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

stickguy

last weekend, local roads, a nice light blue/silver GTO. Nicely restored. Think it was a ;84 (definitely early). Sad thing though was watching the old guy driving it lighting up a cigarette while he was driving.

explorerx4

I went back and looked at the interior pictures.
It looks like it was designed by M. C. Escher.

Mr_Shiftright

I've seen worse.

fintail

Today saw 1999 E55 AMG, W126 300SD, 5 door Camry making bad noises, ca. 2003 Maserati coupe.

fintail

Saw a late W115 300D today, looked fairly nice but had some rust...no doubt a lifetime local car that has slept outside for 35 years, as it would have been long gone back east.

lemmer

I saw two Model A Fords and a veritable gaggle of old motorcyles. The only one I got a description on was probably an early '70s Kawasaki two stroke. Lots of old cafe racer type bikes.

This might have something to do with my house being off the same road as Barber Motorsports Park and Museum. They are having a vintage event this weekend.

Mr_Shiftright

There are a LOT of Ford Model As still on the road, probably more than many vintage cars 1/3 their age. This is due to the large quantity made and the tremendous aftermarket that thrives behind them.

lemmer

Shifty,

For some reason, I have no trouble picturing you on one of those old cafe racers I saw. The Model A, not nearly as much.

Mr_Shiftright

Yep I was a pretty ferocious motorcycle rider back in the day, and I still borrow a vintage bike now and then. I like my bikes just the way I like my cars--pretty stripped down, light and good-handling (which is another way of saying, don't send me a Harley).

Model As are trucks and I'm too tall to fit in one comfortably. (People WERE smaller back then--creationists take note). :P

andre1969

Model As are trucks and I'm too tall to fit in one comfortably. (People WERE smaller back then--creationists take note).

Not only that, but I think the idea of making a car roomy and comfortable really hadn't caught on yet. Cars were still evolving from the horse and buggy, and I don't think they had much of a concept yet, that the driver might want to stretch out. And the word "ergonomics" probably hadn't even been coined yet!

Mr_Shiftright

It was a transitional period. In 1919, maybe 85% of all cars were open; by 1929, perhaps 85% were closed. So Ford did make an impact in that regard (given that Ford and Chevy combined produced most of the cars on the road in the late 20s).

Cars didn't get "easy" to drive until the advent of power steering, AC, etc, after World War II.

wevk

I believe only 500 were sold.

kyfdx

Isn't BMW CCA OctoberFest coming up at Barber?

andys120

I happened to see a brace of Ford Model As parked together at a local restaurant this AM.
There were four of them, three of them were 5 window coupes and one was a convertible roadster. I think they all had the rumble seats.

All four were in nice shape and not over restored with too much chrome and ultra shiny paint.

It must be Model A week.

ab348

Over the course of the last 6 months I have seen on a pretty regular basis a somewhat restored '64 Chevy BelAir 4-door sedan being used as a daily driver. New paint, appears nicely kept up but in regular use regardless of weather. Must live not too far distant from me as I see it about once a month. This week I saw a similar '62 BelAir 4-door in about the same condition, also apparently in use as a regular driver as it was a rainy day and it was in rush hour traffic. The main difference is that the '64 is red while the '62 was a medium-dark blue. I liked the '62 better for some reason.

Interesting that 2 cars that were sold as regular, workhorse vehicles when new are back in use for the same purpose.

andys120

There's a '56 Bel Air four poster near me that's in the same vein, it's being used as a regular (if not daily) driver and doesn't look restored (or clapped out). It wears a set of Cragar or Torq-Thrust 5 spoke alloys but is otherwise stock and very 50s looking in tu-tone white over red.

berri

It may be color, but I always though Chevy chunked up the looks of the 64, so the 62 is leaner and cleaner.

berri

Model As are trucks and I'm too tall to fit in one comfortably

Funny you say that, because being a fellow six footer I've generally found (and I know there are some exceptions) that GM vehicles tend to be more comfortable for tall frames than Ford's. In fact, I've often wondered if the design staff and executives are shorter in stature over at Ford?

uplanderguy

It may be color, but I always though Chevy chunked up the looks of the 64, so the 62 is leaner and cleaner.

I agree totally. I don't like the '64 Chevys at all. A friend who wrenched on cars back then says they are very good cars...better than the '65's that replaced them, but I love the '65 full-size Chevrolet. To my eyes, they never looked that good again.

andre1969

I like the '62 the best of the '62-64 Chevy lineup as well. It has a clean, crisp, sleek look to it. The '63 seems more cluttered and busy looking, and the '64 is a bit too flat-fronted.

I think 1963 is the one year of those three that I actually prefer the Fords!

As for build quality, I've heard that just about everybody went downhill for 1965. Part of the problem was that there was an awful lot of new product out that year, but another problem was that it was a record sales year, so they were running those cars out the door just as fast as they could slap them together.

