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

scott1256

In Sioux Falls, S.D.

Absolutely mint later series (1965-67) 4 door Lincoln convertible. Red with white interior..... elegant.

At Bagel Boy there was a midnite blue Ferrari 456 GT parked in front. I have seen a few of the 328/348/360 series Ferraris here but this is the first big GT I have seen here in years.

Scott.

wimsey1

VW "bunny truck" yesterday, looked to be in good shape.

kyfdx

Two new GTOs... A red one owned by a co-worker and a silver one at the office building next door. These have been out for three months, and it is still the only two I have seen... Unless you count their twin.. the Chevy Cavalier. (I don't say that to my co-worker, who paid MSRP for his).

ghulet

....the other day I saw a mid-60s Ford Econoline van-based pickup trucks. Looked to be in pretty good shape. Those old vans scare me, though, as you're sitting right on top of the front wheels when you're driving.

fintail

I saw another Eagle Medallion today, but I am pretty sure it was actually the same one from yesterday, as it was even on the same street. So it's running two days in a row anyway

Someone at work has also turned up in a cleaner than average Merkur Scorpio

wimsey1

Saw a Silverado standard cab, short bed. Really looked strange, so short. I'm sure I haven't seen that combo in a while on a newer truck. It was parked behind an F-350 crew cab, long bed apparently to increase the contrast!

andre1969

to see that combination of pickup truck anymore! Another one you don't really see too much is the standard cab, 8-foot bed, which to me is the quintessential pickup! I guess people are buying trucks nowadays though to haul people more than cargo, and a full-sized pickup that could hold 6 people in comfort, with an 8 foot bed, is about 22 feet long!

wimsey1

I think most of the standard cab/long beds today are commercial use. The extended cab/crew cab pickup is probably todays "full-size sedan".
I always think of the short/short combination as the "farmers sports car".
Had a job where I occasionally drove a crew cab long bed. YOu really thought about where and how to turn that baby.

lemko

...my uncle had a 1967 Ford Econoline van. The engine sat right between the two front seats. My brother and I used to ride in it and the unlucky one had to sit on the metal engine cover.

VW had a pickup similar to the Econoline truck based on the Bus.

andre1969

to sit in one of those old 60's Dodge A-100 van/campers at the Carlisle PA Mopar show last year. It was a pretty cool ride, and might be fun for some retro-camping (although I think I'd want a '73-74 Travco 220 if I was gonna buy something like that). But gawd, the thing seemed like a death trap!

nolid5

I just spotted a 60's Dodge A-100 truck here in town in great shape. Funny looking just looks like it's dying to light up the rear tires

andys120

There's a Mopar for sale on a lawn near here, I think it's a '69 or so Roadrunner but except for a couple of black stripes the car has no badging visible in a driveby. It's a White H/T coupe with decent looking bodywork and paint.

ghulet

My grandpa had one of those A-100 van campers painted army green, not sure what model year, I vaguely remember riding in it when I was like 3 years old (1972).

fintail

It's time again

Another poorly done overpriced fake. Look at that dash! And the steering wheel straight out of a Ford truck! Maybe a worlds record for lack of attention to detail

Ah the Zimmer Quicksilver, which was described as a "neoclassic sports car". Guess what it is based on

This is cool in a bizarre way...a Sterling fitted with Rover badging

The Bitter...a weird mix of a Ferrari 412 and random strange details, with an unfortunate name

Couldn't have been many of these sold here

Beater Rolls

Not many of these beauties left

Very low mileage 57 DeSoto

Edsel Round Up..very rare, and I am sure it will be saved

Funny little Citroen

It's listed again...it wants Andre to buy it

Sharp looking fintail in need of some TLC. Cut the price in half and give it a good home

andys120

Hillman Minx's were fairly popular at one time ('60-'63) at least on the East Coast. A neighbor of mine had one.

I'd guess that it might have been just behiond Renault's Dauphine in the sales rankings for imported sedans in the early 60s (i.e. 3rd after the VW Bug and the Dauphine)

fintail

I've never seen one, but I am in the northwest

Very interesting 126

andys120

Mr_Shiftright

Actually the Dauphine outsold the VW bug for a few months around 1960 or so. Will wonders never cease? Had it been a better car than the VW (not that hard to do, really), the mind boggles as to Renault's fortunes in the USA.

Fiat 124---ah, he wants us to drive a Fiat 124 with Arabic writing on the doors? Is this a Death Wish or what?

Rolls Shadow/Beater ---the background in the photo says it all. I truly hope that whoever is bidding is looking for parts only. Anyone trying to return it to the road is in for the rudest of shocks. A routine brake job is $6,000 on these cars.

Fakey-Doo-Duesy (did y'all know that that's where the expression "It's a real Doozy", as in a "whopper", comes from? I guess we don't hear that used too much any more but occasionally).

