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

Mr_Shiftright

There was a 1960 Ford color called "Palm Springs Rose". Not sure what that looks like though. No Orchid Gray listed for that year, near as I've found.

andre1969

I googled "Palm Springs Rose 1960 Ford" and this is one of the pics that came up...


It's a '61 and not a '60, but Ford offered that color both years. Of course, color will vary from picture to picture, especially online, but in the paint chart, "Palm Springs Rose" looks like a very pale creamy pink to me. And yeah, closest I can see to that lavender '60 is the Orchid Gray. Here is is from a sales brochure...

jwilliams2

Thanks for posting that, Andre. Thought my memory might be slipping. You know what they say, when you're in your 70's, the second thing to go is the memory, and I can't remember the first!

andre1969

Yeah, I'm right there with ya on slipping memory! For some reason, I seem to remember DeSoto offering a pale purple/lavender color around that time, but searched the paint charts and couldn't find anything. The closest I could find was a "Bradenton Blue", which I think was one of those "Spring Special" colors, and may have only been offered on the Seville trim levels. Here's a pic...


It's actually a pale blue, but in certain lights (and monitor settings), it seems to have sort of a washed-out purple to it.

Mr_Shiftright

I have to say I also recall some kind of lavender color on 60s era Fords.

imidazol97

Here's a color wheel of the 1960 colors. At least this would be for the beginning of the model year when they print the brochures.

I misread the orchid gray as Oxford gray.

imidazol97

Car was behind me and I thought it was an old Jaguar because I could see the two eyebrows over the single headlights. He finally passed, but I didn't recognize the car.

andre1969

I think that is a Jag, XJ-S. At least, from the concave rear window area it looks like one. They made that style for a long time, so there were some changes over the years. I think earlier ones had the taller, smaller taillights at the outer edges while the later models had those full-width taillights.

You mentioned single headlights, which threw me off a bit as I always remembered these as having quad headlights. But, the later models had composite headlights, stuck in where the quads would have gone...they were oval shaped, and a bit odd looking to me...

texases

Yep, looks like one of these:

stickguy

Definitely a late run XJ-S. Rare bird.

berri

Seems to me there is a 63 or 64 Olds 88 in the Hemming's ads sometimes that is one of those lavender type colors, but I could be wrong. I definitely remember that a kid in high school bought a used 57 Cadillac in a lavender color (or maybe it visited Earl Scheib ).

uplanderguy

I like that color. The latest use of a color like that on an American car that I can remember, was on the 1965 GM line. Chevy called it 'Evening Orchid' and Pontiac, 'Iris Mist'. Not sure about Olds and Buick.

Here's a gorgeous Corvair Corsa in that color:

https://www.corvaircorsa.com/brochur2.html

I think if I wasn't into Studebakers, I'd be into second-gen Corvairs next.

fintail

I saw that blue 80s GM sedan again today - it's a Somerset.

Studebakers and 2nd gen Corvairs, I think uplanderguy likes European style cars

Mr_Shiftright

Mostly rare due to low survival rate. They made over 115,000 of them--about as many as a 1967 Mercury Cougar, which you see a fair number of.

berri

I always liked the second gen Corvair. But I kind of kept it to myself while they were out because back in it's day many in the Chicago suburbs at least seemed to consider it "girly", like the early Beatles albums. It was a good car for the wife. I wonder if that plays into it's low survival rate? Today though, I think many consider it a very clean and attractively styled vehicle for the mid to late sixties. Times change, or people mellow I suppose!

hpmctorque

stickguy said:

Definitely a late run XJ-S. Rare bird.

That dark blue Jag looks like a Euro trim model to me, because of the modest application of chrome, although that's just a guess. The ones I see on North American roads seem to have more bright bits, like the green convert. . Does someone that's more knowledgeable regarding XJ-Ses than I am know whether I'm correct?
It's also possible thatte bright pieces are de-emphasized by the angle of the photo.

In any event, the lines are attractive.

fintail

Yep, a late run/facelift model. In the US, I think these are 1992-96.

texases said:

Yep, looks like one of these:

roadburner

That's the car that cut me off on an on-ramp a few years ago- driven by Mr. Combover Goldchains with his blonde hooker escort/bimbo/trophy wife riding shotgun. Once on the interstate he would speed up every time I tried to pass him so I stayed behind him while he was driving a tick over 80 mph. After a while the XJ-S began to smoke and I smelled antifreeze, but Goldchains kept his foot in it. I couldn't resist; I attempted to pass him again in order to coax him up to 90, IIRC. After a couple of minutes something in the cooling system let go in a rather spectacular fashion and the XJ-S hobbled to the emergency strip. My windshield was covered with a film of coolant but it was more than worth it.

uplanderguy

Studebakers and 2nd gen Corvairs, I think uplanderguy likes European style cars

I like domestics, but I do like offbeat and low-production stuff.

