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

ontop

Saw an Acura CSX today at the golf course here in Pinehurst. Looked kinda like a new Civic. Had Canadian tags. Never knew about a CSX model.

fred222

I really liked those Isuzu SpaceCabs. My ex bought an '87 P'up before we got married. Regular cab, 2WD, stick shift. Not a bad little ride, though room inside was pretty limited.
I bought a 1990 Isuzu Spacecab new. Two wheel drive, 5 speed with A/C. I donated it to charity in 2004 with 170,000 miles on it. It was a pretty good truck except for the exhaust valves. It had a valve job in 1996, again in 2000 and needed another one when I got rid of it in 2004. Other that that it was pretty durable. Started to rust near the end. Lots of pep from the 2.6L engine, but never good mileage. I think that the best I ever got was just over 20 mpg and that dropped. You did not see many of them!

michaellno

I had one of those in our '88 Isuzu Trooper. 4 speed automatic and about 4000 pounds made this probably the slowest vehicle I've ever owned. Kept it for about 35-40K until the price of gas hit $1.50 (gasp!) during Gulf War I and then we sold it privately and bought a new Protege LX.

IIRC, Acura has always offered a Civic derived model in Canada. Back in the 90's it was called the 1.7CL. Given that the price of gas has always been higher up north, I guess they felt it made sense to offer an entry level model.

bumpy

You should have gotten the 2.3L. I get upper 20s in my '91 regular cab and it cracked 30 once on a trip to Fairfax County.

andys120

I saw a Rolls Silver Shadow being put onto a flat-bed tow truck at a local shopping mall parking lot and today saw a Lotus Eclat pull into a franchise car car center. :confuse:

Mr_Shiftright

Rolls Royces LIVE on flatbed trucks...

chuck1959

I saw an early 1993 Buick Skylark and a 2-door at that! It was also spotless!

chuck1959

I thought it was Jaguars! LOL

Mr_Shiftright

I think modern Jaguars can at least get through the warranty period before collapsing into a heap.

fintail

But I've got a few

Could be the best of these left...not that it's saying much

Project for the ambitious

Time warp back to an ugly time

AMC muscle

Andre-mobile

"Only 4 ever sold" - gee I wonder why

All the sunroof cars end up ruined

Excellent looking fintail getting some bids

Pretty in silver

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Mr_Shiftright

You see how much better the SE fintails do in pricing?

FIAT -- well sure somebody sold a restored one for $75,000, because that's about what you'll spend to restore the one on eBay. Let somebody else go through the grief of restoring a car with 100% unobtanium parts, and buy his when he's done, that's my advice.

PACER -- somebody on planet earth is really willing to pay $3,850 for one of those? Well if it makes you happy, I guess you have the inalienable right to do that.

chuck1959

No doubt they are far more reliable now.

chuck1959

"Only 4 ever sold" - gee I wonder why

DAMN!! they sold that many?!

stickguy

but I want the Hornet. Wouldn't pay too much for it, but it looks like as nice a one as you will find, and I have fond memories of my Gremlin (not so much the Hornet, but that was a different story).

seminole_kev

was picking up a new head for my old car and saw Jaguars of types: a Mk I, several Mk IVs, some XJ's, and a XJS

Also a big old Armstrong-Siddley (spelling?)

and a little bitty old Honda that looked just like an original Mini (which is what I first thought it was). It whas stripped down to the bare chassis and in the paint barn.

Mr_Shiftright

What's a Mark IV? You mean one of those late 1940s saloons? That always throws me, because Jaguar did not name them Mark IVs...I think only Americans use that term for the car.

Honda was probably a 600 -- twin cylinder motorcycle engine with chain drive to the transmission (also progressive motorcycle type). Fun little car!

seminole_kev

Yeah, looks just like a SS, just with the post war Jaguar name change. Two that he had were 1946 and 1947 years.

I think it was a Honda 600. Did have a motorcycle engine. Down to bare bones it looks a lot like a Mini to me.

Mr_Shiftright

Well similar layout to a Mini but a very noisy little thing.

fintail

Yep, my fintail is an SE too

That FI system is impressive. The only car I've seen that I can let sit for 4-6 weeks and have it fire up on the first turn of the key.

