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

fintail

Saw an 88-91 Prelude white with white wheels, and a mid 90s Cutlass convertible.

uplanderguy

I remember they started at $1,995 (U.S.).

Even as an eleven-year old, I was struck by no glovebox and that big open shelf along the bottom of the dash.

A cute cheerleader in my high school was the granddaughter of the Ford dealer in town and had a later Maverick LDO (I think it was called)--color-matched wheelcovers, V8, Euro-style buckets inside, etc.--but still, it was a Maverick, LOL.

roadburner

My mom had a 1974 LDO with the V8. The seats were nice, but aside from that it was crap.

ab348

I have written about our family's '74 LDO Maverick before. The only thing I can say about it is that it looked nice when it was on the showroom floor. Polar White (even on the hubcaps), brown vinyl roof, side moldings and rear applique, and tan reclining bucket seats (which looked almost identical to those in the Euro Capri Ford was selling here at the time). What an awful car though. Actual rust holes within 18 months due to water getting into body cavities, needed a full respray 2 years in, and the hood finally rusted through after a little more than 3 years. Car was squirrelly above 50mph, the 250CID "big" six was gutless and would not start in cold weather, brakes always pulled to the left, wind and water leaks galore. The Ford Kansas City plant where it was built had a very bad day the date it was made.

sda

ab348 said:

uplanderguy said:

I remember dragging my Dad down to Maverick introduction night, spring of '69.

In hindsight, I think Mavericks were not nearly as nice as the concurrent Novas and Dart/Valiant models.

Ha! I did the same thing.

I remember being struck by how cheap the base model interiors looked with the plaid upholstery and little chrome outside. The ones in the showroom with the optional decor groups that had better seats and trim were nicer. But overall I remember being underwhelmed. They sold like crazy though. I suspect because of the low low price and not so much because they were any kind of great car.

Those plaid seats were not very comfortable either, flat, little cushioning. A friend in high school had an early model, base 2 dr, black, gold plaid interior, no options except automatic. It had been his late grandmother's car. Though it only had the small 170 six, he drove it like a race car. I rode with him once and vowed never again.

texases

Honda CRX (original, not the hybrid) time, I've seen 3 in the last 2 days. Fun car.

PF_Flyer

ab348 said:

Some of those Ford color names are still funny:

Anti-establish Mint
Counter Revolutionary Red
History Onyx
Young Turquoise
Freudian Gilt
Good Clean Fawn
Thanks Vermillion
There She Blue
Home on the Orange
Bring 'em Back Olive
Last Stand Custard
Hulla Blue
Three Putt Green

It is interesting how a color's name influences what people think about a color. Me, I look at the color and I like it or not. At one point I managed a home improvement department and mixed paint for people, and they'd amaze me by saying things like, "I like the color, but it doesn't look like the name so I can't choose it".

Just remembering that makes my head want to explode

texases

Took me a while on "Young Turquoise"...young Turk? Not sure why they went with that...

stever

Turquoise can change color when it comes in contact with water and oils. So my guess is that young Turk is a brighter blue (old stones that have seen a lot of skin oil can be dark green).

fintail

I vote for "young Turks" too.

Saw a white Infiniti M30 convertible today, and a 00s retro Bird with a loud exhaust.

ab348

I think the boys and girls at Ford Design came up with those names late in the night at Gene Bordinat's 1968 Christmas party.

I laughed out loud at "Good Clean Fawn".

texases

A clean (from 100ft) RX-7 GSL-SE. Wish I fit!

hpmctorque

ab348 said:

I have written about our family's '74 LDO Maverick before. The only thing I can say about it is that it looked nice when it was on the showroom floor. Polar White (even on the hubcaps), brown vinyl roof, side moldings and rear applique, and tan reclining bucket seats (which looked almost identical to those in the Euro Capri Ford was selling here at the time). What an awful car though. Actual rust holes within 18 months due to water getting into body cavities, needed a full respray 2 years in, and the hood finally rusted through after a little more than 3 years. Car was squirrelly above 50mph, the 250CID "big" six was gutless and would not start in cold weather, brakes always pulled to the left, wind and water leaks galore. The Ford Kansas City plant where it was built had a very bad day the date it was made.

