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

ab348

I like the white interior on that Continental, but the red and white exterior seems to be crying out for a red maple leaf on the roof to make it a pretty good rendition of a Canadian flag.

berri

That Lincoln seems a bit loud outside

fintail

Something for the white leather shoes and belt demographic.

Michaell

fintail said:

Something for the white leather shoes and belt demographic.

@jpp5862 has a friend who would likely be interested in it as a second car, and he does not fit that demographic, at all.

uplanderguy

I'd read that Henry II liked the slab side and blunt front look, and even the instrument panel in that car is square. But I haven't seen one in a long time, that is for sure. They even made a four-door of that iteration.

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

kyfdx, is the Lane museum in Nashville? If so, I was there in 2007 when I was working nearby. Really unusual stuff there at that time.

Yes, that's the one. Occasionally, on weekends, they give special guided tours of the basement. Two thirds or more of the collection is down there. They just don't have room to display it all. Fortunately (not for my wife), they were giving a tour on Saturday, so after spending 90 minutes upstairs, got another hour in the basement (with my wife in her car).

So, a grand time was had by all.... or, maybe just me!

If you are into Eastern European vehicles, or micro-cars, or just about anything really, really weird, that's the place to go. Plus, a lot of cool normal stuff, as long as it's imported. Probably no more than a couple dozen domestic vehicles.

The Lark was in outstanding shape.

kyfdx

stickguy said:

Parking at the office today, a 70 or 71 Monte Carlo. Looked pretty clean. Rally wheels. But added double wide stripes down the hood.

Saw a nice 1st Gen Monte on a TV show, the other night. NCIS: New Orleans. (my wife makes me watch it with her).

stickguy

I saw a green 4 door version of that generation Lincoln (or close to it, still very square) today.

also passed a driveway with some oddballs I liked. A gen 2 RX7 convertible, parked next to a later (flat back with black rubber spoiler) Alfa Spider. And next to that, under a car cover, the unmistakable shape of a C3 Vette.

fintail

I was thinking there might still be a few goofy 50-somethings from 1982 out there who are driving and might want it.

I can imagine it appealing to millennial hipster types too, for ironic or kitsch value.

Michaell said:

@jpp5862 has a friend who would likely be interested in it as a second car, and he does not fit that demographic, at all.

tjc78

That Mark is an 82 Bill Blass.... fairly rare.  

kyfdx

tjc78 said:

That Mark is an 82 Bill Blass.... fairly rare.  

Add $5

Mr_Shiftright

kyfdx said:

tjc78 said:

That Mark is an 82 Bill Blass.... fairly rare.  

Add $5

Now, now, let's give it its fair due---price guides add $275 for that on the low end and perhaps an addtional $750 for a show car. So string up that Caution Tape and watch the buyers stream in!

uplanderguy

kyfdx, do you know what year the Lark in that museum is? I'll wager '59 or '60, by far the best-selling model years.

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

kyfdx, do you know what year the Lark in that museum is? I'll wager '59 or '60, by far the best-selling model years.

1960

https://www.lanemotormuseum.org/collection/cars/item/studebaker-lark-vi-1960

kyfdx

uplanderguy

Thanks. Sheesh, that is the second super-clean, super-authentic early Lark I've seen online in a few weeks.

The only option I see on that car is whatever they called an appearance group that got you bright moldings around the windshield and back window--yes, those were optional on the base-model (DeLuxe, not Regal) Lark.

My mother's friend had a red '60 Lark Deluxe VIII 4-door when I was a kid. As a wag I kidded her husband about the car (they also had a two-door '64 Chevelle 300 Station Wagon, 230 six but interesting car). I plainly remember the husband saying, "That Lark will run rings around our Chevy", LOL.

kyfdx

Yeah... it looked to be in amazing shape. Unfortunately, it was parked in the garage, and the lighting isn't that great in there. The outdoor picture really does it justice.

fintail

Saw a white original NSX in traffic this afternoon.

stickguy

I actually saw one of those not too long ago. Just can't remember where!

uplanderguy

Back to that Mark VI--ever see one where it looks like the headlight covers have a round headlight in the middle of them? What's up with that--or is that just the way they look with the headlights 'on'--I mean, there's still a painted 'door' (for lack of better word) around the round headlight.

fintail

Yep, I know that look:



I think there might be a 4 light setup under there, driving lights on the headlight covers, which is a funny idea.

texases

That was an option, I have no idea the logic behind it:

stickguy

so you can flash to pass? Or not have to flip the doors up? Or just wanted your car to look really goofy.

fintail

Maybe less wear and tear on the door mechanism? The coolest features are probably the digital dash and power vent windows.

ab348

I always felt that option reminded me of a senior citizen wearing an unfortunate choice of eyeglass frames.

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

Back to that Mark VI--ever see one where it looks like the headlight covers have a round headlight in the middle of them? What's up with that--or is that just the way they look with the headlights 'on'--I mean, there's still a painted 'door' (for lack of better word) around the round headlight.

Vacuum control on the headlight covers has failed. Cheaper fix.

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

Back to that Mark VI--ever see one where it looks like the headlight covers have a round headlight in the middle of them? What's up with that--or is that just the way they look with the headlights 'on'--I mean, there's still a painted 'door' (for lack of better word) around the round headlight.

