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Classic Cars I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today!
17960 messages, Last post on Nov 27, 2009 at 6:08 PM
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Replying to: lemko (Jun 24, 2009 12:12 pm) |
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| ....I always really liked the '71 and '72 Delta 88s, the '73s much less so, mostly because of the taillights. My friend's grandma had a '72 sedan in the mid-80s, I really liked that car....to bad it used so much gas, which is why it was replaced with a Chevette, of all things. | |
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I like them all, but for some reason, never cared for the peaked headlights. I think my favorite years for style (if not performance) are 1974-76, in no particular order. I like the overall clean-ness of the '74. I also like that funky hardtop coupe roofline they used in '74-76, where they tried to go for that "colonade" look, but still managed to work in a roll-down rear window. I also like the roofline of the '75-76 4-door sedan and hardtop. I know it was starting to become a charade by that time, but I like the way GM was still able to differentiate their cars back then. A Delta 88 felt like it was more car than an Impala or Caprice. |
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Replying to: mp67riv (Jun 24, 2009 12:16 pm) My friend who had the Ciera coupe also had a nice Lebaron coupe before that. The ones that looked like a Diplomat. I don't remember seeing many of those. Were those kind of rare? I'm sure Andre knows... 
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Replying to: toomanyfumes (Jun 25, 2009 7:05 pm) The Lebaron coupes were somewhat popular from '77-79, less so for '80-81. My old car book doesn't break down 1977 production by body style, but that year they sold about 55K LeBarons...not too bad considering it was a mid-year introduction, and Chrysler didn't have the best reputation by that time. For 1978, they sold about 16K of the base coupe, and 37K of the nicer "Medallion" coupe. In 1979, they sold 11K base coupes, 18K of the midline "Salon" coupe, and 22K of the top line "Medallion" coupe. For 1980, the LeBaron and Diplomat were given more squared-off styling, the look that continued through 1989. That year, the coupe models were moved from the 112.7" wb to 108.7", so that they didn't compete too much with the newly downsized Cordoba/Mirada, which were also on the 112.7" wb. In 1980, the LeBaron sold around 8K base coupes, 18K Salon coupes, and 10K Medallion coupe. My book doesn't break out coupe/sedan sales for 1981, but the LeBaron as a whole only sold around 42K units that year, so coupes I'd imagine accounted for maybe 15K. Now these sales were nowhere near what the likes of the Monte Carlo, Cutlass Supreme coupe, Regal, Monte Carlo, and T-bird were pulling in. But for a company that was on the ropes, and hanging by a thinner and thinner strand as the 70's wore on, it didn't do too badly. And somehow, they actually managed to get the LeBaron/Diplomat more or less right from the start. The Aspen/Volare was a mess when it debuted in 1976, although by '78 it wasn't too bad. The '78 Omni/Horizon had teething problems as well. The '79 R-body full-sizers were thrown together pretty sloppy. I think the thing that saved them though, is that they were based on the older midsize cars, so while they didn't give a good first impression, they would soldier on, rusting, dropping trim pieces, springing water leaks, etc, long after equivalent Ford or GM products blew an engine, transmission, or something else. The 1980 Cordoba/Mirada were pretty bad, too. Good looking cars, but they rusted, trim pieces fell off, interiors disintegrated, etc. Now, like the Aspen/Volare, Chrysler did manage to improve most of these cars after the first year or two. However, you know the old cliche about not getting a second chance to make a good first impression. So predictably, sales fell off quickly once word spread about how bad the first-year models were. Those LeBaron and Diplomat coupes were nice. Back in the 1990's, I used to see a '77-79 style Diplomat in the parking lot at work. It was downright luxurious inside...leather interior, nice carpeting, etc. I think Chrysler should get some credit for bringing luxury to the masses. I don't think you could get leather in something like a Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, etc back then. |
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| ...rough-looking black 1968 Chevrolet Impala two-door hardtop with black vinyl roof and Cragar wheels for sale on Rising Sun Avenue a block south of Cottman in NE Philly. If I had the time and money for such a project, I'd replace the Cragars with some nice factory Ralleye (sp?) wheels. | |
Yesterday evening I attended the local dealer's hoopla for the new E-class, and a few people arrived in odd cars. Someone drove a 70s VW van with wide whites  , someone had a nice W116 300SD, an 80s 911 Targa, and the highlight was a W112 300SE coupe. It was in very nice condition, but not a high end restoration - maybe an old cosmetic job. The paint was nice and the wood (the cars have tons of it) looked good, but not perfect. Those cars with their air suspension and odd engine are bottomless money pits, so it is a labor of love to get one to even a nice condition.
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Today I spotted a TR3 and a 356, both nice restored cars, both driven by older women who didn't look to be enjoying the experience. The Porsche driver looked especially uneasy.
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Replying to: fintail (Jun 27, 2009 5:21 pm) I wonder if they'd like me to take those old crocks off their hands. 
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Replying to: andys120 (Jun 28, 2009 8:03 am) A 356 by comparison seems like an advanced spaceship built by aliens. Also worth double or triple in price. |
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