And speaking of fintails, a local estate sale advertised a late 230S as part of the goods. I was unable to make it when the sale opened (so no chance of finding anything decent), but I did stop by today to see the car. The house was a neglected 60s piece of work with an amazing view in Yarrow point...probably brought a couple mil, even as is. The car was last registered in 1992, and appears to be a low mileage original, something like 45K. Impressive grey-green tex interior, perfect dash, Kuhlmeister, Becker Grand Prix, sound original paint etc. The old lady running the sale claims they got their advertised $2500 for it ( I did ask). The car needs a bit of freshening to be roadworthy...but appears to be an excellent survivor, I couldn't find a speck of rust. Someone got a good driver.

ghulet

...I think that's the same color, more or less, as my mom's car.

Shame about that sunroof car. I think just redoing the interior on that one would cost about its restored value, unfortunately.

Just saw some kind of Alfa Romeo sedan from the mid '70s-early '80s. It was driving in the opposite direction while I was at a stoplight, so don't know what model. It had kind of a vaguely bustle back trunk, it was painted light cream (kind of like the Benz above) and was nearly PERFECT. I couldn't find a picture of one on line, anyone know what this might be?

Mr_Shiftright

Sounds like a Milano. Fun car, dirt cheap to buy.

dacsiv

Thanks, I agree GM needs to wake up and feel the competition, plus remember who buy's there cars & trucks.

Thanks again

fintail

It seems sunroof fintails run down much more often than normal ones. I don't get that. The old MB sunroof operation is a thing of beauty....a handle you pull down, turn, and then pull the roof back. It's very charming.

Although I don't need another car - especially a non runner...had that creme colored fintail still been for sale and had I been able to pick it up for maybe $1500, I probably would have went for it. It was really the soundest one I have seen in some time.

I saw an oddball today, an Alfa like this:



It had modern British plates but was LHD. Never seen one in the flesh before.

imidazol97

It has a pleasantly odd styling if I cover up the strange opening at the front of the hood. Looks like Toyota Solara copied some of the style. Pleasant look.

imidazol97

I saw a Silver Spur last week at a cheap cheaper chain steakhouse. How rare are these other than in Dayton Ohio? Nearest dealer I could find was Indianapolis. Maybe Columbus.

They're not made anymore.

fintail

The Alfa is odd, much smaller than a Solara (and better looking). I know these were never sold in NA, someone brought it over.

I saw a Silver Shadow today too, a very dark red with gold two tone. It looked to be in pristine condition.

Those Spurs are just as unexciting and hard/expensive to maintain.

ghulet

...sorry for the memory lapse on my part, but the sedan I saw was definitely pre-Milano. Kinda similar in dimensions, and just by looking at the styling, I think the Milano would have been the next generation. The one I saw was a bit more 'roundy', and perhaps a bit smaller. At first I thought it was a Lancia or something (did they even make sedans?); shows how much I know about Italian cars. :confuse:

ghulet

Long story short: my S.O.'s Jeep is in the shop, neither key we have will turn in the ignition. Conveniently enough, a friend of mine is in Mexico and I have her '90 Cressida (bought for $620 on eBay in July). She put a few hundred bucks into it, and much to my surprise, it's actually a decent runner at this point. Still kind of needs tires, and the genius who installed the aftermarket stereo basically destroyed the dash (no rear defrost switch to be found), but once it's warmed up, the engine and transmission are wonderful, especially for a 16 year-old unbabied beater with 199k. I forgot what it was like to have a fairly powerful RWD car in snow, though; I have to actually pay attention. I'm coming back to liking automatic transissions again, go figure.

empiredj

Early 70's Jensen Interceptor with 440 Chrysler big block and Tri-Power.

Cruised by the store today because he wanted to show it too me.

Few says ago -

'49 Caddy

'09 Model T

lemko

"Oh, for all the talk about America's health care crisis, it's apparent that physician earnings aren't suffering; the Maybach had MD plates."

Back in the day, doctors wouldn't drive something so ostentatious as a Maybach. It would be perceived to be in very bad taste. Back then, doctors drove Buicks. They look like they were doing well-enough to be good doctors, but not getting rich off their patients. I can barely recall an old movie about doctors starring Frank Sinatra and some other actor I can't remember. Frank Sinatra and this other guy went into practice. The other guy lives modestly and drives an old 1940s sedan of some sort whereas Frankie is driving a new Cadillac Eldorado. His buddy tells him that it's in extremely bad taste for a doctor to be driving such a flashy ride.

