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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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I was thinking it might be someone's friend dropping something off, but the way the guy parked and then fumbled around at the intercom box makes me think it was delivery.
There's a pizza delivery guy in my area using a Peugeot 505 diesel. That takes a little guts.
My aunt had the downsized 1977 Thunderbird. My cousin hit a deer with it and demolished it sometime around 1981-82.
I remember my second grade teacher had a 77-79 Bird. I liked her, so I liked the car.
Grbeck hasn't said anything...but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that you either got your Park Ave repainted, or picked up another near-mint condition car for beater duties! You're really going to shock me if you show up in a Japanese car! :P
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
(By the way in Japan, Caddys or Lincoln are still the preferred hearses, so I think you could say that when the ride REALLY matters, nothing but an American luxury make will do).
There's a market for American cars in Japan after all!
on the way back, a beautful 57 turquoise chevy 4 door wagon. my daughter spotted it first and remarked that she wished they still painted cars that color.
it had a canoe strapped to the top and a very loud exhaust.
Yes, very mini. Maybe micro-corvette?
Not a bad car really but gee, just a little 1.6L I think.
Only someone with OCD like me would have noticed that the front rim (on the right side anyhow) didn't match the rear. Close but not the same..... parts availablity problems or just what's handy? The rest of the car looked new.
90s Italian build quality?
Also spotted a nice condition mid 70s AMC Matador station wagon driven by an older gentleman.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Preservation
Dignified yet stylish
Discomobile
They are only original once
From the year that defines elegance and restraint
Almost like my car
To think it would become much worse the next year
Can't be many of these left
Pile of unobtanium
Without peers
51 Buick 4D -- amazing car but gee, they want a lot of money for an old 4D straight-8. What can you do with it? You might end as bored as the person in the photo sitting in the beach chair. Not very exciting for all that money.
39 Buick -- I'm surprised it bid so high already. This has got to be right at peak value at $17K. Car's incorrect and it's going to take some $$$ to fix all that.
58 Edsel Bermuda Wagon -- hmmm...the mighty have fallen...this car would have brought more money a couple of years ago.
57 Packard-Baker --- get that sacred name off that thing!! Again, I'm surprised it bid to $8K. Studebaker collectors are notorious in reputation of being tight-fisted.
79 Olds Diesel -- why not just poke yourself in the eye ten times and get the same effect for far less investment?
56 Lagonda -- I've seen far worse cars than that brought back to life. You'd have to really love the marque to do it. I'd rather see the effort spent on a Jaguar Mark II myself. Or just go out and buy a ready to roll Bentley Mark VI for $15K.
Peerless --- you can see the interest in 20s cars is dying as the people who are interested in them pass away. Prewar 1933--1941 is still okay, though. More aero, more power, more fun to drive.
I don't think those cars ever had a real removeable roof. The DL model, which was an upper trim level, had a big trim strip that went up the B-pillars and over the roof, sort of like the "basket handle" on the old Ford Crown Victorias of the 50's. AMC might have called it "Targa roof trim" or something like that.
Mint green with a cracked up front end. Typical hooptie.. Sort of strange to think that it would have survived all these years...
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I had it out today...parked twice. At once place I saw a guy walk up and look at it, and at another place a guy actually took a pic of it with his phone.
I hadn't driven it in 4 weeks...started up on the first turn of the key and maybe the third cycle of the starter. Gotta love that FI. The turn signals have been working most of the time now, too.
I also saw a huge ca. 1928 Cadillac (I think) cabriolet - not a roadster, but with the top down you could see the landau bars. It was a real monster. One of the few cars on the road older than mine, :shades:
-Beetlles, Beetles and more Beetles. Old VWs abound in Bisbee which is kind of odd since it's very hilly, not exactly the ideal environment for old Beetles w 40HP or less. Most are in good shape and more or less stock. Some Type 2 Microbuses
were seen as well.
Old non-VW cars and trucks were about including a nice '57 Chevy wagon (not a Nomad).
