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

Mr_Shiftright

Kind of a rat. He's sort of beaten all the value out of it.

fintail

I see a Turbo badge too, which makes it 1981-85. A car that will last as long as you want to maintain it.

tjc78 said:

It was a 300D

xwesx

Holy crud! There are some oddball cars out there, but this one has to take the cake. I am almost glad of viewing the Continental ad, as it led me to this....

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1957-bmw-isetta-10/

roadburner

I had a chance to buy an immaculate Isetta 300 in 1979- for $1,000. I passed because I was starting law school and didn't want the extra expense. I still kick myself...

berri

I remember as a kid that Isetta toy cars were quite popular back in those days. Not sure I would have fit in a real one though.

explorerx4

My Oma had one until she graduated to a 'big' Fiat 600. Fiat's name was Phips.

Mr_Shiftright

xwesx said:

Holy crud! There are some oddball cars out there, but this one has to take the cake. I am almost glad of viewing the Continental ad, as it led me to this....

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1957-bmw-isetta-10/

Looks like a nice one.

I guess most of you know the story on these--how they sprang up out of the ruins in Germany. They were cheap and easy to make, and people needed wheels to get around.

Of course, on a more sober note, they are total death traps. I've driven a few, and if you are patient with them, they're kinda fun in a go-cart sort of way. Everyone loves them. You'd be a star on the streets although your life expectancy is probably not much better than landing at Omaha Beach.

fintail

Saw a ~70 Suburban, ~50 Chevy truck, and chrome bumper MGB in traffic this afternoon.

tifighter

Mr_Shiftright said:

xwesx said:

Holy crud! There are some oddball cars out there, but this one has to take the cake. I am almost glad of viewing the Continental ad, as it led me to this....

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1957-bmw-isetta-10/

Looks like a nice one.

I guess most of you know the story on these--how they sprang up out of the ruins in Germany. They were cheap and easy to make, and people needed wheels to get around.

Of course, on a more sober note, they are total death traps. I've driven a few, and if you are patient with them, they're kinda fun in a go-cart sort of way. Everyone loves them. You'd be a star on the streets although your life expectancy is probably not much better than landing at Omaha Beach.

Not to mention they are comically slow. A folding bicycle is a more effective tool for a light hill.

Michaell

I thought those types of cars were a result of the Suez Crisis in ‘56 rather than the post WW2 economy. 

texases

I hadn't heard that. The Isetta was built starting in 1953, so....

fintail

I thought Suez impacted Limeyland more than anyone else, kicking someone who hadn't yet recovered from postwar austerity that happens when you bankrupt an empire. As was said, Isetta predates it.

roadburner

Another bit of trivia on the Isetta 300; contrary to popular belief it had four wheels, although the rear wheels were only separated by about ten inches. However, in Britain the Isetta did come with just three wheels, so that it could be registered as a motorcycle- saving the owner a bit of money.

Mr_Shiftright

No, they were being produced before Suez, starting in 1955. The canal was seized by Egypt in July 1956 and it was over by early November after Egypt was invaded and a cease fire declared soon after.

Many European countries were hampered by post WW II austerity. England's military, for instance, had a hard time in Egypt, as did France, with many inadequacies.

omarman

Long time ago I posted that the three best cars of the 50's were:
"1. Cadillac 2. Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 3. 1959 Austin Mini
The standard of the world, the ultimate red head and icon of style, baby"

Maybe the iconic Mini could trace its origin to the petrol rationing which followed the Suez crisis.

Mr_Shiftright

Yes I think you could at least attribute the motivation for designing a car like the Mini to the Suez affair. Certainly large cars like the bloated Jaguars took a serious hit in sales.

fintail

A lot of thirsty old British cars were exported in the 50s and 60s too, many came stateside. An old RHD Rolls-Royce or Bentley etc isn't a rarity.

Speaking of British, saw that same chrome bumper MGB in the rain today, all 3 windshield wipers working - so it must be restored.

Mr_Shiftright

Were both the outside and inside wipers working?

berri

It is ironic today that the old Mini was rather prescient as to what modern days would become, only larger.

kyfdx

Late '70s, early '80s XJ6 on The Walking Dead on Sunday...

