June 2020 Car Spotting Thread

[G. David Felt]

Wow, 6th of June and no one has spotted anything interesting to mention even when out for Groceries.

Today was a weird day as I found a very rusty Yugo, an old baby powder blue Chevrolet Luv Truck and a Yellow rusty Datsun mini pickup. Have not seen any of these auto's in years.

[Robert Hall]

Been out twice so far this month...post office last Wed and bank drive thru this morning.  Saw nothing interesting.   Nice weather this morning, though.  

[trinacriabob]

June 1st sighting ... in the evening ... boo:

The owner of a LIME Ram truck would have to be marginally more "interesting" than that of a black, white, red, blue, or silver one.  Or maybe not.  Just a thought.

Edited June 8, 2020 by trinacriabob

[Robert Hall]

Went out twice today...came up to a stoplight and a sweet dark blue '69/70 Grand Prix rumbied up behind me.  No vinyl top, red pin striping.  I've seen this car in traffic from a distance before, but never relatively close...

[trinacriabob]

Spotted June 3rd -

Here's a new(er) and small(er) Infiniti SUV sporting 2 liters of turbocharged power.  What's with this salmon color?  It reminds me of Nissan 280 ZXs and the GM intermediates and full sizes of the early '80s.  They say trends come full circle.

This was in the parking lot at Publix in Dania, FL

I don't like all the sheetmetal curves on this vehicle.

That funky orange structure (across Dania Beach Blvd.) is the Dania Casino.  It used to be a jai alai place years ago. 

You might still see blue hairs.  What you won't see are paper cups full of nickels.

[Robert Hall]

I think that is the Infiniti that shares a platform w/ the Mercedes GLA.  

[trinacriabob]

Also, on June 3rd, I spotted a few "mistakes:"

 

Symmetrical ones, at that!

[balthazar]

Saw a matte black lambo somethingorother about a mile from my house, tooling down US 1.

[trinacriabob]

Spotted June 4th - is it any wonder there is so much Mopar RWD in South Florida - no snow, sleet, ice, etc.

Two of the same car, looking sharp and being kept away from other cars in a corner of the parking lot at a gym

Nice angle - this car has some great lines

Not my rental, but here's a charcoal colored Charger in the return lane - the charcoal (metallic and enamel) benefit from shiny aluminum wheels instead of the darker industrial looking ones.  Wish I had this as my rental.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Nice angle - this car has some great lines

Not my rental, but here's a charcoal colored Charger in the return lane - the charcoal (metallic and enamel) benefit from shiny aluminum wheels instead of the darker industrial looking ones.  Wish I had this as my rental.

? Wonder how they are sanitizing the rental auto's with Covid-19 raging in Florida?

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

? Wonder how they are sanitizing the rental auto's with Covid-19 raging in Florida?

I think they are SUPPOSED to disinfect the high touch areas.  I was dropping off only.  I would again wipe down the steering wheel, dash controls, and door handles. Also, fabric seats would fare better than leather seats in this scenario.  I would also leave all the windows down partway to make sure the wind while on the road moves any stale air out of the car.  I'd figure that, in about a day, the car would be my personal airspace.   In a funkier neighborhood or if there was weather, I might not crack the windows as much ... or at all.

[balthazar]

On 6/9/2020 at 4:11 PM, trinacriabob said:

Also, on June 3rd, I spotted a few "mistakes:"

Symmetrical ones, at that!

I'm missing it.

- - - - -
Repair shop had (5) '66 full-size Pontiacs, including a convert & a wagon:
 

[balthazar]

circa '80 Corvette, no rear spoiler, white, clean, cruisin.
'67-68 Mustang convert, bit tough but had plates/parked on street.

[oldshurst442]

I saw 3 Corvettes today.  

A kid that works for me, his dad owns a C6 Vette convertible.  Yellow.  His dad picked him up after his shift.  Had a Z something or other fender logo.  Looked like a Z06 logo but the Vette itself did not look like a Z06...   Have to ask him about it tomorrow. 

