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

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Comments

  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,386
    -1956 Chevrolet BelAir two-door sedan in bright yellow over dark gray.

    -A pair of old MGs traveling in train, an MG-TC and a TD, both were pale yellow with tan convertible tops. An odd but nice sight in the middle of the downtown commercial district.

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

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    I spent part of my evening drive behind a Ferrari 550 Maranello. On that drive I saw a mint looking yellow 70s VW convertible. Seemed like a good obscure car day. Then I saw something really weird.

    A 57-58 senior "forward look" Mopar 2 door HT, I couldn't tell if it was a Chrysler or DeSoto - but it was the style of Andre's car. But here's the odd part - it was converted to a 4x4. It was sitting pretty high, on big tires. It looked pretty clean and cared for, but was just insanely weird. I wish I could have got a pic of it, but it was behind me in traffic and I didn't notice it until I was turning off the main road.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    Wouldn't be the first time a Desoto ended up getting jacked up, as the post-apocalyptic Mary Kay vehicle demonstrates...

    image
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    That's pretty much what it was like, maybe a little neater and a little less post-apocalyptic. It was some kind of dark color, maybe a dark green or even black. But I am certain it was a 2 door HT...odd choice. Wish I could have got a pic.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    Of all the things to preserve

    Malaise muscle

    Light duty hauler

    Andre should offer $100 for this

    Not what most think of when they see "E-class"

    You couldn't drive it much

    Early-ish DS

    Not pretty

    " It has the GOOD Mitsubishi engine not the troublesome Chrysler engine."

    Ultimate malaise muscle

    Unhappy design

    Early slushbox

    Reliable no doubt

    These seem to attract body damage

    I think the Klopeks had one of these

    Rebody

    Pointy

    Angular
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    Good lord, that's probably the holy grail of R-bodies...a '79 NYer 5th Ave with a sunroof and the 360-4bbl! The standard engine in these was a 360-2bbl, which is what both of mine have, although I think California models got stuck with a 318-4bbl. It had 155 hp, compared to the 150 mine has, but I'm sure the 360-2 had more torque. That thing is essentially a copcar with rrrrich corrrrinthian leatherrrrr!

    My only issue is that I wouldn't WANT one that nice! I'd be afraid to touch it, let alone drive it! Honestly, that '79 Newport is more my style. And of course, you'd have to find one in Rockville, only 25-30 miles away. :P Actually, that thing is a bit of a rarity as well, as it has the 360-2bbl. Most of these just had a 318. Maybe I should at least watch that auction, and see where it goes. And if nobody bids on it, offer them $100 or so. Heck, if it moves under its own power and isn't all rusted out, I'm sure it's worth $500. They're crazy though, with that $1400 buy-it-now, price. Here's $1400 worth of R-bodies...
    image
    The blue one was $500, and old yeller was $900. And the sad thing is, the blue one is in better shape! (but more likely to leave me stranded :blush: )

    Still, if the only other choice was the crusher, I'd definitely be up for rescuing that '79 Newport.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well the bids (or lack of them) certainly seems to support the suspicion that late 70s, early 80s domestic cars are not going to be what we'd call "collectible". You'd think after 30 years SOMETHING would have started to percolate.

    Perhaps we should call this era the "Spurning Point" for the American automobile industry. :P
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    Is that a dog on the roof with a tire and spotlight next to it? What is mounted on the trunk and left fin? Suspect trunk is loaded with rabbits.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    That's a dog on the roof yeah...the thing that appears to be on the trunk is just in the background. It's a scene from Road Warrior (Mad Max 2)...old cars survive nuclear wars the best :shades:

    That car was eventually destroyed in the film.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    It does seem anything made after the first round of DOT/EPA requirements is pretty worthless unless in exceptional condition with some kind of rarity. Both are needed, not just one or the other.

