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

fintail

Saw a "Caddy that Zigs" on the road today.

tjc78

fintail said:

Saw a "Caddy that Zigs" on the road today.

Sorry to hear that.

uplanderguy

Too lazy to verify, but I think the SSJ was a product of Hurst and the cars were converted at Hurst before being sent to dealers. I'm not a fan of the two-tone paint scheme.

I liked back then, how you got a performance package on the Monte Carlo (SS454), Grand Prix (Model SJ), or Riviera (GS), and it was mostly mechanical upgrades, maybe some chrome engine pieces, and modest badging. Only a few years later 'packages' consisted of stupid (IMHO) graphics, mostly. I know the performance era was gone by that time though of course.

laurasdada

fintail said:

Saw a "Caddy that Zigs" on the road today.

Running and moving? Wow!

fintail

Yep, a running driving Catera. Didn't exactly look pristine, but it was moving along.

That car befuddled me from the beginning, the big 2.5 can have a lot of chutzpah. That was not a prestige car in its home market, yet sold as something highline here. Shades of Merkur, but less interesting looking.

tjc78

The Catera was Caddy’s second try at a compact, sporty car.

That was strike two. Luckily they at least hit a double with the first CTS.

fintail

I wonder how CT5 sales will compare to CTS, which was a fair success, especially 1st and 2nd gen I think, still see a lot of them on the road.

Catera wasn't as bad as rebadging a Cavalier, but it is effectively a rebadged Omega, same idea, just higher model of car.

roadburner

I liked the SSJ; probably the best of the big American GTs.

tjc78

Has anyone every seen this interior before? I thought it was some sort aftermarket kit, but seller claims it's factory.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/buick/riviera/2271388.html

omarman

Looks like the W-15 interior option for the 1985 Riviera.

stickguy

dang. I was absolutely in love with this one. Until I got to the part that they ruined it with an automatic!

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2020/03/04/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1969-amc-amx-go-pack/#&gid=1&pid=3

jwm40517

These 390 AMX's as real drag racers in Super/Stock classes did massive wheel stands, were fun to watch

laurasdada

My father had a Catera, miserable experience. A good drive, but much of the time that wasn't an option...

uplanderguy

'79-85 Riviera instrument panel--I spent some quality seat time in a friend's '84, including driving it. Beautiful car, but that instrument panel looked to me like Henry Ford II had something to do with it--so tall and completely flat-faced. I like the regular full-size Buick's panel from the same years better.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

'79-85 Riviera instrument panel--I spent some quality seat time in a friend's '84, including driving it. Beautiful car, but that instrument panel looked to me like Henry Ford II had something to do with it--so tall and completely flat-faced. I like the regular full-size Buick's panel from the same years better.

This was my '79 Electra Park Avenue's dash:

tjc78

I think the FWD layout with no hump made that dash taller than it needed to be. Back then there weren't many two tiered dashes like now.

My paternal grandfather had two of that generation Riviera. .I remember his first one was pretty spartan compared the second which was loaded with ATC, air ride, leather and the best radio.

I wouldn't mind cruising around in one of those today.

fintail

Speaking of Rivieras, one of the auto auction flippers I watch recently found one at a salvage auction, that is, a baby Riviera. I'll admit I still geek out over digital displays (Riv content starts at 23:26 if linked video doesn't start at the right time):

https://youtu.be/qdHacVQ20qk?t=1406

fintail

2 obscure sightings within a minute today, dashcam edition. First, a white 62 Mercury (Monterey?) 4 door HT, that's a hen's tooth, and it looked nice, too - see it approaching at left:

https://youtu.be/YXcx_fzDJ8E

Then just down the street, a MB 190E 2.3-16:

https://youtu.be/PaJg4ZkqCI4

uplanderguy

'62 Merc--I always liked those. I like the '61 also, which seems even rarer although I don't know.

A very early memory of mine is riding in my mom's older friend Marie's light yellow '62 Monterey convertible, black interior, with the top down. Probably would've been a two-year-old car then, maybe?

I did think the taillights that year reminded me of part of a dog's anatomy.

RE.: ab348's Buick panel--the best panel of all the big GM's IMHO. I was always reminded of in nice offices back-in-the-day, where they had barometers displayed.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

RE.: ab348's Buick panel--the best panel of all the big GM's IMHO. I was always reminded of in nice offices back-in-the-day, where they had barometers displayed.

