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Future Classics?

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JPSmit

JPSmit

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Not so sure but every once in awhile you seem to get a run of <ahem> "interesting" cars for sale.
AMC Rebel
1981 Mirada (actually always liked the looks of these but am not sure about their potential)
1981 Diplomat Wagon (when last did you see one of those?)
Pinto!!!
Mirth Mobile (The flames make this worth the price

Now don't misunderstand me, I would never criticize another's car - we have a guy at our cruise nights with a Diesel Chevette (arguably one of the rarest cars there) and he's happy so I'm happy. But, always interesting to see what is either considered classic or whether it has classic potential.
 
We had a '79 Diplomat wagon. Cream colored with faux wood, loaded with leather interior, etc. I LOVED that car; Janet never liked station wagons. The 318 engine was great - a real workhorse.

But I'm not sure of its worth these days.

However, the early Celicas were once all over the place. We had a '73 - our first new car. Would love to have one today, and think it would/will be a classic. Don't see them any more.

Another car I liked was our '86 VW Quantum. This was VW's version of the Audi 100. Great little 2.5 liter 5 cylinder. Another one I'd like to see again.
 
Pinto's you say? There's a local guy who loves them! I met him once, reckons he owns at least six of them... :thumbsup: Here are the ones I've seen...

2897751640_576d4c8569.jpg


A custom bodyshell he acquired then just finished up the rest of the work to get the whole car roadworthy...

5031844509_eac33323e6.jpg


A Pinto Pangra wagon, a real one not a fake one... If you even care...
grin.gif


6134900065_ebb3872c99.jpg


A rare Pinto sedan delivery, this one has no port hole on the side meaning it was used for commercial purposes... This photo was the day I actually met the guy and chatted for far too long... And he does own some other <span style="font-style: italic">real</span> classics as well, he offered me the grand tour of his place if I ever make it down to where he lives, just a little south of Calgary...
 
Had to look up Pangra Pinto - sometimes interesting is still ugly. Love the pinto-camino. Got a real Auzzie Ute vibe.

Had a friend who's mother had probably the most basic Pinto in existence - not a single option! Lot of good memories there, till we were rear ended and died. (oh wait a minute, false memory syndrome)
 
ten freaking grand for a spacer? GAWD! We couldn't GIVE them stupid things away.
Ever try to work on the head on one?
If you didn't install the head with the back two pushrods installed in the head and held together with a rubber band, you'd be pulling it apart again.
Their "electronic ignition" was far less reliable than anything Joe Lucas could have invented.
Two different sized doors....both so big and heavy you couldn't keep hinge bushings in them.
Wouldn't go, wouldn't stop.....
 
None of those cars will ever be worthy of anything but a land fill, much less classic status.

I had fun trying to picture the sort of person that would drive that Pacer, though! I assume someone with a sense of humour. Thanks for the laugh!
 
billspohn said:
I had fun trying to picture the sort of person that would drive that Pacer, though!
Click to expand...

Wayne & Garth of course
 
Yeah, but if you wiped a cam on a 2000 or 2300 Pinto, it was usually caused by 15,000 miles since the last oil change....often confirmed by looking at the sticker on the door or windscreen, further confirmed by inspecting the molasses in the crankcase.
Regular oil changes, those cams and followers lasted for ever.

Usually, when lack of maintenance caused the cam to go, pull the head, replace valve guide seals, cam and follower, new cam seal, put it back together again with a new timing belt, and THEN you could hear the lower end banging away, something you couldn't hear before due to the thrashing under the rocker cover!
 
How come there are no photo's of the
Aztec abortion?
 
JPSmit said:
billspohn said:
I had fun trying to picture the sort of person that would drive that Pacer, though!
Click to expand...

Wayne & Garth of course
Click to expand...

No way! Way!!

Party on Wayne! Party on Garth!
 
I think that a pristine Ford Crown Victoria (the ones that-
are every where right now,& used as police cars,etc.) will be viewed
as a "classic" down the road.
They quit making them,& at least I'll miss them when they're-
gone.

- Doug
 
TOC said:
Yeah, but if you wiped a cam on a 2000 or 2300 Pinto, it was usually caused by 15,000 miles since the last oil change....often confirmed by looking at the sticker on the door or windscreen, further confirmed by inspecting the molasses in the crankcase.
Regular oil changes, those cams and followers lasted for ever.

Usually, when lack of maintenance caused the cam to go, pull the head, replace valve guide seals, cam and follower, new cam seal, put it back together again with a new timing belt, and THEN you could hear the lower end banging away, something you couldn't hear before due to the thrashing under the rocker cover!
Click to expand...
Are you implying that I should maybe one day change the oil on my Land Rover. I guess last time was around 1980.
 
On overhead cam engines, it's generally considered good form to change oil more frequently than on pushrod engines.
 
Not much space for that on a 2.0 or a 2.3L, altho I am sure it can be done. The issue is the rocker pivots on a ball, fixed adjustment on the 2.0, ball-end hydraulic on the 2.3.
The wear comes at the contact of centre of rocker and cam. If I recall (and it's been a while) the 2.0 had an oiling tube to spray to the contact area (and 2.0L rarely went bad, if I recall), but 2.3 had pressurized cams with oil holes, and either one, if you let the oil get mungy, the squirters quit, and it was all over.
 
My vote for future classics that are very affordable now;

Mercedes 450SL and SLC, pre-1974; Really top quality road cars
with sporting overtones. I've got a couple and really like them.
Built like a tank but look great and run forever with few issues.

Corvettes, 1985 to 1987; Even pedestrian versions will accelerate like
a rocket and unlike pervious Vettes are well designed. Can be made to
handle quite well with minimal expense.

first generation Miata; the car the Brits should have built....many
Britmobile owners have one. Perhaps the best bang for your buck
in a real sports car.

Steve
 
I think the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice twins will be classics eventually.

Also, the somewhat rare Honda S2000.

And the Australian-built Pontiac GTO

To go back further, I think the Suzuki Swift GTI (and the similar Chevy Sprint Turbo) are already starting to become keen little classics.
 
AngliaGT said:
I think that a pristine Ford Crown Victoria ....

- Doug
Click to expand...
I understand that even now there are outfits that will rebuild one for you. They seem to have a loyal following already.
 
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