Random Thoughts Thread

[balthazar]

Meh- Dodge has 12 color options, Silverado has 10. Dodge has 1 bright blue, but like 4 in the gray family.
It seems like a better palette but in looking directly, I think both could use serious improvement.

Lookit dis :

[A Horse With No Name]

16 hours ago, USA-1 said:

 

What do you want the steering wheel in the middle of the dash?! 

That moment when you realize your Chevy work truck and your McLaren F1 have been getting it on between the sheets....

 

39 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Meh- Dodge has 12 color options, Silverado has 10. Dodge has 1 bright blue, but like 4 in the gray family.
It seems like a better palette but in looking directly, I think both could use serious improvement.

Lookit dis :

...and they looked good in every single one of them. 

 

[balthazar]

I have a hard n fast ban against yellows & oranges personally, but I like that the choices are there.

[A Horse With No Name]

11 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I have a hard n fast ban against yellows & oranges personally, but I like that the choices are there.

Hella yella looks good on the new 2020/2021 Wrangler. 

Orange looked good on the 69 Camaro and SS 396 Chevelle, 69 Judge, etc. 

As much as I am going to wash my fingers with soap for even typing this, the Kia Soul looks fantastic in bright colors (Horse heads for soap for typing this...)

Depends on the vehicle. 

Some Street rods look good in yellow or Orange....the Coupe from American Graffiti for example. 

I can see why Yellow would be a poor choice on a HD Diesel truck. Or a B59. 

But Mayfair Maze was a fantastic color for 1960's Pontiacs. But 1960's Pontiacs and 1930's Fords are some of the most aestheically pleasing vehicles ever built...they would still look good covered in cow shit for that matter. 

 

And with a two tone white, GMC/Chevy trucks of the 67/72 Era looked good in orange. Or the period Yellow. I would rock one without complaint. 

[A Horse With No Name]

I like this pair, father and son...

 

Thjey ahve a lot fo fun, make a lot of sense...

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Hella yella looks good on the new 2020/2021 Wrangler. 

Orange looked good on the 69 Camaro and SS 396 Chevelle, 69 Judge, etc. 

As much as I am going to wash my fingers with soap for even typing this, the Kia Soul looks fantastic in bright colors (Horse heads for soap for typing this...)

Depends on the vehicle. 

Some Street rods look good in yellow or Orange....the Coupe from American Graffiti for example. 

I can see why Yellow would be a poor choice on a HD Diesel truck. Or a B59. 

But Mayfair Maze was a fantastic color for 1960's Pontiacs. But 1960's Pontiacs and 1930's Fords are some of the most aestheically pleasing vehicles ever built...they would still look good covered in cow shit for that matter. 

 

And with a two tone white, GMC/Chevy trucks of the 67/72 Era looked good in orange. Or the period Yellow. I would rock one without complaint. 

'65-67 Corvettes, esp. convertibles look great in that pale yellow they had back then.

Bright yellow was an iconic color for the '69-70 Boss 302 Mustang.   

Today, bright orange or bright yellow seem to be popular on the GT models of Porsches and more exotic fare like Lambos, but I prefer Porsches in the more subtle colors, like dark brown or dark green... 

The upcoming Bronco 2dr looks good in orange, at least in pictures..

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Mayfair Maze was a fantastic color for 1960's Pontiacs.

Always though it was the worst.
I generally agree with your other points (no B-59 / big truck yellow-family, '70s GM 2-tone trucks look good). I liked the circa 2018 retro-painted SIlverados, and I would not have thought I would based on a verbal description.

Edited September 19, 2020 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

My brother used to have a Chevy pickup that looked very much like this..he called it 'Big Bird'..

[balthazar]

Blorf. 
 

About 5 yrs back my local Ford dealer had a bright yellow F-150 STX; it sat on the lot about 6 mnths cause no one wanted it.

Edited September 19, 2020 by balthazar

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

I have a hard n fast ban against yellows & oranges personally, but I like that the choices are there.

Yellow - no (agreed)

Orange - in rare instances

Rust (metallic) - often very nice on the right car

[Robert Hall]

Here's a good example of colors...in orange, the C8 looks like a cartoonish Cheeto,  but looks quite nice in Zeus Bronze...(the bronze w/ the tan interior is exactly how I'd spec one). 

Edited September 19, 2020 by Robert Hall

[trinacriabob]

My order has arrived

 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Always though it was the worst.
I generally agree with your other points (no B-59 / big truck yellow-family, '70s GM 2-tone trucks look good). I liked the circa 2018 retro-painted SIlverados, and I would not have thought I would based on a verbal description.

