Here's the wagon when I first brought her home 3 years ago. If I do get her back this weekend, I'll throw some more pix up.
Those Caddys are great looking cars...no matter how many doors they have, and 7 bills is a steal. By all means, go back with Caddy power even if you have to go later than '62, and have to change the trans too. Shouldn't be any more work than going the "bellybutton" route.
Thanks, I think I have been talked into it! If I get her it will be sometime next week. After I bring her home, I'll have to try and decipher all this advice. I had no idea cars had "bellybuttons"!
I would go for it. Still kicking myself in the ass for not buying a 57 Fleetwood because "Satan" (ex-wife) was against it.
Call it my midwest upbringing, but to me, fist sized holes in the rockers also means swiss cheese frame rails (lots of holes). Often behind the front wheels the frames tend to rot out. you might see a small hole, but by the time you dig all the packed in dirt and critter nests out, the frame can be crushed by bear hands. Something I would check out for sure, unless your intending on buying a car to part out. Gene
looking good on the wagon kirsten...love those 56 plymouths! As far as the caddy goes if you got a place to store it go for it...but that's 700 bucks that could be put towards the wagon!
I second this response, especially if you can't do rust work yourself. Hiring it out is stupid expensive, especially if it's extensive and extends into the frame. Getting good rust work done is even more difficult. Most shops don't have a clue...but they can sure take your money. Plus, my red flags go up when I hear of a popular car that's been on the market for a while being offered at such a "reasonable" price. Sounds like they might be shopping for a buyer with more enthusiasm than knowledge. Be careful. Just my $.02
I hear ya. I know it's probably only worth what someone is willing to pay for it which in my case is $700. I'm not skilled or rich enough to completely restore her and would just like to be able to get her running and drive around town. For $700 maybe I'm saving her from the junkyard...
Not necessarily. I have bought many eastern rusted cars with good frames. I can only recall one that had a bad frame and it was sitting on the ground without a rearend in it. Rust happens for a lot of reasons, and it usually happens from the inside out. Looking at the one pic, I would offer 300-400 and go from there. From the sounds of it you certainly can't get hurt even at 600-700. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.
Where did this Caddy live? Might not be terminal if it was an NV native. I just really like that style Caddy.
here is a link to alot of good info for a very similar car being build by a guy on here. maybe alittle encouragement http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070
I'd pay 700 for it without a second thought. That'd be a slick looking cruiser- and it looks like most all the trim is there and in decent shape. the rockers shouldn't be too bad to get patched up, but with the rust there I'd check the floor pans and trunk floor for rust as well. And I can join the club with you and Patrick66- I've got two '56 Plymouth 2 door suburbans, along with a savoy and belvedere which are both sedans. Let me know if there's any parts you need. And if you're not on there already, you might want to check out www.forwardlook.net - plenty of info on those old Exner era Chryslers. P.S.- if you ever want to sell that roof rack off your wagon, let me know.
I'm so excited to see others with a 56 wagon, I haven't actually seen another in the flesh. That roof rack is the coolest and I'm keepin' it! I'm in total turmoil over the caddy though. I gotta give the guy an answer today. Half the people I talk to say I'm insane and everybody here at the H.A.M.B thinks its a great deal. All of the trim is bagged and tagged nicely. The interior is shot and the guy says it has a blown head. All I know for sure is that I want it but I don't always make the best decisions! Funny thing, yesterday I saw a 57 Sedan Deville at a local buy-here-pay-here car lot. This one runs and I couldn't see any rust. A few dents here and there but decent shape. They are asking 4995.00. Thanks for the link to forwardlook! K
concentrate on the plymouth. pass on the caddy. there will be other choices down the road. perhaps better? i've got many projects, that probably won't get finished, so just finish one then look again.
Before buying a Cadillac, try to find parts for it and then look at the cost...for example a brake master cylinder!
WELL! Did you buy it? Even if you don't want to tackle the rust repair,for $700 you could always just flip it...
Worse case senario is that you end up parting it out and make 3x what you pay for it and then put the money toward the wagon.
I hear ya Shelley. I have a 4 door wagon as a matter of fact and I'm thinkin about puttin the money into her...
I haven't ...yet...That's what happens when you look for advice;you get good and bad and now I don't know what to do! I'm just afraid that parts will be too expensive and too hard to find and she'll just sit. It would be one thing if I had help working on it but I can't even store it at my house so I have to pay someone to house it and to work on it....I like it alot but I'm getting cold feet!
22" wheels with center spinners and Mexican blankets for seat covers. Skull on the gearshift lever,tinted glass.
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