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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today! (Archived)
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This was definitely not a valuable car, but a rare one - spotted a rather beat white Daewoo Lanos on Longshore near Oxford Avenue in NE Philly. When's the last time anybody saw a Daewoo of any sort?
I've seen a few (both the Lanos and the bigger sedan) here in my town.
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I think the bigger one was called the Leganza? There was also a Nubira, which I think was slotted in between the two. IIRC, the bigger one got massaged a few years later, and re-marketed as the Suzuki Verona. The last Daewoo I've seen was a 27" television set that one of my friends recently threw away!
I always thought "Nubira" couldn't have been a dumber name for a car.
Yaris and Evoque are pretty dumb.
SPOTTED: A restored Datsun 510 station wagon. Haven't seen one of those in years.
And "Autobiography" must be the most self-absorbed entitled sub-model name ever (so it fits the clientele).
Every blue moon I see a Daewoo around here - I remember when they were new, I was in school, local smaller town MB dealer sold them - funny seeing a MB star with a Daewoo symbol beside it. I remember they made Lanos with leather interior and faux sporty trim. At least the Lanos was cheap - I think the Leganza was Camcord priced, but with stupendous depreciation. I remember a Daewoo TV in the spare bedroom at my grandma's, too.
The name "Nubira" sounds kinda naughty and suggestive to me. Maybe I'm thinking "Nubile"?
Me too, andre! I think 'nubile', used to describe 18-year-old girls in my time.
Although the name 'Celebrity' couldn't have fit the car less, I always thought 'Camry' was kind of a dumb name. It's not even that it rolls off the tongue very well. My Ford buddy calls them 'cameras'.
fintail, what model is sub-titled 'Autobiography'? I'm at a loss on that one.
Always sounded like Nutria to me (a large semi-aquatic rodent).
Probably didn't sell too well in Louisiana - how much y'all want for that possum car?
To me, all those white cars look great except for the Altima. The sculpted lines on fintail's car wears the stark white look just right. But then again I even liked the pearl white Saab Aero SPG. And based on the comparison pic posted by Andre, I think the Buick GS which I saw on the dealer lot was probably "bamboo cream."
Re: funny car names
I used to drive a Ford Probe which I believe was supposed to be a reference to Outer Space rather than the Inner Reaches. My friend drives a Touareg which (according to Wiki) could be a reference to Berber people, mythology, or carpet.
It can be as mouthfull: I drive a Land Rover Range Rover Autobiography.
Here in Canada the Kia Optima was called the Magentis. I always called it the Kia Meningitis. A guy I worked with called it the Magnet-is.
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I remember people goofing on the name "Probe".
When the Intrepid came out, I could see people calling it the 'Decrepit' but I'll concede I never heard a soul call it that.
Yeah, Autobiography is the fancy Range Rover, uplander... costs as much as a middle American house. Kind of a tax on those with too much money and not enough sense, which is a common divergence.
I remember the Hyundai "Stellar" in Canada, such an 80s name - I remember when saying "stellar" was a positive exclamation.
Troll back through the Dodge Intrepid thread (if it's still there) to around the early 2000's mark, and you'll find it. There was one guy there who had one (supposedly, he was suspected as being a troll) and would repeatedly call it his Dodge Decrepit. Which was odd, because he was from Canada, so wouldn't it be a Chrysler Decrepit?
I called mine an "Insipid" a few times.
Someone once told me a story (not sure if it was a joke or true story) about a customer coming in on the lot wanting to trade his "Gooolie", pronounced with a thick foreigh accent. Nobody knew what he was talking about, what a Gooolie was, or what it looked like. He kept saying it's a nice Pontiac Gooolie, and that the Gooolie is a common car.
The salesman went out with the customer to see this Gooolie. It turned out it was a Pontiac 6000LE.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Russell Peters is cool and I think the goolie story may have come from one of his shows.
My dad would always threaten me before a beating, "Somebody going to get a hurt real bad!"
He would always say "Somebody" like there was hope it could be somebody else! And I would think, "Oh good maybe it's my brother's turn!"
I knew a guy who referred to his Ford EXP as his Ford POS (for good reason). There may have been some people who thought that was the real name.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Heck, my Dad had a Mercury Mystique which I would call a Mistake.
Plenty of Ford owners around here refer to their SUV as an Exploder. The Toyota Pious is about my favorite though.
You can thank Matt Parker and Trey Stone, the creators of "South Park", for that nickname.
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I remember the "Goolie" thing in a car magazine, too. Pious is a good one, with its smug emissions. Talk about cultural relevancy.
Yesterday evening saw a lightly modded 82-85 Supra, followed no more than a minute later by an 83-84 Camry. The odds would be miniscule anywhere else but here. Also saw the same 912E from the other day.
What a weird duck the 912E was. What was Porsche thinking? "Let's re-introduce a model we cancelled, only THIS time we'll take out the Porsche engine and put in a VW". I'm surprised they didn't market it like this: "VW performance at Porsche prices!!"
Saw a 71-ish Nova out on the road today. Not all that uncommon generally, except this one was a 4 door. I don't see many of those.
A red '63 Galaxie coupe.Pretty original, not restored, and looked straight and level going down the road.
A Facebook friend of mine, whom I've never met (he's a Stude owner too) just posted pics a few days back, of his new, dark plum colored '63 1/2 Galaxie 500 XL fastback with factory black vinyl top. It is absolutely stunning IMHO.
