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

kyfdx

There is one station that sells Ethanol-free fuel within 50 miles of my house. It's off an interstate exit, but sort of in the country. The lady there says they get a lot of traffic from that pump (and this is a little country store type of place).

Mr_Shiftright

yeah, I have to travel 60 miles to get ethanol-free gas, and I have to sign my life away in the process that it's only for off-road use--and it can only go into gas cans.

I don't worry about storage because this type of fuel is sold at a huge fuel depot that caters to farmers, truckers, you name it--so I'm sure it's pretty fresh.

xwesx

andre1969 said:

Anyway, in the meantime, I guess it's time to introduce y'all to my newest ride. Don't get *too* excited, now!

Thanks for the update, Andre! This addition looks like a perfect "Andremobile," so may it be the cheap and stylish transport you need!

uplanderguy

Where I bought it is the only place in the county that sells it. It's a smallish town. I have seen online that my even-smaller hometown in PA has one place that sells it too, but then there is a state park with a lake that boaters utilize only about ten miles away so I can see them using this gas.

berri

Andre - genetically, the closest relationship between parents and kids is mother and son. Sorry about your dad, but you should have a long life ahead!

andre1969

Thanks everyone, for the condolences. As for the Regal, it's got the 200 hp, non-supercharged 3.8. They were supposed to be pretty durable for the most part, but there were a few years in there where the intake manifolds could be troublesome. I've heard the supercharged models didn't have this issue, but the regular ones did...forget the years that were affected, though. They used the 3.1 in the Century, which was almost identical, otherwise. The Century was geared more towards the Buick faithful, and probably rental fleets as well, although Dad's Regal had been a rental, itself. I think they tried to make the Regal more sporty, although it takes more than overstuffed "bucket" seats, a tach, and a floor shift to make a sporty car. Heck, I can even remember when Dad bought it, at the age of 57, he joked that he was finally old enough to buy a Buick! FWIW, he also busted my chops the first time he saw my 2000 Park Ave Ultra, joking, "You bought an old man's car!"

Oh, on the subject of Edsels, the mechanic working on my DeSoto had a '58 Edsel Corsair 4-door hardtop in his shop for years...longer than he's had my Desoto. I think it was a total restoration, and the owner sunk close to $200K into it! Here's a pic I found online of it...


It just had crank windows, so yeah, power windows probably were pretty rare, even at that price point. FWIW, the Corsair 4-door hardtop started at $3425, while the Citation started at $3615. I'm not sure what all was standard at that price point though. For a rough comparison, my '57 Firedome started at something like $3,085, but the Torqueflite, power steering, power brakes, radio, and even the heater were options. Probably the whitewalls, tinted windows, and even the little mirror on the visor. I spec'ed it out once, using one of those American Standard catalogs, and it actually MSRP'ed for around $3800.

**edit: I just noticed the Edsel isn't sporting the correct type of whitewall in that pic. I found a few other pics showing wider whitewalls and nicer looking hubcaps, so apparently that wasn't a "totally finished" pic. None of the other pics showed the overall car quite as well, though.

stickguy

200k? To get a car worth what? $30k if you get lucky?

fintail

The Buick might be a fun reminder of your dad too, Andre. As you'll be using the car, I am sure he would be pleased. What did you do with the Park Avenue again?

andre1969

stickguy said:

200k? To get a car worth what? $30k if you get lucky?

From what I've heard, this guy is pretty well off financially, and the car is a labor of love. Probably something he'll take to his grave. My guess is that most restorations really don't make financial sense. I know I've probably put more into my DeSoto than it will ever be worth. I actually quit keeping track, although I know it's nowhere near $200K!

andre1969

fintail said:

The Buick might be a fun reminder of your dad too, Andre. As you'll be using the car, I am sure he would be pleased. What did you do with the Park Avenue again?

Maybe, although I'm going to try and not let nostalgia and sentiment cloud my judgement, if it ever needs major repairs. And Dad never really cared for it, I don't think. He had lost his license back in the mid 80's, when they started cracking down on drinking and driving. At the time he had a '66 Catalina 4-door hardtop that he let go of, as a result. He got it back in the late 90's, but was car-less from until 2003, when he got the Regal. To him, I think it was just an appliance, a means to an end. Plus, Dad smoked like a chimney, and worse, they were cheap cigs. So to this day, the car doesn't exactly smell like a rose garden. He hadn't driven it since September 2016, when he finally got too sick to drive. I've tried to air it out, and the smell is fading, but it's still there.

