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

stickguy

sounds like an old funeral flower car. truely the ultimate El Camino. Might be a nice Rides type project (turn it into a street rod)!

fintail

There were a few companies who made those pickup conversions, especially in the early and mid 70s...I can't recall the names of any of them though. I think I've seen a Lincoln one before too. I think it was the same kind of company that would pimp out a period car, with a fake Rolls grille and landau bars etc.

 

Still classier than an Escalade.

andre1969

there was also a company that converted 50's Cadillacs into motorhomes. I've seen a lot of '56es, so that must've been their heyday.

 

It sounds kind of odd today, to use a Cadillac as the basis of a motorhome, but when you consider that the van as we know it hadn't been invented yet (and really wouldn't be, until the early 70's), and the typical pickup truck cab (which is the same cab usually used in medium duty trucks) was a crude, hostile place to ride back then, a Caddy probably made sense! Besides, back in '56, a Caddy probably had a stronger, beefier frame than any pickup truck out there!

lemko

...I would love to have one of those Buick Sportwagons, Shifty's comment aside. I had a 1968 Buick Special Deluxe wagon, the Sportwagon's smaller, non-Scenicruiser roofed companion. Collectible Automobile has an article on the Buick Sportwagon and Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in its current issue.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, I'm sure it's a nice car, it's just the name that struck me as rather odd. But then, using today's "sport utility" vehicles to carry a bag of groceries one mile is also amusing.

 

I mean, if you take a bread van to a baseball game that doesn't make it a sport vehicle. I always thought the "sport" had to do with what the thing DOES itself.

 

I'm done now, thank you for listening.

 

Anybody remember the Olds Jetfire where you had to add this special red fluid to help the engine run better?

andys120

It's hard to believe that this now iconic car got rolled by Ford in the '57 sales derby.

 

  This one is basically good looking but the non-orginal wheels and upholstery spoil it enough that the price seems to high by $5-$7k

 

http://hemmings.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/dealers.detail/hmn_vehic- le_id/216234

fintail

I know there's an old Caddy based motorhome sitting in an alley in my town. I think its a 48 or a 49. I'll have to check it out sometime. All I could think when I spotted it was 'what a waste'.

 

Maybe "Sportwagon" was all about looks...compared to a Country Squire or something it is sportier looking.

 

I could get a much better (and correct) Bel Air for that money. People price those things hilariously. To me those dime-a-dozen modifications do nothing but hurt the car.

lemko

...based on the compact/midsize F-85 was one of the first cars offered with a turbocharger. I believe that red fluid had something to do with it. There was even a gauge on the dashboard to indicate the fluid level.

debaser853

First, near my home, a black AMX. Appeared to be in okay shape, the real kicker was the exhaust. Four seperate pipes bent up around each side of the car. Very matchbox car-ish.

 

Second, near my job, was a 911 Gt3, a gunmetal grey color.

andre1969

is one of those rare cases of revisionist history in the automotive world. 1957 was actually a pretty rough year for GM. While Ford and Chrysler products were all-new that year, and radically different from what had come before, the all-new Caddies, Buicks, and Oldsmobiles just weren't enough of a change from the '56 models. And compared to the wild new DeSotos, Chryslers, and Imperials, they looked about 3 or 4 years old.

 

Chevy and Pontiac were in an even worse position, being left to deal with a body that was now in its 3rd model year. These cars looked positively antique next to a low-slung, swoopy Ford, Plymouth, or Dodge. Even the '57 Mercury, which was relatively brick-like for the time (a sign of things to come in the 60's) looked modern compared to a Chevy or Pontiac.

 

And in 1957, that's what people wanted...the latest style. It wasn't until a few years later, when these cars started falling into the hands of the hot rodders, that the '57 Chevy really came into its own. Well, that and the fact that the '57 Ford and Plymouth were serious rusters.

