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

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    edited October 2019
    I love those wheels; rarely-seen where I live.

    I've mentioned that I really like the Monte Carlo LS styling that came out in '86, but a couple things about them really grate on me. First, if you bought the vinyl-inserted body side molding, it was about an inch-and-a-half from the bright sill molding--too much--and this small interior thing bugs the heck out of me--maybe because the instrument panel inserts were black on the '86, they made the round glovebox knob black. If I bought one I'd have to change it to a chrome one, LOL.
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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    way more than I would pay for it, but it does look brand new. I guess if you really want one, and want the best, not a lot of choices! I just can't imagine their are many people looking for an investment grade one of these.

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    imidazol, I'd say that has to be the same car.

    I've seen some Cutlass Supremes with a slightly 'aero' front end. I'll assume those are the '87 and '88. I remember the last ones were called "Cutlass Supreme Classic".
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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    edited October 2019

    I love those wheels; rarely-seen where I live.

    I've mentioned that I really like the Monte Carlo LS styling that came out in '86, but a couple things about them really grate on me. First, if you bought the vinyl-inserted body side molding, it was about an inch-and-a-half from the bright sill molding

    Good reason not to order it that way new. I agree, I have seen them and it looks stupid. They are just stick-on so easily removed.

    and this small interior thing bugs the heck out of me--maybe because the instrument panel inserts were black on the '86, they made the round glovebox knob black. If I bought one I'd have to change it to a chrome one, LOL.
    Probably would be easier to find a whole glovebox door in the right color and swap it that way. Or just paint the existing knob with a chrome pen. Those glovebox latch/lock assemblies are often ridiculously difficult to change out if you don't have the secret method outlined in the service manual.

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I like the wheels on that Cutlass too. Lovely time warp, but I'd think 15K would be closer to reality, and even that would have to be to a brand/model devotee.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    The headlights on the 90-94 have always seemed too big in my eyes. Another car with an old memory connection, an older woman who was a friend/acquaintance of my dad had one, I think it was a typical gold over beige or brown combo. Had it from new til her passing around 2010, when I see one, I think of her. Funny how specific cars can link to people in the past.
    tjc78 said:

    88-89 is my favorite, but 95-97 is runner up

    90-94 was the same basic shape but never loved the front end.

    90s are cool because they are a one year only 5.0 in an aero body.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Drove for hours today, saw a lot of old metal, mostly in eastern WA where it still sits outside very slowly returning to the Earth - lots of 40s and 50s material still out there, solid looking but not something anyone would restore. Most memorable was a heavily patinated 58 Chevy wagon waiting for a restorer who may never appear. Also saw an extremely clean Samurai on the highway, and 78-79 ish Malibu sedan in survivor condition. Old pickups too numerous to mention.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I can't believe someone hasn't wanted the 58 Chev. In these parts that would be priceless. Maybe the current owner considers it priceless and has too high a value on the hulk?

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I suspect that may be it. The scores of old junk-related TV shows over the past decade or so likely have people suffering unrealistic expectations.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Dashcam caught it, you can see the wagon about halfway through the clip:

    https://youtu.be/bjk6FzI2pnw
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Nice. I don't know that I could ever drive distance with that sort of music playing. It would put me right to sleep. :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Trying to avoid YT copyright garbage in places I thought might be interesting. I had all of the assistance features activated too, the car somewhat drove itself through much of that area (it fares much better without other cars or barriers).
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    On the streets of Spokane today, not as much as I had imagined - I think the sun here eventually does a number on paint. I recall a decent 63 Falcon 2 door post in kind of a silver grey with those big disc aftermarket 50s rodder style hubcaps - it was funny, but somehow looked right. Also an older guy driving a maybe 80-81 Celica liftback, red, the car looked brand new. Lots of older cars laying around not in use, but nothing I recall being rare - 60s and 70s domestics. Only saw one old MB, a fair enough W123 diesel that sounded healthy.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    What I would guess as a first year, 1960?, Falcon on the street. No smoking.
    Two door sedan. Bare bones as they were at first. In a red that had faded
    to a patina orange--Monte Carlo Red.

    Couldn't get close enough for a photo. He was moving briskly.
    Must have been a manual, because IIRC the one I rode in in 1960 or so
    was slow as molasses with an automatic.

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  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    I think you're right about the Falcon being a manual if it was moving briskly. My first 'drive to school' car was a '60 Falcon automatic. Two-speeds. Low gear allowed you to meander up to about 45-50, at which point it shifted into high and acceleration became largely theoretical. Incidentally, when new that red was 'Rangoon Red'. Yup, mine was that color.

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200

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  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Wow. That's something I have not seen in person in a long, long time.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    same here. and it looks to be in great shape.

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    The local Cars n Coffee went bust when the coffee shop closed up. But, someone reopened it in early September, and immediately started promoting CnC, again. I think that was from about six weeks ago.

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    I like most I-H products. I wonder if unconsciously, it's because they were built in Indiana like, you know, Studebaker. :)
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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    The late 60s/early 70s classic round hood full sized trucks were always some of the best looking. And sadly, when I was 10, I had favorites. Used to see a lot of trucks visiting grandparents in Vermont, and hanging at the volunteer fire company with my father.

    Other favorite was the ford and Mack cabovers.

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  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    Wasn't sure if it was a real thing, but an early/mid 2000's GTI VR6.
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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    That's quite a strange collection, lots of similar make/model cars but I wonder what the motivation was for the purchase of many of them.

    DC Energy was quite the house of cards. They sponsored NASCAR teams and races, and their collapse was just another hit to the body for that organization.

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  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    I read that MSN article and I think they were referring to the now-defunct DC Solar Solutions Benicia, CA.
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    I've been at the BMW CCA Oktoberfest this week; favorite "obscure" BMWs included a 2002 Touring, a 2000CS, and a gorgeous Inka 2002tii(I wanted it bad).

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited October 2019
    I saw a black Monte Carlo with the 3 part rear window that slants more toward the rear of the car.

    Aerocoupe.

    Only 200 were sold to the public in 1986.

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200

    I saw a black Monte Carlo with the 3 part rear window that slants more toward the rear of the car.

    Aerocoupe.

    Only 200 were sold to the public in 1986.

    When I moved to London, KY in 1987, my next door neighbor had an Aerocoupe.

    Which was the highlight of my 7 month residency, there.

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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    there was a Pontiac (grand prix?) version of that car too, right?

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  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    stickguy said:

    there was a Pontiac (grand prix?) version of that car too, right?

    Yeah, the Pontiac Grand Prix version was called the 2+2. Oddly, it used a different rear window than the SS Aerocoupe did, so it was probably pretty expensive to build. From what I've read, they built 1225 of them in 1986, only. It was kind of an odd beast, using just a regular 305 4-bbl, instead of using the hotter 305-4 that the Monte SS used.

    The Monte SS 305 put out 180 hp. However, I'm not sure what the Grand Prix 2+2 put out. I've seen it quoted as 150 hp, 155, and 165. 165 is what it put out in cars like the 1985 Impala/Caprice and Parisienne, and the '85 Silverado I used to have. 150 is what it put out in the 1984 and earlier versions of the big cars. In midsized cars, like the Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, and Bonneville-G, it was choked down a bit to 150, because of a more restrictive exhaust. I'm not sure where the 155 hp came from...might have been a misprint.

    I guess if they put a dual exhaust on the 2+2, that might have been enough to bump the hp from 150 to 165? Anyway, it used a 3.08:1 axle ratio, which was a bit quicker than stock, but 0-60 times I've seen were only around 10.2 seconds.

    Oddly, the 1986 Monte Carlo I had, which was just a 150 hp 305, and most likely just a 2.41:1 axle, was about that quick, so I'm surprised the 2+2, with more aggressive gearing, was no faster.

    The 2+2 was sold pretty much fully-equipped, so it wasn't cheap. And the trunk was almost impossible to get into, because that back window made the opening really tiny...worse even than the SS Aerocoupe.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited October 2019
    I learned a lot from these posts. I didn't even know about the Pontiac version.



    A profile only a mother could love


    Monte Carlo






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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    Seems kind of clunky, compared to the Chevy

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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    While I was out this afternoon I spotted a '78 or '79 Cutlass Supreme 2-door, light blue metallic with a dark blue landau vinyl roof. Pretty rare around these parts as they rusted very badly here, especially the rear part of the frame.

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  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,854
    I saw a Pontiac version recently that looked like it hadn't moved in while. I Google mapped where I saw it and it's not there in the street view so maybe it actually was running/driving.

