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

Michaell

fintail said:

We had Camry wagon for model years 1987-96, IIRC. Not too common these days, the 92-96 is memorable for its dual rear wipers. I don't recall them as taxis here, but I have seen late 90s Camry as taxis.

The original Odyssey was also badged Isuzu Oasis.

So that Honda could rebadge the Rodeo as the Passport, since they weren't convinced that the SUV craze would last.

uplanderguy

My old-skool is showing, but those original Camry wagons reminded me of late '50's/early '60's Rambler Classic wagons, and the Accord wagons looked like they just put a roof extension on the decklid of the four-door sedan!

uplanderguy

I think these made a nice-looking wagon, especially from the rear; better than the sedan or coupe. I had a coupe, the only car I ever ordered, and I liked it at the time, but in hindsight it was a complete box.

https://barnfinds.com/12k-miles-from-new-1986-chevrolet-celebrity-eurosport-wagon/

kyfdx

uplanderguy said:

My old-skool is showing, but those original Camry wagons reminded me of late '50's/early '60's Rambler Classic wagons, and the Accord wagons looked like they just put a roof extension on the decklid of the four-door sedan!

That's exactly what Honda did.. both generations. ('90-93 and '94-'97)

texases

The later Taurus wagon did the same, never looked 'right' to me:

uplanderguy

Really. It was really tacked onto a Sable sedan, whether it was a Taurus wagon or Sable wagon.

I could still enjoy a Celebrity Eurosport wagon with buckets and console shift, Goodyear Eagles and aluminum wheels (none of which the low-mileage example in the link above has). Though, some would like the bench seat, which no import offered.

fintail

And that led to probably the rarest product of the Honda-Isuzu alliance:



I've seen several of these on the road, they sold a few here.

Michaell said:

So that Honda could rebadge the Rodeo as the Passport, since they weren't convinced that the SUV craze would last.

fintail

I don't mind that Celebrity, if anything, just for nostalgia and a preservation piece. I hope the new owner kept it up. Those were everywhere at one point but are now hen's teeth in anything beyond junkyard condition. Even as a kid, I thought the "Eurosport" name was being generous (they kept it up with the Lumina "Euro" too, not exactly a BMW competitor). Then again, 20+ years later, I don't mind the ovoid Taurus either, at least it was daring.

Speaking of Honda wagons, Europe got a 2 door pop up lights Accord wagon ("Aerodeck"), call it a shooting brake?

stickguy

I would take an accord like that. Very practical.

And I find the celebrity wagon one of the cleanest, most attractive designs from a domestic maker in that era.

texases

I like that Celebrity wagon's looks, as I do VW and Audi wagons:

Michaell

fintail said:

And that led to probably the rarest product of the Honda-Isuzu alliance:



I've seen several of these on the road, they sold a few here.

Michaell said:

So that Honda could rebadge the Rodeo as the Passport, since they weren't convinced that the SUV craze would last.

I remember those, since I owned a gen-II Trooper. This was based off the gen-III, correct? 3.2L V6, IIRC.

Michaell

texases said:

I like that Celebrity wagon's looks, as I do VW and Audi wagons:

I really liked the Passat wagons.

And, I like the current Golf SportWagen, as well.

stickguy

That Audi is sharp. Would like one now. Other than being an old Audi part.

Mr_Shiftright

You do NOT want an early 2000s All Road however, unless your dark side enjoys human suffering.

stickguy

I want a reliable modern car. With that body, seats and interior.

roadburner

I'd love one of these...

Mr_Shiftright

I just can't wrap my head around the luxury wagon-y thing anymore. I see them more as strictly utility vehicles.

stickguy

Nice. That a 3 series? I would take one. Though I assume will not get in the US. And as always, way out of my budget!

fintail

I think it would technically be a facelifted 2nd gen car, but I am not an expert. Engine sounds right.

Michaell said:

I remember those, since I owned a gen-II Trooper. This was based off the gen-III, correct? 3.2L V6, IIRC.

fintail

I think the BMW is an E61 M5.

Wagon? 124 AMG Hammer, please:

roadburner

stickguy said:

Nice. That a 3 series? I would take one. Though I assume will not get in the US. And as always, way out of my budget!

M5 Touring

uplanderguy

Was it the Trooper or a Mitsu, that CR showed on two wheels on the cover?

uplanderguy

It was the Trooper.

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/sep/23/business/fi-13337

Mr_Shiftright

Went to inspect this poor baby:
T-boned at Oakland CA intersection with optional "DC" red light (driver's choice).

xwesx

That's too bad. A hit like that, on a car of that age, can do some serious damage to a driver! Hopefully the person driving was (more or less) okay?

fintail

Shame, wearing old looking black plates, too.

stickguy

no side airbags in that baby.

ab348

That must be close to a write-off.

texases

ab348 said:

That must be close to a write-off.

Nah, just get the parts at Autozone, right?

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, it's a total. Nobody was hurt, happy to say. If it had been a right hand drive car, I could tell from the interior movement of the chassis that it would have been painful to the area of the pelvis, perhaps devastating.

