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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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All original. Owned by parents. 1968. Rated 490 out of 500 points at Buick Show.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Lemko, I could have sworn I took some pics of your '89 Brougham, but they weren't on the camera! So, I'll just substitute this pic I took last year.
I also saw a late model BMW 5-Series, but what made this one stand out - I did a double take! - was that it had 3 Buick-like port holes on each front fender. The body looked like it was in decent shape, as it was being driven through a
Mc Donalds parking lot.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I see a Justy
That's all rusty
And the windows
Look really tall.
Sort of like this...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
On a similar note, there seem to be more first-gen Toyota Priuses on the roads these days than there were when they were new! Kinda makes me wonder where they were all hiding. The 2nd gen has always been a common sight for me, since I work for NASA and live close by, and those techno-weenie scientists and engineers go ga-ga over them.
I'm surprised though, to see the earlier Priuses suddenly pop up. I mean, it's not like they were a cheap, throwaway car to begin with, and I'd imagine many of them are getting towards the end of the useful life of the battery pack.
I thought Priuses never have had a battery pack go bad, according to some.
I'm amazed at the scientists making all the pollution with their projects and space shots wanting to be "green."
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Reference my message #14076, regarding my Chevette sighting, it didn't occur to me when I saw it, but your comment imidazol, makes me think that maybe that Chevette had been brought back from the pasture. After all, when was the last time you saw a Chevette actually being driven? Oh sure, once in a great while I'll see one on someone's lawn, resting next to someone's garage, or in the back yard, or some such thing, but you must admit that it's rare that you see one, or a Pinto, for that matter, moving under it's own power, right? And when you do see a Chevette or a Pinto on the road, chances are it's got big wheels, and huge tires, at least in back, and has something bigger than a wheezing I-4 under the hood.
While I'm on the subject of Chevettes, I remember that they weren't too respected, but I don't recall that they were flawed, as the Vega was, or the Pinto, with its explosion prone fuel tank. The Chevette, as I recall, was based on an Opel (Kadette?) design, and variations of that car were produced in Brazil, for the Brazilian and Argentine markets, and maybe for other South American markets too. No, it wasn't a great car, not as good as the Hondas and Toyotas of the day, but reasonably competitive, nevertheless. I recall renting one once, and thinking that, while it was inferior to the Omni/Horizon, for example, it was decent transportation for the economy class of '79, which is when I rented it.
Yeah, but on a late model BMW? I mean, come on!
"an aftermarket porthole kit with four of them, rather than three? I never have. Since a lot of people buy those things for instant status, you'd think they'd try to at least mock the nicer Buicks, rather than the cheap ones."
Of course (dope slap!!), if you're a super rare BMW owner who'd really rather be driving a Buick, why not aim for Buick's biggest and best, with four port holes? Ah, but wait, maybe that frustrated, envious, and emotionally disturbed used (albeit not too old) BMW owner really hankers for a Maserati Quattroporte, but can't afford one. While the Quattroporte has a powerful dual overhead cam V8 under the hood, it only sports three port holes on each fender. And while older Buick Roadmasters and Electras had four portholes, to differentiate them from lesser Buicks, the new Buick Super has only three, the last time I looked. So, I think this solves the puzzle of why three instead of four port holes.
Yeah the Chevette was originally an Opel Kadette,probably the worst car to ever wear that badge. The geniuses who ran GM in the '70s decided it should be GM's "world car", sold as an Isuzu Gemini, Vauxhall Chevette, Pontiac T-100 (Acadian in CDN), Holden Gemini etc.
I saw a bunch of 'em in Rio in '76, badged as Chevy Chevettes.
My cousin rented one while visiting us in the 70s, he summed it up aptly as
"a car for the 55 mph speed limit."
BTW, I doubt they were particularly fuel-efficient.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
But the Eldorado had the "air vent" from the new CTS on the sides. They actually looked great there. I had to stop to figure which car they had come off of because so many use the faux side vents now.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I thought the same the first time I saw a "TRD" too.
When I saw the first local new CTS sitting in the showroom, I stopped to look at it. Dealer told me the cliched fender vents were functional. They are not, right?
Heck, if it's any consolation, the hood on my '76 LeMans will shimmy out on the highway at speeds lower than that!
I dunno if Ford and Chrysler in general were better or worse in this regard, but my friend's two 1978 Mark V's seem more solid, at least when it comes to hood shimmy. And I don't notice any at all in either of my '79 New Yorkers.
Somehow, I've managed to go my entire life without ever having ridden in a Chevette. I guess I should be thankful.
