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

sda · August 2021

I like the clean looks of the Impala as well. If only the interior wasn’t so plain.

explorerx4 · August 2021

This morning, a stacked headlight 70's Ranchero and also black, a Citroen DS(for sale).

uplanderguy · August 2021

There are times I like a downsized Impala better than the Caprice too, mostly in the '77-79 years though. I like the simple, classic Chevy grille, simple taillights (hate the '78 there though), and I think there are times I like the smaller rocker molding better than the Caprice's wider molding with black accent.

In the '77-79 years, you could get the Impala with the 50/50 front seats and dual center armrests, which dressed up the interior nicely. Instrument panel was still plain, but I'd option it up with the digital clock and round instrumentation, and outside would add the scooped Sport Wheel Covers.

I went on a test-drive in an '80 Impala Coupe with my Dad, before he chose a Monte Carlo. The seating was plainer than our '77 Impala (no buttons on the seat backs), and the plastic around the speedometer, center air vents, and above the glovebox, was now black no matter what color interior you got. A notable step down from the '77-79.

Sandman6472 · August 2021

The folks had Pontiac's from this era, the Bonneville Pariesienne as I recall, one was a blue over blue diesel with an Oldsmobile engine and then a two-tone maroon over gray one which looked similar to the Caprice Classic. Drove like typical GM units of that era except the diesel which had glow plugs which needed to be warmed up before starting the car. Once the blue light on the dash went out, one was safe to start it up. At that point, they had downsized from Cadillac's and Lincoln's with a Buick thrown in here & there to Pontiac's as they liked bigger vehicles with 4-doors. Finally ending up with Mercury Grand Marquis's which drove very nicely. Barges to say the least but they drove very smoothly.

roadburner · August 2021

Dad ordered a 1981 Caprice; I lobbied for him to order the F41 suspension but he thought it would be to stiff. About a month after the car was delivered he admitted to me that I was right and that he should have ordered that suspension tune...

stickguy · August 2021

parked at a Wendy's in NJ, a dark blue Triumph Spitfire. Looked in very nice shape. plain chrome bumper, and fronts still had the rubber battering rams. Have not seen one out and about in ages.

andre1969 · August 2021

I ran across two comparison tests of the LTD versus Caprice, from 1979 and 1980. The results were pretty interesting, I thought.

Here's the 1979 stats:
LTD: 351-2bbl, 132 hp, 266 ft-lb of torque, 3-speed automatic, 3.08:1 axle, 3691 lb.
0-60 in 12.3 seconds, 1/4 mile in 18.8@71.5 mph. EPA city rating: 14 (MotorTrend 73 mile test loop: N/A)
Base price/test price: $6474/$10158

Caprice: 350-4bbl, 170 hp, 270 ft-lb of torque, 3-speed automatic, 3.08:1 axle, 4000 lb.
0-60 in 10.5 seconds, 1/4 mile in 17.7@76.4 mph. EPA city rating: 16 (MT 73 mile test loop: N/A)
Base price/test price: $5962/$9542

Original 1979 test article here.

Now, on to 1980:
LTD: 302 2-bbl, 130 hp, 230 ft-lb of torque, 3-speed automatic, 2.26:1 axle, 3595 lb.
0-60 in 12.5 seconds, 1/4 mile in 19.2@73.2 mph. EPA city rating 17 (MT 73 mile test loop 19.7)
Base price/test price: $7070/$9611

Caprice: 305-4bbl, 155 hp, 240 ft-lb of torque, 3-speed automatic, 2.41:1 axle, 3684 lb.
0-60 in 10.9 seconds, 1/4 mile in 18.1@77 mph. EPA city rating 17 (MT 73 mile test loop 23.5)
Base price/test price: $6579/$9890

Original 1980 test article here.

The first thing that popped out to me was that the 1980 models, despite having smaller 302/305 engines and more economy-minded ratios, weren't that much slower than the '79's with their 350/351. And while the quarter mile times were slower, the final speeds were actually a touch faster, so wouldn't that imply that the the 1980 cars were starting to catch their breath at higher speeds?

