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

uplanderguy · July 2022

I can plainly remember our first color set--1966. I came home from school as per usual to watch the game show "You Don't Say", with Tom Kennedy, which started at 3:30. The new TV was on and it was a B&W commercial, and I was disappointed and my Mom fooled me that they ended up not getting a color set. Then the show came on and it was in color. What a vivid memory. It was the screen that was clipped in the corners.

We used to love the kaleidoscope opening to the show "Family Affair", just to see the colors.

I watched most of the family sitcoms of the day. Liked 'Bewitched' a lot, but always thought '...Jeannie' was a cheap copy. My favorite show at the time was 'My Three Sons', but although I liked Andy Griffith a lot at the time, it is the only old show I watch currently. Many feelings of similarity to where I grew up in the sixties, and I like the heart-warming nature at the end of most of the shows, particularly seasons 6-8, where even a goofy character is shown to have positive qualities.

Shows I remember my tough-guy Dad saying "Do we have to watch this?": Get Smart, Green Acres, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, LOL.

Green Acres is dumb but surreal. I liked it then and would probably watch it now if I could find it. It's the Beverly Hillbillies in reverse!

Funniest episode I remember: Sam Drucker was cleaning his general store/post office and came across Mr. Ziffel's draft letter from 1917. So of course Mr. Ziffel shows up for service, LOL.

fintail · July 2022

I wonder what the story was with that Buick, some kind of municipal fleet car (as I am sure a rental would have a radio)? That or a real cheapskate who just wanted big and new.

uplanderguy · July 2022

Lovely '87 Caprice Estate wagon with 6K miles for sale on BaT. I usually dislike blue interiors but this one grabs me. Bid to $20K with two days left. A 307 V8. I'm pretty sure I remember the wagons then all being built at one plant in MO or KS; the Caprice sedans our local dealers got in were always from a different plant than the wagons. (Similarly, I just read that all 1971 B-body 3-speed manuals were built at one plant, Wilmington, DE). I really like the cornering lights tucked down into the sill trim.

My only gripe is the square instruments inside, and that by '87 the dash no longer had the gloss black panel above the glovebox. I think round instruments and the gloss panel migrated to the Parisienne a few years earlier.

The woodgrain inside is the best to ever grace a '77-90 big Chevy IMHO.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-chevrolet-caprice-5/

fintail · July 2022

Remarkable bidding on the Caprice, probably over original MSRP. Make mine a Buick Estate Wagon, but I get why people like it - 80s cars are here to stay.

On that note, I am sure some noticed Adam had a couple of interesting bustleback videos yesterday, featuring Wayne Kady's car -I've always liked those, so it was interesting to me. Nice interior on yesterday's feature car. I see Adam just released a W126 video, another all time favorite, I will have to catch it.

fintail · July 2022

On the 1987 note, I recently read a local newspaper from the end of July, 1987 - 35 years ago. It seems technology allowed a photo ad section by then, here is in all its glory:

What's the pick? I will take the Fizzer - I'd even pay original MSRP for a mint as-new example today, just to use as an ornament, those dual headlight notch seat rear cowl 80s sportbikes have always pushed my buttons, I think I dreamed about that when I was young.

explorerx4 · July 2022

Jalopy Jungle - interesting name.

texases · July 2022

What caught my eye - the EXP and LN7. When's the last time you've seen one of those on the road? Most of the others, maybe in the last 10 years. Not those two.

ab348 · July 2022

fintail said:
Remarkable bidding on the Caprice, probably over original MSRP. Make mine a Buick Estate Wagon, but I get why people like it - 80s cars are here to stay.

On that note, I am sure some noticed Adam had a couple of interesting bustleback videos yesterday, featuring Wayne Kady's car -I've always liked those, so it was interesting to me. Nice interior on yesterday's feature car. I see Adam just released a W126 video, another all time favorite, I will have to catch it.

