Craigslist Orlando: Cool Auto Finds Under a Hot Sun

When Aaron Jernigan settled and began clearing land around his 160-acre parcel in the 1870s, he was hoping to build something for his family and the small group he brought with him. It’s hard to imagine that he ever could’ve envisioned the tiny settlement growing to become one of the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the country. Today, Orlando is home to Disney World, Universal Resort, SeaWorld, Gatorland, and Wet ‘n Wild, five of the largest attractions in Florida.
But there’s more to Orlando than theme parks. On top of the 60 million-plus tourists that visit a year, the hub of central Florida is home to 2.3 million people. And like most places with a large population and a vibrant economy, Orlando has one of the best Craigslist sites around.
When it comes to cars, the city’s beautiful weather and location away from the salty air of the coasts means that car shopping on Orlando Craigslist turns up some of the cleanest and most interesting cars anywhere. We recently took a look at the best cars the site had to offer and put them together here.
1. 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

A Lamborghini may seem like more of a Miami thing, but we think the Italian exotics would be right at home a few hundred miles up the coast. This 2012 Gallardo Spyder has just over 17,000 miles on its mid-mounted 5.2 liter V10. At $157,000, it’s pretty pricey, but it is nearly $50,000 cheaper than Lamborghini’s current entry-level car.
2. 1990 Corvette ZR-1

The importance of the ZR-1 in Corvette history can’t be overstated. With a suspension and engine designed by Lotus, the 375 horsepower, 175-plus mile per hour ‘Vette costs almost twice as much as the base model car, and was one of the most advanced performance cars of the ’90s. That’s why we love this 68,000 mile listing. For $16,900, this black over grey example seems like a steal.
3. 1971 Plymouth Barracuda

The Barracuda is one of the most lusted after muscle cars of the ’70s, but they were never as popular as rivals like the Camaro and Mustang. That makes them highly collectible today — especially the convertible models. Restored to better-than-factory condition, this ’71 Barracuda is likely one of the cleanest examples in the world. At $89,500, it’s no small investment. Still, we can’t think of a cooler car to cruise the Sunshine State in.
4. 1962 Chevrolet Corvette

Part of the first generation of Corvettes, the 1962 model dialed back the heavy chrome bodywork found on earlier cars and previewed the rear styling that would end up on the iconic 1963 to ’67 Stingrays. This ’62 is as rare as it is pretty in Jewel Blue, with its original 283 cubic inch V8 under the hood. At $89,900, it costs about as much as a well-equipped modern Z06 ‘Vette. And while it can’t compete with that modern supercar in terms of performance, it more than makes up for it in style.
5. 2012 Ferrari California

We know, we know, wrong state. But Ferrari’s entry level (if you can call a $206,000 car that) V8-powered sports car is ideal for Florida, too. With a retractable hardtop, the California can take central Florida’s heaviest rain with ease. And once the sun’s out, the top goes down. This car may be 5 years old, but the model hasn’t changed much, and at $124,995, it’s a bargain compared to a new one.
6. 1932 Ford Street Rod

In 1932, Ford introduced the flathead V8, and within a matter of years, it became central to the birth of the hot rod movement. Over 80 years later, most of the ’32s you see at your local car show are made of fiberglass and were made decades after the ’30s. We can’t be sure of this one’s provenance, but the seller claims it’s all steel (a good sign that it’s a real Ford), and its ’60s-style “Kustom” interior is just too cool. It can be yours for a cool $60,000 — and we do mean cool: It, thankfully, has air conditioning.
7. 1950 Chevrolet car hauler

What do you get the man who has everything? How about a custom-built car hauler! This 1950 cab-over-engine Chevy truck is painted in arrest-me red, and underneath its flowing bodywork lies an upgraded frame from a Ford E-350 van and a 302 cubic inch V8, also from the Blue Oval. The seller claims that it isn’t currently running (“BUT [will be] VERY SOON!”), and has been one of the most reliable vehicles he’s ever owned. For $20,000 or best offer, it could be a great way to get your vintage car to summer car shows in style.
8. 1965 Ford Mustang

The first-generation Mustang is an easily attainable, bona fide classic that you can find on almost any local Craigslist. But this 1966 convertible is too special to leave off the list. A well-optioned car, this is an honest, clean example of Ford’s game-changing ponycar. There are enough over-restored, hot-rodded ‘Stangs out there; for $27,950, this is a nice, lazy cruiser.
9. 1972 Chevy Cheyenne

We couldn’t do a list of central Florida Craigslist ads without including a cool, no-nonsense vintage pickup. For 1972, the Cheyenne was the king of the Chevy truck lineup. With an available big-block V8 and then-unheard of car-like amenities (full carpeting, AM/FM radio, woodgrain trim), the Cheyenne was about as close to a muscle truck as you could get. This example looks to be about all cleaned up, and its $31,000 asking price seems to reflect that.
10. 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

As prices for air-cooled Porsche 911s continue to climb into the stratosphere, this 213,000 mile example is a relative bargain at $29,999. To purists, the “original” 911s of 1964 to 1989 offer the most engaging driving experience. But the best came from 1987 to ’89, when Porsche updated the car with a modern five-speed manual transmission, and a bump from 202 horsepower to 214. Despite this car’s high mileage, it has a new top, reupholstered seats, some service records, and is unusually clean despite the wear and tear. This is one affordable vintage Porsche that you won’t be afraid to add even more miles to.