(first posted 8/24/2015) A few weeks ago I took my first train ride from San Diego to Irvine. I was dropping off a car there and needed a ride back to Los Angeles. Amtrak runs a line between the two cities four times a day.
The train was quiet, comfortable and stopped at picturesque beachside communities along the way. It went so well that I decided to take a second trip, this time leaving my car in the parking structure at the Irvine Transit Center.
I was expecting the structure to be fairly empty because on my first trip to the station, it was deader than a doornail. Here is a photo I took during “rush hour,” leaving Irvine for San Diego at 9AM. Not sure why more people don’t take this train. Is it the price, slow speed (and numerous stops) or simply lack of awareness?
What I wasn’t expecting was for the parking structure to be chock-full of 60s and 70s Curbside Classics. If I had more time I would have scoured the lot and taken better pics.
The first car I noticed was called an Audi 60 / 75 / 90, depending on the engine. It was originally the two-stroke DKW F102 but when Mercedes bought Audi in about 1965 they developed a new four-stroke unit for it, and re-launched the Audi brand. This car was the very first post-war Audi.
Like an idiot I thought “Wow someone is still driving one of these every day!” It wasn’t until I saw a tattered Bavaria a few aisles over that I put two and two together and realized the cars were part of someone’s fleet.
All registration tags were current because otherwise the owner would run the risk of the having the cars towed and impounded. Does he drive them often?
And who is this guy? A small-time dealer holding on to a stash of forgotten cars that might skyrocket in value some day? A mechanic who acquired the cars from folks who gave up and tossed him the keys?
My guess is “No” to all of the above because the owner’s tastes are quite specific. He is what I would be in my purest form – and with an amazing storage facility like this – a CC hoarder. To not be so judgmental let’s call him a collector.
Another mystery was trying to figure out which of these gems were part of the fleet and which were daily-drivers not owned by the collector.
If the car was dusty I decided it had to belong to our hero. Like this very rare early-90s Infiniti M30 Convertible.
There were four Audi 100LSs including two in the coupe bodystyle as shown here. These Audis seem to have an affinity for VW Cabriolets.
The guy is definitely a Volkswagen / Audi fan. There were no fewer than three Type-4 VWs. Does anyone know what that second “dummy” tailpipe does? I’ve always wondered about that.
In keeping with the Auto Union theme here is an NSU. When was the last time you saw one of these any place other than a car show?
BMW was well represented. There were three “New Class” 4-door sedans. I always thought these were rather homely looking. The black plates suggest the cars have been in California for a long time.
How about some anything-but-homely E3 sedans and an E9 coupe? I hate when non-stock tailpipes are used and angled down like that.
This 2002tii looked relatively well kept except for the dorky tailpipe.
A sharky E24 was the newest BMW in the group and appeared to be missing its lower jaw.
I saw no old Mercedes but found two Jaguar XJ Series III sedans hanging out. Check out the vinyl top on the ’73 100LS Coupe.
Speaking of vinyl tops, this was no ordinary Plymouth Valiant but rather a highly-desirable Brougham model.
There were no GM products of any kind but plenty of Mustangs and, of all things, Valiants. Again there are those funky and very specific tastes. No Darts, just Valiants. Fetish may not be too strong of a word.
I believe this immaculate Fairmont is a real-deal daily-driver and not part of the fleet. Isn’t that Triple-A bumper sticker just perfect on this car?
I feel the same about this third-generation ‘Lude, it’s a daily. What a sexy little thing.
Now imagine for a second that the collector was actually a kind and generous genie and offered you a single wish, the keys to one of these classics and $5,000 cash for repairs / maintenance.
Assuming the cars were all in equally good running and cosmetic condition, and you could not re-sell the one you chose, which would you take? The wish would include a free parking space in a place as safe and secure as the Irvine Transit Center.
Nice pics, a gold mine of photo ops. Exemplifies Calif. love of import cars. Nice clean Fairmont, though I never liked that polygonal style of factory wheel covers. Even dog-dishes would be better.
Where are pictures of Amtrak rolling stock? If it had Superliners, you’re right, they’re very quiet & comfortable with tons of legroom & overall space. And no more clickety-clack, at least on the Sunset route, which UP has upgraded with double tracks & welded rail. Top speed was about 80mph according to staff.
Last time I rode the San Diegan yrs. ago, it had Amfleet which were more compact inside, like airliners. I think it hit about 90mph around San Clemente. A very nice trip alongside the CA coast.
The train I took was called the Pacific Surfliner. It was more like the smaller one you mentioned and yes like an airliner inside. I don’t think it ever got over 50mph. San Diego to Irvine took 2 hours about the same as by car. A high speed express between the two cities would be nice but I wonder if there would be enough demand.
Here is the train going through San Clemente where it had a stop. There was some clickety-clack but overall the trip was a pleasure due to the scenery and comfortable seating.