The Caprice was the same under the skin as the Estate Wagon and the Custom Cruiser of course, but I don't know what the difference in sticker prices was - presumably the Chevy was cheaper but I would prefer either of the other two. The Chevy dash never did much for me although this version is better than the earlier ones. The 307 was really overtaxed in those cars.

Kady's '84 Seville video was interesting. Even he had to admit that the mechanicals were its biggest issue once the HT4100 came along. Too bad because so many aspects of it otherwise were nicely done, as they should have been for the asking price. I could never understand how GM in that era just consistently released underdeveloped vehicles. I guess a lot of their better engineers were no longer there by then.

fintail · July 2022

I'd expect the Buick to cost thousands more, but have equipment to justify it. It had a premium look to it. Buick wheels were probably worth a grand by themselves.

I was surprised Kady's Seville didn't have a digital dash, I think I'd want that. Looked really nice inside though, as I guess it should have, as I think those things were well over 20K by the time that car was made. Good color combo too, nice to see one not in gold/beige/tan tones. Not GM's finest hour, but it's maybe an underappreciated design, and it took courage.

The W126 in today's Adam video shows the other side of the spectrum. It was much more expensive than any Caddy (that car, a 1981-83 model, was probably around 40-45K in those dollars), but the build quality was immense and the presence/status almost unmatched. It's a milestone car in a way, far ahead of its time.

ab348 said:

fintail said:
Remarkable bidding on the Caprice, probably over original MSRP. Make mine a Buick Estate Wagon, but I get why people like it - 80s cars are here to stay.

On that note, I am sure some noticed Adam had a couple of interesting bustleback videos yesterday, featuring Wayne Kady's car -I've always liked those, so it was interesting to me. Nice interior on yesterday's feature car. I see Adam just released a W126 video, another all time favorite, I will have to catch it.
The Caprice was the same under the skin as the Estate Wagon and the Custom Cruiser of course, but I don't know what the difference in sticker prices was - presumably the Chevy was cheaper but I would prefer either of the other two. The Chevy dash never did much for me although this version is better than the earlier ones. The 307 was really overtaxed in those cars.

Kady's '84 Seville video was interesting. Even he had to admit that the mechanicals were its biggest issue once the HT4100 came along. Too bad because so many aspects of it otherwise were nicely done, as they should have been for the asking price. I could never understand how GM in that era just consistently released underdeveloped vehicles. I guess a lot of their better engineers were no longer there by then.

ab348 · July 2022

fintail said:
I'd expect the Buick to cost thousands more, but have equipment to justify it. It had a premium look to it. Buick wheels were probably worth a grand by themselves.

I was surprised Kady's Seville didn't have a digital dash, I think I'd want that. Looked really nice inside though, as I guess it should have, as I think those things were well over 20K by the time that car was made. Good color combo too, nice to see one not in gold/beige/tan tones. Not GM's finest hour, but it's maybe an underappreciated design, and it took courage.

Late Buick and Olds wagons in that generation had very nice and unique-to-them alloy wheels available:

From what was said during the Kady interview, he apparently bought it used when he talked some lady he encountered with it at a car wash into selling it to him, so he didn’t have any say in how it was equipped. I got the impression he had it painted and changed the paint scheme to what it now has.

fintail · July 2022

Those are the wheels. Back in the day a kind of second degree (I think) relative had one of those, when new, when they were kind of a suburban status symbol. I recall those people were also in the dog show circuit, which is what I associate the cars with too. Makes me think of this, which will be recognized by those of a certain age cohort:

(one was also seen in the McCallister's garage in Home Alone).

I caught that bit about Kady's car, amusing. Amazingly preserved interior for an apparent random purchase. I also caught the bit about the wheel option on bustlebacks being rare. Reminds me of this image of a properly equipped 1980 model, this is maybe the best spec and year:

ab348 said:

fintail said:
I'd expect the Buick to cost thousands more, but have equipment to justify it. It had a premium look to it. Buick wheels were probably worth a grand by themselves.

I was surprised Kady's Seville didn't have a digital dash, I think I'd want that. Looked really nice inside though, as I guess it should have, as I think those things were well over 20K by the time that car was made. Good color combo too, nice to see one not in gold/beige/tan tones. Not GM's finest hour, but it's maybe an underappreciated design, and it took courage.
Late Buick and Olds wagons in that generation had very nice and unique-to-them alloy wheels available:

From what was said during the Kady interview, he apparently bought it used when he talked some lady he encountered with it at a car wash into selling it to him, so he didn’t have any say in how it was equipped. I got the impression he had it painted and changed the paint scheme to what it now has.

laurasdada · July 2022

While meeting my son at Costco, we saw a Pagani Hyuara cruise by. Surprised it didn't stop in for some reasonably priced gas.

tjc78 · August 2022

@fintail
Great 80s movie right there.

andre1969 · August 2022

How hard is it, I wonder, to change the bolt pattern on a wheel? For years I'd always wondered why I'd see those alloy rims on LeSabre/Electra wagons, and on Electra coupes and sedans, but never a LeSabre coupe or sedan. I think it was AB348 that told me the wagons and C-bodies used the 5-on-5 bolt pattern, while the downsized B-body coupes and sedans used the 4.75-on-5.

However, I seem to recall reading, somewhere, that towards the end you could get a LeSabre coupe or sedan with those rims as well, so it was rare. So it made me wonder...did they offer that rim with a 4.75" pattern, or did the few LeSabre coupes and sedans that got them get altered to the 5" pattern?

Back when I had my grandmother's '85 LeSabre, I really wanted to get a set of those rims for it. Back before I knew they most likely wouldn't have fit, that is...

uplanderguy · August 2022

I've always thought this, but it's come back to the center with this discussion--isn't it funny that they continued to market Pontiac, Olds, and Buick big wagons when they had discontinued the sedans on which they were based?

Too lazy to look, but did they still offer all of those wagons up to the 1990 model year?

That maroon Buick reminds me that sometime after '87 they put that added bright trim behind the rear doors and around the third side windows. The Chevy got that too. I never liked that; too busy for me. I can't recall if the Chevy ever got that bright trim on the B-pillar. I could do without that piece too. Less is more and all that.

The Buick certainly got you the most-generous helping of woodgrain down the side. Well, now that I look closer, I see that there is some paint below the woodgrain and above the rocker trim, unlike on the Chevy.

My friend with the C8 and I test-drove a used (maybe three or four years old) light blue with woodgrain '82 Electra Estate Wagon at the Buick dealer in Macon, GA. It was a diesel. My friend found a document in the glovebox that had the name of the original owner. He called her and she said she'd liked the car, but felt it was so big she was afraid she'd hit something every time she drove it. My buddy accidentally left a heavy-metal cassette in the car that he'd brought during the test drive and during checking out the car afterward.

uplanderguy · August 2022

I liked the '80 Seville right up until behind the rear doors. I liked how the instrument panel was shared with Eldorado.

I still just can't get past that rear end.

andre1969 · August 2022

Pontiac dropped its Safari wagon after 1989, but the other three divisions kept their around through 1990. They were slow sellers by this time, but I imagine there was still a lot of profit built into them.

I thought it was odd that the Chevy and Pontiac wagons started using Olds 307s in 1987. I wonder if they did that because the types of cars that used 305s and 307s in general was dwindling, and they assigned the 307 to the wagon to even out engine production? Another possibility, I wonder if by that time, they were building all the wagons at the same assembly plant, so they just went to the one engine, to simplify?

I thought it was a bit odd that, for the 1991 aero restyle, that Olds bothered to offer a Custom Cruiser wagon. Actually, I guess it's a bit curious GM even bothered to offer a B-body wagon at all. But, maybe they thought that aero restyle would rejuvenate wagon sales.

uplanderguy · August 2022

I remember the Chevy wagons were built in either Kansas or Missouri at that time, when the sedans were built elsewhere. That always made me think that all of the wagons were built at the same plant.

I read on an AACA Forum the other day, about 3-speed 1971 GM B-bodies built the first half of the year before they were discontinued on V8 cars--all were built at Wilmington, DE. That's where our '74 Impala was built.

RE.: B-body wagons in '91 and after--GM had that market to itself since Ford opted not to build CV wagons in '92 or after. Seems like I saw a good number of those big GM wagons too. Nice on the Olds and Buick ones, how you got a Vista-Cruiser like window too.

uplanderguy · August 2022

I drove the Cruiser to a regional club meet Saturday one town over. On the way home, a 30-ish guy yells out his pickup window, "Nice Studebaker".

A woman pulled up next to me at a light and said, "I love your car, but your turn signal's been on at least a couple miles".

The old guy in the Studebaker with the turn signal left on, LOL.

andre1969 · August 2022

Here's a few sales stats for those B-body wagons over the years, showing how they dwindled, with Ford Mercury thrown in for comparison...

1989 (the final year all four GM divisions offered one, plus the final full year for the B-body, as '90 was cut short)
Caprice: 23,789
Safari: 5,146
Custom Cruiser: 8,929
LeSabre Estate: 2,971
Electra Estate: 4,560

Ford Crown Vic wagons (base/LX/Country Squire): 13,362
Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park (GS/LS): 8,665

1990 (this year was cut short production-wise, while the '91's were released early, making their run longer)
Caprice: 12,305
Custom Cruiser: 3,890
Estate: 7,838

Ford Crown Vic wagons (base/LX/Country Squire): 6,419
Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park (GS/LS): 4,450

1991 (first year of the aero/bathtub)
Caprice: 15,582
Custom Cruiser: 7,663
Roadmaster Estate: 7,291

Ford Crown Vic wagons (base/LX/Country Squire): 3,865
Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park (GS/LS): 3,104

1992 (no more competition from the Ford Panthers)
Caprice: 13,400
Custom Cruiser: 4,347
Roadmaster Estate: 11,491

1993
Caprice: 10,607
Roadmaster Estate: 9,541

1994
Caprice: 7,719
Roadmaster Estate: 8,767

1995
Caprice: 5,030
Roadmaster Estate: N/A (no individual breakout, 30,508 total sedans and wagons sold)

1996 (I think this was an abbreviated year, as they switched over to building 4-door Tahoes and Yukons)
Caprice: 485 (I wonder if this was a typo, as the Roadmaster stayed fairly consistent right through the end)
Roadmaster Estate: 8,962

I always thought the Caprice wagons had pretty good representation, out on the streets. Morseo than those numbers would suggest. I was also surprised at how low the Country Squire/Colony Park numbers had gotten towards the end, as well, as those cars seemed pretty common.

uplanderguy · August 2022

I gotta believe that 1996 number is a typo, like the '75 Caprice Classic convertible number in that one book (might not be the same book). If they built 485, I saw at least a couple at dealers near me.

The '91 GM wagons were introduced later in the year than the Caprice sedans were, I remember that.

Seems like the Chevy sales started going down in '94, which is the same year the Impala SS was introduced and seemed to do fairly well. Wonder if wagon production was sacrificed to build the SS?

sda · August 2022

I think GM used the Olds 307 in the wagons because the Chevy 305 wouldn't meet the emissions requirement.

ab348 · August 2022

You could get those turbine alloys in the 5x4.75" bolt pattern too and they were apparently offered on the LeSabre, at least for a time. Never saw one of those though. I was told they use a different, smaller, center cap. GM back in the day, man...

The wagon's bright C-pillar trim seemed appropriate for the Buick and Olds models to distinguish them from the more plebeian Chevys (though memory tells me it also was on the Caprice, so there goes that theory). I think it looks nice and gave those latter-year models a bit of a fresher look.