    And consumers began the spurning not long after.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    A few hundred bucks is harmless...but probably no more. You should drive up in the blue car, tell the guy "this is what a $500 R-body looks like" and go from there. That blue car does photograph pretty well...the yellow one just looks mean ;)

    The low mileage car is hard to value...drive it and kill the value, but let it sit and get little enjoyment out of it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    eBay bidders can value anything---I mean, if you put your car out for the entire world to see, and the final bid is $812 after 10 days with 21 bids, then your car is worth $812. There's doesn't seem much room for argument under those set of conditions.

    On the other hand, if you put a rare European car in a Kruse Auction in Iowa, well the bids might not reflect anything like the car's real value.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    I was out giving my New Yorker, (the $500 one) a little exercise, and ended up passing my friend with the '66 Galaxie 7-litre, coming the other way. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, he got the thing running again, after throwing a rod and destroying the engine. He had gotten another engine and put it in, and had it up for the Carlisle Ford Nationals last week. He only had something like 40 hours on the engine (I thought you only measured generators and boat engines in "hours") so he trailered it up.

    I guess, all things considered, I've been pretty lucky with cars. I've had 18 of them now, and have only destroyed one engine...a Buick 3.8 in an '82 Cutlass Supreme. Well, the 2.2 turbo in my ex-wife's LeBaron self-destructed, but it was her car by that time! This guy with the Galaxie also has a 1959 Dodge Coronet with a dual-quad 383, and he muffed that one up, too. I think it threw a rod, as well.

    Oh, I also got the LeMans to fire up today, and gave it some exercise as well. So, today was a pretty good day as far as my old mastodons are concerned.
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Here's a local story about another Mopar guy:

    Mopar ex-dealer and collector
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    only ford guys can bleed blue. :P
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    Today I have seen a 70s 911 that looked and sounded like a racer, the local Enzo drove my by my place this morning, an unrestored looking mid 60s Corvette convertible, and a ca. 65 Riviera that appeared to be a 70s custom - weird paint, side pipes, extra headlights, etc.
  • ctcarguy22ctcarguy22 Member Posts: 1
    The Torviar is anything but a show car. I drive it over 4000 miles a year and travel as much as 200 miles away, Great cruiser with the added feature of instant acceleration. When it sells, I'm going to miss it until my next project is completed.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    oh well, shows you what I know....I WAS impressed with the engineering though. :blush:

    My friend Dr. Monty has a VW/Porsche 914 powered by a built-up Chevy small block--that goes like stink and handles very very well. But about one hour of thunder and flames is enough for me...and no heater.

    There's also a Porsche in the neighborhood with Chevy V-8 power, but I'm down on that guy because he cut up, of all things, a perfectly good 1970 Porsche 911E, which is a rare car. Also not as well done as the Torvair by any stretch.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    as the one who posted the link, are you stalking us?
    be happy for the exposure. :P
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    my '76 LeMans decided to move under its own power yet again, so I drove it to work, and took a longer route. I spotted a few obcurities on the way. First was a '77-81 Firebird or Trans Am. It was black and said "Formula" across the back. I can't remember now, if they had a Firebird Formula, Trans Am Formula, or both. It was parked with its rump facing the street so I couldn't see the front-end.

    Then, a moment later, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a '67-69 Firebird, sitting on top of a car carrier, in a junkyard. It was high enough up that I could see it over the fence. I saw it so briefly that I couldn't tell if it was a hardtop or convertible, or how damaged it was. I could see it was missing both outer headlights, but had the inners, and it was black.

    I also spotted one of those fat '71-73 Mustang convertibles, yellow with some black trim, with a for sale sign in the window.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,559
    Firebird Formula...

    A different trim-line from the Trans-Am..

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  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    Thanks Kyfdx, that's what I thought.

    Also, I did a little googling, and found that the Firebird I saw in the junkyard was a 1969. It had this style of front-end...
    image

    Instead of the 1967-68, which was like this...
    image
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    I've always had a weakness for the 69 Firebirds. I like the grill much better than the 67-68 grill, although I couldn't really tell you why.