Thanks for the clip & detail. According to Wiki it seems Surfliner randomly uses Amfleet, Surfliner, or Superliner cars; Budd’s smaller & older Amfleet, being derived from the Metroliner, has a higher speed rating (125, not that it matters here). I’m not a serious railfan, but the only reason I can imagine why the Surf Line is limited to 50 is timetable compatibility with heavier BNSF freight service; I bet it’s still single-tracked.
Both BNSF & UP run insane amounts of intermodal traffic on transcon routes, thanks to CA seaports & Asian trade. I suspect they don’t like mixing in Amtrak service.
Do they have any trouble with the welded rail bucking in the hot weather? That’s a problem here in Australia.
Yup they do, at least in the Southeast United States, but I cannot speak for certain about California.
The California coast does not get that hot in summer. Anyway, riding that route, it is not smooth track. I find the ride quite rough at 80mph. These are freight tracks running Caltrans passenger service using Amtrak equipment, complicated.
Riding Caltrain from San Francisco to San Jose at full speed (after making a final stop in Palo Alto before heading to San Jose) was the scariest ride I have ever experienced in my life.
I was sitting in the upper deck, and the wagons shook so violently that I couldn’t even sit still, read the newspaper, and hold the java cup. I went down to the lower deck and met a conductor who seemed so nonplussed about the circumstances.
When enquired about the speed, he replied,”Ah, about 70-75 mph. And nothing we can do about the ride. Budget reason.” Gosh! I couldn’t believe that Caltrain would allow the trains to travel so fast in one of most litigious states.
My American friends who live in San Francisco thought of Caltrain when I mentioned about my daily commute between Nuremberg and Munich in a 185 mph train. They said, “Absolutely no! Too fast! Too dangerous! Crazy Germans!” One of them finally went to visit me in Germany. We took ICE train one day, and he didn’t realise he was actually travelling at 185 mph until I pointed out the digital panel displaying the speed of 300 km/h. So smooth and so quiet: it felt like flying…
Thing is, most US right-of-way is owned by private freight railroads (I think UP in Caltrain’s case, which bought out its original owner SP), & while Caltrain may have usage rights, it cannot control track quality. I’m surprised they let the speeds get that high. From what you experienced, it seems that route is not a high priority for upgrade right now. Here in AZ, UP & BNSF have been clearly in high gear upgrading transcon routes, so that must be where the money is.
There is a tension between the desire for better intercity passenger service (from State or Federal authorities), and freight railroads more interested in commodity shipping which makes low Costco & Walmart prices possible
I dislike CALTrain with a passion and the service has many, many drawbacks that should have doomed the service long ago in favor of BART (San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties being more amenable to the existence of BART these days than back in the ’60s and ’70s). And, yes, the Union Pacific tracks were in a sorry state back in the ’90s producing the phenomena you mentioned, but CALTrain performed a complete track replacement from SF down to Diridon Station in SJ. The work was completed in sections with complete service stoppage on weekends for years in the early ’00s. So, trust me, today those tracks are the very best thing about CALTrain.
From what I could find out, “sun kink” derailments can happen any place with extreme temperatures (~120°F) like the various deserts in the Southwest US, but they have gone down over the years; prevention involves proper installation & inspections during hot seasons.
Given the amount of traffic over the Southern Transcon & Sunset routes, which cross deserts, they have a powerful incentive to stay on top of it.
FYI, UP boasts of getting an award from Toyota, evidently a major customer:
http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/releases/service/2015/0416_toyota.shtml
In Italy, Ferrovia di Stato paints the rails white to minimize heating by the sun. I cannot tell if they use expansion joints.
Yes they do, but the expansion joints every 1/4 mile or so takes up most of it. As a side note, a friend of mine also has problems with his HO track expanding too much. He has to cut in expansions in places. He only has about 1800 feet of track. I think that the DCC being always on heats the rails too much. I think that this collector doesn’t want his wife to know how many cars he has just in case of a nasty divoirce.
I did a few trips on the XPT between Melbourne and Sydney not a bad ride either they cruise at 160kmh where the terrain allows.
Decisions, decisions. Can’t I just take over the whole fleet?
Maybe I’d go for the NSU; back in the day I stupidly turned down the chance to get a nice one cheap because in the pre-internet Midwest I thought sourcing parts would be too much of a pain. I love Corvairs so what could be better than a Mini-Vair?
Frank, the one in the picture must be a unicorn. Prinz 1200 C with automatic transmission! I didn’t know they were available with automatic.
Nothing could be better, except for the two NSUs I owned. Yes, parts were a pain, but it’s so much easier now. I’ve seen online catalogs of almost every part you can bolt to the chassis.
AWESOME find and photos, calibrick.