It was a view through the windshield, and I knew it was something Euro, because of three wipers and the pattern on the leather seats.. I was thinking Mercedes 300D, or something like that, but then they pulled back and it was a pretty good exterior shot. Nice!

fintail

I couldn't see in the car, I suppose the wipers could have been hand or foot operated

I don't recall MB using a 3 wiper setup, but they had some uniquely placed dual wipers, and a few models with a single wiper.

Mr_Shiftright

kyfdx said:

Late '70s, early '80s XJ6 on The Walking Dead on Sunday...

It was a view through the windshield, and I knew it was something Euro, because of three wipers and the pattern on the leather seats.. I was thinking Mercedes 300D, or something like that, but then they pulled back and it was a pretty good exterior shot. Nice!

"Walking Dead" is the perfect venue for a Jaguar XJ6

ab348

Or they could change the title to "Roadside Dead".

I thought that show was pretty much dead by now.

kyfdx

Mr_Shiftright said:

kyfdx said:

Late '70s, early '80s XJ6 on The Walking Dead on Sunday...

It was a view through the windshield, and I knew it was something Euro, because of three wipers and the pattern on the leather seats.. I was thinking Mercedes 300D, or something like that, but then they pulled back and it was a pretty good exterior shot. Nice!

"Walking Dead" is the perfect venue for a Jaguar XJ6

Still... one of the best looking sedans ever made..

Mr_Shiftright

That's true-- a beautiful sedan that just happened, unfortunately for Jaguar and their owners, to turn out as one of the worst cars in the world. That's a deadly combination---the allure of beauty and the lethality of demonic possession.

To be fair to the XJ6, the last years of the Series III with the 4.2 engine, the 85-86 models, were a good deal better and with care, patience, prayers and a good mechanic, could actually be driven daily with a fair degree of success.

kyfdx

There is always the Chevy V-8 option...

Mr_Shiftright

I never understood the Chevy V-8 option, because it takes the ONE PART of the XJ6 that's any good, and throws it away! That 6 cylinder engine soldiered on almost as long as the Chevy stovebolt 6. It's a very good engine.

The problem with the XJ6 is everything attached to that engine, and everything attached to everything that attaches to that engine---overheating, rotting fuel lines, rusting gas tanks (yes, 2 of them), demonic electrics, inaccessible rear brakes (you have to drop the differential), lousy paintwork, cracking leather, pathetic AC, oil leaks, lame automatic transmission, on and on.

However, the chrome is very good. When you see an XJ6 in a wrecking yard (and they are abundant), the chrome is always the nicest part left on the car.

kyfdx

I know... I was kidding.

Reminds me of the people that tell you that a diesel Jetta can go 300,000 miles. Sure, that diesel engine can do 300K miles, but in a Jetta? Who could keep the rest of the car working for that long?

Mr_Shiftright

Funny ain't it--when you go to the wrecking yards, and view row after row of cars, and excluding the obvious cars that were totaled, you still very rarely see any odometer over 300K, or even 250K. Sure some cars go 300K or even 400K, but the point is 99% don't.

kyfdx

We've bought a couple of old BMWs with just under or just over 200K miles... But, they cost way more than they were worth to keep running. (probably before we got them, too). Fun, but I'm sure both will be parts cars before they hit 250K.

texases

I'll check out cars.com periodically for high-mile cars. Few and far between, mostly Toyotas.

Mr_Shiftright

Let's post some high mileage only cars in "Project Cars" why don't we? I'll start over there.

imidazol97

Mr_Shiftright said:

However, the chrome is very good. When you see an XJ6 in a wrecking yard (and they are abundant), the chrome is always the nicest part left on the car.

LOL

explorerx4

The problem is, there are no cars to put the chrome on!

stickguy

my local guy has a very clean looking 2004 Toyota Solara convertible with ~225K on it. Odd car to see that kind of miles. Only $2,995!

Mr_Shiftright

Now all you have to do is change your name to Debbie.

