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

andys120

I had a minivan motor blow up on me once ('84 Dodge Caravan IIRC).
I had borrowed it from my radio station cuz my car was in the shop for a couple of days. I had the idiot light (CEL) come on as I was returning it so I pulled over and shut down immediately.

I looked under the hood and saw a pool of oil under the motor so I called my wife to come get me. She said there was a trail of oil leading from our driveway to where I pulled over (about 2.5 miles). The mechanic told us the engine was seized from lack of oil. :sick:

I found myself wondering why the idiot light waited til it was too late to tell me I had no oil pressure and what kind of stupid motor could leak oil at such a prodigious rate. :mad:

Luckily my bosses knew that I'm not stupid about cars and didn't [non-permissible content removed] about me wrecking their van (long overdue for replacement).

I don't know if it had the Mitsu or MoPar motor.

andre1969

Yeah, it's scary sometimes how long it can take an idiot light to come on. On my '68 Dart, if you got down to about two quarts, and took a corner too fast, or stopped too fast, the light would flicker for a moment.

And last fall, I had a close call with my '67 Catalina. Took it to the mechanic to have them mess with the transmission, which turned out to just be a vacuum leak. But, while it was there, they checked it and said it was down to about ONE quart! :surprise: And the scary thing is, it has both the idiot light AND an aftermarket gauge, and both are functioning!

Ever since then, I've been paranoid about checking the oil in the Catalina. And to this day, I don't know where it went. It doesn't leak out in the garage. And you'd think if it was burning it, it would smoke?

berri

I don't know if it had the Mitsu or MoPar motor.

I'll guess the Mitsu and that it was blowing blue smoke.

explorerx4

Oil being a quart low is not a big deal. It was probably previously not measured correctly.

andys120

I'll guess the Mitsu and that it was blowing blue smoke.

I think I'd have noticed if it was blowing blue smoke or one of the dozen or so other people who had access to that benighted vehicle would have noticed and one of the managers would have had me take it down to get it checked out (we traded repairs for airtime at an account I controlled).

andre1969

Oil being a quart low is not a big deal. It was probably previously not measured correctly.

It wasn't a quart low...it was DOWN to one quart...FOUR quarts low! :surprise: Sorry if I worded that a bit clumsy. I've been checking it religiously ever since though, and haven't seen any oil loss.

explorerx4

WOW! That's a whole different bowl of soup! Sounds like it never got refilled at the last change.

lemko

That could be right! Was the filter changed? The filter might hold about a quart itself. It could've been circulating that same dirty quart for some time. Eeek! :surprise:

fintail

A few oddities this morning - beat up 86-88 Monte Carlo SS, nice looking light blue 69 Mustang convertible, a cool and rare R129 SL600 "silver arrow" with pano roof, and perhaps the oddest thing, a first generation Acura Integra 4 door hatch - noteworthy because it was pristine, it looked brand new. Can't be many left like that.

texases

Re: the Integra. I've not driven one, but always wondered how CandD liked each new model when it came out. Then when the next revision came out, they talked about how it was light-years ahead of the previous model. How could a good car get so much better each and every revision? You'd think they'd be enshrined on the 'World's Greatest Cars' list by now!

fintail

Honda products were pretty awesome then, to be fair. Malaise was finally ending and some nice driving cars finally came about. But yeah, nobody remembers a 20 year old Acura to be anything but a pleasant car.

fintail

A few oddballs this morning - SLK32 AMG, Volvo 850 R wagon - the 90s thing with titanium or whatever wheels, in brand new condition, and an E28 524td, also extremely clean and cared for.

Mr_Shiftright

A Morris Minor panel truck in Lafayette CA. Nice condition---a clean "driver". Cute.

andre1969

coming back from lunch, I spotted a c1979-83 Corolla 2-door sedan, primer black, oversized wheels. It looked solid, but that black primer can hide a lot of sins! Also spotted a red disco-era Corvette, headlights stuck in the up position. Only saw it at a quick glance, so I couldn't tell the overall condition.

Oh, and I forgot to mention it, but late last week, I saw a dove gray Lincoln Mark IV almost cream a fairly new Pontiac Vibe that made a U-turn in front of it. The Lincoln had pulled out from a gas station up the road from the intersection and gunned it, as the Vibe made the U-turn in front of it. I'm sure the resulting impact wouldn't have looked pretty for the Vibe! For a 5,000 lb 70's beast, that sucker took off pretty fast.

lemko

...just down the street from my house: a light blue 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe sedan that appeared to be in really nice condition. It had an aftermarket accessory sun visor over the windshield.

lemko

There used to be a cartoon on TV called "Goof Troop" featuring Goofy and his son. His neighbor Pete drove a car that looked like a Lincoln Continental Mark IV.

fintail

Oddity today - big 65 or 66 NYer 4 door HT, out in the rain looking good, kind of a bluish silver.

andys120

Saw a '64-'65 ish Cutlass ragtop today in fairly poor shape (dull paint, ripples in the bodywork ill-fitting top). It was all there though, no cracked glass, missing lights or primer . It didn't look like it was ever something special (black walls, hub caps on black steel wheels-not wheel covers. Driver was a thirty-something woman.

explorerx4

Country Squire, kind of a cream/light yellow color. Nice clean condition. Owned by a local business man who has some other older vehicles I see from time to time.
A couple of days before that, a restored/slightly modded Rabbit with some Scirocco rims.

wevk

"This collection belongs to Dennis Albaugh in Ankeny, Iowa, just north of Des Moines.
The personal and private collection consists of 110 + Chevrolet convertibles… all years from 1912 to 1975 and Corvette convertibles from 1953 to 1975.

