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

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Comments

  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    I agree. They have nice lines and don't need any tacky body kits or aftewrmarket grilles.

    If anything, maybe nice period style wheels would suit these cars (no 20+ inch chrome monsters).

    I also don't like the SEC grilles/hoods adopted to fit that period's E class sedans or coupes. They seem too wide and not a nice fit in my opinion.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...a poorly restored 1971 MGB, (had red-orange overspray on the tires) and a late 1980s Dodge Omni - kind of reminded me of my Mom's old car.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    poorly restored 1971 MGB, (had red-orange overspray on the tires

    That is a bad paintjob when the TIRES get overspray.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    The flat face 15" chrome wheels look good on these cars, that's what I eventually had on my 126. I also like some period Centra and Lorinser wheels - those are seldom more than 16". Old AMG 5 spoke wheels from the 80s suit the cars too, and even classic AMG monoblocks don't look bad on a 126.

    I have seen those dumb SEC grilles all the way down to W201/190 series cars - and on everything up from there. I don't think they look right at all, especially on a sedan.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    No they're too wide for the smaller cars and cover part of their headlights.

    I also wasn't a big fan of any 80s MB with the stand up hood ornament rtemoved and replaced with a gigantic grille mounted one. Most looked out of place imo except on models that had it originally from the factory.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    The star grill reminds me of something from a truck, although I guess it is supposed to look sporty. I have seen some AMG enthusiasts removed the hood star and replace it with an AMG badge...I actually like looking down at the star as I drive, and wouldn't remove it.

    Here's a good example of grille star badness, from CL...this one is noteworthy as it has the grille star and still has the hood star.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    Very ugly. The two tone paint doesn't match it very well.

    I too liked to look at the star when driving. :shades: Very nice feeling.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,723
    my deutsch is kind of rusty, but there was a big, big repair bill in 2004. someones elses deutsch must be rusty too!
    5900+ euros repairs mit(with) mwst(don't know what that means). 11000 euros parts ohno(without) mwst.
    also, 'bi turbo' did not translate over to the actual engine either.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • squirreljamsquirreljam Member Posts: 71
    Yeah, well, me neither until I googled it.

    Anyway, last weekend out in Missouri wine country (no jokes please), I'd just come around a corner and saw what my instant impression said was a F50, except, well, shrunk. After I came to my senses I realized I didn't know what the hell it was but luckily turned into the same parking lot as this guy and was able to get a good look at it.

    It's pretty much styled like your 8th-grade-boy-fantasy-car-to-get-the-chick-with-big-boobs drawings I made in math class. However, after looking it up and seeing that it does 0-60 in 3.2 and costs under $80 large, I'm intrigued. You do however have to put it together yourself...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I was trying to read those papers too, but I am on the laptop with a large resolution, and the images were just too small. I did see what looked like annual German inspection stamps, and some papers with big bills. I see the car is now outside of Germany, maybe the big money was for purchase? I hope it wasn't for a cosmetic restoration or accident damage etc. as the car seems slightly off somehow.

    I did see in the tuner paperwork that a Mosselman biturbo system was mentioned, that was an aftermarket system made for the Euro market. Probably not cheap to rebuild or replace.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I don't think that's a factory paint scheme, indeed. Something that homely has to be a diesel.

    The star is a reassuring thing to drive behind :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I've heard of the brand but never seen one...odd sighting
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    A nice gunmetal grey late series SWB W126 just drove by my window...still looking pretty good for a nearly 30 year old design.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,723
    shorty 318 ti hatchbacks.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    These were mentioned not long ago...don't know if I like them...seems only halfway there

    Very rare over here, belongs back in England

    Good luck getting this registered in the states

    No bids? I wonder why...

    Unusual...don't know if it's worth the bids, can't be the BIN

    You'll never see your twin at a light or car show

    Odd thing to restore...but it looks decent

    Interesting use of resources

    "Lil Hustler"

    Don't click here

    A real SUV

    Almost new

    A real project car

    Nice colors

    Andre or lemko-mobile
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    The restored Opel I think is the same model that Car and Driver knocked back in the 70s really badly, causing GM to get upset and pull out some advertising iirc. Nice restoration though.

    The Donk Regal is a tragedy on wheels. Why oh why..... I guess whatever tickles your fancy....

    The Dodge Power wagons... I'm starting to really like the lloks of those old Power wagons. It would be nice to have if you live in the bush somehwere. Uncomplicated and easy to fix I bet.

    The Gullwing parts all look like new. I wonder how long it would take to put it back together for one knoweldgebale person.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Gullwing---looks like about another 750 hours or so. Depends on how far along the body is, in the fine details of finishing. Normally to restore a car to show quality, PRESUMING no rust or severe body damage, is about 1600 hours + materials. So if this car is "half" done, then you're in for probably another $100K or so.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    Wow, interesting. I would be afraid to buy a car that's in pieces, because what if they're all not there?

    It's like a Revell kit, but in life size scale.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,723
    that's why you hire mr shifty to make sure it's all there for you. :)
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    What I have suggested (and done a few times) is that the car be wired, bolter or taped together so we can see exactly what we do and do not have. It's a great way to inventory a car, especially one with unobtanium parts. I wouldn't necessarily bother to do that with a Camaro.

    We are going to do that very thing with a '34 Lagonda in boxes.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Today I saw the low grille 280SE cabrio I see driving in my area now and then. It was out in the rain again...I wonder if the owner even knows what it is. It's not kept as clean as one would expect for something of that age and value.

    Maybe I should do this to my fintail

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXd4liZ6Io8
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Why not? There's gotta be something out there he can beat. I wonder what he did to that engine to have it swallow that big gulp of fuel. Two Webers should be more than enough for a small 6 cylinder car.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    We are going to do that very thing with a '34 Lagonda in boxes.

