Rust Free California car isn't... A moment of silence please...

So Cal V8

Active Member
So... just a quick post for now to see if I am barking up the wrong tree, or just plain barking.

I recently bought a parts car to help with my long and drawn out restoration of the Wild Rover. I will salvage the parts that I can use and then I will be looking to get rid of the rest of the vehicle, which brings me to the point...

Although there won't be much left in the way of usable parts there will be a rust free California Base Unit - knowing just how hard it is to find a rust free car and hating the idea of sending this one to meet its maker I thought I would float the idea out there and see if there is any interest.

I will do a proper check and get some pictures this weekend.

I know that the biggest hurdle will be getting this car from my place in California to whatever the final destination might be. But, the idea of chucking a good base unit when there are so many rust buckets out there just doesn't sit well with me. On the other hand being killed by my wife for keeping a scrap car on the drive doesn't sit well with me either.

I need to get Title to the vehicle, which will cost me $150 and I would want to cover my basic costs, but all in all I am not looking for a ton of money for it. It can come with, or without the engine and I would be more than happy to help with arrangements should anyone be interested - there is a shipper close to me that Ian Wilson used to use.

It may not be financially viable, but I couldn't bring myself to scrap it without letting folks know first.IMG_20160412_113845.jpg
 
What does your interior look like? Plastic radio speaker console in good shape? V8 emblem on it would be gravy...!
 
Jim - interior is non-existent. It really is little more than a rolling shell, albeit with the engine in place.

I had thought of getting it running and entering it into the 24 hour of Lemons as there is an SD1 that already enters, but I cannot quite seem to overcome the problem of being killed by the wife should I try and keep the car...
 
I haven't really had much time to properly explore my recently acquired parts car, but I can say that it has had a hard life.

I think it has been off the road since about 1990 and it seems to have changed hands quite a few times since then - probably been bought by people with good intentions who have ended up moving it on without ever really doing much to it, and as time has passed it has lost a few more bits and pieces until it has reached this point.

The blue and gold plates would indicate that this has probably been a California car all its life - the three number/three letter format being issued from late '69 through about 1980. Unfortunately, California car or not I have found some rust... not the kind of soul destroying rust that you find in the UK, but enough to rule out it being a good rust free base unit. I still haven't checked out the whole car, but the pocket/well beside the left rear passenger seat has rusted quite badly and a few taps of the hammer were enough to open it all up. And, I am sure that a thorough exploration will reveal a few more areas in the same shape. The interior is long gone and the window frames have been off for a while, I am guessing it wasn't kept under cover. There is a ton of meece crap, combined with nuts and nest material so whenever it rained the moisture was just held in place until the rust did it's thing.IMG_20160418_125449.jpg

On a plus note... I was always afraid that I would find this base unit to be better than my own which would lead to the difficult choice of soldiering on with mine or taking a huge step back and starting over with this one.

I knew it might not be viable for anyone to buy this to ship to the UK, but I wanted to present it as an option in case someone was interested - I just can't stand the idea of scrapping a saveable car. I will have an in depth look to see if there are any more problem areas and if not I will post an update here. If someone thinks this is worth the effort (and expense) I would only be looking to recover the cost of getting it titled ($150.00) and any expenses I might incur getting it ready to ship. If there are no takers I plan on renting a plasma cutter and cutting it up as I won't bother getting title just so I can scrap it.

I will probably keep the engine and scavenge as many parts as I can to make it worth my while - the doors are in good shape (so it seems) but cost may prevent this being viable for anyone that might be interested.

I found the quarter lights in the boot with an interesting period sticker.IMG_20160416_175758.jpg

As well as the radio.
IMG_20160416_175003.jpg

And this is for Rudiger who asked me for the VIN
IMG_20160418_125509.jpg
 
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Hi
Not sure if you know that there is a picture of your car on the federal rovers site on owners
gallery, looks like it had seats then.
Clive.
 
Yep, that's it Clive. Looks like the picture from eBay. It still has the front seats, but they are absolutely minging.
 
If you end up cutting it up you could always cut out the solid parts to use as repair panels on corroded cars, and shipping those to the UK wouldn't be as expensive as shipping a complete base unit.
 
