Welcome to Craigslist Crapshoot, our weekly search for the most bizarre, awesome, and/or terrible vehicles that the online classifieds has to offer.
Last week we went looking for modded Miatas that weren’t half bad. The ad that took home the prize however was for two that were. More about that in a minute, but first this week’s quest!
A lot of great car lines have been spoiled by shifting from RWD (as God intended) to FWD (Satan’s understeering minions), a switch that usually aligns with the inability to drop in a tidy V8 as well. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t a slew of the former out there, and that’s what we want you to find this week: the last of any series that was rear-wheel drive that later went FWD.
As always, we want your finds to go down in infamy and not in the site’s spam filter. Since we’ve changed commenting systems, you may need to update your commenter account. Make sure you have a Disqus account – they’re free and easy to get – and then comment away.
There were a bunch of wonderfully-modded Miatas unearthed last week, and some like the Flyin’ Miata FMIII found by Engineerd had stratospheric price tags to go along with the work.
The winner however was this pair of Miatas (Miati?) that have been modded by a lack of proper maintenance on one, and apparently a truck into the other one’s rear end. Those mods bring the price for the pair down to the point where they could be the basis for your own modded Miata, and how awesome does that sound? Congrats to Sean McMillan for the find, and thank you all for playing.
By the way, when was the last time anybody won anything with just a pair?
The last gasp of Regal greatness before it moved to the W-body.
http://images.craigslist.org/00s0s_czXC8sNBlJz_600x450.jpg
https://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/5509770822.html
The fender vents plus the mesh wheels had me wondering, is this really a GNX? But, no fender flares, no GNX badges.
Nope, I think it’s just a Grand National. A GNX would be a lot more than 10k, even in this condition.
Last RWD Eldorado. https://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/5511536273.html
Looks like the General is going to produce a lot of options. Here’s an ’84 Delta 88 with a diesel that supposedly runs and drives for only $850
http://images.craigslist.org/00H0H_aH28wgwp8Iv_600x450.jpg
http://brainerd.craigslist.org/cto/5507376213.html
Could I post an early Fox body Mustang, since it was supposed to be replaced by the car that became the probe?
No?
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/5508257607.html
For Sale/For Trade 1982 Mazda 626 – $2999 (Brooklyn)
http://images.craigslist.org/00i0i_6vjiZGWI6QJ_600x450.jpg
Up for sale or trade is my 82 Mazda 626 Luxury Edition. It has 49k and will go up as I use the car on weekends. Original paint looks good from 5ft and shines nicely. Power everything and it all works. Automatic. Car is rwd and would make a great engine swap candidate although the 2 liter 4cyl runs great and is great on gas.
I recently replaced and updated all front and rear suspension components and the car rides great!
I am willing to trade for an RX7 in similar condition. 1st gen preferred but will consider all. Otherwise the price is $2999.95
RX-7 Corolla Rx2 Rx3 punto ocho candungo 12a 13b 20b turbo starlet Rx4 Rx5 Cosmo Datsun
Dodge Daytona ended up as a FWD, but someone has been nice enough to power the proper pair of wheels on this one.
http://www.racingjunk.com/Door-Cars/182669086/1986-Dodge-Daytona-Pro-Street-Turnkey-Roller-Trade.html
1983 Toyota Corolla – last of the regular RWD models for $3900.
https://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/5505012784.html
My favorite generation Corolla.
Here’s a rare 12-cylinder BMW X1 for sale in Australia. Snap this up because the new X1 is FWD and not V12.
http://cairns.craigslist.com.au/cto/5460346689.html
http://images.craigslist.org/00S0S_is8expWcOX6_600x450.jpg
My G-body submission, a DRAGGIN’ WAGON™ variant, no less.
http://images.craigslist.org/00p0p_7rIK7d8y2Kc_600x450.jpg
Three years after this M-Body ’79 Chrysler LeBaron (which was born as a sedan but now lives as a phaeton) was built, the nameplate was moved to a K-Car. Sure, it has the structural integrity of wet tissue paper, and I’m not entirely sure what the “DEAD COW BOYS” on the hood is about but, for $600, you can’t go that far wrong, can you?
http://images.craigslist.org/00N0N_9Z7ltymae6_600x450.jpg
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/5435710097.html
Here’s the last year of RWD Beetle convertible, for those willing to lump the Super and the New into the same series. It’s $3000, including a new top and interior:
http://images.craigslist.org/01111_lpleH0VjA3C_600x450.jpg
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/5503953277.html
Firstly, we have this… ahem… tastefully modified Celica, complete with pictures of a CRT monitor for maximum Crapshootiness:
http://images.craigslist.org/00w0w_fXdxI5WLy2h_600x450.jpg
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/5509921120.html
And then one you’d actually want, for reasonable project-car money:
http://images.craigslist.org/00i0i_INzuqWmy3z_600x450.jpg
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/5507076590.html
The last RWD Nova was made in 1979. The first FWD Nova was made in 1985, so there’s a bit of a break.
Anyway, here’s a nice, but expensive example from the penultimate year of the RWDs.
1978 Chevy Nova RS, with a 383 (claimed 470 hp) and a Turbo 350, all for 14k.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/srIAAOSwe7BW1ayp/$_27.JPG
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/red-deer/1978-chevrolet-nova/1144167183?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
How about a totally rad Cougar?
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/upEAAOSwJQdW9tqN/$_27.JPG
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/saskatoon/1995-mercury-cougar-xr7/1150902523
The 1979 model year was the last one for the first-generation, Nova-based Cadillac Seville; the front-drive “Bustleback” model would arrive for 1980. This white over saddle example’s $8,795 asking price is optimistic, to say the least, but if you absolutely have to have one and want the cleanest example you can find, start here.
http://images.craigslist.org/00Q0Q_67d4qBl33zy_600x450.jpg
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/5507602805.html
and to think, that was a $20,000 car when it was brand new!
Points though to Caddy for bucking the trend and switching the Fleetwood from FWD to RWD in 1993…
http://st.lowrider.com/uploads/sites/7/2010/12/1102_lrmp_13_o-1996_cadillac_fleetwood-monique_milian.jpg
How about a nice looking Chrysler Imperial from ’83?
http://images.craigslist.org/00z0z_6QPFBqDTwFL_600x450.jpg
http://bemidji.craigslist.org/cto/5513618188.html