 

I think the conservative nature of the '57 Chevy also helped it in the long run, as well as the relatively small size. Most younger people don't like big, heavy cars, and tend to associate them with what their parents bought. And that's what Plymouths and Fords were turning into. And what the Chevy itself turned into for 1958.

andys120

Chevy and Pontiac were in an even worse position, being left to deal with a body that was now in its 3rd model year. These cars looked positively antique next to a low-slung, swoopy Ford, Plymouth, or Dodge. Even the '57 Mercury, which was relatively brick-like for the time (a sign of things to come in the 60's) looked modern compared to a Chevy or Pontiac

 

For someone who wasn't alive at the time you've done a good job of summing up the mentality prevalent in the era of the annual model change.

 

I don't think it took that long for the mystique of the '57 and the other Tri-Chevies to catch on though. I remember when my brother got of the Marines (1969) and came home behind the wheel of his '57 Chevy (a Biscayne 2-dr) and I said to him: "Cool, a '57 Chevy."

kyfdx

and even then, the big years for Chevys were '57 and '69...

 

Anyone who said they had a '57 or '69 Chevy (anything), it made your ears perk up..

andre1969

in all fairness it probably only took a few years for the mystique of the '55-57 Chevy to catch on. My Mom's first car was a 1957 Plymouth that she bought in 1965, when she was 16. She hated it, although mainly because it was "too big" in her words. She soon got a '66 Catalina convertible, which in all fairness was even bigger, but sometimes Detroit had a knack for making smaller cars feel bigger than they really were, and vice versa!

 

Back in college, when I worked as a waiter for Denny's, and they also let me draw up ads on this big neon marker board they had. One time I drew up this outdoor scene of a restaurant with some old cars in front of it, with some slogan like "your family favorite through the ages". I was just making up cars when I drew them, not really trying to draw any particular model, when one of the managers, some old dude who must've been pushing 40 ;-) said that one of the cars I drew made him think of his first car. It was a 1957 DeSoto Fireflite 4-door hardtop that he paid $500 for in 1965. It was a great-performing car, but just wasn't in style in 1965, so he soon sold it for a 1957 Chevy that he also paid $500 for. The Chevy wasn't near the performer that the DeSoto was, but was much cooler than the "dad-mobile" that the DeSoto was.

 

Looking back, that '57 Plymouth my Mom had must've really been a piece, because she only paid $75.00 for it! Now I have no idea what it would've cost new, and she doesn't remember what series or body style it was, but I couldn't imagine my Mom buying a car without power steering, brakes, automatic tranny, or a radio, so I'm sure it was still between $2500-3000. So basically that car depreciated to about 2.5-3% of its original MSRP in just 8 years!

 

Those '57 Fords and Plymouths started rusting almost from the get-go, so I think they got a bad rap almost immediately. The Plymouth's only real problem was rust, but the Ford also had body structure issues as well as engine/tranny problems. It was actually common for the doors to pop open on a '57 Ford if you hit a rough enough road!

 

Also, the styles changed quickly back then, so that something that looked cutting-edge in 1957 looked pretty passe by 1959. IMO the 1959 GM products were the first cars that looked like 60's cars to me. Just shave off the fins and take away the wraparound windshields, and the 60's were here! In contrast, no matter how you tried dressing up a '59 Ford or Mopar, it still looked like a 50's car.

andre1969

about the '69 Chevy that was so endearing? I think they're cool cars, but to me there's nothing about a '69 Chevy that a '65-68, or 70 doesn't have. Was 1969 the last year for the Impala SS? Or maybe the peak for hp?

kyfdx

1) The Camaro.. Finally, the front and rear ends were both good looking.. Plus, it was the year that the Camaro RS/SS convertible (white w/orange stripes) was the Indy pace car and the first year for the Z28..

 

2) Vette.. really refined the new look from the not so great looking '68.

 

3) Impala.. not so much.. but, I remember the Chevelle cleaning up the rear end, also...

andre1969

I guess I was limiting my scope to just the big Chevies! Back in high school, I knew a guy with a '69 Camaro RS/SS convertible. White with the orange stripes. It was a really good looking car. This was around 1987 or 1988, and I remember he paid like $5,000 for it. I wonder what it would go for today?

