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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today!

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I thought someone was talking about Nashes, but maybe it was in the classics discussions. Anyway, drove by a '56 Nash in my old neighborhood this afternoon.

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  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    a real "driver's car"?
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    We were at a Checker's in Glen Burnie, MD, when the thing rolled in. The petitest little woman you could imagine climbed down out of it.

    Funny thing is, all us locals lovingly call Glen Burnie the "Armpit of Anne Arundel County" (and now that I've made that slam, watch me end up living there someday!) So unless she's an out of towner, I'm guessing her car payment is running neck and neck with her mortgage! :-P

    It was amusing watching her try to leave the parking lot too. Naturally she had to swing it extra-wide, wanting "her half out the middle", as Granddad used to say, and almost snubbing an old Cutlass Ciera wagon in the process!

    Oh yeah, I also saw an early-50's Hudson 2-door hardtop. Real light green, looked like it had been well taken care of.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) today!


    http://homepage.mac.com/rococoyourboat


    /PhotoAlbum14.html

    /PhotoAlbum12.html

  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    What is a Checker's?
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    We had 2 of them here, but both are now closed. They are a drivethrough only place that (here) had two drivethroughs and a walk-up window.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Oh yeah, we used to have one.

    A lot of chains can't survive in Austin because we have the luck of being the headquarters for both Schlotzsky's and Whole Foods. We have probably 25 Schloztsky's in town at least, where some cities are lucky to have 2. We also have a near monopoly in the grocery store industry, too. I think 75% of the market is HEB.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    But to tie this all into cars, our car dealers are also controlled by 4 or 5 larger companies.
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    Yep, there are two main dealers in my city.

    Notable ones (there are others):

    One has: Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, VW, Audi, Subaru, Saab, Hummer, Honda, Acura, BMW, Saturn, Isuzu, Mini, Oldsmobile, and Suzuki

    One more: GMC, Audi, BMW, Pontiac, Nissan, Chrysler, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Kia, Porsche, Ford, Acura, Honda, Dodge, Mini (almost every location is self-contained, all along one strech of road)

    Many others too, but they are statewide, and probably have a dealer or two for almost every model.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I remember them fondly, as they wouldn't let me buy liquour with an out-of-state license!

    BTW Matt, nice pics. That Pontiac wagon up on jacks is a '64 Catalina. The Buick wagon is a '70. I think that year Buick just called the full size wagons "Estate", instead of "Electra Estate" or "LeSabre Estate". Having 4 portholes, you'd think it'd be an Electra, but the rest of the trim (or lack therof) makes it look more like a basic model.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    HEB's very strict with their IDing for some reason. But they're otherwise a cool store. They make so much profit that all the new grocery stores they build (at least in the good parts of town) have rather elaborate fronts, and very detailed insides. In fact, one of the newer locations has parking spots with overhangs and walkways so that you don't get wet, and a toy store and gourmet fast food place built in.

    Anyway, I will need to update my site and put the correct model names for those wagons. I know of probably another 50 cars I can take pictures of, so stay tuned!
  • conbugconbug Member Posts: 13
    I think my brother's Tatra colection takes the prize. See his site devoted to these strange Czech vehicles: http://home.att.net/~mikekiley/index.htm
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Tatras are very interesting cars although terminally weird-looking. The pre-war models were so deadly in their handling that staff officers of German occupation forces were prohibited from driving them. You can imagine a big 3.0 liter 4 cylinder engine hanging off the rear of the car!
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    I recently spotted a VW Fox. I had totally forgotten that they existed, and, TADA! there was one running! Does anyone here also remember the Corrado? Saw one of those too....

    Also, I saw an Audi 100 (mid/early '90s model), and I look at them at think at how nice they look, and then remember their stale reliability problems. darn...
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    nothing special with the blown G60.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    I thought the early-mid '90s Audi 100 models were at least adequate in terms of reliability. My golf pro had one for 5 1/2 years and 126k miles. Of course, it was in the shop every other week...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    They weren't bad cars. Not great, but better than any Audis before them and not as good as the ones now.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ...between an '84-88 5000S and an '89-91 100? I don't see any, other than trim, equipment, safety items, etc.
  • auerbachauerbach Member Posts: 110
    i'm guessing a late 70's (maybe early 80's) Mercury Bobcat Villager wagon. It was white with the fake "woody" treatment. It was in mint condition.