It was like a parking scene from California, in the 70’s- early 80’s… Like you would see on an episode of CHiPs. Lol
Those Audi 100LSs are rare, nowadays… I used to see a black one down the street in my old neighborhood, across the street was a black w/ white side racing stripe Cosworth Vega complete w/ rear louvers.
Up the street were a sienna Mercury Bobcat, yellow creme Ford Granada, yellow Subaru GL, black Olds Cutlass Supreme, silver Renault Le Car, and a navy blue Pontiac Sunbird coupe. We had a Dodge Dart Swinger and a Chevy Malibu coupe. Gotta love the 70’s.
There were plenty of Audi 100LSs driving around on episodes of CHiPs. Now, those and the Audi Foxes are nowhere to be found.
Although, one guy may own a few or plenty of those CCs… I doubt he owns all of them, like the Prelude, the Valiant, the Fairmont, or even the M30. They could be just be random CCs.
Some of those probably belong to other owners, as their single daily drivers… After all, it IS California, where a lot of older 60’s-80’s cars are still doing daily duty as everyday transportation.
Again, great pics and wonderful article. I love seeing hidden gems like these well kept classics. Thanks.
This is better than a nice cup of coffee. 🙂
Thanks Sarcasmo it was a pretty amazing sight even for California. The thing is while some of the cars were in great shape (like the Valiant Brougham) others were really beat like one of the 100LSs. I can understand holding on to something like that beautiful red coupe with the vinyl top but why this one?
Well, like they say, calibrick… Never judge a book by it’s cover. 🙂
It may look like a piece, but it probably runs like a Swiss watch. Either, that or he’s using it as a parts car for the other two 100LS coupes… At least, the mechanical and drivetrain parts, anyway.
I agree, that red/black vinyl top 100LS coupe is a keeper. Something about a later 60’s- mid 70’s import with a vinyl top, that just cries vintage touring car. I love the look.
That red coupe is cool, but it’s this cream colored coupe(the one next to the VW Rabbit cabriolet), sans the vinyl top, that also looks solid and catches my attention.
The styling of the elongated 100LS coupes, makes the sedans look so frumpy and bland.
This is more of a two door sedan. In Europe the was a coupe of this generation that was far sportier. It was not one of my favorites but it is strange they never brought it to USA.
You mean this one?
Nice car, the rear styling reminds me of a Lamborghini Urraco/77 Toyota Celica liftback/72 Mitsubishi Galant GSR
Or perhaps Renault 17?
Galant GSR… Who copied who?
The Galant GTO and The Audi Coupe S both debuted in the fall of 1970, so it’s highly unlikely either influenced one another. It seems more reasonable to assume both were looking toward this direction:
What a great direction to look in. I doubt Misu was thinking Aston with that stripe package. Perhaps dizzy from riding the Colt Carousel. Just a joke Sarcasmo.
Lol
😉
Hey Sarcasmo is there a car that doesn’t remind you of some other car? I suppose auto designers are like architects and industrial designers are influenced by current trends and the limitations of the machines used to press body panels. It’s pretty simple stuff big man.
Oh my god, an NSU Prinz!!! That might be my favorite obscure European import of all time.
There’s something a bit “off” on one of the cars: The Saab 99 is wearing a very early gold-on-blue California plate probably issued in late 1969 or early 1970. But the car itself is newer, evidently 1977 or later judging by the big taillights. In California, license plates are transferred with the vehicle and it’s impossible for plates to be older than the car they’re on (unless they’re a vanity or such), so I have no idea what is going on here.
Those blue and yellow Cali plates were issued in 69-79, then reissued in 80-82.
That Saab 99 looks to be a 78-80?
So it seems all legit. 😉
If it’s a ’78-’80, I’d expect a six-figure plate serial in the W to Z series if it’s an original California car.
The owner of this lot might have removed the plates from several of the cars for cleaning or waxing, then accidentally put the wrong plate on the wrong car afterward. That’d be as likely an explanation as any.
My ’78 Fiesta was 979UNJ. I don’t know why I remember that, but I do. I occasionally see cars here with plates that don’t seem to match their model years, including some yellow-on-black plates. Not sure if it’s legit or…? Anyway, this is a phenomenal find. I remember a brief heyday for Audi 100LS but don’t think the smaller bodied 90 was ever officially imported. Same with the NSU Prinz though I’ve seen a few. My high school English teacher had a red Valiant convertible with white top just like the one pictured. Other teachers had a 99, Beetles, and a Mustang notch back so my high school parking lot had some similarity to this collection. Almost worth a 400 mile trip to Irvine to check it out!
That AAD plate is an early issue so it no doubt is a 1969 issue or a very early 1970 issue. I happen to have similar on my 1968 Mustang which entered California, from Texas, in March 1970.
