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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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So, how often do folks really see a Rolls on the roads? I can't tell for sure, because I work down the street from a Rolls dealer, so I often see one a week heading in or out of the shop (presumably in for maintenance, of course, since they don't 'break down,' they 'fail to proceed').
Speaking of Citroens, odd sightings, etc., I have friends in France. In '98, we visited them, and was *I* ever shocked to see a LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, locally registered, on the street near our hotel. Big, huge thing took up half the street even when parked on the sidewalk! That was probably the vehicle I'd have LEAST expected to see there, with gas at that point at around $3.75 a gallon...
I'm sure I'll have more fodder for the forum later, even though I'm in the rust belt of New England.
New England seems to be a gathering ground for weird French stuff....most Citroens and Peugeots I see on ebay are in Mass and NY
As for RUNNING ones, the only Citroen I've ever seen in person in the States was someone in my hometown in southern CT, back around 1978 or 1980 or so. It was a late-1960s, early-1970s Citroen DS WAGON! I would see it every so often. It was a US-spec model--had sealed beam headlights and such that made it obvious.
Oh, wait, I had a summer job back in the mid-1980s for a couple of summers at an emission station when CT had centralized emission testing. Someone came in both summers to test a Citroen Mehari. Now THAT is an odd car (truck?). Plastic body (I think it's polycarbonate, not fiberglas.) I think it was a 1968 model.
There was one guy there besides me who knew of the odd push-pull, dash-mounted shifter and who could get it into gear properly for the dyno run...
If you don't know what it is, it's a jeep-type body without a hard roof on a 2CV chassis. Same 2 cylinder flat engine. Slow as a slug, but will go anywhere.
Peugeots were more common, but I haven't seen a 405 on the road in a couple of years, and those were the last ones to be imported, in, what, 1991?
That Rolls dealer I mentioned also used to sell Peugeots (still sells M-B, BMW, Bentley, and Land Rover as well as Rolls-Royce), and never see any around for service anymore.
I did see a running Citroen SM on the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday---yes, running, albeit slowly, in the right lane. Owner wearing a big hat, that is SO very Citroen.
I think the importer of the CX when it was shipped over here for a couple yrs in the 80s was based in New England...almost every one of those I see on ebay is in the area.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Would appreciate if the former Edmunds Classic Car regulars (as well as others - the more, the merrier) would check out this '72 Cutlass convertible and reply to my post at the Edmunds link above.
Thanks in advance. Looking forward to reading plenty of responses from some familiar names.
- parm
Shiftright responded to your convertible post...he's usually pretty right on...I anyway will take his word.
On the Suzuki convertible, it was probably a Swift, which is the Suzuki version of the Geo/Chevy Metro. I don't think they make either the convertible or sedan anymore.
Here's a pic of some happy owners enjoying theirs...
I don't know if they were offered as a "full" convertible, as this one looks like it just has T-tops
Yes I did skip my meds today.....
Speaking of Opels, I had an early 70's Manta many years ago. Fun car, when it ran, and not something you see very often these days.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I-Mark, huh? That's a real catchy name, just rolls off the tongue. It didn't say I-Mark on it, like some sedans I've seen. I wonder how you keep a car like that running?
Here's the coupe that I'm thinking of:
There may have been other coupe body styles, though. I've never seen one in person, but have seen the notchback sedan once or twice.
Basically a harmless car, I have nothing against it nor for it. Most collectors are indifferent as I am toward it.
Yep, Andre, that's what I saw...except the one I spotted had a 40mm cannon shell hole in the trunk and left a film of soot on my front grillework.
-Jason
I always liked the Opel GT. Supposedly parts are impossible to get these days (I think the hidden headlights are a particular problem).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Speaking of hideous diesel cars, I recall going to the junkyard about 1995 or so to retrieve a stereo out of a Tempo. I was doing a favor for someone by replacing their kaput factory unit at the junkyard price of $5, with no wiring hassles.. Anyway, the donor car was a Tempo diesel....manual transmission, it was a 1986 model. I remember it to this day, as it seemed really weird, and it wasn't in bad cosmetic shape. But I am sure a combination like that had mechanical issues somewhere.
A couple years ago there was a diesel 1983 Monte Carlo for sale locally. I had half a thought of actually going to see it, just to revel in the badness.
have anyone seen a YUGO lately ??
Just wondering, because in the 1989-1990 I used to see some around. even went to the dealership, which had a racer version with spoilers front and rear, hood intake, etc....
It was slow as molasses on a cold winter day, though. My Consumer Guide from 1985 has a road test of one...0-60 in 15.9 seconds! I think the only slower vehicles in that issue were an AMC Eagle and some SUVs (the Bronco II, S-10 Blazer, and Cherokee were stuck with tiny little 2.8-class engines back then, that were really over-worked) I'd hate to think what the 0-60 time would have been on the Diesel!
Yep, a diesel Tempo. Only one I recall seeing....couldn't have sold well. Ford seems to have somehow got into the diesel thing a little late...with the Escort and the Continental as well
I believe the Tempo (and maybe the Escort) used a Perkins diesel engine. Ford didn't make any diesels of their own (still doesn't, since the truck Powerstrokes are designed and built by Navistar).
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
The Escort Diesel was a 2.0 Mazda unit, and was offered starting in 1984, and dropped partway through the 1987 model year.
It is kinda odd that Ford would jump on the Diesel bandwagon so late, though! I think GM dumped their car Diesels entirely after 1985. By that time, they had 350 Diesels offered throughout just about every mid- and full-sized RWD car, and 4.3 (an Olds 350 with 2-cyls lopped off) offered in just about every FWD mid- and full-sized car.
I remember reading somewhere that, at one time, Chrysler had considered a Diesel conversion of the Slant Six, but nothing ever became of it.
Did the Tempo and Escort use the same 2.0 Mazda unit?
Anyway, I bought a used '77 Pontiac Ventura with a 305 that only ran on 7 of its 8 cylinders. I sold it the day I graduated college (I had a job waiting for my by that time) and bought a year old Honda Accord.
GT's were based on the Kadett and didn't handle as well. They were styled by Tony Lapine who did the '68 'Vette. Not sure which he did first.
Sister had howling green '76 Isuzu-Opel (Chevette, Kadett base). Hers at least was a thouroughly rotten little car.
Also remember the water pump was real pricey, since it was unique to that year (something like $60 vs. $10 for a '74).
Real nice driving car though.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
General information in English.
Curiously, this model line (referred to as C-Kadett for the third variation of the Kadett family) is widely popular among German car nuts, and restored fairly often. One of the bigger challenges is to fit a 2.0l FI engine into the wagon (not enough room for the five-speed trans) - some have even gone all the way and implanted really potent engines...
Those Opels really look much more attractive and upscale than the Chevette, and I'm sure they would've done well badged as a Chevy. But then again, since big cars were GM's mainstay, I guess they didn't want small cars to become *too* popular over here!
-Jason