 

I think the '68 and '69 Chevelle are both good looking cars, but those cheap Nova-looking taillights just don't look right on the '68.

lemko

...I instantly think of a Chevelle SS when talking a "cool 1969 Chevy." I like the 1970 model's styling better.

fintail

It was the same when I was in high school 10 years ago. A 69 Chevy would have been seen as a cool car. A good friend of mine had a 69 Chevy...he'd tell people he had a 69 Nova...but it was a fairly tatty sedan with a 307/powerglide.

210delray

...I believe the tri-Chevys were already known as classics in the making by about 1963-65.

lemko

...a black 1949 Ford and a black 1947 Dodge atop a flatbed trailer. Looked like imminent restorations. The cars were fairly complete.

Mr_Shiftright

'69 is a hot year right now for Chevy muscle cars.

fintail

OK...yeah...uh...I'll take the pair please, and most of the cars spotted in the background too...

 

The headrests may look freaky but they are super rare, I've never seen a ponton with 2.

kyfdx

Somehow.. as I perused those pictures.. I could see my ten-year-old tripping over his untied shoelaces and falling forward, putting a big dent in the quarter-panel with his head...

 

This might be why I sold my 911, just one week after he was born..

 

Nice cars, though...

fintail

I'd be afraid of things like that too. Realistically, I really wouldn't want something like that, so perfect. You'd always be scared to drive it. I certainly prefer a lighter restoration or an original car.

lemko

...I wouldn't mind having the pair myself and I'm more of a Cadillac enthusiast.

andys120

Nice, I just dowloaded them to my wallpaper.

seminole_kev

...I spotted a mid-to-late 50's Buick being trailered. It was still pretty dark, but it looked like it was in good shape. Two tone, some sort of pink top and white bottom. Not really to up to speed on Buicks of that era, so I couldn't begin to tell you what it was, but it did look a little bit like a 57 Chevy in proportions with a lower roof, but it was a little dark this morning.

andre1969

I'm guessing you might've seen a '55-56 or '57 Buick Special or Century?

 

Here's a few old brochures to peruse, if you're interested...

 

1955: http://www.tocmp.com/brochures/Buick/1955/index.htm

 

1956: http://www.tocmp.com/brochures/Buick/1956/index.htm

 

1957: http://www.tocmp.com/brochures/Buick/1957/index.htm

michaellno

A Citroen 2CV - red, with the canvas roof folded back, driven by an older gentleman. Nice condition. Was an odd sight to see!

seminole_kev

The grill looked like that '57. In fact the color scheme looked just like the one illustrated here: http://www.tocmp.com/brochures/Buick/1957/pages/1957%20Buick%20de- aler%2002_jpg.htm

Mr_Shiftright

I love '55 Buicks.

lemko

A car doesn't need to be old to be obscure. I saw a recent model Infiniti Q45 on my way home from work. This is the first time I saw one outside of a car show and its been on the market for over 2 years. Maybe they're more common elsewhere, but in Philly, they seem as scarce as hen's teeth. I see LS400/430s everywhere but hardly any Q45s of any vintage.

andys120

One of my clients has a new Q45. It's prolly the second one I've ever seen.

Mr_Shiftright

It was obscure the day they introduced it unfortunately. Actually the very early ones are pretty neat cars (for Japanese cars I mean). Very good performance but rather bland styling and lousy marketing. Still a very good bang for the buck if you can find a nice older one.

fintail

Early ones turn up at less than fancy used car lots here now and then, often going for between 2-4K, and I've seen them for less. I am sure they all have issues.

