Affordable Project Cars - Wrong-Year Muscle And Negotiation Tips

No. 2: Wrong-Year Muscle
After seeing all the alternatives, if you still want a Mustang or Camaro for low bucks, buy the wrong year or body style. That means '74-and-later Camaros, Grande Mustangs, El Caminos, and six-cylinder cars. These cars aren't as collectible and are therefore cheaper but still use all the bolt-on goods of their flashy brethren.

We continue to be amazed by the number of six-cylinder '67 to '68 Mustangs we've seen for $2,000. This guy wanted $3,800, but it already has the V-8 swap with a four-speed.
We continue to be amazed by the number of six-cylinder '67 to '68 Mustangs we've seen for
We recently bought a running and driving '64 El Camino similar to this one with a 283 and a Powerglide for $2,000. We often see '68 to '72 Elcos for bargain prices. This '68 has a 327 and a four-speed with an asking price of $3,200.
We recently bought a running and driving '64 El Camino similar to this one with a 283 and
The Slant Six Darts and Dusters still show up occasionally at swap meets, and sometimes they are less than $2,500. The hidden cost is swapping the engine, transmission, rearend, and all the four-lug wheel stuff to five. This '67 was $2,000.
The Slant Six Darts and Dusters still show up occasionally at swap meets, and sometimes th

We also see pedestrian '74 to '81 Camaros still used as daily drivers and for sale for $1,000 to $2,000. The Z28s are getting a little more expensive, as guys realize their potential--but they are still relatively cheap compared with the '67 to '72s. The '79 Camaro was the best-selling Camaro of all time, so there are thousands of them still running. This '74 cost $2,000 complete with a 350/350 drivetrain and a grandma handicap placard.
We also see pedestrian '74 to '81 Camaros still used as daily drivers and for sale for $1,

No. 1: The number one affordable project car can be seen here.

Tricks on the Negotiation

1. Be ready to walk away.
Do a lot of squinting to portray this guy's junk isn't worth your hard-earned dollar. Rent a Benicio Del Toro or Tommy Lee Jones flick and practice.

2. Bring enough cash to underpay.
If the guy catches a wad of hundos falling out of your wallet and doesn't try to mug you, he will at least stick to his price. Try to bring the same amount as the ad price to ensure you don't blow it and overpay.

3. Bring a friend who is not a problem.
Your car-guy friends will get more excited about the car than you and might even bid against you. It's happened to us. Bring a girl or a noncar guy to the negotiation.

4. Say less, listen more.
Most of the time, if you've spent the time to visit the car personally, the seller knows you are halfway serious and will begin to talk about the car. If you stand there and listen, he will likely begin to talk himself down from the asking price. Let him.

5. Don't talk yourself into buying.
As an addendum to the above advice, you can also talk yourself into not seeing the missing one-year-only rear glass or believing you can build your own door panels. You are wrong. Tell the mechanic/seamstress in your head to please shut up.