buzzboy said:In reply to chandler :
I'm having a Benz overload and I'm in love. Thank you.
I really wish they were still unloved, I can't afford the stuff I like anymore...or won't afford it anyway
buzzboy said:In reply to chandler :
I'm having a Benz overload and I'm in love. Thank you.
I really wish they were still unloved, I can't afford the stuff I like anymore...or won't afford it anyway
Still have a 1969 Rover 2000TC. (TC=Twin Carb) I think they sold a couple thousand in the US (including the single carb variant) over a roughly 5 year span.
I guess my '92 Sentra SE-R was unicorn-ish in that it just had a single option: a/c. I didn't even have a radio--just a blank-off plate.
According to Google the 1974 Pontiac GTO hatchback automatic I drove in the 70s was one of 1046 produced. Compared to other cars I owned back then, it was show and not go.
Ive had a few Galant VR4s, they are pretty nifty.
I guess I love the oddballs. Currently in the garage is my 1 of 100-ish yellow/tan interior Dodge Viper and a 1 of 3000-ish Toyota Land Cruiser, had a Peugeot 505 STi Turbo Diesel as my first car, so on so forth.
The only one I miss was the truck I was selling on the forums a few years ago. 2002 F250, CC/SB, Lariat with every single option, 7.3 Diesel, with manual trans, transfer case, and manual hubs. Took it to the dealer once to get some parts and they couldnt get over it, never seen one, never heard of one, must have been special ordered by someone who knew something.
racerdave600 said:Does a Suzuki Swift GTi count? Bought one new in '89, they were rare even then.
Only if it was an automatic. One year only option in 89 and they didn't sell a lot of them.
Around here, in the 90's and the early 2000's, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a Swift GT
I think my 911S targa production number is 2100 or so, but I'm not sure if that differentiates between world production and US production.
I'd say it's also rare because it has been the car I've owned the longest at almost 20 years. Lol
2003 Focus SVT, with the Euro Appearance Package, in Competition Orange paint. These and the Screaming Yellow ones were limited production, mine was 1 of 301 probably even less once you compare 3 door vs 5 door. Ended up with it after I wanted a newer more reliable car to head to college in. It was nicer, but I always wanted it to be more exciting like an Integra GS-R which I owned a few years later. First gear was a bit steep so it was a dog off the line and the ECM needed an aftermarket tune, but it was a good auto crosser and back roads bomber once moving. Mine was totaled after some relatively minor damage by a Tahoe that rear ended me on the highway and someone bought it to rebuild for cheap. Fun cars, nearly worthless now if you can even find one.
@ Honda S600's (roadsters, 1 was an HP race car), 1 Honda S800 coupe, 1968 Pontiac LeMans Sprint 6. 1965 Turner MK3 1500 FP racecar
One of Don49's Hondas at Bridgehampton in 1977.
Mr. Peabody said:racerdave600 said:Does a Suzuki Swift GTi count? Bought one new in '89, they were rare even then.
Only if it was an automatic. One year only option in 89 and they didn't sell a lot of them.
Around here, in the 90's and the early 2000's, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a Swift GT
I thought that the Swift GTi was a lot less common than the Swift GT, because Suzuki had to drop the "i" because of the VW lawsuit:
From Wikipedia: "At the same time, the GTi name was changed to GT because of an out-of-court settlement with Volkswagen of America over their similarly named GTI."
These are the unicorns I have owned over the years.
1954 Austin-Healey 100
1962 Triumph TR3B street car
1962 Triumph TR3B race car
1967 Triumph TR4A (X2)
1970 Triumph GT6+
1985 CRX Si (X3)
1986 CRX Si (X3)
1987 CRX Si
1995 Del Sol VTEC
Most of these I owned for many years.
I wasn't going to list my tow vehicles, but my 1976 GMC 3/4 ton 3+3 with an 8' Stepside bed was rather unique.
I've had a few Honda unicorns:
I also sold a '73 Volvo 145 a few years ago, with the 4-speed, which is pretty much a Unicorn nowadays. I've certainly never seen another locally.
flat4_5spd said:Still have a 1969 Rover 2000TC. (TC=Twin Carb) I think they sold a couple thousand in the US (including the single carb variant) over a roughly 5 year span.
