It's okay - you can laugh. I did...

[Jacksdad]

Long story not so short - got a /6 '73 Duster on eBay. Sounded great - one owner, no rust, no bondo, factory a/c, California car, runs and drives good. Pictures looked fair too. I had trouble getting hold of the guy who was selling it for his Dad after I paid the deposit, but when he did get in touch almost a week later he explained he'd been out of town and not checking e-mail. I asked if the car was okay to drive back to San Diego (it was in LA) and he said it was a driver. When I spoke to his Dad he said the same. So that weekend I take my three year old and his car seat up there on the Amtrak. It's a bit rough around the edges with a horrible paint job, but solid looking (the Duster that is, not the Amtrak). The drivers seat is a bit torn up, but for $1600 I didn't really mind - I just wanted cheap wheels to get me around until the Charger is running, and maybe something to drop a small block in later. I commented on all the memories he must have of the car with him being the original owner, and he says "Not really - I bought it from someone else". One owner, huh? Then I notice there is a good size hole in the floor where the drivers right heel rests which I question, with it being a rust free car. He explained it was the only rust on the car and he thought it was weird too. I can weld so I resigned myself to putting a patch over it. It's right over the torsion bar so you can't do a Fred Flinstone unfortunately - it might have come in handy later. No biggie I think to myself - certainly not enough to turn around and go home for. We get ready to set off and it stalls and won't start. Now the guy isn't answering his door - alarm bells going off big time in my head at this point. He'd said it was low on gas so I check the carb and it's dry, so I carry my kid half a mile to the gas station and we're away again. First intersection I realise the front end is shot. Brake and turn to the left as you do - you know the routine. Okay, some front end work too. Fifteen miles down the road we get wisps of smoke from the steering column, and being LA I can't get to the shoulder. Luckily it stops almost immediately and I can't feel anything hot when I reach under the dash to check the loom, but I notice it's charging at 40+ amps. Explains the big ass battery wedged in there - it must have cooked the other one. Also explains why the floor mat is folded up under the battery - the last one probably blew acid all over the tray as it's almost eaten away. I'm driving really slowly because the front end is loose and I don't want to take any chances (how to make friends on the freeway in LA) and we're doing okay, when I notice it's getting warm. Within a mile it's pinging and we're off the freeway. I wait five minutes and loosen the cap and it goes off like Mt. St Helens. I eventually get some water from a nearby sprinkler system and find some containers in the trash cans on the street we've pulled on to, and we're off again - eyes glued to the temperature gauge. Eighteen miles and it's hot again, so I stop at a Denny's, wake up my kid and we go eat. When we leave it's cooled down so I fill it up with water, and after having to pour gas down the carb to get it to start, we're on the road again. Five miles later I hear the weirdest noise, almost like electrical arcing, which stops after thirty seconds (luckily because we're still not able to get over to the shoulder). I realise at the next stop that was the a/c belt letting go and beating the holy hell out of the transmission oil cooler lines. That I can deal with as the a/c doesn't seem to work anyway (along with most of the instrument lights, the fan and the radio. The taillights never go out though - maybe they're compensating for all the things that don't work). So much for the factory a/c - the battery acid had eaten through one of the refrigerant lines too. At the fifteen mile mark, we're cooking again so it's off the freeway. You get the picture for the rest of the trip. At one point I decided to drive a stretch of 101 as 50mph on the freeway was getting boring (and I figured I'd rather break down on surface streets than the freeway) and a stoplight turned red in front of me. The brakes - sorry, the brake - took the car hard right into a parking lot which was luckily there and free of pedestrians as we hurtle in, leaving a 50 yard single black mark and scaring the hell out of a lot of people, me included as the drivers seat belt doesn't fasten. Now it's stumbling, popping and stalling and I realise when I braked it must have stirred up some debris in the tank which is now in the carb. I crawl down 101 not daring to press too hard on the gas as it now won't transition off idle unless you sneak up on it. The overheating fiasco goes on all the way home, and six and a half hours and six emergency stops after we start off from LA, we make it back here. In the past week and a half I've pulled the head off and had it crack tested and resurfaced (very warped). I changed out the timing chain, exhaust valves, alternator, voltage regulator (which had got so hot it had dripped plastic down the firewall - hence the smoke I guess), had the radiator recored as the shop said it was full of holes and leaking from every seam, put new belts, hoses, thermostat, plug wires, etc on this thing. I've been looking for another (preferably pre smog) carb but no luck. Today I finished putting it all together and within fifteen minutes it's puked it's coolant out again and it's still showing 40+ on the ammeter. I guess the block is cracked or warped too. The overcharging I don't get as I've changed everything except the wires connecting it all together and the ammeter. To say I'm a little disappointed in this POS is an understatement. I'm trying to think of how to word the feedback for this guy, but I don't think the English language has words bad enough. I may have to resort to Italian or something - they seem good at this kind of thing, although I don't think it'll work as well without the gestures. Oh, and the floor pan on the drivers side is rusted out, and the car does have some bondo, and it still won't start without gas poured down the carb. Hopefully it's set itself on fire as I'm typing this and I can collect on the insurance. What really pisses me off is that the guy said my little boy was "a great looking kid" and I should "take good care of him" just before he sent me off on a freeway journey in a death trap that doesn't stop in a straight line and can't go twenty miles without overheating. None of the problems I had on the way back are the kind that suddenly appear - the brakes/front end were shot a long time ago, and the car was having overheating/charging problems when it was advertised as a good running car on eBay. The guy had to reconnect the battery when we arrived as he said he didn't want it stolen. I remember looking down the street and seeing two beautiful classic Cadillacs as well as the usual Mercs, Beemers, etc and thinking it a bit strange he should be so concerned about a '73 Duster with a bad paint job and a dry cleaning bag holding the driver's seat together. Couldn't be because the rear lights drain the battery, could it? Surely not. He also explained the poor starting was because it hadn't moved in a week and needed to pump the gas up. Funny thing about that - when I thought about it later I realised it was on a two hour parking meter. Hmmm. I hated having to drive back with my kid in that thing, but I can't afford to have cars towed from city to city, so I had to limp back, fingers crossed the whole way and driving more defensively than I thought was possible. Sorry to ramble, but hopefully if you're having a bad day, I just made it seem a little better