    The Monte Aero coupe definitely has the better profile. They made many more of them in 1987. IIRC the 86's were finished off site. The 87s were actually all produced at the factory.

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  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    Back in the day, I found one of my brother in laws a low mileage Monte SS just like the one in that picture, except not aerocoupe model.
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  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I wonder if the 1987 models were equipped for racing as were the 1986 version with 200 exemplars to meet the Nascar requirement... LOL

    Maybe I saw a 1987. There were a few thousand built of those.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    edited October 2019
    My good friends had a white '87 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe that I rode in a couple times. I think they bought it when it was a year or two old.

    Some of the SS graphics and trim, to me, in hindsight, seem 'boy racer' for the body style, but I do like the Aerocoupe feature.

    I remember black SS's of that year with subtle gold pinstriping, instead of the common red. I have to assume the ones with gold pinstriping probably had a brown/beige interior.

    Making my first visit to the Gilmore Museum campus this weekend, while the weather is decent. Wife is away for the weekend so I figure the timing is perfect.
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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    You'll like Gilmore. I remember I spent most of a day there and felt like I was rushing it.

    I recall driving my friend's 85 Monte SS, black on red with T-tops, lowish mileage (maybe 50-60K) at the time. Sounded good anyway.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    I think I mentioned, I put a deposit on a new '85 Monte Carlo SS when I lived in Georgia. It was the dark maroon. I decided to back out of the deal as I'd had an '81 and '82 Monte already, one of which was stolen and the other broken into, and I was moving back to the Cleveland area where both events happened. The salesman was telling me he didn't have to give me my deposit back. I said "It's not like I'm sticking you with a Citation", LOL. I got my money back and a couple months later ordered a Celebrity Eurosport at another dealer.
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  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,854
    In hindsight do you wish you stuck with the Monte?

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056

    In hindsight do you wish you stuck with the Monte?


    Only if I'd kept it thirty years or something. :)

    A month after I got the Celebrity (I'd ordered it and it took three months, a long story) I moved back to the Cleveland area, which is snowy, so FWD helped.

    I ordered it in the same dark plum color that Monte SS pictured above was, without the ubiquitous silver two-tone below the side moldings that so many of them had (a friend called that 'the truck two-tone'). It was a two-door; square as a brick. It had the aluminum wheels (think Citation X-11) and Goodyear Eagle tires. I ordered the instruments, the 2.8 MFI V6 that was a big part of the press-darling 6000STE, and the plum-colored cloth bucket-seat interior. I did like the car but it had no third or fourth gears at 37K miles. Chevy put in a remanufactured unit for $100 (powertrain warranty then was 24K). I liked the car. I traded it on a bright red Beretta GT as soon as the '89's were out. I was a bachelor with money to burn then.
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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    Speaking of GM G-bodies in general, saw this today:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQzZVxBqGJA

    We've discussed how I have an irrational appreciation for the '78 Malibu Classic coupe, properly-equipped. I guess because they're rarer today than the '73-77's, and that to me they're about the perfect size and use of space, I could also like a '78 Cutlass Salon coupe, yes, the aero one; an underdog for sure. It's very hard to find a stock, clean, well-maintained '78 G-body though IMHO. I know there were some questionable engineering decisions made in the name of weight-saving and 'new think', but I think a lot of that has been overcome on any cars I could buy today, LOL.
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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    Not that I love these cars, but does this look like there's no reserve? Usually I see "RESERVE NOT MET" but I'm not seeing it here.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Oldsmobile-Toronado-brougham-/202804271512?fbclid=IwAR1Pz9GGeTIANiiKm_a_tOC6q5neNmK1CoZtzwhv78OxMi_8OUQraQFFXEE
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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    maybe it already met. Might be a time capsule car, but can't be much market for that beast. But man, that interior is something!

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Yep no reserve, never was one.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,854
    I'm curious what that goes for. I'm a not a huge fan of those either, especially in that color but still a nice piece.

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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    Last of the decent-looking big ones and last year for the 455 too. I love that interior. Nice time capsule.

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  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited October 2019
    .Check out the video of this TV talking head lying on trunks and abusing priceless classics!

    https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29561101/tv-auto-reporter-loses-job/

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  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,056
    Man, that guy deserved to be canned!
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