Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
This weekend, a few old Honda's in good shape. A flip headlight white Accord LXI coupe.
Not much rust and only leaned to the left a bit.
A silver Civic DX hatch, looked new, driven by an old lady.
A gen 1 CR-V, but that's all I can remember about it.
One thing I have noticed lately is that there are a lots of cars sitting driveways/yards that have not been driven in a while.
We haven't had snow in a while, but I see lots of cars with snow still on them.
If you like old Hondas, just come to Seattle. They all came here, and they all survived.
Saw a brown MB W116 out in the rain today, I suspect it was a diesel.
Saw a real oddity today, a Renault 4CV, out in the heavy mist in downtown Bellevue. Also an ubiquitous popup lights Accord.
Love the 4CV, and yes, it is extremely rare.
This one was obviously restored, kind of a pastel light grey color - and had French plates along with local plates. Out in the rain, I wonder if by accident. I suppose on 30mph roads, it will be fine.
you can get incredible gas mileage with a 4CV....40 +
My father worked with a woman who had a 4CV with a magnetic clutch. I can't remember what it was called, but it apparently de-clutched when you touched the shifter and released when you released it after shifting. He said it took some getting used to.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Never saw one in a 4CV, only a Dauphine.
This was a 4CV for sure. I know what a Dauphine looked like; my best friend's parents bought one in the day, and the father rather enjoyed it until he had one of the gears in the transmission peel off the shaft like the rind off an orange and fall onto road in front of their house.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
I think I posted a CL link to this same car back in November in the project car topic. Now it's back and with more pics which show that it's probably not a 1973 Buick at all. Square headlights might date this a '75 model or maybe later? Seems like a decent old battleship but the seller wants $8k.
Anyone able to pin down the model year on this one?
But it's a "Rare, Historic, CLASSIC"! Gotta be worth twice that, right???
That's either a '75 or '76, but I can't pinpoint it more specifically than that.
It's a '76. The '75 and '76 are close, but the '75 is, IMO, a bit more heavy-handed. The turn signals are in the bumper, and the grille has extensions that go out under the headlights. The '75 grille isn't as tall overall as the '76, but seems heavier and more garish, IMO.
Personally, I think the '76 is really nice looking car. I wouldn't mind having a nicely decked out 4-door hardtop. Heck, I could even handle the '75. But I'm not gonna pay that kind of money for one unless it's absolutely primo. To be fair though, that '76 might look pretty nice. Just hard to tell from those pics.
For comparison, here's a 1975:
Buick seller seems to be a few grand too optimistic, at least.
Saw a W140 500SEL today, so 1992-93. As these had guaranteed wiring issues, the car is either on borrowed time, or has received TLC.
Saw a nice later Bronco II today, a red mid 80s Supra, and an earlier GM B-body, probably a Buick or Olds - was too far away and moving fast enough to make it hard to tell.
'69 El Camino SS 396, red with black vinyl roof, bed rails, correct wheels.
A red Toyota MR2 in the lot at work. I always liked those little things.
Two old Hondas - a popup lights Accord and a pristine looking first gen Accord 2 door, blue. Also an SSR and an XLR.
Truth about cars has this weird and fascinating article section called junkyard finds. Here's a 1981 Aries K wagon, with high rez photos:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/02/junkyard-find-1981-dodge-aries-station-wagon/
I am not a TTAC participator, but Murilee Martin's junkyard work gets me to check it out on a weekly basis. Very cool stuff. He used to write for Jalopnik, posting pics of odd cars discovered around Alameda.
@benjaminh said:
Never seen one in that color green before. That mint green also showed up on Ford products of the era.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Hopefully they'll leave it there.
No love for an ugly, underpowered beat up wagon?
.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
It has exceeded the boundaries of my usual vast and overreaching compassion, yes.
Out in the rain this evening saw a big ~73 Cougar (the kind with rear buttresses) and a 65 Galaxie 2 door HT that apparently ran out of gas, as it was stopped in a middle turn lane and gas was being poured into it.
I like the '65 Galaxie 500, even though a car mag at the time said the "Ford looks like the box the '65 Chevy came in!". I know you had a '66 Galaxie 500, but I always thought the '66 sort-of looked like a '65 that had gained a few pounds. Similar, but chunkier. Not quite as boxy though.