Vacuum control on the headlight covers has failed. Cheaper fix.

texases

From the factory? Or maybe jk....

kyfdx

texases said:

From the factory? Or maybe jk....

Oh yeah.. +$10 for that option..

uplanderguy

I'm reminded of Bruce Dern as Joe Kennedy Sr. in the upcoming movie "Chappaquiddick". He's wearing those goofy, dark-rimmed round glasses.

I think the power vent windows were a good idea, and I can't think of anybody else who had them. They also did automatic overdrive before the rest of the industry.

I know wire wheelcovers are totally passe now, but I always thought Ford (including Lincoln) had about the worst ones in the industry--short spokes and a large center section. GM's had long spokes and a small center section, which to my eyes looked more expensive.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

I think the power vent windows were a good idea, and I can't think of anybody else who had them. They also did automatic overdrive before the rest of the industry.

GM and Chrysler both did power vent windows but theirs were the kind that rotated on a central pivot whereas I think the Ford ones just went down inside the door. I always thought the pivot design was better as the position of the glass could either virtually eliminate drafts if opened 30 degrees or so, or if rotated past 90 degrees force in a lot of fresh air.

uplanderguy

After the Continental Mark II and '61-63 Continentals, I'm not much of a Lincoln fan...until now.

The current Continental seems like an American Bentley, and the new Navigator makes the Escalade look like it's twenty years old IMHO.

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

ab348 said:

Quick! Get out your checkbooks and rush to Amelia Island for this gem at the Gooding auction:

https://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1957-porsche-356-a-1500-gs-carrera-coupe/

I wonder if Charlie Ross will be able to get it up over $1 million.

I hope whoever buys it understands that this engine is not a normal Porsche engine--it's a devil to rebuild and will cost.....a lot......probably 10% of the car's value.

I don't get their estimate though--you should be able to buy one already done for not too much more than that.

Their estimate on the '57 Porsche 346 1500 GS Carrera was a bit optimistic. Sold for $460K.

xwesx

ab348 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

ab348 said:

Quick! Get out your checkbooks and rush to Amelia Island for this gem at the Gooding auction:

https://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1957-porsche-356-a-1500-gs-carrera-coupe/

I wonder if Charlie Ross will be able to get it up over $1 million.

I hope whoever buys it understands that this engine is not a normal Porsche engine--it's a devil to rebuild and will cost.....a lot......probably 10% of the car's value.

I don't get their estimate though--you should be able to buy one already done for not too much more than that.

Their estimate on the '57 Porsche 346 1500 GS Carrera was a bit optimistic. Sold for $460K.

Wow; that's it? Should have just sent it to the scrapyard for that!

ab348

xwesx said:

Wow; that's it? Should have just sent it to the scrapyard for that!

Maybe the vintage snow treads on the back helped it find a buyer.

Mr_Shiftright

They only made 541 of them so I suppose it is worth saving, but I still don't get the bid, even at 460K. I think someone is going to eat it big time on that sale.

explorerx4

Not really old, but 2 Lincoln LS's. within about a mile.
Also, 2 Altima coupes. One was a 3.5, which I had no clue they made, unless it was just a badge job.

fintail

Saw a Monte Carlo SS on the road, factory looking CHMSL so I guess 1986+

explorerx4

I almost forgot about this one, a silver Saab 9-3 xwd.
Pretty sure the driver saw me staring at the back of the car.
If I had been driving my truck, I could have zoomed in the front camera to make it less obvious.

texases

AMC Eagle wagon keeping up with freeway traffic. Survivor look, not restored. 

stickguy

drove through a neighborhood I had never been in before (trying out a new restaurant) and passed a driveway with a nice looking condition later 2nd generation Trans Am. White with blue stripes. From the offset hood scoop, I think it was an 80-81 TA Turbo.

kyfdx

explorerx4 said:

I almost forgot about this one, a silver Saab 9-3 xwd.
Pretty sure the driver saw me staring at the back of the car.
If I had been driving my truck, I could have zoomed in the front camera to make it less obvious.

My son and I test drove one for sale, about 18 months ago. With a stick-shift! It had issues, though. Saab pronounced it: Cross Wheel Drive.

fintail

Out this evening saw two Mustangs - a dark red 67 coupe, 6 cyl, looked new. and a normal red 65-66 fastback, V8, looked new. Also saw a ~69 Charger.

Michaell

Cruising around neighborhoods in my hometown today, I spotted a '58 MB Ponton. Decent condition. Red with white roof, neither of which looked like factory colors.

tjc78

Here’s one for @Fintail.  Spotted in Philly.  

fintail

If any relatively modern MB has a cult following, it's a 123 wagon. I can see that's a 1981+ model, but no other data.

explorerx4

Another 7xx Volvo wagon, this one in white and in nice shape.
They haven't made them since 93/94.

tjc78

fintail said:

If any relatively modern MB has a cult following, it's a 123 wagon. I can see that's a 1981+ model, but no other data.

It was a 300D

ab348

I feel sorry for this '71 Lincoln Continental Mark III:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-lincoln-continental-mark-iii-4/

It seems to me one of those can either be restored to perfect original status, or you can spend big bucks to transform one into what could be a cool custom. But doing haphazard mods on the cheap just makes no sense.

explorerx4

I guess that custom exhaust was made to look like it's been on the car for 30 years?