Yep, it's weird seeing your high school car become a collectible

Okay, maybe it's not yet a blue chip collectible, but I drove my parents' '78 Malibu sedan in high school. Just saw one advertised at a classic car dealer:

http://www.motorcarportfolio.com/product.php?id=6703

Does that mean I can now join the club?

Until I got my first car, 65 Dodge Dart (Puke green, actually painted with a roller, inline 6), I drove my Mom's LTD wagon (351 Cleveland, wood vinyl siding). I don't think I'll ever those cars listed as classics.

The Donahue Javelin, maybe.

mike

Three of the cars that I drove in high school were collectable even then: a '65 Mustang, a '67 Plymouth Belvedere II hardtop and a '64 Chevy C-10.

The rest were just E36 M3.

I see I'm not the only one who had an older car in high school. Drove a 30 year old Dodge Dart to high school myself. Not the most collectible car of its era, but it was old enough to be very different.

My first "real" car was an '82 Subaru 4WD wagon. Just TRY to find one now. I'd say it's collectible in a manner of speaking.

Ian F wrote: My first "real" car was an '82 Subaru 4WD wagon. Just TRY to find one now. I'd say it's collectible in a manner of speaking.

Man, that's true of most cars from the '80s. When was the last time you saw an '88 Cavalier moving under its own power?

Actually, I saw a late-'80s Z24 in fantastic condition at The Mitty this year. The guy has owned it since nearly new. It has 180k miles or so, and some parts are getting really hard to find. The car was kind of invisible most of the time he's owned it, but suddenly in the last year, he says, it's attracting eyes and people are offering to buy it from him.

I gotta say, the thing's digital dash was pretty bitchin'.

I didn't have a car in high school, but I did have a '69 Honda CB350. Wouldn't mind having another one now.

Hey, I've got a 71 CL 350 Scrambler.....but I'm not selling! My first car was a 66 Chevelle coupe that I bought when I was 16. It was a horrid, rusty POS, but it was mine and I loved it. It was actually kind of collectible back then, (1986) but worth much more now. Even though it was just a 283 / powerglide, it was my pride and joy.

I'm sure it has since returned to the earth. Illinois winters tend to do that to cars!

Ian F wrote: My first "real" car was an '82 Subaru 4WD wagon. Just TRY to find one now. I'd say it's collectible in a manner of speaking.

One of the E36 M3 cars that I referred to above was a '74 Subaru 1400 DL (Automatic!). I dare you to find one of those!

my first car (1977) was a 64 1800S... body built by Jensen.... not many of those around either.....

Alan Cesar wrote: Man, that's true of most cars from the '80s. When was the last time you saw an '88 Cavalier moving under its own power? Actually, I saw a late-'80s Z24 in fantastic condition at The Mitty this year. The guy has owned it since nearly new. It has 180k miles or so, and some parts are getting really hard to find. The car was kind of invisible most of the time he's owned it, but suddenly in the last year, he says, it's attracting eyes and people are offering to buy it from him. I gotta say, the thing's digital dash was pretty bitchin'.

That was one interesting trend I'd noticed at the Mitty too - lots of '80s cars coming out of the woodwork. We had two examples of very clean understored '86 Toyotas at the DIYAutoTune booth (one MR2 and one Corolla), Acadiana Sports Car Orphanage had restoration parts on display for '80s era 300ZXs, and there were all sorts of oddball - and well kept - synthpop era cars all over the infield. I think we've got our answer about whether any cars from that time will be considered classic.

Alan Cesar wrote: Man, that's true of most cars from the '80s. When was the last time you saw an '88 Cavalier moving under its own power?

Believe it or not, I actually see quite a few Cavaliers, Celebrities and other generic GM/Ford/Chrysler 80's cars running around here as daily drivers, despite living in the rust-belt.

80's Subaru's are really rare - I might see a handful a year, not counting the ones I see at Carlisle. Even 90's Scoobies aren't common, especially Loyal's.

There was a Brat running around the Daytona area. Out of all vintage Subies, I'd think the Brat was the most recognizable, and has the most "collector' appeal. It would need those bitchin seats in the bed though!