The color on that "Hemi" wagon is called Light Seaspray Green Metallic. It shows up in this brochure for a 1981 Dodge LeBaron
And yep, you read that right...DODGE LeBaron! The last page of the brochure says "Chrysler International, S.A., which I guess would be either South Africa or South America?
I'm pretty sure that color was NOT offered in the United States. At least, not in 1981. I have a 1981 St. Regis brochure, and it doesn't show any type of green. However, the R-body was only offered for something like half of the 1981 model year, and since Chrysler was phasing them out, they probably limited color choices to save money. After all, a green exterior usually demands a green interior, so by dropping green as a choice, they would have saved some money on manufacturing those parts.
Now that I think about it, I don't think I've seen an '80-83 Cordoba/Mirada in green, either. Or an M-body (LeBaron/Diplomat/'82+ Gran Fury) after the 1980 refresh. In 1979, Chrysler offered a light teal frost metallic, as well as a dark teal frost metallic, and you could get it in a two-tone. It was somewhat common that year. According to the 1980 brochure, it was available in the Diplomat at least, but I think it fell out of favor pretty quickly. IMO it's a very tasteful combination. There used to be a '79 St. Regis in the two-tone running around locally. Coincidentally, it showed up for sale, parked on the street near my condo, a couple days after I bought my '79 5th Ave. I thought that was really odd, as it didn't "live" in my town, but the next town over, where I used to deliver pizzas. Almost as if it followed me home, to taunt me...
I used to own the late 1980s sequel to this "luxury sedan"....
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/12/junkyard-find-1964-oldsmobile-ninety-eight-luxury-sedan/
I am the reverse - I always thought the '65 Ford looked too boxy and was unattractive, while the '66 refresh looked much improved.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Back in 1980 or so the wife of my boss at the time wanted to buy a Chrysler to help keep the company alive - seriously (the company also bought a Dodge van that year for its service dept, for the same reason). She ended up with a new style Cordoba which I could have sworn was a light metallic green, but looking at the brochure, it wasn't offered. I am guessing that it was one of the grays they list there.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Lotta good pieces on that old thing! Someone should grab them.
I wonder if that Seaspray Green was offered on Cordobas and Miradas in Canada, but not the US? FWIW, I just pulled some brochures online at oldcarbrochures.com. For 1981, the LeBaron shows Seaspray Green, but the Cordoba and Newport/New Yorker don't. The Imperial brochure for that year is the Canadian brochure, and it shows it.
Regarding that '64 Ninety-Eight...I always heard of the "LS" (Luxury Sedan), but were there more than one Ninety-Eight model in '64? I guess I could google it; too lazy! LOL That seat and its luxury features are very Cadillac-like--I mean, even Fleetwood-like. Could you get a '64 Ninety-Eight in a six-window pillared style like that year's Buick Electra 225? I don't know that I've ever seen one if so-offered.
I like the 66 more, maybe because one was my first car, but the subtle curves on the 66 look better, to my eyes. The concave rear glass on the HT is a nice unique touch,too.
That 64 Olds is pretty sad, I hope some of those decent looking parts escaped the crusher. The pitfall of a car that isn't worth a lot even when mint - sound non-runners are worth scrap value.
I remember when I went to school, there was an old guy I'd always see driving around the area in a 66 98 "Luxury Sedan", like this:
I just looked it up in my old car book. Looks like the '64 Ninety-Eight sedan offerings were as follows:
Town Sedan, $3993, 11390 built
Holiday Sports Sedan hardtop, $4265, 24791 built
Luxury Hardtop Sedan, $4342, 17346 built
It doesn't mention anything about a 4W versus 6W body style though. I did some googling though, and have found a few pics of 4W styles. Also, looking at the '64 Olds brochure, the Luxury Sedan (LS) that they show is a 6W model, while the Holiday Sport Sedan is a 4W, with the thicker C-pillar. They don't show a Town Sedan. Was the Ninety-Eight still offered as a pillared sedan by then, I wonder?
FWIW, those prices included Hydramatic transmission, power steering/brakes, power windows, and even a power seat on the Holiday and LS models. Lotta car for the money, IMO. I remember spec'ing out my '57 DeSoto once, and as equipped, it probably MSRP'ed for around $3800. Its base price was something like $3085 (Firedome hardtop coupe) but automatic, power steering/brakes, even a heater were all options. And a Ninety-Eight was a more prestigious car, as a '57 Firedome would probably equate more to a Buick LeSabre, or whatever Olds was the "step up" 88 model (I always lose track with those Dynamic, Super, Delmont, Delta, et al...)
