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

stickguy · May 2018

decent was probably about as good as they sounded when new. I did like them back in the day.

thebean · May 2018

Spotted this 70's (or early 80's?) MG today in Sturgeon Bay, WI while on vacation. It must not have been up here long because I didn't see any rust. Most every car over 4 or so years old is being eaten up with the rust gremlin. Sorry for the distant pic.

Michaell · May 2018

Out again. Spotted an Avanti. Looks like it gets regular use.

fintail · May 2018

MGB was offered in the US through MY 1980, I think - that's a late one, with the rubber baby buggy bumpers of mid 70s-onward models.

Today's spotting, white first gen Scirocco.

imidazol97 · May 2018

1968 Impala Sport Coupe in teal blue.

kyfdx · May 2018

explorerx4 said:
Looks more silver than gray to me.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but I don’t think the diesel comes in a stick, any more. I hope I’m wrong.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2018

Very early civilian Jeep:

explorerx4 · May 2018

A black Ferrari. GTC4. Has kind of a shooting brake look.

texases · May 2018

Very nice MGA, red, bright chrome, in traffic.

fintail · May 2018

Saw this thingy parked at a park this morning:

Mr_Shiftright · May 2018

Lovely car---BMW's first true "GT" car. This is probably a later one, the 3.0 CS I'm guessing. Notorious rusters unfortunately, so finding a clean one or bringing one back from the dead ain't easy.

Worth a fair sum nowadays but in the 1980s they were just another car.

fintail · May 2018

I forget how it was badged, but I suspect it is a later car, too.

Pricing trends sound like local real estate - once attainable to normal working people, now not so much.

texases · May 2018

With that bumper I'm guessing it's a '73 3.0CS

Mr_Shiftright · May 2018

You should be able to pick up a nice clean driver in the $35K--$40K. Extra inspection efforts must be taken regarding the tin worms though. Areas above the front struts and the gas tank anchoring points are particularly vulnerable. Nice beefy engine, good handling, a touch of luxury--if you don't want a 280SL or Porsche 911 then get yourself something a little different.

kyfdx · May 2018

That’s really pretty. I had a ‘67. Not as pretty.

roadburner · May 2018

Definitely a Euro import; no side marker reflectors.

uplanderguy · May 2018

While in South Bend, I saw a nice '61 Olds Super 88 two-door hardtop--bubbletop. Kind of a light brown metallic, like tea. I think that might be my favorite '61 GM big car.

ab348 · May 2018

uplanderguy said:
While in South Bend, I saw a nice '61 Olds Super 88 two-door hardtop--bubbletop. Kind of a light brown metallic, like tea. I think that might be my favorite '61 GM big car.

Those were really well-designed, with the "skeg" lower rear quarter and good design both front and rear. Such a big step forward from the baroque '58 and the bulky '59 and '60.

uplanderguy · May 2018

Agree totally. Lots of folks like the '62 formal roofline on GM big hardtop coupes, but give me a '61 in most circumstances. That Olds looks good from every angle IMHO. In a Chevy, the only thing that bugs me on a '61 is the "CHEVY" letters on the radio pushbuttons, LOL...it's a 'Chevrolet' not a 'Chevy'--that's reserved for Chevy Vans and Chevy II's, LOL.

I like the Pontiac, but like the triple round taillights best which means "Bonneville" in a two-door, but that rear overhang on a Bonneville looks ridiculous to my eyes.

That Olds I saw looked very nicely-proportioned.

andre1969 · May 2018

I think the '61 GM big cars looked great, in general. I think the only ones that seemed just a bit off were the hardtop coupe versions of the C-body. IMO, these cars were just a bit too big to pull off that type of roofline, and looked better with the more formal roof in '62. I also think the 4W hardtop roofline, with the wraparound rear window, looks a bit odd on the Cadillac...perhaps because the rest of the car is so crisp and angular? I think it works a bit better on the Electra and Ninety-Eight, although I think I prefer the 6W in those, as well.

I've heard the '61 Olds wasn't that hot of a seller, because something about the styling made it seem a bit petite, and less substantial and luxurious than a car in that class "should" be. But I rather like it.

As for the '61 Bonneville, I still like it, but agree the proportions are a bit off. In my opinion, a C-pillar has to fall in just the right spot, in relation to the rear axle, for the proportioning to be pleasing to my eye. If it falls too far back, it makes the car look clunky and top-heavy. That's actually a problem with most cars today, and probably why crossovers and hatchbacks are so popular, and even most sedans are adopting hatchback-like proportions. Once that C-pillar is too far back, you might as well just make it a hatchback or fastback. But, if the C-pillar falls too far forward, as it does on the Bonneville, it just doesn't seem quite "right", either. I think a lot of the really big coupes started falling victim to this in the late 60's and 70's, and as a result I often prefer the 4-door hardtop version.

laurasdada · May 2018

fintail said:
MGB was offered in the US through MY 1980, I think - that's a late one, with the rubber baby buggy bumpers of mid 70s-onward models.

Today's spotting, white first gen Scirocco.

My first car, my first love. My '78 white Scirocco.

fintail · May 2018

Blighty day here - chrome bumper MGB running fine but looking just a little patinated, probably like they were when a few years old. Then a yellow Land Rover Defender with a mildly distracted driving.

fintail · May 2018

On another forum I frequent, someone found this in a car graveyard somewhere on the Canadian prairies:

It's obviously a cut down 60 Ford, but what could it be?

Nothing special, probably the rarest 60 Ford variant:

A Courier Sedan Delivery, which was a 2 door wagon without rear seats, the final year of a full sized sedan delivery. I've never seen one before, and it wouldn't surprise me if surviving roadworthy cars are in the single digits. A case of "rare but who cares?", and this was probably beyond redemption before I was born, but cool find.

fintail · May 2018

Been in a small town for a couple days, being in the PNW, old cars abound. Have seen a 4 door Citation, 80s Tempo coupe, kind of cool early Pinto with slotted mag wheels and wider rear tires, restored 60 Corvette, VW Squareback, restored looking 70s VW van, I think maybe a 66 Mercury 4 door HT, 87-88 Cougar, Merkur Scorpio, old trucks too numerous to describe, and in a parking lot this morning I spotted this clean early Scout:

ab348 · May 2018

Those Scouts bring crazy money nowadays. That one looks very nice for a 1960's utility vehicle.

berri · May 2018

I think 61 GM's were the first fully under Bill Mitchell's design leadership. I liked the more formal look of the 61 and 62's. Re Pontiac - I always kind of felt that during the 1960's oftentimes the Catalina looked better proportioned than the Bonneville. Personally, I like the big 61 Chevy and Pontiac better than the 62 and vice versa for Olds, Buick and Cadillac. But they were all good looking.

Say Andre, spent a couple of weeks driving around the west. Saw quite a few Ram pickups on the road, so I think they have caught on.

tifighter · May 2018

Walked past this W116 today. Burgundy with caramel cloth checkered seats. Haven’t seen one in decent shape for awhile..

explorerx4 · May 2018

@tifighter.,
I'm guessing that picture wasn't taken in Toledo.

tifighter · May 2018

explorerx4 said:
@tifighter.,
I'm guessing that picture wasn't taken in Toledo.

You mean in Spain?

Mr_Shiftright · May 2018

Spotless sidewalks!

Cars in perfect alignment!

It's not America.

fintail · May 2018

Looks like St Peter's clock tower in Zurich in the background. When you have an economy based on hiding the gold of tax dodging dark money laundering despots, making good chocolate, and nice watches, you can make some beautifully serene streets.

W116 has historic registration from Lorrach (Germany), which is on the Swiss border. Those cars are worth a lot more there than here, and receive better care.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2018

I would sacrifice a better part of national morality for no potholes.

RE: W116s---yes, Germany, where W116 diesels actually DO go 500,000 miles, because people there realize to replace the injectors periodically, change the oil every 3K and religiously install quality fuel filters.

ab348 · May 2018

Nice day here today and I took a drive part-way down the South Shore of Nova Scotia on highway 103. Saw a '64 Plymouth sedan tooling along, probably lived in some old guy's barn until recently. and a '73 Mach 1 Mustang that looked very nice.

uplanderguy · May 2018

I have a friend with a pass to this auction. Although I didn't like these boattail Rivs when they came out, I like them now. Obviously, this one is not excellent, underhood and has an upholstery button missing I can see in one pic, but I still like it. This was a '71-only color and I rarely ever saw any big '71 GM's in it.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0518-325936/1971-buick-riviera/

stickguy · May 2018

not my cup of tea, but one of the sharper domestics of the era IMO. And I love that color.

ab348 · May 2018

Yeah, Olds called that color Capri Aqua and I don't remember seeing anything in it around here. The OCA Facebook page had a pic of a 98 in that color that I'm trying to find. Looked great.

Found it, this is pretty:

Mr_Shiftright · May 2018

So...okay....'71 Riviera, not a GS, repaint, decent "driver" quality, "overhauled" engine (that means not rebuilt--that means some new parts put in).

I'm gonna guess it'll go off around $10,000 if bidders are studious. If they are feeling generous and perhaps had too many beers, maybe $13,500? If I were bidding on this online, or buying it without driving it, I wouldn't go higher than $7500. That's a smart bid IMO.

And the market has noticed them in the last few years. They are definitely waking up, these cars.

roadburner · May 2018

My favorite Riviera is the '66 and '67(I had a '67). Next would be the '71 but for all 3 I'd want a GS with bucket seats and a floor shift.

magnette · May 2018

Yesterday we were near Cheltenham and I took a couple of hours to drop in at a small event at the Prescot Hillclimb course.

I haven't been there for about thirty years and it was a local event rather than one organised by the owners of the hill (It's owned jointly by the Bugatti Owners Club and the Ferrari Owners Club, I think) but it was great even though a lot of the cars running up the hill were fairly modern and a few were brand new...

I'll sort out a few photos in a day or two but here is a view across the paddock....

uplanderguy · May 2018

No idea what that Riv will bring. They're not exactly rare. I do love that color.

That Ninety-Eight is gorgeous. Mrs. Louden, sixty-something English teacher and drama coach at our high school, and a kind lady, drove a Delta 88 two-door hardtop, no vinyl top, blackwall tires, in that color back then.

I remember a new Bel Air sedan at our local Chevy dealer's in that color. They had it most of the model year.

I don't believe GM had a turquoise or aqua color again until 1981.

texases · May 2018

Hardly a classic, but I followed a 1985-ish Mazda 323 in today's commute. Well-worn, haven't seen one of those in years/decades.

uplanderguy · May 2018

The vinyl top really doesn't add anything to those Rivs, does it? On the other hand, it looks like a 'must' on that Ninety-Eight.

andre1969 · May 2018

uplanderguy said:
I don't believe GM had a turquoise or aqua color again until 1981.

For some reason I'm thinking GM did have something around 1977 that, depending on your eyesight (and/or monitor calibration), could be sort of an aqua-type color. On the Pontiac charts, at least, they had "Aquamarine", "Bahia Green", and "Bershire Green".

Here's a Grand Prix that I believe is the Bahia over Bershire...sorta makes me think of the early 80's "Light Jadestone/Dark Jadestone"...

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CH0911-115879/1977-pontiac-grand-prix-lj/

Here's a Firebird in Aquamarine...

I think it's a gorgeous color...on just about any other car! Just doesn't seem quite right on the Firebird.

fintail · May 2018

Quite a variety there, even American cars. Too bad there wasn't a race prepped fintail hanging around.

magnette said:
Yesterday we were near Cheltenham and I took a couple of hours to drop in at a small event at the Prescot Hillclimb course.

explorerx4 · May 2018

@magnette,
At first I thought the red coupe was a BMW, but now thinking NSU? Roofline is not BMW'ish.
Some American iron there including a Cobra and a couple of Mustangs.
I don't know what that big convertible on the right with the tan top is.
A racy looking green Jaguar. Going out of a limb, D Type?
Don't beat me up too much if I'm wrong.
Nice looking red and white Austin Healey(3000?).

imidazol97 · May 2018

andre1969 said:

uplanderguy said:
I don't believe GM had a turquoise or aqua color again until 1981.
For some reason I'm thinking GM did have something around 1977 that, depending on your eyesight (and/or monitor calibration), could be sort of an aqua-type color. On the Pontiac charts, at least, they had "Aquamarine", "Bahia Green", and "Bershire Green".

Here's a Grand Prix that I believe is the Bahia over Bershire...sorta makes me think of the early 80's "Light Jadestone/Dark Jadestone"...

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CH0911-115879/1977-pontiac-grand-prix-lj/

Here's a Firebird in Aquamarine...

I think it's a gorgeous color...on just about any other car! Just doesn't seem quite right on the Firebird.

I haven't gone to the color charts, but I remember when looking at colors on the displays at dealers, the Riviera and other premium cars had colors that were much richer than similar-looking colors for more pedestrian cars that I was looking at. The Riviera or Eldorado might have a blend of metallic particles as well as slightly different color that made it look oh so much better to my eye as I lusted for that color that I couldn't afford...

uplanderguy · May 2018

Now that I think about it, there was a retina-searing bright metallic turquoise in '74 on GM cars. I mostly recall Chevys and I can't recall a turquoise on Chevys in that '77 time period of the Firebird you posted. I do remember the light and dark green metallics in '77 on Chevys, that are the same colors on that '77 Grand Prix. For some reason, in person I don't classify those as 'turquoises' or 'aquas' but I know that colors can reproduce differently on a screen or page.

When the '81's came out, I was much-enamored with Dark Jade. I wanted a V8 Monte Carlo with no air, no small feat in '81, as my first new car. I had pictured a Dark Jade one with Rally Wheels, but my dealer located a two-tone light-over-dark jade, with the full wheelcovers, but with the required V8 and also positraction and intermittent wipers. I was quite smitten with that car, as was someone else as it was stolen in Sept. '82 with 35K miles and never recovered.

I wonder if 'Aquamarine' was a Pontiac-only color in '77? Sometimes that happened. Pontiac used that olive green they called "Verduro Green" in the very-late sixties, and I know that at least Chevy didn't use it, and I don't think the other divisions did either.

fintail · May 2018

Red coupe is a Lancia Fulvia. I can't tell what the big convertible is without zooming (hard to do here), but I suspect it is a late 60s Mopar of some kind.

explorerx4 said:

At first I thought the red coupe was a BMW, but now thinking NSU? Roofline is not BMW'ish.
Some American iron there including a Cobra and a couple of Mustangs.
I don't know what that big convertible on the right with the tan top is.
A racy looking green Jaguar. Going out of a limb, D Type?
Don't beat me up too much if I'm wrong.
Nice looking red and white Austin Healey(3000?).

texases · May 2018

I was thinking Mopar, too, but I couldn't match the taillights. How about a '68 AMC Rebel:

uplanderguy · May 2018

I can't tell from just the rear if that Rebel is a '67 or '68, but '68 is the last year AMC built a convertible.

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

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