My guess is when they were doing the Cash for Clunkers many got sold due to the poor fuel mileage.
I know that's a 54 Bel-Air but something about that one makes me feel like it's a Pontiac. Maybe it's a combination of the mid-mounted curb feeler, the fender mounted front gun sights along with the headlight visors and the windshield visor. However I came up with that, I assure everyone it was not that side view mirror.
Maybe the later Monte Carlos, but not the first gen '70-71-72 cars. They were relatively expensive cars by that time. IIRC nice #2 454 cars were selling in the $30k range and general parts cars were $1,000+. Beautiful cars, I want one, especially a 454 car.
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Ever seen a convertible conversion? There's a nice blue one in our area that showed up for sale a number of years ago. Check out this site:
https://www.firstgenmc.com/forums/index.php?/resources/convertibles/
The one I saw up close was done using the workings from a '72 Cutlass convertible. And you're right, they truly do look factory built. I poured over that thing, and found nothing that didn't impress me about the conversion.
And then there's this...
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Replica of Munster Koach at Wings and Wheels show, Tillsonburg, Ontario Sept.16.
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