Craigslist Crapshoot

By Robert Emslie Apr 10, 2013

The World’s Worst Car Is For Sale On Craigslist

What better way to spend your hump day than with our weekly dumpster dive, Craigslist Crapshoot?  Last week I asked you to find itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini cars that might perhaps contain a murder of clowns. We’ll get to the diminutive winner of that hunt after the jump, but first let’s get to this week’s assignment.

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to find the crappiest engine swaps. It doesn’t matter the condition of the receiving car (or catcher in certain parlance), it only needs to be WTF? worthy. I’m not talking SBCs in 260Zs here, I want the Ford 200 straight six-powered BMWs, rotary damn-near anything, and VW piccolo petes powering Porsches. Whatever, the weirder the better

And as usual, we want your finds to go down in infamy and not in the site’s spam filter. Follow any of  the following advice and you’re crap will be known far and wide.

  1. Easiest way to not get caught in the spam filters is to create an IntenseDebate account. If you do so and your posts aren’t appearing, let us know at ti**@********se.info and we can put you on the whitelist
  2. If you don’t want an IDC account, you can create a wordpress.com account and do the same thing.
  3. If you’re the Ted Kaczynski type and don’t want any kind of account, then try to place only a single link in a comment and just drop any outgoing link in via its raw URL and not as a text link
Craigslist Crapshoot doesn’t work if your candidates don’t get seen, so hopefully following one of these options will ensure that the floodgates of crap are fully open. And now, the KKK takes our baby away.
 
As we noted last week, there are a plethora of desirable tiny cars out there, and unsurprisingly, last week you found a bunch that were both clown-worthy and compelling, including not one, but two actual Shriner cars that might flip your fez.
 
But of course, what we want on Wednesday is crap. Crap, crap, crap. And on that account you came through as well, with what could only be described as mouse droppings, the crappiest of crappy tiny cars that the online classifieds has to offer.  We can only have one winner however – as chosen by me – and this week’s Crapshoot bullseye goes to P161911 for finding a pile of rust in the shape of a MKIV Triumph Spitfire. Honorable mention goes to OA5599 for finding an actual clown car, and one that could potentially hold all of them.
 
CCSpit
104 thoughts on “Craigslist Crapshoot”
    1. This must be a thing. The only interesting thing I found (read: not some illiterate wanksta's beat-assed Honda) was this 4Runner.
      I also found this through keywords, but it doesn't count today.

      1. 302's an easier swap than a Chevy motor because the distributor's in the front. Also, there seems to be more manual transmission options for the Ford.

    2. Definitely $3500 worth of stuff there…but I think I'd rather start over with a different vehicle and different build.

    1. I knew a guy that had a G-Body Monte Carlo that was originally a diesel. Since it was a diesel it didn't have to have emissions. He swapped in a built 350 V-8. This is sort of the opposite.

      1. I'm sure there are scads of GM-bellhousing NV3500s sitting in junkyards just waiting to be plucked from rusted out trucks that have expired, so yeah.

      2. Yup, I own one myself. '94 K1500 Blazer, base as can be, with a 350 hooked to an NV3500. Came from Wyoming and looks like it may have been a fleet vehicle in the early part of its life. How it came to live here in Minnesota is anyone's guess.
        Funny story – guy put it up on Craigslist for $1200, rust-free, doesn't start, he replaced starter, still nothing. I bought it within minutes of his posting. Pushed it out of his garage, corrected the solenoid wiring, and drove it home 🙂
        Too bad the 3500 had to go and break a few months back. Just scored a NV4500 at the boneyard the other day… now I need to find a non-cracked bellhousing for it, and I'll be rowing gears again.

      1. I don't really want to go down this rabbit hole again, being the owner of an LS2 swapped 87 TII, but I like to hear different people's opinions on this issue. Why do you feel that way about it? The LS is seriously lighter than the 13BT. No joke. You do gain a tiny amount of weight with the swap, but that's because the T56 is a 6 speed and not made of glass over 400 hp like the RX's 5 speed, and that extra weight is basically directly on the CG, and therefore completely negligible. Weight balance is often IMPROVED (i.e. father rearward) with an LS swap. An LS2 with nothing more than a cam swap will make more power than a heavily built 13BT, and make more torque than the rotary ever dreamed of. And for all the extra power, reliability and fuel economy are both MASSIVELY improved. In EVERY SINGLE DYNAMIC MEASURE, the LS swap makes the RX7 a better car. There is no objective downside. So is it just the subjective changes that make you dislike it? And none of this is meant to be inflamatory, I honestly want to know.

          1. Yep, a fully dressed 13BT-REW with its intercooler, turbo, plumbing, all that stuff weighs in around 440-450 lbs depending on year. You can knock a lot of that weight off with a single turbo kit, since the factory twin turbo setup is quite heavy. But you're still only getting to around ~420 lbs, which is coincidentally almost exactly what a dressed LS2 weighs! It really surprised me as well, but that's where it is. The rotary engine itself is tiny and very light, but all the stuff for the turbo system makes it much larger and heavier. And because the "crankshaft" of a rotary is in the middle of the engine instead of on the bottom, the CG of the engine is fairly high, so the LS actually very slightly improves the vertical CG of the car too. I would agree that putting anything but an LS in there is a travesty and does ruin the FDs sublime handling. But the LS swap is INCREDIBLE. My friends LS6 swapped FD is an absolute monster on the road course.

    1. You got me — the Escudo is not the same vehicle as the Samurai/Jimny.
      Comment stands, though — still a death drap.