Funny for a guy whose parents had Impalas.

uplanderguy

Imidazol, the wife and I are going to be down your general way, though not real close, Sat. I'm interested in Warren G. Harding, the prez with the shortest administration in the 20th century. We're going through his home and also seeing his enormous tomb, in Marion, which looks like it's from D.C. Of course, if my wife's back pain doesn't ease up today, she won't be much fun tomorrow. I'm having to drag her there as it is. LOL

Michaell

 Just spotted a pretty good looking triumph TR seven or TR eight

stickguy

drove alongside then behind another tri-5 today (for some reason, been seeing a lot of them lately). This was a pretty nice looking "hopped up" '55 Belair 2 door (hardtop, not sure if they came any other way). 2 tone green and white. Cragers, nice rumble, a bit of a rake. Only real flaw was a noticeable rust patch on the RF fender, at the bottom back by the door.

ah, the smell of unburned hydrocarbons. My wife commented on "how smelly that old car is".

also say a couple of 60's converts a few towns over, back to back. nice new looking 65ish Buick Skylark, and a snazzy red chrome bumper MG-B. And nice to see, both had tops down!

hpmctorque

What's with the Chevy Corsicas?

I saw two Corsicas yesterday, for a total of four in less than a week, all being driven. Did GM quietly introduce a Corsica II, complete with patina?

Mr_Shiftright

Old Corsicas are to car buyers what dead squirrels are to turkey vultures.

kyfdx

Saw something today that I never expected to see...ever. a Singer Porsche.

http://singervehicledesign.com/

Click the link to see what I mean..

Mr_Shiftright

Interesting that they only build 1990-1994 Porsches---among the most trouble-prone of models-- the original C2/C4. Maybe this is because they can be procured much more cheaply than the 1995 on up 993 model, which is now extremely valuable. Then they can correct all the numerous factory defects, like defective clutches, leaking head gaskets, cranky fuel gauge senders, etc. Obviously they do a very nice job and turn a lackluster car into a real gem. I wonder how the price compares to a pristine 993?

This is a funny quote though from the website:

"An effective air conditioning system can be deleted at no extra charge"

Gee I thought Porsche did that at the factory !

Michaell

Mr_Shiftright said:

Interesting that they only build 1990-1994 Porsches---among the most trouble-prone of models-- the original C2/C4. Maybe this is because they can be procured much more cheaply than the 1995 on up 993 model, which is now extremely valuable. Then they can correct all the numerous factory defects, like defective clutches, leaking head gaskets, cranky fuel gauge senders, etc. Obviously they do a very nice job and turn a lackluster car into a real gem. I wonder how the price compares to a pristine 993? This is a funny quote though from the website: "An effective air conditioning system can be deleted at no extra charge" Gee I thought Porsche did that at the factory !

I believe the Singer Porsche goes for several hundred thousand dollars each. 

kyfdx

Picture of the interior

kyfdx

You supply the car, then add $250K-$400K to get it built the way you want it..

Maybe only 20 of them done, so far? This one had Indiana plates.

I think they chose that model, because it's not as collectible as the later 993, so cheaper to acquire.

(Those are Recaro seats, above)

Also, this was a 4.0 engine model. Supposedly, only the 2nd one they've done. If you look on the website, the biggest engine is the 3.8 rated at 360 HP. The guy with the car said this one has 400 HP and weighs 2675 lbs.. !!

Mr_Shiftright

They seem to do beautiful work. A nice 993 C2S is running well over 100K these days so they aren't too far off in being competitive.

sda

A 75 Coupe de Ville drove past me yesterday. White, red landau top, white interior. Looked really straight, mirror like paint. Don't think it was original as the body side molding and Coupe de Ville script was missing. Seemed to be driving along smartly in our 95 degree weather. Windows down, a/c probably out.

imidazol97

@sda says, "driving along smartly in our 95 degree weather. Windows down, a/c probably out. "

Ouch. We haven't had the usual high temps like that this summer--yet. Global cooling LOL.

andre1969

imidazol97 said:

@sda says, "driving along smartly in our 95 degree weather. Windows down, a/c probably out. "

Ouch. We haven't had the usual high temps like that this summer--yet. Global cooling LOL.

