Project Cars--You Get to Vote on "Hold 'em or Fold 'em"

uplanderguy

My wife had a '78 Chevette 4-door 4-speed when we got married...in 1989. It smelled like gas much of the time. When I bought her a new '90 Corsica 5-speed, you'd have thought she won the lottery, LOL.

Michaell

My best friend's family bought a new Chevette in 1978. 4 door, root beer brown, tan vinyl interior. My friend inherited it from his folks when they bought a new car, and he drove it into the late 80's or early 90's.

Cockroach, indeed.

qbrozen

I don't believe I have ever seen this car before. The more I look at the pics, the more I dig it.
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/oldsmobile/dynamic_88/1885362.html

berri

I'm a fan of the 62 Olds 88 including the Starfire. 61 I'll go with the big Pontiacs.

fintail

Neat car, much better to buy a time warp like that than to restore one. Not something you see every day. Those wide whites must be an inch or inch and a half too wide for a 61 GM?

uplanderguy

'61 GM's still had wide whites but you're right--not that wide.

I have no idea of market value but that's higher than I'd pay for that car. But...I agree wholeheartedly that it's better to buy an excellent car with some patina than restore one. I loved my car and totally trust the shop that restored it, but I wouldn't do it again.

fintail

For that Olds, I was thinking it should be closer to 10K rather than 15K.

If one is to restore any ordinary car today, do it for love, and expect red ink. I am sure the fintail could easily consume 40-50K, and I'd cringe at what it would be "worth" after (not to mention, I wouldn't enjoy driving it as much, risky).

Mr_Shiftright

It would have to be a genuine "no excuses" car for that money and with ample documentation as to the mileage claims.

uplanderguy

I find this car on eBay interesting, as I love '65 Chevys and this is the Caprice Custom sedan option on the Impala, a mid-year thing (Dec. '64 actually IIRC). Lame color IMHO and the price seems out there to me, but well-equipped and in good condition and on the small details:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Chevrolet-Caprice-/172420667814?forcerrptr=true&hash=item28251299a6:g:yfAAAOSwA3dYIScY&item=172420667814

About the only non-authentic thing I notice, and this is minor of course, is on full-wheelcover cars Chevy used black-painted wheels and this car has wheels the color of the body, which Chevy only utilized on cars with small hubcaps. I wondered if my personal memory was right on that and this assembly line photo appears to corroborate:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a2/21/25/a221257340f06cd0287979e013e610e1.jpg

ab348

Wow, that Caprice would have to be one rare bird these days. I agree with you about the colors and the price, but how many like this would be out there nowadays?

Are those speaker grilles on the kick panels? I have never seen those before. They look factory to me.

fintail

Nice looking car, but yeah, price is out there. Those hubcaps remind me of Impala SS hubcaps.

Reminds me of a 66 Caprice 4 door HT I saw probably nearly 20 years ago. It was for sale at a small town Chevy dealer. It was a 396, silver with black vinyl top, I think a greyish brocade interior, maybe 50K miles or so, and they wanted maybe 7K for it. I seem to recall it was loaded with all power features, and was pristine.

uplanderguy

Are those speaker grilles on the kick panels? I have never seen those before. They look factory to me.

You know, I don't know. I want to say I've seen similar things in that general area on other cars before. They don't strike me as speakers, but I don't know. At the risk of embarrassing myself totally, for some reason I thought somewhere along the line someone had told me they had something to do with air conditioning. I know that seems laughable and it probably is.

uplanderguy

fin, the '65 Caprice wheelcover is indeed the SS wheelcover...from the factory.

RE.: '66 Caprices--as is the case with the whole full-size line, I just don't like the '66's as well, styling-wise, as the '65's. Of course, they expanded the Caprice line to coupes and wagons in '66 too. Occasionally I search eBay for "Caprice coupe". Almost invariably, more '66's come up than any year before or after, 'til '75 convertibles, LOL. Tells me they sold a lot of '66's I think, that they were pretty good cars, and people liked them enough to preserve them.

ab348

Bill, that assembly line picture is interesting. In 1997 I was lucky enough to get a tour of the assembly line in the ancient Olds Main plant in Lansing, now long gone. At the time they were building Pontiac Grand Ams and Buick Skylarks there. Just as in your picture, the floors were made of wood blocks set in place on end, each one about 4"x8" and I don't know how deep. As they walked us from one area to the next they took us through areas on the fringes of the building that were used for component staging which seemed almost untouched since the place was built. I guess back in the 1920s the Michigan forest still had plenty of big trees that could be sawed into blocks that size.

fintail

Was there a 65 Caprice sedan? I can't remember now. The car I saw way back in 1997 was a 65 or 66 for sure. What I remember most was the hubcaps, condition, and upholstery. That was back when I was a young student, the fintail had puked up a piston ring and was off the road for a couple months, and other cars were catching my eye. Of course, I didn't have 7K to spare, and am now glad I slowly had the fintail's engine repaired.

uplanderguy said:

fin, the '65 Caprice wheelcover is indeed the SS wheelcover...from the factory.