I guess those performance numbers also might show how much the auto makers improved emissions controls for 1980?

I was also surprised at the test weight of the 1979 Caprice, at an even 4,000 lb. And, at how light the LTD was...I was always under the impression that the Panthers tended to be a bit heavier than the GM B-bodies.
Oh, one thing I forgot to mention...the '79 models were 4-doors, whereas the '80's were coupes. So I guess that could account for a little of the weight reduction.

Also, interestingly, for '79 they seemed to prefer the LTD, but then for '80, they were fawning all over the Caprice.

stickguy · August 2021

I’m shocked that those barges were so light.

sda · August 2021

The 79 LTD with the 351 really seemed to run out of breath early on. I also thought the GM B bodies were lighter than the Panthers. I do recall dad's 85 Grand Marquis not feeling as solid or heavy as mom's 78 Olds 98 Regency coupe. Not surprising, the 302 in the Marquis was no match for the Olds 403 in either performance or quietness but it did get somewhat better mpg.

andre1969 · August 2021

Here's a compilation of reviews of the '77 Caprice.

A few highlights from the Car & Driver test:
350-4bbl, 170 hp, 270 ft-lb, 3-speed automatic, 2.56:1 axle, 3952 lb.
0-60 in 9.8 seconds, 1/4 mile in 16.8@79.3 mph. No EPA rating listed, but C&D got 17.0 mpg on their "urban cycle" test.
Base price/test price: N/A (this issue was October 1976)

One point of interest here is that unlike Motortrend, Car and Driver lists transmission gear ratios. They're listing first as 2.74:1 and second as 1.57:1...that smells like the lightweight THM200 to me! Would GM seriously have had the arrogance to put the lightweight 200 transmission behind the 350?!!

The '77 gets that peak torque at 3400 rpm, while the '79 gets it at 2400. Would that be an indication that they choked off the 350 by '79, so that while they were able to still claim the same torque figure, in real world driving the engine wouldn't perform as well?

Road Test Magazine tested a '77 with the 305, and here's a few highlights of that one...
305-2bbl, 145 hp, 245 ft-lb, 3-speed automatic, 2.56:1 axle, 3990 lb.
0-60 in 11.8 seconds, 1/4 mile in 17.9@76.8 mph. No EPA estimate given, but they averaged 18 mpg.
No price listed (this was December 1976)

They also listed the same transmission gear ratios as the C&D car, so that would imply the THM200 as well.

texases · August 2021

That's impressive for the C&D test, very few 'regular' cars got to 60 in less than 10 seconds in that era.

uplanderguy · August 2021

Would GM seriously have had the arrogance to put the lightweight 200 transmission behind the 350?!!

Nah, the 350 used the THM 350 in '77. Somehow, I knew that even then.

If I were a bettin' man, I wouldn't bet on a magazine getting something like axle ratios right all of the time.

stickguy · August 2021

Parked on a guys lawn. Mid 60s 4 door Chrysler 300. Not bad looking.

ab348 · August 2021

andre1969 said:

Also, interestingly, for '79 they seemed to prefer the LTD, but then for '80, they were fawning all over the Caprice.

A clear case of what plagues car magazines (or at least used to), where the most recently-introduced model is almost always deemed "better", at least until it has been out for a year or so. I recall C&D lavishing praise on the Fairmont/Zephyr for '78, only to diss it a year or two later. And then there was the infamous case where they deemed the 1990 Dodge Colt GT superior to the GTI. Their arguments in favor of the '79 Ford are quite funny - the praise for the dash design, or the stalk-mounted horn switch, for example.

Michaell · August 2021

Spotted a 70's Z today, with the mirrors on the front fenders.

roadburner · August 2021

Michaell said:
Spotted a 70's Z today, with the mirrors on the front fenders.

JDM- Yo!