On the engines, the Olds 307 was manufactured in Lansing but the wagons were all assembled in Arlington TX in these later years IIRC. The 307 was the last engine Olds produced in their foundry before it was shut down.

From a couple of years ago, here is a video of a really nice Estate Wagon that was for sale. Note that this one has the traditional Buick chromed steel road wheels.

https://youtu.be/GO6b5dHoqH4

andre1969 · August 2022

sda said:
I think GM used the Olds 307 in the wagons because the Chevy 305 wouldn't meet the emissions requirement.

I don't know if it's enough to really make a difference, but in 1985 at least, the 307 had 10 ft-lb more torque than the 305. 255 ft-lb @2000 rpm, vs 245 ft-lb@2400. In theory, I'd think that might make it marginally better suited to towing and hauling around heavier loads, things that wagons are often required to do. Perhaps its torque curve was broader in general, than the 305, as well? Sometimes it's also hard to tell by just a single number, you really have to see the whole curve plotted on a graph.

But, by the time the 307 started being used in all the wagons, I think the 305 that was used in the Caprice sedan and coupe was converted to TBI, where it put out 170 hp. Not sure of the torque though. I just googled it and saw 250 ft-lb mentioned, which sounds reasonable for that displacement. The peak was at 2800 rpm, though. With moving a heavier load though, I wonder if it's better for the peak torque to come on at a lower rpm, though?

Although, is 2000 rpm vs 2800 really that big of a deal? I'm probably thinking too much into it.

andre1969 · August 2022

I tried googling around to see if I could find any different production numbers for the '96 Caprice wagon, but the only thing I can find is that 485. But, it's quite possible that someone else picked up that number decades ago and posted it online (I got it from my not-always-correct Consumer Guide auto encyclopedia), and then it kept getting repeated by other sources over the years.

What is the correct number for the '75 Caprice convertible? I just looked in my book and it showed 8,349. Now for the Delta 88, it shows 21,038, which sounds way off to me.

tjc78 · August 2022

I think the late Panther wagon numbers don’t feel right because from 79 to 91 they don’t look much different and without really paying attention it’s tough to tell the year.

uplanderguy · August 2022

andre, what I recall is that you had accidentally posted here a wrong number for the '75 Caprice Classic convertible, but that 21K number for the Delta 88 was transposed in your book from the four-door sedan to the convertible, per other sources online. The book I think showed more '75 Delta convertibles than four-door sedans!

Here's a window sticker for an '86 Caprice wagon, showing it was built in Kansas City and that is my memory of looking at them as new cars as well. I seem to recall Caprice sedans being built in Arlington as they even had a little decal of the state of Texas they'd put in the 'vent' window of the rear doors of the sedans. I believe after '91 Arlington also built the big station wagons.

As a former owner of a new '93 Caprice Classic, I know for a fact that at that point the sedans were built in Ypsilanti, MI ('Willow Run') and Arlington, as when I put out a dealer search for what I wanted on one, I was hoping it would be Arlington as the closure of Ypsilanti had been announced already, some time earlier. When my car came from the other dealer, it was from Ypsilanti.

I believe all four wagons were built in Kansas City in those late-'80's years.

uplanderguy · August 2022

Here's a window sticker for an '88 Custom Cruiser, built in Arlington, so go figure.

andre1969 · August 2022

I just pulled out the book again, and yup, I could see the potential for a transposition error.
It lists 21,038 Royale Convertibles in '75, but only 7,181 Royale Town Sedans! So yeah, something's amiss there!

For comparison, it lists 32,481 Royale hardtop sedans and 23,465 Royale hardtop coupes. Actually, I'm impressed that the hardtop sedan was still outselling the pillared sedan in the upper range.

I wonder if GM had any concerns about eliminating the hardtop sedans in their upcoming downsized cars? It was obvious that convertibles were on their way out, and by '74-75 it was pretty evident nobody was really concerned whether their coupe was a hardtop or not, since the opera-windowed personal luxury coupe style was becoming all the rage. Hardtop sedans never were a huge seller in the midsized ranges, but in full sized cars, they definitely had their following.

Then again, Ford eliminated their 4-door hardtops after 1974, even if the pillared ones still had that frameless window hardtop look. And while Chrysler kept them on through the 1978 Newport and New Yorker, I don't think GM was exactly looking to Mopar for inspiration in those days!

uplanderguy · August 2022

I remember it being rather odd when I first saw '77 Caprice Classic coupes with a sedan rail around the side glass.

fintail · August 2022

I think every big Buick made since the mid 60s looks awesome on those wheels. Timeless design.

ab348 said:
You could get those turbine alloys in the 5x4.75" bolt pattern too and they were apparently offered on the LeSabre, at least for a time. Never saw one of those though. I was told they use a different, smaller, center cap. GM back in the day, man...

The wagon's bright C-pillar trim seemed appropriate for the Buick and Olds models to distinguish them from the more plebeian Chevys (though memory tells me it also was on the Caprice, so there goes that theory). I think it looks nice and gave those latter-year models a bit of a fresher look.

On the engines, the Olds 307 was manufactured in Lansing but the wagons were all assembled in Arlington TX in these later years IIRC. The 307 was the last engine Olds produced in their foundry before it was shut down.

From a couple of years ago, here is a video of a really nice Estate Wagon that was for sale. Note that this one has the traditional Buick chromed steel road wheels.

https://youtu.be/GO6b5dHoqH4

uplanderguy · August 2022

Agree on the Buick chrome road wheels--best domestic optional wheel and used probably longer than any other--something like 25 years.

I hate these door panels though:
1988 Buick Electra Estate Wagon

I miss the big round analog clock on the right side of the panel too although of course I realize in the era of digital clocks combined with radio that would've been superfluous. Lots and lots of light, shiny woodgrain on the dash. I like the 'stitched' look of the top pad though.

tjc78 · August 2022

Ford’s Turbine wheel got a lot of use too. From the late 70s up to 93 or so.

andre1969 · August 2022

That fake wood on the door panels was definitely one aspect I did not like of my grandmother's LeSabre. The part itself was actually pretty thick and sturdy, but there was just too much of it! I remember that in certain lights, it also seemed to have sort of an unnatural, almost radioactive glow about it. On the driver's side door panel, it did start to delaminate slightly at the top towards the end, but that car was also 18 years old when we got rid of it.

The dash padding was a fairly high quality material, almost seemed leather like. I don't know if the downsized Electra/LeSabre used that same material for its entire run, but I don't think I've ever seen one that cracked. Something had warped slightly though, because one of the plastic grids that covered the defroster vent and speaker had popped up slightly, and wouldn't stay down.

ab348 · August 2022

The problem with the plastiwood on the top of the door panels was that (esp. on the drivers side) it got worn through very quickly, making it look awful. GM did the same thing with late-'70s Pontiac steering wheels by using a metal garnish trim on the spokes with a woodgrain decal over it that wore out very quickly on the horizontal spokes.

andre1969 · August 2022

I just had another flashback with my grandmother's '85 LeSabre. The steering wheel had a thin woodgrain strip on the steering wheel. Over time, it started to crack and peel, and I remember that crap being sharp! IIRC, it was a thin metal strip with fake woodgrain stuck on it, and the metal itself was simply glued to the steering wheel. I do remember the steering wheel itself had cracked in a couple of spots.

I started to look around for a pic of the steering wheel, but then got distracted by this:
https://www.premierauctiongroup.com/vehicles/6372/1985-buick-lesabre-limited-coupe

Good looking '85 LeSabre coupe, that even has those alloy sport rims!

tjc78 · August 2022

That’s a nice LeSabre right there.

uplanderguy · August 2022

I remember, I think in the Enquirer that my mother got (LOL), a story back then, "His new '85 Buick LeSabre wore out tires in 200 miles!". Bunch of nonsense of course.