I saw a C7 modified Vette. All black. Fender flares. Front grille was modified. Had a toothy grille.  I didnt see what C7 it was as he was driving a little on the swiftly side.  

Looked kinda like this diecast  model. Especially the grill.  

 

And then, I saw an awesome, 1972, red exterior, red interior, T-Top Stingray.  Great condition. Awesome sound coming from the 350 under the hood.  I asked him about it at the red lights we both were stopped at.  

 

[balthazar]

ferrari at used car lot in tiny town. Single tails; may have been a 488- I don't follow the dizzying array of models/styles/names.

[trinacriabob]

18 hours ago, balthazar said:

I'm missing it.

It's my dated reference of a few years ago, through rental reviews of the Malibu and general comments, of how the kink with the fattened moulding looks like a drafting or fabrication mistake. 

Which I find too bad since, looking at the vehicle from the rear or in rear 3/4 view, it has a nice tail lamp assembly and fascia.  The first time I rented one, an older gentleman also filling up at the same gas station told me he liked my 'Bu.

[Robert Hall]

I've had one of the current Malibus as a rental, back in '16.  It was ok.   Thought the styling was a bit busy, esp. the front and side contouring...I find the previous generation to be better looking, IMO.

[trinacriabob]

7 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I've had one of the current Malibus as a rental, back in '16.  It was ok.   Thought the styling was a bit busy, esp. the front and side contouring...I find the previous generation to be better looking, IMO.

I'm in total agreement with this.  I have also had the last-gen with the Camaro-esque rear tail lamps and raised trunk lid as a rental.  Except that it's a little chunky in places, I also liked it better - the safer and taller styling, the 2.5 L 4, etc.  

Probably better to merge the better aspects of the last gen and the current gen, like the current seating position and the cowl that sweeps down from the windshield toward the driver.  The gas mileage on the current one is quite a bit better, though.

The same would have been applicable to the Grand Prix, for example.  Some aspects of 1997-2003 were better while other aspects from 2004-2007 were better, though the last-gen Grand Prix was edgier and more memorable as an overall package.

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

 

The same would have been applicable to the Grand Prix, for example.  Some aspects of 1997-2003 were better while other aspects from 2004-2007 were better, though the last-gen Grand Prix was edgier and more memorable as an overall package.

With the GP, I really liked the roofline of the '97-03 and front and rear...the replacement was too slab sided, iMO...

[riviera74]

On 6/9/2020 at 9:54 AM, Robert Hall said:

I think that is the Infiniti that shares a platform w/ the Mercedes GLA.  

If it is, I think that is an Infiniti QX30.  Poor seller.  The GLA outsold this by at least 3 to 1.

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

If it is, I think that is an Infiniti QX30.  Poor seller.  The GLA outsold this by at least 3 to 1.

Yes, that's it..it's out of production since last year..was only around for 3 model years.   I think I've seen one at an auto show, but don't recall seeing one out in the wild...was built in the UK.

Edited June 12, 2020 by Robert Hall

[riviera74]

1 minute ago, Robert Hall said:

Yes, that's it..it's out of production since last year..was only around for 3 model years.   I think I've seen one at an auto show, but don't recall seeing one out in the wild...

I did see a QX30 in a local parking lot almost two years ago (October 2018).  It was white.  I actively wondered who would buy that car.

[Robert Hall]

Beautiful perfect June weather today...went to Ace Hardware to pick up a few bags of mulch for yard fun, and saw a sharp blue w/ white stripes 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 rumbling down the street..great exhaust note.

[Robert Hall]

Went to the BMV to renew my DL this morning, not too painful.   Saw a sharp dark blue w/ red stripe and red interior C7 Corvette Grand Sport convertible in the parking lot.

[trinacriabob]

Saw these 2000s GM sleds parked outside an IHOP

Another less than optimally kept Monte Carlo SS with the rare 5.3 V8.  Would much rather have seen an LT with the larger V6 in spotless condition.

