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

uplanderguy · October 12

That is the car!

Friend's brother bought it before I got there, so I only saw pics and accidentally saw it at a distance when my wife and I were driving to dinner and I pointed out generally where our friends park their motor home, and saw the car next to the motorhome fairly close to Hersheypark Drive.

My first thought at fin's picture was, "Hmmm, body work/paint as no 'Cordoba' nameplate on the side?". But then I looked at the brochure online, and no....there wasn't supposed to be one!

uplanderguy · October 12

Weirdly, the same seller was selling this Hawk in the same color scheme.

fintail · October 12

If the Cordoba is as good as it looks, I would say it was a fine deal for kind of a starter classic or hobby car. That kind of money doesn't buy a lot in 2025, and that car is aesthetically nice and rare. I have a slight soft spot for those cars, remembering a grade school friend who's mom had a Mirada CMX that I thought was a nice car back in the day.

I wonder if the owner has a thing for that shade of blue, pretty on the Stude too.

thebean · October 12

uplanderguy said:
That is the car!

Friend's brother bought it before I got there, so I only saw pics and accidentally saw it at a distance when my wife and I were driving to dinner and I pointed out generally where our friends park their motor home, and saw the car next to the motorhome fairly close to Hersheypark Drive.

My first thought at fin's picture was, "Hmmm, body work/paint as no 'Cordoba' nameplate on the side?". But then I looked at the brochure online, and no....there wasn't supposed to be one!

But did the Cordoba have “fine Corinthian leather” interior? 😁

ab348 · October 12

Back in ‘81 I was working my first job and the business owner’s wife bought one of those, in a medium metallic green. A handsome car in its day. I remember talking to her about it at the time. She told me she wanted to buy a Chrysler to help keep them from going out of business.

stickguy · October 12

Something from that vintage scares me because of the iffy technology. Hoovie bought a cordoba (or imperial, a frank sinatra edition) but same basic car. The lean burn was a nightmare. They ended up ripping it off and putting on IIRC a distributed from a 1968 Dart.

If I was getting something like that I would plan on doing a resto mod. Either something lupine a Holley sniper EFI or a full crate engine and management system. At least have something you could count on running reliably!

ab348 · October 12

Can’t go by anything in a Hoovie video because it’s all made-up. But Lean Burn was always problematic. However lots of analog 318/360 retrofits available.

fintail · October 12

IIRC those Imperials had a finicky FI system and many have been converted to carburetor, maybe that was the issue too. As ab says, retrofits on these cars are not uncommon.

stickguy · October 12

I think it was in the transition days of electronic controlled carbs and weird distributors, etc.

uplanderguy · October 12

But did the Cordoba have “fine Corinthian leather” interior?

Not sure, but I'm doubting it by that time.

sda · October 13

GM had their share of issues with electronic assisted carbs.

fintail · October 13

Saw the white Mark IV that lives in the neighborhood out on the road today. Sounded mean, definitely a non-standard exhaust.

thebean · October 14

Saw a bright yellow Subaru Baja again around town. I see it once a month or so. Obviously it reminds me of a longer Hyundai Santa Cruz. I don’t know how the Baja sold, but apparently not too well since they were only made for 3 years.

xwesx · October 14

thebean said:
Saw a bright yellow Subaru Baja again around town. I see it once a month or so. Obviously it reminds me of a longer Hyundai Santa Cruz. I don’t know how the Baja sold, but apparently not too well since they were only made for 3 years.

Sales were pitiful! I mean, it was really, really bad. I think this was just a car that never quite found its niche. Funny enough, I see several around here even still, which means the folks who did buy them really seem to cherish them because that's probably like 50% of those sold here!

I remember looking at Outbacks on the lot here in 2008 or 2009, and there was still a new Baja on the lot. And, I don't think it was even a 2006 model (the last year for that one). Crazy stuff.

sda · October 14

Luxury cars like older Lincolns and Cadillacs should be whisper quiet. When spurred only a low moan from the 4bbl carb and a pffft from the exhaust should be heard.

fintail · October 14

This one sounded just a little more aggressive than one expects from a Mark IV.

On the road today, hot rod 39 Chevy, I think the Shelby Shadow was gone.

texases · October 15

texases said:
Saw a very nice 'clown shoe' BMW M Coupe today, looked just like this, very clean:

Saw another one in a different part of town, but could be the same one.

fintail · October 15

Another one from a jogging route with street view updating most of my area this summer, a very clean 86-87 Cutlass sedan (appears to have a factory CHMSL):

Elderly owned per the well kept house where it sometimes lives in a carport, but is usually parked on the street, and it has a steering wheel club. I wonder if there's a story behind it, original owner etc.

uplanderguy · October 16

That’s a nice angle of that car.

I like the round wheel openings better than the coupe, and also that it doesn’t have the underbite grille of the coupe.

sda · October 16

It looks like an Olds.

andre1969 · October 16

It's hard to tell from that pic, but that Cutlass Supreme sedan looks like it might have power operated vent windows in back. At least, I don't see the little chrome knob that was a giveaway on the manual models.

I know I mentioned it before, but one time in the early 90's, I test drove 3 used cars in fairly close succession. They were a Dodge Dynasty, Dodge Monaco (the Eagle Premier version) and an '87 Cutlass Supreme sedan. Even though the other two were more modern, and I'm sure that on a drag strip the Cutlass was the slowest, even with the 307, there was just a comfortable sort of familiarity about the Cutlass that I preferred. It just felt like the automotive equivalent of an old childhood friend that would always be there for you.

