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

hpmctorque

I had a '78 LeMans 305 with the "handling suspension," or whatever they called the optional upgraded suspension with bigger wheels and tires. Nice car for its day, other than for the often maligned TH-200 automatic. A guy in a panel truck ran a red light and totaled it, but by that time it had 114,000 miles on it. It probably would have lasted a good amount longer had it not been hit. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

I think it's been years since I've seen a 1978 or 1979 LeMans.

toomanyfumes

There's a guy near me who runs around in a lighter blue '59 Ford, the skinny tires and narrow track give it an almost comical look, like it would tip over.

uplanderguy

Car styling changed so frequently back then...although I enjoyed it. We've oft-discussed on various Edmunds forums how the Avanti was a love-it-or-hate-it design, but I have a factory video of a '64 driving through Chicago and it passes a low-line '59 Ford four-door, and in comparison to the Avanti particularly, that Ford looks like a cartoon car. I love '56 Fords, like '57's and '58's, somewhat like '60's, like '61's, but the '59 never did a thing for me.

Mr_Shiftright

You don't need me to find you one. They are plentiful. All you have to do is cruise Craigslist Bay Area and when you find a nice one, call the owner and interrogate them, and if you like what you hear, then hire an inspector or drive down yourself.

And don't let asking prices discourage you from hard bargaining. An old big Benz is one bargain-able car when you show up with a suitcase full of Benjamins, because chances are the sellers are pretty sick of tire-kickers after one week.

That's my advice anyway.

berri

The old Universal Studio's tour! 59 was kind of a funky design year. Really 58-60 all tended to be out there a bit. The 59 Ford did well because of the Squarebird influence. The Galaxie coupe was kind of sharp for it's time, particularly inside.

lemko

...drop-dead gorgeous white 1966 Pontiac Grand Prix with black vinyl top and eight-lug wheels at Cottman and Oxford Avenue in NE Philly.

fintail

I don't know. Whenever I see super nice low mileage 126s on ebay, they seem to bring 10K++. That's why I said if you can get me one for 4K, I'll buy it. I am sure craigslist stalking can turn up a gem now and then, but it's a bit of work.

Another day in LA - a few old cars seen. Saw a little old lady in a brand-new looking Mark VII LSC in Beverly Hills, also saw a nice XJ6C there, and an ok looking 300CD. Saw another 300CD in Burbank, not as nice. Also in Beverly Hills saw an old man in a funny hat driving a 65-66 Caddy convertible, top down of course. Saw a maybe 73 Olds convertible out in West Hills, white, looked pretty nice. Not surprising to see so many convertibles here. And still, not a single fintail.

fintail

They really did crib the squarebird for the 59.

Yep, I did the tour yesterday. I was a little miffed that we couldn't go to the courthouse square set due to TV show filming (as BTTF is the main reason I went on the tour), but I did get to see some other BTTF stuff, including a Biff's car, a Goldie Wilson Edsel hover conversion, and I think 2x DeLoreans.

On another set, I noticed that the 900 series Volvo is a really strong car:

Mr_Shiftright

Well if you don't want to SHOP, then yeah, you'll pay retail. Most buyers on eBay don't see what they buy, so they could be examples of folly, not market value.

Here you go, $3500 bucks, drive it home. You can do a lot of work to it, if it needs it, for the $6500 you didn't spend.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/4186466653.html

Mr_Shiftright

that is sooooo fake looking.....

berri

I was fortunate enough to have taken that tour initially before Universal became an amusement park. They basically drove you around the production sets on "glamour trams" which were really either pink or coral colored golf carts. But it was very informative. I do recall hearing several times that this and that was actually made of ... because it films more real than the real stuff.

fintail

Well, that's an early W140, not a late 126 - apples to oranges. I'd wager that car is cheap because it is having wiring harness issues, which are known to fail on those. It does look really nice, and minty 140s are getting pretty hard to find - but not exactly what I was talking about. However, a late run 140 with low miles and records could be a tempting car. I guess I am thinking way ahead in case I don't lease again.

But really, you aren't going to find a late 126 like I described earlier for that money - if anything, the ebay dealers stalk craigslist and snap them up asap.

fintail

I did the VIP tour, so I got to actually go out and walk on sets and see props etc. It was pretty interesting - being on Colonial St (the street on "The Burbs" among others) was cool. There were some odd cars hanging around too, like a couple of old Chevy vans from the late 60s converted to a Scooby Doo "Mystery Machine".

kyfdx

1st generation... Still looked pretty good for a 20 year old car.

uplanderguy

I can just picture that Grand Prix, lemko--those were 'drop dead gorgeous'.

That's the first year GM started using what Chevy called 'strato bucket seats'--narrower and 'sportier'-looking than what was used across the divisions the previous years...which were basically 40/40 seats with some upturn at the ends of the bottom cushions and back!

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, I bet I could find one. Asking prices are only that--trying to sell a W126 for big money limits your number of buyers to a thin sliver. Bargaining is the key, and the phone doesn't ring that often with a car like that.

hpmctorque

A late-model dark blue Catera, turning a corner in Bethesda, MD. It looked good cosmetically. Wouldn't mind owning one, but I know they're trouble.