Last-gen Aurora with what looks to be the extra cost pearl white paint.  I wonder how V6 to V8 sales stacked up for the last-gen Aurora.  The inconspicuous badge near the (temporary) license plate on this one said 3.5, so it was a V6 and not a V8. 

[riviera74]

While I like my current Lucerne, I probably would take a 1st generation Aurora instead.  Maybe.  In fact, I saw a white late-90s Aurora in the last few days while I went shopping for groceries.  Sorry, no pics.

[G. David Felt]

Had a nerve test this morning for carpal tunnel and yup, need surgery. On the way there and back, it was an interesting normal mix of cars with lots of CUVs. What was so interesting was the Minivan segment. Those in Dodge, Chrysler, Ford or GM minivans, new or old drove with the speed limit or faster. Yet those in Asian brands of Minivans drove a good 5 to 10 under the speed limit and in the left hand lane holding up everyone else. The observation by my wife, they are all Asian and look scared to be driving, they give me a bad name. 

Yes my wife is Korean. Some might say this sounds racist, when in fact it is an interesting observation of a very conservative group of people that get licenses and yet do not seem to understand the law of staying right except when passing. I have yet to understand people that get on the freeway, move all the way over to the left lane and put put along below the posted speed limit in the passing lane.

Driving is a privilege earned, not a right and yet we have so many terrible drivers out on the road clogging things up and right now the worst are the Asian mini van drivers.

Just an observation. I did see a 70's era GMC pickup that was in pretty nice shape.

[riviera74]

Bad driving is just that.  SO is scared driving.  They need to move right if they wish to drive so slowly, especially on the interstates.

[Robert Hall]

I used to work with a Chinese lady that was absolutely terrifying to ride with.  Went to lunch w her and a few coworkers, and we thought about calling a taxi to get back to the office...never rode with her again.  She didn’t pay attention to stop signs, sped, tailgated,  changed lanes constantly.  Under five feet tall, driving a 6500lb SUV around Chandler, Az.  

[balthazar]

Just wait til they’re all in 3-second to 60 EVs.

[trinacriabob]

4 hours ago, dfelt said:

Had a nerve test this morning for carpal tunnel and yup, need surgery. On the way there and back, it was an interesting normal mix of cars with lots of CUVs. What was so interesting was the Minivan segment. Those in Dodge, Chrysler, Ford or GM minivans, new or old drove with the speed limit or faster. Yet those in Asian brands of Minivans drove a good 5 to 10 under the speed limit and in the left hand lane holding up everyone else. The observation by my wife, they are all Asian and look scared to be driving, they give me a bad name. 

Yes my wife is Korean. Some might say this sounds racist, when in fact it is an interesting observation of a very conservative group of people that get licenses and yet do not seem to understand the law of staying right except when passing. I have yet to understand people that get on the freeway, move all the way over to the left lane and put put along below the posted speed limit in the passing lane.

Driving is a privilege earned, not a right and yet we have so many terrible drivers out on the road clogging things up and right now the worst are the Asian mini van drivers.

Just an observation. I did see a 70's era GMC pickup that was in pretty nice shape.

I have no problem with these observations whatsoever.  If enough people see them, they are reality.  When you drive in Italy (I'm talking mostly about Sicily), the autostradas have 2 lanes, with the more developed areas  in Italy having 3 or 4, which ameliorates the bad traffic situation.  When it's two lanes, the right lane is for trucks ... and tortoises ... while the left lane is for those who want to go the national limit of 120 kmh, which is about 73 mph.  If you are going to drive in it, then you have to go with the flow.  What I don't like is when the well heeled but still classless local is on your ass, with 1 car distance, at 140 kmh, which is about 86 mph, flicking their brights.  Their car might be a large Mercedes or BMW that the typical local cannot afford.  Over there, you are supposed to move over for these turds.  Over here, you don't have to if you are at the speed limit or slightly above it, you don't have to.  They do.  I tend to look in my rear view mirror a lot and, based on who's coming up behind you, in Europe or in the U.S. (if it's a Ram or F150 truck, for example), you know how it's going to play out.  So, I don't like sugarcoating.  This is reality.

