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

uplanderguy

What are the effects? Is it the ton of 'gloss'?

tjc78

Michaell said:

took a little lap of the bottom of NJ today (S. Jersey, to central, then down to the shore). Saw a surprising number of old cars out driving around, considering there was still snow piles in some places. I think mostly folks getting one last decent weekend in before putting away for the winter. a few I remember, a 67 GTO, 65ish Corvette convertible, 52 or so Stude 2 door, a couple of (I am sure fiberglass) 20s/30s rods, and a couple more that escape me now.

A tour of South Jersey takes what, 45 minutes? Still, quite a number of sightings for mid November.

Depends where you are.   I had to go about 15 miles yesterday afternoon and it took an hour

@stickguy from the Aquarium to near the Turnersville automall.  42 was a parking lot as if it was summer with shore traffic.   Completely not expected.   

Michaell

tjc78 said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

took a little lap of the bottom of NJ today (S. Jersey, to central, then down to the shore). Saw a surprising number of old cars out driving around, considering there was still snow piles in some places. I think mostly folks getting one last decent weekend in before putting away for the winter.

a few I remember, a 67 GTO, 65ish Corvette convertible, 52 or so Stude 2 door, a couple of (I am sure fiberglass) 20s/30s rods, and a couple more that escape me now.

A tour of South Jersey takes what, 45 minutes?

Still, quite a number of sightings for mid November.

Depends where you are.   I had to go about 15 miles yesterday afternoon and it took an hour

@stickguy from the Aquarium to near the Turnersville automall.  42 was a parking lot as if it was summer with shore traffic.   Completely not expected.   

My godparents lived in Moorestown, and I frequently traveled there as we had a partner company in Maple Shade.

My cousins had a condo in Margate City.

I've spent a fair amount of time in South Jersey over the years, but it's been a long time since I've been.

stickguy

I hate 42. But weird to be that bad on a Saturday. Good thing I went a different route, because google maps would have sent me that way.

Michael, I actually have to meet some people in Moorestown today. We also looked at some houses there. Very nice town. Sadly, expensive.

TJC, I had to go from home, to Hamilton (drop princess at train station), then all the way down 206 and eventually to by Cape May, then back home. Probably about 230 miles all together. Tiring day. But traffic was fine all around.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I hate 42. But weird to be that bad on a Saturday. Good thing I went a different route, because google maps would have sent me that way.

Michael, I actually have to meet some people in Moorestown today. We also looked at some houses there. Very nice town. Sadly, expensive.

TJC, I had to go from home, to Hamilton (drop princess at train station), then all the way down 206 and eventually to by Cape May, then back home. Probably about 230 miles all together. Tiring day. But traffic was fine all around.

My godfather built a small home there back in the 50's. My godmother was only 4'10", so the counters and such we're set up to accommodate her.

I remember it was on a dirt road next to a concrete mill; I've tried to locate it on google maps, but I just can't seem to find it. It's been something like 20 years since my last visit, so I'm sure things have changed.

fintail

When I see over-processed looking pics, I wonder what they are hiding. The brave and honorable realtor gang loves to do the same thing around here, it's obvious someone read the first chapter of Photoshop For Dummies and now thinks they are Ansel Adams.

A nice squarebody at NATMUS:



But it isn't the truck that got me going, but what is in the bed:



Now there's a time warp object. I can still hear my mother (and the mothers of every kid I knew) saying "you'll kill yourself".

benjaminh

Woolsey fire. What car was this....?

ab348

Rambler American. If that is a 2-door HT and not a convertible then it is a '63.

uplanderguy

Someone told me they saw a '61 Lark convertible destroyed by fire there, but I'm betting it's this picture they're talking about. Definitely a '61-63 Rambler American. It's funny the American got a hardtop before the Classic and Ambassador.

tjc78

This time of year 206 should be a pretty nice ride. I was shocked by 42, there must have been an accident earlier.

stickguy

I decided to do it scenic. 206 to 322, backroads through mays landing to pick up 50, then 9. skipped 42, ACX and the GSP entirely. It was pleasant, and probably took a whopping 10-15 minutes more, total.

ab348

Here's an interesting LeSabre at not too outrageous a price:

1980 LeSabre 2-door

Color combo is a bit unusual and the velour seats are strange-looking in the pics but I presume original. Love the dash. Only negative aside from the many stone chips on the paint is that 301 Pontiac engine.

stickguy

That does look like a nice car for not much money. If you like that type of car of course.

fintail

Good area to avoid rust.

andre1969

The seats on that LeSabre looked almost a bit too ritzy for a LeSabre, but I just checked the brochure, and that is what they offered in the Limited. Here's a pic from the 1980 brochure...it's a bit low-res, alas...