Anyway, I spotted a beautifully kept teal blue 1965 Pontiac Executive Safi wagon. Can't be many of those left!

Mr_Shiftright

ALFA: I am pathologically opposed to front wheel drive sports cars.

ALFA SEDAN:

Was it this perhaps?

<img src=http://www.avonhill.com/thumbnails/sedan_imported/1978_Alfa_Romeo_Alfetta2.jpeg

This is an Alfetta, prior to the Milano. Don't ever buy one however.

jrosasmc

I think Ghulet was talking about the Alfa Sports Sedan (nee Alfetta) that was sold briefly in America from 1975 until '79. Its hatchback counterpart was later revived as the GTV6 from 1981-86.

And I think the early '80s Alfas were still plagued by rust problems, no?

Mr_Shiftright

Rust isn't allowed in California so I never see it!

fintail

Saw a couple oddballs out today - a 70s Excalibur, a .ca 1966 Charger, a Chrysler/Maserati TC (probably needed a valve job as it puffed blue smoke upon acceleration) and a really nice looking Subaru SVX - I kinda like those.

ghulet

...definitely the same car, though the taillights might have beena bit different (older looking, perhaps smaller). It was in really stunning condition. There's a European auto repair place not far from my house (it's on Lincoln just south of Wrightwood for any of you familiar with Chicago) that always has wacko cars sitting around, Alfas, Rollers, Lancias, and once I saw some stunning Italian four-seat coupe, definitely early '60s, even had electric windows.

themoon77

...and what is "it," you ask?

Oh, it's lovely.

A pea green Renault Alliance....convertible!

Not running, of course--no surprise there. It's just been sitting beside a convenience store for about 5 years now.

gsemike

That one belongs in the Project Cars - Hold it or fold em forum... I can imagine the responses

lemko

...I had a girlfriend who didn't have a car. Her roommate had a gold Renault Alliance. I guess they both took the bus to work.

andys120

ALFA: I am pathologically opposed to front wheel drive sports cars.


If they're good enough for Alfa and Lotus, they should be good enough for you :P

Mr_Shiftright

And Alfa and Lotus enthusiasts hate them too. Besides, don't call that front wheel drive....THING...a Lotus....

I just don't like the push...it's annoying...

prosa

I spotted a Smart today, parked on Prince Street in Manhattan. My first thought was that it must've been from Canada, but to my surprise it did not have Canadian license plates. It instead had these long and narrow European-style plates. Odd.
In any event, the Smart had to be the tiniest motor vehicle I can recall seeing, so small it looked more like a toy than a "real" car. The fact that it was parked directly in front of an Armada made it look even more microscopic

kyfdx

Early '60s Thunderbird.. in white... in "original" condition.... which wasn't great... The styling was pretty "out there" for '61-'62...

jlawrence01

The Smart Car is available in Canada ... at least at the current time. From all that I have read, they are not currently selling well.

A good friend of mine just stopped by with a 1950s BMW Isetta convertable that has not been restored (at this point). That would make the Smart car look pretty big in comparison.

chuck1959

Which Thunderbirds from 1960-1966 sold the best? Personally I like the 1960 best.

kyfdx

Beats me.. I had to google up some pictures, just so I could narrow down the year..

I like the '61 the best..

imidazol97

How about posting a couple. I went to the usual lookup for me and there are no Thunderbirds listed in the Ford group from 60-69.
Be sure to post within the pixel limit for the column or the hosts will get on you about not using links. :mad:

kyfdx

Try here:

Ford Thunderbirds

imidazol97

Thanks. Didn't find much at the hubcap place I usually hit.

The '65 is my choice for cleanest look. The '61 had that pointed, jetplane, aerodynamic nose look that was popular in those days. Recall the 1950 Studebaker with it's jet plane look?

fintail

I like that pic....beside the Stude you've got a W111 fintail, beside the fintail I think its a W111 coupe, and behind the Stude a W116 (70s S-class).

gsemike

For your research needs, nothing beats Google's image search.

Just hit the images link and enter "60 Thunderbird" then "61 Thunderbird", etc and you'll have more images than you could ever use.

That site can find anything!