    I've wanted a 69 Firebird Trans Am ever since that day in 1970 when one blew by our Family Truckster on the interstate at about 100 mph.

    It looked exactly like this one, http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/ctd/1175991673.html

    image

    Although the look is right, the guy doesn't call it a Trans Am, so I believe it's a clone.

    I know that they almost all had Pontiac 400 engines in them (the street cars) but weren't some that actually had z/28 engines in them, or a destroked Pontiac 305?

    Anyhow, I want one with a small block...this guy is asking $25K without mentioning the engine..... Fortunately, I don't have $25K. :)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    I've always had a weakness for the 69 Firebirds. I like the grill much better than the 67-68 grill, although I couldn't really tell you why.

    Looking at the two grilles at the same time, I think I prefer the '69, as well, and I can think of a few reasons why. First, on the '67-68, where they put the headlights inside a loop bumper/grille, it makes them appear inset too far. This is the same basic look that a '68 Pontiac intermediate or full-size goes for, but those cars were big enough to pull it off. I don't think the Firebird is big enough to successfully pull of the quad headlight look, at least not in this guise.

    On the '69, with the grille being smaller and the headlights being moved outward, I think it balances the front-end of the car out a bit better...all the components...grille, headlights, and turn signals, appear about where they should be.

    I think the '69 also has a more upscale, expensive look to it, probably because of the grille being more prominent and a bit more vertical. Unfortunately, the above example appears to had some pretty poor fit and finish, which betrays the "upscale, expensive" qualifiers a bit!

    Still, good looking cars in general, and something you don't see everyday, unlike an old Camaro or Mustang.

    As for that Z28 engine, it was a Chevy smallblock. They called it a 302, but it was really a 301. It had a 4.00 x 3.00 bore/stroke, same as the Pontiac 301 of the late 70's and the Ford smallblock "302"(in addition to not really being a 302, Ford's engine wasn't really a 5.0L, either...it really came out to 4.942L)

    I dunno if any of those went into Trans Ams or not. According to Wikipedia, the Trans Am engines were: Ram Air III 400 with 366 hp, Ram Air IV 400 with 370 hp, Ram Air V 400 with 500 hp. A few of them might have been built for racing though. SCCA Trans Am race had a displacement of 305 cubic inches, so ironically enough, Pontiac's Trans Am wouldn't have been eligible!
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    Looking at the two grilles at the same time, I think I prefer the '69, as well, and I can think of a few reasons why. First, on the '67-68, where they put the headlights inside a loop bumper/grille, it makes them appear inset too far.

    I had a 68 400, so I guess I am biased toward its styling. IMO, the 68 was trimmer, leaner, tighter, better integrated lines than the 69. The 69 seems bulbous and fat overall to me and the grille seems like an add-on and not integrated with the headlights.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    I prefer the earlier ones too, for the reasons you mention

    The 69 grille reminds me of the full sized 1970 Pontiac line, with that kind of overdone neoclassic grille.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Holy smoke, Andre! I think you oughtta go for that 4,000 mile New Yorker!
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...1958 Dodge Power Wagon panel truck in dark green on my way to work this morning. It appeared to be in pretty good shape.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    Holy smoke, Andre! I think you oughtta go for that 4,000 mile New Yorker!

    If I won the lottery, or had unlimited funds, I might go for something extravagant like that. But my biggest issue with it, is what do you do with it? I'd be afraid of something that low-mileage and pristine. I'm actually envious of my buddy TJ with the Mark V. It only had around 10-11,000 miles on it, almost like a new car, but he drives it pretty regularly. I forget how many miles he has on it now, but I know he's driven it to Rehoboth a few times, and taken it to some local places. This year was the first time he took it to Carlisle, though. Back in 2006, he took his other, "beater" Mark V up there.