One fine Sunday morning, listening to Maria Lopez spinning tunes on one of S.F.'s jazz stations, I encounter a city bound Bay Bridge coming in from the East Bay with surprisingly very little traffic and people are doing 60 to 65 mph on its 5 lanes.  I clock myself going 62.  In the middle lane is a tiny Toyota Corolla and I couldn't see who was driving it.  I clocked it going 47! As I pulled around it, I had a feeling about what the demographics of the driver might be.  It was a diminutive Asian girl who was grabbing that steering wheel like it was going to fall off and who could barely see over the dashboard.  My thought:  "Please take BART!  Please don't drive ... or get with the program."  So, once again, we know how a lot of these road manners situations are going to play out and they usually do play out the way we think they will.  It's called "live and learn."

Edited June 16, 2020 by trinacriabob

[Robert Hall]

14 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

I have no problem with these observations whatsoever.  If enough people see them, they are reality.  When you drive in Italy (I'm talking mostly about Sicily), the autostradas have 2 lanes, with the more developed areas  in Italy having 3 or 4, which ameliorates the bad traffic situation.  When it's two lanes, the right lane is for trucks ... and tortoises ... while the left lane is for those who want to go the national limit of 120 kmh, which is about 73 mph.  If you are going to drive in it, then you have to go with the flow.  What I don't like is when the well heeled but still classless local is on your ass, with 1 car distance, at 140 kmh, which is about 86 mph, flicking their brights.  Their car might be a large Mercedes or BMW that the typical local cannot afford.  Over there, you are supposed to move over for these turds.  Over here, you don't have to if you are at the speed limit or slightly above it, you don't have to.  They do.  I tend to look in my rear view mirror a lot and, based on who's coming up behind you, in Europe or in the U.S. (if it's a Ram or F150 truck, for example), you know how it's going to play out.  So, I don't like sugarcoating.  This is reality.

 

Driving on the Autostrada was quite an experience...drove from Salerno back to Rome after driving around the Amalfi Coast in the early evening on my vacation there in '03 in a rental Mercedes A-class (the first gen mouse-shaped subcompact).   I stayed in the middle lane...the right lane was semis and ancient Fiats poking along, the left lane was big Mercedes and BMWs blasting past flashing their lights...stopped at an Autogrill and had some pasta from Spizucco.  The rest areas were great.

 

[balthazar]

Hen’s tooth @ the dealer : Silverado Crew Cab / Standard Bed. If it had the 3.0L TD I’d still be humping it. 

EDIT :: As of Jun 22- this truck was marked 'sold'. Sticker was $53K.

Edited June 23, 2020 by balthazar

[frogger]

Was driving behind a Taycan for a bit yesterday evening, a 911 Turbo S drove past going the opposite direction, turned around and caught up to us for a closer look.

 

[trinacriabob]

Went in to get some coffee last night.  Walked out a little later.  WTH!  Saw this:

Mostly stock, I guess.  Not sure about the steering wheel and the gear shift handle.  Didn't want to poke my head inside the window too much, but it had manual windows and no A/C.  Think of unleashing 396 cubes of a pre-1970 EPA regulated emissions controls engine.  That's a lot of horsepower.  Kudos to its owner for his (her) immaculate upkeep of this 52 year old (1968) Camaro.

Edited June 18, 2020 by trinacriabob

[balthazar]

It's not been 'upkept' as much as it's been restored.
Wheel & shifter definitely aren't factory, but they blend in perfectly well.
Also looks like 18s on all 4 corners.
Bet it has way more than 350 or 375 HP gross now.

