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

tjc78

59 Caddy Convertible in red on the Chippenham Pwy, Richmond VA.

Looked pretty sharp.

hpmctorque

First generation ('84-'88) light blue Maxima, in a public parking lot. Looked to be in excellent condition inside and out, cosmetically.

kyfdx

In Lexington, KY..
Interior was pretty much gutted.. body looked solid, but in the midst of restoration.. In a shopping center parking lot.

berri

59 Caddy Convertible

...and given the time of year, don't forget that urban legend about the little league outfielder chasing a fly ball and impaling himself on the fin :shades:

I still think they look sharp too!

fintail

Saw a couple MB W123s today, that same blue Volvo Amazon that's stalking me, a Celebrity wagon, and a 60-62 Valiant - kind of a light sky blue, decent survivor condition.

tjc78

Nice looking 85 Mustang and a similar vintage Cavalier, which looked like it shouldn't be on the road any longer.

stickguy

walked past a little repair shop in Ithaca last weekend, and they had a decent original looking dark blue 65 Mustang in the back lot, with a sad white looking Fintail with plenty of surface rust on it tucked into a corner. Did not look like it had moved in a long time.

andre1969

...and given the time of year, don't forget that urban legend about the little league outfielder chasing a fly ball and impaling himself on the fin

I actually know someone that that happened to. Well, not THAT, exactly, but something vaguely similar. This guy grew up in New York, and one day as a little kid, he and some friend were playing in the street, running around the parked cars and such. He tripped and fell into the fin of an early '60's Cadillac. And to this day, there's a little scar above his eye.

He said it was a '61-62 Cadillac.

jljac

The stories about people being injured on the tail fins of cars have some factual basis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_tailfin

Tailfins have been criticized as a safety concern, even as a parked vehicle. In Kahn v. Chrysler (1963), a 7-year-old child on a bicycle collided with a fin and sustained a head injury. A case of the same era, Hatch v. Ford (1958), is also prominent in the study of personal injury from parked vehicles. In both of these cases, children were injured by sharp protrusions on parked cars.

In the same article is the following interesting paragraph to justify the function of the tail fins.

Plymouth claimed that the Tailfins were not Fins, but "stabilizers" to place the "center of pressure" as far to the rear as possible and thus "reduce by 20% the needs for steering correction in a cross wind."

Many different cars and fins are in the article identified above including the Mercedes Benz Heckflosse190D (fintail?).

andre1969

In the 1957 auto issue of Consumer Reports, they had a picture of a young girl standing in between a parked Buick and Plymouth, just to demonstrate just how pedestrian-friendly these cars were not!

With the severe rearward slant of the Buick's fins, and the forward thrust of the Plymouth's front fenders, it would not have painted a pretty picture.

fintail

I've always liked that Germanic excuse for the fintail design - to be used as kind of a parking aid. It's not wrong, but fashion had to play a role.

explorerx4

The airport closest to me is having a combo Plane/Car show.
This area has a lot of GM classics, so I expect to see a lot of them.
A Black Hawk was practicing landing the other day.
It should be pretty good.

fintail

Stuck in the 80s again - First gen CRX, 300CE, W126 300SE, 80s Firebird.

texases

LOTS of fun driving the LA freeways for the last 4 days...makes Dallas seem like Mayberry traffic, by comparison. Saw lots of the expected - Ferraris, Lamborghinis, lots of Maseratis for some reason. Car that caught my eye the most was a 1968-ish BMW 1602 (round taillights, the 2002 didn't have those, did it?). Extremely clean, restored, but with stock parts. Very nice.

lemko

I remember the huge 1992-era S-Class had wands that sprouted up from the rear fenders to act as parking aids.

andre1969

I've always liked that Germanic excuse for the fintail design - to be used as kind of a parking aid.

I can attest to the fact that the fins to help gauge distance when you're parallel parking, backing into a space, etc. My '57 DeSoto, despite its bulk and wide turning radius, is surprisingly easy to parallel park. The little peaks over the headlights at the front of the fenders help out in front, as well.

The only issue I have with the fins is that the driver's side fin shows up fairly prominently in the rearview mirror, so at a quick glance it makes me think there's a car over there.

kyfdx

2002 had round taillights up through '73, I think... taillights went square with the bigger bumpers that came around '74

fintail

Yep, that was the first parktronic. IIRC, there were lights located in the dash vents (of all places) to alert you when you were too close - the wands emitted a signal too.

fintail

My old car is the same - the fintail might be the easiest car I have owned when it comes to tight maneuvers. Thanks to the fins, and the flat hood and slightly protruding fenders that sharply drop off, you know where the car ends. The wraparound glass helps, too.

