Projects Would you? Anyone near Wixom, MI?

I LOVE 54 Chevys. I have had two and for different reasons have parted with them. Well, it's time to foray in to another one. I found one in Michigan I am interested in. Problem is, I am in Arizona! I have no relatives or friends that could go look at the car for me. I could pay a company to go inspect the car and ship it back if the inspection comes back ok...BUT I want to fly in and drive the car back. It's all original. 6V, drum brakes, 235 with a power glide...so my question is, would you drive it all that way sight unseen???

 

What Moriarity said......but, if the car really checks out and you go south as quick as possible and stay south you might be Ok. It's risky. A breakdown in the north of even a day or so and things could change weather wise in a hurry!
I hate winter driving!

 

Columbus took a chance.

 

I would totally drive it back. My old 54 saw winter duties a few times when the daily had issues

 

I pray to God... You can verify it's not a Rot box!!! Those car's up East rotted heavily in the rocker's... Best send someone to make sure it's not "patched" freshly undercoated for sale purposes..
Only reason mentioning is your in Az.

An season has changed up here, 3 week's ago I would say drive it... Driven many a bone shaker's from Ca./NY. , Long before ya could make a show about it..

 

Sight unseen? No. But I’m getting too old to try and get a seized wheel bearing off a spindle on the side of the road at night, regardless of the weather

Its one thing if it’s your car that you have been driving and maintaining and take it across country.

 

Winter has been slow coming here this year. But I think it's going to change quickly.

Where in Michigan is the truck?

 

It's a car. 210. Wixom, MI

 

As far as driving it home...
That's a long long drive. Lots of chance for something to go wrong. If the CAR... sorry... is absolutely mechanically perfect, and after an exhaustingly thorough and lengthy test drive... maybe. But sight unseen?... never.

 

Maybe.
I would want to check it out in person,
asses then decide; drive, haul or have hauled.

 

I probably would but I am an idiot.

I would maybe ask if a HAMBer would be willing to look it over and if it paned out then fly in and give it a second look before deciding on the return trip. It is still a crap shoot but if you plan your trip well there are plenty of us along the way if you get into trouble.

 

I was wondering if it's very far from me. Maybe go look at it for you. Truth is though, I don't think I can do that right this second, and I'm sure you want to move things along. But we have hamb members who live in that area. You could change the title of your thread to something like...
Anybody in Wixom Michigan area look at a car for me?
Or start a new thread.
Lots of luck!

 

Around 2000, a club member bought a 53 chevy located in Nebraska sight unseen. His wife flew out there and drove the car back to Virginia. Don't remember what time of year it was, but she didn't have any problems. They still have the car and it is pretty much a daily driver.

 

Don't get me wrong.
A road trip can be an adventure. And a memory in the making. And a story to tell for the future.
Especially if it has disastrous aspects. LOL

 

I kind of fall in the category with @porknbeaner . It doesn't help my GF thinks it would be an awesome adventure. We would make a couple stops along the way. She wants to go to Nashville.

 

buyer beware - you are the only one knows what you want and how much time/$$ willing to invest - go see it (do not carry cash)/buy(?) and drive home - but, be realistic about what you do see/and can not see /weather/etc - lining up a reliable possible shipper before flying out may be an option that you need available - won't go into all details of friend that went to Canada from California to see a car - bought it - along the way tire blew out in middle of nowhere; lifter collapsed; later front suspension collapsed on major highway, etc - every story is different for every buy - searched Western States?

 

I am not in to much of a hurry, I wouldn't be able to get out there until 10 Dec.

 

The shippers everyone on here recommends are not available unfortunately.

 

Unless you have a documented history of where that car actually "grew up", for the life of me, I can't understand why an AZ guy would buy a northern/northeastern car

 

Well Nashville is a little out of the way for ya. LOL

As far as adventure is concerned, in the early part of this century, I sold an old Ford to a fella about an 15 to 18 hour drive away. He was getting it for his girlfriend. I told him he could fly or bus in and drive it home. He instead drove his MOPAR SUV ('70s model) up with a car dolly. We dropped the driveshaft and loaded him up and he was off. I guess he made it about 100 or so miles away and had trouble with the MOPAR. They ended up putting the drive shaft back into the Ford and drove into the nearest town and had a hitch installed on it at the local U-Haul and pulled the MOPAR home with it.

Life is good isn't it?

 

10th of Dec? You better bring chains, sand, shovel, gloves, mittens, boots. a real good cell phone, a snow mobile suit and a empty credit card and plenty of cash. better bulk up a bit too. that AZ blood is pretty thin for that midwest climate.

 

Is it blue? I think I saw it on cl. Nice looking ride.

I've never done it for a car, but I have bought boats sight unseen from across the country. Worked out both times and got a damn good deal.

I'd also say you're 50/50 for December snow here. I'd bet against it personally, but you never can tell. Usually we don't start getting hit hard till after Christmas. But it is Michigan. The old saying here is:

If you don't like the weather wait an hour, it'll change.

We may be able to work something out on you keeping it in my barn till it warms up if you need. I'm probably an hour or two from Wixom? Pm me if you're serious.

 

Well now that's different. You can't say "no".

You know this, right?

 

That's hardcore. I've read that 18 mile portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri is a real b&@!tch.

 

Wixom is in the Banana Belt of Michigan. It’s probably only 75 miles to sunny Ohio.

Nashville is a days drive south in a modern car. From these head southwest and you’re home free.

Just watch the weather forecasts.

If things go bad with the car, you can always rent a box truck and car trailer.

I like your adventurous spirit. This trip is a lot less arduous than what the pioneers faced, or even the dust bowl Okies, for that matter.

 

Ask Jim @squirrel to go with you, he loves road trips and drove a Wedge type thing in the snow!

 

A days drive? Nashville is like 8 hours from southern MI.... Florida is a days drive.

 

It's a 'happy' idea to save $800 +/- by driving. And it has worked out well for some buyers. But not everybody.
Being that it's a 6V, it makes me think it's a rolling rack of old parts that get replaced only when one breaks down, leaving plenty of other old parts waiting their turn. This is just an assumption on my part so your vote is the one that counts. I wish you happy trails, my friend.

 

The ad did not mention wipers, defroster, heat. Those might be handy to have at this time of year! Best of luck to you. Sounds like a real adventure.