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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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Those never appealed to me.
Clumsy cars that ate front end suspension parts and were just poorly executed.
Cadillac had that market with Lincoln a distant second place.
Nice, looks like the Imperial has a curb feeler.
I saw an oddity today
On Google Earth.
I was looking at street scenes in a neighborhood where I lived as a kid (until maybe age 10 or so), and saw this Hudson Hornet Hollywood. I think these have to be fairly rare. The interesting thing is that I think I remember this car from when I was a kid - I remember there was one in the area, it would sometimes park near our house, and my dad would point out what it was, and that it was unusual. I think it could be the same car - I only remember it was a light color, but there can't be too many of them in a smallish town in the mid-late 80s.
The '64-66 Imperial is probably one of my all-time favorite Chrysler products, although I like the covered headlamps of the '65 and/or '66 a bit better. In profile, I thought the much-smaller '64 Studebaker Daytona hardtop resembled it a little bit...both have a 'leaning forward' look; slanted front end and similar slanted-forward quarter windows.
On the plus side, the 2-door Imperial used the same roof as the 4-door hardtop, so it was every bit as roomy inside as the 4-door. Something that can't be said about most 2-door cars. Although I'm sure a Coupe DeVille, or Electra/Ninety-Eight coupe was still roomy enough.
And, it would have made sense to keep a 2-door closed model around, so they could still offer a convertible at a somewhat reasonable price.
I always thought the 1960 Imperial, which was the first of these BOF/UniBody "Hybrid" cars was pretty cool, but the '61-63 were a bit too over-the-top for my tastes, with those toilet seat trunk lids and free-standing headlights. The '64 is just kinda dull looking, IMO. I like the '65-66 though.
I liked the original 57/58 Forward look Imperials and the 65/66. The 64 front end was a bit much for my desires. I think lux cars look good squared off and formal. That's why I like the bigger, squarer mid 60's Lincoln's over the original 61-63's, although I suspect I'm a minority there.
Back in the 50's I think Hudson's were very under appreciated despite their NASCAR successes. People that bought them seemed to be of 3 types; engineers, car people or used buyers looking for a deal.
It's funny Shifty mentioned front end problems with those mid 60's Imperials. My dad had a 66 Fury that did not have them. But my 71 Sebring had them from the gitgo, as did a friend's Duster. A mechanic told me that Mopars back then were prone to front end problems, but I don't really know if that was true.
I think Hudsons are interesting, but that stepdown design could not be economically facelifted, so the cars looked largely the same from '48-54. As good as their sixes were, the public wanted V8's, something Hudsons like the ones in the garage photo never got.
I think front-end problems have been a sore spot with Mopars for years. Back in the late 1990's I had a 1979 Newport. I struck up a conversation one day with someone who drove a taxi, and he said that he used to drive those types of cars as taxis back in the day. He said they always had front-end issues, but then with the Fords it was usually the engine, and with Chevies it was usually the transmission. Interestingly, the dealer I bought my '89 Gran Fury from, pretty much said the same thing. They specialized in refurbishing old police cars, so I guess they knew from experience. However, the reason my '89 Gran Fury had been retired was because of engine issues. The #8 came lobe went bad, and the city of Richmond, VA retired it. When I bought it, it had the engine from a wrecked 1988 Diplomat police car in it.
On the subject of suspensions, I know the ball joints for a V-8 Dart are identical to a slant six Dart, because I swapped one once. Now, I don't know if a smallblock V-8 is enough extra weight to warrant a beefed-up suspension or not. But, I wonder if that might provide some insight as to why some Mopars had suspension issues? Under-sized parts perhaps?
I also remember looking up ball joints in a catalog once, and I seem to recall that the compacts, midsize, and full-size cars were all grouped together and advertised for the same price. I don't know if that meant they all used the same part or not, though. But if they did, I guess that's an indication that the small cars were over-engineered, the big ones were under-engineered, or a bit of both?
I had a '72 Duster for 70k miles, don't remember any front end problems. Just lucky, I guess.
Fords it was usually the engine, and with Chevies it was usually the transmission
Interesting. When I was growing up that was basically what I'd hear over time from the various car guys in the neighborhood.
Folks in a British car car from the Waynesboro County Virginia area were cruising and had stopped at the same lunch spot we ate at today. There was a Rover, original MINI, some V12 Jag and several nice MGs. One guy had a '66 MG and he was the original owner. After the engine gave out at 250k, he towed it from house to house as he raised a family and had it rebuilt a few years back without losing any of the patina. Just a lovely car.
I had a '69 Dodge Dart GT with a slant six, purchased with around 49K miles on it, and totaled at 77K. It never had any suspension issues either. Now brakes were a different story! Now my '68 Dart 270, which had a V-8, had suspension problems over the years, but it also had about 253,000 miles on it when I bought it. I remember one year I hit a huge pothole and it knocked the ball joint through the upper control arm. I bought a new ball joint, but discovered the control arm was messed up as well, so I pulled the one off of my wrecked '69, which I had held onto for parts.
Moog made much better front end parts than the cars came with. Chrysler products used to be hard on tie rod ends and lower ball joints. I don't recall having to replace many control arm bushings. Once those parts were replaced they usually didn't fail again.
Fords were bad on idler arms and upper control arm shafts that people didn't grease.
it was difficult to grease the upper shafts so most places didn't bother.
Upper ball joints were quick to wear out on the compacts such as Falcons and Mustangs.
_Chrysler products used to be hard on tie rod ends _
Now that you mention that I'm reminded that I had to take my brand new Sebring back to the dealer when trying to register it as a newly commissioned officer because tie rod problems kept it from passing the base safety inspection. Like there wasn't enough hassle when you start active duty!
Temps got up into the upper 60's today, with sunny skies, so I figured I'd go outside and see which cars would start and which wouldn't. Ended up with my own little private car show...
I was particularly impressed with my '79 New Yorker, the blue one. One pump of the gas pedal, then holding it down just slightly, and it fired right up. However, it had just been started last Sunday. The Catalina started on the third try, but then stalled when I put it in gear, but fired right back up. The LeMans started on the third try as well. I can't remember the last time I started either Pontiac. Probably a few months. As for the '79 5th Avenue, well, it didn't have a battery in it. My Silverado killed a battery, so I pulled it out and put it on a trickle charge. Put that battery in the 5th Ave, not expecting much, but it cranked pretty fast. And started on the second try. I think it could very well have been last fall, since I started that one.
And, even more impressive...after I swept out the garage and did a little tidying up, they all started back up so I could put them away!
When did you get the LeMans? Did that replace the Park Avenue? I kind of like the looks of those big Chrysler's. Someday the 57 Desoto will be out there too!
hey, the fleet's in port!
so Andre, other than the Desoto, is that the entire classics fleet?
I wish I had the space to park that many cars.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
It's like a time warp back to 1980. If I had that kind of space, the zoning people would be all over me and my junkyard.
Saw an original 510 wagon today, a loaded-with-patina 61 Continental on big wheels, an E39 M5 trying to drift on a public road, and a well kept E12 5er.
Supposed to be nice here tomorrow, I hope to fire up the old beast.
a couple along the road yesterday. First was an original looking Jeep Scrambler. Plenty of rust, and definitely original paint and decals.
then parked outside the pepboys of all places, a late model suicide door Lincoln Continental 4 door. Painted bright lime green with a white top. Truly nasty and inappropriate. And of course, it had some hideous oversized wheels on it.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I've had that LeMans about 9 years now. Got it in April of 2005. Sometimes it doesn't seem all that long ago. Scary how time flies! I still have the Park Avenue; it's just behind me, from where I was taking that picture. Still got the '85 Silverado, as well; it's off to the left, out of sight.
As for those '79-81 Chryslers, I've always had a thing for them. I like the looks, and I find them very comfortable. They also handle pretty well, in my opinion, compared to an equivalent Ford or GM product of the time. They were fairly poor sellers at the time though, partly because buyers were reluctant to buy a pricier car from a company who could go bankrupt, but also partly, perhaps, because the stylists gave them sort of a hulking, massive look that made them look heavier than they were.
As for the Park Avenue, it's still running fairly well, although showing its age, mainly on the interior.. Don't know what I'd replace it with when the time comes, but hopefully that's a ways off!
I was going through some old pictures the other day, and found one from early 1994, when I had put all my cars together and got up on the roof of the garage and took some pics. Back then, it was just four cars...my DeSoto, '68 Dart, '69 Bonneville, and '82 Cutlass Supreme, which was my daily driver. I'll have to scan them in sometime.
A (Gen 1?) gold Ford Escort, probably an '86, had CHMSL built into hatch.
Had CT classic plates and it didn't look too worn.
Wow, did anyone ever think they'd live to see the day an Escort had classic plates? LOL. I know I sure didn't.
Well that about does it for the word "classic"---now and forever rendered as meaningless as "genius" is in Hollywood, or 'brilliant" is at a parent-teachers conference.
That was far from the worst car I've seen with classic plates. Sometimes, I think people do it as a joke.
Newer, but still obscure, Lincoln Mark LT pickup truck.
I suspect a lot of states have a 25 years policy for classic plates, probably implemented 40 years ago when cars so old were less common and more differentiated from modern cars. I've seen a Citation with 'collector' plates here. Year of manufacture plates are the way to go - many states, mine included, allow an old car to be re-registered with plates from the year the car was made. I found a set of plates for the fintail at a yard sale in 1996, switched them over for $40, and now it looks cooler.
I have the old car out today - saw a 65 Chevelle, a euro-lights W123 with a driver who looked at my car, the same old lady in an 86-87 XJ6 I see now and then (had her high beams on in 25mph city traffic), and most amusingly, that same white with gold emblems 500SL with Lorinser wheels I have seen a couple times lately - it's following me.
In Maryland, at least, they call it "Historic" rather than "Classic". It used to be, the car had to be 25 years or older, but at some point they changed it to 20. I think the worst travesty I saw made out of it was in the early '00's, when I saw a round-headlight Chevette sporting historic tags.
As for how I discovered that they changed it from 25 years to 20? Well, a guy at work had a 1986 Pontiac, and he knew I was into old cars, so he was asking me about historic plates. I told him that the car had to be 25 years old, or older, and he said that he thought it was 20. I looked it up online and yup, it was 20, by 2008 at least. Oh, as for his 1986 Pontiac? It was a T1000.
And, as soon as I discovered that, I promptly switched my '85 Silverado over to historic plates. $51 every two years to register instead of $176 or whatever. And no emissions test.
Saw a 1980 or so gold turbo Trans Am and a first generation Caravan cargo van. The T/A looks to be a survivor as it had plenty of rust.
As for antique or YOM plates, here in MA you can use them for vehicles over 25 years old but it limits the owner to when that car can be on the road (parades, exhibitions, club activities). I'm sure the insurance also takes that limited mileage into account. I doubt a cop wouldbother you but it you got into an accident in your "antique" at 7 AM on a Wednesday, your insurance might not pay out.
Same here in OH, robr.
In Connecticut, the plates are actually called 'Early American' plates and have a little model T type graphic on them.
They don't look very good, so I have no inclination to get a set.
I am probably going to order a set of vanity plates in a week or so, just have to wait for my registration renewal to become official.
Weird about the early Caravan cargo models - I saw three of those things today! The "Ram" badged ones with the first gen style headlights (I think they were made concurrently with the 1987 facelift for a couple years). One was in pretty nice shape - maybe not surprising with how well many cars age here. Took the old car out for a drive, didn't see anything exciting , surprising on the nicest Sunday in maybe 2 months.
I did notice an early Pinto wagon that catches my eye on my old car driving route has moved - so maybe it runs.
And I noticed this: in December, a pipe burst in the garage where I store my car. Some cars got wet, but mine wasn't in the area, I got lucky. Anyway, this Bonneville got wet and dirty, and 3 months later - hasn't been touched. I don't think this car has moved since summer at the latest:
That's a '64.
Historic plates in KY, too.
25 years old is the cutoff. We put them on our '87, because once you do that, they automatically value the car at $100 for the purpose of property tax.. and, you no longer have to pay for the annual registration ($25).
Technically, the plates are only for transportation to/from exhibits, etc.. but, I still had full coverage insurance, and we were never pulled over.. so, win-win.
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Spotted a Dodge Raider today. Yellow, looked to be in pretty decent condition.
