76 Mark IV

[Grand1]

Definitely need more pics of undercarriage and engine bay..... and look into how long this thing has been leaking and going into where(and whats up with all those locations, in each photo) but from the prices I have seen lately , worth looking into.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/440698173914062/

[Tiggie]

That roof makes me shiver. I guess it wouldn’t be terribly hard to repair since it would get vinyl covered on both sides, but a lot of work nonetheless.

[Mainemantom]

I would think if a person was not going to do it right, using fiberglass the inside roof would work. The price is not that good to risk not knowing when the roof will cave in.

[Grand1]

I bet you could get it for $2500, for a 460 thats some cheap torque with proper upgrades , who cares what it looks like, monster.

[DerekTheGreat]

Ehhhh. For ~$3,000, that's JUNK. Bet the body is full of mud and the more you tear into it, the worse it'll get.. It's not like 460's are hard to come by, or worth that much. Least not to me..

[Mainemantom]

The best 460s are the 1971 and 1972. Once the smog standards became more strict in the mid 70s, the heads changed and power decreased.

[DerekTheGreat]

^^This.

That's one of the reasons why if was ever going to buy a Mark IV, a '72 is the only year I'd consider. The other is the lack of ugly bumpers. You're better off pulling a 460 from an EFI truck, or just a truck in general if you *must* have one.

[Grand1]

Yup, I put 72 heads in my 78 and had them ported. Your standards are always pretty high, but I have yet to find any barge for $3000 in decent condition....everyone in decent condition is easily 5 to 7 grand. NOS PARTS have also faded out of existence in the last six years.

[DerekTheGreat]

High standards = Low chances for disappointment or that itch/burn to buy the right car later.

Why spend $3,000 on a piece of shit which needs at least triple that to bring it back to it's former glory? By the time you're done with that, it's still just a turd '76 and not worth what you've got into it. If a dude can't find one for less than seven large but wants one, he should just pony up the seven large when one turns up. Save money down the road.. I like to help people make a better choice with vehicles and their money.

[Grand1]

Dude, just about every car here, people have x3 into it, then its worth....one mans turd is anothers treasure. Inheriting/buying "finished cars" have the same risk as taking over someones project car and can be even more expensive than buying this type of ride.

One things for certain, you do have a sharp eye for issuses on rides....I definitely glad I had it when I bought the CV in Traverse City. You really know
how to ratfuck a ride, and squash internet car dreams. lol

[Hearsesrock427]

I'd be into this one for $800, and that's only because it has the 385 series engine, semi intact rockers, and bumpers that haven't fallen off. This is coming from someone with no standards for projects. I never seek to turn any land yachts away, but you have to be realistic. This is a major undertaking. It sucks nobody took care of these vinyl tops, or failing that, peeled them (and ditched the trim, which you'd want to do anyway) once they started peeling and cracking. The end result is always structural damage. That roof is ghastly. It's an all too familiar case of water trap rot. It started along the C pillar trim and under the stainless center trim running across the middle of the roof. That whole process got sent into hyperdrive after the top started developing cracks and peels, allowing even more inside-out rust from water traps. The parcel shelf and truck floor are guaranteed to need help by now.

I would budget no less than $4000 for the roof, trunk floor, and parcel shelf repairs. You could save a few bucks yanking the trim and welding the holes shut yourself. Trunk floor and parcel shelf seem straightforward enough if you've done similar jobs before. But unless you have a background in structural repairs the other stuff like the C pillars is best left to a professional. Considering the neglect on display here it's safe to assume it hasn't had a major service (i.e. timing chain, water pump, intake plenum gaskets, valve cover gaskets, etc.) in quite some time as well. 4 main fluids likely not flushed in ages. I know the type of seller well and hate them eternally. They are closeted deadbeats. They have all the excuses, none of the passion, and none of the solutions. If you love this type of a car, have indoor storage, and can afford a multi year restoration, go for it. I will never deter willing, able, folks from chasing their automotive dreams. But I also don't want to see people ruin themselves by taking on something too ambitious.

[Grand1]

All vaild points, per my first post....the extent of water damage would need to be uncovered; just a car to look at on the internet, after all, thats what this website is here. Dont see Marks this age that much anymore, willing to take the Pepsi challenge most unmolested barges will be gone shortly, hence my clouded initial perception.

[DerekTheGreat]

Dude, just about every car here, people have x3 into it, then its worth....one mans turd is anothers treasure. Inheriting/buying "finished cars" have the same risk as taking over someones project car and can be even more expensive than buying this type of ride.

One things for certain, you do have a sharp eye for issuses on rides....I definitely glad I had it when I bought the CV in Traverse City. You really know
how to ratfuck a ride, and squash internet car dreams. lol

We've never lost money on any of our "pretty" cars we've had. The POS/project variety ones have always cost us our ass. The van will help me prove a theory or make a conclusion about another theory... This is another reason I'm a big proponent of original and solid. Even if you have to paint it and invest some elbow grease, you're not undoing some Jim-Bob's late nights under the influence of too much Budweiser.

The best way to keep an excited person balanced and from losing their wallets is to bring one along who had nothing else better to do. But that '85 you've got is a nice car- good bones and good over-all value as well as being pretty rare. Hell, I'd love to have it...

I'd be into this one for $800, and that's only because it has the 385 series engine, semi intact rockers, and bumpers that haven't fallen off. This is coming from someone with no standards for projects... ...That roof is ghastly. It's an all too familiar case of water trap rot. It started along the C pillar trim and under the stainless center trim running across the middle of the roof. That whole process got sent into hyperdrive after the top started developing cracks and peels, allowing even more inside-out rust from water traps. The parcel shelf and truck floor are guaranteed to need help by now...

...I would budget no less than $4000 for the roof, trunk floor, and parcel shelf repairs...

Again, if a dude or dudette really has to have a 460, just a buy a truck motor or get one off of CL. Also, rust repair isn't as simple as "weld in the holes" and cross your fingers for luck. Sure, you can make the visible surfaces look class A, but underneath is still bare metal and slag as well as other rot which was deemed "solid." Unless that car sees low humidity and no water from thereafter, it'll rot right out again. So if you don't flip it & pass the abortion to the next guy within several years, be prepared to do it again.

Ok, your last comment supports my whole, "Just buy a F'n nice one for ~7 large and be done with it" concept. Think of how long that car would be laid up, especially if you weren't doing the work yourself. As if finding parts and reconditioning them is cheap.. In that time, so many projects wither and die due to life's ever changing demands and curve balls which it throws at us. A '76 IV isn't worth the time- a collector will tell you a '72 is the best and only year to buy. A salesman/dreamer would tell you to tell me to F' off, that I'm full of shit and you should buy what you want, that they're the same car and "with a little work" it can be better blah blah "built, not bought" sales pitch . Who should you believe and trust? The guy not standing to profit off of you and/or whom also has a shared investment/interest.