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

fintail

On the road today spotted a bustleback Seville and an early 80s Suburban in a period correct brown and tan.

andre1969

There must be some kind of Fiat club thing going on locally today. I just happened to look out the window, and saw what I think was a 124 driving by, top down on this cloudy, 45 degree day. But then I noticed it was followed by a procession of what I think was a bunch of X19's, the targa style.

At least, that's what I'm thinking they were. From where I'm at, I'm like 350 feet off the road, my eyesight isn't what it was, and I haven't seen a Fiat in ages!

Something else went by, after the X19 as well, but it may have been a coincidence. It was a modern coupe, low-slung, silver, what I'd call "semi-exotic." While small by my traditional definition, still much bigger than any of those Fiats. Maybe something like a BMW 8-series? Although the rear side window looked a bit larger to me. Still, I just saw it for a moment, and my eye was more focused on the leading cars.

kyfdx

The 124 is a really nice car..

sda

Not a classic, but rarely seen, a Saturn L series. It was painted flat black, black wheels and looked awful.

uplanderguy

Passed this Macan on I-71 N. today. I’d say time for a new rear wiper blade lol.

andre1969

I kind of liked the L-Series. As I recall, they were actually pretty quick with the V6, in an era where mainstream V6 intermediates weren't exactly thought of as musclecars. At least, not until the 2002 Altima came out.

ab348

andre1969 said:

Something else went by, after the X19 as well, but it may have been a coincidence. It was a modern coupe, low-slung, silver, what I'd call "semi-exotic." While small by my traditional definition, still much bigger than any of those Fiats. Maybe something like a BMW 8-series? Although the rear side window looked a bit larger to me. Still, I just saw it for a moment, and my eye was more focused on the leading cars.

If it was a low-slung, semi-exotic coupe it could have been an Alfa 4C (all part of the same company), but they are not known for their side windows.

fintail

I also saw a Fiat 124 cabrio on the road today. Top up, but I noticed it had a rollbar. Also saw a Fiero, 58-60 Ford pickup, MGB, the white Mark IV I have seen a few times. W123 300D turbo, neglected 80-83 Corolla sedan.

stickguy

stopped at an open house yesterday. Was like a time warp. House built in 1950 and much of it looks original. and in the driveway across the street, a '55 Chevy (210 I think, a more basic model)

and today, a new F250 brodozer towing a trailer with a pristine looking early 70s F100 4x4 with a lift on it, and super clean chassis.

roadburner

Saw a two door 1958 Fairlane today.

andre1969

ab348 said:

If it was a low-slung, semi-exotic coupe it could have been an Alfa 4C (all part of the same company), but they are not known for their side windows.

I was thinking that, that with all the Fiats going past, that last car would probably at least be something Fiat-related. But I tried searching for modern Fiats and couldn't find anything. Didn't think of Alfa Romeo, but it definitely wasn't one of those 4Cs. It was bigger than that (at least it looked it), not as radically sculpted, and had the rear quarter window.

The more I look at an 8-series in profile though, I'm questioning if that's what I saw. I'm picturing that quarter window as being larger on the car I saw. But, I could be mistaken.

Sandman6472

My dad almost got one of these in 1967 but since we lived just 32 miles north of New York City, decided on a front wheel drive Olds Toronado, dark red with a black vinyl top. He got another one in 1969, a dark blue with a blue vinyl top which I think was their best year. We really weren't a Ford family as we had a 1966 Lincoln Continental 4-door and a 1972 Continental 2-door, a real beast of a vehicle. Were definitely more of a GM family during those years.

uplanderguy

I noticed something yesterday while driving the C8 that reminded me of past two-door cars I had (last daily two-door I owned, I traded in 2008 and even my last two-door Studebaker I sold in 2012)--the unobstructed view when looking out the door window. I do like that and miss it. In a four-door you have the B-pillar in your line of view.

andre1969

Yeah, that's one thing I like about coupes, vs 4-door cars, having the B-pillar further back, and out of the line of vision. Actually, the Mopar R-body is even like that, to a degree. It's one of the few 4-door cars I can remember driving, where the B-pillar doesn't really obstruct my view to the side. Part of it is because the B-pillar is a bit further back, compared to other cars I'm used to, but I guess it's possible the frameless door windows help take a bit of mass out of the equation, as well.