I think the '65 Chevies were safer cars than the '64 models. Those X-frame cars just didn't hold up as well in a crash as the perimeter or ladder frame car did. But I think the '64 and earlier models had better fit and finish and such. I wonder if the '62-64 models used thicker sheetmetal, as well?

uplanderguy

Wasn't Hershey great? The weather was wonderful, and unscientifically it seems I saw a lot of cars in the corral with "Sold" written on the windshields. In the show, very few '60's Studes (sadly for me) but tons of nice everything-else. What a treat for the senses. Got to do the swap meet in a golf cart Wed. and Thurs.--that's the way to do it I think! Seems funny to see '80's stuff in the show. I spoke to a lady who was the very proud original owner of her '80 Buick Skylark 2-door V6 with full instrumentation!

Mr_Shiftright

Well that's okay if 80s cars show up...everyone gets to join the party...the main point of sympathy I have for those folks is that generally speaking those cars are very uninteresting in themselves, so not much to talk about.

berri

I think 1963 is the one year of those three that I actually prefer the Fords!

Me too, especially the Galaxie 500XL. I also liked the 64 Ford better. However, the 63 Impala's were very popular when I was growing up in the Chicago area. I think 63 was a big year for GM.

berri

but I love the '65 full-size Chevrolet.

The 65 GM full size coke bottle bodies were all nice. I'm particular to the Bonneville that year, followed by the Buick's.

ab348

As for build quality, I've heard that just about everybody went downhill for 1965. Part of the problem was that there was an awful lot of new product out that year, but another problem was that it was a record sales year, so they were running those cars out the door just as fast as they could slap them together.

In the fall of '64 my parents bought a '65 Pontiac Parisienne 4-door hardtop. Burgundy red with a red interior. The Parisienne was sort of the Canadian version of the Catalina with a Chevy chassis under the body, including Chevy engines. I thought it was a very sharp car inside and out and really liked it. But my parents said it was a lemon and we only had it for a year or so. At 8 years old, I didn't know what was wrong with it, but I know they dumped it in less than a year.

fintail

Went to a local highline lot today, saw a few oddities - nice E34 M5, same pretty light gold 80s 911 Turbo they've had for awhile, and sitting at the Aston dealer next door, a really cool sight I wish I would have been able to photograph (left my phone at home). An original "periscopo" Countach. It was definitely a 70s car IMO - only read "Countach", no numbers or letters after, no body cladding at all, pretty plain wheels and tires, and the ID tag on the A-pillar was pre-VIN style. It was obviously restored, looked almost new. Plate read "PRSCOPO" or something similar.

andys120

"Periscopo"? Is that because you need a periscope to see out of it?

fintail

Pretty much - I think the name comes from the rear view mirror. I was shocked about how small and sharply angled and short it was - no way I could fit in that comfortably. The ones with cladding and wings seem bigger, somehow.

jwilliams2

Yes, rear vision is by an interior mirror which gives a narrow field of vision through a recess and slot in the roof, hence the nickname "Periscopio" or "Periscope" in reference to this unique feature.

andre1969

Oh, wow, you made it to Hershey?! Wish I'd known, I would've given you my cell # and we could have tried to meet up! We were just up there on the day on Saturday.

Was that Skylark white with a burgundy vinyl interior, and fairly basic, other than having the V-6? If so, I've been seeing that one for years, or, at least since 2005 I guess, which is when it was finally old enough to qualify for those AACA events.

andys120

I spotted a 1970 Skylark GS convertible (top down) in decent shape, not cherry/restored. Light Metallic green , black top.

stickguy

I saw a 70ish Skylark too yesterday in very nice condition. Dark green hardtop though. Saw it from the side, so could not tell if it was a GS, but it looked very clean

andre1969

Well that's okay if 80s cars show up...everyone gets to join the party...the main point of sympathy I have for those folks is that generally speaking those cars are very uninteresting in themselves, so not much to talk about.

The Hershey show draws a big enough crowd that even those 80's cars still get some attention. IIRC, they actually put them into a broader group of cars, 1976 and newer, or some cutoff like that.

Mr_Shiftright

That makes sense...1976 is sort of a turning point for domestics. I suppose to a younger set of eyes an 80s car can indeed be interesting but having gone through that era personally, and the 60s and 70s as well, the 80s cars seem like a stagnant era, to me, in design and technology.

fintail

I like 80s German cars anyway.

I think for 80s stuff, most of the attraction is "I can't believe it survived".

andre1969

I think for 80s stuff, most of the attraction is "I can't believe it survived".

As much as I like a lot of that late 70's and early 80's stuff, I gotta admit, those words have crossed my lips from time to time. And I think when we saw the '80 Skylark at Hershey, that was one of the times! There's also a really nice white '80 Mirada that shows up, with a burgundy landau top and interior. It was so pristine that even the trim at the top of the door panels, which ALWAYS breaks right where the lock plunger is, was undamaged. I've heard that you can buy those pieces NOS and find them pre-broken!

And, there is some self-deprecating humor among some 80's car owners. For instance, one of Lemko's friends had a gorgeous blue '83 or so Sedan Deville in the show, and the guy mentioned that with only ~21,000 miles, the 4.1 V-8 should last another 10-20 years!

fintail

Survivor rates on cars of that era, especially those with specific equipment, have to be miniscule. They will get attention not for the merit of the product, but for a combination of nostalgia and rarity.

