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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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Saw a couple of odd malaise era MBs today - a 380SLC,which I think in the US was model year 1981 only with few sold, and a small bumper W116 450SE in pristine condition - maybe the best 116 to have as it looks better with the bumpers and has less emissions crap, I think it would be model year 1973 only. Also saw an early Alfa Spider - glass light covers, boattail.
I knew they Shelby-ized the rest of that model, but didn't know the Rampage came that way..
This one was red and silver.... in very nice condition with historic plates..
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And sitting in the shop was something special, an obviously restored 6.3. I can tell someone sunk a pretty penny into this:
Talk about unique! You should go for it!!
I would leave it alone. That is one nice looking car you have!
I think I've seen it around Bellevue a couple of times.
Oh, and on the subject of old blue beasts, I got my '79 New Yorker started last week. First time this year.
I get off work in about two minutes. Guess I'll find out in a moment, whether my commute home is going to be 10 minutes or 40!
I'd go more for THIS TYPE OF ROD
Can you even imagine how fast that Hillman must be? I would hate to get into any kind of an accident with that tin box but WOW, what a blast that would be!
There is a restored (stock) Hillman convertable that I see around here once in awhile of about the same vintage and I think it is so cool.
The guy talked about the 350 engine being "new" as opposed to a "crate" engine. I always thought they were the same thing?
I realize this may be a sensitive subect so feel free to not answer but whatever happened to your De Soto? The last time I remember it was undergoing a fairly extensive restoration.
Just curious if it isn't a painful subject.
If you see a blue fintail, it's probably me. I am not aware of any others in the area. It's a great 10 footer, and the patina becomes evident up close. I am not going to worry too much about cosmetic issues - the car has too many mechanical maintenance issues to tend to. Right now I am looking at the cooling issue, tires and brakes from the Clinton administration, probable replacement of some suspension stuff (bushings etc), and the doozie - an eventual valve job.
Have you seen the dark green and white 72 T-Bird that drives around downtown Bellevue? It's amazingly nice and makes a pretty brutal noise for a car with those looks.
Unfortunately, my DeSoto is still in multiple pieces, up on a lift, in that guy's shop. Keeps saying he'll get to it "soon", but something keeps coming up. At this point, I don't think he's done anything with it in about a year and a half, other than move it from one side of his shop to another. But, on the plus side, I haven't had to pay him for anything in about a year and a half, either!
I'm almost tempted to tell him to just get it to the point that it can roll, and have it towed somewhere else to get everything finished. But, there aren't exactly an abundance of shops out there who have the know-how, or the willingness, to put a '57 DeSoto back together!
I'm also in a bit of a mood right now, because I've been stood up,one time too many, by a contractor who was supposed to do a lot of work on my house and garage. Hell, I wonder if the contractor and mechanic are related!
Oh, on the plus side, the New Yorker started up, albeit on the 4th try. It was sort of a click...click...click...VROOOOMMMM!!! So, I'm guessing the starter is starting to go. And, it made it home without stalling.
My Mustang with an 80 month old 100 month battery in it needed a jump to get going, but it's been good since then.
Made me think I was back in HS.
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But, when I saw it do the u-turn, I saw that the passenger side was white! And looked like it had been painted with a brush or roller!
As it made the u-turn, the driver looked over at me, and seemed to do a double-take. Maybe a bit surprised to see my similar-vintage New Yorker?
I couldn't tell you the last time I saw one of your style New Yorker/5th Aves on the road here. Heck even the later style (the one that went on till 89) used to be plentiful and I don't even see those anymore.
I still think the most common car older car (late 70s-80s) is the Panther platform models. I see at least one a day (not counting the 85ish Vic on my block).
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It's hard to find someone who will show up on time and perform as promised. I guess I was brought up differently.
Yeah, this guy, who has done some minor work for me in the past, as well as some major work for my grandmother's cousin, has already dogged me twice this week.
First, he was supposed to meet me at 4:30 on Tuesday. No show, so I called him around 5:15. He said he was finishing up a hot water heater job, and would call me when he was done. Needless to say, he didn't.
So, we rescheduled for Wednesday, 5:00. I told him I'd call him when I got home so he'd know I was there. Called at 4:30. He said he was doing a brake job on his plumber's truck, so we planned on 7:00. 7 comes and goes, and I knew he wasn't showing up, so around 8:30 or so I went out for a walk. Got back around 9:20, and roommate said he'd called around 9. I tried calling back but got voicemail.