While I'm being catty and probably sexist, I saw a Fiat 500 "Gucci" edition today, and contrary to all my irrational biases, this was driven by a man...a man who obviously has no self-image issues whatsoever.

Impressive!

fintail

Nice dry day here, and saw little that was remarkable. Red E36 M3, W126 that kind of looked like a hippie hauler conversion, Volvo 760 wagon.

stickguy

neighbor up the street had his Grand National out on the road today. I have not seen that unearthed in years. Looks like new though. Have to talk to him about it some day now that I know it is still ambulatory.

tjc78

stickguy said:

neighbor up the street had his Grand National out on the road today. I have not seen that unearthed in years. Looks like new though. Have to talk to him about it some day now that I know it is still ambulatory.

I’d love to have one... but I love the 80s so that’s no surprise. 

Up up the street from me there is a Regal T-type that sits outside.  I think the owner drives it occasionally.  

stickguy

saw a red/orange 65 or 66 Mustang today. Driving on I295 in traffic. weird.

and local roads during rush hour friday night, a Chevy 210 (I think). Can't tell year, but a Tri 5. Early square one.

explorerx4

Not an old car but a republish of a Motor Trend article about a car that is now old.
Andre, where are you?
http://www.motortrend.com/news/1957-chrysler-300c-feature-flashback/

uplanderguy

Read this article in today's "New Roads" Chevy owner's magazine that came in the mail. Chevy salesman in Wisconsin, WWII veteran who was visited by Patton after the soldier's tank was hit and all his tankmates were killed--Patton stopped, asked "What happened here soldier?" and the soldier told him to look inside the turret. Patton put his arm around him, asked where he was from, said "Good luck", then took off.

Guy has been selling nothing but Chevys (new, anyway) for decades and sold Patton's grandson from SC a new Equinox. Short clip here. I love stories like this.

This guy could surely remember the golden years of selling Chevys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atyan1Z8h0Q

andre1969

explorerx4 said:

Not an old car but a republish of a Motor Trend article about a car that is now old.
Andre, where are you?
http://www.motortrend.com/news/1957-chrysler-300c-feature-flashback/

No worries, Andre is here! Cool article, thanks for posting it. I wonder what the "official" time for the 300C was. They said they pretty much eyeballed 0-65 on the speedo, to account for errors, at around 8 seconds, and thought that once broken in, it should be able to do about 7. If it really could pull 7 seconds, with the 3-speed Torqueflite and 3.36:1 axle, I think that shows just how impressive the 392 Hemi was back then.

For comparison, I think my 2012 Ram might be good for 0-60 in around 7 seconds. I think it has a 3.31:1 axle, and probably isn't *that* much heavier than a 300C convertible. I think it has 385 hp, but that's net, whereas the 300C's 375 is gross...so maybe 300 or so net, unless it was under-rated? And, my Ram has the benefit of a 6-speed automatic. I think its first gear is 3:00:1, whereas the 300C's first gear is 2.45:1. 2nd gear on the Ram is 1.67:1 (if Wikipedia is correct), whereas it's 1.45:1 on those old Torqueflites.

I wonder how the old 392 would compare to the modern 5.7 if everything else was equal (similar weight vehicle, same transmission, same rear end)?

uplanderguy

Sorry...this was not the forum thread I wished to post that Chevy/Patton story.

explorerx4

@andre1969,
It's crazy you could get a rear axle ratio up to 6:17!. I'm thinking the car tested had a numerically higher ratio than 3:31 just because they told the reviewer to measure it up to 65 mph.

berri

I think that 57 Chrysler 300 still looks gorgeous today and same for the comparable DeSoto Adventurer. To me, like other cars from my youth such as the original Mustang, 63 Riviera, 65 Toronado. 63 Stingray, a true classic tends to hold its looks. Thanks for posting Explorer.

So Andre, think you'll have the Desoto for this summer's car shows?

fintail

I think the Forward Look cars in general still look cool today, Andre's DeSoto included. Get that thing back on the road!

Mr_Shiftright

'57 C engine bay:

Mr_Shiftright

Found this is a garage today:

stickguy

sadly, it was not my garage.

a guy up the street from me has a C2 convertible in that color. No hardtop though.