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

bhill2

Essential tools in Manhattan are: The Horn; Two-foot driving on brake and gas; panther-like reflexes; talking NAV system; passenger to spot parking spaces.

I also read the following strategy in C&D or R/T: If for some reason you need to buy a car that is actually new, it will put you at a disadvantage because other drivers will assume that you care about it. This disadvantage can be counteracted by rubbing both sides down a Yellow Cab. The driver will yell, but he/she doesn't really care, and you will have a set of kill stripes to establish your credibility.

Mr_Shiftright

I had a friend in college (crazy person) who decided that the way to get other NYC drivers off his tail on the East River (FDR) Drive was to very gently brush a wall or guard rail...a couple of sparks and TA-DA..the tailgater is miles away.

bhill2

In summary, the secret is to do what you gotta do.

Mr_Shiftright

I'd never have a nice car in a big city unless it was garaged and *never* left on the street. When I lived in San Francisco, the street damage to my cars was unbelievable.

fintail

I always thought Kramer's rare airbag Impala from Seinfeld would be a good NYC car/battle tank:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v02o3Uhtuyg

Mr_Shiftright

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y16HUOAmT0&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list- =PL6BA4CE8D14658A36

fintail

Hilarious.

This is maybe my favorite NYC driving scene (and has a car similar to that Chevy sedan):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3neQZqFP3M

Mr_Shiftright

No fintails were injured during the filming of this movie. :P

fintail

It appears to be just a beat up lowline 220b, no huge loss. "Mercedes [non-permissible content removed]" is a good line, too. :shades:

omarman

I just did a double take on that Buick pace car driven by Reagan and it looks like the real thing instead of one of the limited edition Indy pace car replicas. Very cool and I wonder if it was taken at Indy. Considering the empty stands it must not have been race day where ever or whenever that shot was done.

I don't remember specifics but wasn't there a pre-race accident at Indy when a celebrity-driven pace car bashed into a press box gallery in the early 70s?

And before that wasn't there an old tradition of awarding a pace car to the Indy 500 winner? I recall reading that A. J. Foyt won a T-Bird pace car in '61.

Mr_Shiftright

2nd prize---TWO '61 T-Birds.

Just kidding....

Gee, what if a pace car stalled? :surprise:

lemko

Last time I went to NYC, I took my Grand Marquis.

lemko

I live in the city and leave my Grand Marquis on the street all the time and nothing happens to it. The Cadillacs are stored for the winter and remain indoors all the time when not in use. My wife's car is parked behind the house.

lemko

... black 1956 Ford Thunderbird sans top in freezing cold weather near the King of Prussia Mall last night. The driver was wearing a fur hat and coat.

Mr_Shiftright

Well if you were in Queens or parts of Brooklyn it might be okay to leave it on the street. The Mission District in San Francisco is notorious for damage--possibly because there are so many transient cars. Once I had a garbage truck rip the entire side of my car with a one-inch open gash from tail light to headlight. It took forever to get compensation, and the car was ruined of course.

boomchek

Nice Benz but I agree with you on the price. I would think more of a $8-$10k car and even then it would take time to find a buyer. Cars like this would only appeal to somebody nostalgic about that specific model, or a Benz collector who's looking to have one of each from that era or one of each S class for example and is looking for the best ones.

If someone has $18k to blow and are looking for a Benz, they can go up two generations and have no trouble finding newer 99 and up S Class for the same coin.

And speaking of Benzes, my friend who has the new Durango (that we were talking about in another thread I think a few days ago), just picked up an 03 SL500 for about $16k.

Nice car and still modern looking. Decent deal for a weekend driver. It does have about 90k miles on it and needs some minor things like brake pads and rotors, but nothing crazy.

But if you look at it this way, for that money would you want something older but pristine, or something much much newer that looks more modern, but maybe with slightly higher mileage and needing a bit of work.

The mileage on this S Class you posted isn't that low either. It would be a different story if it had only 10-20k miles. That's my opinion although it does look nice.

fintail

I'd rather have a W140 or W126 than a W220, just for ease and cost of maintenance. So many issues can take place on the W220, especially those made in the first few years. On that note, there's an 02 S55 AMG sitting at my local Ford dealer, for something like 12K. It does have a little over 100K on it, but it looks nice - however, a few common component failures could easily give you a 5K+ repair bill - and that's from an indy mechanic.

Heck, nice 07 W221s are down into the mid-upper 30s now, if one wants to pretend to be rich (as for most buyers, that's the point) , that's the way to go - they are a lot more reliable and still look fairly new.

I have seen 03-04 SLs, local low mileage cars, in the mid 20s, and early SL55 AMGs for not a lot more. However, those cars can have some expensive issues too - be certain the top is operating 100% perfectly, one of the last times I was at my mechanic, he had an SL of that era in there - top disassembled...I don't want to know what that cost.

Here's another even prettier 560SEL - seller has been offering it for months. Needs to get down to around 10K too. Funny thing, if it was in Germany and offered at 10K equivalent, it would sell in a day.

boomchek

Yeah I too prefer the W140 or the W126 over the newer ones but I think you and I are a rare breed. Someone looking for the most Benz for their buck will go for the newest ones.

