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Classic Cars I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today!
17963 messages, Last post on Nov 29, 2009 at 3:51 PM
You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
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Yeah, those NYers come up every other week. Seems quite a few of them survived, and many of them survived pretty nicely. Maybe, for the time period, they were a decently made car. Or maybe it's just luck... I bet that 200SX looks atrocious with the top up. You find very few aftermarket converts that look right. When I was younger I knew someone who had a Celica Sunchaser, and it was also awkward. On the SX note, today I saw a c.1991 240SX convert, the factory built one...it looked normal. I once had a dream about a Graham Sharknose convert...I have a thing for more outrageous deco cars. I bet that'd be one that really is "rare" |
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I got to drive a 1982 or so Dodge Mirada that had been chopped into a convertible. It was nightwatch blue with a white top and a blue leather interior. It was absolutely stunning with the top down, but looked hideous with it up. For one thing, they got rid of the rear side windows...both the opera windows in the C-pillar AND the fake-me-out hardtop side windows. So basically, with the top up it was all canvas-covered blind spot from the back of the door window all the way to the back of the roof. It did have a little parallelogram-shaped slit on each side though, a lame attempt at improving visiblity. Now that thing shook horribly when driving it. Everything that's bad about chopping a small unitized car like a 200SX is amplified when you do it to a big unitized car like a Mirada! As for being well-built, well, as much as I love the R-body, sadly, I'll be the first to confess that they were anything but! So I can't explain why the 5th Ave seems to have had such a good success rate? Perhaps they were bought mainly by older people with money who babied them more? I think that's one reason why those mammoth late 70's Lincolns seemed to have survived so well, along with late 70's/early 80's Oldsmobiles and Buicks like the Electra and Ninety Eight. I guess the R-body was just typical Chrysler of the time...bulletproof engines and drivelines with iffy electronics and bodies that were heavy and sturdy, yet somewhat slapped together and not rustproofed too well. The passenger-side door on my NYer is so far out of alignment (right from the factory, no doubt) that my legally-blind grandmother can spot it! |
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...one of my aunts had a 200SX of that era (not a convertible), it wasn't a particularly good looking car (at least not now, maybe then, but it hasn't aged well), and was a rattly rust bucket by the time she got rid of it. Minus a solid top, it must be quite a bit worse. Still, if you must have a cheap, likely reliable convertible, I guess that one's OK. Fintail, shame about the condition of that 250S, since it has the factory sunroof, which must be a bit unusual (notice I didn't use the term 'rare'). That 190 is really nice for two thousand bucks, makes me wonder if it's hiding something (other than 50hp on modern roads, which cuts its pool of buyers considerably). I don't think I've ever seen an old Benz with those front fender lights (turn signals), and the passenger side only headrest is interesting. |
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Yeah the sunroof is uncommon...but as I am sure you know a very very nice 6cyl carb 108 is worth 5K on a good day, so that one is far beyond redemption. It's a parts car, and if it is as rusty and weathered as it appears, maybe not even the best parts car. 250S, for all its stately looks, was also the lowest model 108, and the one least likely to be saved. Sad. I can't see much wrong with that fintail, I looked close and I know a little about them. I think those signals were unique to the lowline 4cyl cars like that - not difficult to replace. The trim is all correct. The headrest is an uncommon factory option, and is almost always only seen on the passenger side. They bring $100+ alone. There's some kind of weird market out there for diesel fintails, they always attract attention even though their performance is borderline dangerous. Local MB specialist sold his pristine one on ebay for 12K, and it was a legit sale, I saw the auction and talked to him about it personally. Crazy. |
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I see this almost every day on my daily commute. The car actually looks pretty good, and the guy must take really good care of it because I am sure it is his daily commuter. What really amazes me is how small it looks. It is really narrow and low to the ground. I used to have a '74 Corolla and remember lusting after a Celica. I guess some of them lasted 30 years, but probably not many. |
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| I think about $3,500 is market for a fintail diesel. His selling price is either an incredible freak or...well...never mind. | |
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I just returned from a 10 day road trip to Disneyworld, and as per request by some cohorts on the Mazdamania Tuesday night chats...I kept my eyes peeled. So, here is the list of what I saw, over the last 2 weeks, starting with the trip down...1,028 miles one way... Mustang Cobra R 05 Tundra Altima SE-R 3000 GT VR-4 Triumph TR8 from Quebec 05 GTO H2 with 4-6inch lift kit Porsche GT2 or 3 on trailer w/team livery. SRT-10 Ram Lincoln Blackwood(first I've ever seen!) International Pickup...one of those monsters! Lambo Gallardo 50s Mercedes, low slung w/bubble top shape, in a beautiful creamy tan, very sharp...for you fintail! |
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My return trip list... 05 C6 on display at BMW dealer several Mercury Marauders H2s everywhere! Izuzu Oasis...aka Honda Oddy? another Internat. pickup, this one towing an offshore deep V style racing boat 1st Gen. M3. Caddy XLR at dealer A few Chebby SSRs actually on the road!!! latest Gen Thunderchickens everywhere! Mini Cooper 'vert. Girls Gone Wild Spring Break tourbus. 540i touring, with sport package, looking quite vicious!!! There were quite a few new Mustangs about, also, most were V6s, tho. At one point a beautiful red new F150 went by, in the opposite direction, must have been running open headers. Even my deaf father in law asked what was that!?! And that was over the noise of the Disney video playing, and the radio in front, and road noise! I've been on many long distance road trips, but this one I noticed a strange absence of tour buses. Only saw 3 Greyhound buses, over the whole 2k miles. Coming to work last night I was in front of an attractive blonde hauling her family in a newer A6 Avant with the sport package...looked like the S6 Avant or RSR. Had a nice pearlescent white paintjob, and looked like the 19s off the new A8. |
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I see what you mean, shifty. Here is the auction link. Feedback has been left, and the car is gone. A low slung bubble top MB...hmmm...maybe a 190SL with a hardtop, but it makes me think more of a 300SL roadster with a hardtop or even a 300SL gullwing, a car which was just about perfect even with the doors not involved. Awesome sighting. Seeing a running TR8 has to be rare, too. I saw a couple SSRs the other day, red and black. People should drive them, they are so overpriced, their collectible potential is very limited. |
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