The weather is definitely getting strange this year. This past winter was the most consistently cold we've had in awhile. Not as far as record lows are concerned...I don't think it ever got below zero. But at the same time, they daily high temps were unusually low, so we had an unusually high number of hours below 32 degrees. The electric bill always points out how many hours were below 32 degrees, and how many were above 85, for the billing cycle.

Lots of snow, too. Again, nothing record breaking. But just enough to close down the schools, my workplace, etc. And temps cold enough to ensure that most of it stuck.

We've also had some pretty serious rain storms. Two weeks ago, the GM show at Carlisle PA was pretty much a washout. First time I've missed the show, since it was first put together back in 2001. And not just rain, but flash flood warnings, heavy downpours, almost the stuff Bible stories are made of! The basement in my grandmother's house will leak from time to time...but I've NEVER seen it take on this much water! One of my co-workers had to take off work a day or two to actually bail out her basement! At least with Grandma's house, it was never more than maybe a quarter inch deep...something you simply try to spread around and mop up, and set up a fan and let air out, rather than trying to start a bucket brigade!

As for heat, I don't think this summer has been really extreme yet, but it's been muggier than normal, it seems. I've noticed I'm running the a/c more than I usually do...both in the house and in the cars. Unless I'm just having hot flashes!

BTW, the Chrysler show was this weekend. Fortunately the weather held out and it was almost a perfect day. Sunny, fairly warm, hardly a cloud in the sky. At some point soon, I'll get pics up. I think this year has seen the most "Forward Look" cars that show has ever had. They actually had their own display set up just outside the fairgrounds.

bhill2

sda said:

A 75 Coupe de Ville drove past me yesterday. White, red landau top, white interior. Looked really straight, mirror like paint. Don't think it was original as the body side molding and Coupe de Ville script was missing. Seemed to be driving along smartly in our 95 degree weather. Windows down, a/c probably out.

I was never drawn to those mid-70s battleship Caddys. One exception; the 1974 Fleetwood Talisman. Two easy chairs in front, two easy chairs in back. Every luxury feature GM could throw at it. I understand the Talisman option cost more than a Pinto did.

fintail

It's been much warmer than normal here for weeks, finally back to normal the past couple days. The drive I took in the fintail 2 weeks ago, when it was 85 and annoyingly muggy with rain showers, was definitely unusual. 85 is a hot day here, and we had that and more for a couple weeks.

For oldies lately, saw light yellow 65-66 Mustang convertible, 70s Ford pickup with collector plates, immaculate final style Cressida.

andre1969

Wow, that went quicker than I thought. Just uploaded the pics I took yesterday at The 2015 Mopar show in Carlilse, PA.

One word of warning...there's a '57 Plymouth in there that may offend some. And a '69 Charger model that may offend, for just the opposite reason...

Also, there's a few cars I took pics of twice. Tried to get them closer to sunset, to see if the IPhone pics would come in any better. In some cases yes, in others, not so much. And yes, there is one non-Mopar in there, that I thought was still pretty coo. And, one, for lack of a better word, "ancestor of Mopar".

imidazol97

andre1969 said:

Wow, that went quicker than I thought. Just uploaded the pics I took yesterday at The 2015 Mopar show in Carlilse, PA.

My prize goes to the Desoto Pace Car!

imidazol97

There was a Falcon convention in Warwick, RI this weekend. We headed to Columbus on Monday to do final inspection and close the apartment our son had last fall and were passed, passed by 3 Falcons.

andre1969

That view out the windshield looks vaguely familiar. Not quite a "Park Avenue" address, but very close!

Nice little convoy you photographed there. I'm not a big fan of the '66+ Falcons, mainly because they dropped the hardtop and convertible body styles, but that one still looks pretty cool, photographed in motion like that. It looks nice too, dressed up with the vinyl roof and the sporty rims.

fintail

I didn't know the Lexus RC was made in this color, cool

The Dual-Ghia is an unexpected sighting. That might have been the only car show ever where an Omnirizon was chained off. The "Pristeen" plate is a good one, too.

stever

That '66 Falcon looks like the one I got stuck on the railroad tracks not long after I got my license. I jacked it up and pushed it off the jack and got it unstuck. Maybe I should let the GM&O take it out?

imidazol97

andre1969 said:

That view out the windshield looks vaguely familiar. Not quite a "Park Avenue" address, but very close!

andre1969 said:

Nice little convoy you photographed there. I'm not a big fan of the '66+ Falcons, mainly because they dropped the hardtop and convertible body styles, but that one still looks pretty cool, photographed in motion like that. It looks nice too, dressed up with the vinyl roof and the sporty rims.

