Michael Riley's Blog: The $5,000 Challenge, from AMC to S-Cargo edition

Friday, April 15, 2016

The $5,000 Challenge, from AMC to S-Cargo edition

For many in the classic car hobby, their first vehicle came as a hand-me-down from a relative, or was purchased from an estate sale. Both represent an affordable way to break into the hobby, as long as one is willing to keep an open mind as to what constitutes a collector car.

None of the vehicles in this edition of the $5,000 Challenge are specifically described as cast-offs from relatives, and none are marked as estate sale purchases, either. That doesn’t really matter, because with a bit of imagination we can see Uncle Gus or Aunt Betty (in their prime) driving any one of these quirky and (mostly) ready-to-run choices; which one would you most like to jump into the hobby with?

1970 AMC Ambassador

Blame it on the Kutzleman brothers, loyal customers of the family garage and diehard fans of the AMC Ambassador. Frugal in the extreme, neither would consider replacing a car until it was completely worn out, despite ever-increasing service bills (and counseling from us that the time had come to consider a new car). I seem to recall that both their seventh-generation Ambassadors soldiered on well beyond the 300,000 mile mark, a somewhat remarkable achievement for a car of the day. That makes this 94,000 mile example just about broken in, and though it will need a bit of reconditioning to be a weekend driver, it certainly won’t get lost in a parking lot. The asking price? $3,995.

1956 Dodge Sierra Wagon

Though tired now, this once-proud Mopar station wagon likely spent its prime hauling the family (or families) on trips to the lake, Thanksgiving visits to grandma’s house and possibly even cross-country sojourns on Route 66 or the Lincoln Highway. For that reason alone it deserves to be rescued, but it’s also a slap in the face to the bland alternatives available for transporting the modern family. In an endless sea of minivans and sport-utes, we bet this could be brought back to life for less than the cost of new three-row crossover. The asking price? $4,950.

1978 Mercury Marquis

In 1979, Mercury downsized its range-topping Marquis, trimming 17-inches in length, over two inches in width and 10-inches in wheelbase, shedding roughly 800 pounds in the process. That makes the 1978 Mercury Marquis the last of the plus-size models, oddly regal in its excess. This particular two-door hardtop example shows less than 42,000 miles on the odometer, is said to be rust free and still wears its original green paint. Recent service includes a new battery, tune-up, fluid change, carburetor rebuild suspension work and even a new gas tank, meaning this turnpike dreadnought likely needs little more than a new owner (and an A/C compressor rebuild). The asking price? $4,999.

1980 Oldsmobile Omega

GM X-body cars from the early 1980s generally don’t top a lot of “must own” lists, but there are case-by-case exceptions. This 1980 Oldsmobile Omega may be one of them, as the seller reports the car has traveled just 23,000 miles over the past 36 years. The condition of the interior (from the single shot provided) seems to back up this claim, though we’re not sure why someone opted to install an aftermarket faux woodgrain steering wheel. Call this an automotive curiosity in more ways than one, and if the car is what it appears to be, it’s certainly worth preserving as a motoring relic of a time gone by. The asking price? $4,450.

1989 Nissan S-Cargo

Every family has that odd uncle (or aunt) who march to the beat of their own imaginary drummer. Sometimes, that involves importing unusual cars from other countries, and this 1989 Nissan S-Cargo certainly fits that description. If its appearance is reminiscent of a Citroen 2CV delivery van, that’s purely intentional, down to the van’s single-spoke steering wheel and playful name (S-Carg0 denotes both Small Cargo and escargot, the nickname of the 2CV). Like it’s French inspiration, this Japanese-market-only Nissan won’t be winning any stoplight drag races, but it’s guaranteed to draw attention wherever it goes. The asking price? $5,000.