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

lemko

...really nice two-tone beige and tan 1983-84 Ford LTD Crown Victoria with wide white stripe tires and turbine wheels on Dungan Road near Rhawn Street in NE Philly.

lemko

...what would've been a really nice beige 1975 Chevrolet Caprice 4-door hardtop if the owner didn't put a ridiculous set of 22" DUBs on it!

fintail

Saw an early 80s Cressida today, in the two tone brown and gold that was common at the time - top and bottom of the car being brown, and the middle gold. Also saw a very nice survivor looking ~65 Valiant two door post, appliance white, well cared for with year of manufacture plates.

berri

I always thought that the Maxima's of that era were decent looking, if tight quartered - especially the wagon. Don't seem to see many though. They seemed popular in Florida when I was based there back then.

inthedriveway

Here's a rare, factory-approved Continental Mark II conversion that I saw in June: http://www.newsday.com/classifieds/cars/new-york-auto-show/in-the-garage-1.21576- 9#3. (Scroll to no. 3 of 208 to see the car). While a number of conversions have surfaced over the years, this one is said to be one of only three approved by the factory. One prototype convertible was given to the Ford family and two others, including this one, were converted by Hess & Eisenhardt (of JFK assassination vehicle fame) from coupes that had been damaged in transit.

I'll post other unusual cars periodically, including a Rolls-Royce with tail fins, that come from my "In the Driveway" Facebook page or from my online column above. I'm happy to share my stash of unusual car photos with other enthusiasts.

inthedriveway

OK, I can't resist. Here's that photo of the Rolls with the tail fins: http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=198933256820206&set=a.122762157770650.- 13395.113411748705691&type=1&theater.

I spotted it in a classic car garage in Connecticut. Does anyone have info on this car?

In the Driveway classic cars

andre1969

My Spanish teacher in high school had one of those '81-84 Maximas. I remember one of my classmates being really wowed at the fact that the thing talked... "a door is a jar" and stuff like that.

I still see a Maxima of that generation driving around locally on occasion. Looks like it's in fairly decent shape other than being dirty. It's sort of a two-tone brown

Mr_Shiftright

here's the story on the Rolls with tailfins:

Tailfin Rolls

Apparently, 3 of these were built, god knows why.

inthedriveway

Thanks! I had done a web search for this car a while ago, but nothing came up. (Of course, something may "come up" when one gazes at those tail fins!)

Mr_Shiftright

I got nothin' against tail fins on the APPROPRIATE type of body style. On wild and showy American iron, it seems to work...on the more formal body styles, far less so.

Tail fins cut across a wide spectrum of makes and models---some work better than others.

But on this Rolls, they look glued on, really. On a Cadillac or Mopar, they work great. On a Studebaker or Mercedes or 57 chevy....meh.....on a Rolls....no, don't do that.

andre1969

Woah Shifty, what else is on that website? I tried to click it at work and got a big warning message saying it was restricted! Are there scantily clad women riding those tailfins like a pony or something?! :shades:

imidazol97

I saw nothing on the page linked other than cars.

I went to the main landing page, marque1.com, and found Clark Gable sitting in a pilot's jacket on top of his Duesenberg. I don't that qualifies as racy by a long shot! That's the only human on the first page. BUT the first page has a lot of interesting articles as I browsed down through. Great link.

Mr_Shiftright

Nope, just ran through the whole website---seems legit. Maybe you have some anti-virus or firewall kicking in on your computer. :confuse:

fintail

Video from North Korea with oddities (not sure if this is 100% legit):

http://youtu.be/6YVIBawHaQY

I suspect the "Mini" is a Chinese copycar. But what else do we see? At approximately 0:23, an excellent looking MB W114 from about 1970 passes by. And then at about 0:48 a late 70s Toyota Crown enters the scene. Must be like an automotive Twilight Zone. I've also seen a video from DPRK with what was clearly a MB W123 wagon (T123) on the road. And of course the North Koreans made a copy of the MB W201 (190 series).

robr2

Well since it has a number on it, I presume the Mini is some sort of race that got special permission to visit Pyongyang.

BTW, the Gumball 3000 went through there back in 2008.

There is the Chinese Lifan 320 that is a Mini kind of look-a-like but it's not even close the Mini in that video.

I'm wondering how those Americans making the video were able to visit.

ab348

Yesterday on the expressway, going the other way was a pre-68 VW Microbus, the old style, that was a camper conversion - a Kombi, I suppose. I never saw one of the old-style Kombis so this was a first for me. Unlike the later versions, on this it appeared only the center part of the roof popped up. Looked nicely restored based on my quick glance - all shiny and clean. Cool.

fintail

Good theory about the race. Could be connected to that based on the age of the video.

I don't know about the Lifan being "kind of" a copy though If one didn't exist, would the other?

Apparently trips to DPRK can be booked, but everything is closely escorted and supervised, you can never be on your own.

