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

29621 messages,  Last post on May 22, 2013 at 10:51 AM

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What is this discussion about? Classic Cars

Messages Page 2654 of 2963

#26524 of 29621 Re: on a drive through the Connecticut hills... [explorerx4] by andys120

Oct 06, 2012 (2:06 pm)

Replying to: explorerx4 (Oct 06, 2012 1:43 pm)
Not all of the GTO "The Judges" were orange. IIRC they could be had in a variety of GTO colors. It wouldn't be that hard to cosmetically fake a Judge with a wing and a decal package.

#26525 of 29621 Re: on a drive through the Connecticut hills... [andys120] by explorerx4

Oct 06, 2012 (8:19 pm)

Replying to: andys120 (Oct 06, 2012 2:06 pm)
The orange 'The Judge' cars I have seen, have yellow and black decals.
This gold one had light minty green and black decals. It seemed more like the court stenographer edition.

#26526 of 29621 . by fintail

Oct 07, 2012 (10:28 am)

I saw two different Merkur Scorpio, running and driving. Gotta be some small odds.

#26527 of 29621 Re: . [fintail] by uplanderguy

Oct 07, 2012 (11:00 am)

Replying to: fintail (Oct 07, 2012 10:28 am)
I remember renting a Merkur Scorpio. I seem to remember it being a nice-driving car. I remember looking at the XR4TI when it came out. I couldn't stomach the styling. IIRC (no guarantee of that!), I'm thinking they didn't make that big of a splash and were discounted pretty nicely a year or so out, weren't they?

#26528 of 29621 Re: . [uplanderguy] by fintail

Oct 07, 2012 (1:03 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Oct 07, 2012 11:00 am)
Both cars were eventual failures and no doubt could be had for end of year bargains. The XR4Ti was a cool car, turbo, double decker spoiler, Euro style - but high maintenance coupled with a sales and service experience which didn't grasp the car, created headaches for buyers as they weren't going to have a trouble-free experience.
 
Scorpio was a nice enough car, but not simple to maintain like an American Ford, and it was expensive, so it too faded away. Both cars were examples of the idiocy and vanity of Detroit execs too - touted as prestige cars with prices to match, but at home were normal cars. The XR4 was a Ford Sierra at home - typical middle class car, and the Scorpio was the full sized model, maybe slotting between the Taurus and Crown Vic in an equivalent market in Europe. Not intended as a lux or performance car to pursue MB or BMW, but the marketers insisted otherwise. Ford Scorpio in England was even a common independent taxi cab.
 
Similar vanity based rebadges exist today too - Buick Regal, touted as special and sporty, is a normal Opel Insignia at home, their equivalent of a typical full sized car. Acura TSX is the Euro Honda Accord.

#26529 of 29621 a nice 57 chevy... by explorerx4

Oct 07, 2012 (1:02 pm)

a Copper and Cream color 4 door sedan. Nice and straight looking with shiny paint.

#26530 of 29621 Re: . [fintail] by lemko

Oct 09, 2012 (7:15 am)

Replying to: fintail (Oct 07, 2012 1:03 pm)
I was a sophomore in college when the XRTi debuted. I thought it was so "high-tech" and futuristic at the time.

#26531 of 29621 Re: . [lemko] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 09, 2012 (9:12 am)

Replying to: lemko (Oct 09, 2012 7:15 am)
one big problem with that car was the primitive thrashy engine, to say nothing of an unfortunate name for marketing purposes.

#26532 of 29621 Re: . [lemko] by fintail

Oct 09, 2012 (9:27 am)

Replying to: lemko (Oct 09, 2012 7:15 am)
To the roads of 1985, it was fairly nice tech, and it looked very modern. Sadly, it wasn't the most drama free car to own. I wonder if the cool Euro 4x4 variants would have fared any better. Ahead of their time.

#26533 of 29621 Re: . [fintail] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 09, 2012 (9:31 am)

Replying to: fintail (Oct 09, 2012 9:27 am)
It was a good performer but really just a stressed 2.3 Pinto engine, without benefit of the Mustang SVO or T-Bird intercoolers and more sophisticated engine programming. (those two cars also shared that engine).
 
It was raced successfully and the car does deserve some praise.

Messages Page 2654 of 2963

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