    If I bought something like that NYer, I'd probably keep it forever, so I guess even if I did start miling it up, it really wouldn't matter. And that's what my friend intends to do with his Mark V...so then maybe driving it around and such isn't such a bad thing. Even though it hurts any value for extra-low mileage, that doesn't matter if you never plan on selling it!

    Plus, I could probably throw $12,000 at either one of my New Yorkers, and they'd still be nowhere near as nice as that 4,000 mile one!

    If I had my senses about me, I would have bought that blue 1980 NYer we saw at the Mopar show back in 2006. It only had the 318, which was down to 120 hp by then, but it only had 34,000 miles on it and looked almost new! I was a bit worried about my finances back then, though. The market tanked, and I was down about 10%. Of course, 2008 taught me the real meaning of "tanking", and suddenly the thought of losing 10% doesn't even make me bat an eye anymore. :sick:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    This morning I saw a late 280SE cabrio, tobacco brown :surprise: , top down, looking good.

    I also saw the local little old lady who drives a Mustang California Special. I drove behind her for a mile or so...she's a pretty iffy driver. Floors it off the line until she gets to about 10 over, then slowly goes down to the limit or 5 under. She must like the noise it makes. The car is immaculate, almost certainly has been restored - but I have a feeling she bought it new.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    the price isn't so bad, makes me wonder what's wrong:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/cto/1222238406.html

    unusual body/trim style, but I'd say about double what it's worth:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/ctd/1222874738.html

    hate the rims (wonder if they come with), but the price seems excellent:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/1222880821.html

    kinda cute, but too pricey for me for what it is:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/ctd/1222878388.html

    not collectible, but I kinda like it for the price:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/1222834859.html

    can't stand run-on sentence ads, price is laughable:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/1222781158.html
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    i spotted what i think is a GLH, it was black and had 'shelby turbo' on the hatch.
    it was pretty much 'blacked out' all over.
    didn't looking like a home made custom.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    I bet "some rust" for the 914 means "don't put your feet on the floor".

    Nova and Ranchero are from the same seller and appear to be the same color. That might not be a good thing.

    Porsche 928 has to be a liar....wheels aren't stock, those didn't cost 100K new, and I would imagine the original owner would have better grammar and spelling.

    Acura seems like a harmless car.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I like these, at least in theory, and this example looks nice and price is OK:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/1222781158.html
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    d'oh...it's the 928 again
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    Laying aside the price for a moment, it's a 1984 with only 53K miles on it.

    Assuming that it really has nothing wrong with it, and that it's really been maintained properly till now, what's the maintence going to be like to keep that car as a light daily driver? My wife has a 12 mile a day round trip commute to work, and I could drive it on the weekends ;). Are parts going to be readily available?

    Of course it's going to cost like a Porsche to maintain, but what's the down side?
    I'm paying old BMW maintenance prices now.
    I mean, an Aveo is going to cost you $12K and the depreciation is going to be just as bad or worse.

    Why NOT buy it and use it as a commuter till something expensive looms and then sell it to a dreamer for, say, $4K... "immaculately maintained; only 75K miles"

    Is my internal optimist turned up too high again?

    Oh, and I'm in Dallas - how's the AC in these cars?
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    1975 Porsche 914, 1.8 Litre, Some Rust.

    I bet "some rust" for the 914 means "don't put your feet on the floor".

    I agree with you Fintail... I'm sure if we talked to the seller, we'd be saying "Sir, I don't think that you and I have the same definition of the phrase "some".

    On that Nova - the 305 wasn't that great an engine, it's a 78, and it has a pretty ugly vinyl top. "Try to find one of these?" Uhm, no thanks. YOU found one and YOU'RE trying to sell it. That makes things clear enough to me.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    I think the 928 has a number of money pit maintenance issues - Shifty had one once, he would know. I think they are pretty cool cars though, they can have a pretty nice sound and I think they are kind of an icon of the time. But as with many cars, I think the later ones are seen as the best ones, and for 928s that probably means 1987+. It's a toy for the brave...I suspect a few issues could cost the purchase price. But if you have a deep wallet...why not.

