OK, since I've been called-out, on my stated opinion that this car ( # 260150161247) is a "mess", it took a while for my dial-up to enlarge the pics, and my opinion has NOT changed. If this car were properly advertised, at something under $20K, none of this discussion would be germaine, but the seller uses such terms as "Might be the nicest 57 Dodge in the world", and "perfect" and "restoration", which leaves him open to some critical revue, if he expects to receive up to $80K, for the car.. "Restoration" does not mean "new", or "different", or "improved"; it means to return something to its as-new condition. Starting with the paint; the car is correctly coded for having gold and white enamel paint. Its received obviously-wrong gold-color, and probably-wrong white (can't really tell, from the pics), but an obvious heavy clear coat over a urethane type paint. The dash has "clearly" the wrong shade of gold-finish, on it, although the black upper area, and the black insert panels are probably correct. The wheels are painted black, instead of that eggshell-white; the hubcaps were probably not spinners, but plain-discs, and the knights heads aren't gold-plated on them. I think that the rear dual antennae are not Dodge-pieces; the thick-lower section looks to be too-long/high. Don't know if the car came with duals; the Broadcast Sheet & IBM Card would confirm their existence (& spinners-or-not). The car has CUSTOM ROYAL "bright" end-of-fin caps (Coros have semi-glos black pieces; the car has at least one GLOW-BRITE tail lamp. The trunk finish is laughable (on an $80K best-in-world-car); there is clear evidence of quarter panel section replacement, where the OEM undercoating ("Sound Deadener") disappears in a straight-across line, and bare metal appears. The trunk "restoration" should feature body color (gold) overspray over the flat-gray primer. The trunk color, and the spare tire (probably coincidentally-gray) are the wrong shade, for representing the primer-color, and the trunk latch should be body color. The trunk-silencer panel is replaced; it should have a waffle-pattern to it, which raises additional questions as to why the silencer NEEDED to be replaced. No views of the trunk floor were shown, underneath the incorrect trunk "mat". The car IS a Custom Coronet, and the OEM(?) upper trim panel mylar panels are seen, along with that "aftermarket" interior; all Coros had rubber floor mats; not carpeting. The car not only LOOKS to be going fast, at a standstill; but the speedo indicates that it's going 35 mph (take THAT: Plymouths!!!) The rear suspension is sitting way-high, so, the leaf springs (why?) may have been replaced, or improperly re-arched. The engine compartment: black hinges and hood latch (should be silver cadmium plated) gold valve covers (should be silver; valve covers can have the :"Super Red Ram" decals installed) . Radiator cap, battery cables, hose clamps are not correct ; generator has wrong (gloss-black) finish, and end-plates should be 'natural' finish. What am i forgetting....OH YEAH: it's got a 1958 Spring Special trunk "Escutcheon" on it. AND: it's got no sunvisors on it, but it is 'coded' for having the neat tinted plastic ones! OH yeah (my scribbled notes!): the paint-PATTERN-application, on the inner door/ rocker areas is wrong! That indicates that the body was completely/significantly stripped, but the painter had NO clue as to the proper paint-orientation, when he got around to painting the body--he guessed (incorrectly). And: as far as the intrinsic value/rarety/option-list on the car is; it has manual brakes and steering--it won't be much fun to horse around. which leads to the mechanical condition of the car; the seller claims that the car runs "perfectly". Want to bet, on THAT? A car IS a mechanical device, it's not supposed to be merely a stationary work of art. Again: NONE of this would matter, if the seller was asking something under $20K, for the car, and if he had (knowingly) disclosed what the car's pre-"restoration" condition was, or, had he refrained from describing it as being "perfect" and "perhaps the best in the world". Neil Vedder ************************************************************* To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1
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