I used to think that the R-body had slightly longer front doors than an equivalent car, like a Panther or GM B/C body, and that moved the B-pillar back a bit. But, I wonder if they simply moved the A-pillar and where the front door hinges back a bit, as well, in relation to the seat. So it's not that the door opening is larger, just further back?

I never bothered to measure, but I think it might be a longer door. I do seem to recall Consumer Reports and similar magazines complaining about the rear seat being a bit hard to get into, because of the small-ish doors. That could be because some of that space was given to the front doors? Of course, in the sales brochure, Mopar put a positive spin on it, saying that the rear doors open almost 90 degrees, for easier access!

My 2012 Ram is like that too, with the doors being a bit long. Of course, that makes it a pain in tight parking spots. With my uncle's 2016 Colorado, my arms actually brush against the B-pillar. Or rather, that reinforcement in the rear suicide door that doubles as sort of a B-pillar.

texases

Best coupe for visibility might be the MB, still a true hard top.

fintail

texases said:

Best coupe for visibility might be the MB, still a true hard top.

For much of the past 60 years, MB has had 2 different true hardtop coupes available in this market.

fintail

I saw this in a fb group - this is a virtual twin to the one my dad had in the 90s, even what appears to be the same wheelcovers (an odd mix of a dog dish cap with a thick wide trim ring). Appears to be the same inside and out. I'd love to know what happened to the car, once he sold it, it vanished, never heard of it again, buyer's info lost to time:

Sandman6472

Interesting Ford station wagon. We had a Chrysler Windsor station wagon when I was a small kid and remember my grandma closing the front door on my fingers. Man, did that hurt! Think it was a 1957 Chrysler because in 1960, the business leased a Sedan de Ville for my mom to drive and this happened every other year until the family sold the business. Was always fun to come home from school and see a different color Cadillac, or once a Lincoln Continental, in the driveway. When I did get older, I'd go with my dad to pick up both his '67 and '69 Olds Toronado's. In 1972, he let me drive home his suped up Ford Torino though I never made it home. It apparently wasn't pdi'd correctly and it stalled out on a road near our house. The car had to be towed back to Plantation Ford and they put me into a new Mustang loaner. Now that's the vehicle he should've purchased!!!

andre1969

Happy DeSoto Death Day, everyone! Also, incidentally, the anniversary of when my 2000 Intrepid, my first new car, was totaled (11/18/2009).

https://automotivehistory.org/the-last-desoto/

sda

Beautiful day to run around topless.

Michaell

I didn’t get a pic, but I saw a ‘67 Corvette with the top down this morning.

roadburner

I saw a '65 Corvette Coupe; very clean.

imidazol97

I saw a Honda del Sol in the line at Chick Fil A. I have no idea of the year nor of how to tell.
It was a delicious looking green.

andre1969

It's been a slow week for me, but the other day, I spotted this...
Kind of a sad state of affairs, when a Camry makes an Olds flagship look kind of petite.

fintail

Saw an 87-91 Bonneville on the road today, appeared to be in decent shape, getting scarce.

uplanderguy

I was never a fan of that Ninety-Eight for looks, but I've seen people who had them say they were nice-driving and riding cars.

Thanks for not getting the angle of the Camry with the drooping black taillight trim that looks like a gasket was pulled out of the lights, LOL.

RE.: Del Sol--my mother-in-law had an early '90's one...it was that bright blue. For some reason I'm thinking there might've been three colors--the blue, that bright green you mention (I liked it too; reminds me of '72-73 GM bright green), and maybe white. Maybe red too. Too lazy and not-enough-interested to verify.

uplanderguy

RE.: Reatta--I know it was premium-priced, but the car always struck me as something that should've been marketed against Miata et al. I know the instrument panel was basically Riviera.

andre1969

With those modern Camrys, it's funny, but I guess I've gotten used to them enough that the styling doesn't bug me anymore. And, presuming the EPA is correct, even in 2024, they're still offering it with a V6! These days that's gotta be an anachronism right up there with a 3-speed automatic in a 1988 5th Avenue, or a carburetor in a 1990 Cadillac!