We had more of them up here in Canada. Nice cars to drive (though they really didn't need 2" SUs). They were fairly complex with all sorts of 'features' like Ice Alert and the word at the local dealer was that they were created to ensure the mechanics would always have holiday money. The dealer hated them as they were often in on warranty complaints and apparently BMC was a slow pay to the dealers.
We also got a lot of 3500s and later the SD1s which were nice looking but still suffered from Rover syndrome as it was rare that everything worked properly all at once.
I've had a few cars that were unique in the US, like my Renault 4CV. I'm going to count my SVT Contour, even though there were a good number made.. And I'm thinking my 2 seat MINI Roadster JCW is, as there were only ~1200 JCW Roadsters made worldwide and only about 400 made it to the US. And from looking around at the few that were for sale and on forums, not a lot were manuals.
Shorty Tundra, 5.7 and 4wd. Love it!
Found by forum member Ottawa in my neck of the woods: a 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T, which has the 225 hp turbo 2.2. It's one of the 741 red ones and Dodge claimed it was faster than the M5 of the era, the fastest sedan made in America (*which includes Mexico in this case). I could own it for $3500! But I don't want to :)
I've driven those. They are fast, but because of the neck snapping lag, seem even faster than they are.
I have a friend who owned, last time I asked, about a half dozen
David S. Wallens said:I guess my '92 Sentra SE-R was unicorn-ish in that it just had a single option: a/c. I didn't even have a radio--just a blank-off plate.
Not one, but TWO Quantum Syncro Wagons, and an weirdly optioned car - an '84 RX-7 GSL. It's weirdly optioned because it was built in September 1983, meaning it had the three month only 3.933 final drive, and it had NO options. Every other Series 3 GSL that I'd seen had power steering and/or leather interior, this had nothing. That is awfully odd for something built early in the model year/production series.
I haven't really had any true unicorns.
96 Impala SS
73 Hornet Sportabout wagon
I had an 87 Olds Cutlass Salon with an option package that I'm told was super rare. It had the 442 "appearance" package. It basically got all the 442 options (floor shift, rally gauges, gold pinstripe package minus the 442 emblem, and 14" versions of the 442 wheels) without the higher-output 307. Anyone know how rare that package was? There were only about 9000 Salons made in 87 and I'm told that there were fewer than 200 of the RPOs for the appearance package.
My list is pretty short,
1985 Dodge Shelby Charger Turbo, great car for a 19 year old soldier. Regret selling it.
A couple in the garage now;
1995 Suzuki Cappuccino. Not super rare worldwide but rare in the USA, and especially rare as an Auto in the USA. No idea on numbers...
Then,
2008 Lotus Elise SC. Factory supercharged. 269 factory supercharged Elises were imported, 9 in yellow in 2008. Pretty rare stateside.
I imagine my Ghia counts. They only made 4700 in 1958. Mine was bought in Germany by a service man (I suspect) and was shipped to the US. Still has the German fuel gauge and sticker in German on the glove box door. Bumpers are also Euro spec (no overider bars). It also has some rather strange seat belts in it that I suspect are some funky aftermarked brand added (along with a mph speedo) when it hit the states. Unfortunately not the original color (supposed to be Bamboo yellow and dark green), but I still like the color.
BTW - if this color looks familiar to anyone, please let me know. I am almost certain it is call Campaign Yellow and I think is from a British car (pre 90's). I bought the paint myself, picked it out of a book that I am pretty sure where OEM colors, and I have not been able to locate it since. It's a very bright yellow.
Forgot another one I owned - 54 Swallow Doretti - pic below is after the guy I sold it to had restored it
https://manofmany.com/rides/cars/1954-swallow-doretti-roadster-auction
Had to think about it a bit, but I guess I've had a few.
1974 Fiat 128 Coupe 1300 4 speed.
1975 Fiat 131 2 door 5 speed. Loved that car. Should have kept it and built an Abarth replica.
1988 Mazda 323 GTX.
1987 Shelby Charger. (Pretty common, really)
1995 Plymouth Colt 2 door. ( I believe in 95 the Colt was only sold in Canada under the Plymouth badge)
Presently I have a 2011 Mazda 2 GS manual in Aquatic Blue Mica. I've never seen another in this combo. As an actual fun usable car, this is probably my favorite. 5 years and I still grin ever time I drive it.
Family members have had a few as well.
Renault Fuego
Innocenti Turbo Detomaso
Kia Spectra GSX with the Lotus tuned suspension
79 Mustang Pace Car.
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