      1. Yeah, but how much fun would you have before you entered the Pearly Gates backwards in a fireball?

    1. Needs a wheel swap…also needs an exhaust swap, a taillight swap, and removal of tint, etc.

  1. Double swap candidate right here. Under the body work you have a fiero with a 3.8L Supercharged V-6. Probably not a bad swap in itself, then add (or subtract) the body work which someone has swapped out for something resembling a Diablo. That's right folks it's a real two for one, and the price a measly 9 grand for this fellows unfinished project. A price which surely reflects the amount of panel bond he's been using in a non ventilated area to assemble the car. http://novascotia.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/$T2eC16h,!wsE9suw0QK4BRTM7MVTN!~~48_35.JPG" width="600">

  2. This doesn't fit the theme. I'm posting it anyway, because it's amazing. "Best offer or interesting trades such as 87 Chev truck. Cows. Any kind of old farm equipment as we are just starting farming from scratch. Rod muscle car or classic truck projects. Old skidsteer or backhoe. Trucks cars bikes sleds. Let me know what you have." COWS GUYS! HE'S WILLING TO TRADE FOR COWS!
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDU5OA==/$(KGrHqJHJDYFFSIfDJPqBRY(WUHGqg~~48_20.JPG"&gt;
    Minty

    1. I actually want this, as a 1985 Bonnie was my first car. Too bad it's 3100km away, and in the middle of NOWHERE.
      I imagine that the rear frame rails and trunk floor are scattered in little bits throughout the fine town of Nokomis, SK.

    1. Yours for the low low price of $25,000. Nice car, interesting project, but if. for that price, I wanted a mongrel I'd go to the humane society.

  3. http://santamaria.craigslist.org/cto/3685709558.h
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3K73G63Je5Ga5F55H7d3g82c1815bdca81969.jpg"&gt;
    1983 Dodge Rampage Electric Car Conversition – $8500
    Electro Automotive Conversion kit, includes:
    Warp 9 Motor
    Curtis 1231C Controller
    Zivan NG3 Charger (120VAC input)
    Iota DC to DC converter
    144 Volt System
    14 US8VGCHC 8v Lead Acid batteries
    Batteries are 9 months old
    New battery range tested once at over 40 miles
    Top speed 60+ MPH
    All batteries are outside the passenger compartment.
    Brakes have been upgraded to dual Tilton Racing master cylinders with a balance bar so brake force can be adjusted front/rear.
    Conversion was completed in 2009 and has been in continuous use since. Exterior and interior look terrific, with interior upgrades from a period Dodge Daytona (seats, door panel, center console), and recent new carpet. Paint is 4 years old, in excellent condition (always garaged)
    Battery boxes are beautiful stainless steel, with lockable storage in the bed. Conversion is also very clean, with excellent eye appeal.
    Family situation forces sale.
    See many photos at:
    <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dodge-Rampage-Electric-Car-Conversion/138641279641731” target=”_blank”>https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dodge-Rampage-Electric-Car-Conversion/138641279641731

    1. I was looking for electric conversions for this and didn't see any in my area. The fact that its a Rampage just ramps this one up an ohm or two.

    2. It's nice but not $8500 nice.
      Knock it down by another $5000 and much more reasonable (to me at least).

      1. I know one of the really tricky parts of a LS1 conversion on a C3 Vette is getting a place to mount the A/C. Probably the same issue here.

        1. Yep, on the F-body accessories the AC pump is large and mounted very low, so in cars with narrow frame rails or very forward protruding cross-members the pump runs into everything.

    1. Holy crap that's pretty awesome. I wonder if it's still AWD or if they switched it to RWD??

  4. In case you don't think getting an S14 240SX with an SR20DET swap to pass smog isn't difficult enough, here's one with an RB20DET (yes, a turbocharged 2.0L straight six):
    <img src="http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/mrjuly805/9C134C99-7FA1-4050-AC68-FC56863B23FF-3264-00000077DBD1E70D.jpg&quot; width="500" />
    <a href="http://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/3732084188.html” target=”_blank”>http://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/3732084188.html

    1. He totally should call it that. Unfortunately, it doesn't have driveshafts (according to the ad). You can actually see the front pumpkin isn't connected, thanks to the amount of lift.

    1. Either there are a bunch of guys who like to swap caddy V8s into the back of S10s, or this is the same one that crops up now and then, always in different states of completeness. This is the first time I've seen it in driveable condition, though.

    1. Comes with new rock! I like the classics, but I'm willing to try some new tunes from time to time.

    1. With that amount of info, I'd expect to pop the hood and see a B20 with a single Stromberg.

  5. Here's an '85 RX-7. The ad describes its new heart thusly:
    "supercharged 383 chevy, with paxton novi 1000, 8 lbs of boost 680 hp 700 flbs. Pump gas motor. 4340 forged crank and pistons with after market rods. Intercooled with 3 inch mandrel bent piping, vortec BOV. Megasquirt fuel injection. Manual valve body power glide with 2500 converter. Many more products."
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzUwWDEwMDA=/$T2eC16J,!)EE9s2ufWVZBR(,RVP5Fg~~48_20.JPG" width="500">
    Big engine.

      1. It certainly has that vibe. It baffles me how the seller posted it in the VT Craigslist when they're located in NY.

        1. There are parts of NY that border VT that have nothing nearby. If you want to go to town, you go to VT.

    1. That NX could be an extremely fun little car. The NXs were always awesome handling little things, seriously nearly on par with DC2 Integras, and the SR20VE gives it the power it always so desperately craved.

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