Modern car is like most today - hood dips down so you can't see the end, trunk is high, I can see how less careful drivers can have light bumps. The camera is a nice feature.

lemko

...red Porsche 944 in pretty nice condition at work today.

hpmctorque

Aztek, going ~65 mph on I-270, an earlier model with contrasting lower cladding. It looked to be in nice shape cosmetically.

Okay, I'll come clean; I don't mind the most recent Azteks, without the cladding. That would be like some like the Juke, or, say, the Pacer. I'm thinking that the Aztek may have developed some kind of a cult following, because you still see them. That's just a hunch, though.

andys120

I saw an obviously restored 1970 MG-B roadster parked in a store lot. It had good paint (unfortunately snow white) and chrome and looked a tad over-restored as it was sporting highly chromed wire wheels. I wouldnn't have known the exact MY but the plate read 70MGB.

fintail

This afternoon - MB 190D (W201, not a fintail), same 68 Chevy 4 door HT I see now and then, 2x Land Rover Defender

texases

Saw a '56 Chevy on the way home (2 door sedan), right after a '67 Camaro. Both very nice...

fintail

Today saw an International Scout, and a 90s custom (looked like a Billet catalog puked all over it) ~57 Chevy pickup that had its left signal on for miles.

uplanderguy

Right past the north side of our house, an older couple in a beautiful, stock-looking '66 Cadillac deVille convertible, black. I've not seen the car around here before. I'm a sucker for '65 and '66 Cadillacs.

Which reminds me...the "Collectible Automobile" magazine on the newsstands now (can't remember the month) has an article with wonderful photography, of the '61 Cadillac, Imperial, and Lincoln. While I'm a sucker for the clearn modernity of the Lincoln, I gotta say the Sixty Special in the article looks awfully nice, and there's even a LeBaron sedan in the article. $9.95 for a magazine? Steep for sure, but it's a keeper I think.

bhill2

I love that magazine. I subscribe to it and have never been disappointed in an issue. Th article you mentioned was my favorite of this issue. I even learned something. I never would have guessed that the Lincoln and the TBird shared a platform. Seems counter-intuitive.

berri

I've subscribed to Collectible Automobile form the git go too. Magazine is a bit of a misnomer, because each issue is more like a short book on old vehicles. Excellent and informative articles with great complimenting photography and statistics.

fintail

I pay that for imported magazines on occasion. Collectible Automobile is very much like a reference publication than a throwaway magazine, kind of like the old "Automobile Quarterly".

Oddities I saw today - what I guess was an 80-82 Corvette in new condition, a 66 Mustang convertible with full Shelby GT350 trim (is there such a thing?), restored early 60s Beetle, Fiero GT, and this thing napping in the garage where I store the fintail:



(sorry for the lame pic)

Looked to either be restored or a mint low mileage original. Not many around anymore.

uplanderguy

That's a '71 or '72 Toronado. I can't recall when I've seen one that nice. Probably been twenty years.

ab348

While I like the original '66/'67 best, the '71/'72 is a handsome car as well. Barely saw any when they were new, so seeing one that nice now is almost impossible except at a show.

I remember seeing this '73 Toro in the Rockford Files - apparently the opera window is aftermarket. The car was allegedly a rental in the show.

uplanderguy

I had nearly forgotten about that era Toronado. Later years in that iteration had goofy (IMHO) taillight caps, opera windows, etc., but the '71 and '72 almost out-Cadillac the look of the Eldorado I think. I always liked the high-mounted brake lights years before required by law, too.

berri

I know I'm probably a minority here, but I kind of like those tan/gold/champagne type colors (although this particular one may be a bit too brown). Like silver, they don't show dirt all that badly. I think the lighter interior color that goes with it is more relaxing and spacious feeling on a long drive than the grey and black ones that are so common today...as long as you don't have kids or sloppy personal habits that dirty up the inside of the vehicle at least.

fintail

The car was more of a champagne-ish color to me to me, I think. Hard to remember as I took the pics at the end of a long day. I want to say the interior was dark green? Or maybe a dark bronze? It was kind of a brocade style material, and in similar condition to the exterior.