I'd even put up with those stationary rear door windows!

uplanderguy · October 16

I totally get it, Andre. They felt like a shrunken big GM RWD. And the interiors were pretty nice materials for cars of that size then. Some brightwork inside still.

fintail · October 16

Good eye, Andre. Another view from the street view camera (with the weird image doubling that I suppose happens from a moving vehicle) - I don't see the window knobs:

Those wheels are certainly better looking to modern eyes than wire caps, too.

texases · October 16

Two red '80s Germans on the way to pick up dinner - followed a 944, Guards red, nice shape, and a MB R107 for sale, top down, European headlights. That 944 is my example of how one styling change (fender flares) completely changed a car, from one I wouldn't consider to one of my favorites.

Michaell · October 16

texases said:
Two red '80s Germans on the way to pick up dinner - followed a 944, Guards red, nice shape, and a MB R107 for sale, top down, European headlights. That 944 is my example of how one styling change (fender flares) completely changed a car, from one I wouldn't consider to one of my favorites.

l'll always associate that car as Jakes from "16 Candles".

andre1969 · October 18

I stumbled across this little gem on my facebook feed, and thought it was amusing.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2253016081885164
I sent it to Lemko...I wonder how he'll react to it. 🤣

fintail · October 18

I've seen those AI toy commercials for 90s Dodge trucks and turn of the century GM trucks as well. I bet some fans are offended.

roadburner · October 18

I saw a 356 today- with a for sale sticker on the rear window. No price- just a UOR code.

benjaminh · October 19

Seen in Seattle yesterday...

Similar to this famous car...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHOk87QWmmk&t=45s

stickguy · October 19

I love those. When I was about 7 we got a Volvo and I remember going to the local dealer (had one in my small town which was odd) with my mother when it needed service, and sitting in an 1800ES (so I was probably about 12 at that point) and being in love with it.

that red one does not look awful but the rear quarter panel patches lead me to believe it could be a lot more rust hiding underneath. Probably not all that cheap to restore these days, but IMO a great candidate for a resto mod with newer Volvo components.

kyfdx · October 19

I really like the ES wagon versions, better

gsemike · October 19

@benjaminh said:
Seen in Seattle yesterday...

Similar to this famous car...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHOk87QWmmk&t=45s

That was a Long Island car. Guy became a bit of a local celebrity. He has passed and I think his daughter has the car in storage.

explorerx4 · October 19

Irv used to come up to a local(Central CT) Volvo dealer yearly when they had some kind of event.

fintail · October 19

Locally there's a house with a few P1800s around it, I know I have seen it on streetview too, but I can't recall the location to spot it. Plate on the Seattle car was probably issued in 2012.

thebean · October 20

I haven’t seen a P1800 around here in forever. Only Swede more rare would be a Saab Sonnet, which I have never seen in the flesh.

stickguy · October 20

Outside a shop (actually probably a junkyard!) a sad looking mustang II Cobra II. White with red decals. I would love a clean one. This was not it.

And in different locations 3 late run VW vans. One that looked perfect
Must have been the last version. And 2 that were I think the square version that replaced the original style bus.

kyfdx · October 20

My Cobra II wasn't clean when I sold it in 1982.

thebean · October 20

Parked outside my gym. I think if he tried, this guy could get the chin spoiler a few mm’s closer to the ground. I’ve heard it start up and it’s surprisingly mellow.

texases · October 20

That thing has to have a variable lift suspension, right? Couldn't cross some of the intersections around here...

roadburner · October 20

Nothing says "moron" better than modifying a performance car to make it slower.

fintail · October 20

Saw a running driving later Freelander on the road today, seldom seen as they are not known for high survival rates.

kyfdx · October 21

fintail said:
Saw a running driving later Freelander on the road today, seldom seen as they are not known for high survival rates.

Most are used as yard planters

sda · October 21

Saw a tired Pontiac Torrent hurry thru a yellow-red light this morning. I'm glad I didn’t immediately cross that intersection. Would have made for a sad morning.

explorerx4 · October 21

Kind of a shocking bio on the original owner, at least to me.

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

explorerx4 · October 23

Anyone interested in a John Voight-ish car?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvhx8WHLJ-Q

Here's one fot TJC78.
https://www.orphancargarage.com/cars-for-sale?pgid=k5x113qa-76aa1261-9bc5-4fe6-89f5-7fd3bebdae61

tjc78 · October 23

Not my favorite color but I love 77-79 Mark Vs!

thebean · October 24

Only if there is a pencil with his tooth impressions in the glovebox. Got to verify the ownership, you know. 😄

andre1969 · October 24

That Mark V is nice. Ordinarily I'd be okay with that color...only problem is, I've had too many cars over the years that were too similar in color. "Cream", "Montego Cream", "Cashmere", "Designer Cream over Designer Beige"...it all just blurs together after awhile!

ab348 · October 24

This is just down the street from me. Might be abandoned in this lot, as the office building there is almost totally empty. Hard to believe this is over 40 years old.

sda · October 24

ab348 said:
This is just down the street from me. Might be abandoned in this lot, as the office building there is almost totally empty. Hard to believe this is over 40 years old.

It doesn’t look too bad. Replacing the wheel cover would help.

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

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