 

Very bland styling for years, and barely a marketing presence. Nobody knows what they are.

andre1969

the ones that were grille-less, and if you drank enough and squinted your eyes enough, vaguely recalled a '92 Crown Vic. Once they put the grille on it, I started losing interest. And then when they restyled it later in the 90's, it just looked like a stuffy old-money car.

kyfdx

I must drink heavily also.... I always considered the original Q45 the world's best Crown Vic.. Or at least... the world's best handling Crown Vic.. I really like that first model..

 

Of course, I thought the first M45 was an import buyer's Impala SS...

turboshadow

I saw a 65 Buick Widcat coupe on a twin axle trailer on my way to work yesterday. White, white top, blue interior, road wheels (aka magnum 500 look-a-likes, almost), rear wheel fender skirt. Very nice looking car.

 

Turboshadow

stickguy

you want obscure, they were running all kinds of oddballs and rarities on day one (yes, I spend too much time watching).

 

My favorite was a '54 Volvo radio car (military vehicle, I forget the nomenclature). Looked immaculate, and certainly rare.

 

The 454 Chevy under the hood will probably help it keep up with modern traffic!

 

Scary thing is someone paid large bucks for it (at least 40K, might have been closer to 60k).

 

A '65(?) Olds 442 went for 100K IIRC, so what do I know.

 

A '69 Trans Am went for a lot less. Big bargain? A '72 Pantera for only 37K!

 

Maybe we should jsut stream the broadcast onto this thread.

chevygirl

Hey all

I have been reading this forum cause I like to look for unusual cars. I spotted three today. I don't know if they are as rare as some you all discuss, but they are fun to find! One was a Pontiac Sunbird, teal, in beautiful condition. Another was another J-car, a Cadillac Cinamarron. The last one I spotted today was a Plymouth Reliant K-car. And for some reason, I see a Duster every few days, usually a different one! Again, these may not be the rarest (except the Caddy, I've only ever seen one of those) but I just get a kick out of the J and K cars for some reason. Peace!

michaellno

I was watching some of the B-J stuff last night as well. Only watched about 30 minutes.

 

Best buy? The Callaway twin-turbo Corvette that went for something like $32K. I think the commentators mentioned that it was a $25K car with a $35K engine upgrade.

 

I did see that Volvo military car -- I didn't know that it had a 454 in it, however.

 

Some nice Chevy's - the unrestored '62 4-door with the 4-speed and the 409 that went for $36-ish; the '65 Biscayne coupe, the El Caminos.

 

Of course, as they were saying last night, it was only Thursday .. the good stuff will show up over the weekend!

stickguy

I didn't see most of those. I only caught about 20 minutes, than a few glimpses in here and there.

seminole_kev

"I was watching some of the B-J stuff last night as well"

 

OK, took me a second. Barret-Jackson. OK. Made that a little interesting until I figured it out.

kyfdx

Is it on-line? or on television?

andre1969

what channel is the B-J stuff on? The cooking channel? You know...the Spice Network? ;-)

seminole_kev

(snicker) quit it, you're going to get us in trouble. ;-)

stickguy

I must lead a sheltered life. I haven't figured out what the snickering is about, but I'll work on it. Not like we're discussing an old Citroen/Masserati or something.

michaellno

You're making me blush!

 

The Speed Channel shows the annual Barrett-Jackson auctions from Scottsdale, AZ each January. Live coverage during the day, and it's repeated in the evening. I believe that this year there are 24 hours of live coverage.

 

If you don't receive the Speed Channel, call your cable or dish provider now and request (nay, demand) that they offer it!

 

(about the only thing I watch on Speed is the WRC wrapups on the Sunday after the rally is over -- got my wife to watch the Monte Carlo stuff last weekend. I was impressed that she recognized the WRC Focus! Lots of questions on how the rally is run - pace notes, co-driver, etc.)

jrosasmc

Does anyone here know what kind of Firebird James Garner drove in "The Rockford Files" during the '70s? Was it a '75 Esprit or a '78 Formula?

andys120

I think it was a Formula and he got a new model every year, much as Marty Milner got a new 'Vette each season that Route 66 aired.