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

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  • spin360spin360 Member Posts: 8
    I parked next to a grey "Ram 500" today. Thats what the chrome lettering said on the side anyways. It looked like a normal 2002 Dodge Ram, but had manufacturer plates, and a ram air intake on the hood with some pretty large rims. (at least 20") About two weeks ago, I saw a Holden Monaro (complete with right hand drive and mfg plate) on the road.
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    mid-60's Cougar that did the one-headlight-up thing. Actually, it used to close one all by itself every once in a while, and then re-open it a few seconds later. I always wondered if people thought my car was winking at them. Turns out they were held open by vacuum! Now there's a bright design!

    It closed both of them at the same time one night on a dark back road - scared the bejesus outta me, LOL! I wouldn't drive it again after that.
  • checkmecheckme Member Posts: 73
    I saw a '74 Opel Manta today.

    BTW, if you are ever in California, the In-n'-Out Burger on Atlantic Avenue in Pasadena is THE place to go to see exotic cars. I have seen everything from a 2002 Ferrari to a Ford Model A there. There is no logical reason for this- no car show is held there, and it's not known as a place to go to with your exotic car, or anything...there are just always exotic cars there. I see a new one every Saturday afternoon.
  • speedshiftspeedshift Member Posts: 1,598
    The service writer at the local Pontiac dealer has a Fiero he made out of spare parts. IIRC the Fiero's most serious problem was that its front and rear suspensions came from different cars and weren't on speaking terms.
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    I see Fieros not too often, but often enough, here in the Detroit area. Great idea with typical GM execution of good idea. Okay, back to our Sunfire/Vibe/Aztek/Montana "sports car" discussion... Driving Excitement! yeah...

    Vero hasn't been to California since 1988. But he hears that Pasadena also has good-looking females.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Pasadena is also a large city.

    Anyway, in Round Rock yesterday, in the parking lot of a Home Depot, I spotted a Mazda GLC with the badge "Familia" on it, so it was a Mazda Familia. I don't know if this is from Mexico, but I know Familias are what that line was called in Europe and Japan. Since GLC stood for Good Little Car or something insipid like that, perhaps they felt it was not an appropriate acronym for non-English markets.
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    An old-school Mazda sedan?

    There were a couple Subaru DLs @ Ann Arbor Subaru and Dunning Toyota (which owns Ann Arbor Subaru) yesterday. Old school.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    It was a hatchback,
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Pasadena is also a large city.

    Really? It's pretty quiet for a town that sits in LA's shadow. I always get the impression that it's more of a mini-city with a classic downtown area.
  • logic1logic1 Member Posts: 2,433
    Has been generating quite a bit of commotion in Urban Design/architectural circles. Apparently, the city did an excellent job converting a dead central area into a very dynamic mixture of multifamily-residences, shopping, commercial and entertainment all together.

    Some of the sillier pundits are calling it the New Urbanism. But even the more staid critics say that what Passaden is doing can serve as model for Southern California and other edge Cities in the South and Southwest.
  • checkmecheckme Member Posts: 73
    Pasadena is an LA suburb. 60 or 70 years ago, it was a stand-alone city, but today it's a suburb. However, maltb's description- "mini-city" is also accurate. Pasadena is a suburb in that it does not really have an independent industrial base or anything- most people who live there work elsewhere. However, it is also a mini-city in that it is very diverse. Pasadena has rich and poor neighborhoods. Most other LA suburbs, by contrast, are far more homogeneous. LA in general is very diverse, though, which is one of the things I really love about living here. Everything is very integrated.