Were there any good '74 model year mass market cars? I can't think of even one.

stever

That was the year I first learned to hate Volvos.

My '74 CJ-5 was okay though, other than the gas tank rotting away.

Any Bug of that era would be reliable. Drove a '73 to AK and back and just lost the windshield to gravel chips.

hpmctorque

stever said:

That was the year I first learned to hate Volvos.

My '74 CJ-5 was okay though, other than the gas tank rotting away.

Any Bug of that era would be reliable. Drove a '73 to AK and back and just lost the windshield to gravel chips.

Wasn't the CJ-5 considered a truck and, therefore, not subject to the same performance and drivability choking emission standards as cars? 1974 was the last year before catalytic converters were widely adopted, and well before mass market cars had fuel injection.

I don't know about the reliability of '74 VW Beetles, but my understanding is that VW's air cooled carburated engine had even more difficulty meeting '70s emission standards than liquid cooled engines. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Allowing for a few exceptions, maybe, but 1971 or possibly 1972 was the last year that carburated engines without catalytic converters ran reasonably well. Your '73 Bug may have been one of the exceptions.

stickguy

1974? The Corolla was a good car.

Domestics? My Duster was not bad. Rusted early though. And the Gremlin was surprisingly good driving.

ab348

stickguy said:

1974? The Corolla was a good car.

Except for the propensity to rust. Those early/mid-70s Japanese cars rusted just as bad as our Maverick did, if not worse.

I think 1974 was a really bad year, maybe the worst. 1973 comes close. We had a '74 Impala at that time also and though it didn't rust and always started, the emission controls had it so leaned out that it drove badly. At least in '75 GM cars went to HEI and catalysts so the driveability was a lot better. Though that sulfur rotten-egg smell became commonplace at that point. Whatever caused that seems to have been cured since I haven't noticed that in years.

kyfdx

They changed the HP calculation in '72, but I don't think those cars were any different than the '71s, as far as emissions. Seems like '74 was when it started going downhill fast.

stickguy

bad combo of tighter emissions rules they weren't able to handle right, and the 5 MPH bumper rules they also weren't ready for. so stalling cars sporting battering rams ruled the day.

oh, and still huge gas suckers (made worse by the emissions stuff) combined with the gas shortage. Not the pinnacle of automotive engineering in those days.

explorerx4

3 GM's in nice condition
hartford.craigslist.org/cto/5598463871.html

stever

When I moved to Chattanooga in '74, it had just been honored by Walter Cronkite as one of the dirtiest cities in America and they just started car testing. But the VW had been sold off, so the '73 didn't have to go though the smog checks. The '73 ran like a top and probably should have kept it, but everyone dumped cars after a few years or over 70,000 miles in those days.

The CJ-5 got inspections too, as I recall. But it may have been classified as a truck - it certainly drove like one. (Actually it quite fun - I lived up a mountain with two lanes going up most of the way, and enjoyed the torque of the Jeep doing my evening commuter race. It was too curvy to get much over 35 before the next hairpin, so the Jeep could hold its own).

ab348

explorerx4 said:

3 GM's in nice condition
hartford.craigslist.org/cto/5598463871.html

Certainly nice indeed. Sounds like maybe somebody either got too old or died. I never understand how cars just get put away and not touched for so long.

Ad is a little short on details so we don't know what engines they have, what if anything has been done to them re fluid changes, etc. I like that brown Cutlass.

stickguy

I figure that sometimes that get put away temporarily, because they need some freshening, and the owner gets caught up with other stuff. and by the time he gets back to them, they need a lot more work to be recommissioned, so put on back burner again. Before you know it, 5-10 years go by, and they are sculptures and you are calling Wayne Carini to come haul them out.

only the caddy is particularly low miles though. the 2 Oldsmobiles got plenty of use.

ab348

stickguy said:

I figure that sometimes that get put away temporarily, because they need some freshening, and the owner gets caught up with other stuff. and by the time he gets back to them, they need a lot more work to be recommissioned, so put on back burner again. Before you know it, 5-10 years go by, and they are sculptures and you are calling Wayne Carini to come haul them out.

