Restoration Shop in Ballard

It's easy enough to sink tens of thousands of dollars into your classic car. When I checked out these vehicles at the restoration shop in Ballard, it struck me that each had some good points and some bad points for your restoration dollar.

1951 Chevy 3100 Advanced-Design truck
Pro: Everybody loves it. Easy to maintain.
Con: Hard to drive.

1962 Ford Thunderbird
Pro: Well-built and powerful. Makes a statement.
Con: Old man's car. Kind of tacky.

1982 Jaguar XJ-S
Pro: It's a V-12 supercar. Surprisingly affordable.
Con: It's surprisingly affordable because it's impossible to keep running.

1981 Fiat 124 Spider
Pro: Fun.
Con: Not very reliable.

1980 MGB
Pro: Fun.
Con: Not very reliable.

1958 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Pro: Wow power, easy to maintain the drivetrain.
Con: Kind of a money pit - it's got power everything with 1950s wiring.

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More Madness from The Concours d'Lemons

 The Concours d'Lemons is a car show, "Celebrating the oddball, mundane and truly awful of the automotive world."

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

This 1954 Nash Rambler has been repowered by some kind of Ford turbocharged engine.

 

A nice 1967 Dodge Dart GTS. This one is just about ready for legit car shows.

 

This 1994 Autozam AZ-1 is a minicar from Japan.

  

 

Somebody decided to save a 1982 diesel Chevette. Neither the Chevette nor GM's diesels are remembered with much fondness.

  

 

This Diamond T truck has been turned into... something. I once saw it driving on I-5 in downtown Seattle.

  

 

This 1961 Fiat Jolly might be worth $150,000. Crazy but true.

  

 

 

This 1950 Morris Minor has been repowered with a Mercedes AMG engine. I'm surprised that engine doesn't bend the frame on this car.

 

The Citroën Méhari. Life in plastic, it's fantastic.

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Dude, You're Weird. 1985 Fiat Bertone X1/9, 1967 Rambler American, 1967 Ford Bronco

These are all examples of classic vehicles I've seen before in Seattle, but all owned by the same person? That's some diverse taste.
* This Fiat is identical to one I spotted in Queen Anne.
* This Rambler is also nearly identical to another I spotted, also in Queen Anne. Note Ramblers were not sold new with cool Magnum 500 rims like those on this car.
* I've spotted any number of vintage Broncos; this one has tires that are orders of magnitude larger than those it had when it came from the factory.

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1985 Fiat Bertone X1/9

Believe it or not, the engine is in the back.

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1980 Fiat 2000 Spider

Another Seattle "time machine." The 2000 Spider was not a car known for its great durability. Indeed, Fiat pulled out of the US market in 1983 specifically because its cars had earned a reputation for poor quality. And yet here's a 2000 Spider stored outdoors that looks almost brand new.

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