    Pasadena is about 10 minutes from downtown LA. It has a population of about 120,000. It's a good place to see rare older cars, too, since it does have a sizeable population of wealthy people. If you want to see classic cars in good conditon, Pasadena is the place to go. If you want to see brand-new exotic cars, there's no better place than Beverly Hills.
  • porknbeansporknbeans Member Posts: 465
    Either you're really excited about Pasadena (posting the info twice) or you're an urban designer or architect. :)

    Back on topic, I saw a Sunbeam(?) Alpine driving through a small town this weekend. An old British, convertible in really good shape.
    Porknbeans

    Grand High Poobah
    The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
  • logic1logic1 Member Posts: 2,433
    Sorry about that!! My connection has been acting odd all day. I am excited to hear about changes for the better in the LA area, but not that excited. As you can see, I deleted the repeat.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    Matt, I had one in the summer of '88 (an '81 5-speed hatch), it actually was a great little car, especially in comparison to most of the other cars built at that time.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Then why for only one summer?
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    I saw one here today in Dallas, Black with the top down. Driver with a big smile.. Wonder if August is mating season for them, or if we saw the same one.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Are "y'all" both from Dallas?

    In Dallas, I saw an Audi A3. On the SMU campus
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ...wasn't actually my car, it belonged to my mom's friend's daughter (follow?), who was away all Summer. So I boged her GLC. I really like that it used hardly any gas.
  • porknbeansporknbeans Member Posts: 465
    Mine was in Wisconsin and was red. The top was down and the driver was smiling, but from the looks of him he very well could have been lost. :)

    They aren't very big, sort of like a June bug with wheels (at least to a semi).

    There is a guy here in Madison that drives an old Citroen "pick-up truck". I don't think you could carry much more than a bushel of apples in the darn thing, especially on the bicycle size tires that it has. I'll try and get a model the next time I see it.
    Porknbeans

    Grand High Poobah
    The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Saw a black third-gen (1993-1995) RX-7 today. Usually, I see that red one around Ann Arbor, but there's his archrival too, it seems!
  • wishnhigh1wishnhigh1 Member Posts: 363
    Saw a chrysler TC today...dont see those too often. Came with Maserati badges too!
  • checkmecheckme Member Posts: 73
    Saw a Mitsubishi Mighty Max compact pickup today,
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    What a fascinating assembly of oxymoronic concepts, and all in one name!
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Mitsubishi Minivan was a great vehicle, though. I loved the "rolling TV set" look to it. Very Cafe 80s.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    One of the restaurant delivery drivers had a Mitsubishi van. I remember having to jump start it, and the battery was under the passenger seat. Lots-o-fun. I'm also 'not a big fan' of any vehicle in which the driver is sitting on top of the front wheels.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    we had what we called "Coaster" vans that we would use to drive around the base. They were mostly Nissans, but there were a few odd ones from someone else who I can't think of. The in-line engine was between you and the "passenger" seat with an access panel. I think the wheels would have been just about right in line with the drivers seat, maybe just forward. One night the exhaust manafold developed a crack. Sounded like a racecar, and was louder than hell inside that van. So naturally we drove it around acting like it was a race car. Security Police eventually stopped us and made us turn it into motor pool......I have no idea where this story is going.....

    ;-)
  • ajvdhajvdh Member Posts: 223
    I saw that darned thing *again* yesterday. He pulled up next to me at a light, I looked over at him and asked him if he wanted to race. He laughed and said "why not?" He did get by me, but it took about 100 yards for him to do so. BTW, I was on my bicycle at the time.
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    Toyota used to have a van like the Mitsubishi, with the engine under the front. It came before the Previa.
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Those old-school J-tech minivans were the rage in the day, at least in my eyes, you know.

    Previa is a collectible in my book!

    I saw a couple of Pontiac Lemans today... wait, I live in the Detroit area, nothing unusual. Carry on.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Every once in a while I see a Hyundai Pony in the parking lot at work. These cars were imported to Canada before Hyundai appeared in the U.S.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    I still see that Toyota Van hanging around here. It looked like a large egg... but then so has every Toyota van. I believe in England it was called a "Toyota Space Cruiser" or something far out.
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    Another car that's slightly obscuro that I see a lot (a neighbor has one) is the Nissan Stanza Wagon.

