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

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Comments

  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    edited December 2012
    The '64 Avanti was a beautiful car.

    Do you or anyone know why the split rear window was only a one year styling exercise for the Corvette? Since most people think that window treatment enhanced the '63's styling, and made it special, one has to wonder why it was dropped.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    because of the problems it caused with rear visibility. Probably also more expensive and harder to produce it.

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  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,250
    edited December 2012
    how about these?

    looks good

    big bug
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  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    Here's a link to a very brief summary of the split window design battle between engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov and design chief Bill Mitchell.

    Although it's not mentioned in the article Zora was quoted years later as allowing one grudging benefit to the split window design. In night driving, some headlight glare from behind was blocked by the split rear window. Then or now I can't say if the old man was serious or just tweaking the interviewer. :shades:
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The back end of an Avanti is quite interesting. I find the front end very unattractive--a regrettable styling exercise, like the wedge--the "shovel nose" school of design.

    Corvette Split Window---the story I heard/read was that Arkus-Duntov himself didn't like the split window---if this is true, he would be a pretty formidable opponent in a styling meeting for decisions about '64 models.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    I consider the split window to be a 'form over function' exercise. I didn't read the link but I know I've heard that Mitchell (who was born in Cleveland but grew up in my tiny hometown of Greenville, PA and would come back to visit) said that without the split window, "the whole car is ruined".
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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    a Subaru SVX. actually looked nice and clean. Certainly a rare sight these days.

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  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    "Do you or anyone know why the split rear window was only a one year styling exercise for the Corvette? Since most people think that window treatment enhanced the '63's styling, and made it special, one has to wonder why it was dropped. "

    I don't know that the buyers back then thought it more desireable. It's NOW that it's more desireable, because it's the first year, it's rarer, and it's different. Had they not changed, nobody would say much about it, I bet!
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    Must be fun to pull up to a drive-thru window with a Subaru SVX.
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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    If someone told me I had to buy a Sting Ray, I'd probably most consider a '64. I think they're the most reasonably-priced Sting Rays, I prefer the single rear window, I think the horizontal side vents fit into the styling better than the vertical vents of '65 and later (although those were functional), and I like the wheelcovers better. I also seem to remember a steel blue (or silvery blue) on '64's that was attractive to me, although I don't know if that was a carryover color from '63 or not.

    I'd still want a Fawn Beige or Honduras Maroon '62 though. ;)
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  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    edited December 2012
    I see a guy driving a stick shift SVX out of a large mall garage occasionally. I suspect he works in the mall. The car looks to be about in a similar condition as the one discussed here, and the same color. It appears to be a daily driver, and it sounds tired.

    I've been meaning to ask the driver a couple of questions about his car if I happened to see him walk to it, because seeing a SVX being regularly driven is such a rarity these days.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's a conversion because they were all auto from the factory. It is not uncommon to convert them to manuals.

    Given their price back then, the owners were eating sit downs meals, not drive thru food.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Most were AWD, but Subaru did offer a FWD version in the U.S. for at least one model year, and probably more. Maybe these were offered with manual transmission. I'll have to research it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    My Subaru guru who runs an excellent repair shop in California says they are very tough cars to work on, and he will not have them in his shop--for what that's worth--maybe it's just his problem, dunno. I do know that parts are hard to find and quite expensive, and having driven a few, (I like the car), they aren't very fast either.

    An interesting curiosity.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    I've also read that parts are scarce and expensive (those two things generally go together).
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    I checked, and you're right; they were all automatics. Now I'm even more curious about the one I occasionally see. It's either been converted to a manual, or I'm wrong about the transmission. From the sound it made backing out of the parking place and going forward it sounded like a manual to me.

    For the '94 and '95 model year FWD was offered, but they too were automatics.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Way back when, one of the major US car mags had a snow compare and it won, beating a dozen or so other cars.

    It was a GT for the snow belt.

    Nickname became Snow Vehicle Xtraordinaire.

    In FWD it made no sense.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    Yesterday in traffic I spotted a very nice 65-ish Chevy II Nova wagon which appeared to be in good driver shape, as cars like this often are in Arizona where rust doesn't get 'em (and they aren't parked outdoors where the UV gets them. It was metallic light blue with chrome trim indicating top- model status (Nova?).

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    Before I even finished reading your message, I pictured a light blue one in my mind. I think that was a popular color that year.

    A '65 Chevy II is probably my favorite Chevy II. Last of the original body, still quite basic inside, but a handsome revised grille and taillights IMHO, and V8 power available (actually that started with '64).
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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes I remember the car mags liking the SVX, but that was before so many newer cars were introduced that were AWD and equally competent, with none of the fuss and bother of owning an oddball car that nobody wants to repair for you. 1980s audi quattros were also the rage back then but now you could hardly give one of those away.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Unless it's a UR Quattro coupe - there's a cult around those now, and they are legit collectibles.
  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    I like the URQ coupes too and there's enough interest to keep them alive and collectible. A really nice one, well kept and sorted would be worth what? Maybe $15k-$20k? But when it comes to the Sport Quattro...wow! The clamor for that car has been truly fanatic. It was the one with short stubby wheelbase, limited production, +300 hp and too much fun for 80s US certification. Insane price when new and bid up at auction now as well. Maybe $100k American money? Has anyone here ever seen a real one while visiting Europe or some museum?
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    yeah, a really fantastic '83-'85 Quattro Coupe could bust $20K.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited December 2012
    Ask and ye shall receive. These are at the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt:

    image

    image

    image

    image

    Cool displays:

    image

    image

    Also in 2009, I was driving on a secondary road between Stuttgart and Ulm, and saw a Sport Quattro on the road, appeared to have just come out of a restoration and was out for testing. I just about fell out of my car.

    I had a thing for UR Quattros when I was a kid - they were about as exotic as I could imagine, and were setting the rally world on its head at the time. You could even get a talking option
  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    Am I the only one who sometimes gets jealous over Fintail's good fortune in life? Even his freaking craigslist is better than mine. And now this! Ha! :P Just kidding.

    Gotta love that "blasted plains" exhibit which makes Audi's Group B cars look right at home. And along with the museum tour you actually saw a road car version out on the street? Amazing.

    Didn't all digital dash URQ's have the autocheck voice box instead of warning lights? If the voice warning system was defective or disabled, the driver would not be alerted to a serious problem like, "Achtung bremse system defekt!" :lemon:
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    edited December 2012
    ...bid to only $16,100.

    BIN was $23.5K.

    I have to partly attribute it to the auction ending between Christmas and New Year's. I'm quite surprised at that low level of bidding. Two bids.
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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Awesome cars, I remember watching those race.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    $16,000 is market correct price for a '61 Sedan deVille in #2 (local show) condition. $20,000 would be stunning Pebble Beach perfect, as new.

    so the bidders are right on top of it here.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    a 70ish Beetle. Orange. Not restored, but seemed to be in pretty good shape overall.

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    edited December 2012
    That's a lot of car for that money, IMHO. When I see what some other more mundane stuff goes for, this Caddy looks better than ever to me. As I alluded to earlier, I have a 'car crush' on that thing! ;)

    I haven't seen, on eBay, a more authentic, interior and exterior, down-to-the-details, stock domestic car in quite awhile, and the rarity is appealing to me.

    Now, if I had an extra $23.5K laying around, plus $2,500 or so to get it here from CA!
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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    well the market isn't based on a car's merit---it's based on supply and demand...how many of Car X are out there, and, of course, how many people want Car X.

    I see some issues with that car---being a 4-door is a value suppressor, and the color isn't everyone's cup of tea.

    there's not a lot you can do with a car like that---it's very large, so hard to garage, complicated to repair, very little aftermarket support, and value trends have been absolutely flat for the past 6-8 years.

    But you're right, for the bucks, it's a lot of car if you like that sort of thing.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited December 2012
    It's nice being single and usually living below my means - I can have fun now and then :shades: I'll just rub it in that I have been to the museums of every German maker + Sinsheim + 'Ring + AMG facility + Sindelfingen factory. The money might be smarter to some rotting in a retirement account, but you only live once...

    Audi Museum was cool. Admission was only like 3 Euro, I think, and it had those cool displays along with other group B cars, and the rest. I don't do guided tours, I just wander around and discover.

    I don't know if all URs were talkers, but I do find it funny that the "fasten seat belt" alert comes after the defective brakes alert. As I was a kid in the 80s, I love talking cars and digital displays. Too bad MB never used either.

    Here it is in English - the German voice is much nicer, IMO. In my rental A8 on my last trip, the English nav voice was grating and demanding kind of like this.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I agree, it is a lot of flash for the cash, and even at a major show, you'll be the only one - I know you appreciate uniqueness too.

    I bet he'd take 20K or maybe even a little less for it if you showed up with cash at his door. If I wanted a cool space-age land yacht, I would be all over that thing.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    I bet he'd take 20K or maybe even a little less for it if you showed up with cash at his door. If I wanted a cool space-age land yacht, I would be all over that thing.

    Heck, I'm kinda tempted myself, even though I prefer the 1962 models. But, I swore to myself I wouldn't raid any more home equity unless it was absolutely necessary.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    I don't wish to be single, but...I am jealous of guys like andre and fintail when it comes to stuff like this!
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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    I don't wish to be single, but...

    Hmmmm... I'm still on the fence.... ;)

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Oh, I wouldn't blow 20K on an old car. One extra mouth to feed is enough. But, if I wanted something like that, I can't imagine it being better than that Caddy.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    edited December 2012
    Me, too. Buying an old car is an emotional thing. I can dig out the latest Old Cars Price Guide all day long (do they really need to update it bi-monthly?), but I simply haven't seen that nice of a car (in that I value originality and authenticity, and uniqueness is a bonus), at that price, in a looonnnngggg time.
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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    That car might be hard to value other than subjectively - it is a weird design and color scheme, but the condition and preservation can't be duplicated. You couldn't get a rat to be that nice for that money.

    Unless I somehow experience a large income gain or inherit a fortune from an unknown source, I doubt I will buy another old car. Sometimes keeping the one I have seems kind of silly. But, I am sentimental about some things.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    I always said that I would keep my Lark Daytona Skytop R1 forever. I did have it 23 years. But when the buyer came pursuing, I started thinking about college coming up for my daughter. I do miss the car, but the current owner has done a lot to the car, only improving it. I did a driver restoration on it, which was more than the three or four owners prior to me did! ;)

    I'm not a mechanic, and I find it harder to find anyone who will work on an old car around me.

    I bought my '64 Daytona on a whim (wife said, "Go for it"), but it was under $5K. And I got what I paid for! With it and the Skytop taking our entire garage space, I realized soon that I was in over my head.

    I bought the '66 last year, after selling the other two, thinking I'd have it a long time. It was rock-solid everyplace and ran like a dream, but I thought the paint was amateurish for a car as otherwise so nice, and I just ended up not liking it as much as I thought I would.

    I would like another Stude at some point, just don't see it this year.

    I never had any of my three cars advertised for sale; I was pursued on all three of them and got my asking prices without haggling.

    My wife says I'm like George Costanza, since all three went to Australia--an 'import/exporter'. Another friend, a Mopar guy, says I'm like a Studebaker dealer.

    Back to the Cadillac...just lovely in every way to me. And the color is so 1961 to me...better than white, red, or black any day of the week to me.
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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I've had my fintail since I was 18, in no time I will have had it for 18 years. I could get my original purchase price back no doubt, but money has been spent in the meantime - mostly when the car needed rings and kingpins. I wouldn't be able to get the total expenses back, but it has been driven a bit over those years. I am lucky that indy MB shops aren't scared of it, but I haven't done any real restoration work - it just costs too much, and there's only a negative return.

    Interesting that all three went down under. I wonder if the cars get RHD conversions, as many American cars did back in the day.

    I can imagine the driver of that Caddy when new - would have been dressed very chic for the time.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    Stude did do RHD at the South Bend plant, for export and also for "Rural Router" Larks. My cars have not been converted to RHD as I have seen photos since they've been there.

    If I bought that Caddy, I'd have to get a pair of Ray Bans (more likely, cheap knockoffs), and have my wife wear cat's eye glasses.

    I always think I'd like "Mad Men" on HBO, but we don't have HBO. It's supposedly that early '60's time period that I find so fascinating, although remember very little of it personally.
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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I've seen all kinds of 60s-70s American cars with RHD conversions in Australia, some of them kind of odd (big Chryslers, gargantuan T-Birds, etc). As the Australian automotive scene never gave up the big V8 sedan, maybe that makes sense.