RE.: '66 Caprices--as is the case with the whole full-size line, I just don't like the '66's as well, styling-wise, as the '65's. Of course, they expanded the Caprice line to coupes and wagons in '66 too. Occasionally I search eBay for "Caprice coupe". Almost invariably, more '66's come up than any year before or after, 'til '75 convertibles, LOL. Tells me they sold a lot of '66's I think, that they were pretty good cars, and people liked them enough to preserve them.

toomanyfumes

I worked at a a machine shop a long time ago that had a similar wood block floor. I guess it was easier on the feet than concrete.

Mr_Shiftright

The claim of original paint could be verified with a paint meter---I use one and 5 times out of 10, there has been paintwork done somewhere on the car.

In any event, looks like a nice original car, but the price is too high. From others I've seen on the market, I'd peg it at about $12,500 if you actually want to move it to a new home.

uplanderguy

I think the painted wheels are far-more likely to be the result of a complete repaint, than a factory goof. '60's Studes had off-white wheels, on full wheelcovers or not, and I'd say more than not, have wheels now that match the body. Ask the owner, and the answer is almost always, "the wheels were repainted when the rest of the car was repainted".

That '65 Caprice is an original color at least, although I don't care much for that color!

Fin, the Caprice came out sometime after the rest of the '65 Chevys did--I want to say Dec. '64. It was an option package on only the Impala Sport Sedan (four-door hardtop). I can remember one light blue one in my hometown, but it was a used car by the time I remember it; the folks weren't really 'new Caprice' folks.

I think it's odd that there are no pics of the front seat. In my memory, frilly cloth like that car had usually turned to shreds, at least on the driver's seat.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

I think it's odd that there are no pics of the front seat. In my memory, frilly cloth like that car had usually turned to shreds, at least on the driver's seat.

For the asking price, one would think the drivers seat would be as good as the rest of the interior. It really is a fancy-looking interior too. Notice that even the backs of the front seats facing the rear passengers have the button-tufted treatment.

berri

I hated the squared vinyl roof on the coupe when it came out in 66, but they sold like hotcakes in the Chicago area back then.

uplanderguy

I never liked that sixties Caprice coupe roofline, either--well, until the '69, that is.

Part of me likes the '67-69 "strato bench" seat that the Caprice offered--bucket backs, bench bottom, and fold-down center armrest--but the interiors are 'bordello', LOL. I think the Impalas of that period offered a luxurious, tasteful, quality look that didn't go overboard.

Mr_Shiftright

Nah, the Full Bordello requires brocade or tufted velour. Extra points for opera windows, plastic burlwood stick-on veener, padded vinyl roof and fake landau bars. Bonus rewards for continental kit or trunk bulge, fake wire hubcaps and tissue dispensers.

fintail

At 6'1" and around 200, I should find this nice and comfortable, right? Even with our corrupt 25 year rule, we are now at the point where a lot of interesting stuff can come over.

Mr_Shiftright

Yes but RHD. Useless. Can you imagine trying to pass anyone in this thing sitting in the right seat? You'll be trapped behind that Prius for eternity.

Maybe someone could imagine making a decent living swapping these things to LHD, but I rather doubt Japan made any this way. And without a center dash layout, probably near impossible to do.

fintail

Would one be passing many people in that thing at all? Seems like a motorcycle engine in a (tiny) car, but maybe a little safer than a bike, especially with the low information "drivers" in my area. Just aim your mirrors carefully

And yeah, IIRC all of those are RHD.

uplanderguy

Here's '69 Caprice brocade, even on the doors:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/Tennesseestorm/Caprice/IMG00009.jpg

Here's the brochure photo for the Impala cloth. Can't see it well here, but there are three vertical bright-metal buttons on each seat back. I like that tasteful look, MHO only:

http://www.oldcarbrochures.org/NA/Chevrolet/1969_Chevrolet/1969-Chevrolet-Full-Size/1969-Chevrolet-Full-Size-14-15

berri

Very clean lines. The dark blue in the brochure looks nice too. Many of today's blues seem to lack something.

ab348

There really isn't much about the '69 big Chevys that I like. Part of that is likely due to the wallowing Impala my dad had, but aside from the crummy chassis the '69 interior and dash was not very well done either, and the pontoon fenders gave it a very narrow-track look that I didn't like. As Shifty said, luxe style back then demanded the overdoing of almost everything - after all, the '70s were just around the corner - so I can't be too critical of the Caprice treatment.

berri

Like you said, you've got to compare it to the times.

fintail

I don't mind the big Fords of that year. LTD hardtop would have relatively crisp lines, turbine hubcaps, hidden headlights, maybe a 429, could be worse!

berri

Well, one thing is for sure; GM fans like the Impala, Ford the LTD and Mopar the Fury

fintail

I think one could do worse in 69. A lot of these wore the green/bronze/gold color that works well for the car:





