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

lancerfixer

On the showroom floor among all the vintage chromemobiles was a 1972 Honda 600 coupe. I'd never seen one before in person. I almost tripped over it. Criminy, but it was small.

andys120

a motorized roller skate. I once rode shotgun in one that belonged to a buddy during a TSD Rally.
It was smaller than an original Mini 850.

fintail

That Lancia looks really nice to me...if mint and roadable certainly worth a few grand. But it isn't, and it can't have much collectibility even back in the home country. The reserve better not be more than a grand.

I've never seen a 6 door fintail, to be honest. I am aware of the LWB conversions done on W110 200 and 230 cars Like this , but never a 6 door. I wonder who did the conversion, I doubt it is a factory job. And the dual sunroofs are very very cool. That's a fintail collectors dream, up there with a 111 Universal or a 112 300SE LWB I am sure.

That 560 being SWB is exactly what makes it scarce. Every V8 126 sold in NA was a LWB car, I believe. Even in Germany, that car is rare. I find production of about 1200 units for the entire 560SE model run.

There's a guy in my town who has a Honda 600 and drives it regularly. It's orange, as most were it seems.

andys120

my buddy's, seem to have been the only colors.

scscars

In 1972, a friend of mine briefly owned a Honda 600. It was olive green and riding in it was like being carted around in an enclosed go-kart, only not quite as fast. This little green machine met its maker when it was rear-ended. Luckily, the car was parked and my buddy was nowhere near when the accident happened. His replacement wheels were far better--a burgundy '72 Datsun 240-Z. Sweet!

Some interesting sightings this weekend. Saw a black '71 Mercedes 280 SE in excellent condition. Paint and interior were immaculate, and I'm curious as to the condition of the engine. The owner also installed chrome exhaust tips.

Also saw a late 1980's Maserati 4-door. Were these called "Quattroporte" also? It looked to be in good shape and has probably been pampered over the years.

I parked next to a '76 Olds Cutlass Supreme sedan at the grocery store that had been painted metallic Royal Blue. The owner seemed to be going for a street rod effect with 17" wire rims and low profile tires. Maybe MTV "pimped his ride."

Mr_Shiftright

ZBROJOVKA: Says here the Zbrojovka was made in Czechoslovakia 1927-1936. Seems like they were all two=strokes of varying sizes, from 900cc twins through 1490cc 4 cylinders to a supercharged 8 cylinder two-stroke! The next meeting of the Zbrojovka club will be Tuesday evening.

LANCIA: Ewww....Car is near-worthless, even in good shape. Junk-o automobile this type of Lancia. Don't even THINK about buying one is my advice.

Pierce-Arrow: Very hot marque right now. People are slowly waking up to the high quality of this brand. I see the reserve was easily met, and I'm not surprised, even though it is a sedan.

CORD: Geez, that's a long row to hoe, that car, all butchered up as it is. Very few collectors want a "bitsa" car, made out of bitsa this and bitsa that. If it were cheap enough I'd be more inclined to put the Ford V8 back in it. It would certainly be more reliable. Cord's FWD was a real bear to keep together, and still is.

MULTIPLA: Neat little car. I like the part where he says it can be restored for "3,000 easy". Maybe with a spray can, bondo and latex paint? I figure $12,000 to make it decent and run right, IF you do some of the labor yourself. Fun project though, if you scrounge for stuff and take your time. Not a difficult car to do up right.

STRETCH FINTAIL: Seen pictures but never a real one. I wonder if Benz did it or they were coachbuilt elsewhere like the stationwagons? My German is rusty.

FIGARO: Neat little Japanese micro car. I'd love to have one! 4,000 English pounds though--that sounds like plenty for something you will never get a part for.

wimsey1

Funny, I never thought the new T-bird really looked tons like it's ancestors. But it sure looks a good bit like a stretched Figaro! LOL!

Even at 20yrs old the Citroen DS was the most radical looking car on the road, wow.

Saw a nice bronze 280Z today, looked to be good original condition except for "hero boy" wheels & sneakers.

Glad the Apollo is appreciated, it sounds like it was a good car. Saw a note in a book that it was the car the badguys drove in "The Lovebug". Cool.

wimsey1

Great Scott! An Echidna, the pride of Hibbing, MN if I remember correctly. Had no idea there were any extant. Double extra cool.

stormdavy

Probably early 90s. Maybe not so rare, but an amazing example of how we're in a totally different styling era a mere 10-12 years later.

