The "What Do you drive?" thread....

[Adam]

My only car now is the '03 Grand Marquis (I have 81K on it now), the windshield started cracking, but after I changed those ignition coils, it remains a good driver, even in the snow.

I've been kind of (not too seriously) looking around for something that would make a nice console-hauler: truck, van, station wagon... I'd like something older (I'd prefer late-50s - 60s - early-70s, but I'd go as late as mid-80s at the absolute newest), preferably with a V8, but I'd consider something with a I6 if I liked everything else about it. And I'm more of a GM guy, but I'd go for a nice Ford or Chrysler if I found one...

[mr_rye89]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

I've been wanting a 67-68 or a 71 up convertible too. The last year or too of the first gen FWD ones lack the cool hidden headlights, and the second gen FWD only looks good as a convertible. (The first gen never was offered as a convertible).

There's a first gen up north that aside from needing a repaint and a new vinyl top is good enough to Temp me to buy it... Winter is helping me stay disciplined though.

There's something special about the styling of the first FWD Eldorados that is timeless and classic....they could probably build that same car today (with tweaks to conform to current gubbamint standards) and it would look like a current car.... It'd probably be a super car with what they can get out of that if they fuel injected it.


I also like the first gen Toronados... just like the eldorado they made it ugly just before giving it a new body.

Yeah It's the most attainable car on my list, as I see them on my local CL in good shape and under $5000. Also theres some kind of strange perverted allure in having a 500 cu in engine driving the front wheels

Originally Posted by Adam

My only car now is the '03 Grand Marquis (I have 81K on it now), the windshield started cracking, but after I changed those ignition coils, it remains a good driver, even in the snow.

I've been kind of (not too seriously) looking around for something that would make a nice console-hauler: truck, van, station wagon... I'd like something older (I'd prefer late-50s - 60s - early-70s, but I'd go as late as mid-80s at the absolute newest), preferably with a V8, but I'd consider something with a I6 if I liked everything else about it. And I'm more of a GM guy, but I'd go for a nice Ford or Chrysler if I found one...

Maybe an early two tone painted GMT-400 pickup in 2WD with a tree-fitty and a high geared rear end

[Adam]

I've never had a convertible Eldo, but I did have this convertible '72 Buick Centurion with the 455.

I've always wanted a two tone pickup truck that was avocado green / white...

[DavGoodlin]

oops double post

[DavGoodlin]

I will probably never sell my 1969 Grand Prix with 92K mi, but I drive it so little and since 1986 I put only 15K on it. It will probably never hit 100K. What I like most is the driving position and its now-faint GM exclusive smell after it sits in the sun a bit. You cannot get that angry Rochester 4MV sound without a V8

The convertible Buick that Adam posted is also of that great Era, which IMAO ended with the rust-prone 1973 models. Even into the early 70s, GM made some great-feeling road machines, X-body Vega the rare exception. The 455 may not have been efficient, but because it was overkill, tended to last longer than smaller V8s

GM was first to redesign to ugly with few exceptions, Ford was the first to drop compression ratios on '71 models , heralding the "pooch era" and Mopar "experimented" with non-water-proof electrical wiring and fuel systems with dysfunctional, smog-addled carburetors

As for a "truck" vehicle by GM, Bell Telephone used to have an odd green and white two tone Chevy vans (not good in snow). I always like the Corvair van, 1961-64 called the Greenbrier. Could you deal with the air-cooled H6 engine in your extreme cold tho?

[Adam]

I've never even considered looking for a Corvair van before, but I googled it and like it. It'd make a great console TV hauler with the back seats out, and I like the look of it.

I've owned another big GM car from '72 as well: this Impala with the 400 small block. It came with an AM-only radio, but I put in a factory AM/FM stereo with the 8-track. I also added dual exhaust, and those fender skirts I pulled off of a '74 Caprice at the junkyard (I had planned to paint them the same color as the rest of the car, but never got around to it).

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Adam

I've never even considered looking for a Corvair van before, but I googled it and like it. It'd make a great console TV hauler with the back seats out, and I like the look of it.

I've owned another big GM car from '72 as well: this Impala with the 400 small block. It came with an AM-only radio, but I put in a factory AM/FM stereo with the 8-track. I also added dual exhaust, and those fender skirts I pulled off of a '74 Caprice at the junkyard (I had planned to paint them the same color as the rest of the car, but never got around to it).

It's probably a very rare find as not too many survived. Maybe there wasn't that many to begin with!

[Electronic M]

Funny that mention of the covair Greenbrier...My friend Chris has a corvair convertible. He found a first year Chromacolor console at the curb that he couldn't in the convertible a ways back. A couple weeks ago I told him he ought to get a Greenbrier for the swap meets.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Funny that mention of the covair Greenbrier...My friend Chris has a corvair convertible. He found a first year Chromacolor console at the curb that he couldn't in the convertible a ways back. A couple weeks ago I told him he ought to get a Greenbrier for the swap meets.

Hauling could've been easy! Drop the top and remove the legs and set it on it's side in the front passenger seat.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Adam

My only car now is the '03 Grand Marquis (I have 81K on it now), the windshield started cracking, but after I changed those ignition coils, it remains a good driver, even in the snow.

I've been kind of (not too seriously) looking around for something that would make a nice console-hauler: truck, van, station wagon... I'd like something older (I'd prefer late-50s - 60s - early-70s, but I'd go as late as mid-80s at the absolute newest), preferably with a V8, but I'd consider something with a I6 if I liked everything else about it. And I'm more of a GM guy, but I'd go for a nice Ford or Chrysler if I found one...

I sure wouldn't want a 70's model GM wagon with that stupid tailgate, plus the opening is too narrow. A real brilliant idea.
Ford might've been the wagonmaster, but the Mopars were better haulers. More useful space in the cargo area.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Hauling could've been easy! Drop the top and remove the legs and set it on it's side in the front passenger seat.

No legs it's a Mediterranean cabinet...goes straight to the floor...danm thing was probably wider than any dimension of the corvais passenger space.... Zenith should have been whipped for NOT including a stereo in that bulk of a cabinet. It also was heavy for a sawdust and veneer cabinet... I went and got it in my burban and it wasn't easy to load...had to get an end up on to the cargo deck then lift the other and push... neither was easy to do........it made me miss the crummy air suspension of the envoy ( I could let the air out and the deck would drop from near waist to mid calf making loading sutff like that MUCH easier.

[jr_tech]

Sounds like a job for a Corvair “Rampside”:

https://goo.gl/images/TQHDjs

jr

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I sure wouldn't want a 70's model GM wagon with that stupid tailgate, plus the opening is too narrow. A real brilliant idea.
Ford might've been the wagonmaster, but the Mopars were better haulers. More useful space in the cargo area.

Apparently GM tailgate width was sacrificed to reduce blind spots. I thought car designers were supposed to get rid of problems without creating worse ones.

Cargo area comparison photo below. That half-lowered tailgate on the GM was rather misleading.

As for the Mopar, I saw one that was nearly if not completely identical to the one in the photo in late December, same colour too.

[dishdude]

I drive a Challenger, it's the closest you'll get to a new 1970 vehicle. It's a huge 2 door with a giant hood and 392 cubic foot engine.

[OvenMaster]

Daily driver is a 2011 Ford Escape.
The relic now in near-mint shape after being totaled is my mom's 1991 Ford Crown Vic wagon.
It's like driving a sofa LOL
Net pic (same color and trim level)