I probably am wrong. I just assumed they weren't. A friend had his CTS at the party July 4. I should have looked it over. Crimson Pearl paint!!!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Certainly not on my part, I've never liked big cars and I particularly loathe the big cars of the 70s and early 80s. My ride during the 70s was a '71 Fiat 124 Spider. I replaced it in '79 with a Honda Accord hatchback. :shades:
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I don't think so. I think many of those small cars really were as crappy as people suspected they were. Many were "desperation engineering", rushed to market, etc.
Absolutely - US cars (Vegas, Pintos, Chevettes) were crappy and unreliable, so thankfully they quickly disappeared. Japanese small cars ("Honey Bee" B210s, early Corollas) were just about as bad, but were reliable, living on to torment owner after owner desparate for high mpgs....
What color is the sky in that world of yours?
FYI both cars are 8 years old and even tho the Bimmer has almost three times the miles on it, it looks and runs way better than the Buick.
Have ever driven a BMW?
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Every time I had a chance, it was in the shop! :P
Looks are subjective, wouldn't you agree, andys? And the term "runs better" is somewhat vague, at a minimum, and is subject to a considerable amount of interpretation. I would say that most reviewers would rank the 5-Series well above the LeSabre, in terms of driving dynamics, and that most enthusiasts would find the BMW to be a much more enjoyable car to drive than the Buick. However, based on my knowledge, and ownership experience with GM cars (although not Buick specifically) and BMW, that the Buick's cost of ownership would be less than the BMW's.
So, which car is better? I guess the answer would depend on what one's priorities are. For my needs and tastes, the 5-Series would be more rewarding, but I can appreciate the merits of owning a LeSabre, for many non-enthusiast drivers.
One more thing about the practicalities. In theory the Buick might be cheaper to run but it gives every sign that it will be trouble prone by the time it reaches the 106,000+ miles that are on my car which seldom (perhaps twice) has had to go in for unscheduled service.
When I get back AZ I'll need to look into why full throttle upshifts are so rough on that LeSabre, they're smooth as butter on the Bimmer. Ironically the Fiver's A/T is built by a GM subsidiary in Strasbourg, France.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Still, if I had to choose between an 8 year old BMW or an 8 year old LeSabre, well...neither one really excites me. If someone were to give me the BMW, I'd probably just sell it and invest the money, but if someone gave me the LeSabre, then I'd make the determination as to which was in better shape, the Buick or my Intrepid, and sell the one that was the worse of the two.
I drove a used 2000 LeSabre Custom a few years back, and wasn't overly impressed. To be fair though, I think GM designed these things on purpose to be numb and floaty, and to feel bigger than they really were, because that's what they thought the buyers wanted. I've also heard that by this time, if you bought the Limited model, you got better wheels, tires, and suspension. It's not going to turn it into a BMW, but I'm sure would still be a big improvement.
I guess I'm just a a
cheapfiscally conservative point in my life right now. :shades:today i saw 2 new silver prius back to back with dealer plates on them. no, wait 3 in a row, no 4 in a row! they were causing a bit of a traffic jam(gawkers). after i thought about it, they were probably headed for the state motor pool.
True enough in Ohio too.
An old girlfriend of mine used to drive a 1976 Datsun B210 Honeybee that her family purchased new. And it's been a very long time since I saw one of those on the road.
It wound up being her first car after she got her license. And she defended every rust spot and fluid which was barfed out of that :sick: thing.
At a local shop the service guy was inspecting the front tires for replacement and checking to see if he had the correct size in stock. She and I got into a pointless spat because she insisted that it was still running on the original tires from the factory. In 1981. With 104K miles. Like it even mattered, but...
By that time not even the engine was OEM from the factory.
A cracked head was replaced in 1980 (engine head that is). A new head gasket was needed 2 years later. The body was severely rusted (the car body, dummy) when it quit around 1983 with 130K miles and a long list of needs.
Many GM/Ford/Mopar products from that era could easily match that record and yet still receive the J.D. Power Stinkeye Award for consumer outrage. :lemon:
Fairly often I still spot 70's Detroit cars/trucks on the road in Columbus but the popular imports of that era are a rare sight indeed. It was only 5 years ago when a retired neighbor of mine gave up his AMC Hornet and bought a Cavalier.
My best, first impression of any Japanese car was the early 70's Toyota Corona. Pathetic by today's standards, but it could get up to 20 mpg and carry 4 people in an upright, reasonably comfortable position. I liked it.
I still preferred the 1971(?) Opel Kadette with its dual carb, 1.1 liter engine and 4-speed over the Corona, though. For a cheap economy car the Opel was still German-correct in the way it worked and felt.