[Chucksdart]

I hope this doesn't sound mean , but you sure have me laughing and shaking my head !!! A lot of us have gotten a " deal " like that . I admire you for laughing about it so soon. Thanks for cheering up my day !

[Jacksdad]

You're welcome. The funny thing is the guy who advertised the car for his Dad e-mailed me two days ago and asked why I hadn't posted feedback yet. To be honest I wanted to know exactly what I was dealing with first before I contacted him. What cracked me up is he said he'd post my feedback after I posted his. Funny - I already paid so he should already know what to write about me

[Chucksdart]

Man! That guy must need a wheel barrow to haul his kahonis around!!! Got some nerve!

[Jacksdad]

Hope the wheelbarrow runs better than the Duster...

[Jacksdad]

Just to bring you up to date on the ongoing saga of the Duster from hell - the power steering pump just gave out and had to be replaced, a rear wheel bearing is getting noisy, the speedometer head has started to make odd noises while the needle swings wildly from left to right, the trans has begun to slip when it's cold, the windshield wipers don't move, the oil warning light and temp gauge have now stopped working, I discovered I'm missing AT LEAST one lug nut on each wheel, one of the K member bolts is not there anymore, and in the past week both rear tires have blown out (one on Saturday night and the other on Tuesday). To top things off, when I went back to the car to wait for the tow truck to arrive after the second blow out, someone had smashed the passenger side window and stolen (you'll like this) four half empty packs of Tic Tacs. After everything that's happened I couldn't do anything but stand on the shoulder of the freeway and laugh. Now the guy I bought it from has given me negative feedback on eBay. Hell of a week...

[benno318]

whats the negative feedback supposedly for?

[Ray Bell]

And maybe we could have the eBayer's name so we can have a look for ourselves... and be wary should we think of getting something from him!

[dwc43]

Sounds like it's time to build a drag car out of it.

[1973Swinger]

DWC has the right idea i think!

[nhdriver]

You should contact EBAY and have their fraud unit investigate this guy. Then a call to the D.A in the county he lives in would be in order. He should be prosecuted. You deserve a full refund.

[Jacksdad]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWN%3AIT

That should take you to the auction site. You can't get there from his or my feedback as he has set it to private so I included the item number in my feedback reply so at least people can check why I have a beef. I'm going to contact eBay as it is clearly retaliation feedback - he was paid as soon as I got hold of him and I picked the car up on time. That's what his feedback should have reflected, not the fact that I didn't roll over and give him positive feedback. I did e-mail him a few weeks ago (before I posted his feedback) to tell him what had happened so far and never got a reply. And yes, dwc's idea has crossed my mind more than once too At the moment I've got it to the point where it starts, stops and generally goes in the direction I point it. The gas consumption is great and apart from being butt ugly (the paint job caused a friend to comment that I should be careful as I could easily get lost in a jar of pickles) it's slowly turning into a useable car. It's just going to take some trouble free driving before I get over the feeling that it's got some kind of hex on it. The day I started to drive it after fixing the overheating/overcharging problem a woman in a lifted F150 nailed the driver's side rear quarter with her front bumper as she turned into me. I swear a previous owner must have pissed off a gypsy lady or something. I'm just glad I've been able to do all the work myself as I shudder to think what it would have cost to take it to a shop.