[trinacriabob]

21 hours ago, balthazar said:

It's not been 'upkept' as much as it's been restored.
Wheel & shifter definitely aren't factory, but they blend in perfectly well.
Also looks like 18s on all 4 corners.
Bet it has way more than 350 or 375 HP gross now.

Thanks.  Right.  Now I see those differences.  Also, I don't like shifter knobs that look like the round Union 76 gizmos that people put on their antennas ... when they had antennas.

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Thanks.  Right.  Now I see those differences.  Also, I don't like shifter knobs that look like the round Union 76 gizmos that people put on their antennas ... when they had antennas.

Non-SS aftermarket hood (similar to a '69 Z/28 hood) also and the 396 badging  (SS 396s had different badging).

Nice resto mod.  My brother used to have a '68 Camaro SS 396 w/ 4spd  in Le Mans blue w/ the white version 2 stripe (nose stripe like this, but extending down the sides into the door rather than ending at the bumper.  He had the stock SS hood, stock engine, stock Rally wheels (but w/ a set of American Racing CP-200 'Daisy' mags w/ the pebble-coated gray spokes he ran sometimes..)   He had it for 25 years...really nice car, loud, very fast...I drove it a few times..those '60s muscle cars have a raw feeling of power and acceleration, very different from the smooth fast cars of today.

This pic I found on the internet is a car very, very similar to the one my brother had..same color and stripe.  It's here in Ohio also, theoretically could be the same car.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

Went to the junkyard this morning. Small yard, they used to keep a small section of really old (60s) stuff off to the side, but I was disheartened to see it all gone and a crusher in the rear of the yard. Oh well, almost nothing left of the oldies there anyway. Had a '60 Olds coupe, was going to scour it for some hardware for my B-59.

This was the oldest thing I saw there; '76 Laguna by the writing on the C-Pillar :

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

My brother used to have a '68 Camaro SS 396 w/ 4spd  in Le Mans blue

I'm going to guess that the 396 was a big small block and not a big block, just like the Olds 403 was a big small block.

49 minutes ago, balthazar said:

This was the oldest thing I saw there; '76 Laguna by the writing on the C-Pillar

Probably so.  Those were cool in their own weird way.  Just like the first Grand Ams were cool in their own weird way and had to be white.  They seemed to occupy the same derivative niche from the model they were based on.

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

I'm going to guess that the 396 was a big small block and not a big block, just like the Olds 403 was a 

No, the 396 was a big block, Mark IV engine family like the 402, 427 and 454.  Chevy did have a 400 small block in the 70s. 

As far as the 403, I didn't think Olds had a small block/big block distinction and that like Pontiac they had one basic engine family for years.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

Nope: Olds also did the big/small block thing. In the ‘60s the 330 and 425 were totally different. 

[oldshurst442]

4 hours ago, balthazar said:

Went to the junkyard this morning. Small yard, they used to keep a small section of really old (60s) stuff off to the side, but I was disheartened to see it all gone and a crusher in the rear of the yard. Oh well, almost nothing left of the oldies there anyway. Had a '60 Olds coupe, was going to scour it for some hardware for my B-59.

This was the oldest thing I saw there; '76 Laguna by the writing on the C-Pillar :

I see a 4rth gen black Firebird or Trans Am  there 4 cars in.  If I lived in a more warm than cold months USA, ID pick that up and do a project with.  If the car is not too far gone, that is.  Same with that Fiero 2 cars in.    The 3rd gen Camaro 3 cars in also intrigues me.  

[trinacriabob]

15 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

As far as the 403, I didn't think Olds had a small block/big block distinction and that like Pontiac they had one basic engine family for years.

It was dumbed down, but there will still some left that were created or used in the '70s.  The 455 was definitely a big block.  Lifting up the hood on a "cathedrale roulante" and seeing that Rocket 455 stare back at you definitely said "big block."

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

Nope: Olds also did the big/small block thing. In the ‘60s the 330 and 425 were totally different. 