Michaell · August 2021

roadburner said:

Michaell said:
Spotted a 70's Z today, with the mirrors on the front fenders.
JDM- Yo!

It was going the other way, so I couldn't tell if it was RHD or not.

fintail · August 2021

Today's office lot sighting, a very clean somewhat bright blue Geo Metro convertible. I don't work in a huge office campus, so it very well may be the same person with the oddball cars.

boomchek · August 2021

fintail said:
Today's office lot sighting, a very clean somewhat bright blue Geo Metro convertible. I don't work in a huge office campus, so it very well may be the same person with the oddball cars.

For $10k one can have a fleet of 90s oddball econoboxes. I would be keen on picking up a Suzuki Swift GT if I can find one. I heard they are fun cars. My only concern is their small size and safety standards relative to all the SUVs and trucks out on the road today.

lemko1968 · August 2021

1959 DeSoto Fireflite.

ab348 · August 2021

Hey, its Lemko!!

andre1969 · August 2021

I'm in lust!

Oh, that DeSoto pic reminds me, I still need to load up a bunch of pics I took at the Mopar show in Carlisle a few weeks ago. There's also a car show coming up this weekend, called "Das Awkscht Fescht" in Macungie PA, near Allentown. I definitely need to make sure I clear some room on the phone, so I don't run out of space taking pictures like I did at the Mopar show!

laurasdada · August 2021

lemko1968 said:

1959 DeSoto Fireflite.

Great license plate!

Sandman6472 · August 2021

That DeSoto is absolutely gorgeous! 1959 was some year with this and the Cadillac Eldorado. American auto industry at their zenith I'd say...1955 to 1962, give or take.

texases · August 2021

Nice car, but I wouldn't want the 'eyelids' on the headlights, I prefer to see at night!

sda · August 2021

What is the deal with the ‘eyelids’? Was it just to give a different look?

roadburner · August 2021

sda said:
What is the deal with the ‘eyelids’? Was it just to give a different look?

Yes, real popular in the '60s. From the 70's on, any of my cars with sealed beam headlights got a set of Hella or Cibie E Code headlamps- legality be d*mned. I can't imagine how bad standard headlamps with those eyelids must suck.

fintail · August 2021

And this is the part of the world where they survive. I am seeing a ton of first gen RAV4 and CRV lately, not remarkable in itself, but these are 20+ year old vehicles now, and they are still all over the place.

boomchek said:

fintail said:
Today's office lot sighting, a very clean somewhat bright blue Geo Metro convertible. I don't work in a huge office campus, so it very well may be the same person with the oddball cars.
For $10k one can have a fleet of 90s oddball econoboxes. I would be keen on picking up a Suzuki Swift GT if I can find one. I heard they are fun cars. My only concern is their small size and safety standards relative to all the SUVs and trucks out on the road today.

boomchek · August 2021

fintail said:
And this is the part of the world where they survive. I am seeing a ton of first gen RAV4 and CRV lately, not remarkable in itself, but these are 20+ year old vehicles now, and they are still all over the place.

boomchek said:

fintail said:
Today's office lot sighting, a very clean somewhat bright blue Geo Metro convertible. I don't work in a huge office campus, so it very well may be the same person with the oddball cars.
For $10k one can have a fleet of 90s oddball econoboxes. I would be keen on picking up a Suzuki Swift GT if I can find one. I heard they are fun cars. My only concern is their small size and safety standards relative to all the SUVs and trucks out on the road today.

I see 1st gen CRVs around all the time, especially working at Honda. I probably see more 1st gens than 2nd gens for some reason. Not so much RAV4s for some reason.

sda · August 2021

roadburner said:

sda said:
What is the deal with the ‘eyelids’? Was it just to give a different look?
Yes, real popular in the '60s. From the 70's on, any of my cars with sealed beam headlights got a set of Hella or Cibie E Code headlamps- legality be d*mned. I can't imagine how bad standard headlamps with those eyelids must suck.

