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

michaellno

Is a rebadged Suzuki Verona. I don't think that Suzuki sells automobiles in Canada; most are rebadged as Chevrolets.

Chevrolet also offers the Optra in Canada, which looks like the Forenza that is offered here in the US.

stumack1

Suzuki does sell in Canada, but the mix is different. Lineups are:

Chevrolet Aveo = Pontiac Wave = Suzuki Swift+ (all sold in Canada)
Chevrolet Optra = Suzuki Forenza (not sold in Canada)
Chevrole Optra5 = Suzuki Reno (not sold in Canada)
Chevrolet Epica = Suzuki Verona (both sold in Canada)

Mr_Shiftright

No reason it shouldn't be real. Ferrari made a boatload of Testarossas and their value is still depreciating as a result. It was in fact Ferrari's first mass-production car. They churned them out relative to numbers Ferrari used to produce prior to that. Also not a favorite among the Ferrari hard-core.

kyfdx

I'm assuming it is real... Didn't see anything jump out at me, as I passed by.. I have seen Fieros with Testarossa kits, though...

Ferraris are a pretty rare sighting here.. Closest dealer is two hours away...

Not that a Ferrari owner would care... I'm sure they can afford to have it flatbedded, if it won't run for the 2K mi./yr that they drive it...

Mr_Shiftright

The general rule for keeping a Ferrari running is $1 a mile.

kyfdx

Hmmm... I'm betting you can't do it for that...

themoon77

a Pontiac Firefly here in North Carolina, but it was obviously just a rebadged Geo Metro. It was an early 90s yellow convertible.

andre1969

here's something you don't see everyday at the used car lot...



I didn't see it in person, but was surfing their website. Pic looks like it was taken back in March. They're asking $6K, supposedly it only has 57,804 miles on it, and even has air conditioning! That must've been really rare for a Ford back then! Unless it's aftermarket...

Mr_Shiftright

Not worth that....maybe $3,500 or $4,000 if it's REALLY nice. It is after all, the plain jane model. Wonder if it's a 6 cyl?

andre1969

this dealer's only about a mile and a half from my house though. I'm kinda curious. I might go check it out. Didn't the V-8 models back then usually have a big "V-8" on the side though, or an 8 within a big "V"? Also, what's that chrome thing on the front fender ahead of the wheel? Just some kind of medallion? Makes me think of the side marker light on a '68 Mopar. Also looks out of place, considering how chrome-free the sides of the car are, otherwise.

Mr_Shiftright

70s Maverick, orange color, pretty good shape

68 Camaro convertible, unspeakably horrible condition but running

Brand new Prius on a tow truck hook (shoulda bought Duracells).

mazda6iguy

FYI There is no Suzuki Swift + in USA, only the Chevrolet Aveo. Do they sell the Suzuki Aerio in Canada?

jrosasmc

Just an hour ago, as a matter of fact, I spotted a new VW Polo sedan sitting outside a local bar in my town. I thought, what in the world is a Polo doing in my little VT hometown? I think they don't sell the new Polos here- this one had NY license plates on it and looked as if it was made to American specifications. Can anyone verify about the Polo's availability here?

fintail

Good old name seldom seen on this side of the pond

Should be a good vintage racer

Neat in its own way, good patina, someone should help it survive

Neat late Twin H Hornet, a period performance sedan

One of the best left...not saying it's good any are left

Speaking of crummy old Toyota converts - same seller as previous Opel, has some interesting junkers

It's a very pretty thing, but wow that seems like a lot

Awesome Universal belonging to the MB specialist where I once lived. I've seen this car many times, and it is even better than it appears. One of the key cars for fintail enthusiasts

Pretty hardtop Adenauer, same color as my fintail, but the price is about double what it should be

Late Airflow project

Now here's a rare bird...I'd take it over a modern limo, even with the kinda goofy 42 front end

Neat old wagon, but wow look at the price

Anyone want a new 78 Bonneville?

Oh, and AFAIK the Polo is not sold in the US or Canada. It's either some kind of diplomat/embassy car, or a Mexican or Euro import somehow. I knew someone N of Seattle who imported a late model Escort Cosworth, so it can be done...just have to steer around the out of control EPA/DOT thugs.

stickguy

see what I can remember:

a early 69's falcon futura convertible, followed by a '50s vintage hurse, painted purple of all colors. Both looked like new.

a Trans Am, about a '75-76, driven by a 60ifh women, nice red paint (looked like it just came out of the showroom). ALso a model A rumble seat convertible.

A 70s vintage Rolls convertible, top down, looked very sharp.

and a few others that I can't recall now.

Mr_Shiftright

ALLARD: not the most popular model of this car, and craftmanship was so crude that Allards are sometimes referred to as the work of "blacksmiths". It's the American V8 models that you want, not this one.