Yes.  But small blocks proliferated at the end.  From the reliable Olds 350 came the also reliable 260, 307, and 403.  The only negative I remember is that, by doing this, the cooling jackets in the 403 became narrower than optimal as the cylinder diameter was bored out.

I guess the 330 was the predecessor to the Olds 350.  I wonder if it was as good of an engine ...

[Robert Hall]

11 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

It was dumbed down, but there will still some left that were created or used in the '70s.  The 455 was definitely a big block.  Lifting up the hood on a "cathedrale roulante" and seeing that Rocket 455 stare back at you definitely said "big block."

Yes.  But small blocks proliferated at the end.  From the reliable Olds 350 came the also reliable 260, 307, and 403.  The only negative I remember is that, by doing this, the cooling jackets in the 403 became narrower than optimal as the cylinder diameter was bored out.

I guess the 330 was the predecessor to the Olds 350.  I wonder if it was as good of an engine ...

Yes, the 330 was the first of the 2nd gen Olds V8s...sounds like there weren't many meaningful differences from the small block and big blocks other than some dimensions and heavier duty materials in the big blocks (and not as visually differentiated as Chevy small blocks were from big blocks). 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_V8_engine

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by Robert Hall

[trinacriabob]

Great link.  Our family had both Olds V8s - the 350 and the 260 - at some point.  Weird that the latter initially propelled 4,000 pound Cutlasses!  (Weird that Cutlass and LeMans used it, but not Regal/Century).   I'll never forget how smooth they were and their great rhythmic sound.  Their very last V8 (307) was also of heirloom quality, given that Cadillac used it to power their RWD cars, just like Cadillac previously chose Olds to modify their 350 to incorporate fuel injection to power their first Seville, another success story.

[Robert Hall]

18 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Great link.  Our family had both Olds V8s - the 350 and the 260 - at some point.  Weird that the latter initially propelled 4,000 pound Cutlasses!  (Weird that Cutlass and LeMans used it, but not Regal/Century).   

The 260 was available in the Cutlass w/ a 5spd manual...was one of the first American cars w/ a 5spd, I think...started in 1976 I think...

[trinacriabob]

16 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

The 260 was available in the Cutlass w/ a 5spd manual...was one of the first American cars w/ a 5spd, I think...started in 1976 I think...

It was.  And it was odd.  Obviously, it required bucket seats.  I think they did that for 2+ years and I heard it wasn't an ideal combination.  Given that they still used the THM 350 trans at first before the maligned THM 200 replaced it, it was better to go automatic.

Found this - '76, basic Supreme, buckets, 5 sp. manual, crank windows, and no A/C

I'm sure they are rare and people are hanging onto them.  If you look at how much some of these mid '70s Cutlass Supremes cost today, if in great condition, the price is in nosebleed territory.

Edited June 20, 2020 by trinacriabob

[balthazar]

3 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Yes, the 330 was the first of the 2nd gen Olds V8s...sounds like there weren't many meaningful differences from the small block and big blocks other than some dimensions and heavier duty materials in the big blocks (and not as visually differentiated as Chevy small block

Bigger bore, longer stroke, bigger crank, taller deck are the main in-concert ingredients forcing a big block.

Pontiac had slightly bore differences, and 2 main journal sizes but the same deck heights, all in one block ‘size’. 

[Robert Hall]

19 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

It was.  And it was odd.  Obviously, it required bucket seats.  I think they did that for 2+ years and I heard it wasn't an ideal combination.  Given that they still used the THM 350 trans at first before the maligned THM 200 replaced it, it was better to go automatic.

Found this - '76, basic Supreme, buckets, 5 sp. manual, crank windows, and no A/C

I'm sure they are rare and people are hanging onto them.  If you look at how much some of these mid '70s Cutlass Supremes cost today, if in great condition, the price is in nosebleed territory.

Always thought these looked weird since they didn't have a console and had a really cheap looking boot.    Found a pic of a '76 and also found a pic of the downsized '78s w/ the 5spd.

Edited June 20, 2020 by Robert Hall