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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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Take a decent Chrysler Newport convertible. Decide to clone it as a 300 Hurst. Start by doing a decent interior redo by having gold vinyl in the factory pattern installed onto the black bench seats. Then add a Hurst hood.
But don't even bother to do anything about the fact that it has a 383 instead of a 440 and don't even try to conceal the fact that it's a Newport and not a 300. Then add the coup de grace by slapping on awful-looking graphics and badging.
$18,000? I don't think so.
Sometimes you just wonder...
Good luck with this one
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later, saw parked a mid-80s version of the car (same color even). Still big, but much nicer looking.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Here's a bunch of pics I took at the "Das Awkscht Fescht" car show in Macungie, PA, back in 2009. Just now got around to uploading them. I don't think I took pics last year.
And finally, here's some pics I took at the Mopar show in Carlisle back in 2010, but just now got around to uploading. I tend to take pics of the same cars every year, so there's probably a few repeats in here versus the 2011 pics, too!
a pair of late 60s (1st gen) cougar convertibles. Both top down. Blue looked sharp, red looked like it was more of a beater.
a corvair (pretty sure it was the corvair) van on the GSP. passed too quick to fully read the script, but it was to small to be a chevy regular I think, and pretty sure it said corvair on it!
and later ont he GSP, a nice red 70ish Vette convertible. super clean, top down.
and a bike on the turnpike. looked to be a 70s vintage (maybe 60s) Honda, with drop handlebars which made it look odd (coming up from behind driving position said sport bike, then I got the side profile).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
4 weeks til the local MBCA show and about 4 weeks later is the local concours. I look forward to both.
Odd sightings today on a little I-5 road trip: MB C208 CLK55 AMG, ML55 AMG, early and obviously restored early Vega wagon with CA plates and old people in it, Datsun B210 replete with honeycomb hubcaps, and another 510 wagon - low odds of seeing 2 in 3 days.
No, an Audi A8 is like my friends BMW 750iL -- in ten year's time, you can't give 'em away unless you sell cheap.
Pre 2004 or so A8s are becoming rare already, and one has to wonder if later models will suffer a similar fate.
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Probably you saw a Beck with a Nurburgring or a Wendler badge on it.
hard to tell when it's just whizzing past you but some tip offs would be if it had a handbrake between the seats, it's a replica. Also the rear wheel arches are wrong on the Beck, and of course, the engine sounds nothing like the original twin-cam Porsche.
And if you could even stroll past it, you'd immediately notice the downgraded fit and finish compared to a Porsche.
The frame isn't VW though. It's their own design.
I've driven an earlier Beck and they are really fun. I'm not knocking it...the earlier models with VW engine can be built up to a pretty decent level of performance, and when it blows up, just order up another one---they're cheap power.
And the later Becks, with the Audi power, are pretty quick cars, under 6 seconds they claim.
The reason they are fun is that they are light at 1,500 lbs.
I just assumed it was a replica... because, that seems about a hundred times more likely than a real one.. :surprise:
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"Not only does it have to be RARE---someone has to CARE that it's rare"
1) 1977-79 models with the 403
2) 1977-79 models with the 350
3) 1980 models with the 350 (no more 403 this year, and the 350 got a power cut)
4) 1980-84 models with the 307 (slight preference for 1980, which used a 3-speed automatic, or '83-84, which had improved 4-speeds. 1981-82, they were still working on the bugs with the 4-speed overdrive)
5) avoid in most cases: Buick 252 V-6, Olds Diesel 350.
So, even though that '84 is a really nice car, there are other 98s from that era that I'd MUCH rather have. And then, there are cars I'd rather have than a '77-84 98.
About the only way I'd end up with a car like that would be if I happened to find a really nice one at a decent price that happened to catch my eye.
For instance, about a month ago, at the GM show in Carlisle PA, I saw a really nice '80 Electra Limited (don't think it was a Park Ave) with a 350, low mileage, and more reasonably priced at $8500. I could see myself getting something like that, now.