It really was a very handsome instrument panel. That one was in absolutely pristine condition too - the plastichrome on each instrument bezel had a slight yellowish cast to them when I got it so I used a mild cleaner on them and whatever it was vanished, leaving them perfect without even a hint of wear. The car had never been smoked in so I wondered if it was a factory protectant of some sort.

One of the things I liked about that dash was how placing the clock on the right side was a homage to '50s Buicks that did the same.

fintail

As some know, I like Fords of that era in general, so I don't mind the Mercury - it's oddball, but maybe that's part of the appeal, along with likely being far more rare than its GM counterparts.

62 Mercury also makes me think of an episode of Dennis the Menace, IIRC Mr. Wilson (Gale Gordon) and Mrs. Elkins had a fender bender:



If I wanted one of the 4 door HTs with the odd C-pillar notch, of course it would be a 60 Ford "Town Victoria", a nice one also seen on Dennis the Menace, I like to imagine this is a pleasant light-medium blue:

uplanderguy said:

'62 Merc--I always liked those. I like the '61 also, which seems even rarer although I don't know.

A very early memory of mine is riding in my mom's older friend Marie's light yellow '62 Monterey convertible, black interior, with the top down. Probably would've been a two-year-old car then, maybe?

I did think the taillights that year reminded me of part of a dog's anatomy.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

I did think the taillights that year reminded me of part of a dog's anatomy.

When I was a kid, they reminded me of popsicles.

uplanderguy

Two of my favorite Fords are of the era you like, fin. I would love a '61 Galaxie Starliner, in that medium blue you mentioned. I also like the unibody '61-63 (?) trucks, although I know they supposedly didn't hold up, but I like how the rear wheel openings mimicked the fronts.

I got extremely tired of the tomato-red so-often-seen, at least in my parts, on '61-64 Fords, though.

fintail

I'd prefer a 60 Starliner, but 61 isn't exactly shabby. Nice looking car, to me the roofline borrows from the forward look Mopars.

For the unibody pickups, I'd want the "big window" option, offered until 63 I believe - I suspect this bubble window was broken frequently if the truck was used as a truck (which means few would be broken today):



This 61 brought 88K at a B-J auction last year.

My dad's 60 wagon was that tomato red, white two tone, with matching interior. I recall it oxidized quickly, which bugged me, so I waxed it often.

uplanderguy

I remember how all the U.S. trucks (except Studebaker) gave you a small back window and a full-width one was optional. This window on the unibody truck is especially stylish IMHO--I'd never noticed it before but I can't recall when I've last-seen one of these trucks in person.

uplanderguy

Interesting column in Hemmings. I really like second-gen Corvairs but I bet they're harder to find a mechanic for than a Studebaker. A '69 Monza hardtop with the four-carbs would be my next choice for an old car after a Stude.

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2020/03/05/1965-69-chevy-corvair-values-are-rising-fast?fbclid=IwAR0QFe2J2N3cb8-3-RnTsuxX2chTEov3LnYna95sK3EF-JaplZaExVuvHWs

stickguy

I actually love those late Corvairs.

bhill2

I especially liked the 4-door hardtop. The shape was simply beautiful.

uplanderguy

I always thought, if you had a 500-model with the dash-mounted-control Powerglide (although its bench-seat interior is cheapy), you really had a six-passenger compact. I am certain it would be notably more spacious than, say, a Nova in those years.

uplanderguy

Back to the '70 Monte Carlo vs. Grand Prix sales film--I'm really surprised Chevy didn't mention that if you got a bucket-seat Grand Prix (most of them were this), you didn't get a glovebox--just the console storage compartment, which I recall in GM cars being skimpy. If you got a bench seat GP, you got a glovebox. I do think it's weird you just didn't get a regular glovebox, either way. You can tell the bench seat in the GP was an afterthought, as the large glovebox was placed above the wood-grained trim strip with Grand Prix nameplate, instead of below as would normally be the case in just about any other car. That, and the shift quadrant was a decidedly old-timey (by that time), add-on arrangement on the top of the steering column.

ab348

The price on this might be ambitious, but it sure looks good. I don't recall ever seeing one of these all in white like this. The only things I don't like are whatever he stuck on the passenger dash and the chrome exhaust tips.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/buick/riviera/2341780.html

uplanderguy

For a long time I didn't like boattail Rivs, for the same reason I didn't care for early Toronados--I thought the car was too large for the styling. Like the Toro, I now like them.

I totally get it, but I like the '71's which did not have the body side moldings.