As for the Park Ave, still have it. The brakes went out on it last year, and I de-tagged it and took it off the insurance, and it's sitting down by the garage. I've been thinking about trying to sell it, but don't know if I want to go through the hassle. Might end up just seeing if I can donate it.

xwesx

andre1969 said:

As for the Park Ave, still have it. The brakes went out on it last year, and I de-tagged it and took it off the insurance, and it's sitting down by the garage. I've been thinking about trying to sell it, but don't know if I want to go through the hassle. Might end up just seeing if I can donate it.

Yes, just donate it. Whatever you do, though, do it sooner rather than later! It is too easy to just let it sit, and your options become more limited (or more expensive) the longer it is there!

roadburner

Sorry about your father, Andre. Mine passed at 75. A tough loss.

fintail

Yeah, donate the PA, not worth going to the hassle of fixing it, or selling to someone who will break it and come crying backwto you. For the Century, drive it into the ground and do the same. The smoker car issue would be a pain, but maybe it will help you justify a new purchase

When my dad passed, he had two oddball cars I could have probably got for free (family needed the T&C) - an early 90s Dodge 4x4, and a 75-76 Datsun 610 sedan. I kind of wish I had taken the Datsun, as those are insanely rare, and even in unrestored condition, worth more than the ~$100 he paid for it out of an estate in the early 00s. But I had no place to keep it, and never need another mouth to feed.

I've thought if I ever got around to a fintail restoration, I'd probably be in for at least 50K. Don't think I can get into that.

andre1969 said:

Maybe, although I'm going to try and not let nostalgia and sentiment cloud my judgement, if it ever needs major repairs. And Dad never really cared for it, I don't think. He had lost his license back in the mid 80's, when they started cracking down on drinking and driving. At the time he had a '66 Catalina 4-door hardtop that he let go of, as a result. He got it back in the late 90's, but was car-less from until 2003, when he got the Regal. To him, I think it was just an appliance, a means to an end. Plus, Dad smoked like a chimney, and worse, they were cheap cigs. So to this day, the car doesn't exactly smell like a rose garden. He hadn't driven it since September 2016, when he finally got too sick to drive. I've tried to air it out, and the smell is fading, but it's still there.

As for the Park Ave, still have it. The brakes went out on it last year, and I de-tagged it and took it off the insurance, and it's sitting down by the garage. I've been thinking about trying to sell it, but don't know if I want to go through the hassle. Might end up just seeing if I can donate it.

fintail

3 goodies on the road today:
560SEC in silver, nice like most of them
Dark green 67 Mustang coupe, good original looking car, no fender badges but definitely not a 6

And the highlight, a lovely two tone blue 62 Olds 98 6 window 4 door HT, either an immaculate original or mellowed restoration. I think it had a club sticker in a window. Like this, but blue:

berri

I liked the 58 Edsel and its 4dr HT version, Thought the upper lines on the Mercury chassis pulled it off a bit better. But Ford released the car before it was ready, over promised in its promotional material, had poor assembly quality and had the bad luck of introducing it in the middle of a rather major recession. I actually think that played into the failure more than its looks. 1958/59 were what they were design wise. That economic situation played hard on Desoto also. But bottom line, I'd take your big fin forward look Exner Desoto over the Edsel though. Beautiful car, even today!

ab348

Andre, sorry to hear about your Dad. I lost mine when he was 75 but he had been in declining health for a few years prior. I only realized after he was gone how much I missed him.

sda

fintail said:

3 goodies on the road today:
560SEC in silver, nice like most of them
Dark green 67 Mustang coupe, good original looking car, no fender badges but definitely not a 6

And the highlight, a lovely two tone blue 62 Olds 98 6 window 4 door HT, either an immaculate original or mellowed restoration. I think it had a club sticker in a window. Like this, but blue:

My grandmother had a '62 Dynamic 88 4 dr sedan fully loaded including factory ac and was light goldish in color. It was the first car she had ever purchased. She was widowed and didn't learn to drive until after my grandfather passed, a year before I was born. She traded my grandfather's '56 Buick Special 2dr for the Olds. Mom taught my grandmother how to drive.

sda

Andre, glad you're back, sorry to learn about your dad. A neighbor has a '98 Regal 25th Anniversay Regal that he bought new. It is black, with sunroof and looks similar to a GS. He keeps it garaged and I might see it once or twice a year. About a year ago I asked him about it and he said it had 30k on it. It looks new. The 3.1 that dad had in his '95 Cutlass Ciera also had an intake manifold gasket problem. Neither the 3.8 or 3.1 were immune even though they were distinctly different engines.

berri

I always liked the 62 Olds looks Fin, thought it had pretty clean lines, but it had the same crap tranny as my 63

berri

Wasn't GM using some liquid, or whatever stuff for gaskets for awhile on those V6 engines? Forgot what they called the stuff. For whatever reason though, my GM cars were the worst I owned for leaking on the garage floor. But that wasn't unique to GM back then for the era.

fintail

That's a nice way to start. 62 Olds is a kind of cool design, in a space-age way. The side trim is cool and unique.