AMILCAR: This is not the same car as the glorious sports cars that the company once made. This late model is a kind of desperate plan to stay alive and has little to do with the Amilcar sporting history.

LANCIA AURELIA CONVERTIBLE -- Oh, it'll sell for even more than THAT. These cars are very valuable, and the Spider even more so than the convert. if it's a sharp and totally correct car, it should sell for between $80,000 and $110,000. The lack of a VIN number is troubling however and warrants further investigation. I'd never bid on this car blind.

stickguy

fist year of the infamous Opel by Isuzu. You don't even get the European feel and performance of the real Opels.

andre1969

the seller of that '78 Bonneville doesn't say which V-8 is has. That year I think a Pontiac 301 was standard, with a 350 optional that was theoretically a Pontiac mill, but you could've ended up with any of them. Then a 400 was optional (403 in California and some other areas).

Those body-color Rally 2's look really sharp on it, too. But really, what would be a truly fair price for something like that? Maybe $5K, presuming that it needs absolutely NOTHING, is as "new" as the seller says, and has one of the bigger engines? I know that the engine in a car of this vintage probably doesn't affect value much, but in my case, if I were looking for one, I wouldn't touch it if it had the 301, but I'd be happy with a 350 or 400/403!

andre1969

This one really breaks my heart

This one could almost be the twin brother to mine, same color and all. Shame to see it parked right over that big puddle.

andys120

the Amilcar was FWD, pretty rare in '38.

Mr_Shiftright

Compared to now, FWD was pretty rare, but there were certainly cars that had it, even WAYYYYY back before 1938. Let's see, we had Christie and Cord and I think Miller even tried it. And of course Citroen. I'm sure there are lots more, but rather obscure.

But the FWD part should be the tip-off that this Amilcar wasn't a "sports car" like the old Amilcar was.Seems more like a rebodied Hotchkiss.

fintail

That Amilcar reminds me of the car driven in "Indiana Jonesand the Last Crusade" when they drive to the castle to rescue Sean Connery. But I think that car was a Wanderer or something.

Uh yeah, this is obscure

Acceptably decent fintail with interesting provenance

I've gone through this movie car site and found quite a few errors. I am tempted to correct them

And the site confirmed something a couple random people told me over the past week....in the movie "Romeo Must Die", Jet Li drives a C43 much like mine. I even have a video clip of it now. Very cool.

andys120

a particular car used to belong to Sinatra (or his maid?) doesn't mean anything. If they've got a bill of sale with his signature, that's another matter.

ghulet

I'D LIKE TO ASK HIM SOME QUAESTIONS ABOUT THE OPPERTUNITY OF BUYING HIS ALLEGEDLY-SINATRA'S MERCEDES.

Aye yi yi.

ghulet

I went out to the south side last night for a birthday party (ended up crashing on the couch) and saw a few neat cars (generally a much better selection of old cars out south, they have more real estate that costs less money, in which to store them). I saw:

a BEAUTIFUL (inasmuch as they can be) '66 Plymouth Fury convertible, white with light blue interior, looked very original or correctly restored, down to the wheels and tires; can't remember the last time I saw a Plymouth of that era, let alone a convertible

69 Mustang Fastback, also in excellent shape, in an unusual non-metallic tan and no stripes; had the nice Mach 1 wheels (like mags with thin spokes) but nothing else especially 'macho' or sporty about it

57 or 58 Cadillac Eldorado convertible (the 'potato fin' variety), under a tarp, sitting next to a '64 or 65 Thunderbird, both in need or restoration

jlawrence01

I actually saw a Yugo Convertible this weekend ... different tastes, I guess.

ghulet

I saw a first-generation M5, black (never seen one in any other color), looked like it just came off the showroom floor, even still had its original (at least they looked it) three-piece BBS wheels with the BMW centers. It almost was clobbered by some idiot in a Disco who was trying to do a U-turn on Broadway.

bhill2

Andre,

If you are still interested about that '55 plain-jane Ford, yes it is a 6. The key is that chrome medallion you mentioned. It say "L6" which, in turn, says it all. Oh, and if it has AC, it is aftermarket. Back then, factory AC cars had little grills on the upper back fenders to exhaust the heated air from the heat exchanger.

themoon77

Over the summer--June I think-- I was in Boone, North Carolina and saw a late 80's-early 90s BMW 3-series 2-door "wagon." It was navy blue and looked really nice. I can't remember exactly what it was--say 318 or 325 etc. but like I said, it was really sharp and the body style looked pretty awesome. Anyone know what exactly it was? I think maybe it was a model that was never sold in the US, because it was definitely the only one I have ever seen.