Oh, well now, a replicar Duesenberg built on a 3/4 ton Ford truck chassis...oh, dear....the dashboard looks like a mutated Studebaker Hawk welded into an amusement part bumper car.

Hillman Minx -- always reminds me of 1930s gangster movie-talk, when the tough guy shakes his blonde girlfriend and screams "You little minx".

Anyway, the seller turned down $1,100 real American dollars, I'm sure to his eternal regret. This car is just about worthless today, especially with no brakes. The seller actually found THE ONE HUMAN being in America who wanted one and he turned him down. Tsk, tsk. Heck, I would have bought it for $400.

Here's one for Shiftright: What do you think boys? Worth a roll of the dice? Keep in mind that a nice one can sell for $25K-30K, and even more in Europe.

Genuine Alfa Sprint Veloce

andys120

I've always been a huge fan of the Alfa Bertone coupes and the Guilia Veloce is an especially nice one but it'd take a braver heart than mine to attempt to make something auto that heap, Shiftright.

fintail

I think a no-miles 560 SEL with armoring and North Korean provenance has to have something for freak value.

Those Alfas are pretty, but I like the c. 1955 Lancia Aurelia spyder more, if I wanted a little old Italian sportscar.

I remembered to take my camera with me, and saw a few interesting things while cruising in the fintail. I also learned it's not easy to get pics while driving.

Old Jag:

A big line of Porsches:

More Porsches lined up:

For Andre:

andre1969

in that pic with the Jag, I'm getting a mental picture of Tippi Hedren running down the street with a bunch of school children, being attacked by a flock of crows.

Hey, speaking of which, what kind of car did Tippi Hedren drive in "The Birds"? Wasn't it some kind of Aston Martin?

Only thing interesting I saw today, while I was over at my condo waiting for my appliances to be delivered, was a beat-up DeLorean that pulled into the townhouse community across the street, and then left again a few minutes later.

fintail

I think it was a DB2, yes.

More and more DeLoreans are sinking lower into the food chain.

andys120

That is rare.

I'm pretty sure Tippi's The Birds ride was a DB2, nice car.

Mr_Shiftright

I never liked her. I was rooting for the birds.

DELOREAN: Be afraid, be very afraid. Actually they are going up in value. Collectors are not always the wisest of people. You know, with a decent engine and some further development, it could have been a very mediocre car.

ALFA: Yes, it is a TASK, but Alfa parts are obtainable and you know, you just peck away at it and take your time. I figure statistically I have another 25 years to live at least. Lancia Aurelia Spiders are tres cool but parts can be a bear. Ever see the side curtains on those? They are SO complex and intricate it looks like it would take a team of fabricators, a machinist, a jeweler and $5,000 to remake them. And then there's the REST of the car!

I got this renewed bug for old Alfas when I stumbled on 44 of them lined up at a car show in town. All Giuliettas (roughly '54-64)and all DRIVERS--no trailer queens here. They were all off on a 500 miler. One drove from Mexico City.

Many folks aren't aware that these are sturdy little cars capable of long distance. They are sadly confused with Fiats, a car definitely a few rungs down on the ladder. Fun car to own and drive, highly recommended for one's "first" foreign car venture.

kyfdx

What is the little red car in the XM radio commercial? Where the guy drives it into his building and up to his desk. I think it looks like an Alfa, but I never get a good enough look to be sure. It reminds me of my old '67 BMW 2000cs.

regards,
kyfdx

andys120

the Bertone bodied coupe that I've always thought of as the essence of Alfa-Romeo.

javascript:Zoom('/features/0307ec_alfaromeos15_z.jpg',640,480)

kyfdx

Yeah..it is a great looking car.

regards,
kyfdx

fintail

What was with the DeLoreans that were painted? I remember a red DeLorean in the area where I grew up.

Are mint examples even approaching original MSRP? It'd be hard for me not to do a Back to the Future conversion if I had one.

I didn't think of Aurelia parts availability....sounds horrible. Maybe I will stick to fintails...I can still get a lot of stuff from the dealer even. Old Alfa Berlinas are cool though, especially 50s and 60s ones.

andys120

It didn't happen in Europe, he hit a house driving near his estate on Lawn Guyland!

http://www.nynewsday.com/entertainment/nyc-joel0216,0,473695.stor- y?coll=nyc-enthome-headlines

It so happens that my Mom's family has a long-standing connection to Bayville LI going back over 60 years. I have NEVER seen a Citroen there.

Just there last weekend for my uncle's 90th birthday!

kyfdx

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate- - gory=5356&item=2475896395&rd=1

The Alfa

wimsey1

Pete Egan did one of his epic cross country drives for R&T in one. The story, "Au Revoir Vittesse", was hilarious (as usual for that talented chap).

ateixeira

It's not Billy's fault, these houses keep jumping in his way...

Yank his license before he kills someone. Sheesh.