    I saw this early (79) example at a local show last year, a twin to a period Matchbox car

    It had some insanely low mileage...maybe not even into 5 digits...and the funky bug/rock deflector is worth a chuckle
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    That's a very strong price for an '84 Porsche 928. And the ad doesn't even state if it's stickshift or automatic. I just saw an absolutely mint '88 stickshift car in Blue sell for $8000. It started out priced at $12,500 over a year ago. Even $8000 was a lucky price to achieve I think under current conditions.

    Maintenance and repairs? --very expensive. Yes you can get parts but you'll pay for them. Radiator? $1400. Clutch repair--figure $2,400. Timing belt? $1600. Brake job $1000. Engine rebuild?--throw the car away or put in a Chevy.

    Hell to work on, too. There's nothing under there that won't fight you, and that you won't need special tools for.

    A 911 is a much easier car to cope with. 928s are extremely complex automobiles. I mean, who ever heard of a steering wheel adjustment that raises the instrument panel up and down? Or dual clutch plates? (clutch is in front but differential is in the rear).

    Chevy small block conversions are pretty nifty actually. I think the company that sells the kits is called Renegade.
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    Well, that answers THAT question -

    Thanks Fintail & Mr. Shiftright.....
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Not that I'd want one, especially after reading what you just wrote about it (not surprised, though!), but isn't the automatic more desirable than the manual on the 928?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You know I DID say that and I would now like to retract that statement, having either owned or driven both.

    The automatic eliminates a lot of clutch hassles but it also takes away from the excitement of the 928 quite a bit. The 928 is a GT car, a super-fast highway cruiser. It's not really a sports car in the sense I know a sports car. so you'd think an automatic would be great---like in a Bentley---even plenty of new Corvettes are ordered with automatic. So there IS an argument for ordering up big heavy fast coupes with an auto trans.

    But the rather old-fashioned 928 automatic just doesn't cut it. :(
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ....I've always loved that Studio 54 cloth interior pattern on early 928s, as pictured on that blue example you posted. Very mod....I wish I could remember what they called it.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    I'd take a 928 GTS automatic without complaining (until the service was due).

    That or a very early car with the op-art upholstery would be interesting...or maybe the right S4. But the ones in-between...I don't know.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    S4 or GTS yeah.

    Some people do not care for the claustrophobic interior "feeling" however. Similar to a Volvo P1800 in how low down you sit...with your shoulder at sill height.

    It's definitely a "man's car". I don't think I've ever seen a woman driving one, although certainly I'm sure there are ladies who could drive the wheels off it.

    It feels like you're driving a BIG car. This isn't a ballerina, although they can handle beautiful if you muscle 'em around.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    The op-art upholstery was called 'Pasha'. I think it must have been phased out early on, maybe by 1980 or so. I think I saw it in a 924 once, too.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    I've sat in one once, a long time ago. Never rode in one or driven one. I will admit high sills bug me...I like visibility, as I tend to park in tight spaces.

    I like MB W126 remember...big Germans don't scare me :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Gee can you imagine an S4 or GTS breaking a timing belt and bending 32 valves at over $100 apiece? Plus 27 hours labor to R&R the cylinder heads and rebuild them. That's an expensive timing chain. So now you know why you don't "skip" a timing belt change. To be safe, most 928 owners do this every 30,000 miles.

    The Last Year

    1995

    * Model designation: 928 GTS
    * Engine displacement: 5.4 L
    * Valves: 32
    * Power: 345 hp/350 PS (257 kW)
    * Torque: 369 ft-lb (500 Nm)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    That broken timing belt sounds like a total loss.

    Those specs are nice...but my not-sporty-looking E55 sedan can probably keep up with it. It also has much less intensive maintenance demands.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I dunno...can an E55 do this?

    0-60mph: 5.14 seconds
    0-1/4 mile: 13.7s
    Top Speed: 171 mph
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