It's been months since I've seen a Catera. When was the last time you saw one?

fintail

Well, if you find a really super pristine 86+ model, especially a 89-91 560 that matches my description for those prices, let me know. It's a thin sliver of buyers who want one, but a thin amount of survivors that meet those conditions.

In obscure car news, I am in Vegas now, taking a break from hours of walking, and have seen a few odd things - ~70 Corvette, 57 Chevy 2 door post, either a BelAir or a gussied up 210, donked 87-90 Caprice with a landau top, 94-95 E320 wagon, and in California I saw a Scion xB cut down into a pickup, kind of funny.

And to continue my movie location fixation, here's one with an obscure car link. Imagine an AMC Matador coupe parked here...I don't know if anyone will guess this one:

fintail

Looks like they zigged right to the scrapyard.

I saw a little old lady in a nice one several months ago, that would be the last I recall.

hpmctorque

I'm sure parts and service are a problem now, since Cadillac service departments didn't like Cateras even when they were under warranty. In fact, a service advisor at the Cadillac dealer closest to where I live dreaded them. From what I've read the Opel Omega on which the Catera was based wasn't as problematic as the Catera. The Omega may not have been the best in its class, but it was competitive.

I'm wondering whether this may have been due more to the competence and attitude of the German mechanics than to the changes GM made for the Cadillac version.

andre1969

That's not the house they used in "Poltergeist", is it? I don't think that's right, but it does make me think of that house. I don't think they had a 3-car garage though.

I just got back from a week long vacation in Aruba, and that house makes me think a bit of the houses in the ritzy neighborhoods there, except that most of the garage doors, I noticed, seemed to be those heavy-duty, industrial-looking affairs that you'd associate with a loading dock or warehouse.

On the subject of obscure cars, I saw a pristine white '81-84 Buick Regal coupe in the parking lot at a grocery store there. I usually see something old that catches my eye every time I go there. Last year, it was a black '52 or so Chevy 2-door sedan. Year before that, it was a white/burgundy '56 DeSoto Fireflite hardtop coupe!

Kinda strange to think that the last time I've seen a DeSoto, outside of a classic car show, would be 2,000 miles away...

uplanderguy

Here's the video I mentioned. The '59 Ford starts at 2:30 in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UQCwJJA17k

explorerx4

a 1990 or so Nissan white 300 ZX in the Chrysler lot. Interestingly, they share space with Nissan.

It's a 1994

stickguy

there is a small used car lot next to the Produce Junction (kind of a bulk warehouse produce store) that I also walk through when we stop (wife gets to go in for the veggies). Well, today I heard "action" and noticed over on one side, there was filming going one. I am guessing it was not a commercial (I don't think they do TV, but could be for internet), mostly based on the odd routines.

but anyway, the relevant part? Over where they were filming, they had an early 70s Duster 340 (yellow, same as my duster was!), a '65 El Camino, and a mid-60s Beetle. All in real nice shape, from what I could tell (was not all that close, thanks to the cameras).

These must have been for the video, because this place doesn't have old cars. Just late model stuff (and BHPH).

Mr_Shiftright

I like the part in the ad where they say it needs a clutch, a timing belt and "other small issues". Yeah, that's only 20% of the asking price--no biggie

omarman

Car link? LINK! Ha ha! Encino man, yeah buuuuuuudddddyy.

fintail

I think there were a number of factors, from parts supplies to mechanic familiarity to complexity. For the latter, most Euro Omegas were 4 cylinder gas and diesel, which were probably less trouble prone than the V6. More electronic junk to break on US market cars, too. Like you mention, the Euro Omega was not known to be a particularly bad car, while the Catera is known as a bit of a disaster - so it can't all be random chance.

fintail

Ha, excellent, my humor worked. One of my favorite "stupid" movies, and I know I went far past sanity when I drove all the way out to get a pic of the house.

This could be a fun game. I know Andre will get this one - imagine a blue 73-74 Nova or a green Seville parked here:

fintail

I am surprised there would be an old Regal there - aren't many of the cars there kind of small engined Mexican or South American market stuff, like small Toyotas and Nissans, maybe a Fiat or Renault etc?

Drove around Vegas for about an hour today, didn't see a single old car of note. Kind of surprising being a Sunday and all, but I know the climate here doesn't help old cars stay pristine.

And speaking of Poltergeist, imagine an ~ 81 Olds Custom Cruiser scraping on this driveway:

tjc78

That one is Mama's Family. Silly show, but funny as heck.

andre1969

Yeah, most of the stuff in Aruba was pretty small, although a lot of the "bigger" small stuff was the same type of cars you'd see here...Hyundai Elantras, Toyota Corollas, Yarises, etc. The biggest difference, I noticed, was that there were a lot of small trucks there that you wouldn't see here, and many of them are crew-cabs. There's still a good showing of Chevy S10 crew cabs down there, although they have a different front-end compared to the ones we had up here.

fintail

Was the S-10 badged Isuzu? Once every other blue moon or so, I'll see an Isuzu Hombre.