In the early 80s I remember replacing the sealed beams with the better GE quartz halogen headlights. What a nice improvement they made.

ab348 · August 2021

sda said:

In the early 80s I remember replacing the sealed beams with the better GE quartz halogen headlights. What a nice improvement they made.

Our '73 Volvo came with those standard. I remember driving it at night for the first time and realizing that the light being cast by the headlights was white instead of yellow.

andre1969 · August 2021

Time for another gratuitous Catalina video. First time getting it into the new garage!

https://youtu.be/S7k-yS4NbNE

The garage still has a ways to go before it's complete, but for the time being it's good enough to keep the weather off the car! Now hopefully, it makes the trip up to Pennsylvania this weekend with as little fuss as it made its little ~14 mile journey today!

sda · August 2021

andre1969 said:
Time for another gratuitous Catalina video. First time getting it into the new garage!
https://youtu.be/S7k-yS4NbNE

The garage still has a ways to go before it's complete, but for the time being it's good enough to keep the weather off the car! Now hopefully, it makes the trip up to Pennsylvania this weekend with as little fuss as it made its little ~14 mile journey today!

Wow what a great garage and property! Enjoy

imidazol97 · August 2021

Will you have a concrete floor in it?

andre1969 · August 2021

Thanks guys! Yeah, it'll get the concrete floor eventually (hopefully soon). It also still needs garage doors, rain gutters, and the staircase to go up to the attic. Oh, and then electric and garage floor paint, but I'm going to have someone else do that.

Here's another pic, giving a rough idea of how big it is, although this might be deceptive, and make it look bigger than it is!

If my tastes ran toward smaller cars, I imagine I could cram a ton of them in there!

imidazol97 · August 2021

Looks good. Compared to the length of the Pontiac, it's not a small garage.

I just had concrete driveway and walk in front of house done. The concrete guy told how much concrete had gone up this year. A drastic amount. He told me what he paid each year for the last 5 years or so.

Lots of people are not having concrete work done because of the high bids compared to the past due to the concrete. He said that the price goes up usually in April, every April. So I decided just to bite the bullet and replace the double drive and front walk instead of waiting a year. He was able to start in 2 days due to the paucity of jobs. He has a commercial job or two on hold waiting for permits and other things.

explorerx4 · August 2021

@andre1969,
That's definitely a Garage-Mahal!

xwesx · August 2021

explorerx4 said:
@andre1969,
That's definitely a Garage-Mahal!

Yeah, it's a monster! Looks really good, and should give all of your machines a safe place to sleep.

explorerx4 · August 2021

andre is going to need a fancy garage door opener for that car barn.

fintail · August 2021

Andre's going to need another car or two.

ab348 · August 2021

What he needs first is a floor. Critters will use the gaps to obtain shelter too.

texases · August 2021

A nice looking Alfa Duetto on the way in today. Can't remember the last time I'd seen one. The one I saw was yellow.

uplanderguy · August 2021

Andre, the itch to fill that baby with old iron must be overwhelming! I’ve been daydreaming about a Fawn Beige ‘62 Corvette with hardtop lately lol.

We are in New Haven, CT moving my daughter into her college apartment on the second floor. I’m too old for this lol. Yesterday it took us 3 hrs to go 48 miles. Normal traffic we’re told! This was on 95 from NY on a Thursday mid-afternoon! Horns are the most used function here it seems. Twice I’ve been beeped at from behind because I was stopped to turn left into our hotel and had turn signal on both times, sigh.

My boring little childhood town is looking better all the time.

explorerx4 · August 2021

@uplanderguy,
Stay away from I-95 as much as possible.
On the way home, from New Haven take Route 34 to Route 8 North or 63(more local road) until you hit I-84 West through CT, NY and into PA.
If you can get to Route 8, it gets you west of Waterbury, which can have some traffic.
At the end of I-84, onto 380 for a short time, then I-81 South until I-80 West to Ohio.
No tolls going West until Ohio if you get on the OTR on your way home.

andre1969 · August 2021

uplanderguy said:
Andre, the itch to fill that baby with old iron must be overwhelming! I’ve been daydreaming about a Fawn Beige ‘62 Corvette with hardtop lately lol.

We are in New Haven, CT moving my daughter into her college apartment on the second floor. I’m too old for this lol. Yesterday it took us 3 hrs to go 48 miles. Normal traffic we’re told! This was on 95 from NY on a Thursday mid-afternoon! Horns are the most used function here it seems. Twice I’ve been beeped at from behind because I was stopped to turn left into our hotel and had turn signal on both times, sigh.

My boring little childhood town is looking better all the time.

Surprisingly, at this point in my life there's not really anything else that I really have an itch to buy. Although a '61-62 Cadillac has been on my mind.

And I can relate, about getting too old for this moving stuff. When I was designing the new garage, my uncle talked me into having a double door put in upstairs at the end facing the road, above the middle garage bay. His rationale was that if we had anything that was too bulky to bring up the stairs, we could just back up in the truck, open those two doors, and lift it in that way.

But, the more I think about it, half the time my uncle doesn't have the ambition to bring the trash and recycle bins back from the curb, so I don't know where he's going to get the ambition to do that kind of heavy lifting. And I'm not in the shape I used to be. Plus, I'm starting to think that if we have anything too big to go up the staircase, then we need to look into getting rid of it, rather than trying to store it!

Once this garage is finished, and we can finally start clearing out my old house/garage, and my grandmother's old house and garage (where my uncle is staying), that most of the stuff finds its way to the dump, or sold/donated, rather than just put into storage. Unfortunately, I come from a long line of pack rats, and it's hard to shake off that Depression era thinking, where it's hard to get rid of something that you think you might have a use for some day.

And yeah, I'm getting tired of traffic and congestion and such, too. Unfortunately, my little home town has been changing, for years, so I had to move. And, the old saying "you can't go home again" really rings true.

uplanderguy · August 2021

We are leaving for home sun morning early. We think we’ll take I91 to I84 unless you think that’s a bad idea. Your input is much appreciated explorer!

explorerx4 · August 2021

@uplanderguy,
If you are going to take I-91 North, then get on I-691 North to cut over to I-84 West.
Saves you from driving to Hartford to get to I-84 West.

fintail · August 2021

You should come to WA - people here are positively offended by horn use, and few seem to do it. However, I must have some inner New Yorker in me, and maybe something channeled from India as well, as I use the horn to voice displeasure and communicate in general.

3 hours for 48 miles, maybe you're already in Seattle!

uplanderguy said:
Andre, the itch to fill that baby with old iron must be overwhelming! I’ve been daydreaming about a Fawn Beige ‘62 Corvette with hardtop lately lol.

We are in New Haven, CT moving my daughter into her college apartment on the second floor. I’m too old for this lol. Yesterday it took us 3 hrs to go 48 miles. Normal traffic we’re told! This was on 95 from NY on a Thursday mid-afternoon! Horns are the most used function here it seems. Twice I’ve been beeped at from behind because I was stopped to turn left into our hotel and had turn signal on both times, sigh.

My boring little childhood town is looking better all the time.

fintail · August 2021

Obscure cars spotted today - a 39-40 Chevy sedan, looked plain stock on blackwalls, in traffic and moving along fine (couldn't see the front end enough to determine year), 41 Ford coupe (to be fair, I drove by where it lives, it is neglected and living outside), Chevy II sedan similar to the "Ballard Driving Academy" car, pristine Alero driven by grandma, early Geo Metro 5 door.

roadburner · August 2021

The Street Rod Nationals are in town, and the event is now open to newer cars. I saw a few I wouldn't mind owning, such as a 1967 Barracuda fastback, and a 1970 Chevelle SS 396. Not many street rods strike my fancy; I either prefer rat rods or '60s style T Buckets and '32 Ford coupes .

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

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