-juice

lemko

...but that fake Duesy has hood side pipes that neither attach to the exhaust manifolds nor to any supercharger. They're just hanging uselessly attached to some skinny metal bracket. If you look closely those are '70s Ford switches on the dashboard. I recognize them from my Dad's old 1972 LTD.

bhill2

I saw the story on a local news program in San Francisco. The talking head, with a picture of the car behind her, TWICE referred to it as a 'classic bug'. Uh, sweetie, count the doors.

Mr_Shiftright

Re: ALFA on EBay--- if that's "minor" rust I'd hate to see what his idea of "major" is. I guess if you lean on the car and fall through it?

Hmmm...rusty rockers and KM speedo...sounds very European market to me.

scscars

This past weekend was a good one for spotting the obscure. Saw a '67 Shelby GT-500 (looked and sounded authentic), an Aston Martin Vantage ('02 or '03) in "James Bond gray", a '69 Yenko S/C Camaro, which may have been a clone, since those are extremely rare and are usually stored away or brought out for special occasions, and a purple Chevrolet SSR.

As for the fake Duesenberg, there is someone who actually shows his fake Duesy at a classic car show in the western Chicago suburbs every Father's Day. The fake Duesy sticks out like a sore thumb when shown alongside real restored Packards, Pierce-Arrows, Lincolns and Cadillacs from the 20's and 30's.

As for Billy Joel, how in the world do you lose control of a Citroen "Deux Chevaux"? Are those even capable of going more than 50 MPH? After totaling two Mercedes-Benzes and a 2CV, what's next? Billy Joel Smashes Horse Into Side of Tool Shed!
:>)

lancerfixer

...a mid-80's Citroen. Don't know the model, but it was the large 5 door hatch with the fender skirts. Egad, but it was ugly. Seemed in good condition, though. It had Oregon plates, which indicates that the owner has far more faith in the vehicle than I would, particularly in the midwest. Did she know that there are no Citoen mechanics in, say, Alliance, Nebraska?

fintail

Saw one of those late Fiero GT coupes this morning. As is typical for old popup light cars, one light was up, one down.

bhill2

Never happen. A horse has more brains than that, even if Billy Joel doesn't.

andys120

In a yard, appeared to be in decent, possibly running shape. Trunk badge read "220SE". Also saw a nice 70's 280SE that was straight except for a bad crunch in rear bumper.

And a Comet Coupe with a hood scoop c. '66-'67.

bhill2

Holy nostalgia! Wben I was just a kid, one of my father's coworkers brought one of those back with him from Germany. I thought it was gorgeous. In fact, I still do.

fintail

220SE is a good fintail. When you say a yard, do you mean a junkyard or like a persons yard? And was the 280SE a coupe? Those are especially sought after.

You think fintails are gorgeous eh? Well...I'll have to show off mine, then

andys120

and the 220SE was the same color as yours Fin. Didn't get close enough to see what kind of shape it was in.

The 280SE swas a 4-dr.

scott1256

British Racing Green, yellow stripes - sassy looking in a muscular roller skate kind of way. Mr. Shiftright, Merc1 and others with wide experience: has anyone ever driven a Lotus 7 for any length of time? I never have - but hope to some day!

fintail

Wow...that color might count as "obscure" in itself...from what I know, under 5% of all fintails were made in it. Pretty rare when production on the 220SE was always around 10K units per year, for worldwide consumption.

wale_bate1

On Crow Canyon Rd. headed east this AM was a '72 or thereabouts 2-door 510. It wears a pristine turquoise paint job and sports a cage inside and some remarkably appropriate looking current wheels and tires.

Very nice, even if not original.

Mr_Shiftright

Lotus 7s are great fun but we are talking about very elementary motoring here. So it's not likely to lure you out of your modern coupe and would be totally absurd as an everyday car. But it's about as close to real "driving" as you are going to get, and after a few days in a 7, you might runthe risk of having to change your definition of a "sports car"; i.e., you'll be much more selective in how you use the term.

A really good driver in a 7 could give a lot of grief to cars with 4X the horsepower on a tight twisty course.

danf5

P-400 Miura. Not quite as attractive in the metal as in the comic books.

jaserb

BMW M Roadster - you know, the Z3 on steroids - in banana yellow with a navy blue top, being driven by a sedate looking older couple. Yes, the color scheme was as bad as you might imagine.

Also saw a new T-bird in the limited edition coral pink color Halle Berry drove in that Bond flick. Personalized plate said BOND342 or something. It also had a white hardtop with a silly looking porthole window. I think Mary Kay should have bought out the whole lot of these things.

The worst part? Both had their tops up on one of the 8-10 truly perfect ragtop days we get in a year.

-Jason

andys120

that look better than a Miura. I could count them on the fingers of one hand and have three or four leftover.

I prolly haven't seen one in 20 years but I remember it well.