[1973Swinger]

I have purchased alot of stuff on ebay, and have only gotten screwed once. It was when I bought my T-Maxx R/C truck, same deal, it was nowhere near in the condition the guy described, and he was "selling it for someone else". I tried going back through ebay, but gave up after 3 months of arguing with them and fixed it up anyhow. The only way I would buy a car from ebay would be if I could see it before I bid. There are alot of people on ebay that dont care if they rip someone off or not. I never buy from anyone that says they are selling it for someone else. Just make a drag car out of it and look at it like you got a decent project car for $1300.

[Jacksdad]

I've bought quite a few things over the years on eBay, and only had problems twice (counting the Duster). I know realistically I'll get no help from eBay, so I won't waste too much time on it. I bought a transmission jack a while ago and the seller never sent it. I checked his other auctions and half a dozen other buyers were in the same boat. We never got our money or our purchases even when eBay's Squaretrade arbitration service got involved, but between the six of us we gave him up to the Post Office, credit cards, Baton Rouge police, and the Better Business Bureau (he was using his custom kitchen business in Louisiana to take payments). Last I heard they went after him for theft, fraud, interstate mail fraud, etc. For pocketing less than a grand he had a whole lot of trouble headed his way.
With a little work the Duster will come right in the end. I'm a bit pissed though. If I'd waited just a little longer I could have picked up this peach. What a beauty - I especially like the interior
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

[Ray Bell]

I guess your question about whether they'd vacuum it out for you before delivery is still awaiting an answer?

And did you ask if that special fuel filler cap was included?

[DanL]

Hope you get the car up to your standards. Too bad you didn't get what you thought you were getting, though.

I bought my 73 Plymouth sight unseen through eBay. Didn't go see the car because I was in Denver and the car was in the Dallas area, and I just couldn't get the time to go. I did spend a lot of time on the phone with the seller before I bid. I got exactly what I thought I was getting; a clean car with no rust, marginal paint, a very good interior, a nicely running engine and a slipping tranny. I guess I was lucky. Never thought I'd buy a car without looking at it, but this one worked out fine.

At the same time, I also sold my 46 Ford Fordor that I had restored through eBay. The buyer sent me a lot of e-mails, I talked to him on the phone a couple times, and the transaction went very smoothly. I told him exactly what it was, and he knew what he was getting.

I suppose it works if both parties are honest and willing to spell out the bad as well as the good. Trouble is, you don't know about that OTHER guy.

I guess I'm saying that eBay can work well, but it can be a bit risky for a car purchase.

[1973Swinger]

Man, that other duster you posted the link to is a real pile, I dont think id put that on ebay, probably part it out. And being from western NY, I have delt with many rusted cars, but even I wouldnt touch that thing with a 10 foot pole! It looks like some good ole Alabama boy's field car. I cant believe the guy said it needs some body work, that car isnt even worth saving. You would have to replace EVERYTHING on it.

[Jacksdad]

Originally Posted by Ray Bell

I guess your question about whether they'd vacuum it out for you before delivery is still awaiting an answer?

And did you ask if that special fuel filler cap was included?

Personally, I'm quite taken with the color coordinated oil filler, breather, air cleaner hold down and brake master cylinder cover. It's the attention to little details that make this one stand out, don't you think?

[Jacksdad]

Originally Posted by DanL

Hope you get the car up to your standards. Too bad you didn't get what you thought you were getting, though.

I still don't really know if I'll spend the time on this one. I'd like a Duster but it might not necessarily be this one. It was only meant to be cheap transport for the summer, and not the project it's turned out to be. I have a '67 Charger in storage - that's my baby.

[dschumers]

At least the speedo will be easy to fix. It just needs the cable lubed. You have the dreaded "Chrysler chirp".

