Sport Classics, FL, SS tribute
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 Galaxie 500XL Convertible
A 1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL Convertible looks real nice in the photos. It is being offered for sale at the Classic Auto Mall in Morgantown, Pennsylvania this week. The price is so cheap it might make you look twice. That’s because this one has a few problems you should consider before you buy. In fact, our recommendation is to have a full pre-purchase inspection done be an independent third party company to determine its true value. The Classic Auto Mall is pretty upfront about the problems. This ride has plenty of scratches, bubbles, and chips, they say, along with a wavy body and some pitted metal. They note that the white canvas top is torn and detached. Read their drive report to find out how it runs out. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Saturday. Their asking price is only $13,900.
1964 Mercury Comet Caliente
No its not all original … its better than original. Here is a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliete 2-door hardtop that might serve as your daily driver. The price will not scare you off. It is also being offered for sale at the Classic Auto Mall in Pennsylvania. Has it been raced? Oh, yeah. The Hurst Quarter Stick shifter and triple gauge pod mounted in front of the center dash will give it away. And under the hood is where the money is. It has a built 347 ci V8 stroker motor with Edelbrock intake and Holley DFT Slayer 4-barrel carburetor. The motor is backed by a C4 3-speed automtic transmission and puts the power to the ground with a Ford 9”. You should have it inspected before you buy, but hurry. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Sunday. The asking price is $19,900.
1979 Corvette Custom
The Classic Auto Mall also has this 1979 Corvette Custom for sale this week. A little less of a project and more of a daily driver slash custom, it has some added features such as side pipes and vented hood. Although they note a listed of items not working, they completed a test drive. You should read the report because they mention soft brakes. This is another instance where a pre-purchase inspection would make you rest a little easier. They believe the car has good power with its 350 small block engine. Headers blow into side pipes with no catalytic converter. The independent suspension has coil springs, and the rear end has a multi-link with tubular axle drive shafts, transverse strut rods, torque control arms and a VPB mono transverse leaf spring. If will be our DEAL of the DAY on Monday. The asking price is $12,000.
2005 Jaguar XK8 Convertible
Here is a 2005 Jaguar XK8 Convertible at such a great price we thought we should show it to you here. It was listed this week by Beverly Hills Car Club in Los Angeles and they say it is mechanically sound. With just 60,913 miles on the odometer, it comes with a clean Carfax report and 17-inch alloy wheels. It has the 4.2L V8 engine and an automatic transmission, plus air conditioning, cruise control, power rear view mirrors, and multifunction steering wheel. It also has an extensive maintenance history which ensures the convertible sports car is in optimal turnkey condition right now. This British future classic offers a luxurious and spacious interior that is perfect for both daily driving and weekend getaways. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Tuesday next week. Their asking price is only $12750.
2000 Mazda Miata MX-5
Millenials and Gen-Xers (the new class of car collectors) are focused on a different kind of vehicle to collect as compared with their Baby Boomer parents and grand-parents. Here is why. They can get their favorite cars much cheaper. These are the cars that inspired their formative years. One of them is this 2000 Mazda Miata MX-5 LS Convertible. It was just listed by Unique Classic Cars in Mankato, Minnesota. With a clean Carfax and only 69,416 miles on the odometer, it is loaded with desirable options. The air conditioning blows cold, says Unique. The manual convertible top was engineered to be easy to operate. It has a Bose AM/FM cassette/CD system for quality sound. It will be our DEAL of the DAY late next week. Their asking price is only $12,900.
1988 Mazda RX-7 Convertible
The Classic Auto Mall in Pennsylvania came up with yet another great deal this week. Like the Mazda above, this one is right in the wheel house of the Millenials and Gen-Xers. It is a 1988 Mazda RX-7 Convertible, one of those produced with the amazing 1.3 liter Wankel rotary engines putti ng out 146 horsepower and is fuel injected. It has a dual exhaust with stock mufflers and chrome tips. These came with MacPherson strut suspension front and back. It has a 5-speed manual transmission with 4.10 gears. It also has 4-wheel power disc brakes. By being a little ahead of its time it creates fond memories for the younger generation. Will these be the Camaros of the future? For now it will be our DEAL of the DAY late next week. The price is only $15,000.
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:
| 1972 Plymouth Scamp | $18,995 | Phoenix, AZ |
| 2010 Jaguar XK | $17,000 | Flushing, MI |
| 1972 Mercedes 350SL | $16,750 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1994 Camaro Z28 | $12,900 | Alsip, IL |
| 2001 Mercedes SL500 Convt | $18,995 | Tampa, FL |
| 1985 Mercedes 300TD | $16,750 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1990 Cadillac Coupe de Ville | $18,995 | Greene, IA |
| 1992 Chevrolet Scottsdale 1500 | $14,000 | Morgantown, PA |
| 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham | $17,900 | Mankato, MN |
| 1996 Corvette Coupe | $18,000 | Independence, MO |
| 1997 Saab 900 SE Talladega | $16,995 | Phoenix, AZ |
| 1997 Mercedes SL600 V12 | $16,750 | Los Angeles, CA |
Cars for under $10,000:
| 1965 Ford Thunderbird Landau | $7,950 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1997 Jaguar XK8 | $9,900 | Flushing, MI |
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.
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Thank You
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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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