Craigslist car opinion

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I'll admit to not being familiar with the '85 models...that said, the car in the pictures looks complete and in a condition I would expect for a 33yo vehicle that has been "stored" for 20ish years. Others here are in a better position to comment on collectibility. When I look at a car like this, I look for 1) complete (chasing some parts can really slow a project down); 2) mechanical and electrical hack jobs (in this case look under dash, in trunk crevices, and around/behind motor for rodent damage in wiring); 3) how the car and the condition of the car fit my project plans and abilities; 4) body and frame rust (plus obvious water leaks which can lead to hidden and expensive hidden rust)...I would look critically at the floorboards and up under the car for rust---especially if it has been sitting 20 yrs in long grass. Long winded answer to say it is worth what you are willing to pay and for what they are willing to sell...given it looks a complete car AND IF it is not rusted out, I'd throw a number out lower than the asking price, but be prepared to pay the $2750 to get it. Day after tomorrow a few hundred dollars will be unremarkable decimal dust. Happy hunting!
 
I have no room for two toys, so this would be purely a flip. The car looks whole, but rust is a concern. Also, it appears to have been painted in certain areas. The DS fender doesn't match the door, and the hood stops appear to have overspray on them. Makes me question the validity of what he is saying. I felt that if the car was running, it would be worth at least 4k seeing it is supposed to be all original.

Joe
 
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I've had a few cars that have sat for 20 plus years on grass or outside in a driveway and I gotta say don't be scared about the shading difference in the paint. It doesn't necessarily mean its been a repaint and typically a wet sand and buff it'll come back to life and look great. Look at the fender tags, see if they match up to the car and inspect the underside of the radiator support for damage. Look at bottom of both doors, Inspect the floor pans obviously but also look up above the rear end on the hatch floor and at the fuel and brake lines. If they are full of scale or crusty you can always use that as a bargaining advantage to knock down the price.

Either way if there isn't much to any rust or just scaling and the car is as complete as it appears its a solid 2k car as is in my book.
 
I have no room for two toys, so this would be purely a flip. The car looks whole, but rust is a concern. Also, it appears to have been painted in certain areas. The DS fender doesn't match the door, and the hood stops appear to have overspray on them. Makes me question the validity of what he is saying. I felt that if the car was running, it would be worth at least 4k seeing it is supposed to be all original.

Joe
says it was never wrecked, but that doesn't mean it was never repainted. If it was parked in 98 (man, thats only as far as 20 years gets now?) it was already 13 years old and red fades really easily. Could be that it was resprayed at some point?
 
The only “odd” thing I notice is the ‘83-‘84 hood scoop.

The little rubber bumpers had overspray on them from the factory.

Go take a look.
 
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Has a carb.
Has a 7.5 rear.
Has rust.
Has sat for 20 years.
Has not run for 20 years

I know it looks great, last year of carb and all that but as a guy that looked at 25 cars the last few months (have a project now) what I've found was lots of onions. Every time you fix something then another issue arrises. Mine is onion too after finding a 94 with 65,000 original miles. Yeah great, has low miles but still has the gremlins as a 24 year old sitting car should. This 85 even older, I'd say it's priced right for a sitting car. I'll take a daily driver over a sitting for a long time car every time.
 
Without the car running there's no way I'd pay 2k. What if the engine is bad.... the transmission....the rear ? The body isn't clean enough to be worth 2k alone.

It's a gamble. The odometer numbers aren't straight so it could've flipped. There has to be a reason why it sat for 20 years.
 
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20 years is a long time for opportunistic vermin to make a nest out of wiring. If it were me, I'd haul a fresh battery over there to see what wakes up, and what doesn't, when you turn the key to the 'on' position. I'd also be very concerned about an engine that hasn't been turned over in 20 years. Naturally, all the soft parts in the carb are toast. Maybe the gas tank as well. Give a particularly close look to the cowl & the base of the A-pillars too, while you're looking for rust.
 
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Based on that trim peeling on the driver's door. I wonder if the hinge pins are shot? If that's the case I would question the miles. As already pointed out a risky flip not knowing condition of powertrain. Certainly you could part it and get your money back on parts but not necessarily your time.
 
I hope somebody fixes it(if reasonably possible), I still miss my '85(carbed not CFI lol). That was the best year for the carbed engine, the only downside was the 7.5 rear(at least still posi)and not true dual exhaust yet.
 
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I'd at least take a peek at it. I looked at a similar car years ago that someone wanted $2k for and scores it for $500. The brunt of my black interior conversion came from that car and then I parted it out for more than what I had onto it
 
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