I know there's not that much of a midsized market left, now that crossovers have become so common, but I'm thinking the Camry might be the last one standing that still offers a V6?

That final generation of Olds Ninety-Eight had always intrigued me. I found it fascinating how GM managed to get the '91 Park Avenue so right, but with the Ninety-Eight, it just seemed so wrong!

Sales-wise, the '91 Park Ave sold about 110,000 units, well up over the ~50K that the '90 Electra pulled down. Meanwhile, the '90 Ninety-Eight was good for around 60K, but the '91 restyle made it drop slightly, to about 55K.

One thing I can't remember though...did the '91 Park Ave/Ninety-Eight get introduced early in the calendar year, or were they more or less on-time, with a ~September '90 launch? On paper, the '85 models looked like a smash hit compared to RWD '84 models. However, those got an April 1984 release, so they got an extra-long introductory year, while the '84's run was cut short. I believe the '91 Caprice was also an April launch, so again, just looking at sales stats, it looks like a smash hit compared to the '90.

uplanderguy

It probably is the last car like that available with a V6.

in mid-size cars, in the domestics, only the Malibu is left. I've always thought the styling is pleasing, but I never liked it anywhere near as much as that last Impala. The Malibu looks American, or at least GM, which in my eyes means pleasant proportions, normal taillights and instrument panel, but since it came out in 2016 it certainly can't be long for this world. I think the current Accord is handsome, but they surely don't need my additional business.

We rented a current Malibu when we were in Seattle last month. First one I ever drove. We both thought it was pleasant (I keep coming back to that word!)--quiet, smooth, roomy, good on gas. I expected to hate the CVT but really barely even noticed it.

In the '90's I was full-steam-ahead with job, marriage, and an ill parent so was paying attention less to cars in general--probably also due to the changes in the industry which didn't wow me anymore. I don't know if the '91 Park Avenue and Ninety-Eight were an early launch or not. I do know the Caprice was. I saw the first one on I-71 between Cincinnati and Columbus the week after Christmas 1989--it had a company name painted on the driver's door. I hadn't even seen a pic in a mag yet. Must've been an early-release fleet deal of some kind. I was startled by the styling, but as you know what I say, volume normalizes bad or 'meh' styling!

In hindsight, I prefer a '91 Caprice Classic with the lacy aluminum wheels and gloss black around the side windows better than any later year Caprice, although the LT1 is a nice addition those last few model years. The car looks the worst from straight-on in the back. We've had this discussion many times here before. I don't hate the Caprice, and I don't think the Crown Vic is an absolute siren next to it. They were answers to the same question--an aero RWD car to replace the previous boxy RWD car. I owned a new '93 and really only three things I didn't like about it--the rear doors curved in a good bit at the top and you could knock your head on them getting in the rear seat; the plastic lower door panels creaked from pulling on the door although my car didn't have the pull strap up higher on the door like the better models did; and the RF passenger floor was high to clear the catalytic converter.

Chevy advertised that those were the "roomiest" and "quietest" Caprice ever. I don't know. When I rode in a friend's parents' '77 Caprice Classic, I had never been in a quieter car. In fact, I think I remember an ad that said "You'll find it hard to believe a moving car can be this quiet".

stickguy

yesterday we were out driving and got passed by a Camry. for some reason I mentioned we could get a sedan of some sort instead of a cross over since we have a truck too. Wife's response was she just does not want a low car, she is used to sitting up higher and prefers it. Which IMO is a big part of the reason the mid sized CUVs are so popular. Seating position, visibility, and flexibility of the cargo space. Nothing to do with "off roading" or even trying to look tough.

tjc78

@andre1969 said:
It's been a slow week for me, but the other day, I spotted this...

Kind of a sad state of affairs, when a Camry makes an Olds flagship look kind of petite.