When I was a kid, there was a 62 Starfire sitting outside for ages near a warehouse building. It appeared to be in very good condition, but the elements couldn't have been helping it. One day it was gone, I assume someone saved it rather than scrapped it, as it looked too nice for the junkyard - but in the early 90s, there was only so much demand for one of those.

sda said:

My grandmother had a '62 Dynamic 88 4 dr sedan fully loaded including factory ac and was light goldish in color. It was the first car she had ever purchased. She was widowed and didn't learn to drive until after my grandfather passed, a year before I was born. She traded my grandfather's '56 Buick Special 2dr for the Olds. Mom taught my grandmother how to drive.

andre1969

I always thought the full-sized '61-62 Oldsmobiles had a nice, clean, trim look about them. I heard that they weren't very good sellers though. Even though they were the same basic design, they seemed less bulky than the '59-60 models. But I wonder if buyers were thinking the cars looked a bit *too* small? That was also a bit of a rough time for the US auto industry as well, though. While the '58 recession was over, I think '61-62 was also a down period for the auto industry, and the market was becoming much more fragmented, with compact and now midsized cars claiming a larger piece of the sales pie.

ab348

I like the rocketship '61 styling better than the '62, though both are attractive.

berri

IIRC around 62 the battles began with Chrysler bringing out low price leader Newport's and Mercury joining in. Around 63 Buick starting offering price deals on LeSabre kind of jumping into Olds 88 territory. Might have played into the Olds sales?

xwesx

In those days, it seems like these companies tended to react to market pressures rather than responding to them. The result is a plethora of models, features, etc., that seem like dubious decisions today.

sda

Interesting thing for the entry level Dynamic 88 Olds. The interior quality improved markedly by '62 compared to a '59. When Olds offered a new entry level Jetstar those interiors reverted back to plain and basic.

berri

Back then I think some buyers wore those strippers as a badge of honor

fintail

On the road today: 80s Monte Carlo with heavy patina, 80s Toyota 4x4 van

Mr_Shiftright

Bentley convertible, license plate reads: "PRTY KR"

uplanderguy

Passed two C7 Corvettes yesterday on I-71. One plate was "BESTYET" and the other was "YWEWORK". I like that last one, which was a deep metallic green coupe with chrome wheels--just stunning. That color has been discontinued which is why I've never seen a coupe before in that color. Probably a 2014.

tjc78

uplanderguy said:

Passed two C7 Corvettes yesterday on I-71. One plate was "BESTYET" and the other was "YWEWORK". I like that last one, which was a deep metallic green coupe with chrome wheels--just stunning. That color has been discontinued which is why I've never seen a coupe before in that color. Probably a 2014.

There is one in my neighborhood just like that. Sharp car.  The owner of it owns a Bakery.   I guess bread does well. 

uplanderguy

I had requested some information on my 'new' '66 Studebaker from the Studebaker National Museum--what the original owner traded in and what his occupation was, when the dealer opened and closed, and I wanted to know how many new Studebakers were sold by that particular dealer after my car (which was delivered 4/16/66 by paperwork that came with the car--that was a month after the last Studebaker was built). Museum curator emailed me that all the information will be coming in the mail, but he did say my car was the last new Studebaker sold by that dealer, which I was curious about. Kind of cool. He did say there were 'several hundred' Studebakers sold by the entire dealer network after mine. I have read that there were only 450 U.S. Studebaker dealers by shutdown time of March 1966.

uplanderguy

RE.: '62 Olds--on Facebook the other day, someone posted closeup shots of a '59 Olds taillight and those from a '62 Ninety-Eight (two taillights each side). It is very apparent that they are the same part. I would've laughed if someone said that, but the pic is pretty unmistakable.

sda

uplanderguy said:

RE.: '62 Olds--on Facebook the other day, someone posted closeup shots of a '59 Olds taillight and those from a '62 Ninety-Eight (two taillights each side). It is very apparent that they are the same part. I would've laughed if someone said that, but the pic is pretty unmistakable.

