10 Winter Classic Project Cars Priced At $3,000 Or Below Include A 1947 Studebaker Champion At $2,800 And A 1949 Chrysler Windsor Business Coupe That Still Fires Right Up

Think a cool classic is out of reach? Not if you are willing to get your hands dirty. The American Rod Shop channel rounded up ten winter project cars, every one priced at $3,000 or below.

Black and white photo of old project cars sitting in a cluttered garage

Some run and some do not, and some are rare. The host says they all have desirable body styles and would give you “a great start on building a cool summer cruiser without breaking the bank.”

Here is the whole lineup, in the order he showed it, with the asking prices as listed.

1. The 1949 Chrysler Windsor Business Coupe That Fires Right Up

This white 1949 Chrysler Windsor five-window business coupe in Tennessee is listed at $2,500 or best offer. It shows 61,570 original miles and “fires right up,” though it needs brake work to be safe on the road.

Power is the original flathead six with a three-speed manual and three-on-the-tree shifter. The body is very solid with light surface rust, the glass is good, and it has new tires with freshly painted whitewalls. The host called it his favorite pick of the week.

2. A 1947 Studebaker Champion At A “True Giveaway Price”

This gray 1947 Studebaker Champion sedan in Frederick, Maryland is listed at $2,800 firm. The owners have done plenty already, including a new wiring harness, powdercoated rims and new white wall tires.

It is not running yet, but the owner says it will not take much. It has new interior panels, a carpeted trunk and a trunk full of extra parts, and it has been stored indoors for four years.

3. A 1961 Morris Minor Traveller Woody Wagon From England

Built in Cowley, Oxford, this British woody wagon is listed in Enterprise, Alabama at $2,500 or best offer. The host says only a very small handful came to the United States, which makes it hard to find.

It has 70,500 original miles, the original four-cylinder engine and a three-speed manual. The wood needs replacing on the rear doors and sides, and the owner includes replacement wood for the doors. It is not running now, but he says it ran well when parked.

4. A Barn Find 1948 Nash Coupe At $3,000

This brown, all-original 1948 Nash coupe in Columbia, Missouri is listed at $3,000 or best offer. The body has been sanded and worked over, with only the rear fenders still needing attention.

The 172.6 cubic inch flathead six makes about 82 horsepower. It turns over but is not running, and it is paired with a three-speed manual. The floorboards, trunk, glass and wiring are in good shape.

5. A Rare 1964 Corvair Monza Convertible For Just $1,700

This is the cheapest car on the list, listed in Memphis, Tennessee by its original owner at $1,700 firm. The host says Chevrolet built just 4,761 Monza convertibles in 1964.

The air-cooled 164 cubic inch flat six runs on starting fluid, and the car has a two-speed Powerglide automatic. The convertible top is in great condition and the floor pans are solid. The host gave it his “best deal seal.”

6. A 1959 Nash Metropolitan Hardtop With A New Gas Tank In The Box

This two-tone black and white Metropolitan in Newcastle, Indiana is listed at $2,995. It has the original 1500cc four-cylinder and a three-speed manual, and the odometer reads 18,000 miles, though the seller is not sure it is accurate.

The engine will run off a gas jug because the tank leaks, but a brand new tank comes with the car. It is sold with a bill of sale, and a title can be ordered from the state for $125.

7. A 1966 International Cabover Truck, Or Two For $5,000

This yellow and white 1966 International COE in Downey, California has 50,000 original miles and is listed at $3,000 or best offer. The second owner has two of them, and the pair goes for $5,000.

Both are complete and clean, and both were running when they were parked a few years ago. The host notes that cabover trucks are highly desirable when built into a custom street rod pickup.

8. A 1955 Packard Clipper With A Pile Of New Parts

This gray four-door Packard Clipper in Springfield, Ohio is listed at $2,000 and comes with a clean title. The second owner started the restoration but ran out of time.

He rebuilt the shifter, steering column and carburetor, and added a new master cylinder, fuel pump, brake lines and wheel cylinders. It needs a battery and will start, run and move, but needs more work before it is safely road ready.

9. A 1946 Dodge Deluxe D24 Coupe With A Rare Sun Visor

This gray 1946 Dodge coupe in Danville, Iowa is listed at $2,250 or best offer, with 55,000 original miles. The owner says it is complete, and it has a rare exterior sun visor.

The frame is solid, and the rust can be fixed or left as a patina cruiser. It does not run, and it is sold with a bill of sale since the owner has no title.

10. A Yellow 1957 Ford Station Wagon With A 312 Thunderbird Special

The last car is a yellow 1957 Ford four-door wagon in Kansas, listed at $2,500 or best offer with a bill of sale. The 312 Thunderbird Special engine is locked up, but it comes with a front grill, bumper and extra front fenders.

The body is solid and dent-free, and the car rolls easily. The host likes the slanted tailgate and glass, which gives it a sleeker look, and he sees it as anything from a full restoration to a lead sled cruiser.

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