The best HAMB friendly road-ready rides for $5000

The "Imp" is PIMP!

 

Just trolling around on CL today, and found several great HAMB-friendly rides that are allegedly running and driving cars for good prices. Examples follow:

1) 1962 Ford SWB 4x2 pickup, owner-installed 390 w/C6, 9" rear w/3.55 gears for $3000.

2) 1962 T-bird, 390 auto, runs/drives, kinda rough looking, $2500

3) 1958 Chevy PU SNB, 250 Six, three-speed manual, $2000

4) 1952 Chevy four-door, ad is unclear if it runs or not, but at $1500, sounds good, either way!

5) 1964 Galaxie 500 2-dr hardtop, 390 auto, white/white, 80K miles, $3000 --- I called on this one and it was already sold. He had the ad up for less than fifteen minutes!

They are certainly out there. All ya gotta do is look. Don't overlook the ads that simply say "Car for sale" or "Chevy truck" or "Old Ford", stuff like that can really surprise you! Who knows? That "car for sale" might be a '62 Corvette for five grand! Or a '32 Ford coupe for the same money!

 

I bought this last year from New Mexico $4,000

All Original/ even the paint and runs like a CHARM

 

I've always been amazed at how little '58-'64 Thunderbirds go for. I've never driven one, but you can buy a good solid runner for about this. All three body revisions are pretty good looking too.

The '64 Galaxie sport-roofs are pretty cool too....

 

look for big old four doors!they are cheap and they are just as cool to ride around in ! 1 grand!

 

Just sold my daily driver original '46 Buick Super 4dr for $2,800. Maybe an exception to the rule. Needed a quick sale. Started higher, then went lower...lower...lower...until someone couldn't resist.

 

A couple friends (they were the talent) and I put this together as my daily driver for under $4k.

 

From the pic it looks to me like you gave it away instead of sold it.

 

about 1500.00 invested in the build. 305, 5 speed. 27 mpg. it drove as good as any fairly new wore out cadallic on the road.i would have driven it anywhere. damn i miss that old girl!

 

my starting point. burnt from the cowl on back after it had been sitting outside for 40 plus years. i saved it from the crusher. its in penn. now .any body seen it ?

 

That's just bad a$$!!!

 

Im $4100 into mine so far, and 400 is upholstry. Daily drivin 300+ miles per week. My budget is 5000 so after paint its finished for a while. Gets 21-24 mpg with stock 6 cyl/3 speed too!

 

Like many question threads, this one has wandered off-topic.

I have asked myself this exact same question several times in the last year. My current O/T daily is approaching 300K miles and will eventually need to be replaced. I'm looking at having 5 - 7K for a replacement, but I have a suit/tie job and can't see me driving around in summers without A/C. A 64 Pimperial or Lincoln seems really right but modern parking spaces are very small and they're expensive to run.

 

This gem was bid up to a little more than $5000, but should be an inspiration to all HAMBers!

 

Look at mid sixties intermediates (Chevelle, Fairlane, Comet, Skylark, etc). A/C not unusual, especially add-on style, some with disc brakes. Roomy inside, not too huge outside. Getting into the OT area I know.

And like someone else mentioned, the 64-66 TBirds.

 

Paid $5500 for this, 350/350 clean interior but in need of tlc in the suspension dept.

 

As many have pointed out, you can find a good driver for $5K. If your intention is a real daily driver, I would stick with 60's era. You get better transmissions, newer engines and better suspensions and brakes that are easier to get the parts for. A 50's era is good if you get manual trans. Pickups are always good choice and you have way increased usefulness. Easy to make look good and everyone likes an old truck.

Age of the body does not really matter, just get a good solid body and decent interior. Normal brakes and wiring work should be expected on any older vehicle. An all metal 30's body is not really much different than a 60's when it comes to basic deisgn and construction.

The non-Chevy GM's are always less cost vs their Chevy counterparts. Buicks, Olds or Pontiac are great cars to consider. A 64 Riviera is a great choice and can find good ones for the $5K value. 63 have the dynalsow trans, and 65 are always more popular and higher cost. Get the good looking girl that has all the right stuff.

 

Well, I have about $3000 into by 50 Buick, needs interior work and suspension work, but she is fun to cruise.
Chuck

 

52 - 54 fords. 55 and 56 seem to be a bit more pricey. dont have a pic. but my 54 ford i sold a few months back was under 5k. old y block purred like a kitten and a kick ass 3 on the tree. body was really nice too. woulda kept it if i had my shop back then

 

Got it running and driving safely down the road for a grand total of $4,300. All original 1936 Dodge pickup....love it.

 

I bet thing thing hurt coming out.

 

That is sweet right there.

 

Oh Holy Jeezus!!! That abortion attempt actually came to full term...

 

$3500 for this sweetheart...60 Fairlane 500, and purrrs like a kitten.


Its gonna look like this by the end of winter...

 

Damn, I think I got hosed. I paid 5k for my 53 Buick. There are a lot nicer rides in here that were had for way less. Was running and driving though. The "psycho silly" green is gone now just no recent pics.

 

Some of you guys are missing the OPs point, he said road ready, not what you can re-do something for.
I could use up all the band width telling you about cars for less than 5K, especially in todays market. And especially if you will drive a 4 door or a truck.

 

You must have worked for Hot Rod Mechanix back before they merged with American Rodder.

-Dave

 

On the local craigslist (Yakima, Wa) today for 3500. And no I don't know anything about it except what one sees and that it looks presentable inside and out. It looks to have a not that old red/maroon velvet interior that is fairly Hamb friendly. Says it needs some work but a guy could do a lot for 1500 on that car and be under the 5K limit. That is the way the photo was on Craigslist and I just copied it and didn't put it on my photobucket. Photo is below wagon photo.

I did find a 63 Wagon that is road ready as it sits with a lot done to it for 4999 it still needs some body work and paint and the mags aren't HAMB friendly but would probably be great trading material. Swap the rims and tires for a set of chrome reverses with narrow white walls and worry about paint later.

 

My 53 f100 I paid $4500 for. Drove it for a year daily with minor stuff like oil changes. Took it off the road because my lack of maintenance.

Now that I am fixing the things that bother me I have maybe 600-800 in it and it should run a while.

 

Got my 58 Edsel 4 door for less than $1,000. 54,000 miles good pain good chrome needs new seat covers, dual res master and a tune up before it becomes my family cruise