Steve Edge

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, that's a 325i "touring", and was never sent to North America. Don't know how it ever got in here legally unless it's been given all the DOT & EPA upgrades. Made from about (roughly) 1986-1991 or something like that. Not very popular in Europe either.

mazda6iguy

Kind of like the Seinfeld episode where George buys John Voit's car.

kyfdx

Mercedes 280SL ... maybe '71? In great shape..

boomchek

Did you say it was a 2 door? The 4 door wagons (Tourings) did officially arrive at least in Canada, but I never heard of a BMW 3 series 2 door wagon!

I wonder if it was a custom one off.

lemko

...but I saw the remains of a Vespa buried in a woodpile behind a house in NE Philly on my walk home. Also, spotted a nice gold 1969 Dart with a Bicentenial vanity plate still on it.

lemko

...I also spotted the rotting carcass of a yellow 1967 Dodge Polara hardtop beneath a tarp. What a shame that advanced rust has pretty much destroyed what appears to be a complete car. If the person just bought this car as a project, I hope he is or knows a great metalsmith.

themoon77

Yes, it was a 2-door. Being the wagon person that I am, I got out and looked the car over real good. It appeared to have the normal coupe-sized doors, not the shorter sedan fronts, and was very proportional; meaning, I thought it looked really sweet. If I see it again, I will snap some pics. It could have been brand new--appeared to be someone's pride and joy for sure. It even had one of those cool Euro front plates. Unfortunately, I can't remember noting which side the steering wheel was on.

Edge

Mr_Shiftright

If it's a complete old Vespa, grab it. They are quite valuable.

fintail

I've been told storing a car under a tarp in a damp area will kill it faster than exposing it to the elements

Mr_Shiftright

What happens is that moisture collects under the tarp and then when the sun comes out (outdoor storage) it actually boils the moisture and destroys the paint. You will notice this as hundreds of little bumps or pimples all over the paint.

fintail

The MB specialist I used to see knew of a guy who did an expensive (25Kish) total restoration on a W112 coupe. He spent like 5K on the wood alone. He then stored the car under a tarp for a few years for some retarded reason - it rains a lot here in the winter. When the car was uncovered...it needed another restoration. The interior was especially shot, it got damp and really just rotted away. I guess the expensive wood was ruined.

Looks like a Fiero wasn't a good investment

And as was typical for GM...I think I spot the same 2-for-a-quarter cheapskate HVAC and radio controls as seen in the Ciera we had when I was little.

andre1969

that stereo...same one my Grandma's '85 LeSabre had in it. My buddy's '85 Cavalier had it, too. One thing that was especially annoying is that, in the LeSabre, it only had 4 pre-sets for each band! But in the Cav, if you hit two side-by-side buttons at once, you'd get an additional pre-set, which gave you a total of 7 pre-sets!

I actually thought it was good looking and futuristic for the time. But then, remember that it was late 1984 when I first saw that radio in the '85 my Grandparents bought home. I was only 14 at the time, and I think it was the first time I saw a car radio with a digital display!

My Mom's '86 Monte had a very similar stereo, but it was blessed with an equalizer...I think it was a 5-band. And another friend had an '89 Z-24 that, IIRC, had a 7-band equalizer.

andys120

You say the car you saw looked like an early 90s model? Some of the E30 BMWs look much like their 1960s-70s predecessors.

Could it have been a 2000Touring (ca. '69-'70)?=>

fintail

I've never heard of a 90s 2-door Touring, but I've seen that old one before. Is there a pic out there of a later model?

I think the horrid S10 Blazer my dad had also had that shared GM stereo unit. I can't recall if it was digital or not.

Mr_Shiftright

Since it's a V-6 stickshift, he might actually get close to that price for that Fiero. But he's pushing it....Only GM could make a two-seater feel like driving a city bus....

nolid5

ghulet

....it wasn't just a garden variety 318ti (4-cylinder, two-door hatchback, E36 body with E30 rear suspension), sold in the U.S. 1995-99?

themoon77

I can't see it--only says "hosted by angelfire".

The body style was definitely late 80s to early 90s. Those are my favorite BMWs of all time, that's why it caught my eye. I'm sure it was a 2-door. I thought of how it reminded me a little of my friend's old (go ahead, laugh) VW Fox 2-door wagon.

merckx

..since I've seen a Dakota pick-up with the factory convertable roof...Anyone ever driven one? I thought it was a pretty interesting idea,but an expensive option when new.

I saw one yesterday...

lemko

A beautiful beige-colored 1970 Chrysler Three Hundred convertible
Nice teal blue 1966 Plymouth Satellite
Another teal blue 1969 Ford Galaxie XL convertible
Beautiful white 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood
White Suzuki Samurai

kyfdx

A co-worker of mine had one....

I never drove it, but I rode in it... When you hit uneven pavement, it felt like the whole truck was going to shake apart....