America’s First Sports Car
There is a great controversy over which U.S. automotive manufacturer was the first to produce a two-seater sports roadster to compete with the British and European sports car makers. Chevrolet and Kaiser both claim to be the first to produce a two-seater sports car, the Corvette vs the Kaiser Darrin. It is seldom told that Nash beat them all to market with a two-seater sports car, the Nash Healey. It was produced from 1951 until 1954. And it may have been the best one of them all.
Gullwing Motor Cars of Astoria, New York has posted a 1953 Nash Healey Roadster this week. Unlike many of the little Nash roadsters, this one is turnkey ready for a collector to enjoy today. They say it starts right up and runs and drives wonderfully, with nice paint, chrome-work, and a beautiful interior. Check all the photos at the link here. You will notice good panel fitment and a solid undercarriage. It was restored many years ago and the work holds up well today. Check out the red leather interior. The chrome wire wheels really set it off.
There were only 153 Nash Healey Roadsters built in 1953, and only 506 produced during the four year run. The chassis was built in London by Donald Healey’s company, then sent to Turin, Italy where the body was hand built by Pininnfarina. Nash Kelvinator produced the driveline featuring the Nash 252 ci straight-six called a Dual Jetfire OHV Inline 6 with two Carter carburetors. Notice the photo of the very clean engine compartment. They only came in two colors, Champagne Ivory and Sunset Maroon. The 1953 cars had the “inboard headlights” style front valance.
Mechanically excellent, they tell us this one is a strong driver. By 1954, when Nash Kelvinator was obsorbed into the American Motors Corporation along with Hudson Motor Car Company, the Nash Healey was priced at almost $6,000. Compared to the Corvette at $3,500, it was a lot of money and may have contributed to AMC not continuing production. They were still losing money on every car they sold. But it was a great car. In 1953, a Nash Healey came in third place at Lemans. Not so surprisingly, the Nash Healey, first generation Corvettes and Kaiser Darrins all command six figure prices today. But if you were to test drive all three, you might choose the Nash Healey as your favorite.
New Listings
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Classic Car News This Week
New AC Cobra is Coming
AC, the British sports car builder, is still alive and well in the UK today. Now 122 years after it was founded, AC will be rolling out the new version of their Cobra, which they are calling the Cobra GT Roadster. The unvailing is set for April. Power will be supplied by a supercharged Chevrolet LSA small block V8 producing 580 bhp. They refer to it as the Superblower. It puts the power to the transaxle through a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission. There is also a 10-speed automatic available. The chassis and bodies are built in South Africa, then sent to the UK where the drivetrain will be supplied. There is no mistaking they are Cobras. The ’60s styling is composed of carbon fiber, however, and the fit and finish is said to benefit from it. They say the independent multi-link front and rear axles can be tuned to your taste and purpose.
Spring Carlisle Auction
We are gearing up for the Spring Carlisle Car Show and Swap Meet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania next month. Our focus will be on the Carlisle Collector Car Auction, April 20-21, 2023. You know the Carlisle Events staff always puts on a good show and the auction hall is one of our favorite places to be during Carlisle weekend. Stay tuned to this newsletter for previews of all the top cars to cross the auction block at Spring Carlisle this year. You can preview their consignments and find out how to become a bidder by following this link.
This Weeks Featured Stories
Frazer Vagabond
The famous Dutch Darrin, an automotive stylist who penned the design of the early 1940’s Packards and the Kaiser-Darrin Roadster, also designed a limited edition car for Kaiser Frazer called the Vagabond. This siting of a 1951 Frazer Vagabond is a rare final year production. It was listed for sale this week at Jensen Classics, a division of the Jensen Dealerships in Sioux City, Iowa. The Vagabond was unique in that it combined the features of a conventional sedan with the flexibility of a liftback. The back seat folded down to provide ample cargo room. Frazer used a unique design of dual rear hatches where the trunk lid would normally be. Note in the photos how the panel folded down to form a tailgate while the upper hatch opened upward to give nearly complete floor to ceiling access to the interior. This was pretty innovative for the time. It was a forerunner of today’s SUV’s.