Here is the definitive site for license plate history. I think it may clear up some, but not all of the apparent plate color and model year conflicts.
http://www.15q.net/ca.html
Sad to see that 3.0CS sitting there neglected (although at least it’s out of the sun). That’d be my choice.
California did recently start issuing “retro” gold-on-blue and gold-on-black plates for a premium, although I can’t imagine why you’d do that for a car that’s sitting unused in a parking ramp.
Here is a link to the latest information on California Legacy Plates
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/legacyplates/index
Legislation mandated pre-orders of 7500 units before production would begin. Only the 1960’s style black and yellow plates have reached that goal so far.
Great find !
I’d take the Valiant Brougham, always liked this body style. The Valiant Convertible would be the close second. Oh, and my friend wants the beige BMW 2000…
Even if I really like the 2002 tii, I would take the Fairmont.
Because, 1. I really like that plain-jane-no-fuss styling and 2. It would be easier to find a nice 2002 tii in Europe than a Fairmont.
By the way, the second exhaust on the VW Type 412 might be the exhaust of a gasoline heater. I don’t know how these work but I’m pretty sure you could have one on 412s.
Yes. The second pipe on the VW Type 4 is a vent for the (standard in USA) gas heater.
I should have guessed gasoline heater, duh. Thanks guys!
Absolutely no question, gas heater. Every air cooled VW in Canada other than Beatles, had a gas heater, and every one of them had that extra tailpipe. Rather indispensable really.
Everybody who had something like an Econoline a few years before they became crazy popular as custom vans, added a VW gas heater in the rear. My first gen smart fortwo had an instant on heater, and I wondered at the time if it was something like a VW gas heater. Nah, probably electric.
Dave
That Audi 90 is a car that seems really rarely to have survived in the USA. The thin steering wheel and no headrest seats make it look a decade or so older than it is, a little Chevy IIish. I assume it is a Euro model with those headlights. The 100ls two door is also euro defying with the vinyl top. I hope they didn’t get the velour interior that was available, the brougham haters might blow a gasket.
It is a European version, as it’s an 80L, and has European style headlights.
Your eyes are better than mine. I read that emblem the first time as 2.0 L, which I assumed meant it had the 100LS engine, also explaining the steering column auto. On further reflection this might be a four on the tree setup.
You should have seen the dainty column shifter on it, wish I had taken a pic. That really dated the car and I’m guessing connected to a manual transmission. The 100LS was so much sleeker than the 90, kind of like how the Mercedes W108 was sleeker than the old Fintail. America lead the way back then with the styling trends.
The Mercedes comparison was apt. The late sixties with the new generation benz in 68 and the 100LS and E3 in 69, showed a new independence in design. The efficient, form follows function had much less American influence. On the other hand there is a definite sense of the traditional, historic, and perhaps even gothic in the designs. What a great time.
A friend of mine in Los Angeles in the late ’70s had an Audi Super 90 with 4 on the floor. I don’t think the Super 90 was available with automatic at all. IIRC, the Super 90 and the 100 used the same engine, but in a slightly lower state of tune for the Super 90.
My friend’s Super 90 once needed a new carburetor float. He said that judging by the price, you would have thought it was hand-carved by Ferry Porsche.
Like I was telling Paul I remember seeing Super 90s in LA when I was a kid. They were definitely US-spec cars but I don’t think this one is from the headlights, badging and lack of side markers. I don’t think it’s older than 1968.
As for the shifter and tranny it’s hard to say. Back then Mercedes offered both column and floor-shift for the A/Ts, even on the same model. I believe all W108 series cars with M/T had the shifter on the floor but my friend’s dad’s Fintail had M/T on the column. I believe you could get a floor-shift manual on the Fintail too. I should have checked for a clutch pedal on the Super 90.
Audi 100LSs had A/T on the floor only, at least in the US. It had what looked like horsehair bristles in the shift gate.
As for that carb issue you mentioned imagine the effort that goes into keeping all those Audis (not to mention the Jags and Beamers) roadworthy. I’m thinking this guy must work on his own cars or own a repair shop.
Hi,
I’d like to lighten some points regarding those Audis as I am a collector of these:
The Audi 60 is indeed no Super 90 or such but … an Audi 60, 1.5L 55 hp or 65 hp engine, Euro spec with manual column shift. No auto tranny avail for these. It’s a face lift model dating from 1968 … 1972. Pretty functional, good gas/mileage but very few options (so few things the could break down …)
The 100 LS, two door (sometimes called “Coupe” but it shares the same body with the four door) and four door sedans could be ordered up to 1974 as floor shift manuals, floor shift auto (“Horsehair Bristles” yeah!) and column shift manuals. The last mentioned version is a very good choice as it is the old DKW-designed mechanism and therefor gives a solid and very precise haptic impression. I do have one of these and use it as a reliable daily driver in summer. Carb issues were less troublesome in non-US-cars. Once set up exactly to factory specs you’re done for the next 20 years. And yes, I work on all my own cars myself, who wouldn’t?