And for another location, imagine a DeSoto Suburban parked here:

Michaell

That looks like the Cunninghams' house from "Happy Days".

berri

While we're talking LA sites and Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley's last seasons were based on moving from Milwaukee to Los Angeles. Maybe Fin can go bowling one night in it's memory!

andre1969

I had almost forgotten about the Hombre. The S-10's I was seeing in Aruba looked kinda like this:

http://www.productioncars.com/send_file.php/chevy_s10_executive_silver_2005_braz- il.jpg

Sounds like you had a great time in California! I really loved seeing the Mama's Family house! Vinton needs to get off his butt and get up there and clean off the roof!

uplanderguy

Howard drove a '62 Lark in the last season or two. I remember him saying something to the effect of "Marian, we're not buying another car from a company that's going out of business!".

That house is huge...I always thought it was funny that they'd have that house, and drive a ten-plus-year-old DeSoto!

berri

It's Wisconsin, gotta have beer money. Just Kidding!

fintail

Yep michaelll got it, Happy Days. I forgot about Laverne and Shirley, just before my time it seems, I never watched it much when I was a kid. But surely it was filmed around LA too.

I remember watching Happy Days when I was a kid, and I understood that it took place in the 50s. But I didn't really grasp Laverne and Shirley until an episode that was linked to Happy Days. I remember watching Laverne and seeing the old cars, but I assumed it was in California and just thought "California in the 70s, still lot of 50s cars around".

fintail

That house today Zillows at something like $2.7 million, so Howard knew how to pick a good location, anyway.

That reminds me, down around Long Beach, I saw a "Studebaker Road".

fintail

I had a great time finding the movie and TV houses and locations, something I've fixated on since I was a kid. Universal VIP tour was cool too, but sadly, courthouse square was closed for filming, so I couldn't get in all the BTTF I wanted. Excuse to visit again, I guess. I had a feeling you'd get a kick out of Mama's Family, and that was one I really wanted to see too, kind of uncanny standing there for real, as I watched that show a lot when I was a kid.

I guess that S10 is a Brazilian model, then. The new S10 still sold there is a cool looking little truck, nicer looking than the homely Canyon we got.

And here's another house, should be easy:



"I have your car towed all the way to your house, and all you got for me is light beer?"

Imagine a wrecked mid 70s Nova there...

Michaell

McFly household, BTTF.

lemko

In Philly, you'd see the opposite. You'd see a brand new Lexus or E-Class parked in front of a falling down graffiti-scarred rowhouse.

andre1969

That house is huge...I always thought it was funny that they'd have that house, and drive a ten-plus-year-old DeSoto!

Maybe that's how they were able to afford the house...not blowing it on flashy new cars every couple of years! And yeah, I do remember Howard making some sort of comment, like "First DeSoto, now Studebaker..."

One line I remember from my childhood was when Marian said that they needed to have a talk with the birds and the bees with Joannie, Howard responded "Marian, this is Wisconsin...the birds and the bees are only out three months out of the year!" As a small kid, that actually made me want to move to Wisconsin, because I was afraid of bees! Of course, as an adult, I look back and realize they weren't talking literally...

I think what got me scared of bees as a kid was an old 1974 tv movie called "The Killer Bees". Found a Youtube clip of it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ePmdG8ReBU

Looks pretty bad, but I'm kinda curious to see it now. What a waste of a nice '65 Catalina, though. And what looks like about a '66 LeSabre?

Strangely, I actually remember that scene, from when I was a kid, as I recall, the movie came on at my bedtime, and Mom and Dad let me watch the first few minutes of it before going to bed. I remember the bees in the car and the crash, although I remembered it involving a Mustang. Probably getting that confused with "The Swarm" though, which had a picnicking family with a Mustang getting attacked towards the beginning.

fintail

That was too easy, I know

This one might be tougher - imagine an early 80s Rabbit and some dirty cars parked here:

fintail

Nice day here, a few old cars on the road - red and white 56 Nomad, 68-69 or so Eldo, 71 or so Nova, 67 or so Chevelle, a couple of decent looking W126s and an ok brown W116, and a mint looking 82-85 Supra.

fintail

No guesses?

Here's a snap from the movie, might help

lemko

Is that the segment of the Twilight Zone movie where the little boy could wish anything into existence? I recall the woman who stumbled upon this odd family had a VW Rabbit.

fintail

That's it! Always liked that movie and that chapter of it. I had long thought the house was a facade, as it looks kind of cartoony, but it actually exists.

Here's an easy one - imagine a 63 Impala, a big 69 Ford, a ~65 Olds F85, or a yellow Corvair Spyder parked here:

lemko

Made it too easy. That's the house from the Wonder Years. The Corvair was the older brother's car and Arnold got the Olds F85 form him grandfather when he could no longer drive. Later episodes show the car with Cragar wheels and a Chinese dragon on the sides for Arnold's job as a delivery boy for a Chinese restaurant. The 1969 Ford was the Dad's car.

fintail

Yep. The house is still identical to how it appeared in the show. That was one I watched form start to finish, as I guess Kevin was about my age during the duration of the series, and the timeframe was interesting.

Probably another easy one - imagine a 46 Ford where the Corolla is sitting: