Ten years I’ve lived in this house, and with the enjoyable exception of a 1967 Ford F250 several years ago (see it here), I’ve seen nary a classic parked curbside in my neighborhood. Until lately. The cars are comparatively coming out of the woodwork. Or the curbwork. Whatever. It’s been refreshing.
I mentioned this Thunderbird in my last Spotted While Driving post here. It was parked pretty far back in this neighbor’s driveway for a long while, but it has recently moved curbside. It’s sitting there as I type this, maybe 100 feet from where I sit. It looks to be reasonably intact. The padded vinyl roof is probably beyond restoration and some of the trim bits have gone AWOL, but it otherwise looks complete and solid. But its vent window has been open for weeks, through the wettest summer I can remember. Sad face.
This 1969 Camaro was parked on my street for barely an hour, but that was long enough for me to photograph it. The wheels are awful. Maybe I’m just becoming cantankerous in my middle age but goldarn it you kids, if you can’t use original wheels, at least use aftermarket wheels that made sense for the car. Cragars anyone? And of course anytime I see an SS 396 I immediately assume the car didn’t leave the factory that way. But I still swooned slightly as I came upon it on an after-dinner stroll. I would have written it up proper, all on its own, as I took several other photographs of it. Unfortunately, this is the only one that I didn’t flub.
Finally, this 1977 or 1978 Chevy Impala moved in not long ago with a family that appears to own five or six cars. I love seeing those original wheel covers on it. Behind it, blurry, you can make out an early 1970s Plymouth Valiant that has lived here for years but has never moved from that spot. I keep hoping it shows up at the curb so I can do it up right and proper. Alas, I’m preparing to list my house for sale, and will soon be gone. So this little glimpse is all you get.
I like these Chevy Impalas, we ran them as B&W Radio cars for a long time and not one complaint ever .
I’d love to hear more about the Valiant ~ maybe they’ll sell it to you affordably ? .
-Nate
The Camaro is SS and RS.
That T-Bird is probably a 1974-76 w/the bigger rear bumper. It looks kinda cool w/those mags.Too bad my father’s didn’t have them.
I like the slots, not exactly what I’d put on this car, but certainly something that would have been still commonly being put on cars of this era when new or slightly used. It is nice to seem them instead of some 80’s or 90’s aftermarket wheels.
I’ve been very vocal about my fondness for slots, they do wonders for Torino of the same time period for example(evidenced by starsky and hutch) but this is one of the few instances where they just don’t seem to work.
Based on the paint scheme it’s a ’76 Creme and Gold Group. That was one year only.
Nice very American iron. The sedan is a Caprice Classic. I can’t see the taillights well enough to determine the year, but I lean toward ’77.
Good luck with your move!
+1
I recall seeing more ’77s that color than ’78s. It’s definitely not a ’79.
Ive lived where I am for ten years longest Ive stayed anywhere since I was ten classics abound here there is a Simca collection nearby there was a Wolseley ADO16 further up my street but its gone now and this moved in right next door recently there was a box body Oldsmobile lawn ornament nearby but those people moved away
I like this car .
-Nate
My neighbours car Nate? its a MK3 Ford Zephyr I like it too.
Yes ~
I have never seen one like this before .
English Fords including Zephyrs ere breifly sold in the U.S. in the late 1950’s .
-Nate
Well that one is NZ assembled and thats the original colour though it has had a bottom half respray its even still on cross ply bias belt tyres, been in a shed stored for many years before my neighbour got it, these are what Kiwis bought instead of Aussie Falcons and its where the US Falcon got its four speed box from, they were good cars very popular for tuning some were circuit raced with much success but most were well loved reliable family cars, this one is a six like most of them there was a down market four cylinder model not popular and few sold here and a upmarket imported Zodiac model. These were 63-65 models 62 in the UK, disc brakes on the front was standard equipment.
Used to walk past a Zephyr 6 on my way to school in the early 90s when it was becoming a classic. It looked nice from a distance, but had been (carefully) brush painted.
The Camaro SS396 is an interesting car that my son and I had the chance to drive in the recent past, May 2017 during the Hagerty Silver Summit Rally. I offered our 914 to the organizer for a day, which he happily accepted, and on that day we drove both Hagerty’s restored 1969 SS 396 in the afternoon and in the morning the 1972 Olds 442 convertible in and through the mountains of Colorado.
The drive of the SS396 was eye-opening. After lunch when we swapped out the 442 for the SS, we filled up in Creede, CO topping off the tank, we took off for the 86 mile drive to Chromo, CO enjoying the intoxicating ACCELERATION and GRUNT of the fantastic big block Chevy–A REAL TREAT, but with a heavy price. 1960’s Fuel consumption was equally heavy–12 gallons of premium were consumed (Wow, Holy Batman, 7.1 mpg, 1/4 tank indicated remaining on the gas gauge) getting to Chromo,CO, where a tank up was necessary for the remaining 126 miles to Durango via Navajo Dam. Tank capacity of a 1969 Camaro is about 18 1/2 gallons. A quick calculation gave us a range of 129 miles. Talk about being transported back to the range anxiety of the Oil Embargo 1970’s due to poor gas mileage and widely spaced, far in-between gas stations in rural Colorado. Obviously the SS396 ran rich in the mountains, still set up for the lowlands of Michigan.
So no more enjoying the Big Block Acceleration, what a let down, but an attempt at hyper-mileage techniques was necessary in order to get to Durango which we reached on the constantly looked-at gas gauge, reading empty, on anxiety provoking, it seemed, fumes, and needing 16.5 gallons at the first gas station found. At the empty reading gauge, we still had 2 gallons, Whew, I think, thankful that we didn’t run out.
The SS396 is a great car with a great engine, but the gas mileage in the mountains of Colorado, well not so much. We take modern fuel efficiencies so much for granted. It was a great thrill to fulfill a bucket list ride driving the SS396 but it made me appreciate the advances that we take for granted with our modern rides. BTW the Olds 442 convertible was equally fun with its 455 c.i.d V8, but its mileage was equally, shockingly poor by current, modern standards
I’ve fantasized about owning a big block Chevy, but your tale is making me think twice. Do you have any idea of the rear axle ratio of the Hagerty Camaro or the 442?
When I’ve tried to look up HP & torque in the old Chevy brochures, it seems they only list the HP. My old Chilton’s manuals are no more. It’d be interesting to see if the commentariat can provide both for, let’s say, a 1969 Chevy 250, 327, 350, 396 and 427.
PRNDL,
The SS396 or the Olds 442 convertible are both owned by Hagerty Insurance, and like my 914, aren’t daily drivers. Both my son and I loved both of them during the Silver Summit Rally, excepting the worries of filling them up in the rural mountainous parts of Colorado.
I wouldn’t hesitate to own one as my fun hobby car anywhere, especially where gas stations are plentiful. The acceleration of the 396 with a four speed was addictive, giving great smiles to my son and myself.. Probably the mileage figures would have been better if the carburetors were jetted for higher altitudes. They likely would have better mileage figures at the Hagerty office in Traverse City, Michigan, especially where the SS396 was restored.
Just remember either car wouldn’t be a daily driver now, so actual fuel costs would be low, only for fun miles.
They were both a hoot to drive. Attached is a picture of the 442 with some of the other cars during the Rally
Even a big block muscle car should be good for 11-12 mpg on the highway at a minimum, so something seems off with the one you drove. 7 mpg on the highway is way low.
But what a kick in the seat that ride would have been!
JP,
Everyone including the Hagerty crew thought the SS396 was running very rich in the mountains, having been restored in Michigan with carburetors jetted for low altitude Traverse City, Michigan. All of us could smell fuel when wide open throttle was used.
Open throttle was addictive with the SS396 going up/accelerating up steep mountain grades and on the flat for us and all of the Hagerty personnel. So none of us helped keep the mileage figures low, or at least until my son and I had to get to Durango on a single tank of gas.
Cruising on a highway at partial throttle would have given better mileage, but we were using lots of fun, fuel intensive throttle. Blame us as well as the carburettor jets for the mileage. It was fun, however.
In all, this was a real hoot of a car that we both were privileged to experience. In fact it is my wish that everyone, every CC’er, would be able to experience an SS as we did in the circumstances that we were able to enjoy.
attached is an additional picture of the SS396 with our 914 in Ouray, CO.
My guess was that given the type of car, a bit heavy on the throttle might have been part of the good times.
In the mid / late ’80s I owned a nearly mint condition 40,000 original mile 1972 Pontiac Grandville with its standard 455.
Crossing the plains of Nebraska on college era ski trips, the car maybe pulled 12-14 mpg at 60 mph (ahh, the double nickel days).
When we got to altitude in the mountains, it was necessary to keep the oil company cards at the top of the glove box. 7-8 mpg was about all we were good for.
Thankfully, gas at the time was barely 70 cents a gallon, and sharing expenses with several friends meant a good time was had at reasonable out of pocket cost.
I quite envy your trip in the Olds in the mountains – what a perfect car for the scenery with a wonderful song from that engine.
If the driver has a heavy foot, a Big Block is capable of returning some really insane fuel consumption figures. Seven mpg isn’t impossible under these circumstances.
Yes, and a numerically-high rear axle ratio doesn’t help things in this department either. With big-block torque in a light car like that, you could easily put a 2.75:1 rear end in and still be able to smoke the tires.
Memories of a trip to Adelaide in a 1969 XW Falcon GT, later I would tell people that we drove to Adelaide on less than a tank of fuel. Wow, they would say, that’s pretty good. Not really, I would reply, it has a 35 gallon tank! (42 US gallon). Converting into US mpg I think it was around 12… Like you running rich, and the motor was turning 3500 rpm on the highway.
There are a reasonable if diminishing number of 1980s CC’s in my area, not many earlier though. Someone up the street used to have a Datsun 120Y, but I haven’t seen it for a long time now.
Fun finds! It looks like you are moving just as your neighborhood becomes rich with CC pickings.
I am starting to like those big Birds in a way I never did before. Pure 70s!
It’s amazing how the lines on that vintage-1977 B-body Chevy still look good today, 40 years later. GM really scored a home run with these cars. I hate most modern car designs with their low coupe roof lines and narrow slits for windows. I say bring back upright roofs and acres of glass!
I followed a clean ’77-79-ish (aka an early “downsized” B) Caprice for a few miles over twisty Hwy 17 from Santa Cruz to San Jose, California the other day. It had no trouble keeping up with traffic on what many people consider a “scary” mountain road, two lanes in both directions and no shoulders. I don’t know if it was an F41 but it looked good in the turns. But more interesting, surrounded by CUVs, Priuses and Camry’s, minivans, and big pickups, it didn’t look at all big; in fact it looked low and slim. A true classic. And not that common a sight recently.
The Thunderbird is currently on the Indianapolis Craigslist for $2550.
I didn’t go looking for it, I just recognized the car from a search last night.
Thanks for the tip. I went looking and found it. Definitely the same one.
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/thunderbird/6223761381.html
The T-Bird looks like an old war horse that ‘s been put out to pasture.
Can’t find it on Craigslist, but I bet it’s got a leather interior as per below!!!
Lets hope someone appreciates the early 70’s color scheme!!
As ’70s color goes, that’s really not bad. I rather like it.
Still there when I checked at 0300. And no it has a velour interior with the same color motif as the exterior.
Didn’t want to clog the board with a link that will be useless sooner rather than later, but here it is:
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/thunderbird/6223761381.html
Some really good stuff here, particularly the Thunderbird. Not sure I’ve ever seen one of this generation with vent windows, so seeing that is a treat.
It seems like we once long ago had a QOTD about what’s parked in one’s neighborhood. With all the good stuff in your current neighborhood it may be time for asking that again. And, I hope you find all sorts of goodies in your new neighborhood.
My street (a cul-de-sac off the end of a cul-de-sac) has some CCs going for it. The undertaker at the end of the street has both a 80s era and a ’70 Cadillac hearse. The neighbor across the street has a ’69 Cougar convertible – but I haven’t seen it in over a year. I suppose that’s the upside of not living out in the sticks as we had desired.
A big block Chevy is certainly no mileage champ, but I still want one in both my ’66 Biscayne and my ’71 GMC Sprint. In the Sprint, an aftermarket EFI setup with an overdrive trans should be just the ticket.
I live in Chicago, so finding CC’s is kind a seasonal thing. People keep all sorts of cool stuff in garages that comes out in the summer. A lot of restored American iron sure, but I’ve also seen old bimmers, Alfas, and a Fiat sport Spyder that would come out in my old area. But from October to May I rarely see anything older than 10-15 years out. My car is an 03 Corolla and daily driving has beaten it to hell. Potholes, salt, people bumping it parking, the poor car has had a rough life. Still runs good though.
The contrast between the T-Bird and the Camaro really struck me, in terms of which cars are being preserved and which end their days at the crusher.
Those giant 70s Thunderbirds were big sellers — I haven’t taken the trouble to look up sales data, but I wouldn’t doubt that they were built in bigger numbers than any year of Camaro. Both were considered more than basic transportation for their owners. They were stylish cars that drew attention to their drivers. Yet, despite frequently seeing Gen 1 Camaros still on the road, I can’t think of when I saw a T-Bird from this era.
Maybe it’s because the T-Bird was a car for middle-aged people who had “made it,” and not targeted at those who were young then (and old now). Nostalgia is what keeps a lot of these old cars alive, and maybe today’s fogies don’t have fond memories of riding in the back of Thunderbirds
I have semi-fond memories of riding in the back of my father’s ’73 T-Bird, especially w/those lights on top of the opera windows that you could turn on to read.
I think that the ’73 was probably the best seller of the Big Birds since it was before the OPEC embargo that occurred later that fall. My father was 51 when he bought his, so he was the middle-age guy that “made it”, especially since he worked hard since he emigrated from Poland. I remember the last time I saw him drive it in traffic before he died in 2009; it looked so out of place among the other vehicles
Before the 1977 Torino Bird, the Thunderbird never outsold the Camaro or sold more than 100K units per year. It was an expensive, exclusive luxury car, not a more stylish Nova.
Even when the Torino Bird was selling 250k or 300k, the Camaro sold 200k+.
T-Birds were big sellers, in 1977-79, when lower priced.