If you have kids in school, chances are good they’re staying up late, sleeping late and looking for things to do around the house in their down time. Each of the candidates in this week’s $5,000 Challenge would make a good father-son (or mother-daughter) project to fill a summer vacation and none will appear on your doorstep as a box of parts that smells like someone else’s broken dreams. A few are already drivers, while with other selections, some assembly will be required.
1958 Cadillac 355 Sedan de Ville
Fins were in in 1958, and this Cadillac has fender appendages aplenty. The seller claims the car has been garaged for the past 36 years, meaning that the rust is mostly superficial and the floorboards won’t require replacement. It will need a new exhaust, and the engine turns over but won’t start, giving the next owner the chance to teach the finer points of troubleshooting a 365-cu.in. V-8 topped by a four-barrel carburetor. The asking price? A just-under-the-wire $4,999.
1955 Rambler Cross Country Station Wagon
Vintage station wagons are all the rage these days, and no weekend show is complete without a selection of long-roof models from Ford, Chevy and Chrysler. This 1955 Rambler Cross Country Wagon, once restored, will certainly stand out from the crowd, though we wouldn’t recommend testing the thrust from its 195.6-cu.in. “Super Flying Scot” six against a small-block Chevy or Ford “Trigger Torque” V-8 of similar vintage. This Rambler will need cosmetic attention, inside and out, and it engine is said to turn freely but not start (yet).The asking price for this dare-to-be-different wagon? $3,950.
1969 Chrysler 300 Coupe
In 1969, Chrysler advertised its fuselage-body 300 with the line, “Your next car: It can take on a feeling of soaring freedom.” Before this particular bird can soar again, its parked-for-34-years-and-not-currently-turning-over 440-cu.in. V-8 will need some attention, and the car will eventually need bodywork and paint. The interior appears to be in good overall shape, making this project suitable for shadetree mechanics lacking upholstery skills. The asking price? $2,750.
1978 MG B Convertible
MG B’s have earned a well-deserved reputation for both simplicity and durability. By modern standards, they’re incredibly easy to work on, and replacement parts remain available from a variety of sources. This particular example appears to be in good shape cosmetically (though the oversize bumpers are screaming for reconditioning), though mechanically it’s said to be in need of a new clutch. The only bad news we could find is the car’s salvage title, which is a deal-breaker to some but a non-issue to others. The asking price for this topless British classic? $4,800.
1990 Ford Mustang Hatchback LX
Fox body Mustangs with 5.0-liter V-8s have shot up in value in recent years, and finding any examples that border on clean for under $8,000 is a rare occurrence. This 1990 example appears to be well cared for (though the seller didn’t provide interior pictures), and while it currently wears aftermarket wheels, OEM replacements are easy enough to source. If the seller’s claim of “no work needed” is valid, summer vacation can be spent cleaning, polishing and detailing this Mustang instead of turning wrenches. Whether that’s a plus or a minus is up to the buyer, but the asking price is $4,900.
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