More proof, as if any is necessary, that California is the heart and soul of Old Car-dom.
What a fantastic piece!
I’m amazed to see ANY Audi 90/100s! I’ve never seen an NSU Prinz in this country.
There are Fairmonts, but that was the perfect color/trim level to be a ‘survivor’. Did you peek in to see if it was an auto (probably with the anemic 200 cid six) or a 4-spd (probably the 2.3 liter four)?
I’m still trying to come to grips withe Audis…these cars were unreliable and expensive to fix, not just in the US but even in Greece, where until the 90s (and the smog-reduction “generous trades”) pretty much every car sold there since 1960 was still on the road, the Audis 90/100 were rare (compared to 60s/70s Citroens and Fiats—let alone Mercedes and VWs), where the 80s (US Fox) and 50s (an Audi Polo) were not.
Thanks for the nostalgia!
Sadly no interior pics of anything other than the BMW 2000. I took a peek at some and was happy to see an M/T in both BMW E3s. I wish I had more time for better pics but was in a hurry to catch the 9AM train on the way out and then coming back had to get on the freeway before the heavy afternoon traffic hit. You would think with traffic like ours more people would use the train system.
For some reason, I’ve always had a soft spot for the soft top M30.
I think hoarding is a crime.. It drives up prices and reduces availability. Any one of these cars could be the highlight of some car guy’s life… But they sit there, neglected.. Cars want to be driven and used, not stock piled for a future that never comes.
If some or all of these vintage cars actually do belong to the same owner, I also question the appropriateness and legality of using a public parking structure as some kind of storage unit even if parking fees are paid. Train commuters who are using the Transit Center parking structure for its intended purpose can be inconvenienced at peak travel times by all the spots taken up by this “collector.”
This is a typical California public employee. Like all the TSA agents parking illegally for free at Spanish Landing Park across from Lindbergh Field every day, they look out for one another between agencies. Perhaps they share the SEIU. They definitely share cradle to grave benefits and job security that allows them to plow all their money into hoarding things and real estate. They also retire in their 40s with pensions that far outstrip the average American’s peak wages.
Don’t hate on public employees because they failed to drink the “Free Market” kool-aid!
Public employees are “hated on” for so many reasons….attitude being the foremost.
Corruption is a natural human inclination, these people with their hands in the cookie jar are to be trusted?
I hope not all public employees show such contempt for economic liberty. How people love to accuse strangers of being greedy! Not just socialists, but even churchmen think private enterprise is a sin; you can’t be noble unless you get a gov’t paycheck or a tithe.
If you think you have the moral high ground because you have the government to take everything you need from the people that create it, you’re wrong.
“Cars want to be driven and used, not stockpiled for a future that never comes.”
No truer words have ever been spoken…Spot on. 🙂
Very great finds! If the climate’s right, an open-aired parking garage isn’t a bad place to keep classics stored.
Just wondering though, is there a fee to park in this garage?
According to Yelp reviews, there is no fee to park in this garage, but the maximum parking time is supposed to be 72 hours. So does this fellow spend his life moving cars from spot to spot?
In a word, yes… More than likely, if this guy is storing a few cars. So he is probably paying a monthly fee, with a discount for multiple cars.
Otherwise, any vagrant with an unreg/uninsured car would take advantage and not leave their liability on the street.
I used to pay $35 a space with electronic entry key, in downtown New Bedford, MA across from the Zeiterion Theater… Since I used to work near the Whaling Museum, doing inventory service. That was around 1988-92… Then again, in 2005-06.
I think it’s $50, now.
I hope this particular garage charges a fee, if not, someone is definitely going to abuse the privilege.
To store cars you have to pay a monthly fee. Doubt he’s that energetic or cheap to use up that 72 hour rule.
C’mon, he doesn’t even have the energy to WASH those things.
It occurred to me, maybe he’s the manager of the parking structure? (Nah…local officials in CA aren’t so corrupt as to do something like freeload off their own facilities…right? 😉 )
There’s definitely something fishy going on here. It’s not as though California parking structures typically have a lot of “extra” spaces for people to store their cars.
It might not be on Vernon (“Vinci”) levels of corruption, but perhaps this mysterious collection could play a role in True Detective, season 3 ….
That one made me LOL, cfclark. 🙂
Yep, they could be hooking up a relative, uncle or grandparent who has a huge automobile collection, and waiving the storage fees for them.
I’m thinking he has to move these cars at least sometimes, maybe once a week or every so many days otherwise he’d probably cluster them all together and protect one another for the most part from door dings and other lot abuse from comers and goers. Maybe those that are more dusty then the others he just obtained. So much mystery, someone should put up a camera just to see what this guy(or girl) looks like; who is this mystery person!