I always thought that 98 looked like a 3/4 sized 90+ Town Car

kyfdx

This is the last year for the V-6 in the Camry. I think they are going hybrid only for 2025.

tjc78

You are correct. Hybrid only

uplanderguy

I agree about popular consensus on seating position. My wife likes the high seating in her Equinox, which feels like sitting on top of a stepladder to me in comparison to either the Cruze or C8 I'm driving, LOL.

andre1969

One thing I've noticed about cars, is that the seating position has seemed like it was getting worse, in more recent years! I don't know if it's coincidence, or if it really was some kind of plot by the manufacturers to get people to move into crossovers.

One of the first cars I can remember showing this trend towards a "bad" seating position, was my Mom and stepdad's 2008 Altima. It certainly had enough legroom, but it was really low, and hard to get in and out of. It felt more like a sports car, than a mainstream family car. And at some point, i'm convinced they also started putting smaller, compact-car seats in the bigger cars, to give them the illusion of more room.

I've even noticed it on more "traditional" type cars. For instance, my buddy with the 2009 Grand Marquis LS Ultimate...I swear, those seats just don't feel as thickly padded as they used to, once upon a time.

My Charger (and my Ram) also feel like they have what I'd call "compact car" seats in them. But then that bias could simply be because my own "seat" got used to my Dad's old '03 Regal, and my '00 Park Avenue before that!

The compact car seat isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, as long as they still support you in the right places. But when they mount them too low, or you just don't have enough room to stretch out, that's where the problems start.

As for car seats being too low though, I know I've said it before, but I still remember one of my Grandmom's old lady friends complaining about the passenger side seat on Grandmom's '85 LeSabre being too low! At the time, this lady had a '75 Monte Carlo. And then, in her later years, I still remember Grandmom mentioning one of her old lady friends had a Grand Marquis, and she didn't think it was all that comfortable, or easy to get in and out of. And I was thinking c'mon Grandmom, Mercury kept that car around specifically FOR people like you! (well, and throwbacks like me, who have a fondness for them)

In many ways, I think the modern crossover is sort of a return to the typical early/mid 50's car. Good, high seating position, but not so high that you have to struggle to climb up into it.

uplanderguy

When I used to visit my mom in the nursing home, I was driving a 2002 Cavalier coupe and a 2005 Uplander van. I'd have to literally pick her up to put her in the van, and lift her out of the Cavalier.

A couple times I drove my '63 Lark over there. She could sit right in and get right out without assistance from me...the chair-high seating they used to advertise, and no floor sill to trip over.

tjc78

I think we are all just so used to SUVs any sedan feels low.

The new EQE we got seems like climbing into a Vette compared to my Ram.

Sandman6472

The wife likes the slightly higher seating position that a CUV gives, must admit, I do to, which the only thing I liked about my 2014 Tucson. Mentioned this the other day and got some snarky remark about me trading it so soon, which didn't surprise me. She thought it was a mistake from beginning to end, which I totally agree, but since it was my d d, don't even know why she'd even care! Point being, the higher seating position is something most folks like.
Will be interesting to see what she does end up with. Since I'll hardly ever drive it, makes no difference to me. But doubtful she'll get the new 2024 Hyundai Kona, so I'll most likely end up with one...eventually.

roadburner

I count myself to be incredibly fortunate; wife loves the C43 and never complains about the Club Sport. She does like driving the Wrangler, however.

andre1969

uplanderguy said:

When I used to visit my mom in the nursing home, I was driving a 2002 Cavalier coupe and a 2005 Uplander van. I'd have to literally pick her up to put her in the van, and lift her out of the Cavalier.

A couple times I drove my '63 Lark over there. She could sit right in and get right out without assistance from me...the chair-high seating they used to advertise, and no floor sill to trip over.

In her later years, I had to start running my Grandmom around to various doctor's appointments and such. I learned really quickly, not to put her in the Intrepid, although she did pretty well in the 2000 Park Ave that replaced the 'Trep after it got totaled. She actually did pretty well getting in and out of my '76 LeMans and 5th Ave, as well. Oh, and Granddad's old '85 Silverado. I don't think I ever did get her up into my 2012 Ram, though. She would've been 88 by that time.