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I have historic, full coverage insurance on my DeSoto, Catalina, and LeMans. I have a feeling that once the DeSoto is out of the shop, it won't be getting driven much except to shows and on nice weekends. I do drive the Catalina and LeMans a bit, but during the work week it's never more than a few miles from home, and only on nice days.
As for the Silverado and two New Yorkers, they have historic plates, but normal, liability-only insurance. I did get pulled over back in 2012 while driving my '79 5th Avenue, but that was because the cop saw me driving without a front plate on the car. Both of my New Yorkers came from Pennsylvania, which doesn't require a front plate, so there were no brackets to put the front plate on. I have them on now though...simply punched a hole in the plate and put a big bolt through it, and anchored it through a pre-existing cutout in the center of the bumper.
How about 2 RX-8's? One black, the other yellow. I just about never see those.
More people willing spring to get here.
I saw three Cutlass Supremes, over the course of five days. Saw a crème colored early/mid 80's coupe last Wednesday, looked like it was in really good shape. Then yesterday, I saw a light green one, missing one of the grille sections, but not in bad shape otherwise. And today, I saw a gray '87-88 model parked at work.
I know this would be totally impractical as a hobby car, but geez do I like it. This Mecum auction has a couple of odd-ducks that I'm into, like this '69 Corvair and a Jet Green '64 Gran Turismo Hawk, factory supercharged (link on the 'Postwar Studebakers' thread):
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=HA0414-179411&utm_source=emv&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HA0414-F211
Oh I don't know...if the price wasn't ridiculous a '69 Corvair would make a very nice daily driver, and it isn't very hard to work on. Pretty simple car all in all. They drive very nicely, great brakes and with a few tweaks the steering and suspension could be made to rival a modern car.
The fifteen miles part is probably not good to make that car a driver. I'm a big fan of later Corvairs, even though the '69 has a smog pump I've heard. I'd love a '69, and I actually like the hardtop more than the convertible. I'd like the four-carb version, but I've heard they can be temperamental. Seems like most Corvairs got the 110 hp version, like this one.
Nice styling and color on that Corvair. A 15 mile car is destined to be a trailer queen or museum display, it might be the newest one remaining. You could probably win shows with it, or at least attract a crowd.
IIRC, the 110 hp version was the only one offered in '69. The Corvair was a dead car rolling by then.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
It doesn't matter if it has 15 miles--it's never going to be worth very much, so by all means drive it and use it up and enjoy it. Even if you put 30K miles on it, it's still got that low miles halo.
You could still get the 140 hp version in '69, but the Turbo was last seen in '66. There was also a 95 hp version still in '69...ugh!
We saw what low mileage cars brought at the Lambrecht auction. I admit that some of the excitement was the out-of-the-way, small-town, longtime Chevy dealer part of the story, but we might be surprised what that Corvair brings. For one, I think a lot more things will need going over in that Corvair compared to one that has, say, 40K miles and has been driven.
IMO, the car's styling is so graceful, and the proportions right and light....and it's roomy inside for a small car as well.
I once asked Don Yenko what he did to the standard Corvair suspension when he converted the car into a race-ready Yenko Stinger. His answer surprised me. "Metallic brake linings, Koni shocks."
And I thought this was true of all the body styles. The 4-door hardtop was the most attractive example of the type that I ever saw.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Been a long time since I saw a Corvair four-door hardtop, but I agree...what a practical, sporty little sedan for the time those were.
E55 AMG, looks like Fintail's old ride. Not a bad price although I wonder if it actually has only 65k on it (40k miles).
vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/ctd/4392221322.html
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
If only it was an E55 (which didn't begin production until 1998). That car is a regular E320 with monoblocks which may or not be real. A Japanese import no doubt, going by the spec (not a NA spec car) and seller. Headlights are actually aftermarket from the past 5 or so years - the W210 facelift did not get projector lights, which were not seen until W211.
Here's a rare tuned MB on Vancouver CL
yes you're probably right--with 15 miles on it, the engine and transmission seals could be all dried up---and on flat engines like that, they can rust internally just sitting there--moisture attacks the point where the rings lay on the cylinder liners. 4 door versions of the car are a hard sell.