Or you could live in Nova Scotia like I do where it seems to have rained every day since the snow went away and it has been cold every day to the point where you never get your special car out of the garage.

explorerx4

Went for a ride today. Saw quite a few older cars on the road.
A couple were the same ones I saw last time I took a ride west.
C2 red Stingray(yum) and an orange Triumph Spitfire.
Also, 60's 2 tone White over school bus yellow VW van.
Red Shelby(or clone) Cobra.
2 late 60's Mustang convertibles. A shiny emerald green and a beat copper colored with NY plates, over an hour away from NY.
65 or 65 Malibu big something sticking out of the hood, tubbed rear end, but surprisingly small exhaust pipes.
Probably had a cutout exhaust system.

fintail

Nice day here, didn't see much on the road at all - E30 cabrio, W123 and a nice W126 300SD who's passenger waved at me. There's a new old car parked in the garage where the fintail lives - another BMW E24. There's already a red 635CSi there that never moves, now there's a black one, I think it might be older.

berri

Just remember Fin, your old MB is always going to attract attention. It is nice looking and evokes MB. Your new one not as much because most anyone middle class can now lease MB, BMW and Audi, so they are fairly common out on the roads today. Take good car of that old beast (and I really like the medium shade of blue!)

ab348

There's a part of me that would pay the asking price for this in a heartbeat if it was located closer to me:

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/5624859924.html

Check out those seats! Seems like a bargain.

Mr_Shiftright

When someone points to a car like that and says: "that's a lotta car for the money", they aren't kidding.

stickguy

out driving around, a gorgeous red Triumph. did not get a close look (we were moving) but first though it was a TR6, but then it seemed too "squished" so it might have been a TR4. In any case, chrome bumpers, bright red, top down. I wanted it, really bad!

Mr_Shiftright

My favorite of that era is the Triumph TR250. It has the TR4 body but the TR6 six cylinder engine. Only sold for one year here in the States.

fintail

I know Andre prefers those big coupes without the padded top, but I think he might need that one anyway. I wonder what that color combo is called, chocolate on chocolate on chocolate.

fintail

Yep, MB isn't an exotic like it used to be, now it is just a commodity brand like it is in Europe. The older ones are also seen a lot less anymore (forgot to mention, I saw a W108 in traffic last week).

I'll take care of it as I can. I often think I would restore it if I could justify the expense, but then I drive it, and it seems OK as is.

berri said:

Just remember Fin, your old MB is always going to attract attention. It is nice looking and evokes MB. Your new one not as much because most anyone middle class can now lease MB, BMW and Audi, so they are fairly common out on the roads today. Take good car of that old beast (and I really like the medium shade of blue!)

andre1969

stickguy said:

1974? The Corolla was a good car.

Domestics? My Duster was not bad. Rusted early though. And the Gremlin was surprisingly good driving.

I think the one saving grace of Japanese imports in the 1970's is that they tended to be cheap, small, basic cars, so other than rust-out they tended to be reliable. But, if they tried to compete with the mainstream American market, they would have most likely failed so miserably that their reputation would drive them from our shores, never to return. But, just imagine the Japanese trying to make something comparable to a 1974 Impala. While granted, a 1974 Impala isn't the epitome of American excellence, if the Japanese had built it, it would've probably cost about $2000 more, rusted out faster, blown its a/c compressor and chewed up its engine more quickly, and had a small-ish, OHC engine that you'd have to rev the snot out of to get any power from, and the American public would've HATED it!

As for 1974, specifically? Well, my grandmother's co-worker had a '74 Dart Swinger that she adored, and Grandmom liked it so much that for '75, they got one. But, the '75 stalled out at random, any time, any situation, and the dealer never could fix it, so they traded it in '77 for a new Granada.