Now that I think about it, on my uncle's final ride to the hospital, I picked him up from his place and brought him over to mine in the Charger. He had trouble getting down into it. We left from my place, early the next morning, to take him to the hospital. There was no way in hell I was taking the Charger into Baltimore, and he had trouble with it anyway, so we took the Ram. I had to get a cinder block for him to step on, before he could get up into the Ram!

But, once we were there, it was definitely a LOT easier getting him down from the Ram and into a wheelchair, rather than getting him up from the Charger and into a wheelchair.

xwesx

I like an upright seating position (probably a holdover from my first vehicle being a van), but I also don't mind sitting lower or more laid back, either, if that's what the vehicle calls for. Overall, I think the seating position and door sizing of minivans is optimal for ingress/egress. I strongly suspect I'll go back to having one at some point. @andre1969 's story just reinforces that notion.

andre1969

roadburner said:

I count myself to be incredibly fortunate; wife loves the C43 and never complains about the Club Sport. She does like driving the Wrangler, however.

I've had Wranglers twice, as rentals, when I was in Aruba. I can definitely see the attraction.

One odd thing i noticed, about my Charger...if I get in the car with the door all the way open, and belt myself in, I can't reach the door handle to pull it closed! I swear, I have never, to the best of my knowledge, encountered that problem with a car before!

xwesx

I recall that my mother's '79 and '84 Trans Ams both had pull straps on the doors to help with that dilemma. At least, her '79 did. I may be mistaken about the '84.

kyfdx

andre1969 said:

roadburner said:

I count myself to be incredibly fortunate; wife loves the C43 and never complains about the Club Sport. She does like driving the Wrangler, however.

I've had Wranglers twice, as rentals, when I was in Aruba. I can definitely see the attraction.

One odd thing i noticed, about my Charger...if I get in the car with the door all the way open, and belt myself in, I can't reach the door handle to pull it closed! I swear, I have never, to the best of my knowledge, encountered that problem with a car before!

My wife has the same problem with the GTI. If she opens the door completely, she can't reach the handle from her seat.

stickguy

If you were a good husband you would open and close the door for her.

andre1969

In the words of Sheriff Buford T. Justice, "What in the HELL is the world comin' to?!"
https://www.facebook.com/commerce/listing/747061423428340?media_id=1&ref=share_attachment

Someone needs to go away til they're gray! Have their rear-end bobby-cued in molasses!

stickguy

Some interesting choices for a 4 door

roadburner

andre1969 said:

roadburner said:

I count myself to be incredibly fortunate; wife loves the C43 and never complains about the Club Sport. She does like driving the Wrangler, however.

I've had Wranglers twice, as rentals, when I was in Aruba. I can definitely see the attraction.

One odd thing i noticed, about my Charger...if I get in the car with the door all the way open, and belt myself in, I can't reach the door handle to pull it closed! I swear, I have never, to the best of my knowledge, encountered that problem with a car before!

That was an issue on my 1999 Wrangler.

fintail

On the low seating, maybe I am weird (not maybe), but I set my seat low when possible. I have it low in the wagon, and keep the passenger seat low too, as having them at different heights irritates my OCD tendencies. When my ~75 year old mom rides in the car, she's not pleased as it's tough for her to get in and out of, and I set her seat to a much higher position. Maybe subconsciously I like the low race car position, I feel like I can stretch my legs a little more. The fintail feels like sitting in a small recliner in comparison. I also prefer a more upright position, easier to see around me.

On the plot to get people into CUVs, maybe. Make cars awkward for an aging population and undesirable for blog-addicted young parents, and here we are.

roadburner

I usually adjust my seat like Paul Frère suggested in his book Sports Car and Competition Driving. You should be able to hold the steering wheel at 12 o'clock without raising your shoulder off the backrest and you sold be able to fully depress each pedal without locking your knees. Of course when he wrote the book in 1963 most cars only had a couple of adjustments at best; forward/back and the angle of the backrest, and most US cars did not get the latter until the '80s or '90s.
At the BMW Performance Center the instructors additionally suggest adjusting the seat height so that the distance between your head and the headlines is the approximate width of your hand.