It's kind of that bridge between the cool modernism of the mid 60s and the ostentatious excess of the 70s.

berri

Not bad. I think Detroit styling dollars were already flowing more toward intermediates by 69.

sda

I always like the look of the '68-70 LTDs. Thought they looked modern with the hidden headlamps and full width tail panel. Our neighbors had one just like the one pictured in a solid aqua color with matching cloth interior and black vinyl top. It had the 429 and always sounded nice as it pulled away from their driveway. They weren't ones to baby their cars and when they traded it for a '72 Camaro w/307, the LTD looked 10 years old, dirty and beat. The kids had grown and the wife wanted something sporty.

uplanderguy

I always remember thinking it was odd that the radio on '69 and '70 full-size Fords was to the left of the speedometer. My aunt and uncle had a new '69 Galaxie 500 Country Sedan wagon.

sda, I think you might be thinking about the '71 LTD, regarding the full-width tail panel. Those cars had two taillights and a wide center red section between them. I liked the '71 big Fords even back then.

sda

uplanderguy said:

I always remember thinking it was odd that the radio on '69 and '70 full-size Fords was to the left of the speedometer. My aunt and uncle had a new '69 Galaxie 500 Country Sedan wagon.

sda, I think you might be thinking about the '71 LTD, regarding the full-width tail panel. Those cars had two taillights and a wide center red section between them. I liked the '71 big Fords even back then.

I liked the full width panel on the '71 LTD best. What I was trying to describe was the filler panel between the two squarish tail lights on the '68-70s. IIRC the '69 had a reflector panel there that looked better than the plainer Galaxies and Customs.

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M535752d74237899d62227e56e7d7c957o0&w=313&h=146&c=7&rs=1&qlt=90&o=4&dpr=1.5&pid=1.1

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Mcb4c78cb2c55e9b2ca96f13a55958812o0&w=227&h=170&c=7&rs=1&qlt=90&o=4&dpr=1.5&pid=1.1

explorerx4

Of course it has a hand grenade as shift knob!
http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/5883027753.html

stickguy

what the heck does "bobbed" mean?

texases

Shortened?

ab348

uplanderguy said:

I always remember thinking it was odd that the radio on '69 and '70 full-size Fords was to the left of the speedometer. My aunt and uncle had a new '69 Galaxie 500 Country Sedan wagon.

I always thought that '69/'70 Ford dash was cool, but not everyone felt that way. I remember my mom sitting in the passenger seat of one in the showroom and complaining there was nothing there for her to do or look at. She couldn't even play with the radio. She was also a smoker and hated the idea of the ashtray being on the side of the control pod, a long reach away for her.

I liked the '69 LTD Brougham a lot. They had a nice knit nylon "panty cloth" upholstery that was very posh and sewn in a nice pattern.

xwesx

stickguy said:

what the heck does "bobbed" mean?

Yes, "bobbed" means that someone hacked the back end off the frame and removed the rear axle. These are a 6x6 (or at least started that way!) and, stock, have ten wheels on the ground (both rear axles are duals). This one seems heavily neutered from its original design, but that dump bed sure looks handy!

stickguy

thanks. That makes sense. No decent picture of the side, but I see what you mean. That looks like it could come in quite handy up where you live!

fintail

Here's a fun read about family cars of the era, one of which was a green-gold 72 LTD - the rest of the site is an enjoyable use of time, too.

Mr_Shiftright

Neat little rig and more practical than the 6X6 monster (although I can testify that they really did "go anywhere").

uplanderguy

Who made that truck? One might think that would be in the ad.

Studebaker made '60's military trucks of that general style, and Kaiser Corp. bought the remainder of the government contract and continued building the identical military trucks Studebaker was building, in South Bend.

uplanderguy

I think that for '69, other than the Buick styled chrome road wheels, it was hard to beat the look of the optional Chevy five-slot Rally Wheels, originally used on '67 Corvettes. On a '69 Impala coupe, either style, I like them a lot. Starting in '71, they were no longer offered on full-size Chevys for some reason.

sda

Dad had a '70 Ford Custom as a company car. It was medium metallic blue with matching blue vinyl interior. It was decently equipped, with a/c, ps, pb, tinted glass, am radio. Looked cheap with its blackwall tires and dog dish hub caps. It had the 302 V8. It was a good car with a freezing cold a/c. I remember it getting quite noisy with engine noise when dad would drive on the interstate around 80mph. That 302 must have really been revving high. With the radio placed on the far left side of the dash dad had complete control of the radio which was not always a good thing.

sda

I would not mind having this in my driveway.
http://oldcarbrochures.org/var/resizes/NA/Oldsmobile/1969 Oldsmobile/1969-Oldsmobile-Full-Line-Prestige-Brochure/1969 Oldsmobile Full Line Prestige-24-25.jpg?m=1321899684

stickguy

I would be quite happy to have one too.

ab348

I prefer the '68 to the '69.