I think of family cars we had in the 80s, and if I saw any of them at a show in pristine condition, I'd take a look just for the hell of it. How many mint Tempo GLXs or Horizons or S10 Blazers or earlier Cieras are out there anymore? Cars that are worth nothing, but have freakshow value now if they are immaculate.

Mr_Shiftright

One good thing about them is that they get people into the old car hobby really cheaply. They can always move up if they like the shows, tours, etc. and buy something more worthy of preservation. It's sort of a thankless task being the custodian of something nobody wants.

lemmer

Back in high school, my friend had a '79 Malibu. You could easily carve in the backs of the front seats with your fingernails. You know, your initials, dirty words, whatever.

I guess my point is that car's interior was turning into dust when it was less than 10 years old, so you probably won't see too many stock ones these days.

fintail

It's funny that these end of malaise cars are considered "old cars" now, but really, there are worse hobbies out there. Even my much older fintail is little different - it's old, but not worth a lot - but that's not the point. It's fun. If someone wants to keep a mint 81 Caddy or the finest Cavalier fastback in the world, more power to them.

fintail

And mint stock ones, even less.

Actually, I saw a wagon version of that car not long ago, with the lights in the rear bumper. Was in OK condition.

lemmer

He went through a free replacement transmission from Aamco almost every year of high school. Free midas mufflers were similarly regular. I think mechanically the whole car got replaced every 30,000 miles or so.

andre1969

Those cars could really be hit or miss with regards to quality and durability. My first car was a 1980 Malibu coupe with a 229 V-6 that was wasn't too bad. At 10 years and 100K miles, when I got rid of it, it was still on the original engine and transmission. However, the a/c compressor had been replaced, rear axles, starter, alternator, muffler, heater core, and water pump. The paint was faded on the hood/roof/trunk, dashboard was cracked in about 3 or 4 places, and when it was about 9 1/2 years old, the first little blossom of rust showed itself, in the rear quarter panel, just above the crease where the rub strip goes.

Did your friend's '79 have the 305? Those could be pretty hard on the transmission, and they had a high failure rate. Also, you mention the plastic on the back of the seats starting to fall apart, to where you could carve in it with your fingernail. Did it have the bucket seat option? IIRC, those were the only seats that had plastic backing. The bench seat models had vinyl which was soft to the touch, but not padded, so your knees would either connect with the framework of the seat, or the ashtray that was built in. NOT comfortable, either way!

The sad thing about cars from that era is that no matter how well preserved they are, that hard plastic gets chalky and starts to disintegrate. When it's exposed to the sun, it's even worse. And those interiors, as they age, tend to fade to different shades of the original color, depending on the material. The vinyl, carpeting, hard plastic, padded dash, and cloth all seem to fade at different rates.

fintail

I remember in our 85 Tempo, the plastics did that trick too. Some chalky stuff especially around the windows, which faded different than the softer material. This was also when the car was about 10 years old - had maybe 140K on it by then and the powertrain was never touched, but it didn't exactly get a huge amount of sunlight being in this area.

lemmer

Andre, you astound me. You should be a '70s car historian. The Malibu did have a 305 and it did have the bucket seat option.

And it did have a small puncture in the roof from where one of us slipped when playing with a machete. Luckily only the tip went through. Those roofs must have been thin.

explorerx4

A couple mid 60's mustangs. one coupe and one fastback, both somewhat modified, nicely done, and for sale.
A couple of 40's style cars with big motors from the sounds of them.
A nice light yellow with white convertible top '73 or so big Buick in the parking lot of the Charlotte Observer, that I thought could belong to Tom Higgins (long time nascar beat writer for that paper).

lemmer

Fintail - I get a kick out of you riling the constipated angry old men on the political forums.

Sorry about your Tempo. Nobody should have been subjected to a Tempo.

berri

Did your friend's '79 have the 305? Those could be pretty hard on the transmission, and they had a high failure rate

I think that's because Chevy dumped Chevette Trannies into many of them. The dealer denied it, but several years after I had traded my 79 Monte w/4bbl 305 I got court documents (US Courts, not some class action lawyer firm) about a settlement for my "Chevette" tranny. Needless to say, I never went back to that dealer.

The thing I think is relevant to the 80's was that it was the transition to transverse drivetrain FWD vehicles. I know that is a good or a bad point to many depending on their perspective.

fintail

They need someone to balance the rhetoric :shades:

Regarding the Tempo, for the time, I don't think it was that bad. Left the family with about 190K on it, original engine and transmission untouched, paint held up fine and interior OK enough (but starting to rust at the top of the door where it wraps into the roof). Build quality seemed better than a Cavalier or K-car anyway. It did eat various sensors from time to time starting at about 120K. We got that 1 out of 10 (or 20 or 100) cars that was actually built right.

explorerx4

While filling up the Explorer with 20+ gallons, I black 80's(?) oval headlight Jag XJ12 pulled up to the pump on the next island over.
The driver had a shirt with the name of a local euro/exotic dealer on the back of his shirt.
It didn't take him long to fill up, so I checked out how much fuel he put in it.
$5.76! He didn't head back toward the lot, so it wasn't to deliver the car back there. :confuse: