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

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Comments

  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    That '78 Renault sure looks strange. No, really, it's a funny-looking thing, almost like a Pontiac Aztek.

    I'm pretty sure that if I had one, I couldn't just walk into any AutoZone or NAPA store and ask them "Do you carry an alternator for a 1978 Renault 17 Gordini?"
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Of course you could go into an Autozone and ask them for a Renault alternator. They'd LAUGH at you, but you could ask them. :P

    Gordini was a tuner of note in the 60s. Renault Gordini rallye cars were kinda fun.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I wish I could see the street corners, I could tell it was in Chicago just by the surrounding houses, but....maybe I should call the seller and look at it, if only for the entertainment value.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    Gordini was a tuner of note in the 60s. Renault Gordini rallye cars were kinda fun.

    Back in the 50s Gordini was a constructor of Formula One race cars.

    Boy those old Buicks with the sidemounts were great weren't they? It's too bad Buick stylists lost the sense of what a Buick should look like sometime in the 80s.

    That '39 Lancia Aprilia is a little cutie isn't it?

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

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Aprilias and the later Appias of the 50s are beautifully built little cars, very upscale interiors for that small a car---made most European compact sedans' interior look like a cardboard box in comparison.

    image
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    I like the 39 Buick especially, with that art deco front end. GM was really on its game by then.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    Today I saw a SSR...in purple. What a beautiful car :shades:

    Also a lot of pre-1971 Mustangs...in town for the show.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    I like the Lanica Flaminia, different looking.

    Also the Newport and Monaco are neat, resoanbly priced too imo.

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  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    I like the 39 Buick especially, with that art deco front end. GM was really on its game by then.

    Yeah, that was a great looking car.

    I love old Buicks. It's a pity what passes for one these day.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,255
    to burn off the rest of last fall's gas.
    saw a mint red/white nash metropolitan exiting the highway.
    looked like a handfull to drive.
    a late 70's buick wagon. body looked great. had turbine style wheels.
    yesterday, i drove by a car show in the local sears parking lot.
    i did see a late 60's charger in a metallic mustard color and i white early 60's
    oldsmobile bubbletop.
    i was too fried after sitting in the sun at yankee stadium all afternoon, to want to stop to see what else was there.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    Had the fintail out today, didn't see much. Saw a big ca. 1930 Buick formal style sedan in normal traffic. The highlight was a guy probably younger than me driving a pristine 300CD coupe. This thing was mint, I have to guess it had been restored - it looked brand new. It was wearing Euro lights - but I don't know if Europe got those coupes in diesel form. He gave me a wave and a honk - as I was in a turn, of course.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    I spotted what appeared to be a perfect 356A Speedster ca.1957 then I remembered those things are like 427 Cobras, if you see one it's almost gotta be a replica since the replicas far outnumber the originals.

    Sure looked cool though.

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

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,435
    saw a ton today coming home from upper NYS. Of all places, on the NY thruway (and a couple of rest stops).

    couple of 70ish chevelles, a 55 210 panal wagon, a .29 highboy and another similar vintage 2 door sedan. A few other oldies that I don't remember.

    but, the absolute pinnacle of weird (I wish my wife had ehr camera handy). A 50sish Power wagon.

    Actually, make that about 1/4 a power wagon. The top half, and the front 1/2.

    Saw ti from behind, and couldn't figure out what it was. Very low (miataish), with a small PU bed on back (maybe 2 feet long) with a rounded cab and long hood.

    when I passed it, realized it was th hood and cab from a PW, but sliced down the middle and channelled over some frame, with an abbreviated bed. Big engine with large headers out the side. ROof was chopped also.

    very strange looking (odd proportions), but truly bizarre at 65 on the highway.

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  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    that I can report on today is a 1956 Dodge Coronet 4-door hardtop. And I only saw that because it was in the new "Transformers" movie!

    Actually, on second thought, I did see a 1969-70 Sedan DeVille, dark green, in nice shape, and a black 1979-81 Trans Am with a for sale sign in the window, when I took my '76 LeMans out for a spin...I think I've mentioned them before though...so nothing new and exotic to report.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    '70, I think... pretty much A1 condition...

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  • bob550kbob550k Member Posts: 148
    I saw a Mustang II. It was on the Freeway (not broken down) in the fast lane!

    Good for a laugh.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Guy that used to work for me had a 1970 Skylark sedan. Wasn't in perfect condition but it was a good daily driver. Nice 70s metallic goldish brown color with tan vinyl seats.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    This one was a nice coupe... real nice medium blue, that looked period correct...

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  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...at the Sunoco the other day - a red 1984 Pontiac Fiero in pristine condition - a true survivor if there ever was one.
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    1984 Pontiac Fiero

    Were both headlights closed?

    Hmmmmm something odd going on there. I've never seen one with both headlights closed.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    YES!!! :surprise:
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    Hmmm exactly WHERE were you when you saw this car? :confuse:

    image

    :blush:
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    and this one sure looks decent. But i'm not sure about the validity of the milegae claim and the super steep asking price!!! :surprise:

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Geezz... I love Sciroccos... but, that's a $2500 car, all day long... Even if it had 45 miles, instead of 4500...

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Near as I can tell from Google, it was a '64 Lesabre... Ugly gold color... top down.. good original condition...

    Except... had these funky fender skirts, like you'd see on a late '60s, early '70s DeVille or Town Car... or, even on an Electra... but, too small to be an Electra.. Maybe had them custom made?

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  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    For $13000 that this guy wants I can probably get a mint condition ex tuner magazine cover fully done up Corrado.

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  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I like that '61 Pontiac wagon. I think it's cool how back in those days, Pontiac found a way to even make their wagons look cool!

    I like the '83 5th Ave, too. Not my favorite color, but somehow it works on that car. And I find myself perversley attracted to that 1981 Olds Cutlass Supreme sedan. That's the mid-level LS, but the interior looks about equivalent to my 1982 Cutlass Supreme coupe, which had that same style off corduoroy-looking cloth. So I'm guessing that trim level became the base for 1982. Kinda makes me wonder then, how cheap the base Cutlass was for 1981? :confuse: I'm still afraid of that era 231, because mine blew up around 73K miles. But, at that rate, this one still has about 38K miles left in her...possibly longer if babied. I like the color-keyed rally wheels, and the fact that it doesn't have a vinyl roof.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm going to track that fintail---curious what the best one in the world is currently worth. It's bidding up okay. I doubt it will crack $10,000 but you never know---wow----$80,000 invested, and it's a carb model with a Hydrak clutch----aye, aye, aye :cry:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    Of all the ones to restore. Money would have been better spent on a 220SE or 300SE - at least then you can ship it to Europe and get something for it, they love the FI models there.

    I don't like some details of that car. It looks like it has tinted windows, and they look terrible IMO. Interior carpet on the transmission hump looks wrong. Dash pad looks weird. I've never seen a black steering wheel hub pad. Paint on inner fenders in engine compartment looks flat black instead of the correct body color enamel. Trunk shouldn't be carpeted. If you are going to sink that kind of money into something, get the details right. I have a hard time buying that 80 grand quote, unless labor was billed at hundreds per hour.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    Seeing that Pontiac makes one sad the brand is dead. I always liked those lucite (?) steering wheels too.

    The Chrysler color combo is very mid-80s, it suits the car, yeah. The Olds color combo is nice, and I agree about the lack of a vinyl roof being a plus - I think the same when it is absent on 79-85 Eldos.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    '61 Pontiac Safari- Count me as one that likes that one, and just about any of the big Widetracks from '60 to '64. I like those wheels too Fin.

    '60 Fiat 1100- Millecentos are considered minor classics by aficionados of small cars. My in-laws had one when my FIL was stationed in Europe. This car was passed from one GI to another as people were transfered in and out of their post. They remember it fondly.

    '61 Merc 220sb- I've never heard of the D-B Automatic clutch gearbox. Anyone know anything about it?

    Nice collection this week, Fin, with plenty of stuff from what I consider the Golden Age (early 1960s)

    '65 Merc "pickup"- It's sacrilege but I think this little "truck" is cool.

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

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    The Hydrak system was something MB produced before it had an in-house automatic. 1961 was the last year for it. It is a vacuum-hydraulic clutch system which works automatically when one shifts - the car has no clutch pedal, but does have a normal manual shift pattern, and must be shifted manually. The clutch is actuated when the shift lever is moved. This created many problems as drivers would treat it more like an automatic - would not let off the gas when shifting, and would rest their hands on the shift lever, which actuated the clutch constantly. This created premature wear and unreliability.

    It is not a bad system if one uses it completely by the book, but it does not tolerate abuse. It is interesting 1950s technology, but requires some discipline to keep operational.

    I don't see the pickup as anything bad. There are endless W110s still rotting away today, and nobody is ever going to save them. As long as the donor car wasn't something important - no harm done. Puts one back on the road, and it's fun.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    What a terrible looking Cadillac Eldorado. The people that were doing mods in those days really had very little taste.

    I like the first gen Civic. The seller will have to find a Honda nut to buy it though.

    The E55 AMG wagon looks sharp. But it looks like some kind of grey import. Even the VIN plaque is different. I wonder too.

    I can't beleive someone paid $14k for that chop top 4X4 Cutlass.

    Packard is indeed dumb. Is the seller looking to attract the tuner crowd with the lambo doors?

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    Maybe the E55 wouldn't be too hard to import, now that I think of it - more shipping/red tape expense than modification. I think the engines in the Euro and NA versions are more or less identical. The chassis was sold in NA, and the safety equipment would be the same in both markets for a highline model, so after an inspection the car probably wouldn't need any mods. I see it is wearing Swiss plates, that must be where it comes from. I have seen weird VINs like that on 80s grey market imports - as before 1985 when MB finally brought over their big engines, small companies were bringing them over on their own - and shipping over cheap used MB too, as at the time the NA gave them inflated residuals. An AWD E55....I like that idea.

    I suspect 14K will never change hands for that Cutlass.
  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    The Cutlass had the same person outbidding themselves. :confuse:

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  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    Just went to a cool local Microcar show. Isetta, messerschmitt (sp), Honda 600's, Fiats, a Trabant, ETC. Lots of cool little cars, a lot of owner pride and care in them. The whole show fit in a small area Downtown.
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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    A couple of oddities today...a woman driving a W113 SL, in the same color as my fintail. She was younger than the typical driver of such a car.

    Saw another woman driving a pristine looking W115 diesel...tobacco brown. She was the age I would expect of someone who drives such a car :shades:

    Also saw a couple of young guys in a ca. 73 Ford LTD 2 door, the hardtop style with a thick C-pillar, no opera windows. It was a putrid period yellow with a brown vinyl top, and it looked fairly immaculate.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,096
    Spotted a Dodge Spirit Turbo...can't be many of those around anymore.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    from the Muscle Car era:

    1970ish Plymouth GTX, orange with matte black hood, in very good shape, no obvious defects from 40 or 50 feet away.

    1969 Mustang Mach One, blue w gold stripe, black hood, shape comparable to the GTX but seen from further away,

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

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I went with some friends to Dorney Park in PA. Considering we went through a lot of rural area, the old car spottings were pretty bleak. On the way up, just north of Baltimore, at a self-storage lot, I saw a blue '67 Catalina 4-door hardtop, slowly rusting into the parking lot. Actually at the park, in the parking lot, was a beat-up brown 1983-87 era New Yorker, the K-car model with the thick C-pillar. And on the way home, I spotted a pristine-looking '82-84 Regal 4-door, in sort of a light brown/champagne color.
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    wagon, versus the typical sedan. Looked like an owned-forever beater with the requisite old man driver. Battleship gray with the usual chrome strips and fake wire wheels.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Ah my favorite---fake wire wheels. Almost as good as bright chrome wheels on a 1975 Cadillac. Now that's class! :cry:
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    For the most part, I despise wire-wheel hubcaps. When I bought my '79 5th Ave, those were the first things to come off. They weren't attached correctly anyway, and as big and heavy as those suckers are, I'm sure one good bump, and they'd come right off. I ended up putting the copcar wheels from my '89 Gran Fury on, raised white letters, dog-dish hubcaps, and all. Sorta rednecked-up the car a bit, but I liked it that way. :P

    I picked up a set of Mirada alloy rims at Carlisle, so with any luck, soon my car will look kinda like this.

    I think some wire hubcaps are okay, if they have enough depth to them, and don't stick out too far. The ones on my grandmother's '85 LeSabre were fairly classy as far as those things go. And I think the ones on Lemko's Brougham look decent on the car. But the wire hubcaps the 5th Ave uses just seemed like they stuck out too far, merely bringing attention to the fact that they were fake.

    Buick made a rally wheel that was common on the 1980-84 Electra, and later B-body wagons, that looked a bit like what the General Lee used. I would have loved to have snagged a set for Grandma's LeSabre when I had that car! Or even those older 5-spoke "magnum" style rally wheels would've been cool.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    My least favorite wire wheels? On gen 1 Mustangs. I seem to see a lot more of them now than I did back then :confuse: :sick:
    image
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    Oh gawd that's just awful! Of course, that washed-out pink doesn't help matters any. :sick:
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I liked those wire wheels on that car.

    However, I don't remember ever seeing a pink Mustang convertible. Was that a Mary Kay car?

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Too small. Wire wheels under 18" look kinda silly to me.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I kinda liked those old wire wheels that were used on Mopars in the 1950's. Kelsey-Hayes, I think they were called? I imagine they were only a 14-15" wheel. But, being a true wire wheel, and not just a hubcap, helped give them a much classier look.

    Here's a '55 DeSoto sporting the look.
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