Somehow, I missed out on the Datsun 510 experience at that time. Never drove or got a ride in one. They say it was good.
But, had you told me then that Honda/Toyota would soon rule and Opel would be remembered as a freak in the U.S., I would have played Country Joe and The Fish - Don't Bogart That Joint on the jukebox. Just for you.
I shouldn't get started on old imports and old girlfriends because I don't know when to stop, sorry. (By the way, her next car was a vintage 240Z. The horror. The horror.)
The foreign cars really came into their stride in the 1975-1985 era, when American cars were at their very worst.
You might view the time periods as: (just my two cents)
1968-1974 - foreign cars challenge the domestics seriously, with successes and failures. A period of experimentation and very aggressive marketing.
1975-1985 - imports ravage the Big Three market share all across the board
1985--present -- imports gain market share slowly and steadily, year by year, by trumping domestics on technology and styling. Domestics fight back with SUVs and pickup trucks, the last bastion of their expertise.
So chances are your spottings of earlyl 70s cars, if imports, are "survivor cars" not restored, whereas early 70s domestics are often restored.
I think another factor might simply be that, until the first fuel crisis, import car, especially Japanese cars, hadn't made much headway yet, except for the coasts. Domestics cars were still selling very strongly in the early 70's. In fact, I think calendar (rather than model year) year 1972 actually set a record for domestic car sales. And 1973 promised to be even better...indeed for the first 10-11 months it actually was. Until the oil embargo.
That's when Japanese cars really started to get ahold of the market. But by and large, they were still just throwaway economy cars. There was the Datsun Z, which was a hot little number for the time, and still has a strong following to this day. And the 510 enjoyed some success as a "poor mans' BMW", although I think that was the earlier 70's models. Upscale Japanese cars, like the Toyota Cressida and Datsun 810, either weren't that popular here or weren't even available here until the later 70's. So while domestics offered something for every market niche at that time, the Japanese were focused mainly on the economy/throwaway end of the market.
Even if they were better built, and higher-quality pieces than our throwaway Pintos and Vegas and Chevettes, they were still viewed by the driving public as cheap, throwaway cars, and tended to be treated as such.
People probably viewed larger cars with more respect and as less of a throwaway item, and tended to take better care of them. Although I'm ashamed to admit that my Dad left a '65 Impala SS396, abandoned, along a country road after it threw a rod. And this was only like 1971-72.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Early Ford Tudor, bright orange(!) with a black roof top, under the 1 piece hood appeared to be 2X4bbl carbs on the V-8.
It was followed closely by a maroon Roadster pulling a color coordinated 2-wheeled cargo trailer.
I have no clue on the pre-WWII cars, really. They both looked great but what's the best tip off to dating the style? Radiator grille or ?? There may be more of these driving around this weekend.
1947 Ford, cream-tan color, de-chromed, with no rear bumper or stock tail lights. Healthy V-8 rumble though.
1950-something Chevy panel truck. Flat black with bright green wheels. Caught only a quick glimpse.
1955 Chevy Nomad, 2 dr, burnt orange with a gold painted roof. Lowered a bit with a slight rake in stance. Saw it drive by twice and it was gorgeous coming and going.
1966 Valiant, light blue, 4-door sedan
1966 Ford Galaxie 2 door fastback, yellow, gleaming chrome trim, looked great and sounded like a 390 V-8 throb.
1967 Valiant, 2 door, gold, it drove by @ the speed limit with a deep resonant burble.
1967 Mustang, red with a white convertible top.
1969 Buick Skylark (possibly GS), light blue, saw it twice but only from the rear driver-side 3/4 and the passenger rear quarter.
1969 Camaro RS, red with steel rims and chrome dish covers. Very sharp.
1970 Chevy Impala 2 dr, champagne gold with black vinyl top and aftermarket chrome wheels.
1972 El Camino, dark blue
And then there was...
1973 Ford LTD 2 dr, brown with a tan vinyl top and oval opera windows. Also a trunk lid-mounted "continental kit." I noticed the stock OEM wheel covers on its second drive by.
An early 1980's Impala 2 dr, faded gray with black vinyl top. Drove past at least 4 times under it's own power, but had it been parked I may not have believed that possible.
Also spotted 6(!) late 80's/early 90's Tempo/Topaz sedans. The lone Topaz was ratty but all the Tempo's actually looked like clean, decent drivers. Odd.
The traffic mix must be due to the Goodguys 11th PPG Nationals at the Ohio Expo this weekend starting tomorrow. Well, the interesting traffic anyway.
You'll know a 66 Galaxie has a 390 if you look in the window with the car running and see the gas gauge going down...that's how it worked on mine :P