My great-uncle had a white '74 Impala coupe with a 400, that wasn't a bad car other than the rusting. In 1984 he gave it to his neighbor, who pulled out the engine and used it in a race car. I'd think there would be plenty of other engines that would be better suited, but I guess for free, he couldn't beat the price! Oh, and one of my grandparents' friends had a '74 Caprice with a 454. I don't remember much about it, except that Granddad said it was horrible guzzler. They still had it by the early 80's, though.

sda

The leather that Chrysler used in the mid-70's had a soft and luxurious feel to it. I don't know how well it held up, but it sure felt nice. The leather used in new cars typically have a stiff, less soft feel, often just feels like vinyl.

fintail

1974 cars, hmm. I know the MB V8s had some driveability issues around that time too, I know I have been warned off 75-76 SLs, maybe stick with a smaller car. By then there was a 300D, not a rocket but not as slow as a 240D, maybe that would be a good bet in 1974. If not in a rusty area, some of the fancier Japanese cars could be good, maybe. Or maybe a large American car like a big Buick/Olds with a 455 etc, or even a Caddy? Fleetwood Talisman would be interesting.

roadburner

My 1974 Monte Carlo had excellent driveability, but then I removed all of the emissions garbage and added a cam, 4V intake, headers, duals, and a recurved distributor .

berri

Andre - I think ironically that the reason Japan got into bigger vehicles was that Detroit pushed for import tariffs which forced Japan Inc. to build transplants here. Once they were physically in the American market they gained acceptance and knowledge, helping them become competitors to Detroit in more market segments. The old adage "be careful of what you wish for" perhaps applies?

I think 73-75 cars seemed to tend toward the funky side because of all the emissions and other regs thrown on the industry rather quickly.

texases

I view the 'dark ages' for any car to go from 1974 to the year before it came with both a cat and fuel injection. The Japanese wrestled the longest with carbs, to avoid paying Bosch royalties, I guess. Those rats'-nests of vacuum hoses are ripe for leaks today, and good luck finding a mechanic that wants to troubleshoot one of those frankencarbs...

berri

We had a 75 Malibu Classic that was just that vacuum hose nightmare you are describing texases!

andre1969

...and speaking of rats nests, about a month ago I tried to get my '85 Silverado started, and when I popped the hood, there was a nest just ahead of the air cleaner. Had five little babies in it. Cute little things, I hate to say. Looked kinda like teeny little baby puppies.

Oh, and last week I went to start up my 2000 Park Ave, which hadn't been run in awhile. I popped the hood to jump it, and saw a healthy looking mouse hop off the top of the engine shroud and scurry on down and out of sight.

stickguy

Just sayin, but if they are sitting long enough to become infested, might be time to thin the herd a bit!

fintail

Today spotted the cool mean green 72 T-Bird I see now and then, and a very clean early Mazda MPV - most of those seem to have been worn out and discarded now.

berri

Were they still making 4 dr T Birds In 72?

fintail

Nope, I think the last year for that was 71. 72 was the first of the big Lincoln style (72 with a laundau bar instead of opera window).

berri

OK, thanks. Never could make my mind up about those 4dr T Birds. In a way they made no sense, but in another way they were kind of cool too???

bhill2

fintail said:

1974 cars, hmm. I know the MB V8s had some driveability issues around that time too, I know I have been warned off 75-76 SLs, maybe stick with a smaller car. By then there was a 300D, not a rocket but not as slow as a 240D, maybe that would be a good bet in 1974. If not in a rusty area, some of the fancier Japanese cars could be good, maybe. Or maybe a large American car like a big Buick/Olds with a 455 etc, or even a Caddy? Fleetwood Talisman would be interesting.

I'm with you Fin. Very few 1974 cars interest me but a Fleetwood Talisman would make me look twice. Something about a 19-1/2 foot long, 5000+ lb car that seats four. But those four occupants are very well treated.

stever

A '74 Bug would be fun in theory, but I don't think I'd feel safe driving one.

stickguy

I would not mind having a 1974 mazda rotary PU. among other oddballs.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, yeah, an RX3 station wagon!