I too like a lighter color interior - dark interiors become drab and almost require a sunroof to let light in to cheer up a bit. Not easy to find though. Some golds or light brown exteriors work, but they too are uncommon these days.

lemko

Black Suzuki X90 near Tabor and Fuller and a circa 1964 Ford COE fire engine near Passmore and Oxford Avenue in NE Philly.

berri

If I had my druthers, I'd probably go with a European like medium blue, similar to your fintail or some BMW's, with a creme or saddle interior. However, that combo is hard to find if you don't buy lux, so then I default to the champagne type colors or silver.

fintail

In 2010-12 or so, MB had a color called "quartz blue" that I like a lot. Sadly, it is not made anymore. If I could find a really loaded Bluetec in that color with a creme interior, I'd consider it when my lease is up:

uplanderguy

That blue is a little darker I think, but not unlike the 'Carlisle Blue' offered on the C6 Corvette--which is the color I'd have chosen to avoid a stereotypical 'Vette! And there's one other thing that circlew and I agreed upon!

fintail

Saw something uplanderguy would have liked today - a Lark convertible. I am unsure of the year, I will guess 1963 - the updated Lark, round taillights etc. It was bronze or gold, obviously restored - I tried to get a pic, but it was in traffic a block or more away, couldn't get it. Also saw a white Fiero GT, that same blue Volvo, and a red and black 55 Buick 4 door HT, Century I think.

lemko

...medium blue 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle two-door hardtop with black vinyl top on Verree Road near Faunce in NE Philly.

fintail

~73 Eldo convertible with top down, normal Fiero, 2 mint looking 87-91 Camrys in the same light blue color - one a wagon that looked brand new, MGB, W123

toomanyfumes

My NBA player neighbor two houses down is back for the summer, (this is his hometown) shipped back a Ferrari convertible, not sure which model but it has round tailights and three center exhaust pipes. Also a two door Rolls convertible with suicide doors. Both are white. His wife has a black Escalade.

All three vehicles sit outside since he has a customized '73 ish Delta 88 and and a beautiful black '67 Caddy, both also convertibles, sitting in the garage.

fintail

Saw a ~65 Skylark convertible waiting in line at a Jiffy Lube (no joke).

imidazol97

Similar to this--I have no idea of the exact year. Looked to be in good condition. No obvious rust. Fresh-looking paint job.

fintail

That would be a 91-94. Look at the thin pillars and all the glass. No need for cameras and parking aids there.

uplanderguy

When buying a new 1990 car to replace my then-new wife's '78 Chevette, I offered a Cavalier wagon or Corsica, both about the same price...4-cyl, 5-speed. She liked my parents' new Corsica, which was a V6 with column-shift automatic (!). Wife chose the Corsica, although in hindsight the Cavalier would have been more practical with the space.

That Lark convertible you saw would've been a '62 or '63. I'm very fond of the whole '63 and '64 Studebaker lineup and hope to have another some day.

uplanderguy

I post this here because I could see more history buffs on this site than on others. Yesterday was the 69th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and this pic was taken at the WWII Museum in New Orleans. I think it is just priceless!

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2013/06/69th_anniversary_of_d-day_mark.html#i- ncart_river_default

fintail

The Corsica was probably the better value - by 1990, the Cavalier (wagon especially) was getting to be pretty old - a barely refreshed version of a 1982 car. I remember back in the day, friends of the family had a Corsica 5-door - not many of those around when new, not to mention now.

I am hoping to see that Lark again and snap a pic. From a slight distance, it looked nice.

Victory Belles...didn't know there was such a thing.

uplanderguy

Lemko, the '68 Chevelle hardtop you spotted...

Ever see a '68 Chevelle Concours coupe? I think I remember seeing exactly one in my entire life, probably 35 years ago.

The coupe was never even in the brochure. The Sport Sedan, with Caprice-like frilly cloth interior, was in the brochure, as was the Concours wagons which were just Malibu wagons with a different name for the wagons, rather customary at that time.

The Concours coupe was a '68-only thing, and had the Cutlass Supreme or Buick GS bench seat interior with fold-down center armrest, wheel opening trim, and some extra flourishes inside. They had a large "Concours" nameplate on the front fender.

Best I can tell, from what I've heard, there was a fire involving Malibu upholstery sometime that model year and Buick and Olds upholstery replaced it, depending on the assembly location. There are pics of various Concours coupes online and I'd enjoy owning one.

uplanderguy

Victory Belles...didn't know there was such a thing.

About 5 1/2 years ago I went to eastern PA with friends (my Stude dealer friend and his son, WWII buffs both) to a Battle of the Bulge reunion. We went to a "USO Show" where there were young ladies in forties garb and hairstyles, singing to the vets seated down front and making a fuss over them. It was great to see. We had driven a vet named Moe, who told us he hadn't missed Hershey in twenty years, to the USO show. He was in his uniform with a big martini glass in front of him, soaking up the gals singing (don't know if there are other "Liberty Belles"-like groups around, or not). He had the biggest smile on his face as one singer sang right to him. When we went to leave, we said, "Moe, we're headed back now" and he said, "Go ahead, I'll find a way back". You had to be there, but it was funny. Later that year I saw in the booklet that he did not have his '65 Buick at Hershey, and I wrote him (we had exchanged addresses). His nephew later replied he had passed away during the year.