A DRIVER was excited to score a vintage sports car for cheap but was pleasantly surprised after lifting the hood of the abandoned vehicle.
Chevrolet built a small number of Laguna S-3 muscle cars as a top-of-the-line version of its Chevelle and a driver who got his hands on an abandoned one expected a disaster when checking out the motor.
The Chevelle was renamed Laguna Type S-3 in 1974 when the model was also restricted to the Colonnade coupe version, AutoEvolution reported.
Over three model years, Chevrolet built 32,680 Laguna S-3 road cars.
Which is a significantly small amount compared to the Chevelle it was based on and a car buyer scored one for only $200.
At that price, he expected it to have serious problems and be a major fixer-upper but to his shock, the old V8 engine inside was in better condition than the price suggested.
The motor didn’t even need much work to be back up and running.
They only put a few hours of work in on the engine and used some replacement parts worth less than $300.
After that little bit of maintenance, the Laguna S-3 was in working condition.
The gearbox was still shifting in the dumped automobile properly as well making them the proud owners of an incredibly affordable drivable Laguna.
It had been sitting outside in a field, with grass growing tall all around it so it didn’t necessarily look road-ready just yet.
The vintage Laguna did have a good-sounding engine and a properly running transmission, though.
Its body of it wasn’t pristine but was actually found to be not too overly rusty which was great news when a car had been sitting for that long.
The owner of it didn’t put in the work and dollars to fully restore it, especially since it was in fine working condition without a full restoration.
Additionally, a full renewal wouldn’t have been worth it relative to its market value.
The fact that it would be back on public roads alone was a huge win for a vehicle from its era.
How to report an abandoned car
Reporting an abandoned vehicle is important for keeping city streets safe and clean
Not only is an abandoned car an eyesore, it’s also a hazard to the surrounding community as pests and rodents can take refuge in the interior, engine bay, or trunk.
Leaking fluids can be dangerous for the environment, as many vehicle fluids are toxic and can wreak havoc on ecosystems if they enter waterways.
They can also encourage crime with several cities like Oakland, California reporting that drug dealers may use them to hide and side drugs or weapons.
Abandoned vehicles can also lower property values.
Therefore, they’re worth Specific contact information for your city’s abandoned car hotline may vary, but the necessary information on the vehicle is the same.
When reporting an abandoned vehicle, police will need:
- The exact address of the vehicle
- Information on the steering column (broken, missing, intact, etc)
- Condition of the vehicle (severely damaged, windows broken, leaking fluids, missing body panels or doors, etc)
- Make and model
- Color
- Body style (pickup truck, SUV, sedan, etc)
- License plate number and state, if applicable
- VIN
Many cities will allow residents to report abandoned vehicles online through an online form, or it can be called in.
Source: ABC affiliate WPVI-TV
MUSCLE CAR BARN
Car lovers often find themselves in awe when their explorations lead them to discover legendary muscle vehicles from older eras.
A YouTube creator who regularly shares auto content posted a video about a ‘90,000sqft of Barn Find Heaven’ they found.
“90,000 square feet or six barns full of dusty, rusty, forgotten treasures from decades of collecting,” the creator stated in the clip’s description.
“To name a few, GTOs, Caprices, Firebirds, Blazers, Suburban, Trucks, Jeeps, Broncos, and some pre-war cars. Everything is for sale and everything must go.”
The owner of the barn full of glorious abandoned vehicles shown off in the YouTube post said he bought the land the farm is on in the 70s.
“All this stuff we’re going to look at, I’ve been collecting over the last 15 to 20 years,” he said.
“That’s the story of the cars and now you know my wife died last year and I need to get rid of this stuff. I mean I live here by myself and I can’t keep this stuff.”
They walked around and talked about all the cars for sale as the YouTuber filmed in amazement.