It really is a mystery. My guess is that there is one owner and he is leasing the space. A security guy drove by in his electric cart and didn’t say a word to me. I bet he is tipped handsomely every month to keep a close eye on the cars.
With an eclectic collection of rare cars like that… I’m thinking the owner is short, has a bushy mustache, and looks a lot like Wayne Carini. 😉
Very nice. I’ve seen an NSU 1000 and an Audi Super 90 up close, but only because I know/knew the owners. If I could take one car, it would be the BMW Neue Klasse.
The keys and $5k in cash? Give me a Valiant…it will be a long time for it to eat $5k in repairs!
Wow, what a selection. The climate is ideal and they aren’t in direct sunlight…there is no downside.
However, I did see that drop-top Dodge Dakota in the third picture. It is becoming as obscure as some of these other offerings.
What an eagle eye Jason. I missed the Dakota and was standing right in front of it.
Wow! If I saw that collection, I think I’d STILL be in that parking lot staring at the cars!
In choosing one, however, I might go for the Jaguar XJ6C… I don’t think I’d ever get tired of looking at one.
I’d have missed my train for sure!
I would take that Valiant Brougham in a heartbeat!
I too would choose the Plymouth Coupe….
VWAG bought Audi in 1965 ,not Mercedes , they saved it from bankruptcy , God alone knows why as Audi products rather suck if you actually own or work on them .
A buddy of mine has an early NSU prinz he found in the Mid West decades ago and rattled it home to California where it remains , he drives it a few times every week , two cylinder air cooled cutie .
Sadly he foolishly left the heater shrouds/boxes off when he did engine work some years ago .
-Nate
Free parking at a train station? This is an alien concept.
What an astonishing collection! In my 34+ years on this earth, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen an Audi that old in person, and this structure has five of them! Nor an NSU of any kind, nor a BMW Neue Klasse, nor a VW Type 4. I hadn’t even realized those were sold here in squareback form. Really amazing! I do wonder how he arranges the parking in a public place though–connections of some sort, I’d assume.
As to which I’d take? Oh, now that’s a dilemma. XJ6C or 3.0cs? Wow. Both of them among the most beautiful two-door designs of the era… And $5000 might not go far with either! As much as I love the E9, and despite that it would probably be a superior driving experience, I think I’d have to take that XJ6C.
I wondered where this XJC was you guys mentioned. Went through the pics again and noticed I called it a sedan and a Series III. Double bad on my part because there were no Series III XJCs. If I wan’t in such a hurry and noticed it was a C would have spent more time on it. The condition was excellent on both Jags.
What a great collection. Haven’t see a Super 90 or 411/412 in I don’t know how long. The owner must be paying quite a bit in long term storage fees. Protected from the elements. Theft and vandal’s would be the concern. Don’t think I’ve ever seen an NSU other then in pictures. Great collection of early BMW’s as well. If I was daily driving (and repairing) this selection, I would have to go with the Mustang or one of the Plymouth’s. Glad to see these cars being preserved. Fantastic find!
Hero. That is the proper name for this guy, keeping old cars for posterity
I would love to have that Audi in the first picture (the rear end does resemble a Mercedes)! Or maybe that black “New Class” sedan, or the Bavaria! They’re all beautiful cars to me!
+1 black neue klasse.
Great finds Calibrick.
I would feel quite uneasy about storing my (much, much smaller) fleet of cars at a public parking lot at a train station. My cars are all nicer than his so maybe he is not at all concerned about vandalism or theft. But I would just not be able to park, for the purpose of storage, any of my old cars in that place.
However I do admire the owner if he is somehow abusing or using the city or state or whatever public authority owns the place. The government screws us so many times, so many ways that I do get some pleasure is seeing what I guess is a creative person figuring out a way for government to provide him with something he needs – without the government dopes understanding what has happened. I hope that is what is going on here.
love that 2002 in my favorite color the inka orange.
Clearly the Audi 90 must have been sold here as several Americans seem familiar with it from more than just pictures, so it’s odd I just don’t recall them here. OTOH I do recall when 411’s and 412’s were the new-fangled (and By the time of the 412, rather dated) VW’s that never seemed as popular as the nearly-ubiquitous Squarebacks. There was a time in the early-’70’s when Squarebacks were the archetypical Northern California surfer car, perhaps even more than the Type 2 which has retroactively taken that role. Neue Klasse BMW’s were certainly not common, compared to say Fintails, but not exotic by any means, though when the 1602 and later the 2002 appeared, those 2 doors were soon seen everywhere.
IIRC, the Audi 90 was the replacement for the 5000, which had been accused of unintended acceleration, mostly by little old ladies who couldn’t tell the difference between the gas and brake. So the 90 didn’t sell too well.
You’re getting timelines and models mixed up.
The 90, they are talking about is the older Euro spec 90, not the later 80’s-90’s Audi 90… We got for the US market.