My friend's SL's top works fine, that was my first question to him as well. He did buy extended warranty to cover himself in case anything happens. The $2k he paid for the warranty is probably well worth it.

As for the other 560SEL, I think I like the earlier black one better.

lemko

...beige 1977 Chevrolet Malibu Classic sedan with a white vinyl top and Ralleye wheels that appeared to be in nice condition outside Glenside, PA.

fintail

I look at repairs as part of the value proposition of the car. I don't want to deal with a W220 airmatic/abc failure, or some of the electric or HVAC issues they can develop. I don't care so much if it doesn't look as new. Only W220 I would really want would be a designo S55 or a S65 - something especially rare.

He was lucky to get a warranty on something so old, is that common? I bought one when I got the E55 (but it was only 4 years old then), and it more than paid for itself. It paid for most of the common teething issues, and the car has been rock solid over the past 18 months or so.

I had a diamond blue W126 once...that blue one is just a shade lighter. I would love to find a diamond blue on creme 560SEL or SEC, if it was mint I just might take the plunge. Bruno Sacco has a same color combo C140 - I'd take that too.

fintail

That seems like an ultimate NYC car - big, can be menacing, durable suspension.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh I think the price on the 560SEL is way out of line. More like $7500 is about market. These are big expensive gas hogs...very NICE gas hogs I admit...nobody much wants them here. The low market value reflects people's concerns about maintenance costs, and I don't blame them. Also the economy doesn't help to sell these things.

andre1969

I don't remember specifics but wasn't there a pre-race accident at Indy when a celebrity-driven pace car bashed into a press box gallery in the early 70s?

Yeah, that was the 1971 Indy 500, and the car was driven by a local dealership owner named Eldon Palmer.. From what I remember reading, he had done a number of practice laps, and setting up a cone as a reference point of when to begin slowing down to turn into the pit lane. On race day, the cone either got moved to another place or removed completely, and he didn't brake until it was too late, and ended up crashing into a press box at the end of the pit row.

It's been speculated that the publicity from that is what tanked Challenger sales afterward, but I think the Challenger and Barracuda were in decline by that time, anyway.

I wonder how fast the pace cars are going when they leave the track, anyway? I remember reading that way back in 1956, the race cars actually had trouble keeping up with the pace car, a 1956 DeSoto Fireflite convertible with an Adventurer engine. It was doing well in excess of 100 mph when it left the track.

I'd presume that the cars have only gotten faster since 1956! Speaking of which, I've read that the 1976 Buick Century pace car only had a V-6! I wonder if something like that would even be able to get to 100 mph?

wevk

Years ago I had a flat tire on the West Side Highway (NYC) backing up traffic during rush hour. Just about every driver offered a very unpleasant comment as they crawled around the scene, the one's that didn't comment were blowing their horns - Fun!

fintail

I see it as now, a car to drive on sunny Sundays and take to club meets, rather than to put back into daily service. That's what they've already become in Europe, anyway. And yeah, in this new reality, it's an especially frivolous toy for most.

omarman

Yeah, that was the 1971 Indy 500, and the car was driven by a local dealership owner named Eldon Palmer.

Searched for "Eldon Palmer" on youtube and found the actual footage. I doubt if race winner Al Unser drove that car home after Mr. Palmer was finished with it!

Mr_Shiftright

Not a very exciting or interesting car IMO.

fintail

I think 126s are lovely cars - perfect proportions, high quality, timeless design - but not exciting to drive nor cheap to own. Probably the pinnacle of MB relative to the competition, if anything.

uplanderguy

The car stayed in Mr. Palmer's possession. I heard that new employees were never to mention it in the dealership.

kyfdx

I bet old employees didn't mention it, either.... :surprise:

Mr_Shiftright

I find them a bit pretentious and trouble-prone, It's not for nothing that Lexus found Mercedes a juicy target in 1990.

fintail

All Lexus did was update the styling of a SWB 126 and offer it at a cut rate (probably under the cost of production) price...those early LS aren't without their Achilles heels as well. It's also not for nothing that Lexus still has a hard time competing with the big Germans outside of NA.

tjc78

It's also not for nothing that Lexus still has a hard time competing with the big Germans outside of NA

That is because their main focus is the American market. Large, floaty and isolating. The exact recipe for many US luxury car buyers. These are not 125 MPH grand touring vehicles like Merc/BMW and Audi.

Mr_Shiftright

That's true. They imitated the best parts of the Benz that Americans like. Most 126s you saw on the road in the 80s were being driven like they were stuck in first gear.

Alas, there's not a W126 on the road that can match an LS400 for day to day reliability. Why do you think you never see German electronics at Best Buy? :P

Also, (and this is HUGE)...Lexus figured out how to treat their customers right at dealerships. You got a level of service and pampering in 1990 that Benz customers of that time could only dream about.