I was stunned by the first one, pictured with the haze, moving so fast. I had grabbed digital camera which I had to photo and video the apartment after cleaning. Then a few hundred feet behind I saw the next one. I'm surprised my photo froze the wheels to show the rim styles.

andre1969

Believe it or not, the kid who owned that Horizon had actually restored it! We chatted with him a bit, and he definitely had a passion for these cars. He mentioned that he had another one he was working on, but I forget the details about it. I think this one, an '83, was in fairly good shape when he got it, but he went the extra mile to get it looking tip-top. Buying NOS stuff to replace what was bad, upgrading some features, getting it repainted, etc.

It was pretty cool, actually, seeing him have a such passion for his car. It's also kinda weird to think this car is almost 33 model years old. For comparison, my DeSoto was 34 model years old when I bought it. Amazing how far cars have come in some respects, but in others, they haven't.

Oh, and we actually saw that Dual Ghia drive up. If I had been quicker on the draw, I would have taken a video of it. It was pretty cool, to see it moving under its own power.

stever

Another Previa, this one in white. I think that's two in the last three or four days.

stickguy

the blue Omnirizon brings back memories. My parents had one that color in the early 80s omni (a 1.7l), and when we got married, my wife had an 84 2.2l Horizon in that color. Parents was a 4 speed, wife had an AT. so I had a lot of seat time in these.

I actually like the bright blue with white racing stripes Mirada (I assume it is a Mirada). But I do have strange tastes.

I need to get out to one of these big shows someday. Though I suspect my wife has zero interest in participating!

andre1969

stickguy said:

I actually like the bright blue with white racing stripes Mirada (I assume it is a Mirada). But I do have strange tastes.

I need to get out to one of these big shows someday. Though I suspect my wife has zero interest in participating!

Yep, that was a Mirada. As for car shows, the next fairly major one I know of is the "Das Awkschst Fescht" in Macungie, Pennsylvania, first weekend in August. I'm going to be there on Saturday, which I think is August first. If the weather holds out I'll have the Catalina. If the weather looks iffy, it'll be the 5th Ave. If it's another Biblical flood though, I'm taking a rain check.

imidazol97

Your Pontiac convertible is a rare bird at the shows in this area. Hang onto it.
There are few of them and they are far between here. I was thinking about that
at the July 4 cruise in with over 400 cars
there. There are Oldsmobile convertibles more often than Pontiac convertibles by a
high ratio. My favorites are the Cutlass 442 convertibles.

fintail

A restored Horizon, now I've heard everything. The funny things that get people going. Still, lots of people seem to have had good experiences with them. I know I have mentioned it before, but my dad loved his.

Fun to think how cars age. The first Taurus will be 30 years old next year. Compare that to a 30 year old car in 1986, wow. I know a young guy who has an early 80s MB W123, about as old now as my fintail was when I bought it 20 years ago. It seemed a lot older to me than a W123 seems now. I think a lot of it is being able to remember when the cars were new or at least not old.

I think the upcoming "Vacation" weird minivan is based on a Previa. Still quite a few of those around here. Didn't see anything too odd on the road today, surprising, as the weather was nice. Did hear the local Ferrari club had a meet today, would have gone but I learned too late - saw there was an F40, Berlinetta Lusso, a real 250 GTO, etc there (lots of money floating around here).

Cool Falcon sighting. The convertible looks nice.

andre1969

Hell, the Taurus is gonna be 30 in about two months!

I got my driver's license in December 1986...the 1987 model year. So a 30 year old car would have been something from 1957. I wonder, if a 1986 or so car looks as old to today's crop of 16-17 year olds as a 30 year old car did to me, when I got my license?

I just realized...my Granddad's '85 Silverado just turned 30 years old. I can't remember exactly, but I think it was July of 1985 when he bought it. I remember it was the summer, at least. I still remember one of the first long drives we took in it. We went to look at one of those newfangled timeshare thingies they were plugging in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia. We had gotten a flyer in the mail that said we won a prize, and it was either a new Ford Escort, two other things I can't remember, or a "Sevylor 200K Boat". We won the boat! I had a great time blowing it up and using it in my cousin's swimming pool...

berri

Ima - that 66 Falcon Futura was a tough sell back then with the Mustang available

Andre - Loved the Mopar pics. I like the Desoto too. BTW - haven't seen lemko on here lately. Hope he is OK. I always enjoy his knowledge and insightful comments.

Fin, the first Taurus and Sable were an example of how you can't go by raw market research. People said they liked the Ovals, but then didn't buy them as much as the research seemed to indicate. The 2000 update though was pretty successful.