The 90, you’re talking about was a lower model, than the 5000, so why would that car replace a higher line model?
The 80/90, took the place of the reliable, capable Audi 4000… Which I think was referred to as 80/90 in Europe.
Audi had already taken care of the sudden acceleration issue by 1987-88. The Audi 5000 was still being sold in the US, but as the 100/200… Because Audi wanted to go with their European numerical designations of 80/90/100/200, etc… So the 4000 and 5000 names, were no longer used.
This is the 90, you are referring to: 😉
This 90 was replaced by the Fox in 73.
The 1988-93 Audi 90, I posted was replaced by the 1973 Audi Fox?
What?
How? By time machine?
meant the 69-72 Audi Super 90 that this article features a Euro model of.
Kinda thought it odd, when I received your reply…
I was like… ? 😛
I already did! I daily a ’73 Bavaria:)
Some of those cars are quite clean like they are driven regularly some look like they died in situ.
Great collection for sure. Too many classic choices. I would really like to meet the owner and figure out how he stores them all there. Based on the collection, it would be an interesting meeting to say the least.
I always wondered what happened to my grandmother’s old Fairmont. I need wonder no longer, there it is, all the way down to the AAA sticker.
As an aside, I saw my first of the new California reproduction black plates. They really do look like they took the old black plates and applied reflective yellow to the numbers. Looked brilliant.
Wow, what an incredible stash!! The F103 has to be one of only a handful left in the country. The NSU looks surreal amongst ordinary cars. Maybe they”re props for a film shoot set in mid-70s Germany? The Valiants and Mustangs would at least kind-of make sense in that context. If it’s just some guy’s awesome collection then I’ve gotta give him props for figuring out a cheap storage solution. Buying monthly/yearly parking passes for this lot is probably way cheaper than a garage. The train station I park at normally charges $3/year for a permit to town residents… and it’s packed every day. If this place doesn’t get much use, I’m sure Amtrak or whichever municipality controls it is happy a few more spots are full.
Wow. Only $3 a year, to park in a parking garage?
Sean, that’s awesome. Sign me up! 🙂
Give me the Valiant Brougham, the Fairmont, and the ’69 Mustang Grande coupe that you didn’t even mention 😀 !
The first thought I had at seeing rows of old cars in a public ramp was “Mafia body dumping ground”
As to the hoarder keeping so many cars, as others have suggested, at least they are out of direct sun and rain, unlike the dozens of AMC products that are moldering away outdoors in a defunct dealership in North Carolina.
For the “last time you saw…” question, I saw an NSU Prinz in the wild in 1972. Saw a Subaru 360 about the same time. Saw an Audi Super 90 in 81 or 82.
That those cars could sit for months/years unmolested is a miracle. A friend of mine left her 10+ years old Escort ZX2 in a parking lot in downtown Battle Creek, MI over a weekend when it refused to start. Returning to the car after two days, she discovered someone had broken three windows out of it.
Growing up we had two Audi 100LS. My father loved them and bought them both new in Los Angeles. We had a 1970 4 on the floor in Chinchilla Grey with navy velour interior (that interior shredded from the sun) and a 1976 4 on the floor in Ceylon Beige with tan vinyl interior (I’m quite sure it was not leather). The 1970 was the better vehicle. It’s downfall was Leaded Premium gas no longer available and my father thought it ran poorly on Unleaded Premium. The 1976 threw an engine rod in 1984 and Audi at the time was not reliable with having spare parts so that car was toast. We ended up with the 1984 5000S which was cats meow at the time.
Interesting discussion about the use of the parking spaces at the transportation center. I take the train everyday and these cars are not being moved every 72 hours. They are also peppered throughout the three levels. It does look suspiciously as if someone is trying to stash their cars on the city of Irvine’s dime.
That little dummy pipe on the VW 411/412s has something to do with the heater system, which was gas powered and could be operated when the car is not running.
These cars are all in one spot now. It’s like walking into a classic car museum. Used to skate here and happened to find this collection. I would love to make an offer on one of the beemers or one of the Audi’s
The logistics of getting them all parked together would be quite a challenge. I wonder if the public servant was able to move them all during a garage closure for resurfacing, or some similar tactic.
Of the photographed cars, I would take the Prelude provided it has a stick-shift. It would be the best to drive, the best built, and the most likely to deal with easily available fuels. I’ve had or driven some of the others, and I don’t miss them. The NSU would be a great curiosity, but for the automatic transmission. The free-loading hoarder who accumulated these cars seems to have a preference for letting his cars shift for themselves even when it means the difference between fun to drive and rolling penalty box.
Looks like Daniel Stern has some competition in the area of “working the system to benefit his cars”.