It's interesting that Olds started using the 307 with the Delta 88, and Ninety Eight, for 1980, but Buick was still getting stuck with the Pontiac 301. I think the Delta 88 even used the 301 for one or two years.

I've heard that, as long as you don't abuse it, neglect it, etc, the 301 actually isn't *that* bad of an engine. And, for the car to have made it to 132,000 miles, I wonder if perhaps this car got one of the "good" ones? Or, is it past its expiration date?

Dunno if it's true or not, but I've heard that the 301 was revised for 1981, and unlike the other GM V-8's, actually took rather well to the new computer controls. I think it was rated around 150 hp, but supposedly put out more like 170. Again, that could be an old wive's tale, but on the plus side, the engine was finally clean enough that California stopped banning 301s that year.

stickguy

Getting babied, and oil changes every 3k, probably helps.

xwesx

fintail said:

A nice squarebody at NATMUS:

But it isn't the truck that got me going, but what is in the bed:



Now there's a time warp object. I can still hear my mother (and the mothers of every kid I knew) saying "you'll kill yourself".

Isn't that the truth!

My grandparents bought a pair of Honda Big Reds (ATC200, IIRC) in 1984 from the local Honda dealer in Pendleton, Oregon. I still have one, and would have both of them had she not promised the other to a "friend" who ended up stealing it from them. It's mostly a workhorse, but is also fun to take the kids on a ride once in a while.

I still haven't let them ride it solo; maybe our mothers' words sunk in too well.

fintail

Your grandparents must have been pretty cool As neither of mine lived in the country, nor did my family, there would be no way to call something like that anything but a toy, and one that would have been far too dangerous and expensive for my mom to allow (dad maybe could have been talked into it, but the idea of veto power was real). IIRC, they did have stability issues that led to some fatalities. Nice ones are minor collectibles now.

Speaking of those, 4 wheelers/quads are actually street legal in several countries. It always makes me jealous when I see them used as local commuter rigs in Germany - if we could do that here, I'd probably have one, and live out the ideals of myself at 10 years old.

xwesx said:

Isn't that the truth!

My grandparents bought a pair of Honda Big Reds (ATC200, IIRC) in 1984 from the local Honda dealer in Pendleton, Oregon. I still have one, and would have both of them had she not promised the other to a "friend" who ended up stealing it from them. It's mostly a workhorse, but is also fun to take the kids on a ride once in a while.

I still haven't let them ride it solo; maybe our mothers' words sunk in too well.

fintail

Here's another Volo car, this one again different from the hordes of muscle/pony cars and tri-Chevies:

roadburner

I almost bought a Honda ATC 90 in 1971- but ended up with a Benelli Mini Enduro instead. I still have it...

benjaminh

Freeway in Chicago. 1966....

stickguy

Chicago freeways haven’t changed much. Maybe fewer shootings back then.

stickguy

Amazing. I can spot 2 beetles, and no other foreign cars. A different time.

andre1969

It almost looks like it could be an episode of "CHiPs", especially the way that already-damaged '63 Impala is angling towards the '64 Pontiac.

Another things that really stands out...other than that '54 Olds, and a few of the big rigs, there really are no "old" cars in that shot. I don't know enough about VW Bugs to tell how old those are, and that Checker would be a '58 at the oldest, I'm guessing.

It's interesting how big rigs could so easily pull off a sinister look, in those days. That dump truck tractor trailer that's changing lanes, I think it's a Diamond-T? Looks downright evil It makes me of a truck from "Maximum Overdrive", one that smashed the Bible salesman's red Caddy, took out a telephone booth, and ultimately got blown up with a rocket launcher. But that one was an Autocar, and newer...

fintail

Those roads look a lot smoother than the ones I just drove on, I didn't see any Imperials or Galaxies on the road, either.