So, I tried again this morning, and we're shooting for 5:00 this afternoon. But, the guy says he has another hot water heater job, this one in DC. So, I'm anticipating something's going to go wrong.
I really should try to find someone else, but this guy's prices are really reasonable. He did a 12x16 bedroom addition for my grandmother's cousin for $17,000, and around here that's cheap!
Oh, as for the mechanic who's working on the DeSoto? Well, he lost a lot of credibility with me a couple years ago, when I had a lot of work done on my '79 New Yorker. The car had been stalling out alot, refusing to re-start, and had a habit of leaving me stranded at work. It would always start up fine in the morning, but then when it was time to go home it usually wouldn't.
Well, when the car was finished, I asked him if he'd thought it would make it safely to the Mopar show in Carlisle, about 125 miles away. He said he wouldn't hesitate to drive that car ANYWHERE! Well, it took about 2-3 times to start it, then it stalled out when I put it in gear. Finally got it going, and right around the corner from his shop, it cut out and refused to re-start. I called him, and he came out, fiddled with it, and then said something along the lines of "At this point, I don't know what else to do. I just don't know." That didn't give me a lot of confidence. And then, almost as if to make the guy look like an idiot, the next time I turned the key, it fired right up.
Man, no kidding. Three weeks ago I called an area guy who has offered to work on old cars during our regional club meet. He said, "I'll call you week after next". That would have been last week...not this past week. I'm going to call him again this evening. He's sort-of cranky although supposedly does good work reasonably so I don't want to irritate him. Sheesh, I'm the customer and I'm intimidated by the guy I'm going to pay! LOL
Similarly, my wife wanted new outside lights put up around our house. I called a local electrician twice...never returned my call. A guy who painted our shutters this year said he'd do them "this week". That was about three weeks ago. I called him a week ago. He said "I'll do them this week". To his credit, he did show up today unannounced and did the job.
The CEO of a company I worked for 15 years ago told us, "Return a phone call the same day, always, even if just to say you don't have an answer yet but are working on it." I disliked the guy but agree with that philosophy. Another boss, not very well-liked in general, used to say, "Bad news doesn't get better with age. Let me know when something's going not well." I always liked and agreed with that and try and do that.
WARNING: the guy sounds like a Prima Donna and you don't want him near your car! When something go's wrong you will have a hell of a time gettinghim to fix it.
In the suto repair business, there ae a lot of flakes and a lot of Prima Donnas and they are to be avoided. They usually aren't that good at what they do anyway.
The majority are friendly, approachable and honest. I won't work with flakes or Prima Donnas. I know better!
If you can find a nice one that isn't all miled up, it will bring amazing money. Well over what any books say.
Those were 1993's.
I had a brain fart, I must have seen an EX, with the flat style wheels. I am pretty sure it was a medium/dark grey. It had leather though, and was amazingly nice.
Nice driver quality 66ish Mustang keeping up with traffic on the Jersey turnpike.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
If it had leather it was installed aftermarket. A lot were for those customers who just HAD to have leather.
The one I saw had these, I think:
Look at those thin pillars and that tall greenhouse/low beltline. How things changed.
I see the SE had different wheels than either:
People who bought those SE's new cold have driven then ten years and sold them for a not a lot more than they paid.
If you can find a 1996-2000 Civic Hatchback with automatic and A/C with low mileage you will have hit the jackpot!
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Friend of mine had a 92 Accord LX, mother bought it new and gifted it to him when he went to school (it had ~80K on it then), he ran it up to something like 220K, but maintained it by the book, and it looked like a car that had 50K miles on it. When he bought his Accord coupe, he put it up for sale for 3K, just a sign in a window parked on a lot, sold that day.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Does this rumor have any basis in fact?
One time a mechanic connected my battery incorrectly assuming that it had a negative ground and my ammeter and fuel gauge worked in the opposite directions. I suddenly had a full tank of gas and the the ammeter showed a discharge when the engine speed increased.
I was thinking that this might be a good way to charge the battery when the engine is idling and the headlights lights are on and I could also save money on gas because the gas gauge says "full" when the tank is empty, but I never tried it because the temperature gauge says that the engine is overheating. :shades:
The second was a little rougher in white with no top.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Triumph TR-5
Alfa 1750.. completely restored... roll cage, race seats.. no bumpers.. beautiful..
VW pickup... stanced and slammed..
A whole passel of 911s... from a ducktail, all the way up to a 911 GT3 RS....