I would not be shocked if, after the day the owner “gets hit by a bus” (the euphemism for what eventually happens to each of us in time), this collection becomes immobile for good, possibly forgotten entirely, and grows ever older, without any attention or care. It would become the equivalent of some of those ghost car collections sometimes seen in Europe and other various more out-of-the-way places.
Uncle! All I did was park one Valiant in strict accord with the letter (and total violation of the spirit) of the parkade rules. Whoever owns these is on awholenother level.
But we don’t know if he worked up paperwork to order non-USDM parts or contemplated rebuilding a non-USDM car around a US shell, now do we? Working the system takes many forms…🙂
The little NSU’s were little rockets when I was stationed in Germany (72-75). When was the last time I saw an NSU where the rear deck lid was not opened up a couple of inches? Of course I don’t think I ever saw an automatic one.
My friend actually has a Prinz he inherited from his father…he’s a car guy, but the Prinz really isn’t to his taste (he likes Mustangs) but his father got it for the engine for a never done project to put it into a tractor (not sure why he chose the Prinz, but that’s what he had). He gave it to a friend who is slowly restoring it.
My Dad never had a Prinz, but his most unusual car was a ’68 Renault R10, which he bought new to replace his ’59 Beetle which was totalled in front of our home. He didn’t have the R10 long (1974) but it was 4 door which the Beetle (and even the type 3 or for that matter the Van) was not…as his “2nd” car we didn’t often ride with him in the R10, but he did have a family of 5 (soon to be 6) so it was more suitable than a Beetle for the family. My Mother didn’t like how it looked, nor that it was standard (she learned to drive semi-automatic but never was really comfortable with a manual). I started driving in ’74, but he got rid of the R10 right before I was legally able to drive it, so I never got a chance to drive it, but of course I rode in it many times.
I’ll take one of the Valiants or the CS30 free or almost free parking would solve my car storage problems, the only thing that cost more than driving a car in my city is parking it.
Not only did that ’75 or so Valiant Brougham have the desirable (?) vinyl roof, but that pinstripe across the back trunklid! And we must mention the chrome plated gas cap, the body side mouldings, and the rear bumper guards. But, exposed screws on the vinyl roof trim. For shame.
I tried to read the dealer plate on the back, it looked like Roger Manro, but could not get a clear enough image. The paint on that one sure looks original. Nice shots in your limited time there. Thanks for these.
That dealer badge is from Roger Mauro, which was in Denver.
The chrome gas cap is a replacement; the original was body-coloured.
I remember those screws on my Aussie Valiant Hardtop, I didn’t find them all that intrusive, they were the only screws, the rest was all hidden clips, aside from , (going from memory here) one on the very small piece at the top of the A pillar, which was a much better solution than continuing the vinyl down the pillar.
I sort of liked that upswept trim to meet the gutter as pictured, for some reason, of course the cars looked far better without the vinyl, I hate vinyl roofs with a passion.
The first of the “two Jaguar XJ Series III sedans” is in fact a very desirable series 2 Coupe (2 door). XJ6C. Lovely.
Some 120 aged tires and not a slow leak in the bunch?
I guess I really am a BMW guy. There’s a frigging 3.0CS there and you guys are opting for a… Valiant.
We already have a Jag and I’m never going to touch another Audi, nope, it’s the E9 Coupe for me out of that fleet. I know what they need. $5000 will last a good while.
This surely deserves a re-visit to see if the cars are still there! Too bad the old Audis don’t include a GT coupe.
What about the white Dodge Dakota convertible in the left side of the third picture? That one would be good to own.
Shirley some CC reader lives in or close to Irvine and can go check on this “collection”??!!
I have a hard time understanding how these cars could all be sitting there unmolested. I’d think that over time someone would have found a way to pilfer the more desirable and valuable ones (such as the roundie 2002s or the CS). That Inka Orange Tii – if it’s relatively rust-free (and it probably is in that part of CA) – is worth quite a pretty penny.
The second tailpipe on the Type 4 VW was for the gas heater – the heater on the Type 4 ran of gasoline oddly enough. It overcame the slow warm up of air cooled VW heaters, and had the added advantage of being able to run independent of the engine. They had it set up so you could crank a spring powered timer to run the heater before you got into the car.
I know all this because for some strange reason, my father loved the Type 4s. We had a 411 wagon that was replaced with a 412. They were practical. And more comfortable than the Variant wagons. But they still handled awfully, and with the VW automatic, they were slow as molasses. The driver spent a LOT of time with the accelerator pressed to the floorboards. I hated those cars.
So imagine what happened when VW introduced the Passat (Dasher) in 1973 and in 1974 the Passat station wagon. Even with the weakest engine it felt much better than 411/412, and from 1979 you could order the Golf GTI 1.6 / 110 hp engine! What a difference!
I think more than 90% of the 411s and 412s were traded in for Passats very quickly. My mother had a green 1974 Passat .