That is a Chevy convertible from every year of manufacture EXCEPT 1939. The reason? – Chevy didn’t make a convertible in ‘39 — and ended its convertible line in ‘75!"

http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/car-museums/car-museums-specific-makes/ank- eny-iowa-car-collection-every-chevy-convertible/

stickguy

was watching an episode of chasing classic cars last night (man, I want his job!), and wayne went to an auction at some museum (that was closing) that was devoted entirely to the year 1957. Every car, and all the memorabilia, was frmo 57. And these cars were all like (or better) than new.

They showed something I never heard of. a Chevy El Monoco. only offered in 56 and 57, with 16 made (for '57 I think). and only 2 convertibles (which is what they had). went for about 250K. Odd looking beast.

Wayne bought a Ford country sedan wagon with a stick (and overdrive). all original, unrestored but looked new. and a restored packard clipper wagon, that he later took a bath on.

I liked the Ford. Clean design for those days. and of course, a stick!

ab348

Actually, an El Morocco. They were customized '56 and '57 Chevys built by a guy named Ruben Allender in Detroit. Mimicked the Cadillac El Dorado of the time. Sort of a typical '50s custom job using lots of parts from other cars. Sort of interesting, but mostly as a curiosity.

I didn't see the show. Was that Ford a 3 on the tree? Always liked the '57 Ford better than the Chevy of the same year.

Mr_Shiftright

I was participating in a garage sale today and a guy drives up in one of those Daytona wagons (1965?) in "okay" shape, but the engine sounded healthy.

So the guy gets out, and lo and behold, I was selling sealed-in-shipping plastic copies of Hemmings Classic Car magazine, and in the batch was a special Studebaker edition.

I point it out to him...he picks it up (price $1), and rolls it up like a newspaper...walks around the garage sale...comes back to where I'm sitting, drop the now curled magazine back into the stack, and leaves.

I had to laugh because I had a secret bet with my friend that he'd try to bargain me down on the price of the magazine. But I guess it was all too steep for him. Most amusing moment for me.

fintail

Went to a little MB meet today. Weather was damp and gloomy, not much turnout. But did see some oddities - Euro model R107 280SL with cloth interior and headlight wipers, Euro W126 280SE federalized, W113 280SL 5 speed, C43 with E55 engine swap, early W113 230SL Euro unrestored, C126 560SEC that apparently got a synthetic oil change from a dealer and is now losing engine seals, and a W124 500E.

fintail

I want his job too.

Was that where he also bought the 58 Packard wagon?

The Country Sedan was sweet, but he paid for it.

stickguy

he got the packard their too, but it was a '57 of course!

ab348

Another unattainable love -- just too far away. But I love these things. It's like finding a dinosaur in your driveway...

'71 New Yorker coupe

As these go, this one appears rather nice.

Mr_Shiftright

I'm quite surprised by the bid, given the condition (a tad scuffy, looks like). I find the mileage claim a bit hard to believe, but if there's proof, well then....

I'm figurin' a low #3 in this condition should be worth about $3000--$3500.

ab348

I wouldn't call it scruffy. Not sure where you get that. Looks like a well-kept (mostly) original car to me. The paint is said to be in need of a refresh but in the pics it doesn't even look that bad. Of course painting one of these would be a real big bill.

The 440 is probably what is driving a lot of that price.

fintail

D'oh...brain fart.

Regarding that fuselage coupe...it looks like an honest survivor to me. Cars didn't hold up as well cosmetically as a cared for modern car will today, the wear looks legit for the mileage and years. Funny design, the hood and trunk look close to equal length, each about a football field :shades:

uplanderguy

Our cheap nature often comes from the years of availability of NOS everything compared to every other car. Still, the guy shouldn't have done that.

Mr_Shiftright

NOS usually costs more than repro, though.

Well I never judge cars by their owners. There are many cars I would like to rescue from their owners.

kyfdx

Original... what is that, '83 or '84? Had the original GTI upholstery.. and body graphics.. some nasty rust around the rear wheel wells.. but, basically all original...