Had a great day out today - we took a drive across London to Brooklands, the famous pre WW1 banked race track in Surrey. It was closed at the outbreak of WW2 as it was used to make aircraft - indeed having extended the runway which entailed chopping up the banked sections of track, they made hundreds of fairly large aircraft there during the war including Wellington bombers. After the war they made Vickers airliners there including the Viscount, Vanguard and VC10 - examples of all of which are preserved in the grounds.
There is also a bus museum for old London Transport vehicles - some dating back to the twenties - but the most significant section is the Broklands museum itself which has a wide range of old racing cars, and other interesting bits and pieces - there was also a car show for Austin and Morris vehicles there today.
Apart from loads of Morris Minors and Austin Sevens as you would expect, there were quite a number of rarer motors including some I haven't seen for ages.
We weren't able to take the Magnette, as it is still away being rebuilt - the welding is well under way now and then the car will be resprayed in an original colour, (it was painted something non-original back in 1973, so that will be an improvement) and I hope to have it back in about four weeks.
We drove right across central London twice today as a result, and this is a pleasant weekend I was amazed how many old cars of all descriptions we saw.
Just on the road, a circa 1960 Alfa Guilietta Coupe, Porsche 356, a mid sixties Benz 220SE, even an FSO Polonez.
More details later as I can hear the clatter of teacups...
In my opinion, the '65 full-size GM's were a masterful redesign, across the divisions. I like most all of 'em. The '64 Olds still has vestiges of fins! I guess Cadillac did too though. The '66 full-size GM's were of course similar to the '65's, but I think most of them weren't just as pretty overall. I think back then, generally, not always, the first year styling was the best, then the next year or two, styling got changed just to change something for model-year identification.
I spotted a nice dark blue Mercedes W108 on Huntington Pike just outside of NE Philly this afternoon.
220SE fintail? I saw one of those today too, mine
Speaking of British, I saw a couple goodies today. I went to tinker with the fintail, which lives in a rented underground garage not far from where I live. About a dozen other old cars live there. After going for a little drive, I returned, and another tenant was working on his cars. He has a 67 RR Shadow, a 77 Lotus Esprit, and a late 70s 911SC - owner is maybe around 50, so the latter cars are probably childhood dream cars. The Shadow was excellent and well preserved - local car since new (original price - 17K), he bought it with a recent top end and hydraulic system rebuild - black on "mushroom", I think. Everything works, and attractive as an early model with chrome bumpers and cleaner trim. He started it and lifted the hood for me, smooth as velvet. I really liked what I saw...but maintenance scares me a little.
1965 might have been the best ever all around year for the Big 3. I don't think there was a bad choice to be had that year. Really, probably one of the best years to be a new car shopper in general - huge variety, and many excellent cars to choose from.
.... FWIW, those prices included Hydramatic transmission, power steering/brakes, power windows, and even a power seat on the Holiday and LS models. Lotta car for the money.....
I really enjoy the detailed write ups from you and others.
When I was a kid, my family was close to my great Uncle, who was a rancher in Northern California, south of Eureka. Anyway, he was a big man, both physically and in terms of his personality. My hands are slightly larger than average, but when I shook hands with him as a kid I remember that my hand seemed like a little mouse in his huge callused paw. Once he said, "Well, I'm going to go out and get the Cat!" I remember wondering why he was making such a big deal about a kitty, but then I walked out and saw him riding a giant Caterpillar tractor. He let me up with him. Now that was a fun ride....
Anyway, he could afford any American car he wanted, included a Cadillac. But he told us he'd met some people in his life who owned Cadillacs, and usually he didn't care for them. And so, instead, he bought brand new Oldsmobile 98s loaded with options. Honestly, those cars were pretty close to a Caddy imho. I remember he had a 1972 Olds 98, and we were riding around in it with the amazing GM AC of those eras at full blast. Even the back doors had lights, ashtrays, lighters, cushions, cloth, etc. Coming from our very spartan 1969 VW Bus, it was total luxury....That's probably why I bought one in the late 90s.
Sorry - meant to come back earlier.
No, the Merc wasn't a Fintail, it was a W111 pillarless coupe.
Your neighbour must like garage bills with that lot - especially the Lotus..