Rivian R1T Electric
What is the quickest truck on the market? It might surprise you that the little known Rivian surpasses all the trucks out there for speed, quickness and off-road daring. Those of you who follow the stock market know that Rivian Automotive is a publicly traded company that seeks to be the Tesla of the American light truck market. This 2022 Rivian R1T Adventure Edition is being advertised by Cassandra Motorsports in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. You don’t see them very often so check this one out. The all-electric pickup has an off-road upgrade with reinforced dual-motor drivetrain. It has video screens for everything, with all the electronic gadgets you could ask for. One of the features we like is the waterproof electric tonneau cover that makes it so easy to grab things out of your bed. They say it has a range of up to 400 miles and charges in 50 minutes. At 835 horsepower it can carry a load, too.
Pontiac Chieftain Convertible
A super rare 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Convertible was listed this week by Vanguard Motor Sales in Plymouth, Michigan. They tell us it had a complete frame-off restoration and looks incredible throughout. Greg, from Vanguard, did a walk-around video inspection and then takes you out for a test drive in this beautiful Chieftain. Click here to review the video. Although it presents as a stock original Chieftain with Straight 8 power, it has a Turbo 350 automatic transmission and power brakes making it a joy to drive. Wait till you see the undercarriage views in the video. Fender Skirts and Bumper Guards really set it off. It is truly a stunning classic convertible.
Auctions
GAA Classic Cars is having a special auction to sell an important collection this month, March 30-April 1, 2023. Most of the cars from the Jerry Smith Collection will be offered at No Reserve, giving our readers a chance to pick up some pretty choice cars, trucks and motorcycles. The selection in this collection is significant. Because you are a newsletter reader you are getting good inside information about these cars. Follow this link to find out how to become a bidder. Bidding can be done at the Palace in Greensboro, NC, by phone or online. Let’s take a look at some of the auction offerings here.
1938 Ford Cabriolet
Hot rodders unite! Here is a chance to pick up a desirable 1938 Ford Cabriolet which has been restored as a street rod. It will be offered at No Reserve during the upcoming GAA Classic Auction, March 30-April 1, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is currently registered in the state of Georgia. If features a Mustang II front end, 502 ci big block V8, 9-inch Ford rear end and has air conditioning. You can contact GAA Classics for an opportunity to inspect it before the auction.
1955 Ford Sunliner
A highly sought-after 1955 Ford Fairlane Sunliner will also be offered at No Reserve at the GAA Classic Car Auction later this month. It is also being offered out of the Jerry Smith Collection and will be sold at No Reserve. This might be your chance to acquire a very desirable collector car. Contact GAA Classics to have a pre-auction inspection done to determine its condition class. These Ford Fairlanes are emblematic of the Rock N Roll 1950’s. They are sought after the world over.
1964 Pontiac GTO
It is the car that started the muscle car era. A 1964 Pontiac GTO will be offered at No Reserve during the GAA Classic Car Auction, March 31-April 1, 2023. It is part of the Jerry Smith Collection, a large collection of cars, trucks and motorcycles which will be offered at the end of this month in Greensboro, NC. This one comes with a 389 ci V8 with bucket seats and a console. It has power steering, tilt column and power brakes. Factory white with a black interior, they say it was bought new in San Diego, California.
You will find more inventory from the GAA Classic Car Auction here at this link.
Video Ads
Video Review: 2022 Shelby GT500 Track Pack
Greg, from Vanguard Motor Sales in Michigan, did a great walk-around inspection on this 2022 Shelby GT500 Mustang with the Carbon Fiber package and Track Pack package. This is a very special limited edition Mustang Shelby, one you can’t just walk onto a Ford lot and purchase. Click the video window above and pop the top on a cold one. You’re gonna’ enjoy this.
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
1991 Acura NSX
It is evident how much interest there is in the early Acura NSX exotic sports cars. As the Japanese built sports cars come onto the radar for collectors, the ones with low miles rise to the top. Here is a 1991 Acura NSX being offered for sale at Beverly Hills Car Club in Los Angeles. They tell us it still has just 8,762 miles on the odometer and still finished in its factory color scheme of red with a black interior. Equipped with a four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, it is powered by a 3.0 liter DOHC V6. These cars will escalate in value over time.