I mean the dash on that dealer's '69 Caprice is as boring/unappealing as my brother's old Impala or dad's '68 loaner car. The Caprice does have nicer trim -- especially the seats and pedals. But after '67 Chevrolet didn't seem bring anything but a ribbon speedo, fuel gauge, clock, warning lights and plastic wood grain to the full-sized IP. I remember those old Impala/Caprice models as solid, comfortable, and tough...but almost deliberately boring.
A bridge between the coolness of the 60s and the bloated brown era of the 70s.
That's a nice Caprice though. The Caprice interiors back then were pretty 'pimpy' I think...the Impala's seat and door trim looked 'quality' but not flashy. I respectfully disagree about the instrument panel though...although I do think the '67 big Chevy had the best instrument panel of any Chevy from '65 to '70--look at a '69 Pontiac panel. The woodgrain over the glovebox is not an insert like the '69 Chevy, but somehow molded into the padding. It looks even more fake IMHO.
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I wonder if that '67 Chevy dash was just too expensive to make, or something? 1967 was also the year that a lot of people criticize the big Chevies from trading in their sporty image and going for more of a wanna-be luxury look, what with the fatter styling, the "Japanese Lantern" turn signals, and a lot of other details that just seemed more heavy-handed.
So, it was kinda odd that they'd pick that year to put in a sporty dash, with round gauges instead of the more typical strip speedometer. Maybe that was part of it, too? If Chevy was trying to go for more of a luxury image, a bit of a baby Cadillac (which they would do a lot more of in the 70's), maybe the sporty dash was just considered out-of-place?
I remember that on my '69 Bonneville. Mine had the name "Bonneville" embossed in that padded woodgrain. I remember the words rubbing off when I wiped down the dash one day.
My grandparents had a new '67 Impala Sport Coupe. While I liked (not loved) the styling ('65 styling was better IMHO), I thought the dash was great, with the big round dials behind behind a clear plastic bezel. I thought the seat trim and door panels were first-rate..in fact, I'd put the seat trim on par with a Pontiac Ventura or Executive, and the door trim a notch above those cars. The Pontiacs, of course, had the advantage of longer wheelbase and length, bigger standard V8's, and no Powerglide!
I also like the '64 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk panel when all instruments were ordered, but then...I'm biased.
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I don't believe that panel's been equalled for beauty or function since.
I'm looking for another Stude but I'm afraid this one is out of my price range because 1) a dealer is selling it and 2) the price is "inquire", which I have done.
http://significantcars.com/cars/1964studebaker/
A '64 GT Hawk is my very favorite Studebaker. The 'roots' of the '53 are evident, yet I like it much better than a '53. I would love their dark green or Bordeaux Red better than this color, and I wish it had the front-half-only vinyl top, but otherwise I'd love this car. The jury's out on the Halibrand wheels, which were a Studebaker accessory in '63 and '64, but any guesses as to what the dealer is asking? I'll post when I get a reply from them.
My guess is $45K.
(P.S. Not really a response to Lemko as it shows up here; I was lazy in hitting 'respond' instead of starting a new post.)
Of course he can ask whatever he wants. $32,000--$35,000 seems about right to me because although it is a rare model, and the miles (if provable) are a boost to value, it doesn't have the 4-speed, the color is unfortunately black and the wheels don't look good on the car. I'm adding 20 % for R2 option and something for miles.
Kind of an odd duck--you'd have to be a pretty fanatic Studebaker fan to pony up more than Avanti R2 money for a black automatic Hawk, but somebody might.
Looks like a very nice car.
Those Halibrand wheels always look more silver in original photos...guess they darken with age and brake dust!
Value is based on supply and demand, not the merit of the car one way or the other. Terrible cars that were plentiful can be worth a lot more than great cars that were made in small numbers.
Also, some models are rare because nobody ordered them so they were discontinued.
I've never heard of an 'executive' but maybe someone else has. The price guides don't mention it, only a "limited park avenue".