This old smoker was spotted last Saturday, but being with wife, there was no time to check it out. From afar, it looked like a classic Hong Qi - Red Flag, but further inspection on the Sunday (sans wife) showed that the car was actually an Old Shanghai - the precursor to SAIC.
This old Shanghai was in quite a state, but the owner - mechanic- says he is in the process of giving the old girl a makeover. But his apprentice gladly offered it to us for 10,000rmb ($1,400USD) an offer we politely reclined.
Used to see these all over China in the early 90s, but I think the last time I saw one that was road-worthy was around 1996. Too bad, they are the Chinese equivalent of the Indian Ambassador (another great car made until recently on an entirely vintage design). I would’ve talked him down to 5000 and towed it out to a friend’s art studio. Turn it into a giant piece of furniture and sell it to a collector from Norway.
If you had the time and space to work on it then 10,000 kuai wouldn’t be too much to pay for it. It would be a long term project and a bit of a money pit but that doesn’t stop people from restoring cars.
The biggest question would be whether or not you can get it all legal.
The tin worm had eaten up fair chunks of the boot, and the bonnet. I think the only way to fix it, would be to replace the panels. Engine wise, I have no idea what was up with it, I did not dare lift the bonnet it was in such a state!
saying that, I found one in MINT condition for a MERE 20,000RMB here:
http://auction1.taobao.com/auction/item_detail-0db1-aff3487b29f65d923c9ad15345226615.jhtml
Don’t you hate the shipping charges. Another 10,000RMB