    In Europe and Japan, they were called the Prairie. Prairie Estate to be specific. Car magazine said that parts of the original Prairie dashboard are still used in the Nissan truck...
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    There's a military green four-wheeler (some are six-wheeled) that is seen regularly in the Concord NH area.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • speedshiftspeedshift Member Posts: 1,598
    Is that the one with the aluminum body? I saw one without paint a few days ago, rather striking.
  • jeberjeber Member Posts: 91
    I saw a mid-70's amc matador yesterday, a big, homely sedan. it was in beautiful condition. there were never too many around. I remember thinking "I haven't seen one of those in at LEAST 15 years" (probably 20)

    there's a guy who I see around sometimes driving a perfectly restored, WWII US Army Harley with sidecar. he even has an authentic old leather helmet & goggles. there's something you don't just see everyday!
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    or be going around paintless. Pinzgauers were originally made to military spec by Steyr-Puch of Austria (who make the 4matic drivetrains for Mercedes). Pinzgauers are 4x4 or 6x6 vehicles intended for extreme offroad conditions with no overhangs, bigger than a Wrangler, smaller than a Hummer. They are said to be superior off-road to any other wheeled vehicle.

    Aside from the Austrian and Swiss military they're used by foresters, fire/rescue and the like. I have no idea how they could be legally licensed in the US (no smog controls, crash tests etc).

    I think I read somewhere they're mfr'd in the UK now.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    but I was curious so I found this: http://www.umog.com/Pinzibrochure.html

    Neat vehicles.
  • ajvdhajvdh Member Posts: 223
    ...Who imports used ones for road use. See www.pinzgauer.com
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    There's one right here in my parking lot.

    The owners seem to stay up all night and have very small dark pupils. Somehow it all fits.

    I call it the Das Diaper Truck.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    Do you have any idea how they legally import these? If you can bring in Pinzgauers, why not Alfas or TVRs?

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Probably they declare it for off road use? I really don't know. Ugly nasty things.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Ugly nasty things

    Utilitarianism makes it beautiful in its own way.
  • wishnhigh1wishnhigh1 Member Posts: 363
    So...I showed some pictures I found on the pinzgauer. He now wants one.

    I know its a stretch, but does anybody know what the engine compartment looks like on these things? See...my dad is really interested. He has already called the import company. He just doesnt like the sound of a 90 hp swiss built air cooled engine. He would rather throw in a VW TDI engine or something that has parts readily available. Would a TDi fit?
  • speedshiftspeedshift Member Posts: 1,598
    Shifty has an engine swap thread over in Coupes. Maybe we could start one for Pinzgauers?

    I know Mercedes makes an uber SUV. I've seen two recently. What's it called, the Lederhosen or something?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Garbage cans are utilitarian but they aren't beautiful....WELL...maybe to another garbage can.

    The guy who drives Das Diaper Truck in my neighborhood wears those airport earmuff silencers, so that's not a real good sign.

    I think they are very funny looking. Too fragile to be macho and too ungainly to be cute. And the Corrugated Look just doesn't work for me. Shades of VW Thing on Stilts.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    Checker Marathon, '70s (with rear opera window instead of the quarter pie-shaped, kinda dates it)
    a nasty, faded black with gold wheels and grille, Maserati Biturbo convertible
    Two Merkur Scorpios (one blue, one maroon)
    Two Peugeot 505s (both maroon)
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    The Stanza wagon was mentionaed earlier, but does anyone remember the early-90's Axxess? How about the Colt Vista?
  • magnetophonemagnetophone Member Posts: 605
    The Colt Vista wasn't a half bad car. In fact, I had a neighbor in Seattle that had a sort of pukey purple-grey Vista that they still have to date.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I saw one the other day, running but perforated with rust holes. It was the first one I've seen in nearly 20 years. I remember the Subaru BRAT came out around the time I was in 8th grade. My brother and I would walk home from school and see one parked a few blocks from our building. We'd think how cool it would be to ride in those bed-mounted seats.
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Kyle, Nissan sold the Axxess only in 1990 model year as far as I know. I see one a couple times a year in Ann Arbor.

    lemko, old Subarus abound in northern Michigan. XT and SVX can be found here too. I should run around in my car a little bit this upcoming week and look for them.

    Yesterday on expressway from Lansing to Mackinac Bridge? Lots of new GM cars, and an older Audi 5000 sedan.
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