I seem to recall a Daewoo store that stood by itself in Bellevue?
Oh, they were going to REALLY take over once they arrived but they were a flop.
At the time, the Korean cars weren't much good and Daewoo showed up as just another "me too" brand that tried to elbow themselves into an already overcrowded market.
We had a salesperson defect from our store and when he left, he was trying to recruit others. He thought they were going to rule the market.
Making things worse is the fact they weren't really great cars.
I guess I was so surprised to see it, I didn't take notice of the rear roof line.
I think a lot of people no longer remember that Ford put out a fair number of '63 formal 2dr HT rooflines, but I do like the fastback XL (and the convertible!).
I saw a '65=66-ish Plymouth Valiant that appeared be in good but perhaps not concours shape. It was a four door w whitewalls and wheel covers. I don't think the dark blue paint was original. I'm always surpised at the number of 60s-70s compacts being used as regular drivers in the Phoenix area and appearing to be in good shape.
The lack of moisture helps but the UV wreaks havoc on paint and interiors which might account for the non-standard color on that Valiant.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Visited my grandmothers well preserved ~1960 style subdivision today, saw a mint restored brand new looking gold 66 (I think) GTO sitting in the driveway of a house, and several doors down, a driver quality 52 or so Chevy sedan. Also saw a red and white 61-62 Ford wagon on the road about a mile from there - really wanted to see more of it, but I couldn't get to it.
Spotted the remains of a blue 1967 Plymouth Belvedere 2-door hardtop with a rotted black vinyl top and missing its tires and front end in the driveway of a rather nice house on Palmetto Street near Rhawn in NE Philly. Looked to be a long-aborted project car.
On the NY Thruway a first gen Cherokee. The 2 door version of the wagonnere. Next day a later vintage of the 4 door wagon.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Yesterday, earlier Jag XKE 'vert. Yellow with a black top. Beautiful day, beautiful car.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
This morning I saw 3x W126 - 2x 300SD and a later LWB car. Right around the same time I saw an immaculate looking metallic brown W116, but I couldn't see the model. Also saw a red Allante on the road, and another 82-85 Supra.
I also stopped by my indy mechanic to ask a fintail question - his shop is now located in a complex operated by the local highline specialty dealer (Park Place). Two Studebakers in the satellite showroom - a white 63 GT Hawk, and a red Lark convertible. Neither car appears on the website - both cars looked to be nice driver/local show quality, I noticed the Hawk had AC too. A few other oddities in the showroom - Zimmer, 80s Lagonda, 64 Impala convertible.
I'm a big fan of GT Hawks. I can't stand them without full instruments though--the dash was made for a tach and a clock, and some have neither! Do you have a guesstimate as to the vintage of the Lark convertible? I tend to most like '62 and later. Geeze, sure sounds like you live in an area with a lot of old hobby cars.
At lunch today, saw a '68 or '69 GTO heading the other direction... Pretty nice, restored condition..
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The Lark was badged "Lark VIII" - I guess them all at around 1960 - I don't even recall if it had single or quad lights, and the car had no info on it. It was a manual. I didn't think to look at the Hawk gauges - maybe it will show up on their website (with an optimistic price, no doubt).
This area is good for old cars - mild winters, and north/cloudy enough so much less UV and sun issues than southern and desert cars. Cars can rust here, but it seems to take 20-30 years to get going, they wear out first.
Spotted a red 1992-2003 Cadillac Eldorado convertible conversion on Cottman and Oxford Avenue in NE Philly. Looked like it was pretty well executed. That Eldo looked really sharp as a convertible.
It's not classic but I spotted a Hummer H3T pickup.
Saw a clean original looking ~65 Comet convertible in downtown Bellevue today, also a Toronado Trofeo and a clean pre-85 Escort.
First generation Honda Accord hatch. Very rare sighting around here.
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Re.: Larks spotted--they were badged "Lark VI" or 'Lark VIII' from '59 to '61.
Very rare sighting anywhere. Those were biodegradable.
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Speaking of biodegradable, yesterday I saw a 1980s style VW Rabbit L. It was not in good shape but not wretched either and it wore an "Antique" plate. It was being driven by a 20-something male.
I also saw a late 60s Chrysler that appeared at least from afar to be nicely restored.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Not sure if obscure, but Friday as I was leaving work, in our parking lot, an Acura NSX. Red, of course.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Pretty obscure. The total number of NSXs made since 1991 doesn't even equal one year of Corvette production.
travelling on I20 in SC, passed a guy with a '70 or so Datsun 510 on an open trailer. Definitely a project. orange, except for the various panels (mostly front end) that were primer gray. gave him a thumbs up when I passed.
saw a few other things most of which escape me now. I do recall a 60s mustang convertible and an early VW van, on separate car carriers.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
As I'm gassing up @ Sam's this elderly gent pulls up in a 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS, black with a white convertible top. The car was in nice, but not quite concours, shape with good luster on the paint, full wheel covers (w SS emblems) and good chrome albeit w a few small dings.
I couldn't help but wonder if the same guy had owned since new (50 years ago)
BTW-The only engine badge was the simple small V which I think signified six cylinder power. (IIRC you could order a Super Sport package with any available engine)
The emblem, often seen on 60s Chevies, looked like this but without the flags>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93