This is a 1964 Alfa Romeo Guilia TI---it's not the "Super" model, which had two Weber carbs (this one was upgraded however, from the single Solex)--but it does have a rather rare 5-speed column shift. The "Super" has more HP and a floor shifter, hence considerably more valuable than this car, even though they aren't very different otherwise.

All I can say from my experience driving in the East Bay is to never EVER assume someone is going to actually stop at a stop sign or a red light. I'm at DEFCON 3 minimum when I'm over there.

Mr_Shiftright

Here's another wreck--it's a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. Nothing really special but it's the last RWD, bench-seat, 6 passenger, full battleship Cadillac you're likely to see again.

This car was also totaled--a classic case of even modest damage exterminating a car with not much retail value.

This is a low miles example so we're fighting to save it--but if an insurance company is determined to total, it's very difficult to prevent that. At best, all you can do is get more money for the write-off. Insurance companies don't want to be hunting down 22 year old pieces.

xwesx

Crazy. That's about what the damage to my 1998 Escort (before I bought it) looked like. It, too was a total from an insurance standpoint. My friend did an insurance buyout on it and just kept driving it as-is, (the light still technically worked on it).

After I bought it, I straightened out the hood and fender with some pliers, replaced the internal armature (plastic) for the headlights, and also replaced the headlights so that I could actually see at night. About $300 worth of "body work" to put that thing straight. I was ballin'!

imidazol97

Mr_Shiftright said:

Here's another wreck--it's a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. Nothing really special but it's the last RWD, bench-seat, 6 passenger, full battleship Cadillac you're likely to see again.

This car was also totaled--a classic case of even modest damage exterminating a car with not much retail value.

This is a low miles example so we're fighting to save it--but if an insurance company is determined to total, it's very difficult to prevent that. At best, all you can do is get more money for the write-off. Insurance companies don't want to be hunting down 22 year old pieces.

My guess is that in this area of Ohio lots of parts for that car are on the roads and therefore in junkyards, errr, recycling units. Maybe even in pick-n-pull lots.

If this is a low mileage car, a high mileage car could donate parts to it and junk the rest.

Hood, headlight, left fender... was the bumper deformed?

stickguy

out walking through the older house neighborhood near mine. On the street, a 66ish Nova that must have driven there. Def. hopped up. Big wheels, hood pins hood and trunk, raked, and huge pipes exiting ahead of the rear wheels. at the same house, up the drive a trailer with the back door open had what I think was a similar vintage Mopar in it. Will have to see if that is loose tomorrow.

Mr_Shiftright

imidazol97 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Here's another wreck--it's a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. Nothing really special but it's the last RWD, bench-seat, 6 passenger, full battleship Cadillac you're likely to see again.

This car was also totaled--a classic case of even modest damage exterminating a car with not much retail value.

This is a low miles example so we're fighting to save it--but if an insurance company is determined to total, it's very difficult to prevent that. At best, all you can do is get more money for the write-off. Insurance companies don't want to be hunting down 22 year old pieces.

My guess is that in this area of Ohio lots of parts for that car are on the roads and therefore in junkyards, errr, recycling units. Maybe even in pick-n-pull lots.

If this is a low mileage car, a high mileage car could donate parts to it and junk the rest.

Hood, headlight, left fender... was the bumper deformed?

Bumper looks OK. Problem is that an insurance company isn't going to deal with this---but someone could buy it and fish around for parts. I think the car has about 60K on it, so it definitely has life left in it.

fintail

Saw a Vehicross today - I suspect all were originally sold in WA/OR/CO/VT/NH.

kyfdx

fintail said:

Saw a Vehicross today - I suspect all were originally sold in WA/OR/CO/VT/NH.

One of the best car commercials ever..

omarman

I found a link to the Isuzu "dancing car" Gemini commercial. Description of video states, "There are no special effects with computers because there wasn't any in 1985."

Impressive but still makes me think of Joe...

kyfdx

This one:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=7T6HXTeA7Dc

omarman

That one needed Joe in the land speed car cockpit for the reaction shot.

ab348

If they kept the tooling for the Vehicross I bet they would make a killing with it in today's SUV-crazy world. It looks good in comparison to some of the others on the market in recent years.

fintail

Indeed, for a 20 year old vehicle, it doesn't look old at all. Way ahead of its time.

PF_Flyer

'59 C1 on Columbo this morning

kyfdx

PF_Flyer said:

'59 C1 on Columbo this morning

Is that a Maverick on the left?

texases

Yes, next to a Pinto, I think.

Michaell

texases said:

Yes, next to a Pinto, I think.

And, an Eldorado convertible....

Mr_Shiftright

PF_Flyer said:

'59 C1 on Columbo this morning

oooh...with optional hardtop that is completely wrong. Get that thing off there! Yeah, I'm talkin' to you!

PF_Flyer

Yea, the hardtop did kinda look "off". Doesn't really match the body lines anywhere! Get a little speed up and that front edge might just flip it off

ab348

Michaell said:

texases said:

Yes, next to a Pinto, I think.

And, an Eldorado convertible....

And a Splitty bus on the back right.

kyfdx

texases said:

Yes, next to a Pinto, I think.

I thought so, too.. but, something seemed off. Couldn't decide, for sure, if that was it.