    I wonder how many of those are still running around.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Probably just the one you saw :) ??

    I saw a '49 or 50 Ford that was either once a wagon or a sedan delivery. It had been lowered, all chrome trim removed, and bamboo siding put on it with rattan. Chrome spokes, whitewalls, jet black inside and out, surfboard on top. Actually looked GREAT!
  • g1994stsg1994sts Member Posts: 26
    It looked brand new, sounded like a motor boat as It passed by in the other direction at about 35MPH. Do these cars get any respect for a 4 Banger exotic?
  • porknbeansporknbeans Member Posts: 465
    Saw:

    Avanti coupe - don't know year, pristine condition
    '66 Chrysler Imperial - had his Honey sittin' close
    the new Z - very nice and fast
    chopped and lowered old Mercury - also very nice
    Porknbeans

    Grand High Poobah
    The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    I spotted a 328 Mondial Spider this afternoon. I know they're probably common in the Bay Area and SoCal but we just don't see Ferraris here and this one was purple!

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    I saw a hot pink Acura Integra this weekend!
  • jeberjeber Member Posts: 91
    lol -- I still occasionally see an 80's chrysler "K car" or minivan that has the artificial wood grain paneling--not just the ones with a little trim, but where the WHOLE vehicle is clad in that stuff...I always just think "wow"...... and I'm just sort of rendered speechless! they're almost strange/ugly to the point of being cool, though, ala garth's flame-painted pacer!
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    Want to buy an '89 Caravan?...
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    ... 89 Caravan, 110K miles, only on its third transmission, 2.5 liter inline-4, make offer
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    '89 Caravan, 90k miles, original 3 speed transmission, V-6, starts and runs great, some structural rust, make an offer.
  • jeberjeber Member Posts: 91
    If it ain't got the artificial wood grain, it just won't do it for me! gives it that little bit of class, don't ya think? and, if it has a little rust, don't even worry about sanding or bondo, just get some of that plastic wood veneer stuff (probably on clearance at kmart) & epoxy it right on there! problem solved!
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Chrysler has a fondness for subpar transmissions... they had a 3-speed automatic in the Neon until this year!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...is that I heard the Neon's 3-speed was their most reliable automatic at the time. It should bbe, as it first made its debut with the Omni/Horizon way back in 1978. They had two decades to work the bugs out of it!

    Speaking of Neons, do they have a power option for the rear windows yet? I remember when the current-gen first came out, if you got power windows, they were front-only...the rears were still crank-operated.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    ...if you got power windows, they were front-only...the rears were still crank-operated.

    You are joking right?
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Nope, that's how Neons are. I don't believe it's changed. In fact, the half-power half-manual concept is widely used in European cars. Some of the really basic BMW's of last generation came like this (not anymore.)

    A lot of the non premium brands like Renault and Peugeot still practice this.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    and I thought the only fruity thing in france was the president (fine matt, you win).
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    the Prime MInister? How about the President...the Prime Minister is not the head of government in France. :)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    Back in 1981, with the K-cars, Chrysler did something similar. The rear windows in the sedans and and wagons were stationary, with only a little flip-out vent window to give you ventillation.

    GM did the same thing with its downsized intermediates for 1978. Evidently, the public outcry was loud enough to make them think twice about doing it again, as the Citation and other X-cars of 1980 had rear windows that rolled down about 1/2 way. Too bad the public didn't cry louder though, as the intermediates had those damn stationary windows right up until the last G-body Cutlass Supreme sedan rolled off the assembly line in 1987.

    Chrysler, which had much more to lose by pissing off customers, reacted pretty quickly. By 1982, they were making the windows roll down, about 3/4 of the way. They originally made them stationary to save money, but found that it cost about the same regardless of whether it rolled down or not.