Not that I want an LS400 either, but I do respect the car in terms of automotive history. It was an amazing achievement for Toyota I think.

boomchek

Speaking of LS400 I was looking to pick one up for a commuter car for myself. Found one for $1800 with about 200k miles on it. Had some minor cosmetic issues here and there but nothing major. Engine purred (they all seem to purr, regardless of mileage). But I thought that it might be a gas pig as I commute about 50kms a day round trip (about 30 miles) so I offered the guy $1000after driving it on the off chance he might take it, but he got offended at me and that was the end of that story.

I picked up a 93 Civic instead that I drove for 3 months and flipped and made some money on, which turned out good.

texases

A guy I know makes a habit out of driving used LSs, and he loves 'em, very reliable, and he get mid 20s on the highway, where he does most of his driving.

lemko

Weak spots on early Lexi include power steering pump, electroluminescent intrument panel, and leather trim.

fintail

Yep, although to their credit the engines seem pretty bulletproof, even with minimal maintenance. I have seen many up in the 250K+ range. It was a reverse engineered W126 built to 1990 standards rather than 1979 standards. After that car, no more 10+ year platform lifespans for MB.

Mr_Shiftright

You can pick up these old barges for cheap. I bought a 560SEL, good running car, a few small body dings and (of course) some electrical gremlins--but a decent looking car you would not be ashamed to drive, for $1500. And I suspect with some hard shopping you could do the same with an LS400. Yep, they'd be all miled up but I use the "Shiftright Test" -- if you can drive a used car hard for 50 miles without anything exploding, leaking, boiling off or falling off, chances are it'll run 5000 miles. Just do that test drive, play with all the switches, and look at the tires and you're done.

with some glue, polish, touch-up paint and shopping used parts, I had that 560SEL pretty much squared away in a week's time for an add'l $150 bucks and maybe 6-10 hours labor.

Never did get the climate control to behave rationally however--but sooner or later it did spit out heat and AC when commanded. It was more like signalling the engine room of a large ocean liner---it took a while.

on the PLUS side for old Benzes---you can get just about any part, any time.

lemmer

My GS400 is up to 228K miles. It still runs perfectly. I love the engine and the stereo, as well. Those two things are exceptional. Pretty much everything else about it is good - and not nearly as boring as LS400.

andys120

Seen today-

Ford Model A cabriolet w rumble seat body was so straight and shiny (yellow over brown) I thought it must be fiberglass but couldn't tell exactly, dash showed wear but seats ere perfect but looked too modern. I guess I don't know enough about these to tell a repro.

427 Cobra replica, which I could tell by looking at the guy driving it who looked like he belonged on a Hog. I've seen worse.

'70-'72-ish Pontiac Grand Prix yellow/white vinyl roof, good river shape but not perfect.

Mr_Shiftright

If it sounds like a cement mixer, it's the real deal.

Are you sure it was a cabriolet and not a roadster? The cabs are somewhat rarer.

Cabriolet


Roadster

fintail

And then there was the Model A Sport Coupe, which was a fake convertible:



I love how these and Model Ts sound, when I was a kid back in the 80s I begged my dad to pick up an ordinary A as a project car, but he never got around to it.

Mr_Shiftright

Model As are fun. They are very cheap to buy, easy to fix (mostly) and you can get any part you need for them. In a way, they are the ideal hobby car. AND you can even go 50 mph!

I'd consider owning one except that I simply can't fit in them. They are *tight*.

fintail

Maybe the most fun you can have with a disposable car, an old S or LS. And when it dies, you can get more than scrap value out of it, as someone will want a lot of the parts.

I remember my W126 would put out random warm or cool air when the AC was off, but the AC did work well once manually switched on. The old guy who bought the car from me marveled at how well it worked.

fintail

The 98-05 seems to be a more interesting car than what replaced it, maybe a little sportier and better proportioned somehow, although IMO directly influenced by the W210 - but much easier to live with. The one that came after ODd on isolation and beige.

Today's odd sightings - an E32 7er manual and a R107 SL with rectangular fog lights lit up

fintail

And as the generation who loved to fix them up 40 years ago moves on to the big swap meet in the sky, prices are soft, so you can get em cheaper than 25 years ago.

I am relatively tall too, so I know a coupe wouldn't work for me. I suspect an open car or a sedan might though.

Mr_Shiftright

The Town Sedan would be okay...more room.

Yeah you should be able to find a nice, decent running one, a common model (2D/5P ??) for maybe $7500?

Here's one that sold on eBay for $7300. Says it has a noisy transmission, which is a piece of cake to fix (new bearings?). Looks like a nice car.

http://media.collectorcarpricetracker.com/auction_data/2011/2/25/220741801171/22- - 0741801171.pdf

fintail

I'd like the "leatherback" formal looking sedan, or maybe the still pricey Victoria or A-400.

That linked car could probably be made mint with a couple grand more spent, or just find one already done - lots of em out there. Open cars are probably the best bet for fun.

lemko

...nice gray 1989-90 Buick Park Avenue sedan on Rising Sun Avenue 1/2 a block south of Cottman. I should wait around for the owner and make an offer!