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Reader Finds: February 25, 2014

Reader Finds 2-25-2014.jpg

Well, the moving truck is finally here and is about loaded up for the big move to Boise. Right about now, we would love to have just about any of today’s reader finds. One of these old trucks could come in handy for getting rid of the mountain of old boxes and garbage, specifically the Ford F-250. With an afternoon of work, it would be ready to get to work hauling junk. If the Lotus Eclat or Corvette were ready to be driven, we wouldn’t mind having either one. Taking a sports car out for a spirited drive would be a great stress reliever, although the roads here would need to thaw out a bit! The Nissan Patrol 4×4 might be a great compromise though, especially with the current road conditions. It wouldn’t be able to haul much, but some off-road fun sounds pretty good right about now! Special thanks to everyone that sent in finds and if you want to get in on the fun, please feel free to send us your finds!

  • 1977 Corvette (eBay) – Josh M
  • 1937 Ford Pickup (eBay) – Connor B
  • 1977 Lotus Eclat Sprint S1 (eBay) – Josh M
  • 1961 Sunbeam Alpine (eBay) – Josh M
  • 1959 Triumph TR3A (eBay) – Connor B
  • 1966 Ford F-250 (eBay) – Connor B
  • 196 Nissan Patrol (eBay) – Jim S
  • Pair of 1957 Chevy Pickups (eBay) – Connor B
  • 1979 Ford Pinto Wagon (eBay) – Jim S
  • 1960 MGA 1600 (eBay) – Connor B
  • 1966 Ford Tow Truck (eBay) – Connor B

Comments

  1. Avatar jim s

    i had an f250 camper special like the one listed here. 390/auto with two tanks which held either 42 or 45 gal. 1 tank behind the seat and 1 under the bed. mine got 7mpg or at todays price 51 cents per mile just for fuel.

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    • Avatar Josh Staff

      Thanks for ruining that dream for us Jim! Joking aside, stopping at the pump would be painful, but that’s the price we pay for classic style I guess. I wonder how realistic it would be to swap a more modern motor into this truck? The slightly improved fuel mileage probably wouldn’t offset the cost or headache, but the power output might make it justifiable (if it is even possible that is). Imagine having a new Ford Coyote in this thing!

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      • Avatar jim s

        i should have added that if the MPG is not a problem that they are great work trucks. mine had disc brakes on the front which helped when carring a heavy load. no need to worry about the paint or the dents. i much rather have this then a newer truck with a lot of money tied up/or a payment book. i like the 300ci 6 myself but they are hard to find. as long as the stock motor runs i would live with it. the 390 has lots of bottom end torque.

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      • Avatar Jim-Bob

        Even better, why not use a modern turbodiesel? You’d get good mileage as well as acceleration and power that the stock 390 could never give. However, if you really want to keep the 390, it would probably make an excellent candidate for a wood gas conversion. That way, you could avoid using gasoline for everything but starting and just run the truck using scrap wood (hard wood is best though as pine tends to add too much creosote to the system and gum it up).

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      • Avatar jim s

        i like the your TDI idea. the latest VW tdis have max 236 ftlb of torque starting around 1700RPM, i think. and of coures the cummins diesel would more then work also.

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    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Don’t get too negative on those old FE engines. A Holley 500 2bbl dropped down a couple of sizes in main jets, a re-curved advance mechanism, a set of dual exhausts (do NOT need headers) and possibly a Torque Master cam (or equivilant) and those engines have got gobs of power, torque and won’t break you at the gas pumps. Most of the trucks I tuned like that got into the teens for mileage and pulled the loads very well. The only drawback is that you’ll have to run a manual choke.

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      • Avatar jim s

        that would work very nicely for sure and the changes would pay for themselfs very fast. the mauual choke is not a problem as mine already had one, from the factory, i think. and we used to install a lot of the aftermarket universal manual chocks on trucks back then.

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  2. Avatar z1rider

    The “66” Ford pickup isn’t a 66, It’s a 67 or later.

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    • Avatar jim s

      it is on ebay as a 1970.

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      • Avatar z1rider

        Shoulda clicked the link before commenting. I have a 65 and so was only sure it was later than 66.

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  3. Avatar jim s

    this one has the key on the left just like mine did. mine also had a manual choke, lap belts only. and a manual fuel valve on the floor between the seat and drivers side door. the metal fuel line ran inside the cab from the rear fuel tank to the valve. i see what looks like a trailer brake lever and tape on the horn ring. but at $ 755 start bid and no reserve someone is going to get a nice truck.