    I can't imagine that they're saving that much money by skimping on power windows in the rear for the Neon, but for some reason they keep doing it!
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I rode in a 2000 Neon (second generation) kinda recently, it had power windows in front, manual in the rear. It was the same way in 1954, the first year power windows were offered on a Chevy; that year Ford actually touted in at least one ad that their power windows were on all four, while Chevy's were only on the front; in 1955, Chevy offered power on all four. Forty-seven years later...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think pretty soon all cars will be sealed tight, like modern skyscrapers, or like Neons when the electric windows fail.

    I saw a weird truck today. It was some kind of ancient Japanese pickup truck, but a diesel. Looked like from the 60s, probably an Isuzu I'd guess. I couldn't read the logo because the front end was smashed in. The diesel part was no secret, however.
  • speedshiftspeedshift Member Posts: 1,598
    Saw the rear end of what turns out to be a '60s Renault, either a Floride or Caravelle, the "sporty" coupe version of the Dauphine.

    Looks like it hasn't been driven for years, an idea with some credibility, but it's a handsome car. I wonder if a tuned VW engine would fit in the back?

    I might be tempted but previous experience rescuing a '65 Fiat 1500 cabriolet from the wrecking yard taught me all I want to know about bringing back weird cars with minimal parts sources and no resale value.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Not only would you have the normal TWO requirements for an automotive restoration disaster, picking a car with a) no parts and b) no resale value, but with the Renault you get the MAGIC THIRD requirement, that just about guarantees disaster--that is, a complete indifference on the part of 99% of the people who look at it.

    Nothing like working that hard and finding out nobody cares--yessir!
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    A black 1968 Plymouth Baracuda. Looked in pretty good shape too. Odd how I saw it... my kids were saying WOW, look at THAT car and I looked up and saw it. Of course, they were talking about the little BMW convertible on the other side of the 'Cuda!


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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    What the heck is "rotisserie restored?" (a '68 Baracuda was called this in a car ad - nope, I'm not shopping it!).

    I saw a PT Cruiser the other day - nothing obscure there, but it had a surfboard on top. I live in Boise....

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  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    to tell you that a "rotisserie restoration" is when the car just gets a new grill.

    I just know I'm going to get flamed for that remark though, because I'm just cooking up an answer. But hey - go ahead and get steamed about it if you want... it was just a half-baked idea that I shouldn't have put on the table.

    After all that, I can't give you the real answer but someone else will.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Har-dee-har-har.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...but I believe it's a frame-up restoration where the chassis is put on a rotatable platform during the resto process.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    A rotisserie restoration by the way is, according to the "Web", the equivalent of a body-off restoration on a Mopar product.
  • tariktarik Member Posts: 344
    ...restoration you attach the car to a body handler like this to aid accessibility of the underbody or roof areas. Looks cool, too, and you can also use it to detail the outside of the floor boards every once in a while...

    Tarik
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Also a good way to change your oil if you've stripped or jammed the oil pan plug.

    Yeah, "rotisserie" restoration is the new buzz word in ads for collectible cars.

    Actually, it is SUPPOSED to mean that this is a stripped down frame/body without glass or trim or paint or upholstery on that rotisserie, not that you somehow bolted a complete car on there and spun it a few times to level out the bondo.

    Other similar terms:

    "nut & bolt"

    "frame-off"

    "cost-no-object"

    DEVIOUS TERMS:

    "sympathetic restoration"

    "partially restored"

    "ready to restore" (my favorite)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    ...how do you do a "frame-off" restoration on a unit-bodied car?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I guess you dunk it chemically for starters, after stripping everything off it.

    I was flipping through my past appraisal files and came up with a few truly obscure cars I have had to evaluate over the years. Ever hear of any of these or see any?

    Bitter
    Chevrolet Canopy Express
    Moretti
    Dodge Lancer La Femme
    Stanguellini
    Simca Aronde
    Berkeley
    Bond Equipe GT
    Packard Hawk
    Alfa Montreal
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