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

Mr_Shiftright

Oh I would buy it just knowing I'd have problems. I'd gear up with a workshop manual, code reader and bribing the dealer's service manager :P

fintail

Not cool any more eh? :P

I saw a 2010 Golf diesel being offered as a very low mileage used car by a local dealer. They wanted 29K for it! For a diesel Golf, nearly 30 grand!

Mr_Shiftright

When turbo diesels start getting 60+ MPG, that would still be hard to justify giving up a 30 mpg MINI to save a mere $600 a year in gas. Even if gas went to $6 a gallon, that's only $100 a month more to run a car that's already all paid for.

fezo

For opposite ends of things within twenty minutes of each other I saw a guy driving along in a bathtub Porsche and then an old Colt Vista getting hauled onto a flat bed....

fintail

I'm in podunk today, and there was a little car show in town. Mostly pretty normal stuff, lots of hot rods etc...this thing caught my eye for being the most unusual. I think it was an unrestored original car, maybe something Andre would want:

stickguy

guy around the corner from me has almost that exact same car, in that color, but it is a bit ratty. Drives it occasionally too.

also today, saw a same vintage (looks just like Andres) Bonne convertible, but in bright red. looked freshly restored. Bopping along with the top down.

Mr_Shiftright

I appraised (or in the process of appraising) a '59 Porsche 356A sunroof coupe---guy owned it since 1960, and has 500,000 *documented* miles on it (3rd engine, second re-paint, new interior, etc, but original body and glass and trim). It was his daily driver until 1996, then his touring/club car. Sunroof adds value. He has a '64 engine in it now but he wisely kept the original, which is totally shot.

uplanderguy

That's a 1970 Pontiac Catalina. I kind-of like those for their distinctiveness, but I like them with the Ventura option for a little-nicer interior. Boy, that baby looks bone-stock and from what I can see from the interior, that pattern is original or replaced to appear original.

Bill

fintail

It was wearing a "400" badge if that means anything good or bad. It was remarkably well preserved.

uplanderguy

I am nearly certain that a 2-barrel 400 was standard in those cars. I don't ever remember seeing a full-size '70 Pontiac that didn't have "400" badges...unless they said "455". Thanks for posting the pic; a refreshing change-of-pace.

Bill

andre1969

Believe it or not, I saw not one, but TWO 1970 Bonneville convertibles today! One of 'em was a creamy yellow and the other a good looking dark green. Alas, it was on an episode of "Bewitched" that I saw them!

The 400 2-bbl was a mainstay in the Catalinas from 1967-69, but I think in 1970, the base engine might have actually been a Pontiac 350-2bbl. I think Pontiac tried to do some cost cutting, and offered this engine with the 2-speed Powerglide. I'm sure the vast majority of them were 400's though.

Years ago, there was a guy at work who drove a 1969 Catalina 4-door sedan with the Ventura trim package. It was the same shade of gold as a '69 Bonneville I once owned, but instead of vinyl-clad, the roof was painted in sort of a dusty rose/light burgundy color. I remember the interior was pretty nice, and it also had full gauges, something that must've been pretty rare on a big Pontiac by that time!

andys120

I saw a few real odd ones while visiting the NYC area yesterday:

-Fiat X 1/9! Sitting in-front of repair/used sales facility. Body work appeared to be on decent shape, good paint (Lemon Yellow). Small bumpers indicating a pre-1974 model.

-Same facility had a Bentley S-type, 4 door early (1950s) series with good bodywork, white paint but awful white over-painted wheel covers.

-Citroen 2CV, seen in my rear-view while slogging thru heavy traffic. Bright green color, being driven by a middle aged woman with fabric roof open. Probably an early 70s model.

Mr_Shiftright

of your life....watching a tiny Dutch factory make a Morris Minor from a knock-down kit. Actually this video is in 2 parts, so you can diddle away even more time---I found it fascinating to watch. This is a whole other world than the one most of us grew up in. I really enjoyed seeing how many "lost skills" are readily exhibited by ordinary line-men in the factory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqW2Bt9Qrq0

Can you imagine building a modern car like this? It would cost a fortune and probably wouldn't turn out as good anyway.