Always liked odd colors on 60's Pontiacs. Iris mist 65 GTO would be the bomb. 

 

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

My order has arrived

 

I love it. 

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Here's a good example of colors...in orange, the C8 looks like a cartoonish Cheeto,  but looks quite nice in Zeus Bronze...(the bronze w/ the tan interior is exactly how I'd spec one). 

See I would buy it in the orange. Actually, in a wierd reversal of things....I would trade it in on a Raptor. Ford has a color called Blue Jeans which looks fantastic. 

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Yellow - no (agreed)

Orange - in rare instances

Rust (metallic) - often very nice on the right car

The Bowns of the 70's were fantastic. 

70's green looks good also IMHO. 

 

Although hard to go bad with basic black. 

Edited September 19, 2020 by A Horse With No Name

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Blorf. 
 

About 5 yrs back my local Ford dealer had a bright yellow F-150 STX; it sat on the lot about 6 mnths cause no one wanted it.

I can appreciate that. Ford has such nice blues, would love that in blue. 

People want grey, silver, black or white anymore for the most part anyways. 

Cactus Grey in the bronco has really grown on me. 

Snazzberry looks good on gladiator/Wrangler. 

Focus ST is another car that looks good in Orange. 

Best looking orange car ever, IMHO. 

[A Horse With No Name]

It's cousin is no slouch in yellow..

 

Obviously...even Toyotas have thier limits...

Speaking of yellow...

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by A Horse With No Name

[trinacriabob]

26 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Always liked odd colors on 60's Pontiacs. Iris mist 65 GTO would be the bomb. 

That Pontiac color is very cool.  They put out some weird similar colors on some big GM cars in the mid to late '50s.

As for the Monte Carlos on that platform, I only liked the last 2 years when they stacked the rectangular headlamps.  Ditto for the Malibu Classic.

That GM metallic lime is inimitable.  It was as '76 as the day is long.  That was the only year it was available and it was a hoot to see ... usually trimmed out with white vinyl interiors and lime colored dashboards, seat belts, and carpeting.  Once in a lifetime.

I'll pass on the black '73 MC.  That nice Floridian ranch home in the background got my attention instead.

@Robert Hall  Agreed ... they dialed it for the new Corvette with that Zeus Bronze color.  It looks great and so does the interior ... not a pale and wimpy beige color.  When they get a good metallic bronze/saddle/copper color, it really helps a car stand out.  I liked the '75 Canyon Copper (Olds's name)  they put on Cutlass Supremes back in the day, as well as on many other GM cars.

Edited September 19, 2020 by trinacriabob

[A Horse With No Name]

Patina with clearcoat...and an interesting electric motor video. 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

That Pontiac color is very cool.  They put out some weird similar colors in some big GM cars in the mid to late '50s.

As for the Monte Carlos on that platform, I only liked the last 2 years when they stacked the rectangular headlamps.  Ditto for the Malibu Classic.

That GM metallic lime is inimitable.  It was as '76 as the day is long.  That was the only year it was available and it was a hoot to see ... usually trimmed out with white vinyl interiors and lime colored dashboard, seat belts, and carpeting.  Once in a lifetime.

I'll pass on the black '73 MC.  That nice Floridian ranch home in the background got my attention instead.

@Robert Hall  Agreed ... they dialed it for the new Corvette with that Zeus Bronze color.  It looks great and so does the interior ... not a pale and wimpy beige color.  When they get a good metallic bronze/saddle/copper color, it really helps a car stand out.  I liked the '75 Canyon Copper (Olds's name)  they put on Cutlass Supremes back in the day, along with many other GM cars.

I really like the Cutty's better with the square headlights, actually. 

That 70's GM maroon...Cadillac called it Firethorn red...Fantastic. 

...and yeah...I miss 1970's cars. 

Cutty in green...

[Robert Hall]

28 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

I really like the Cutty's better with the square headlights, actually. 

That 70's GM maroon...Cadillac called it Firethorn red...Fantastic. 

...and yeah...I miss 1970's cars. 

Cutty in green...

I remember those '76-77 Supremes being very popular when I was a kid..they were everywhere.

I always liked the '76-77 442 w/ the slopey grille and fastback roofline..

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Yeah. that was a killer combo. 

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

That 70's GM maroon...Cadillac called it Firethorn red...Fantastic. 

...and yeah...I miss 1970's cars. 

Cutty in green...