Nice early 240Z
The Alfa was the pick of the litter...
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Back in those days, Honda didn't have much competition. The domestics were still building a lot of second rate cars that a lot of people didn't want. the Koreans were building junk. For those dollars only Toyota and maybe Nissan were worthy competitiors.
But things changed and now Honda finds themself surrounded by some pretty strong competition. The domestics are doing a MUCH better job of building quality cars that appeal to more people and the Koreans have made massive strides.
I'll still take a Honda over anything else for bulletproof reliability and for engines that are second to none. They can't however, rest on their laurels and I hope they are aware tht loyality can be a fleeting thig.
I do like ther recent commercials!
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I do agree with you on the Preludes. I never cared for the 1992-1996's. I always thought I was sitting in a bucket. The 1997's were so much nicer in so many ways but by that time, that market had died and they never sold well.
Find me a nice 1991 SI Prelude and I would be all over it!
Again, so much is subjective. Every time a new model would be introduced I would hear the mixed comments....
" Oh, it's so much nicer"
Or..." Oh MAN...why did Honda mess up a good thing?"
Just like with colors...
" Oh YUCK..what a crappy color...WHAT was Honda THINKING?"
or...
" Oh, honey, look at that BEAUTIFUL color!"
After awhile, I just tuned all of that out.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
and out front of a store, a '71 Mustang with a for-sale sign, so of course I stopped to look. Black fastback, but not in particularly good shape body wise. And from the description in the window, seemed like a rat that would bleed you dry. Lot's of references about what the prior owner may or may have done, so most likely the current owner bought it, found out how deep he was in for, and wanted to bail!
former 302 car with a worked 460 jammed in, needed electrical work along with the body work, and quite a bit of other stuff. And the owner was actually asking $4,600!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I do agree the 92 Civic was an improvement.
I knew a girl (doctor's daughter, of course) in high school who had a ~90 Prelude Si, and it was 4WS as well. Another girl I knew would drive her mother's 92 Prelude Si 4WS to school sometimes. I lived in a small town, so these were considered to be VERY nice cars, especially for a kid to be allowed to drive.
Odd sighting today - Audo GT coupe. Couldn't tell if it was a Quattro or not, red, looked in very good condition from a distance. Also a 75-79 Seville
They just sold it, last month...
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It was the proportioning. The '90-93 had a longer, lower, sleeker look to it. The '94-97 was about 3" wider. Wheelbase was only slightly shorter (106.9" versus 107.1") and length was only about an inch shorter (~184" versus 185), but the added width, and the styling in general just made it look fatter. I think the 1994 Accord is what re-introduced us to that look that today is referred to as the Bangle-Butt, where the rear quarters flare out a bit, and the decklid is tapered in some, harking back to the early 50's, when cars were still trying to shake off the bolt-on fender look.
Chrysler followed that look in 1995 with the Stratus/Cirrus sedans, and soon Hyundai started doing it, and nowadays it seems a common occurrence.
I remember one or two of the buff rags (C&D or MT or the like) saying that with the 1994 Accord, Honda seemed to be doing "change for the sake of change", rather than for actual improvement. Basically, what the domestics had been doing for ages...changing the style to make people want to buy the new product, but not necessarily offering anything better.
Still, I'm sure the '94-97 was an improvement, in many ways. I still see plenty of them around. The '90-93, not so much anymore.
When the '98 came out, I remember a lot of people griping about it being "too big", "losing its identity", and so on. Same for the '03. Wash, rinse, and repeat for 2008.
But, that kind of stuff has been going on for ages. A lot of people griped in 1957 when the Ford and Plymouth got bigger, even though those cars sold very well (and technically, the '57 Plymouth was 2" shorter overall, because the '56 had more protruding bumpers), and then griped when Chevy followed suit for 1958. And, there was enough of a backlash, that a few years later we got intermediates. Cars that were essentially what a '55 Chevy, Ford, or Plymouth had been, but wrapped in new packaging and marketed as a whole new niche.
Yet, bigger and bigger remained the trend for the next 20 years, and then was only temporarily reversed because of a couple of fuel crises and gov't intervention. But, in the 80's, as things eased up, cars started getting bigger again. Subcompacts grew into compacts, compacts into intermediates, and so on. And even though the old-school big cars ultimately died out, it took about 30 years, trucks and SUVs pretty much took their place.
I'm sure that, no matter what Honda does (or anybody for that matter), there will be dissenters.