The sound track is kind of hypnotic as well.

ghulet

I saw three different first-generation (early '90s) Honda Accord wagons, an '86-ish Toyota Cressida wagon and an early '80s (RWD) Toyota Corolla wagon.

fintail

I wonder how well those came out compared to UK sourced Minors. Maybe not bad, a simple car...the Minor was one of the better British products of the period.

fintail

That's why it caught my eye too...it's different. It's not a Mustang or a Chevelle or a Corvette, it's a relic with a low survival rate. Of course that doesn't add value...but being valuable and interesting are not always linked.

Today I went to look at an obscure car, the IWC edition CLS at a local highline used dealer. I'm not shopping, I just wanted to see something so rare (I think ~20 units sold in the US) in person. It was "out for detail" which probably means one of the owners is using it for the weekend or something. I doubt I will go back...it's a major PITA for me to drive into the city of Seattle, I loathe driving there, I call it "both pedestrian and vehicle unfriendly".

And because I did this, the E55 threw a tantrum and when I started it after a long highway drive, the ABS, BAS, and ESP lights all came on, along with a dire warning in the central cluster about three malfunctions. I know this game, so I just turned off the car and started it back up. It was like nothing happened. I love computers.

andre1969

Speaking of a nice change of pace, today, parked at an Eastern's Motors car dealer (where yo' job's yo' credit), was a '65-66 Ford Galaxie 4-door sedan, in sort of a turquoise color. Shiny for the most part, but had some primer on it. We were driving past the dealer so fast though, and it barely caught my eye, so I didn't notice whether it was for sale or a customer's car.

I think one reason I like seeing more obscure cars like that, or the '70 Catalina Fintail posted, is that in this day and age, they're just so much more unique. Most musclecars, Mustangs, '55-57 Chevies, etc, have been done to death, to the point that, in classic-car terms at least, they might as well be Honda Accords or Toyota Camrys.

Oh, I also saw a non-stock-looking orange '65 Impala 4-door sedan go driving by, while waiting at a red light. And, from a distance, spotted a pimpy red '75-76 Electra 2-door, with a white landau top. Only saw it from the side and rear though, so I couldn't tell which year it was.

fintail

Saw something very unusual this afternoon...tried to snap a pic but by the time I got my camera and it was on, the car had passed by (I was stopped at a light and it was on a cross street).

BMW 507, kind of a medium-dark silver, Driven by a woman who had her hair in a scarf - looked very 50s, almost like her and the car were out of a time warp. It was unbelievable.

Also stopped by the local MB dealer just to lookie loo. They had an as-new 40K mile 00 SL500 with pano and sport package, very nice car. Also a weirdo dark emerald green - almost black - 98 SL500 with 36K on it.

berri

I always liked the mid 60's full size Fords. Some teenager has a turqoise 64 Galaxie 4 Dr HT around here. I like the C-pillar treatment on the rear doors on that one.

I agree with your feeling on more obscure cars instead of too many muscle cars, 55-57 Chevys and Mustangs at shows, also Camaro and Corvette. I like seeing a 4 door or wagon once in awhile too because those are more like the cars most people owned back then, not that I don't appreciate the coupes and ragtops too!

imidazol97

A convertible form of the squareBirds was really rare. I was surprised when this one showed up at a local cruise in last week.

lemko

Well cared-for but somewhat rusty blue 1970 Cadillac DeVille convertible with a white top, a very nice cream-colored 1960 Rambler Ambassador sedan with a black top, and a very nice black and silver 1956 Chrysler New Yorker two-door hardtop.

Mr_Shiftright

"Well cared-for but somewhat rusty"

They say, lemko, that only a genius can hold two contradictory concepts firmly in the mind at the same time. :shades:

lemko

Didn't know how to put it. The car was clean and shiny, but the bottoms of the doors were bubbled. It was driven by an older guy who probably was the original owner. It looks like he kept the car clean, but didn't do such a good job at combatting the rust.

andys120

On my drive from NY to NH Sunday I spotted some rarely seen BMW's:

-BMW E36 M3 4-doors. I saw two, in two widely separated places which is weird considering I can't recall if I've ever seen one before. Most M3s are two-door coupes.