This one here is a freakin' dream.  Probably even slightly better if in Salon trim.  (Not doable at all in Brougham trim.)

I think firethorn was a '77 color (more like a candy apple red).  They used the term mahogany for their burgundy in '76, with a super dark one that looked great, especially for Brougham seating.  For '75, it was cranberry.  Our neighbors bought a '75 coupe - silver with cranberry interior.  My parents bought a '76 like the one above, but certainly not in that color - swap out the lime for metallic blue.  That's why I remember all this - it was the years they were in the market and nicely done brochures were on people's living room coffee tables, where they belonged!

'75 - cranberry interior - Supreme - buckets, no air based on panel and round vent vanes

'75 - persimmon (metallic rust) exterior deserves honorable mention - Salon - tan inside, missing hood ornament; this one has a 455 V8!

76 - mahogany interior and exterior - Supreme -  a waste to have metallic mirrors on both sides when it has rally wheels

'

'77 - firethorn - Supreme - had to have had the 260 V8 to have a stick (5 speed) and bucket seats, very rare; after 4 years of round a/c vents on the passenger side, they went to rectangular ones (meh) for this last hurrah for the platform - this was the B-O-P and Chevy burgundy/red for this year across the board, maybe even Cadillac Motor Division

Edited September 19, 2020 by trinacriabob

[balthazar]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

That 70's GM maroon...Cadillac called it Firethorn red...Fantastic. 

Cadillac didn’t share paint palettes with the other divisions every time I’ve ever checked: 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s at least.

Here’s the darker red ‘77 Olds color (I think), and all other GM uses/names: 

[trinacriabob]

2 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Cadillac didn’t share paint palettes with the other divisions every time I’ve ever checked: 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s at least.

Okay.

But toward the late 50s, GM put a weird color on some of their bigger Olds and Pontiacs - a no cost option resembling the extra cost metallic paint that Velma had on her '78 Coupe de Ville that she beamed about - shown below on a Sedan de Ville of the same year.

GM used to go all out with changing trim frequently back then - either they sold many more cars, they didn't pencil it out, or both.

[balthazar]

^ In my experience, it's very rare that GM ever re-used colors over significant amounts of time.

I thought I had an example; a one-year only color, Pontiac (and Olds/ Buick/ Chevy) had 'Skyline Blue' in '64. I know I read a piece on a '72 Pontiac where it was special painted that code paint... but it doesn't show up on paintref.com's cross-reference site. Must've been a true one-off in '72.

- - - - -
In looking at '58 Pontiac colors, the one that looks closest to my eye to the Cad you pictured is 'Sunrise Coral', but it's a '58-59 color only. I think many people are under the impression that the automotive color palette is ultimately quite limited, when as a matter of fact it's enormous.

What is even closer to the Cad is Pontiac's '64 Sunfire Red, a lovely color... but it's a another one-year only, Buick/Pontiac-only color:

 The Caddy pictured appears to be 'Light Cedar Firemist', but it's only a '79 Cadillac color. The Firemist paints were unique metallics, only on Cadillacs.

Cadillac had 20 colors in '79, with 6 of those being extra-cost Firemist metallics.

Edited September 19, 2020 by balthazar

[balthazar]

? 1970 Cadillac 'Chateau Mauve Firemist' : 

[trinacriabob]

3 hours ago, balthazar said:

^ In my experience, it's very rare that GM ever re-used colors over significant amounts of time.

I thought I had an example; a one-year only color, Pontiac (and Olds/ Buick/ Chevy) had 'Skyline Blue' in '64. I know I read a piece on a '72 Pontiac where it was special painted that code paint... but it doesn't show up on paintref.com's cross-reference site. Must've been a true one-off in '72.

- - - - -
In looking at '58 Pontiac colors, the one that looks closest to my eye to the Cad you pictured is 'Sunrise Coral', but it's a '58-59 color only. I think many people are under the impression that the automotive color palette is ultimately quite limited, when as a matter of fact it's enormous.

What is even closer to the Cad is Pontiac's '64 Sunfire Red, a lovely color... but it's a another one-year only, Buick/Pontiac-only color:

 The Caddy pictured appears to be 'Light Cedar Firemist', but it's only a '79 Cadillac color. The Firemist paints were unique metallics, only on Cadillacs.

Cadillac had 20 colors in '79, with 6 of those being extra-cost Firemist metallics.