Nice!

ecotrklvr

First it was a MB 560 SEC in a Raplh's parking lot. Perfect red exterior. Next day, an early-70's BMW Alpina, blood red and perfect, on a flat-bed going down the 405. Next day, a stately blue-gray ~2004 T-bird with the porthole hardtop on. Skip one day, then a 64 Chevy Nova Sedan (kinda rough, but a daily driver by its looks on a sidestreet ini Long Beach, CA. Around the corner from it, a ~1966 Chrysler Imperial. In very good conditoin, also clean and appearing to be driven regularly. What a neighborhood.

Southern California, what a great place for car watching.

fintail

Saw a very nice chrome bumper 2002 today, in red.

I have the fintail out today, smooth sailing so far.

stickguy

the first US generation was 83 and 84. the 85 was the new body style golf.

stickguy

guy down the street from me has one, and had it out today giving his kids rides (he passed a few times, lots of kids!)

not sure the details, but I think it is a 65 or 66, Convertible, blue with side pipes, in very nice shape. Has a normal hood I believe, so it is likely a small block. If I ever talk to him will have to ask.

Mr_Shiftright

66 -- aluminum "egg grate" grill and ribbed rocker panel moldings. At least 6 ribs in the seat bottoms rather than two large ones.

magnette

Had a few days off and went to Essen for the Techno Classica old car event - I was at the show on Friday and Saturday, flew back Sunday.
Don't know where to start with the cars, everything from veterans to a Veyron, with a lots of top-end European cars especially M-Benz of every sort, Porsches, BMWs, but also real rarities, and I took over 500 pictures so I suppose I'll be posting mystery cars etc for months when I download the card.

Even such rarities as a 1912 Diatto, an Isotta Fraschini, Delahayes, Delage, Talbots, 3 Stanguellinis (one a single seat racer), Tatras, etc... Also quirky little cars, rare but not so valuable, like microcars, Fiats of all sorts, Citroen, etc.

I must have walked miles, the show was so big even after two seven hour days I still found a car lurking round the back of some stand I hadn't seen before .

More later, tonight I'm too tired..

fintail

I've read about the Techno Classica, seen pics, never been to Germany at this time of the year. Maybe I should change that. I am sure there was enough MB stuff alone to keep me happy, along with old toys for sale. Probably a display by the fintail club too.

andys120

I saw a parked 1965 Chevelle 4-door- 4-poster sedan. It wore 283 badges on fenders, it was decent driver shape. It looked like this only paint and chrome were better (not concours)>



It must be my week for Chebbies cuz I saw two Tri-Chevies on two successive days. First was a two-tone '56 white over a kind of reddish purple metallic. Then I saw a white over metallic orange '55 both were in nice shape w good paint/chrome and both oddly had the same snow white (off whites were more common back then). Both were two-door 4-posted sedans and stock except for wheels.

fintail

80s flashback today - 82-83 Stanza trunkback, 84-85 Civic wagon, early W126 300SD, and an icon of the era, a DeLorean, by the sound of it with the original engine. If there was ever a car begging for a swap...

lemmer

Don't anger the DeLorean faithful. They are possibly the most delusional car fans out there, worse than Fiero guys even.

That PRV 6 cylinder was horrible.

Mr_Shiftright

are there any Delorean faithful left? :P I always think of them as stranded by the side of the road with wet socks.

magnette

Been catching up with work, so sorry I haven't come back sooner. Yes, I saw more M-Bs of every persuasion than I ever thought possible, everything from veteran Simplex to modern range. 300SL s, even one of those pre-war rear engine 130 things - and that was in the outside car park for sale.
I have now downloaded the 550 plus photos I took in two days, although I have a new computer, and I'm even less proficient with this one than the old one, not least because now I've got Apple iPhoto, which I need to learn - at least a bit - before I can start sending them across to my 'flickr' site for onward posting to this site. I'll get there though...

Essen is quite easy from here, only £88 plus taxes with Lufthansa to Dusseldorf, and a twenty five minute train ride from the airport. You need two days at the show, though - it wore me out walking so many miles, and I was there over the two days for 14.5 hours....

fintail

I await your photos

Definitely need to attend that show sometime, even if the airfare will be many times more for me. It'd be a nice trip, take a week-10 days, spend a few days quality time driving in Germany too.

lemko

Yellow and white Nash Metropolitan parked on the corner of Bingham and Martins Mill Road in NE Philly.

fintail

A Honda Accord "10th Anniversary Edition" in decent shape has turned up in the workplace parking garage.

Saw 2x Continental Mk V on the third world quality streets of West Seattle last night, both looking the worse for wear. Also saw a couple 77-79 Impala/Caprice and a red Euro W126.

Mr_Shiftright

Very nice Mercedes Ponton 4D, cruising around Santa Cruz CA. Couldn't tell if it was an S or SE. Yellow and very very spiffy.

andre1969

I spotted any icy blue Mark V yesterday, and it looked to be in great shape, although it had some oversized blingy wheels with rubber band-thick tires on it, which gave it the proportioning of a giant Hot Wheels toy. And it was being driven awfully aggressively for the heavy traffic and rainy conditions of last night's commute. I can't imagine those ultra-thin tires have the best traction.