That is a nice car.

The midsize Pontiacs' instrument panel was the best of the four IMHO.

sda · August 2022

@andre1969 said:
I just had another flashback with my grandmother's '85 LeSabre. The steering wheel had a thin woodgrain strip on the steering wheel. Over time, it started to crack and peel, and I remember that crap being sharp! IIRC, it was a thin metal strip with fake woodgrain stuck on it, and the metal itself was simply glued to the steering wheel. I do remember the steering wheel itself had cracked in a couple of spots.

I started to look around for a pic of the steering wheel, but then got distracted by this:
https://www.premierauctiongroup.com/vehicles/6372/1985-buick-lesabre-limited-coupe

Good looking '85 LeSabre coupe, that even has those alloy sport rims!

That looks like the driveway Bill from Curious Cars shoots from. He's a mess. Nice LeSabre.

andre1969 · August 2022

I had to run out and do some errands, and at topping off my Ram at the local watering hole, lo and behold, there was this!

Stupid me, I forgot to ask the owner what year it was, but at some point when conversing with him, he mentioned it being "45 years old" (or 44, damn short-attention-span theater memory!) So I guess that would imply it was a '77 or '78. I forget what years they made these, and too lazy to look it up right now.

He also let me go inside and take some pictures...

He had it about 10 years, and said he hadn't done a whole lot to it, and much of it was original. Although he did update (i.e., de-shag) the interior!

texases · August 2022

My favorite RV (not that I drive them, just rented a few times). Just think what they'd be like today, with modern engine technology.

fintail · August 2022

What's the mural on the GMC motorhome? A small plane?

Makes me think of the preservation piece on display at the RV/Motorhome Hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart IN (near South Bend):

andre1969 · August 2022

I should have taken a closeup of that mural, as it was pretty cool. It was one of those small, pontoon-type planes flying low over a lake, at sunrise (or sunset?) I'm surprised none of these rigs show up at the GM show in Carlisle. There is, however, a blue one that tends to show up at the Spring and Fall swap meets, used by a vendor.

xwesx · August 2022

I cannot recall ever seeing one of these in the flesh.

Nice find, andre; very cool that the owner let you snap some shots inside it! It looks impressively well-preserved.

texases · August 2022

It’s one of the few RVs whose design can carry off a simple paint job. Airstream is about the only other one (no paint job there, of course.

sda · August 2022

Perhaps of interest of this group, Adam of Rare Classic Cars did a piece on the Chrysler Cordoba and Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman.

fintail · August 2022

Something pretty obscure on the road today, a brass radiator Model T. It was a speedster style, white.

ab348 · August 2022

The latest (October) issue of Collectible Automobile has a nice article on the downsized '77-'79 Chevrolet B-bodies. It even has a couple of pics of Adam's police-equipped Impala.

My biggest takeaway from the piece was that the original concepts and clay models for them were more attractive than the final design, with lots of glass and almost a Ferrari 400 look to the coupes.

andre1969 · August 2022

They might have saved that coupe design and used it as an inspiration for the '78 Malibu coupe. I remember seeing a Ferarri 400 coupe out on the streets, awhile back. First time I'd ever seen one and my first thought was, that reminds me of my old '80 Malibu! It was even a similar shade of blue.

The second one, the 4-door, looks to me like they were trying to use a Colonade sedan as the starting point and square it off. Especially, with the proportioning of the doors. Or, bring that rear axle forward so it cuts into the door, ensuring that rear window isn't going to roll down, and you have the inspiration for the '78 LeMans!

uplanderguy · August 2022

That '87 Caprice Estate wagon sold for $44K:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-chevrolet-caprice-5/

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

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