Car auctions are in shambles these days. From the once-humble Bring-A–Trailer to the no-nonsense Monterey Car Week, the prices for cool and even not-so-cool classic cars and trucks are absurd. The mega-rich are buying with reckless abandon. However, there were some old dogs that slipped past the monocle boys there on the beach. Here are some of the cool cars that sold for less than $10,000 at the 2022 Monterey Car Week.
What were the cheapest cars at Monterey Car Week 2022?
Monterey is known for its six and even seven figure cars. It’s bang for buck out there, but that doesn’t mean there are some cool cars for the common man. Drive found some classic cars that not only sell for less than $10,000, but some of them are also extremely cool.
Let’s check it out.
1959 AMC Rambler Coupe
Price: 9350 dollars
AMC is an interesting car manufacturer. The now-defunct American manufacturer may be an unfamiliar name to some, but AMC was responsible for some of America’s most iconic and innovative cars. This is fair; I said “innovator”.
However, the AMC Rambler was neither groundbreaking nor iconic, but it was cool. This 1959 job is a custom surfer style mouse rod build that oozes beauty and style.
The Rambler coupe is neither fast nor sharp. You can think of the AMC Rambler as a Saturn sedan; not exactly high quality, but they got the job done. I realize this isn’t the biggest selling point, but the 50’s styling and nice build factor cover a lot of sins.
1977 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham
Price: 8800 dollars
Just look at those seats! That’s a little weird, but the vibe is there. The Drive notes that the ’77 land yacht still sports its original paint, factory AC, and one last time. While we still think this sled is cool and probably a good deal, Mecum says the factory AC needs some love. A little sweat is a small price to pay.
1971 MG MGB
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Price: 7700 dollars
While the MG itself may not be a screamer, the price of this little British roadster is. Unlike everything else on this list, the MGB is a proper sports car. That’s not to say it’s fast; Its not. This little chrome bumper class action only produced 92 hp from the factory. But who gets late? Just look at it.
This is the favorite year for this model for many MG fans. The ’71 models still have chrome bumpers, the more powerful twin-carb engine, and some even have superchargers.
1956 Pontiac Star Cheif Ambulance
Price: 9900 dollars
This is the cream of the crop. Not only are ambulances just plain cool, but the Pontiac Star Chief is also a personal favorite. This Chief Star was “ambulated” by the Superior Trainer in the period. The Star Chief rumbles along with the help of its 317-ci V8. The Star Chief still has all of his ambulance gear should an emergency arise. It still has its period fire extinguisher, gas, Motorola two-way radio and an old, roof-mounted Federal Beacon Ray emergency light.
Not only was it completely restored, but it was also done in the charming style of the legendary fictional Township of Mayberry.
Can anyone buy a car at Monterey Car Week?
Anyone with a little money can. This listing shows that for $7,000-$10,000, you can walk away with something very cool from one of the coolest car events in history.
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