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Garage => Test Drive => Topic started by: nblewi0 on 21 August 2022, 01:13 PM

Title: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: nblewi0 on 21 August 2022, 01:13 PM
Hi all,
I thought that I would introduce myself.  I'm a new member from Palmer, Alaska (near Anchorage, AK).  I bought my first 1973 4.5 L 450 SE from my local Copart lot here in July.  My kids nicknamed it Goldie when they say it come home.  It was running really rough so I started working through things to try to get it running better.  It is running much more smoothly now.  However, the body is a little more rusty than I expected as I started to really look over the car.  I really enjoyed driving the car up and down my street even when the car wasn't running well. 

Then, out of no where, another 1973 450 SE popped up on craiglist last week.  It was last registered in Washington in 1999 and spent the last 23 years in a warm garage.  It has significantly less rust than Goldie.  It is running well but idling high and surging some under idle.  I think it is probably the AAV.  It does look like one of the previous owners used the front and rear bumper.  I think I will take the bumpers off Goldie and put them on the blue car.

So, I will probably use Goldie as a parts car for my blue car.  I'm kinda shocked that two of the same car popped up here close to me in Alaska.  I have already learned a lot looking through all the posts in the forum and I really look forward learning more and discussing these cars with all of you.

I have attached photos of the cars on the uhaul trailer

Nat

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Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: sutekh on 22 August 2022, 07:08 AM
Great looking cars! Those European-style bumpers on the US '73 only SE cars look great and aren't cheap to replace. Glad you have a spare set!
Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: Randys01 on 23 August 2022, 04:30 AM
Welcome and good luck in your endeavours.there is rust and there's rust. Making one beauty out of 2 might be the way ahead but be absoluley certain that Goldie is terminal before breaking her up.
Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: gurrier on 23 August 2022, 06:18 AM
IMO - the decision as regards whether or not a rust problem with a car is terminal is purely a personal one literally nothing is terminal provided the owner is willing to put in time/effort/expense into the effort.  Using sheer logic alone would mean that nothing would be saved.
Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: Neil4speed on 23 August 2022, 09:22 AM
Welcome to the forum, looking forward to hearing about your journeys with both!
Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: Sensh on 02 September 2022, 02:16 AM
Great looking cars.  Short wheelbase 450's are my personal favorites.
Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: smileyscull on 28 September 2022, 04:42 AM
Your car looks so great!
Title: Re: New to me 450 SEs
Post by: thomasfrank on 18 November 2022, 01:39 AM
I didn't expect such a coincidence to happen.