I've been 'ordered' to Sage--by my wife, but I got to find who owns it first--and if it's even still for sale. I know for a fact it's been there for over 3 years--for a long time now, I kept hearing rumors there was one in that town, but finally took the time today to drive over and peer in that chainlink. I looked once before, but there was so much junk piled up in that corner ya couldn't tell what was in there.
It was really hard to see inside it from outside the fence because of the windows stacked everywhere and all the vegetation growing on the fence and even inside on the concrete. The car itself looked pretty blemish free from what I could tell, and the tires were in good shape--no flats or bald tires. Probably dry rotted tho. I really couldn't tell about the interior like the seats, dash etc, because of the dust on the windows. The registration sticker had an "8" on it, but I don't know if that was 2008 1998,or even 1988. When I zoom the pic of hood, it "appears" to have the grooves that run down each side of the hood, (about 2" from each edge) which I think means 1981 yr model, but it's hard to tell from where I took the pics. Hoods were swapped around and there's no real distinction year-to year from what little I've read about them. It does not appear to have the "DMC" on the driver's side front of the hood, which happened in 83, but this could also be one of the remakes from the Texas company that is building them from spare parts in Humble Tx-- about 40 miles from where I saw this one. zoomed pic from above.
I'll try to find more out about it in the next couple of days.
I agree, it would be an interesting piece of automotive history but, I can see it costing an arm and a leg for replacement parts assuming they are even available. Pretty sure it used a 2.8 V6 as a power plant but after that, I'm like Sgt Shultz. Unique it is, desirable yes to some. Not so much for me though. It looks like it's in great shape but, I've been fooled before.
------------------ Ron We learn good judgement by exercising bad judgement. Such is the human condition, as sad as that sounds.
I agree, it would be an interesting piece of automotive history but, I can see it costing an arm and a leg for replacement parts assuming they are even available. Pretty sure it used a 2.8 V6 as a power plant but after that, I'm like Sgt Shultz. Unique it is, desirable yes to some. Not so much for me though. It looks like it's in great shape but, I've been fooled before.
Right Brad, besides what they produce now, I read at the time they were producing the car, they made so many doors, fenders etc. that they could build a large number of cars complete.
"Originally, the car was intended to have a centrally-mounted Citroen/NSU Comotor Wankel rotary engine. The engine selection was reconsidered when Comotor production ended, and the favored engine became Ford's "Cologne V6." Eventually the French/Swedish PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) fuel injected V6, was selected. Also the engine location moved from the mid-engined location in the prototype to a rear-engined installation in the production car." -wiki
"the 2.0-liter four cylinder from a 1988 Honda Prelude powering the front wheels and the whopping big 500 cubic inch V8 from a 1970 Cadillac Eldorado powering the rear."
"Originally, the car was intended to have a centrally-mounted Citroen/NSU Comotor Wankel rotary engine. The engine selection was reconsidered when Comotor production ended, and the favored engine became Ford's "Cologne V6." Eventually the French/Swedish PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) fuel injected V6, was selected. Also the engine location moved from the mid-engined location in the prototype to a rear-engined installation in the production car." -wiki
By your article, looks like it was a 6. I always thought the base car had a 4 cylinder Volvo.
That's awesome... I've always liked those cars. I've driven two in my time, both were V6s, and automatics, and they both felt EXACTLY like a V6 automatic Fiero. But still, they're very cool and pretty rare... and new parts are plentiful.
Throw an old blanket over that barb wire and go have a look. 