-BMW Bavaria (E3), a US-Market version of BMW's "Big Six" E3 sedans (AKA BMW 2500/2800) which combined the 2.8L motor with the less luxurious interior of the 2.5L version. They are pretty rare now since, like most 70s cars, most have rusted away but the one I saw was in nice shape but hardly concours..

mogge65

Hi Andre! i saw your Desoto and now i wonder if you still are in posses of it? i know it´s 4years ago but i feel i must contact you! please mail me at morgan392@hotmail.com Best Regards Morgan

Mr_Shiftright

An early Dodge Dart (63?) making loud burbly poppita-pop Bullitt V-8 noises coming down a hill.

A 40s woody flashed by me (as if in a dream). Couldn't identify, perhaps youse guys can help me.

This was a two-door coupe, very svoopy-doopy, small rear window, full wood on doors and rear quarters (but I don't think trunk---it happened so fast and I was on my bicycle trying to avoid being crushed by an Alhambra water truck. ) Not that big a car, either.

VW Thing under a tarp (what else?)

VW fastback with a huge WOOF decal in the back window ??

50s GMC pickup truck with stake sides.

fintail

All I can think of for the woody is one of these Chevies:



Or maybe a Ford Sportsman, but those were all convertibles I think.

Maybe the Woof sticker is a dog owner? Or a Huskies fan? I think I have seen that one before too.

When I was in school, a professor had an immaculate 70s VW van, with a sticker that said "Bow Wow Equipped". That one mystified me for years...apparently its the name of an old import parts shop in Seattle.

kyfdx

Late 80s S-Class.. For Sale! Looked good.. (sorry, fin, I forget the W number).

I think it was a 500SEL? The really nice looking two-tone model..

fintail

That would be a W126 - 500SEL was sold in the US market in 84-85, but a grey market car could be from any year in the 80s, but likely pre-86, as the 560SEL finally gave the NA consumer the larger engine they wanted.

kyfdx

Wow.. I'm even more impressed if it was from '85... Looked really good for 25 years old! I was guessing '88-'89..

Unless, of course, I got the number wrong... lol..

Mr_Shiftright

No that wasn't it--this was much more graceful than that Chevy. Let me look around.

fintail

A 6 and a 0 do look similar...there were only minor changes when the W126 was facelifted for 1986 - different headlights for US spec cars, and smooth lower moldings replaced the ribbed design. The car has aged pretty well seeing that it is 30 years old now.

fintail

Was it American? Real wood?

Mr_Shiftright

Oh yeah, real wood but whether it was a "real" car or not, who knows. I've seen some of those eccentric boat-builders make some amazing car jewelry.

explorerx4

in a couple of days.
last weekend we were went up to Litchfield, but the weather was iffy, so i didn't see too many interesting cars.
saw a pretty nice red/black bumper MG, a Triumph Spitfire, a nice red 90's MR2.
we are headed back for the state high school rowing finals on Sunday, and the weather is supposed to be good, so i expect to see some good stuff.

fintail

Saw a 280SL Pagoda today, hardtop on, dwarfed by the bloated Murano behind it. Kind of goes against the idea of evolution.

explorerx4

a few times lately. not sure if it is base, 'S', or 'Turbo'.
how do i tell, doing a drive by?

kyfdx

The S and Turbo both have the same wheels/suspension.. but, short of seeing them next to a regular 944, you won't be able to tell, except for the model designation on the rear... If it says 944S or 944 turbo... then, that's your answer... If it just says 944 (most likely), then that is the base model.. The 944S basically had the handling/suspension of the turbo model, but with the base engine.

(I'm sure someone that owned one 20 years ago could comment on bumpers or air intakes that might tip you off.. my memory isn't that good).

fintail

In traffic today I saw a younger guy in a pristine looking late W126 in dark blue with factory chrome wheels, very sharp. And a few cars behind him was an older guy in a brand new looking 300CD in that creamy off-white MB used to use. Both of those cars will last forever.

explorerx4

i looked on ebay and i think it's a turbo model, based on how the front bumper area looks.

fintail

Red wagon...not a "little" red wagon

Period colors

Period colors again

I'd like to show up at a fancy show in this..as-is...

Not many of these survived

If Lemko needs an almost new car

Better than new?