I wonder if the tail light lense on the 62 has SAE62 stamped on it or SAE59? That was a way I often identified the year of a domestic car if I didn't already know. I don't think that strategy works anymore as the style is not changed annually as they used to.

uplanderguy

I used to look at that too, when I was a kid. If the taillight didn't change from one model year to the next, that wasn't an iron-clad way to check though.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

I used to look at that too, when I was a kid. If the taillight didn't change from one model year to the next, that wasn't an iron-clad way to check though.

Of course back when we were kids, they always changed every year!

fintail

Fun mention of parts. I am visiting my mom this weekend, and stopped by an old antique dealer friend of the family, who now has a perpetual yard sale as a hobby. The guy is about 80 now, and isn't online at all. He has a bunch of chrome trim in his sale, and asked if I could tell what car it was from. Enter the power of the internet. I could tell some of it was Ford, as it was marked "Autolite". Via the part numbers and some googling, I found he has headlight trim from 58 and 59 Edsel, an accessory hood ornament from a 47-52 Chevy pickup, hubcap from a 40 Ford, and some old demountable wheels I suspect might be from a Model T. He was amazed I was able to find all that in about 5 minutes via my phone.

fintail

Speaking of the XLR from a few weeks ago, I saw one today in an unfortunate position. I hope it just ran out of gas or something:

https://youtu.be/WH1M1vlzHpc

Mr_Shiftright

Looks dangerous.

fintail

Yeah, there's nowhere to safely push it, might be smart to just wait for a tow.

explorerx4

Today I was heading home on a state highway(2 lanes each direction) with a 45 mph speed limit.
Near my turn off, the cars ahead stopped then kind did a dance around something.
Turns out a dead tree fell across the 2 lanes in the direction I was driving in.
A Civic had hit the tree and the front was pretty smashed in, bumper was off the car.
The driver was on the phone and the airbag did not deploy, so I just drove around like everyone else.
Getting out to clear the tree would have been a big risk.

uplanderguy

My daughter's 2015 Cruze, which we bought in June to replace a totalled Cobalt,was totalled Wed. night. Other daughter was in the car and her boyfriend was driving. Woman ran a red light and hit them after they had been stopped for a red light and went into the intersection once the light turned green. Daughter has a mild concussion from hitting the side glass. Car spun around and right rear tire and wheel also broke off. Could've been much worse, but we are all tired of inattentive other drivers causing stuff like this. This was in Columbus, OH at 6:30 pm and only one witness stopped to assist. We are very disappointed in this, as the police report shows the officer couldn't get a hold of the witness by phone afterwards to get more details; the woman who hit them says she doesn't remember what color the light was so no charges were filed. This is not helping the "I hate people" mindset I've been in much of this summer, sigh.

ab348

So sorry to hear this Bill. Hopefully your daughter will be all right. Hard to understand how no action will be taken against the other driver.

uplanderguy

Thanks. I'm pro-police, but it almost seems that top priority was getting the accident report done. They gave up calling the witness' phone less than 48 hours after the accident and said 'couldn't leave a phone message'. The lack of people stopping seemed to confirm our small-town-versus-city thinking.

imidazol97

I'm sorry about your daughter's accident. Glad both occupants weren't hurt really bad.

I kept warning my son when he lived in Columbus around OSU about the cross traffic and to watch out for the runners. If I have an accident, I'm taking photos of license plates for wittnesses if I'm still mobile. Maybe even the VIN plates.

sda

I am sorry to learn about your daughter and the accident and hope she is ok. I read your experience to my daughter who just got her driver's permit and is learning to drive. I can't tell you how many times I have stressed to her about people willfully running red lights and worse and the importance of defensive driving and making certain all is clear before proceeding. Take Care, Steve

roadburner

At least the car did its job- keeping the occupants safe.

berri

Sorry to hear about the accident, but glad no one was hurt. If your daughter has the bad luck of being an inattentive driver magnet, you may need to look into a vehicle that has a slower depreciation rate when totaled. Most newer cars are well built to absorb all but the worst accidents while protecting the occupants. But you can't argue that your Cruze experiences show it is a good safety bet.

explorerx4

Uplanderguy,
Sorry to hear about the accident, hopefully your daughter has a mild concussion.
Maybe some local business has a security camera.

uplanderguy

Both our totals were both our daughters--one was driving when hit by a guy who left the scene (but later came back), and this last one our older daughter was a passenger in her own (our) car. This last one was 2 1/2 hours away from where we live (but near where my daughter lives), which makes it a lot more PITA for things. Of course, we're glad injuries weren't worse and thanks for everybodys' kind words.

I think I will do OK in insurance, other than deductible, as I shop 'hard' and I paid notably under-market (around here anyway) for the car.