    Sounds like fun!!

    One of these days I'll get myself a simple beater to restore for fun....

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    yeah you don't want to tackle a car with wood in the cowl and body tub that's for sure. I'm sure this will be a 5+ year project.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 265,558
    Looks just like it did when the owner retired from school teaching, about 1985.. :surprise:

    Okay, I'm guessing on the last part.. but, it was an extremely well-preserved example...

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Fintails fared very well in period competition, no reason why one couldn't now.

    That thing sure sounds insane compared to my clattery old engine. Must have some kind of massive exhaust modification too. I can't even begin to comprehend those carbs...never seen anything like that before.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    That's funny...when I was in school, I did some work for a professor, who drove a well preserved Accord hatch of that generation. He retired not long after.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I can't imagine what you'd even race a fintail in---some vintage sedan class I guess, or maybe vintage rallyes--that would be a good use for them, as ruggedness counts even more than speed.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    Principal Skinner also drove an Accord hatchback, brown color. Ahh, here it is:

    image

    Now thinking about it, my high school PE teacher had an 85 Accord hatchback too.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Fintails placed 1-2-3 at Monte Carlo in 1960 and won countless other events, and the 300SE models were beasts in period sedan racing...so something could be done.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,023
    Oh now that's disturbing. That's exactly the same color that one of my friends had on his '80 hatchback back in high school and college. It was a metallic coppery color, and I think it even had a clearcoat, which must have been unprecedented at that time for that class of car.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    That was Superintendent Chalmers car ;) ...the 'H' got stolen, and Chalmers said something to the effect of "What's the point of driving a Honda if you can't show it off?"

    I remember when I was in grade 5 or so my school principal had one of those oddball flip up headlight Accord hatchbacks that were only made for a couple years.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    I was once an owner of an 82, and 83 Accord sedans, and an 84 hatchback.

    Fate just threw these cars into my life. They served me well though.....

    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well they were good in the strict classes they had then, for endurance racing. Sterling Moss used to win races in a Jaguar Mark VII for gawd's sake.

    I dunno, it just seems eccentric to put one on a race course today.

    But hell, you can race anything vintage in vintage racing, if you meet basic eligibility and follow the rules (also known as "cheating effectively").
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Those were durable cars, so long as they weren't allowed to get rusty.

    A high school friend of mine had a very clean 82-83 sedan that his parents bought new. Sadly, a moment of inattention caused him to rear end a parked trailer at about 30mph, the car was destroyed. He walked away anyway.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I figure if they raced them then, they can race them now. I wouldn't want to butcher up a well preserved original to make a racer though.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    One of my friends had an 85 Accord sedan which his brother who owned a body shop painted purple, tinted the windows, lowered, put 5 star Riken mags on, and put a boombox in. We cruised in it everywhere....

    This was in early-mid 90s. We thought we were the coolest :blush:

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    When I graduated from college in October 1985, I moved from AZ back to my hometown in California and needed a car.

    Dad knew the GM of the local Toyota dealer and we prowled the lot. There were a number of '84 & '85 Corolla's on the lot (the boxy style), but then I found an '85 Accord LX hatchback with less than 17K on the clock. 5-speed, burgundy outside and inside, A/C and the louvers over the rear window. Sold! I think I paid $8500 for it.

    A buddy of mine and I drove that car from California to Michigan and back in the fall of 1986. Best tank of gas was something like 44 MPG in New Mexico. I think all I ever did to it was regular maintenance - I may have had to put on a new set of tires, but I honestly can't remember.

    Traded it in on an '88 Isuzu Trooper for, I think, $5500 or so. Or maybe the car had 55K on the odometer. Sheesh - it's been 20 years since that happened. I know I got a pretty good trade in value from the Isuzu dealer.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sure you can race just about anything---depends if you want to win in vintage racing or just tool around and have a nice Sunday. Like Formula Jr. You can drive a BMC 1172cc and kick butt or drive a Stanguellini with Fiat power and wave to everyone as they pass you. Both ways are fun.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    That beat up Accord hatchback in the photo (I called it silverfish silver) was bought by me at a public auction (before I was in the car biz) for $350. I drove it for about 5 months, daily, puttting maybe 3000 miles on it (it had 335k kms/200k+ miles when I got it iirc), and I didn't even do an oil change on it and had to put in zero dollars other than gas.

    I taped some bicycles on the roof on a camping trip, I played bumper cars with my buddy's beater Tercel, and this car was indestructible. A day before I traded it in one of the front wipers stopped working.

    One of my favorite cars I've ever owned.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    What did you get for it as a trade in?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Louvers...it must have been a sport model! :shades:
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    Same as I paid for it $350 :D

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Now there's a brand you don't hear about every day!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well this is the obscure topic!!

    Atsa nice-a!

    image
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,229
    image

    1896 Salvesen Steam Wagon - Westminster Bridge on London - Brighton Run 2nd November....
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,229
    image
    1899 Hurtu
    image
    circa 1899 Benz Mylord
    image
    1900 Panhard et Levassor
    image
    1902 Napier
    (and the blue little car in the background is a 1901 MMC)
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,229
    Nice selection again....

    The Peugeot looked fun - rare here, too, but probably still running in rural France...
    Opel Sportwagon - we only got that as an Ascona Wagon, with more mundane kit on it...
    Great Dodge, and I liked the Olds Starfire
    The Bristol must be nearly unique with you - they are good cars, though - and reliable with American engines...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I've got to get over to see the Brighton run someday.

    It'd be much better to drive in it!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You could buy a curved dash Oldsmobile and ship it over!
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