as many of you know, my wife and i have been looking for a 62 f-85 with a cutlass option. we knew we wanted a red interior and preferred a red exterior with a white top. we were leaning toward a convertible but a hard top that has a white top would be OK also. well, we found a red with white top Jetfire with an automatic. i like what i see so far in the pictures. it is an original paint 7?,000 mile car. i am not sure what the value of these cars are but it is at least in a price range that we can afford. i don't want to over pay for it but at least it is in our ballpark starting out. does anyone know how to look up classic car book values? i have done it before but can't seam to figure out where i did it before. i don't want to get to excited but i think it is to late. i think we are going to look at it this weekend. about 4 hours away. i have to get myself calmed down before we go.

 

Why the heck would you calm down? That's half the fun of buying a car!! So what if it clouds your judgement?

What you really need is a UPS driver to go along and haggle the guy down to nothing!!

I looked at NADA and that car in low retail has a whopping 9K suggested price. Here's a link http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1962/Oldsmobile
I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for. What kind of price are they asking, and what kind of shape is it in?? I took my best guess that you wouldn't buy a junker for your wife when I looked up the price. Then again.......

 

I hope the 62 jetfire deal works out!

 

lol, i could tell the UPS driver i will pay him 10% of the amount he talks the guy down.

i maybe shouldn't post the pictures. he may find me talking about his car on the net and not be negotiable.

he said the turbo has a problem but it runs great. he said he has another turbo for it. he said his dad got it from the original owner many years ago. he has the original paperwork, warranty info and manuals. he said it is original paint but he sent me pics of the driver side and there are some good dents in it. i need him to move on the price a little but at least i am realistic about it.

 

Well, you're in luck the pictures aren't on the site. Just those boxes

 

i sure goofed up those pictures....

here is one of the outside. i talked to him more about it. he is firm on the price. that will hurt for a long while if i get the car. i feel like he is an honest seller. he does like i do. he is telling me more about what is wrong with the car than what is right and sent some close up pictures of some of the bad spots. the turbo is froze up but he has another one that goes with the car. he said it runs great but the turbo don't spool. i know i shouldn't buy it because it will put the hurts on my buying parts cars. i have some in the works and will have no money for them now. i think my dad will have to be a financial partner if i am going to get more parts cars.

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Dang. Eric it does look good. Pictures do that though. I know what kind of flaws my car has, but on a photo it looks like a showroom car.

I know I don't have to tell you to be smart with your buying strategy. This could be like jumping into deep water filled with broken glass.... looks good on the surface but it can bleed you to death because of hidden problems. If it needs the tranny done that means you're going to have to sink more $$ into it after you get it home.

Don't let your emotions cloud your financial situation. Ha, like I'm one who should talk. Seriously bud, I would be emotional about buying it too, especially since it's been on your list for some time. But....and I mean this seriously....if it's going to hurt your day to day lifestyle and side business? Much as I hate to say this? Walk away. There will be another one somewhere else.

I like that the guy is telling you all that's wrong. But that should also be like a bell going off especially if there's more things he can find fault with than good.

I'm on your side - just don't want to see you get burnt on this.

 

thanks for the concern and good advice. i am not to worried about the mechanicals as long as it runs and drives ok now. i figure if i get it i will eventually want to go through that stuff anyway. the picture i just posted is the bad side. there is a bad dent in that door and another bad one in the front fender. they don't show in that picture very well.

 

Jensen if it is any where close to us Wheatland MO. 65779 we would gladly give it a look & call you. Next phone is going to be a picture phone

 

thanks for the offer but we are going to look at it Saturday morning. i am taking the trailer just in case.

 

You should probably unhook the trailer some where before you get to the owners.If he sees the trailer........
railguy

 

Wow nice find! The only thing I like more than my 62 is a 62 Jetfire. I hope you can get a good deal on it.
I have to agree with railguy, if I were selling and the buyer brought a trailer, I would stay closer to the asking price. Find a nearby notary, leave it there since you'll be there to transfer the title.