    I can see that Caddy being driven by a classy woman in a period dress and pillbox hat, with a fancy period style handbag, kind of a Jackie Kennedy style maybe. A man in a casual suit and fedora alongside her. That era certainly had style and some good design, from houses to clothes to cars.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Weren't the Imperials of that era known for solid construction and craftsmanship? I believe they sell for a lot less than a comparable Cadillac and are rarer too?
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    "I believe they sell for a lot less than a comparable Cadillac and are rarer too? "

    Could be, but the parts would be harder to find, given the few Imperials on the road these days.

    These big luxury cars are, like today, loaded with all the options, and when they break....
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    I just love '65-66 Imperials (OK, the '64 is nearly identical but I like the front end styling of the '65 and '66 better). I'm reminded of Mr. Drysdale on "The Beverly Hillbillies" when I see one.

    I always liked the '63 Imperial too. It's the goofy '61 and '62, but minus the 'sparrow shredder' taillights. I particularly like it from the rear.
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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    edited December 2012
    I never look at Imperials on eBay...until now.

    Here's '63 coupe. Reupholstered front seat at least...and is this what an Imperial front seat looked like in '63? Where's the center armrest? ;)

    I think fintail mentioned it, but I agree... Chrysler seemed to hold onto 'bigger than life' '50's styling...even interior and instrument panel...longer than the other guys.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ELEGANT-UPSCALE-413-CI-V8-3-SPEED-AUTO-A-C-POWER-- - WINDOWS-AUTOMOTIVE-ROY-/281042521660?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item416f708e3c

    Personally, even though it's a four-door, I'd much rather have that '61 Caddy than that Imperial, and the owners were looking for about the same money.

    Here's a nice '66 Imperial hardtop sedan. Got the leather that's got lines in it look in front, but BIN of $16K. It's more timeless styling than the Caddy I think, but...again, for a complete 'time capsule', I think it's hard to beat the Caddy.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Clean-and-drives-like-dream-Black-exterior-white-- - pearl-interior-/271129101187?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3f208dc383

    Nice '67 convertible, very rare...to me, this is about when Imperials became not all that more exciting than New Yorkers (my opinion only):

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/440ci-V-8-1-577-Produced-Very-Nice-Running-and-Dr- - iving-Example-/271128797738?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3f2089222a

    On eBay, there's also a '68 Imperial 4-door "post" sedan...it has frames around the side glass. I had forgotten there were Imperials like that then.

    My friend, who was the Studebaker dealer in our hometown, was approached by the Dodge 'road man' to take on a Dodge franchise when the elderly owner got out of the business. My friend was invited to the unveiling of the '62 Dodges in Detroit, pre-public and for dealers only. When asked what he thought, he said, "Those look worse than Studebakers!"

    He didn't add Dodge, probably much to his chagrin a few years later!
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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,027
    That '67 is the pick of the litter. The '67 Imperial was a fabulous car, maybe the high-water mark for '60s Imps, and the convertible is exceptionally rare. That one looks outstanding, although I wish they had not changed the paint color. I wonder what the reserve would be. Too bad it has a black interior - not only are those always a bad choice in a convertible, but that season Chrysler offered a gorgeous silver leather interior option that looks fabulous.

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    Silver leather would be outstanding.

    IMHO only, it's too bad I believe the '67 uses the New Yorker's instrument panel. That said, I like that light turquoise color but I didn't notice that the original color had been changed.
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  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    I think Imperials from 1957-66 were solid, sturdy cars, but unfortunately suffered from having the same drivetrain as a Chrysler New Yorker, but weighing up to 1,000 lb more.

    They were put together better than other Chrysler products of the era, but I think a Cadillac would still have better fit and finish, and a higher quality interior.

    Where an Imperial would win out though, would be a demolition derby. The 1960-66 models, which used the same frame as the '57-59, but had some Unibody tricks incorporated into the body to stiffen it up, were especially rugged.

    As for finding parts, Imperial-specific stuff is probably hard to get, but a lot of the generic stuff, like drivetrains, power windows, etc, was probably shared with the Chrysler New Yorker and such.

    Personally, my favorite Imperial of that era is the 1960. There's just something about that front-end I like. It had a proud, accomplished look to it, that says "I've arrived!"
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