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

29829 messages,  Last post on Jun 18, 2013 at 4:44 PM

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What is this discussion about? Classic Cars

Messages Page 2681 of 2983

#26799 of 29829 Re: . [fintail] by lemko

Nov 09, 2012 (11:51 am)

Replying to: fintail (Nov 09, 2012 7:32 am)
Any pristine fintails or Pontons spotted?

#26800 of 29829 Re: . [hpmctorque] by fintail

Nov 10, 2012 (9:36 am)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Nov 09, 2012 10:03 am)
I think many were exported to points east and south, especially higher line cars. I remember many years ago, so many MB W140 had been shipped east that they were actually less common than the W126. Less developed areas need cars, too. Surely some were stolen too, but I have to imagine it is a small amount, statistically - I think that fate happens more regularly to brand new models.

#26801 of 29829 Re: . [lemko] by fintail

Nov 10, 2012 (9:55 am)

Replying to: lemko (Nov 09, 2012 11:51 am)
Only in museums. There is virtually nothing on the road here from before the 80s. Anything older will be a specialty car.
 
I did see a fintail in a museum today - along with a huge amount of other unusual cars. Some American cars, too, but mostly Euro - along with bikes, planes, trains. I visited the Sinsheim Auto + Technik museum, which is pretty famous. I was most amazed at the military displays (saw at least 3 Kettenkrads) and some of their prewar cars were shocking. 2 pillarless 540Ks, for example.
 
I saw this beast, which is well known:
 

 
And I suppose a blackwall Fury sedan is rare anywhere:
 

 
And many more.

#26802 of 29829 Re: . [fintail] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Nov 10, 2012 (10:07 am)

Replying to: fintail (Nov 10, 2012 9:55 am)
I don't see pontons anymore even in California, where you'd expect to see a few on the road. Now and then you'll see a cab or coupe in a show, but not 4-doors. I think that the cost of restoration of the 4-doors and their low value pretty much has eliminated them. The fintails were more rugged cars, better suited to modern roads, and since there are no cabs or coupes in that particular finned style, people save what they can.

#26803 of 29829 Re: . [Mr_Shiftright] by fintail

Nov 11, 2012 (9:51 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Nov 10, 2012 10:07 am)
Doing ponton woodwork alone would probably cost 5K for an accurate job. Those cars have a lot of fine details that can't be easy to fix - and I bet they know how to rust, too. Probably a more difficult restoration that a fintail, but less flashy and probably no more valuable when finished.
 
Oddball sight of the day - in Luxembourg (city), a late 70s Mopar sedan decked out like a Dukes of Hazzard police car. No kidding. And as suspected, Netherlands is open to old cars. Saw a bit of older stuff on the road, mostly old MB VW and Volvos.

#26805 of 29829 Re: . [fintail] by andys120

Nov 11, 2012 (12:44 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Nov 11, 2012 9:51 am)
I read somewhere that the Dutch have a thing for big old American iron.

#26806 of 29829 a new fuel filter by explorerx4

Nov 11, 2012 (6:37 pm)

Dealer recommended replacing it last month 130k in my '02 Explorer.
I knew it hadn't been replaced in a while, but looking back I think last replacement was 75k.
Didn't think much of it, but it did seem like a tank that would have been 12.5/13.5 ended up 15.4.
What really made the difference obvious was a trip to the Boston area and back last night.
Would have expected about 17.5, but computer was on 19.1.
I could tell I was going further before the gas gauge read 3/4 and 1/2 a tank.

#26807 of 29829 Re: a new fuel filter [explorerx4] by andre1969

Nov 12, 2012 (7:18 am)

Replying to: explorerx4 (Nov 11, 2012 6:37 pm)
Is the fuel filter in your '02 Explorer hard to get to? Hopefully it's not in a hard to get to/expensive spot!

#26808 of 29829 . by fintail

Nov 12, 2012 (2:08 pm)

Saw a 2CV, a W123, an 80s VW Polo, and a H2 pulling a horse trailer today, in the Ring-adjacent town of Adenau.
 
Also spent a few hours in the amazing "Cockpit Bar" at the Dorint Hotel, chatted with the hotel director and bar creator Josef, who told me of his W123 230E that got to 400K kms with no major repairs at all. Showed him a phone pic of the fintail, he loved it. He has a 60s vintage Formula V car, and the bar is packed with all kinds of racing memorabilia, very cool place.

Messages Page 2681 of 2983

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