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  4. Avatar Mark E

    I’d dearly love to save that Nissan Patrol. I belonged to the alpine club in college and a member had one. We’d go up unplowed roads into parks to go x-c skiing and snow shoeing. I remember also pulling Ford, GM, Jeep & International 4x4s out of ditches! Ah, those were the days… ^_^

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Don Andreina

    Lotus for me

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    • Avatar Horse Radish

      same here.
      I am really starting to like the lines on these.
      I have an identical (’77, white) and the interior is the hard part to keep up.
      Velours and cloth all over and plastic knobs and switches are no match for the CA sun….
      I think these are finally getting some recognition ?

      Like 0
    • Avatar paul

      Calm down their RB

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  6. Avatar Charles Gould

    Just my two cents, but I hate the new multi-car format. The photos are too small, and the details are too sparse.
    Also, you seem to be focusing on much rougher condition barn find projects and more mainstream American cars, which is a disappointment to my personal tastes.
    I really miss the rare and unusual, actually restorable (or drivable) discoveries!
    Does anyone else agree with me?
    Chas

    Like 0
    • Avatar paul

      Agreed, I wouldn’t mind a mix with both with the old format one day & the new on another day, with the emphasis on the old, the classified can stay in my opinion, I always like to see what is out there.

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    • Avatar jim s

      i like the new format because i get to see more interesting cars/trucks/bikes some found on sites i never search. i also learn what others are interested in. the adds are interesting and this site needs to be able to ” pay the bills “. i too like the drivable or easly to make drivable. i like the mix, never knowing what i am going to see. thanks

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Charles Gould

    I guess that is what happens when a barnfind treasure site makes the transistion to a classified ad format. I guess if the ads are only $20.00, then you start to get some rougher, more tired projects featured, and you have to run everything that you accepted a fee for. That is very sad in my opinion, and will tend to ruin the site for those of us who have treasured it for years.
    Chas

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    • Avatar jim s

      ouch!

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      • Avatar Charles Gould

        Hi Jim,
        Not intended to insult. Only trying to express my theory as to why the caliber of the cars offered seem to have deteriorated a bit.
        Chas

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    • Avatar Josh Staff

      Hi Charles, the new format is only temporary while we are moving to Boise. We will still occasionally do the reader find features, simply because it is fun to see what everyone else is looking at. We will try to find some unique stuff for today!

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      • Avatar Charles Gould

        Great, thanks.
        I appreciate the prompt response and I am thrilled that you will return to the old format after the move.
        Thanks,
        Chas

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      • Avatar Josh Staff

        Of course Charles! Thanks for bearing with us while we move, it is a time consuming process, but we can’t wait to get things back to normal! Hopefully over the next few days things will start to get back to being more normal. With any luck you will enjoy some of the stuff we have in the works!

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    • Avatar jim s

      you didn’t. i enjoy and value everyones comments/opinions. it helps me learn.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Brian

    I love those old Sunbeams Alpine especially the early models with the small tailfin like this one. Although this one isn’t as bad as some I have seen lately, the issue on my mind is, and has bothered me for a long while (but seems to be getting worse these days) is why so many people seems to feel the need to tear a car apart before giving up on it? It really ruins the value of the car because only someone who really knows that specific model “inside out” would have the confidence to buy a car that is mostly housed in coffee cans and try to do something with it. On cars like these, it never fails that a bunch of parts will be missing, so a complete parts cars car would be needed for the missing items and/or just as reference to see how it goes together. I could do it on a old VW Beetle, but wouldn’t think of touching anything else…come to think of it, I getting too old to fool with even a Beetle in a basket!

    So, please, please think carefully before you disassemble an old car. Read about the process online and in books before hand. If after just reading about it, you feel overwhelmed, its time to call in a professional to restore it or sell it in favor of a better car. Most of these torn down cars either get sold as parts or, worse, sold to scapers

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Charles Gould

    Great, thanks.
    I appreciate the prompt response and I am thrilled that you will return to the old format after the move.
    Thanks,
    Chas

    Like 0
  10. Avatar geomechs Member

    OK. My choices: The ’37 Ford is a no-brainer. If I could only luck out on the Powerball I could achieve my dream of having a flathead V8 pickup from every year from ’32 to ’53. But I guess I’ll have to settle for 1/24 scale diecast. The ’70 Ford is appealing and has lots of potential. Too bad the pair of ’57 Chevs sold.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Bryan Cohn

    Why do I feel so wrong for liking the Pinto wagon? It screaming to me, buy me, drive me everywhere, everyday, haul things (slowly), wave a people, enjoy the ride.

    I’d love a driver TR3, TR4 or even TR250 but that heap is, well a heap.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Brian

      I wouldn’t laugh at you for buying one, especially a Pinto Squire with faux wood sides! I would wave as I passed you (because those 4 bangers were kinda slow) but I would be smiling!

      Like 0

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