I'll stick my neck out here and say that I always liked the '74-76 Rivs too, which don't get very much love. The boattail styling below the beltline, generally, but without the roofline.

The '77-78 Rivs would've been a very nice LeSabre of some sort, but they don't seem like a Riv.

fintail

I've seen personalized dash plaques on a number of 70s/early 80s era highline cars, often British cars, first one I have seen on a Riviera. I notice it has a monogram too, someone was trying to be fancy. Those boattails are pretty cool cars, such a flamboyant design, almost hard to believe it got the green light.

kyfdx

My aunt's '78 Coupe DeVille was ordered, and had their name on a dash plate.

tjc78

My grandfather had a boat tail like that, it was burnt orange with IIRC a brown interior.

He replaced it with an 81 then I think the last one was an 85.

explorerx4

This link just popped up for me.
JDM stuff and more.
https://www.duncanimports.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxuHxluuL6AIVR-qzCh15_AciEAEYASAAEgIj5fD_BwE

andre1969

If a '57 DeSoto comes out and sees its own shadow, does that mean six more weeks of road salt?


I took advantage of the nice weather today to get it started, and move it out of the garage. I wanted to get the Catalina and LeMans out too. However, the Catalina wouldn't start. The LeMans started up about as well as you can expect from a mid-70's era car, but alas, the Catalina was blocking it in, so it had to stay put.

Here's a few pics of the other relics, tucked away inside the garage...

uplanderguy

They all look great! And, welcome back.

andre1969

Thanks! And, sorry for the hiatus. I've actually been around...checking on and lurking fairly regularly. But I was going through a period where I couldn't post pics, so I think because of that, I didn't get online as much. Anyway, thanks to BenjaminH, for checking up on me! He had shot me a private message.

tjc78

Welcome back! I need you around here to defend all the land yachts I post. Lol

I thought the Catalina was the most road worthy of the fleet?

benjaminh

Welcome back @andre1969!

That 67 (?) Pontiac looks great. When you get a chance maybe we could get a reminder of some of the story of that car, and maybe see an inside pic of the dash.

stickguy

poor Desoto needs a paint job now.

imidazol97

1966 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hardtop. Dark dark blue.
All cleaned up and pretty out for a drive on
our first really nice day after winter storage.

fintail

Welcome back, Andre. You should do cold start videos of your cars and post them on YouTube - people love that kind of thing. Did the blue beast and the 5th Ave get a try?

tjc78

Late 40s Ford pickup. It had to be riding on something modern as he blew by me at what must have been 100 mph (I was doing 75). Sounded awesome too.

Then saw a baby blue late 80s Ciera Wagon and a Beetle. I guess everyone has spring fever with the warm day we are forecasted to have.

imidazol97

@andre1969
Thanks for the pictures. I love the DeSoto.

stickguy

was nice today. a couple oddballs. On the highway, a 1st gen Cougar. Robins egg blue with a black vinyl top. weird combo.

and driving around near my house, an Orange VW thing. I have seen it parked at a house for years, but this was the first time I ever saw it moving. top down and all the side curtains off. Looked like a woman driving a big orange bathtub.

uplanderguy

ab348, talk about 'ambitious price', LOL! I will say I like these in the Custom Coupe, with no optional body side moldings. I like how the Impalas all had wide rocker trim in '71. And I can't recall when I've last seen an original cloth interior on one, this nice. And...the black interior benefits the black steering wheel and instrument cluster these cars had regardless of interior color.

That said...Maybe a buffing of the car would've been in order? Maybe seeing what others are out there for (to be fair, I bet there aren't any comparables) but.....sheesh! This guy just threw away his eBay fees!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Chevrolet-Impala/193365525452?hash=item2d057bc3cc:g:QiUAAOSwwyFeXIuA

sda

andre1969 said:

If a '57 DeSoto comes out and sees its own shadow, does that mean six more weeks of road salt?


I took advantage of the nice weather today to get it started, and move it out of the garage. I wanted to get the Catalina and LeMans out too. However, the Catalina wouldn't start. The LeMans started up about as well as you can expect from a mid-70's era car, but alas, the Catalina was blocking it in, so it had to stay put.

Here's a few pics of the other relics, tucked away inside the garage...

I really like the Catalina. Of course the DeSoto is cool and I have a soft spot for the Fifth Avenue. Do you still have the cream color New Yorker/Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue?

stickguy

Impala guy seems to have made a typo, and added an extra digit in there someplace.