If you go down that route I'd be interested in the boot floor if it's any good!
At first blush it looks okay, but I will have another look to make sure - remind me, are you in NJ or AZ?

If you end up cutting it up you could always cut out the solid parts to use as repair panels on corroded cars, and shipping those to the UK wouldn't be as expensive as shipping a complete base unit.

You know what they say H... great minds think alike... or is it fools seldom differ? Regardless, I am sure as it applies to us it's the former.

I am concerned that shipping will be the ruination of this idea though. I don't want to make big bucks on this, just cover my costs, but when you apply shipping it may make the proposition uneconomical.

If anybody is looking for any body panels please let me know, I will check the area in question to see how good/bad it is and then we can figure out if it's worth the time and effort.

i guess even in california it rains occasionally....
To quote the 1970's one hit wonder, Albert Hammond "it pours, man it pours."
 
Okie dokie - Fair warning - I have ordered a plasma cutter from Amazon and I will begin cutting this old girl up fairly soon as I want the space on the drive so I can re-commence work on the Wild Rover.

So - if anyone wants me to cut out repair panels for their project now is the time to say something. Apart from a few rusty scabs it is almost entirely free of the dreaded tin worm.

I hate the idea of doing this, but it's got to go - there are still tons of body panels that may be of use to others in their projects and it would be a noble end to the car.

The boot floor is already in New Jersey awaiting fitment to sdibbers's car - so if you need something let me know.

I propose a nominal sum of $10 - $20 for any repair panels I cut - plus of course the cost of shipping (which as usual may the the real killer). So if you need it drop me a line and if it's there and in good condition, it's yours!

I may not be quick (as I am sure that sdibbers will testify to ;)) but it's got to go, so time really is running short, act now!

I know, I know... I sound like an ad for a New Year's blow out sale.
 
It just occurred to me, does the car still have the power window frames and units? I need the rear door window stops on both sides. they mount to the inside door frame rather than the window chassis. i'm not too concerned about condition, i can fold something up if I have a pattern. If the rest of the window gear is there I'd love that too, I'm aware shipping to Sydney will hurt but I think it will be worth it...
 
It just occurred to me, does the car still have the power window frames and units? I need the rear door window stops on both sides. they mount to the inside door frame rather than the window chassis. i'm not too concerned about condition, i can fold something up if I have a pattern. If the rest of the window gear is there I'd love that too, I'm aware shipping to Sydney will hurt but I think it will be worth it...
Mike,

The rear windows and frames were taken out of the car by someone before me - but I believe they are still there. I am not sure what the window stops you are looking for look like - if you can refer me to the parts book, or a picture I can check and confirm. I'll also see what is still there of the window gear and see if it's what you're looking for. It would be great if I have the bits you need as I prefer the idea that the old girl will give life to other cars.
 
In the new parts manual it is on page 15 30 Item 39 part no. 370277 in the '69 parts catalog it is the same but page 264 - 265. It's in the middle of the lower half of the picture. was it an air Con car?
 
Hi Mike,

I see the part you mean in the manual - I'll take a look over the weekend and see if they're still knocking around. What other parts of the window gear were you interested in? I plan on keeping the glass as spare for my car, but I'll see what else you might need.

Alan.
 
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Thanks Alan,
The only part I NEED is that glass stop. One in any condition is fine as i'll use it as a pattern. If you have the frames and no one else wants them I'd like the pressed steel bracket part ie. lower half of frame but I'll take the lot if there the cross bar isn't rusted away. obviously the motors and mechanism if you (or someone else) don't want them. Incidentally I have a chap here who made new brushes for my motors if anyone needs brushes.

If the car was an air con car and you are cutting it up, the specially made piece of the firewall on which the unit sits with the holes in it and intake duct would be enormously useful as I'm putting the air con into my NZ built chassis with the heater box hole...which is all wrong. On the same note the area directly under the fuel tank, pretty much from guard to guard and from back seat to the diff mounts. I had mine fixed at great cost but it was a lousy job and I'd like to replace it with genuine rover repair...

Let me know how you go. I'd rather pay the freight than see stuff go to scrap

Mike
 
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