Robert Walter sent me this shot he took somewhere in Switzerland. I recognize that license plate!
Interesting choice to leave the old plate on it, as well as the new one. Of course, those Austrian plates don’t fit well, although I assume there’s a narrower version available. Anyway, if this is a genuine Oregon CC, it’s not an isolated case, as I know of at least two Eugene CCs (1954 Cadillac and 1969 Ople Kadett Rallye 1900) that folks have left comments from overseas telling me that they now owned those cars. The Opel went to Germany, and the Caddy to Australia. Our national treasures are being sold off! Fortunately, there’s still a fair number of B-Bodies around, but I’m glad I caught that Kadett before it went back home.
But Robert thinks this might be an original European-import Caprice that someone decided to decorate with an Oregon plate. Seems a bit strange, but maybe Oregon plates are the hot thing in Austria. What thinks you?
I can’t imagine the cost of filling the tank of that beast in Switzerland!
Well, in Norway it would be around 225 USD to fill up the Capirces tank, around 90 liters. In Switzerland a little bit cheaper.
It is hard to imagine a world in which this is exotic. 🙂
much, much more than any Porsche for example
With no vinyl roof and the dangling rear sway bar which indicates F41 suspension, this Caprice is one that I would grab in a heartbeat! If I were an American expat in Europe, this car would be the perfect ride, assuming that I had access to a big parking space. 🙂
Most, although not all, Caprices that I have seen in Europe have amber rear turn signal lenses. I believe that the amber rear turn signals have been required on cars officially imported into Europe, which would make the US-spec red turn signals a sign of the car being privately imported and originally from the US. I am not completely certain about this point, though.
Well, I do see amber lights hanging off the corners of the bumper; it wouldn’t be wrong to assume they’re turn signals.
I think those are rear fog lights. After driving on the Autobahn in Austria in a downpour earlier this summer, I can see the value in them. I wish more cars here in NA had them.
I think you are correct. In Denmark where I live that is often the solution to the lack of amber turn signals which are required.
In Denmark There are no available licence plates that fit that location. The closest offer is a square plate, but the fonts on it are of the same size as the reectangular one, so it would not fit either. I guess it’s the same deal in Switzerland.
Interesting, I always thought that was a design preference. In America, Ford, GM pretty used to use that one red light assembly for the brake and turn signal. Always prefer the amber. Easier for my eyes to see at a distance. I guess that is why many European spec cars have the amber lights on the front sides near the doors and the American versions don’t. Could you tell me why sometimes at night I see some Mercedes and Audis with a single brighter tail light bulb that burns brighter than the others. Is that when the brights are illuminated or has something to do with the fog lights? I only see that on German cars.
“Could you tell me why sometimes at night I see some Mercedes and Audis with a single brighter tail light bulb that burns brighter than the others. Is that when the brights are illuminated or has something to do with the fog lights? I only see that on German cars.”
You’ll see this on all EU spec cars, not only German ones … it’s the rear fog light which is mandatory.
Yes. Like TuxStang said, those are fog lights. It used to be that some models had one on each side, but only one is required, so I think most are using just one now.
From what I’ve heard my V40 just has a blind on the right side. If I remove it, I should be able to just put a bulb in. That’s for markets (like UK, I believe) which require two.
found this on reddit today. seems a little pertinent to our conversation.
http://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/1ngdfa/ford_transit_what_does_the_4th_bulb_do/
There’s no longer any licence plate in CEE that’ll fit the original location (in the past, some fitted, being smaller or just a bit larger), the size and format (blue band on left side with country code and CEE flag) has been normalized CEE-wide … all that’s left to countries is the format of the licence number itself and the optionnal right-side band (mandatory in France for exemple, with ‘département’ (county ?) number and related flag).
There’s also a “square” sized licence plate format normalized CEE-wide but it’s still way too big for rear location. Can be used in the front though depending on the car’s front-end.
Some use a US-sized licence plate but the number usually doesn’t fit with the mandatory font so they use a smaller one, and their use is illegal as is the use of two licence plates as seen here (though cops most of the time tolerate them, depends on their mood)
Amber turn signals are mandatory in Europe. Looks this one is an import with a regular title as most of the time, vintage title doesn’t require to conform lighting legislation.
thanks.
Not excactly true. in Sweden we can still have a smaller plate that fits the US-size. It doesent come with the blue ribbon though so if the car is used outside Sweden an “S” must be applied to the rear of the car. The strange part is that in the 80-ties, before we were part of any union, we couldn’t have them.
Not an expert, but would agree that when American iron was exported to the EU by the manufacturers, they typically got an amber turn signal lens in the rear. The occasional photo you catch on the web of such cars is always interesting.
I found this picture on Wikipedia labeled “export model.”
While on a visit to see friends in Torrey, Utah (Capitol Reef National Park), I noticed a box full of used Utah license plates at the checkout of a 7-11. I asked what they were all about. The attendant said that they were for sale. For sale? Who buys these things? His response-German tourists.
There is also the reverse effect – go to places like Angel Delgadillo’s Route 66 Gift Shop in Seligman AZ and the ceiling and walls are plastered with international plates – do people carry them in their pockets because you never know when you need a license plate?
finally a proper car after this vw epidemy 😀 ! It’s not an export version as they were fitted with orange turning lights, the small ones under the bumper are a simple way to get away from expensive fines (I’ve once saw a stunning metallic blue ’59 Caddy with orange rear indicators…awful…)
’59 Chevys sold new in Australia had the amber rear signals in chrome pods hung upside down from the bat wings (come up with your own “down under” joke).
I could see something similar working with rather than against the ’59 Caddy.
To feed you a line, did the lights hanging under the bat wings stand out at all?
I see a lot of Caprices of this vintage being driven everyday here in Finland. Both the sedan and the station wagon. Here is one I found last week:
Picture:
:
The last of the 1977-1990 Caprices like this one are my favorite. With composite headlights and single-lensed taillights, it really looked clean and elegant, and dare I say sleek.
+1!
Make my ’89 or ’90 dark blue metallic w. blue velour.
My guess is that the owner left the US plates on as a status symbol, just like all the BMW and VW owners in the US who had German plates on their cars in the 90s.
A few years ago some ass stole the VA plates off my car parked in long term parking at Orly airport near Paris. A few months later I saw the bleached blond bitch driving her black Golf with MY plates. Tried chasing her down but she got away. Luckily. I would have killed the #@&% (Edited by the Ed). She had a couple of kids with her, so I assume with time she got the hell she deserved.
One of the few hundred reasons I love the French.
Interesting sentiment but does it really justify the language?
Yes it does. Do you know how much it cost me so that &%$#@*^%$ Edited-Ed) could have her ‘taste of Americana?’
No it doesn’t. We try to avoid very crude language if possible. Thanks.
I would imagine an Oregon plate with “DUK” on it would be worth more in Oregon than anywhere else.
One thing I’ll say is I’m glad the European owners of these cars treat them properly. I’ve seen car show photos from across the pond and they keep them nice. You’ll never see a donked, trashed out Caprice over there.
Donk-free, you say? Sign me up!
here’s my ’90 and it’s staying stateside! (photo taken at time of purchase from orig. owner. Have since removed the vent shades, mud flaps and deer whistles)
Very clean, I’d bet yours has less than 50k on it looking at it. Here’s my ’87, had it for 12 years now.
Nice car Steve! I did a CC on a black one about a year ago: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1990-chevrolet-caprice-classic-brougham-ls-embarrassing-fwd-cadillacs-since-1987/
And Sean, I think we would all enjoy a writeup on your coupe!