Here are more recent Low Miles additions:
1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa, Beverly Hills Car Club, only 9,103 mi
1984 Ferrari 308 GTS, Merlin Auto Group, GA, 21,700 miles
1992 Ferrari Mondial T, Merlin Auto Group, GA, 15k miles
1974 Dodge Charger SE, Classic Car Deals, AZ, 45k orig miles
1993 Corvette 40th Anniv Convertible, Classic Lady Motors, 13,147 orig mi
You’ll find these and hundreds more in our Low Miles Section online now.
Project Vehicles for Restoration
Rolls Royce Project
Dare I say that I am having images of this car being resto modded in my mind? Wouldn’t it be a kick to keep it all original looking and slipping an LSA Chevy engine under the hood with a Heidts front end and Global West suspension underneath? I’d be driving it everyday. This project 1950 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith should be an easy restoration. Look at the photos at the link and see what you think.
The following are just some of the cars available in the Project Car Section this week:
1955 Jaguar XK140 DHC, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1955 Aston Martin DB2/4, Gullwing Motor Cars, NY
1954 Kaiser Darrin, Gullwing Motor Cars, NY
1981 Mercedes-Benz 300D, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1953 Nash Healey Roadster, Gullwing Motor Cars, NY
1968 Mercury Cougar XR-7 from Naches, WA
1983 Porsche 928, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1975 Ferrari 308 GT4, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1970 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe from Ogden, UT
1965 Chevy C-20 Longbed from Green Bay, WI
1970 VW Karmann Ghia, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
1961 VW Double-Door Bus, Beverly Hills Car Club, CA
Find hundreds of project cars for sale in the Project Car Section.
Price Reduced
1953 Pontiac Chieftain
Okay, so if you read the feature story above you’ll know why this is a “big deal.” Here is an identical 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Convertible which has undergone a professional restoration some years ago. The private party seller says the engine runs strong. He was originally asking $62,000 for this rare classic Pontiac. But just this week he told us to drop the price to $39,500. Now that should get your blood circulating!
Here are more vehicles with price cuts this week:
| Vehicle For Sale | Original Price | Reduced To |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 Lincoln Club Coupe | $45,000 | $35,000 |
| 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger | $92,000 | $87,500 |
| 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe | $49,500 | $44,000 |
| 2002 Pontiac Bandit Trans Am | $20,000 | $15,000 |
| 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe | $55,000 | $50,000 |
| 1977 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz | $15,000 | $10,000 |
Street Rods
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Ford Thunderbolt
When Ford wanted to go racing in the early 1960’s they came out with a limited factory edition Fairlane that was purpose built for drag racing. They called it the Thunderbolt. Although not many exist today, here is a very interesting 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt tribute being offered for sale at Jensen Classics in Iowa. You may remember when these T-Bolts won the 1964 NHRA Super Stock championship for Ford. This one has a 428 ci Vi8 engine with dual quad carbs, 4-speed and iconic T-Bolt hood.
The following are more recently listed Muscle Car Clones:
1971 Buick Skylark, Southern Motors, MI, GSX Tribute
1969 Camaro, Super Sport Classics, FL, SS badging
1968 Chevelle Malibu from Sequim, WA, SS 396 tribute
1966 Ford Mustang from Rhode Island, Shelby GT350 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
1963 Chrysler 300
Out of the dry Arizona desert comes a rare 1963 Chrysler 300 which still carries its original Alabaster White color. As you would expect from a Chrysler sports luxury car, it has the automatic transmission, a V8 engine and dual exhaust. This interesting Chrysler 300 is being offered for sale at Beverly Hills Car Club in Los Angeles this week. The factory amentities include air conditioning, power steering, front bucket seats, dual side mirrors and a Chrysler All-Transistor radio. It still has the owner’s manual booklet, owner’s service certificate with stamps from the 1960’s, the vehicle identification letter and copies of service receipts. Most important, they say it is mechanically sound. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Saturday. Their asking price is just $15,750.
1965 Corvair Convertible
Beverly Hills Car Club also has this 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible in a Tahitian Turquoise color with a black interior. Sharp combination. The little Corvair is an icon of the era. This one is equipped with an automatic transmission, Rochester carburetor, quad headlamps, louvered engine cover in the back and white line tires with Monza logo hubcaps. It features front bucket seats dual side mirrors, sun visors and a lockable glove compartment. It even has the old Delco radio. This is a drive class car. You can scroll through dozens of detailed photos on the dealer’s ad page. Then pick up the phone. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Sunday. The asking price is $15,750.
