Welcome to another round of “Would You Rather?” Today, we decided to take the high road and instead of forcing you to pick between bad and evil, we found a couple of cars that could seriously use a new home. Hunting in the Desert Southwest is a dream for car guys because the iron is still out there, and still in decent condition. Neither one of these cars would be first on anybody’s radar but both have serious potential. Figure on a price tag around $3,500 for both, and the likely prospect of having to trailer them away. Below are your choices…now take your pick!
1. 1967 Chrysler New Yorker 2-door
C-body, sea body, whatever…it’s a freaking huge Chrysler packing a 440 under that massive hood. The first year for a sportier rear quarter glass/roof treatment on a squared off, Lincoln Continental-inspired body design that first appeared in 1965, the New Yorker has some semblance of a sporting thought, but really this is two gigantic rolling couches with big-block power and enough room in the trunk to live out of…which you might have to if you drag it home.
2. 1971 Mercury Montego MX
The Mercury Montego is related to the Ford Torino, but the taillights still make me think of the 1970s Mercury Comet and nose shape makes me think of a weevil, or a bird with a giant beak. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it affair, but it is certainly unique. A 302 and FMX automatic live in the air conditioning-equipped California blue plate car, and it is said to run and drive…whether that means “onto the trailer” or period is yet to be seen. Unlike the Chrysler, these are the only two photos offered, so you’ll have to take the risk of potential body work.
the answer is clear: for 3500.00, neither.
But for 2k, Chrysler, all day long. Drive it, crash it, sell the drivetrain and recoup yer losses.
I want the pedal car in the back ground of the Merc boat picture
I’d take the Chrysler. 440 Wedge power, and I definitely prefer the styling.
The Merc is the twin to my blue Montego. That car has been on CL for months and for $3500 it aint going nowhere. Nobody appreciates those cars and most people only want them as parts cars for their Cyclone resto’s because 90% of the parts swap.
The New Yorker is too much if a land yacht. I’ll take the Merc since always been a fan if that body style.
If its rust free (but doubt it), the price tag is not that bad.
Both cars were found in the Las Vegas Craigslist ads. If there’s rust, it is very, very minimal and should be surface-only.
Then for that price, its a smoking deal!
If it was me McTaggart, I’d take the New Yorker. Slap a EFI system on to that 440, find a nice set of pipes and headers, do an axle swap to get disc brakes, get a decent transmission with overdrive and some cruising gears with a posi trac in the rear end and you would have a hell of a sleeper. Leave the paint and the wheels as is and you’re golden.
Bryan this has the making of a regular column type thing here. How about a weekly hot or not feature with a couple of realistically priced cars that we could all laugh/cry over?
I’d even offer up some free time searching adverts for you to choose through…………
I’ll take the montego to add to the mach 1 so I can recreate the original gone in 60 seconds
ha! do you really need to ask?