Also followed a Rover P6 for a few miles, and saw a RR Silver Cloud III coming the other way - plus got passed by a couple of Caterhams and a new Morgan 3-wheeler, which looked fun (although I wouldn't be able to fit in one of those, I am afraid)
In Brooklands itself, their museum has some cars I've always wanted to see - the Napier-Railton racer which holds the track record, the Parry Thomas Leyland 8 special Land Speed Record contender 'Babs' (which killed him and was buried in a Welsh beach for 40 years), and best of all as far as I am concerned was the Rytecraft Scootacar which some chap drove around the world in 1965/6 - this was built in about 1937, had a 98cc engine, resembled a dodgem car, and had a top speed of 15mph - I've known about that car since I was a kid but had never seen it.
Also the car show had several wedge shaped Princess 18-22 series cars - five in total, which must be a record now as they are virtually extinct, together with an Austin A135 saloon (not a limo), two Morris MS Six cars which again is so rare, and numerous special body pre-war Austins - never quite sure about nomenclature there.
Good day out really - even a preserved Concorde (one of those instances where it is not possible to do something now we could do twelve years ago, given a reasonable amount of money -I don't imagine I'll ever fly supersonic).
Anyway, he could afford any American car he wanted, included a Cadillac. But he told us he'd met some people in his life who owned Cadillacs, and usually he didn't care for them. And so, instead, he bought brand new Oldsmobile 98s loaded with options. Honestly, those cars were pretty close to a Caddy imho.
My Granddad had an old Ferguson farm tractor that dated to around 1947 or 1948. I remember as a little kid, he used to let me ride on his lap. Probably dangerous as hell, and might get a call from Child Protective Services these days, but it sure was fun back then!
Granddad was pretty much a Chevy man, but the last new car he and Granddad bought was their '85 LeSabre. In many ways, it was probably better than a Caddy that year, as it had the tough Olds 307, whereas the Caddies were still using those little aluminum 249 V-8's that were unreliable, and just too overmatched in a big car. That LeSabre was a Limited Collector's Edition, so it had the same interior that a 1984 Electra would have had, I believe...thick loose-pillow velour seats, thick, high quality carpeting, the somewhat tacky looking fake woodgrain on the upper door panels, etc. A Caddy would've had a bigger back seat, but that's about it.
For the most part, I tended to prefer the Olds Ninety-Eight and Buick Electra to the Caddies, throughout the 70's and up through 1984. They could be every bit as luxurious, but IMO were a bit more understated. If I was to get one of the biggest of the big, I think I'd go for a '76 Electra 4-door hardtop. The '74 Olds Ninety-Eight also catches my eye, for some reason. I think it might be because it's cleanly styled, not really in-your-face flashy, yet still has a substantial, luxurious look to it.
Someone with a 70s Lotus and a Shadow must like the feeling of pain. He claimed the RR hasn't been bad, but he bought it only 2 years ago, after work had been done. The Lotus seems to always have a puddle under it, which isn't surprising. Both cars were in very nice cosmetic condition anyway.
Funny about the Princess mention - they are so terrible, I kind of like them, as one of the best pieces of BL kitsch. They are that rare now? I remember TG destroying one on a BL challenge several years ago. The climate and inspection culture in the UK seems to make old cars more rare than here, I know some people there track how many cars are registered, and some cars are "sole survivors" - in NA, with dozens of unconnected agencies handling registrations, and some climates easy on cars, nobody does likewise.
I remember looking at the Concorde at Sinsheim, something not to forget, as like you say, it won't be repeated.
NEVER park next to a Lotus in a garage, unless you drive an asbestos car.
That brings back memories. My grandfather had a '66 Delta 88 that he owned for 15 years until he died; then my Grandmother drove it another 15 years until it just got too big for her. For driving I remember the huge engine (400, I think). But what really brings back the memories is that A/C switch array, with the chrome plated push buttons. Turn on the A/C in that car and you would freeze, even in East Texas, even in the summer.
Luckily, it is some distance from other cars. The owner told me he disconnects the battery when parked - he must know.
Going through my pics, I found a pic of it from when I first moved in there, before the fintail had new tires. It's the wedge under a cover, with a nice spot underneath:
So, is that storage garage in Bellevue? What do they charge you and is it secure?
Yes it's in Bellevue, and secure. $75/month, which is a deal, and I hope I can keep it for awhile.
Speaking of that garage, the 64 Bonneville and ~71 Toronado that showed up last year maybe haven't moved since the summer. The Avanti and Lincoln that another guy has also seem to never move. There's also a 94-96 Impala there under a nice layer of dust.