2003 Hummer H2
We were surprised to see a 2003 Hummer H2 4-Door Wagon for sale at such an affordable price this week. Country Classic Cars in Staunton, Illinois is offering this one. It is shown in its Bright Yellow paint with chrome accents. I think you will agree that it presents well. Be sure to check out the photos when you click through to the ad page on this one. It is replete with a tan leather interior and power everything including a sunroof. Click here to view a walk-around video inspection. The Hummer is powered by a 6.0-liter gasoline V8 that puts out 325 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque mated to an automatic 4-speed transmission. Hurry on this one. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Monday. The asking price is $20,750.
1975 Jensen Healey JH5
Beverly Hills Car Club is moving a lot of cars this week. Here is one you’ll have to move on quickly. They posted this 1975 Jensen Healey JH5 Roadster for sale at a surprisingly affordable price. They say it is an original blue plate California car and is mechanically sound. Finished in a color scheme of red combined with a black and red interior, it comes equipped with a manual transmission, front-wheel disc brakes, Stromberg dual carburetors, dual exhaust tips, black convertible soft top, Smiths dash gauges, fender-mounted antenna, two-spoke steering wheel and JH5 badging. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Tuesday if it lasts that long. Their price is only $8,950.
1985 Toyota Celica GT-S
In the 1980’s Toyota Celicas became so popular in the U.S. because of how reliable they were. Word had gotten around that they would be good for 200,000 miles, which was amazing for that era. Then they came out with the sporty convertible models. They were destined to be collector cars. Here is a 1985 Toyota Celica GT-S Convertible which is being offered at a very interesting price point by Super Sport Classics in Florida. This is the last year of the rear wheel drive Celica. It has 110,151 miles on it. You will be able to tell in the video and in the ad photos that the paint is in nice shape. Click here to view a walk-around inspection video. The GT-S was known as having the “wide body” look. Not very many were ever produced. Here is a chance to own a very collectible model. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Wednesday. The asking price is only $10,900.
1987 Cadillac Brougham
They say this luxury Cadillac spent many years in sunny California before being acquired by the current owner. This 1987 Cadillac Brougham weighs in at 4,046 pounds of big Cadillac styling, and is being offered for sale at Midwest Car Exchange in Alsip, Illinois. It is powered by a 5.0L V8 engine and a smooth shifting automatic transmission. It has a full complement of power options, including power steering, power disc brakes (front), power seat, power windows, power antenna and power door locks. Of course, it has air conditioning, You may have a pre-purchase inspection to find out the quality of the Light Blue metallic paint and body. It will be our DEAL of the DAY later next week. The asking price is $12,900.
1999 Chevy Tahoe
Is it just the resto mod street machine look of this Chevy Tahoe Custom “Delivery” that strikes you? Or is the bold look more than skin deep? We found out that this custom Tahoe has fuel-injected V8 power, luxury-level amenities, and room for practically everything. Look at the photos. It is being offered for sale at Streetside Classics in Ft Worth, Texas. The lowered stance and custom paint are a clue. But the power comes from the Saturday 5.7L Vortec V8 with cold air intake. The ride is made comfortable with power adjustable seats, power windows, power locks, dual front airbags, an AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo, and cold-blowing air conditioning. And with its swing-away cargo doors you can take all your gear wherever you go. I think you will agree that this is a lotta’ truck for the money. It will be our DEAL of the DAY late next week. The asking price is just $13,995. Where can you get this much truck for the money?
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 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 4.5 | $14,750 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1988 Chevrolet S10 Pickup | $14,900 | Morgantown, PA |
| 1988 Chevrolet Suburban Diesel | $16,000 | Morgantown, PA |
| 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK 430 Cabriolet | $15,750 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1983 Cadillac Eldorado | $18,900 | Alsip, IL |
| 2001 Lincoln Cartier Town Car | $14,000 | Glastonvurry, CT |
Cars for under $10,000:
| 1984 Pontiac Fiero | $8,900 | |
| 1988 Cadillac Allante | $5,950 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 1997 Cadillac DeVille | $9,900 | Alsip, IL |
| 2006 Buick LaCrosse | $6,900 | Alsip, IL |
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
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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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