For obscure cars, today I parked near a guy in a late SL55 - he commented on my car being "tectite" and that it was unusual (it is)...kind of surprising for a random looking person to know that.

robr2

Our definitions of "copy" aren't the same. I'm looking for Xerox quality - you're content with inspired by with combined with damaged DNA.

Mini:



LiFan:



Yeah - it looks like a Mini, kind of if I squint.

fintail

I see it less forgivingly. If the first one didn't exist, neither would the second one. The second one only exists because of the design of the first one. Chinese ethics at work.

robr2

Well yeah - without the first one of anything, the second would never exist.

Kind of like the xB and the Soul. The Soul is pretty much a bad copy of the xB.

fintail

In terms of segment, yes, Soul copied xB. Cheap but cheerful box as an alternative to penalty box hatchbacks and awkward tiny sedans. Design wise though, not a copy. Not unlike the BMW Gran Coupe moving into CLS territory.

No real similar design elements though, unlike the Chinese copycars which are filled with stolen angles.

ab348

Cheap but cheerful box as an alternative to penalty box hatchbacks

Ironic, a penalty box "box"... :shades:

fintail

Could be worse. Weirdly proportioned sedans like the old trunkback Aveo, current trunkback Versa, trunkback Fiesta etc just look wrong to me. I'd rather have a box. Luckily, I don't need a new car quite that badly :shades:

imidazol97

Don't think I've ever seen a wagon of this brand and age range here in the midwest. This looked really nice.

texases

Looks like the wagon version of our '63 Dodge Polara 4-door hardtop. Minus the rust...

bhill2

It's a '64 Dodge, but it seems to have been pretty extensively modified. For one thing, it looks like it has an interior out of a Polara 500(?) since I am almost sure that the wagon couldn't be ordered from the factory with buckets and a console. More interesting, it has a console shifter. I believe that all '64's came with buttons on the dash, and the panel bolted on left of the steering wheel supports that. The steering wheel, of course, is aftermarket, as are a couple of the gauges. Do you have any idea what's under the hood?

lemko

...white 1967 Plymouth Fury II Suburban station wagon turning left onto Oxford Avenue from St. Vincent Street in NE Philly.

fintail

Today spotted a china blue (similar to fintail color) W123, late 70s style Porsche 911 with whale tail and euro lights, and an early 80s Toyota Corona sedan - the last of the line that I guess became the Camry.

fintail

I wonder where these obscure cars will show up

Nice value estimate there, too...the inherited businessman owner of these needs to check his calendar, it aint 2006.

stickguy

this weekend, 287 in NJ or the NY thruway. A few oddballs, especially to be moving at highway speeds.

a chrome bumper MG Midget, a '67ish Cougar convertible, a '61 Vette convertible, and the real oddity, an early (late 20s/early 30s I would guess) rolls royce.

andys120

'67ish Cougar convertible,

IIRC there was no Cougar convertible prior to '69.

stickguy

69 would certainly be within "ish" range.

lets leave it as 1st generation!

andys120

Wasn't the '69 somewhat larger than the '66-'68?

andre1969

I think the '69 might've been a bit larger, but it wasn't obvious with the styling; at least not to me. However, the '70 looks like it plumped up and got uglified a bit.

fintail

I saw this odd thing today...looking a little the worse for wear, but still on the road:



Small album of pics from the MBCA show...star was the 540K, a few other interesting cars

lemko

...aqua blue 1955 Ford Thunderbird with stained white folding top, aftermarket wire wheels, and sans skirts in Willow Grove, PA.

texases

In one day I saw a 'ducktail' Alfa Spider, a Fiat 124 Spider, and, most unusually, a Triumph Stag, top down, window frames up (always thought that was odd for a convertible), looked to be in good shape.

explorerx4

540k

fintail

Hmm...I wonder what the one shown at the local MBCA event is worth.

boomchek

I love stories like this. I wonder how many more other rarities will we hear about as time goes on.

fintail

Hey long time...

boomchek

I know, I've been busy with work and family but have a bit of extra time now.

fintail

Selling lots of Ferraris and Maseratis lately? :shades:

boomchek

Not there anymore. I'm at Hyundai now. But I did have my fun there :shades:

andys120

The annual classic and custom car show is this weekend at NHMS and interesting cars have been seen all over town. In particular I've noticed som very nice Chevrolets including

-A black over white '56 Bel Air hardtop in concours condition and another one like it white over red.

-A green Chevy coupe from the late 20s-early 30s black top, beautiful forest green body and fenders in like new condition.

imidazol97

> NHMS

???? What is that?

kyfdx

New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

(just guessing)

bhill2

I think it's New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I'd like to say I know that, but actually I Googled it. Amazingly effective.

andys120

Yup it's the New Hampshire Motor Speedway nee Bryar Motor Speedway/New Hampshire Speedway (NHS) located in my home town, Loudon MH.

robr2

Yup it's the New Hampshire Motor Speedway nee Bryar Motor Speedway/New Hampshire Speedway (NHS) located in my home town, Loudon MH.

I was near there last weekend on my way to Gilmanton Iron Works.

I liked it better when it was called New Hampshire International Speedway.