[Jacksdad]

That's kind of weird - I was driving home tonight and noticed the "chirp" for the first time in a while (it hadn't stopped I'm sure - I'm just getting used to it) and it crossed my mind to pull the cable and oil it. Thanks for that - I'll let you know how it goes. Just threw another couple of new tires on it today so I feel a lot safer. I was beginning to imagine all kinds of vibrations after having the other two let go in such a short time. Now all I need is to track down a window to replace the one that was busted out while I went to call a tow truck, and a spare wheel (14", small bolt pattern). The three Dusters that were in the local wrecking yards all disappeared in the last two weeks unfortunately, and the only A bodies were a late model Dart with the 4 1/2" pattern and an early Mopar on 13's so no joy there. Next day off work I'll take a drive and check some other yards I don't normally go to. The biggest problem I forsee will be getting the right glass - mine has the green tint. Anyone know how common that is?

[boboh1]

Read your story and the follow-up posts. I was surprised when I opened up your link to see the e-Bay ad. At the time the ad was running, I was looking for a Duster and that very one was on my list of ones I was considering. Whew...that was a close one. I have been doing the e-Bay thing since 1998 and have gotten screwed only a couple of times so fortunately most of the e-Bay community is honest. This idiot you dealt with is really something else. Not only is he a liar, but he had the nerve to leave you negative feedback. What a jerk. I have also found out that e-Bay really does not give a damn or do a damn thing with retalitory feedback and bad people. You have to do many things and have many bad feedbacks before they finally suspend the fool. Then he will just open up another account with another user name and password so then they are back in business. As for me, I finally found a 1974 Duster. It was out of state but I still took a chance. The guy was honest it most aspects, but not in others. Luckily it is not nearly as bad as what you had to go through, but it is not as good as the seller claimed. Hope you can get it going and it will eventually work out for you as a good driver.

[Jacksdad]

I've been buying stuff on eBay since '99 and like you, for the most part I've had few problems. This was just bad luck and I don't think indicative of the eBay community as a whole. I would have walked away from this one if I'd known half the things that were wrong with it. Unfortunately I was stuck between a rock and a hard place having dragged my three year old up on the train and bus from San Diego, and with the guy having insisted on a "non-refundable" $500 deposit which I'd already paid. It's slowly coming together. It always starts now, runs fine and gets good gas mileage. It is ugly as sin with a truly horrible paint job and no hub caps since I lost one during the second blow out and decided to ditch them all, but it's growing on me. My friends are all starting to call it "the Pickle" because of the color. The speedo "chirp" has gone (thanks dschumers ) and I have a disc brake front end ready to go on. I tracked down a tinted passenger window which I'll pick up tomorrow so people will stop throwing their trash in the car (came out of work today to find a McDonalds bag and a large soda sitting on the passenger seat). I have a drivers side floorpan I'll weld in when I get a chance and a Year One carpet kit (eBay) to replace the mats. I'm glad you got the car you wanted - any pics?

[boboh1]

Right now all I have is the pictures from the original e-Bay ad and do not know how to post those. I'll try to find the auction number so you can check it out. I will be taking some pictures once I am finished with my work on it. I liked it when I got it, but now that I am into it, the car has grown on me and I like it more each time I work on it. Just wish I had your welding skills as I need a small patch welded on the bottom of one of the rear fenders. Any way, I thnk that may happen to you with your pickle. I also think you will be getting it to perform well and bring it back to life. Old cars (especially MOPARS) deserve better then the neglect that last seller dished out.

[Jacksdad]

I need to patch the rear quarters too (at the very least - I might look into a new quarter on the drivers side if I decide to keep the car). Now I've had time to look closer at the car that's where the bondo is. Being able to weld is something I owe my Dad big time for - you might want to look into taking a class and investing in a MIG welder as it makes things so much easier (and cheaper too). And coming from the UK I've seen my fair share of rust. Put a new window in last night - I was lucky enough to find one with the green tint - and got a spare wheel at the same time. Made it to the tire shop before they closed so I'm all set now. So much quieter coming in to work with a window Good luck with yours - look forward to seeing some pics.

[c318cuin]

That second car would make a great drag car too. Take the suspension, engine, and tranny off and drag it behind a tractor to smooth out the field. You might get a few passes out of it before the it come apart....

[Jacksdad]

That thing eventually got 11 bids and sold for $500 on eBay. Like everything else, I guess Duster prices are on the rise too...

[benno318]

thats amazing!!!

[Jacksdad]

This may be the end of my role in the Pickle saga. Need the space and the money would come in handy so she's on eBay. It's bumming my kid out big time, but I've consoled him with the promise that the motor will go into the Charger and we can think about getting that back up and running.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=160482832918

[whtbaron]

Guess that wasn't a big money maker for you, but here's at least one thumbs up for being honest in your description of what was being sold.