Right, her Coupe de Ville (this lady was a character) was an extra cost Firemist color.  With that color, a burgundy landau, and a burgundy leather interior, she had every reason to be proud of it.  It would have been nicer if it had alloys - and Cadillac had them - instead of the wire wheels, which I've never really liked.

Okay, you steered me in the right direction.  It was a 1959 color on some Pontiacs.  Every once in a blue moon, I'd see one that was hanging on and being pampered to be a classic.  There was no color like it.

Here are some examples of those Pontiacs, across various body styles:

convertible

coupe

sedan

station wagon (this had to be the original paint)

It would be neat to see one in this "coral" color, as you mentioned, in excellent condition.  What would not be neat is having to drive one around in wet conditions with drum brakes at all 4 wheels.

Edited September 20, 2020 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

8 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I remember those '76-77 Supremes being very popular when I was a kid..they were everywhere.

I always liked the '76-77 442 w/ the slopey grille and fastback roofline..

 

They made one of these with that same sloped back lite and an opera window.  I liked it a little more.

Even better, they made a few Buick Century coupes with the canted grille and also with a formal notchback rear lite and an opera window.  Those were rare, since most of them also had the triangular window like you've shown above.

I am now lamenting the loss of rear wheel drive being the norm.  All these boulevardiers on a ladder type chassis/frame rode so well.  It was a bullet proof platform and they were easier to service.

[ocnblu]

1965 Catalina 2+2!

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

1965 Catalina 2+2!

I love those!

[trinacriabob]

Here, you have corroboration of the legitimacy of schemata:

a Volvo wagon, a Cal (Berkeley) sticker, a pro-Hillary sticker, and, the car was spotted in the Bay Area before the last election, possibly inside the San Francisco city limits. 

[ocnblu]

[balthazar]

20 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

It would have been nicer if it had alloys - and Cadillac had them - instead of the wire wheels, which I've never really liked.

• The only Cadillac alloys in this period ('77-79) was on the FWD Eldorado ('79 and up). And you could get genuine wire wheels on the Seville Elegante. But the big cars either had hubcaps or wire wheel covers; didn't get alloys until it went FWD in '85.

• That Pontiac above looks like their version of what Buick dubbed 'Lido Lavender'.

Edited September 20, 2020 by balthazar

[trinacriabob]

Happy first day of autumn, C&G folks.  Possibly my favorite season, even though I like going to the beach, too.

Incredible Acadia National Park in Maine in autumn.  Once was not enough.

[ykX]

Ford actually listened to its customers, which I think is great.

Ford Bronco will get a manual with the Sasquatch package after all

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/09/21/ford-bronco-manual-sasquatch-package/

 

[Robert Hall]

One thing I realized about vintage GM paints is that I was confusing Firethorn with Firemist...  Firethorn was a specific late 70s color, while Firemist was a style of paint--metallics?   I've seen reds and aquas, etc from the 60s-70s referred to as Firemist.   Something like that? 

Edited September 21, 2020 by Robert Hall

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, ykX said:

Ford actually listened to its customers, which I think is great.

Ford Bronco will get a manual with the Sasquatch package after all

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/09/21/ford-bronco-manual-sasquatch-package/

 

This is probably my favorite new vehicle.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

One thing I realized about vintage GM paints is that I was confusing Firethorn with Firemist...  Firethorn was a specific late 70s color, while Firemist was a style of paint--metallics?   I've seen reds and aquas, etc from the 60s-70s referred to as Firemist.   Something like that? 

I think, Baltahzar can probably tell us. 

I had my 70 Chevelle in high school repainted from white to Firethron Red, a Cadillac color supposedly. the body shop guy who did the painting said it was the same color as on olds and Buick, Baltahzar set that one straight. 

[A Horse With No Name]

If you don't watch anything else...watch this...impressive. 

 

[G. David Felt]

Interesting first review of the 2021 Yukon Denali. I will say that I am tired of it being compared to smaller European luxury SUV/CUV's but then what else is there to compare it too. I do love the new interior on the Yukon Denali.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2021-gmc-yukon-preview/

[G. David Felt]

Newest photo's show the true size of the Ford Maverick Mini Pickup with a Ford Ranger right behind it. additional views of the truck with the Ranger on the site.

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/09/21/ford-maverick-spy-photos-suspension/

[balthazar]

7 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

One thing I realized about vintage GM paints is that I was confusing Firethorn with Firemist...  Firethorn was a specific late 70s color, while Firemist was a style of paint--metallics?   I've seen reds and aquas, etc from the 60s-70s referred to as Firemist.   Something like that? 