Curtis!!

ab348

That Chicago traffic picture is fun. At first I thought the '63 Chevy not only had a bashed-in grill and hood but also body damage on the driver's side. But the pic blows up and you can see the driver has opened the door and is apparently in the middle of slamming it shut. Maybe it wasn't closed properly, or maybe the latch is messed up. You can also see the driver of the Pontiac convertible next to it looking at the driver suspiciously.

I don't know if that truck is a Diamond T as their grill bars were more of a bullnose shape and those look flat. Maybe an International?

explorerx4

That 63 Chevy is pretty messed up. Left side door looks like it is sprung.

ab348

andre1969 said:

It's interesting how big rigs could so easily pull off a sinister look, in those days.

You reminded me of something - back around 1960 when I would have been 4, we visited my Mom's sister for a few days when they lived in St Catherine's, Ontario. We stayed at their place and one day I was being led across the street by either her or my mom in front of a big GMC diesel tractor-trailer that was parked at the curb. That was scary enough to 4 year-old me seeing it tower above me and just as I got in front of it the driver started it up. I just about jumped out of my skin.

It looked something like one of these as I recall:

imidazol97

fintail said:

Here's another Volo car, this one again different from the hordes of muscle/pony cars and tri-Chevies:

That Olds is beautiful. Great styling.
The brown roof on the Chevy in the background and matching interior vinyl/leather speaks "1964" to me. Am I right?

andre1969

As I recall, the '75 Olds Delta 88 convertible was actually pretty popular. By that time, if you wanted a convertible, GM was the only game in town, and I'm sure they were playing up 1975 being the end of them, with the exception of the Eldorado which would go on for one more year. But, I seem to recall the Delta sold a lot more than the Grand Ville, Caprice, or LeSabre.

A handful of them were sold with Pontiac 400's, but I can't remember the rationale for that. I believe most of them were either Olds 350s or 455s. In contrast, I believe the LeSabre only offered the Buick 350 or 455, nothing in between. And Pontiac started you off with a 400, with a 455 being optional.

I wonder if that's one thing that might have hurt Pontiac sales by that time...over-reliance on the big 400 and 455 engines, while Olds, Buick, and Chevy let you get a 350?

fintail

You're on the right track, but stopping at the wrong station

imidazol97 said:

That Olds is beautiful. Great styling.
The brown roof on the Chevy in the background and matching interior vinyl/leather speaks "1964" to me. Am I right?

explorerx4

I also thought it was a Chevy.

imidazol97

Now that I know what it is, I can see the Pontiac symbol on the side of the quarter panel next to Olds' headlights.

fintail

One last Volo car for today, something pretty obscure indeed. I liked this thing - you never see these, nice colors, looked to be in outstanding condition, continental kits actually suit these IMO, just rare and neat:

xwesx

You know your collection is too big when you have to tent so many!

fintail

What got me is many cars under the tents had windows down or tops down. And here I am keeping my old car under a cover even when it is garaged, as I don't want dust and grime.

benjaminh

Hollywood freeway, 1972....

benjaminh

New York traffic, 1961....

benjaminh

Washington, DC, 1920s....

benjaminh

Wow....

benjaminh

Atlanta 1967....

stickguy

traffic in cities certainly has sucked for a long time.

stickguy

pretty noticeable difference from 66 to 72. Much more modern looking new ones. and a few imports, plus smaller domestics.

sda

benjaminh said:

Atlanta 1967....

The car front, left is a 62 Galaxie, which was my first car that I bought from a friend for $100 in 1977. Mine was the basic Galaxie 2dr sedan, no options other than an am radio, heater, 292 V8. It was ugly, drove like a tank, but started everytime! And it was mine! The 292 was a slug, even with the 3 speed manual column shift.

benjaminh

San Francisco, 101, 1959....

benjaminh

Atlanta 1976. I think the person in the Porsche is probably having the most fun....

benjaminh

Ohio, 1964....

fintail

3 uncommon imports in the SF 1959 pic - from L to R I spot a Renault 4CV, Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud (likely series 1), and a Vauxhall Victor (behind a 58 Ford wagon).

Mr_Shiftright

China.

Sometimes people have abandon their cars and come back later to pick them up.

sda

Mr_Shiftright said:

China.

Sometimes people have abandon their cars and come back later to pick them up.

That would test my last nerve.