 

we have worked out all the details by phone. if the car is in the condition he said it is in and as nice as the pictures represent, he already knows we are taking it. the price he listed he said is firm. i would like to haggle it down some but will just have to see.

i have done that before, i took the trailer and locked it up at a nearby parking lot and then looked at a car.

 

Not long ago there was a posting in JWO of a guy who rebuilds those old turbo's. He has re-manufactured parts. I believe you need to have a additive for the cooling of those old turbos or something of that nature. Had to buy the fluid for a GM dealer.

 

Yes, you should rebuild the turbo. From what I remember you need the water alcohol mixture. A couple I have heard from, say the turbo engine is hard to kept running smoothly.
Seams like the engine would run, but not very well at speed. With the turbo froze, it would restrict the exhaust a bunch.
i had a V6 one time with a froze heat rizer valve. Ran great until 20 mph then would die.

Gene

 

At the Gm Nationals this year there was a guy beside Joe that had a jet fire engine with a turbo that he had, had rebuilt,maybe Joe know his name.I talked to the guy he had the turbo rebuilt sounded like it was a job to do.Certainly an ounce of prevention.......case.
railguy

 

i just talked to him yesterday. had GREAT info for me!

 

we just got home. i will fill you later but we did get the car. i am pooped right now. it has incredible documentation all the way back to 1962.

 

What is it, does EVERYONE want a 61-63 car now?

The guy parked next to me at Carlisle is my friend Scott Phillips. His car is not an original Jetfire and Scott has put a LOT of time into piecing his together. Jim Noel is the guy who rebuilds the turbos. You can get his contact info at http://www.oldsjetfire.com/.

 

Congrats Eric!

 

Cool, glad to see that you got it.

 

everything i was told about the car checks out from documentation. Todd (the guy i got it from) was a very honest person to deal with. i felt that way from the start. his dad got the car from the original lady that bought the car new (around 85?). the lady that got it new was a friend of the family and lived across the street. from documentation i found both addresses and map quested it and it is true. he said the lady kept the car in his dads barn. there is a document that showes the miles at 12,000 in 64 and i have found nothing to show miles till 1987 when it has the transmission worked on. it had 77,491 miles on it then. there are several documents between then and now with mileage on them. the car has 79,178 miles now.

i am very happy with the car. it needs some things done but we can drive it the way it is for now. i only found 3 pieces of trim that have dings or dents in them but all 3 will be able to be restored. all the Chrome trim and emblems are very nice except the back bumper. it has some VERY minor spots in the chrome. i have the car at work in the heat now and after church i will get it cleaned up good from the trip home and post some good pictures.

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the paint and body are not as good as the pictures represent but it is still nice for original paint. the interior is every bit as good as the pictures show. the steering wheel don't even have a single crack of any kind! i also found at least 6 yellow inspection stampings still under the hood. most of the time when i buy something like this i wonder if i did the right thing for several months but i have no buyers remorse of any kind on this one. my wife wants to drive it bad but it is the wrong time of year, lol.

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Congrats Eric! That is a sweet looking car

John

 

does anyone know anything about the power brakes on these cars? the bellows i think need rebuilt.

 

who wouldn't? haha! It's like the flu, but it doesn't go away. I had never even seen a '62 until a month ago. It was in my garage a week later.

Jensen, Glad you found one, sounds like the wait was worth it!

 

X2. So glad it worked out Eric. Enjoyed our chats about it. Life is gooood!

 

Very nice, Congrats on your wife's new ride. One lucky gal

 

i put the car on the lift today to get a better look at the bottom side. i was under it before i got it but wanted a better look. it is solid but could use a good freshen up. some day i want to completely restore it but for now i am going to start with the engine and turbo when and if i get my 4 wheeler sold.

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Looks good Eric. What's that vacuum like diaphrapm thingy by the brake pedal?

 

that is the brake booster. it don't push the master cylinder, it's more like it pulls the brake pedal.

 

Sure easy to see why duel exhaust would be a challenge in that tight space next to the driveline

 

Looks great! love the painted roof.

 

Hard to believe it has been 8 years since we got our first Jetfire. Have been hooked ever since and sold all my other cars that were not Jetfire since then.

 

Sweet. Followed along on your escapades, very interesting cars.