 

On 9/19/2020 at 6:43 PM, balthazar said:

The Firemist paints were unique metallics, only on Cadillacs.

 

 

 

[daves87rs]

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

If you don't watch anything else...watch this...impressive. 

 

Wish it was mine....

[Robert Hall]

Love those 70s Blazers.  Haven’t seen one in ages. 

[G. David Felt]

Do you like the BMW X5 but want a better motor with more displacement? How about a GM 6.2L V8, AWD, 420 HP & 460 lb-ft of torque matted to a GM 8sp transmission!

VinFast, Vietnam first auto company has decided to start with a SUV of quality. With the challanges and expense of clean sheeting an auto, VinFast choose to go to Magna Steyr of Austria which redesigned the BMW X5 SUV for BMW. As a new auto company, they signed Magna Steyr and had Pininfarina work with them to build a 21st century SUV with a reliable V8 motor. 

VinFast SUV is called the President and comes loaded at the set price of $164,000.

Full story here: https://jalopnik.com/you-can-get-a-brand-new-bmw-x5-with-a-6-2-liter-gm-v8-e-1845132236

https://vinfast.vn/

[G. David Felt]

VW Commercial who makes the Amarok pickup on a proprietary platform has confirmed along with Ford that the next VW Pickup truck will move to Ford's Global Ranger Platform and possibly come to America.

https://www.motor1.com/news/444921/ford-ranger-advantage-vw-amarok/

To QUOTE the story: Ford Australia’s president, Andrew Birkic, told Car Sales the next Ranger already has the edge over the new Volkswagen Amarok. As a refresher, VW’s pickup will switch from its proprietary platform to Ranger underpinnings with the next generation. In fact, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles admitted recently the Amarok would’ve been discontinued had it not been for the tie-up with Ford.

Australian media is reporting the Raptor variant is earmarked for North America this time around, complete with a revamped 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine while other markets will get the amped-up truck with 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesels.

VW is preparing its own potent version of the Amarok that would carry the “R” suffix.

 

[daves87rs]

21 minutes ago, David said:

Do you like the BMW X5 but want a better motor with more displacement? How about a GM 6.2L V8, AWD, 420 HP & 460 lb-ft of torque matted to a GM 8sp transmission!

VinFast, Vietnam first auto company has decided to start with a SUV of quality. With the challanges and expense of clean sheeting an auto, VinFast choose to go to Magna Steyr of Austria which redesigned the BMW X5 SUV for BMW. As a new auto company, they signed Magna Steyr and had Pininfarina work with them to build a 21st century SUV with a reliable V8 motor. 

VinFast SUV is called the President and comes loaded at the set price of $164,000.

Full story here: https://jalopnik.com/you-can-get-a-brand-new-bmw-x5-with-a-6-2-liter-gm-v8-e-1845132236

https://vinfast.vn/

Smokey and the Bandit themed SUV?

[G. David Felt]

8 minutes ago, daves87rs said:

Smokey and the Bandit themed SUV?

At least it is better looking than BMW version and a better more reasonable to repair engine.  

[G. David Felt]

Have to agree with AAA that the Active Driving assistance systems interfere with safe driving than help. Makes Drivers lazy.

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2020/08/aaa-finds-active-driving-assistance-systems-do-less-to-assist-drivers-and-more-to-interfere/

[G. David Felt]

Historical Trends are showing the fall in gas prices that will be good for everyone. Lowest level in the last 12 weeks according to the AAA report.

• The nation’s top 10 largest weekly decreases: Ohio (-10 cents), Kentucky (-7 cents), Indiana (-6 cents), Michigan (-5 cents), North Carolina (-5 cents), South Carolina (-5 cents), Wisconsin (-4 cents), Washington, D.C. (-4 cents), Tennessee (-4 cents) and Illinois (-4 cents).
• The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Mississippi ($1.86), Texas ($1.87), Arkansas ($1.90), Louisiana ($1.90), Missouri ($1.90), Oklahoma ($1.90), Alabama ($1.91), South Carolina ($1.93), Tennessee ($1.94) and Kentucky ($1.96).

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2020/09/gas-report-0914/

[ccap41]

It's annoying living in IL with local fuel prices(87 octane) at $2.24/gallon and I can cross the river to Missouri and the last I saw last week was $1.79/gallon. I ride the bus to work though so I never take advantage of the much lower fuel prices... they just taunt me. 

[balthazar]

[daves87rs]

19 hours ago, David said:

At least it is better looking than BMW version and a better more reasonable to repair engine.  

That is very true!