Low beltline, open airy greenhouse, boxy rectangular lines throughout, yet on its own an attractive, well-proportioned package.

fintail

That fintail went for over 13K Euro, that's quite a bit...probably the most expensive actual sale price I have seen on a fintail. The ad just talks about condition, no mention of who made the car.

andys120

at Fantasy Junction, WOW! I just downloaded the Alfa Giulia GT to my wallpaper.

I could look at that car all day.

Mr_Shiftright

Who wants a videotape of 50s car commercials? Or should we just give it to Andre outright?

First e-mail or e-mail nomination to me gets it!
But you MUST promise to report back and review the tape for all of us, briefly. OKAY?

Shifty

wimsey1

it will give joy there, I won't get much from it I suspect.

bhill2

I was sitting in a restaurant in Sonoma, CA and saw a Muntz Jet go by. An almost electric blue. Top down in the warm California sun. Actually, there may have been a meet of some kind, because I also saw an old Woody (from the '40s somewhere) that was in beautiful shape.

andre1969

I'd definitely get a kick out of something like that! A few years back, a buddy of mine had a video that had a bunch of old commercials...some from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. The main ones I remember were a Chevy truck commercial where they were singing "Champs of the Alcan Run", Some little foreign car that had both a "city" horn and a "country" horn, and the 1968 "Plymouth win you over beat goes on".

lancerfixer

...would have been the Renault Dauphine, and I believe that commercial was from 1958. Don't ask me where I saw it; I think it was on a TV Land Retro-mercial or the old commercials Speedvision used to run late at night.

andre1969

Thanks, Lancer. I knew it was a car name that I should have been able to remember. But dangit, they've been making me do WORK today (for a change ;-) so my mind's a little frazzled...

ghulet

I can't remember what they're called or even where they are, but I do remember one of the commercials depicted a '64 Buick Wildcat convertible, driven by a caucasian 'cowboy' through a desert, being chased by a group of presumably Mexican thugish looking bandit-types. It was so offensive it was hysterical.

OK, before I get this post deleted completely, on my little junket to the grocery store, I saw a Jeep Scrambler and a mid-70s Pontiac Ventura coupe (the Nova derivative). Nothing too exciting, but more than I usually see when driving four blocks away.

bhill2

Good memory, lancerfixer. Now, for all of you out there as twisted as I am, who can remember the jingle that Renault used? Hint: It began "Renault Dauphine / The experts all agree / ....".

Mr_Shiftright

Okay Andre, send me your address by e-mail!

lancerfixer

"...it sucks and should be pulled from the US market?" :-)
I just remember the announcer pronouncing it "Ren-alt," instead of something approaching "ren'au."

fintail

"Vehicle Condition - Relic". Excellent Fixer-upper opportunity....

wimsey1

no that can't be it. I remember Dad's Dauphine sitting up on blocks with it's swing axles drooping. Got caught in a flood on our farm, never got fixed. How do you tell when an old Renault is repaired? It seems to be a rather ephemeral state. That went double for my brother's 17 Gordini.

A Muntz Jet, that is phenomenal. An ugly cool car if ever there was one. Actually just the grill was really nasty. One of Frank Kurtis' orphans I think. So who is going to see a Cunnigham C-3 and really rub it in.

Pretty good day for our little cow town.
A Diahatsu Rocky, a Model A Ford Fordor, and a Checker Marathon.

andre1969

Hey, your email address is showing up as "Private", though. So if you want, hit me at jgandrew@hotmail.com.

Thanks!!

ateixeira

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4290819759&p=4173957645- &idx=10

Requires registration to view.

230SL, body straight, some dings on door, tired window shades, slight sag to the rear suspension. Otherwise very clean. Looked repainted recently.

It was quiet. What engine is in there.

-juice

fintail

230SL is a 2.3L inline 6 with mechanical FI, certainly dating from 64-66. It must have been in decent shape mechanically, as those engines can get clattery with age. The pic you post has black looking hubcaps on a red car. Either the caps or the body color is wrong.

ateixeira

It was silent, must have been running very well. Is it really a '64-66? Wow. I was thinking early 70s.

-juice

fintail

If it is coasting it can be quiet...my fintail has a very similar engine and it can play tricks like that.

On that bodystyle/chassis (W113) the 230SL was made from model years 64-66 I believe, then the 250SL in 67-68, with the 280SL from 69-71.

Mr_Shiftright

230SLs aren't as popular with collectors as the 280s because power is down and trim level is a bit spartan. You can pick up a ratty 230SL pretty cheap because they cost a gazillion dollars to restore. If you got a stickshift 230SL it wouldn't be too slow--marginally acceptable.

