Sandy Flood damaged cars

I was looking at a website that has a listing for flood damaged cars from Hurricane Sandy. Some of them are bid pretty low, at the moment anyway. There's no way to tell how damaged the cars are of course, though there are many pictures of each. What do you think the prospect of salvaging one would be? There's a nice Catalina wagon up for sale, plus many other classics.

 

You want to try to rebuild one? Yeah, you may get lucky and find one that only had water just above the rocker panels, but you're taking a big chance with your money. Water (and it's probably SALT water) gets into everything.

There's a good reason why insurance companies don't touch a flood vehicle if the water gets up to the dash level - even if it's worth $50k. IMO, they would only be good for some parts - like glass.

 

Link???

As for salvaging any flood car....... best be looking at it in person. IMO, it would be just a body shell and nothing else, don't care who, what ,whem or why, but you will never get rid of the mildew mold on any of the interiour parts. consider all electrical shot.... body shell, thats it! "If" you had a exact wagon and it has all elecrical working, and a great interiour,but a shot body then it mite be worth it......and or its something real cool old and rare.

 

Here's the link. I had it sorted from oldest to newest (I stopped looking after 1975). http://www.copart.com/c2/homeSearch...eshRequired=true&quickListLabel=&filterCode=N

 

If I could get one for a couple of hundred bucks, I would take the risk I think. I know I might end up having to rebuild the whole thing, but hey I'm doing that now with my 59 Edsel. In the end I know I'll have spent more than it's worth. But it will be worth it to me to bring back a car that would otherwise just rot, or be destroyed. Speaking of my Edsel, I had the bodywork done. Now there's some roof repair to do (I posted that in another post a while ago). Then it can be painted (saving up for that now). The interior has already been redone and is in my basement. The door panels have been ordered from SMS (it's been a loonnnnnggg wait, I ordered them last April).

 

I'm surprised at some of the bids on these cars - much higher than I thought they would go.

 

I would buy a vehicle from this but with the knowledge that I would have to take it apart, every nut, every bolt, and build it from scratch after bathing it in POR-15 or something.

This '66 Polara looks remarkably clean. I see they pulled an interior door panel probably to find the high water mark...

http://www.copart.com/c2/homeSearch...e1s3&lotId=28650372&returnPage=SEARCH_RESULTS

But what interests me more is this '76 Cutlass Supreme. It's one year newer than my very first car, and the same colors (but it has a vinyl top). I would build it ground up to be just right, too. And no one would think I had a marble left in my skull.

http://www.copart.com/c2/homeSearch...e1s6&lotId=26902442&returnPage=SEARCH_RESULTS

 

If it is salt water I highly recommend that you take a pass. Without even looking.

 

It's just pipe dreams really. I have my hands full with my Edsel, then I have the 66 Satellite to spruce up, then I have my wagon to paint and reupholster. That should take about 10 years or so!

 

I'll send you my front seats!

 

We can't wait 10 years Dewey. The Shwag wants to be on the road this spring.

 

I want her on the road too, like soooooo bad! This spring she WILL be driving again!!

 

I have heard that a small pillow placed on milk cartons is fairly comfortable!
And some dairies have green ones.

 

I have a green bucket! Oh oh and a green pillow! One way or another, I'm rollin'!

 

I have to agree. Unless you plan on having the car dipped, it is going to rot from the inside out. You just can't abate all of the salt from every nook in the car, let alone all of the damage that will be done that you can see. You not only need to wash it, but neutralize the salt as well.