Craigslist classic cars for sale phoenix az

When it's time to look for a fresh project to start work on, many folks turn their browsers to the west in the hopes of finding projects with little rust. Arizona is one such place, with 114,000 square miles of mostly arid landscape. With no portion of it bordering an ocean, no major body of water, and few precious days of rain, the Arizona climate is darned near perfect for preserving old cars. The only problem: Relative to its size, there aren't many people in Arizona.

Although Arizona ranks sixth in terms of outright land mass, it only has around 2 percent of the U.S. population, and that means there aren't all that many cars there. Finding a good project car candidate in Arizona is a lot harder than you may think, especially if you live back east and have resigned yourself to a world of rust repair. You might easily assume that a dry climate like Arizona would be packed with rust-free fodder at low prices, but today's vintage sellers are smarter than your average bear, even in Arizona.

Arizona's Craigslist sites are relatively few, with the Phoenix and Tucson areas having the lion's share of cars for sale. One thing common to them all, however, is cheap ads that often attract sellers with little time for quality photos or thoughtful descriptions. At the price range we're concerned with here—projects with an asking price at or below $5,000—there is often a long punch list of to-do jobs before you can hit the road trouble-free, and sellers are loath to disclose everything.

That doesn't mean there aren't bargains, though, and we've combed through just about every automotive Craigslist ad in the state to find the best ones. Specifically, we looked at everything built between 1960 and 1996, widening our search scope this time to include some of the more popular late-model performers. (Check out our recent stories on California Craigslist here and Texas Craigslist here.) Now let's look at what we found in Arizona the week of February 1, 2021.

1965 Chrysler Newport Asking Price $800

1965 was the first year for Chrysler's then-new full-sized C-Body platform, an arcane fact that wouldn't normally make a difference except that they all sported (at least) 383ci big-block Wedge power and beefy TorqueFlite 727 transmissions. Cosmetic parts are hard to find, but the unmistakable styling puts this Phoenix-area '65 Newport in a league of its own. Even with a blown engine and a thrashed interior, this big Chrysler will make someone a fun driver for the pittance of $800. (See the ad here.)

1968 Ford F100 Pickup Asking Price $2,900

A hard life on the farm has left this 1968 Ford F100 short-bed pickup (Mesa, Arizona) with a lifetime of battle scars, but sometimes that's exactly the vibe you're looking for in a truck like this. Short-bed trucks of this vintage are on fire right now, and this one was motivated by a 390ci FE big-block (seized) and C6 auto. With the popularity of Panther suspension/chassis swaps and the fact that this F100 has mostly cosmetic rust, we doubt this short-bed will last long at this price. (See the ad here.)

1974 Plymouth Satellite Cop Car Asking Price $3,500

Chrysler cop cars from the 1970s were known for their massively overbuilt powertrains, and it seems product planners actually anticipated their hard use for once, endowing these midsize B-Body four-door sedans with 440ci big-block Wedge power, TorqueFlite 727 transmissions, and 8.75-inch rearends. At the time, they were nearly the fastest thing on the road. The seller of this Phoenix PD patrol unit (Cottonwood, Arizona) has already started the restoration, making things slightly easier—it even drives under its own power. (See the ad here.)

1993 Chevy Caprice Wagon Asking Price $3,600

As the owner of a 1994 Buick Roadmaster, I'm a fan of the full-size 1991 to 1996 GM B-body. This 1993 Chevy Caprice wagon (Surprise, Arizona) doesn't have the sought-after LT1 Corvette engine of the 1994 to 1996 models, but it looks like it's been well taken care of and even modded with sidepipe exhaust, an Impala SS nose, and Cragar 17-inch wheels. GM B-body wagons like this are hugely popular (not to mention well supported by the aftermarket) and increasingly harder to find. This one at $3,600 is a good deal, but you'll want to swap out the lo-po 350ci small-block for a turbo LS or a Hellcrate. (See the ad here.)

