Naturally enough, 1970’s and 1980’s sports cars that spend time in New York have a tendency to rust. These six are no exception! They are located in Syracuse, New York, and listed here on craigslist without a price (or much other information, for that matter!). Thanks go to Barn Finds reader Proston for this multi-car find! Despite being advertised as MG’s, Triumphs, and Z-cars, I don’t see any Triumphs. Starting from the left, I see a Datsun 280ZX dating somewhere between 1979 and 1983. It has a t-top and looks very, very rusty. The next two cars over are also Datsun Z-cars, but I can’t tell if they are 240 or 260 Z’s. I don’t think they are 280 Z’s because they would have larger bumpers. The red one looks a little better, but may have some roof damage. The white one looks somewhat worse with some crash damage in the front.
Moving over to the right, the MGB convertible is a chrome bumper car, but has definitely seen better days. I would view these first four cars as parts cars, although I suppose it may be possible to build the two older Z cars into a single project. On the far right is a Fiat 2000 Spider, which you can see better in the picture below.
It looks like it could be put back on the road, but of course we don’t know anything about the mechanical condition. Ultimately, I think I’d look for a better car if my budget could afford it.
Finally, the most interesting car of the bunch is the Fiat X1/9 that’s parked in the front. Yes, it’s rusty too, but they rusted before they were off the boat, so I suspect any X1/9 enthusiast is prepared for some oxidation. So here’s my question for you: If you were to put one of these six back on the road, which one would you choose? No fair saying none of them, we’re really interested in which one you would choose!
What can you say about a group of cars like this? They will never run again.
And there probably isn’t enough usable parts on any one of them to make it worthwhile to retrieve it from the mud, bring it home without your wife noticing, and then part it out. There is no economic feasibility in any of these cars. 15 years ago? Maybe. Plus I’d opine that the only car of any interest would be the MGB, but in that condition you’d be a fool to restore it.
Just call the salvage yard and take a hundo on each car and be done with it. With the $600 you could have the yard re-sodded.
Well, following your rule…if I HAD to pick one, probably the MG. The Fiat may be more together, but worth less as a final product. The MG may appreciate in a hundred years or so to recoup your investment
Can’t say I’m too impressed by this lot or by the listing. I’ll bet that if someone showed up at this guy’s place with a pocket full of money he’d gladly take it if he didn’t have to do much work to do to move the cars. I’m guessing that won’t happen.
Perfect project for a 16 year old to sell all the bits and pieces on Ebay, then buy a real car to restore.
Usually people like this buy a bunch of cars, park them in a field or a leaky barn and let them rot, then the remains get sold off after they die. This is only marginally better.
I’d take the MG just because I like them. The fact is there comes a time when you got to say that they are done, and call the scrap metal guy. This is not a bad thing, makes the remaining salvageable ones rarer.
Yes, this is a sad listing. When cars ‘sink into the ground, you know there’s not much left to salvage.
Take of the parts you can, scrap the rest.
The only car worth saving is the one you drove up with to take these photos.
With all that rust, even getting them out of the mud will be chancy. Impossible to pulll them out and a forklift under any of them and you stand a good chance of it breakng in half. You’d be taking these out piece by piece. Get a tetanus shot first.
Hey man how much for one those “Z” if you still got them??
The X 1/9 but mostly as a parts car for the similar (1980) i own.