Engines are good but you have to watch for erosion of the cylinder head mating surface on older cars. Build quality is fabulous compared to similar British or Italian roadsters of the era.

thanks Andre for the alert about my e-mail. Gotta fix that!

Shifty

ateixeira

Can't confirm but his was probably an auto, because I didn't see him shifting, and we were creeping along in traffic.

I just liked how simple it looked, very clean styling.

-juice

bhill2

For wimsey1 and anyone else (all 1 or 2) who may be interested, the entire Renault Dauphine jingle was "Renault Dauphine / The experts all agree / From coast to coast / From east to west / You get a lot more car for less". My friend's father had one, so naturally I changed the last lines to "... / From coast to coast / From shore to shore / You get a lot less car for more". He seemed to appreciate the alteration.

fintail

Those SLs do have classic lines, and you can pick up a reasonable example for a fair price.

magnetophone

Dauphine means princess!

kyfdx

Isuzu Vehicross.. gray and black.. weird

Chevy Nova..'76 or '77 I think.. the one that looks like a sedan, but is actually a big hatchback. Muscle car tires in the back.

wimsey1

Pretty soon any Isuzu will be obscure. :-D

lancerfixer

Matt, welcome back! Wondered where you'd slunk off to.

Mr_Shiftright

'58 T-Bird convertible...getting kinda rare. Can't say it is an attractive car, but you certainly know one when you see it.

andys120

scanty

I spotted a new VW Phaeton. I have only one question. Why?

scott1256

I also have seen some of the Premium T-Birds lately.......some of the colors look great.

I prophesied that these cars would not hold their value but it looks like I was wrong, especially on the Premium s. Not many (or any) T-Bird bargains out there.

Cheers, Scott.

lancerfixer

Now here's a rare-ish bird.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate- - gory=5336&item=2477420430&rd=1

I've always had a soft spot for Acuras; the first "real" car I bought when I was a 19-year old E-3 in Denver was an '89 Integra, which was replaced by a '92 Integra a year later. I really miss those cars; best sporting bang for the buck at the time (1994.) When I got stationed in Rapid City, I watched a '92 Legend coupe languish on the Honda dealer's lot unnoticed for the better part of a year. Price was a bit steep for a senior airman, so I contented myself with the Integra (which I could barely afford anyway) and would look over the Legend on the occasional Sunday when the dealer was closed.

magnetophone

lancerfixer, England is where I slunked off to. And I don't even think about cars that much anymore, isn't that funny?

Peugeot 206CC's are really nice though.

andre1969

that second-gen Legend never did it for me, but (and I'm probably in the minority here) I loved the first-gen coupe! Now that it's aged somewhat, and the Legend went on to fade into obscurity as the RL, I can appreciate those 2nd-gen models more, but I think the first is still my fave!

kyfdx

I almost bought a year old ('89) GEN I coupe, back in '90, but decided on an '84 911 Targa instead. Actually paid about a grand less for the Porsche.. The choice was.... Acura for new everyday car, or keep my '82 Accord hatchback (no air) and get the Porsche... I never regretted it.

regards,
kyfdx

P.S.: Porsche is gone now, but I do have a GEN II Legend sedan.
'92 model with only 36K miles.. It was my aunt's car.

wimsey1

late 60's Plymouth Sport Fury convertible.
Blue (light) with white top & interior. Looks straight and has little/no rust. Faded original paint. Little badge on front says "Commando V-8".
I believe I could almost park the Miata on the trunklid. ;-) It's a Sled alright.

andre1969

I liked those big Furys up through the squared-off '68 style, but didn't really care for the big Mopars when they went to that "fuselage" style for '69. Still, I thought some of those models were good looking, and some of the Furys had hidden headlights, which I thought were cool. Sounds like a pretty sharp color combination!

jrosasmc

I just saw a clean '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited an hour ago. Grand Cherokees may be a dime a dozen in the Northeast, but these 5.9s seem to be rare, as I almost never see one, on the road or for sale, and when they are being sold the owners always ask premium prices for them.

Andre, correct me if I'm wrong, but is the 5.9 in those '98 Limiteds basically the old workhorse 360?

wimsey1

I'm not sure which of the Furies I have here. Looks pretty square to me, but I might be measuring against E-types! I'd have to see pics to compare, have any?
Regards.

seminole_kev

saw a Jeep Comanchee (last style they made of it)pickup in need of a new paint job. Always liked those for some reason. Don't see many of them these days (or really when the sold them either!)

wimsey1

Saw a Comanche yesterday. I also saw an earlier J4000 fullsize Jeep pickup on Tuesday.