March Spring Car Spottering

[Robert Hall]

Saw this rusty ‘63 Imperial in a parking lot this afternoon.  

[G. David Felt]

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Saw this rusty ‘63 Imperial in a parking lot this afternoon.  

Ya sure that is a parking lot? Never seen so much broken up asphalt before.

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, David said:

Ya sure that is a parking lot? Never seen so much broken up asphalt before.

Lots of old parking lots like that here in the land of snow, ice and salt.. 

[G. David Felt]

I know have to say that the EQ series is truly ugly in person. No style or personality.

[trinacriabob]

March 18

Southern California's desert areas

Saw this 1978 Cutlass Supreme for sale along CA-62, the highway toward Joshua Tree National Park.  I don't believe it was a Brougham.  All of the upholstery was sort of covered over with an upholstery that wasn't factory.  The paint looked a little faded.  It had a license plate from Plaza Motors - the Cadillac/Olds dealer in Palm Springs back when it was a "kinder, gentler" place, meaning reasonably priced ranch homes in the flats.  It probably had a 260 V8.  I wasn't interested enough to call, and not for $10,500.  

Was driving down a street in Palm Springs with some dated mid-century modern (or knock off) housing and saw this, a circa 2000 Grand Prix GTP coupe, in bright red.  It had USC Trojans license plate frames!

You're always bound to see interesting cars in and around Palm Springs and its neighboring towns.

[trinacriabob]

Just saw a Chrysler Concorde from the mid-'90s, so a 30 year old car.  It was in perfect condition and had a "Happy Days" type lady driving it.  It was forest green metallic with a gray interior.   This car's treatment of the greenhouse is very generous compared to today's passenger cars.

Apparently, they had a more rounded model that kept the same name and followed this body style.   I think the rounded one is more attractive and the grille references the forthcoming Chrysler 300 a little bit.

I have no clue what the engine in these cars was.  I have never known if these cars - including the Eagle Vision and possibly a Dodge version - were any good, so I bought the Regal coupe that time around ... and am so glad I did.

[trinacriabob]

Seen in San Diego, baby ... an overcast and cool San Diego ... thumbs down to that.

I'm seeing red ...

This Dodge Charger is at a traffic circle near the linear Prado that crosses a good part of Balboa Park

- - - - -

I'm seeing double ...

It's the same Charger across San Diego Bay in Coronado, later in the day.

- - - - -

Based on the way it's outfitted, it looks like it may be a rental and one of the last of this genre that will be in a rental fleet.  I would have gladly traded with him and given him my rented Accord.

 

[trinacriabob]

MORE Dodge Chargers ...

March 15 

Spotted in CA's Inland Empire (that's a nicer way of saying "the 909")

Here's a Dodge Charger in these new enamel grays I like, except for the real dark one.

- - - - -

March 18

I was driving down the highway toward the house I was staying in and I just assumed these would be used Chargers.  Wrong.  They were brand new.

 

So, it's a white one and a charcoal metallic one sitting under the desert sun.

The one above appears to be a V6 - MSRP $43,600

The one above appears to be an V8 - MSRP $54,265

I wonder if they'd part with these at MSRP and/or just how much more above that they'd want.  Maybe the latter is why they haven't flown off the lot and sold "like hot cakes."

[trinacriabob]

Seen March 20 slightly north of Balboa Park in San Diego

We saw the progression of Datsun/Nissan from 240 (to 260) to 280 to 300 Z(X).

If this thing was sporting a red cloth interior, this must have been relatively "old."  Let's not forget the chunkier looking 2+2 they did with this model for a couple of years.  It's not like the extra seats were all that usable.

- - - - -

I can't omit some Subaru spotting - also on March 20 in the San Diego area.

This one belonged to one of the big museums in Balboa Park

This one was plated somewhere far away (no front license plate) but certainly competed for attention with the runway behind it in the distance at San Diego International Airport.

Edited March 31, 2023 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

Axel (Akmed) Foley alert ...

I've put up this car before and it's still there ... more or less in the exact same place!  Seen on March 21.

And here it is with a gentleman walking his Australian Shepherd on the sidewalk about a minute later!

[trinacriabob]

Last spot of the month - today, March 31

It has actually been sitting there for a while.  It could be the color.  As I was photographing it, a kid walking by on the sidewalk commented to me that it was ugly.

Angled

Front

Rear

It's an AWD "Pentastar" V6 GT model - 3 mpg highway mileage penalty for all 4 wheels being hooked up to the drivetrain.

MSRP - $45,410 

[trinacriabob]

I found this one I had taken as I was archiving.

In the SoCal desert, there are some unusual structures that people have as Airbnb.  Or people might live in them.  I saw this place several times over the course of a few days.

I was not seeing double.  I still found this "vista," particularly with the matched vehicles, sort of laughable.

Edited April 16, 2023 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

Again, I need to slot in one into its proper month.  I couldn't resist this one.

It looked like an old Ford Falcon in fantastic condition, but its badging says it's a Futura.  I think it's sort of a LaCrosse/Allure thing.  It would be interesting to know who its owner is and if that person is a character.

[Robert Hall]

19 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Again, I need to slot in one into its proper month.  I couldn't resist this one.

It looked like an old Ford Falcon in fantastic condition, but its badging says it's a Futura.  I think it's sort of a LaCrosse/Allure thing.  It would be interesting to know who its owner is and if that person is a character.

Futura was the 'fancy' trim level on the Falcon.  Just like Sprint was the 'sporty' trim level.