1962 Chrysler Newport Coupe Asking Price $3,800

Another full-size Mopar is on the Arizona menu (Tucson area), this one a 1962 Chrysler Newport model that visits the end of the Virgil Exner styling era of curves, chrome, and fins. Speaking of which, 1962 was the first year without fins, but it still features the sexy curved roof, over-the-top styling, and forward-look space-age interior. (It's got the push-button shifter, too!) This one is in the middle of a rockabilly remake with flat black paint and wide whitewalls, so it might be hiding problems otherwise exposed by a natural state. Nevertheless, this one is worth checking out for its dare-to-be-different looks. It even runs! (See the ad here.)

1979 Ford Fairmont Asking Price $4,000

Built on Ford's famous Fox-body platform, this 1979 Fairmont (Apache Junction, Arizona) takes all the Fox Mustang bolt-ons, engine mods (ditch the six and go with a Windsor V-8), and chassis/suspension goodies but does away with the Mustang's cookie-cutter looks. Unlike the boxy sedan variant, this sportroof-styled Fairmont has a personal luxury vibe and a swoopy look—perfect for a retro Pro Street treatment. (Check out Holley's blown LS-swapped Fairmont here.) The biggest issue is the bashed-in passenger-side fender, but that shouldn't be too hard to fix or find, given the $4,000 asking price. (See the ad here.)

1995 Pontiac Firebird Formula Asking Price $4,000

While the price of some cars is driven skyward by the feeding frenzy of demand, some cars seem to defy logic with prices well below what we'd expect. Fourth-generation GM F-bodies (Camaros and Firebirds) are such cars, and this 1994 Pontiac Firebird Formula with its 285-hp LT1 V-8 and 4L60E automatic is a great deal at $4,000. Capable of running 14 flat or high 13s in stock trim, this one has a surprisingly sanitary interior, good paint (if you can handle custom flames), straight sheetmetal, and an aftermarket Stinger hood. At some point, a new Optispark distributor will be needed, but that's always the case with LT1 engines. (See the ad here.)

1989 Chevy Corvette Asking Price $4,700

If you're looking for a lot of performance for the money or a solid chassis/powertrain to use as the basis of a custom project, a fourth-generation Corvette may be just the thing. We're constantly amazed that C4 Corvettes sell for so little, but that's the nature of the Corvette buyer's ladder; every 'Vette owner wants to trade up, and that usually means selling the existing one to fund the newer one. Fortunately, Corvette owners take great care of their cars, and this 1989 model (with aluminum-headed 350ci TPI L98 rated at 245 hp) looks clean enough to be in a museum. We'd be surprised to find any hidden rust in this Tempe-based C4. (See the ad here.)

1965 Ford Thunderbird Asking Price $4,800

We said before that 1964 to 1966 Thunderbirds are underappreciated, and the price on this 1965 model from New River, Arizona, seems to bear us out. T-birds admittedly aren't in high demand, but that's good for those who enjoy sleek two-door styling, a luxurious highway ride, and big 390ci FE power. This seller says his '65 is driven nearly every day, and from the looks of the cockpit that appears to be the case. What's more, the interior looks to be in very good condition, a sign that this one has been lovingly used over the years. Dig the patina on the original red paint! (See the ad here.)

1992 Chevy Corvette Asking Price $5,000

This LT1-powered 1992 Corvette continues the theme of high value in the C4 ranks. Although not quite as perfect cosmetically as the 1989 model shown above, the '92 shown here (Mayer, Arizona) has the upper hand in the performance department with the 300-hp LT1 (versus the 245-hp Tuned Port Injected L98). Modest upgrades in the form of Torq-Thrust wheels, new tires, new rotors, and upgraded stereo combine with recent major repairs and some good documentation to make this a strong recommendation for an in-person inspection. (See the ad here.) Make sure to check out all 68 story photos in the gallery.