Good luck

Goes with the one above

Christine's cousin

Probably more rare than above

Awkwardness on wheels

Abusing a name

Trying again

I've seen this car in person before

I want to "find" a "barn" like this guy found

Ownership claim

Gallic woody

Maybe the best one left

Americanized

When "your father's Oldsmobile" was a good thing

Go on a Safari

I can almost see Buford T. Justice in this

Smaller hauler

Mini mini minivan

Mr_Shiftright

Some of these sellers need a cold dose of 0 centigrade reality injected into the base of their skulls......and it looks like non-existent bidders are administering it as we speak.

I wouldn't mind have the '73 Safari Wagon for that money--good people hauler.

That Town & Country woody will be a valuable car someday, but man, it's a long, hard road of blood sweat tears and treasure. It takes more than a year of woodshop at the local community college to make compound curve pieces like that. And finding the missing parts is going to be very tough. I'd say $150,000 and 5 years to do it.

The 41 Packard Woody is sweet. That's the same kind of car that Doc Rickerts died in on Cannery Row, if you remember what John Steinbeck used to write about him. (I mean he *really* died in one, not in the novels----hit by a train in Monterey one dark night).

I think the Ford V-8 Woodies are the best to own and drive, and the best looking too.

The 57 Buick wagon is impressive.

fintail

I like that Packard woody too, I prefer the prewar Packard woodies to the bathtub models. For Fords, I think I would like a 37 the most, I have always liked the moderne front end of that year. A 39-40 would be nice too.

I also like the Packard LeBaron from the barn find seller...quite handsome.

euphonium

Thanks for sharing. All the more I appreciate my 66 Mustang GT Coupe.

stickguy

an early (80s vintage) maxima. Man,they were a lot smaller in those days. didn't really get to evaluate it, but I think it was right after they switched to FWD but they were still all square. And, it was a stick!

a little beat up, but didn't look too bad.

andre1969

If that '76 Grand Lemans was more reasonably priced, say around $2000-2500, I'd be pretty tempted. It bugs me though, how the car looks pretty good for the most part, until you look under the hood. Maybe a lot of that would just steam clean off...it did wonders for my '79 New Yorker...but I have a feeling it won't.

And, at least it has a fairly decent engine...a Pontiac 350-2bbl (the M-code) Pontiac didn't have the 301 out yet, so the '76 wasn't plagued with those, but the Olds 260 was one of the available engines. Reliable but slow. Consumer Reports tested a '77 Cutlass Supreme sedan with a 260, and got 0-60 in about 21 seconds! At that point, I wonder if the quarter mile would almost come up quicker than 0-60!

boomchek

Town & Country - Wow, looks like it was pulled out from the bottom of a lake. I can imagine the costs to restore it.

Fiat 131 Wagon. Looks decent. If I'd have a ton of money and this would be manual transmission, and not a wagon, I maybe would consider buying it. But that's a lot of IFs.

Edit: I should be careful of what I wish for as the next eBay listing you posted matched what I asked for at half the price. Out of 24 photos, the seller couldn't have taken one of the front of the car?

Al Capone Packard - why would someone put bullet hole stickers on that? Note the ugly Eldorado conversion parked beside it.

explorerx4

60's Mercedes coupe. kind of a bronzy/brown with large driving lights on the front, inside the headlights. the headlights were a single light with an orange light underneath. i did catch 'SE' on the back but not the number.
on another topic, put the insurance back on the mustang.
was at a gas station today to fill up my lawn mower tank.
there was another mustang the next island over.
someone says 'what year is that?' i didn't respond, then they said louder, 'hey, what year is that?
i say 91.he says 99. i am sensing one of those 'who's is bigger? conversations', so i just say 'nice day for a convertible ride'. his car has 6 cyl rims on it.
he launched into a story about the plans for him and the wife for the weekend, so i just said 'sound like a great thing to do this weekend'.
turns out his car was a GT with flowmasters, so it sounded pretty good when he nailed it heading out onto the street.
i either need to sell this car, or buy another one, so both my kids will have one.

fintail

You'd want one of those old Fiats? Were those also built in Poland or something? Those remind me of the later Fiat Ritmo driven in Rome by the Griswolds in 'European Vacation' (very underrated IMO)

I remember when I was a kid, there was one of those wagons in town, it was yellow and automatic. It was a weird car even then, and by the mid 80s was pretty beat looking. Those cars aged really poorly.

fintail

Was the coupe one of these:



Or one of these:



The former would be 220SE, the latter 220/250/280/300SE