Also seen: a couple of '65-'66 Mustang notchbacks which had obviously been nicely restored, one in Pale Yellow, the other in Twilight Turquoise.
The most unusual sighting was a 1950's era Datsun sedan similar to this Datsun 211, they are very rare and it's hard to even come up with a picture of one.>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Just to try covering all bases, I brought along some tools, antifreeze, oil, the battery out of the LeMans, and threw in one of the old tires that had been in the car, since I didn't trust the spare (not that the tires that were on the car are much better
Fortunately, the car did fine. The only time it scared me was at the winery, when I went to put the top up, at first it didn't want to raise. I revved the car up a bit, and then the top seemed to go up fine. I thought that was a little odd, though. I think on real old cars, where the mechanism was vacuum operated, that could work, but I think mine is electric. Maybe there was just a loose wire, and gunning the engine a bit helped it made the connection? Also, at the winery, we were parked on a steep hill. Thankfully the emergency brake was one of the many things the mechanic fixed on the car, but I didn't want to take any chances, so I chocked the car in two places. I just don't like the idea of something that size getting loose and barreling down the hillside. I'm sure it would make quite a mess!
In a couple weeks I'm taking the Catalina to another car show, about 70 miles away. I think Carlisle's about 130 miles away, so if it makes it out on this second trip, I'll feel confident about taking it to the GM show.
a. the past for fintail.....
b. a winery for Andre.....
c. The Dallas Guitar show for Lokki....
The only oddity I spotted this weekend though was a red Sterling 825 SL in pretty nice condition. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since they're really an Acura Legend in a British Jacket, but somehow, they didn't have the quality of an Acura. I knew a guy who had one, and he really did have a lot of traditional British electrical problems.
I guess that any that are left on the road have all the gremlins worked out by now.
I see quite a few Legends still drifting around, but I haven't seen a Sterling in years.
a. the past for fintail.....
b. a winery for Andre.....
c. The Dallas Guitar show for Lokki....
Hmph. Here in Colorado, we got 20" of snow from Thursday night to Saturday afternoon, so all I saw on my limited trips from the house were SUV's and 4WD pickup trucks. Very, very few cars out and about, and certainly nothing to write home about.
This weekend, however, should be different as the weather folks are predicting 80 degrees towards the end of the week. Hopefully, that will melt all the snow.
That Catalina as a runaway train headed down a hill could take out about 10 cars and maybe 5 houses :P
I wonder how long tires can reasonably last? It wasn't something I had to worry about in the past, when I drove enough that I'd wear them out, rather than having to worry about dry-rot. The DeSoto's tires probably have less than 1,000 miles on them, but I bought them back in 1992 or 1993. So it'll probably be a good idea to replace them before that car goes on any long trips!
When I get new tires for the fintail, it will finally get the correct OEM style wide whites that I could never afford when I was a student. I have seen several renovated or restored fintails with them, and they look so good. My car with its photogenic period color will look amazing with them, I have no doubt.
Also a VW pickup truck. Those are quite rare. Great for hauling a sack of feathers downhill.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
a nice, slightly modified last of breed rwd olds cutlass.
later on, a red 911 with historic plates and of course a whale tail, on a flatbed.
the fuchs wheels were painted a matching red, which didn't look so great.
The thing was made out of wood!
I think my biggest beef with them is that they look fat. Probably because of the high beltline and small windows, plus the way the rear wheel opening still has that skirted look, a style that was becoming outdated. When GM started fuselage-ing their big cars for 1971, I didn't think they looked nearly as fat, but they also had much bigger windows, a lower beltline and larger rear wheel opening (unless you got a model with optional fender skirts)
I wouldn't mind something like a '69-73 Imperial, or even one of the lesser models with the hidden headlight option.
First was an 80's AMC Eagle wagon - the original precursor to the Subaru Outback. Brown (weren't they all?), but seemed to be in good condition.
Second was a Ford Courier - not sure of the year, but was white, 2WD and seemingly in decent shape. Had a full load in the bed.