Agreed. A couple of years ago, I spotted a Brat in decent condition around central NJ a couple of times. It brought back memories (my first R/C car was a Tamiya Brat kit). One in good original condition could do well at an auction, since most people remember the novelty of them.

Since we are talking about cool cars at the Mitty. There was a vintage bus parked on the other side of the fence behind the vendors. That bus was ultra cool. I told my wife we needed something like that to camp in at the track. She just looked at me kind of funny. I would not chage a thing on the exterior. I wonder where you latch onto such a beast

Marty

OFracing wrote: Until I got my first car, 65 Dodge Dart (Puke green, actually painted with a roller, inline 6), I drove my Mom's LTD wagon (351 Cleveland, wood vinyl siding). I don't think I'll ever those cars listed as classics. The Donahue Javelin, maybe. mike

Hee! Beg to differ on this one. The Donahue Javelin is a Definate 6 figure car. As far as we know none of the '66-'67 season MOPAR TransAm cars survive, but they have been "tributed". The 1st generation A-Body MOPARs do have a fairly large (if geeky) and loyal following and there is a national club and drag race series for the slant six powered ones. First hand reports on outputs acheived for the slant six: 375 Hp at the crank on 110 octane, naturally asperated; and 650 Hp, turbocharged. Slants have pushed the lightweight early A-Body into the 9's in the quarter mile.

No they don't get the same love as a big block powered B or E-body, but thay ARE loved and ARE great cars.

Dave "Who just got back from racing a 225/Auto Slant Six powered '87 E30 BMW in the 24 Hours of Lemons Capital Offense at Summit Point"

Marty, My buddy has a 72ish VW Camper Bus he wants to sell. Let me know if your intersted.

Leo

Marty wrote: Since we are talking about cool cars at the Mitty. There was a vintage bus parked on the other side of the fence behind the vendors. That bus was ultra cool. I told my wife we needed something like that to camp in at the track. She just looked at me kind of funny. I would not chage a thing on the exterior. I wonder where you latch onto such a beast Marty

Ah, you must be speaking of MONGO! That is owned by aussiesmg. He's a regular on the GRM board. That bus is sort of a legendary figure!

More about Mongo on this thread, yeah it's mine and it's something to drive.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/well-i-finally-got-my-towing-sorted-out/39680/page1/

LOL...I thought Marty was talking about a Volkswagen...Never mind.

Leo

YES, YES YES! THATS IT! I saw you pull into the track (Mitty) and was awestruck. My dream vehicle would be to find a way to be able to pull my race Spitfire into the back of one. Like a toy hauler on steroids. Those Ohio plates on that beast? I would love a tour of that, you anywhere near Grafton OH? Northern Ohio.

Marty

In high school, I drove a 65 Mustang Fastback, so my car was already collectible, when I was in high school in the late seventies.

In high school I had an Austin A40 and then an MGA....which seized just after graduation.
As soon as I went off to college, I bought a TR3.
After that blew up, I bought a '58 VW...which I promptly rolled and destoyed.
Then a Corvair. Until the Powerglide died. Then a Bugeye.
Then a Mini. Then a P1800. The most expensive car above cost me $350.

Then, by junior year in college, I bought a two year-old, 1967 Sprite for $800 (mostly the basis for my current vintage racer). Ran great on the street for many years.

I can hardly think of any cars I had back then that aren't classics now.

You can see a lot of my old cars from back in the day (and friend's cars) HERE.

AAaaaaah! i have also seen that i am not the only one here. Imagine i used to drive a jeep to school! others thought it was weird for a girl to ride a jeep. But i loved it anyway. The jeep was a birthday present by my dad from bestop http://www.4wheelonline.com/jeep/Bestop.2447. It was a bit shameful but i had to love it.

I wasn't old enough to get a license when I graduated high school, so I'll have to go for university cars. My Sunbeam Imp is a pretty questionable classic, my Mk 2 Cortina probably more so, but the MGA and TR-3 were just old clunkers then but are sure classics today!