Minneapolis Street Sighting: Toyota Corolla wagon

The Toyota Corolla (and its Camry sibling) have always been known as boring cars among car-folk, but that's mainly the newer ones with the whole beige stigma. However, despite being a boring, bland car, certain versions of Toyota's long-lasting subcompact-turned-compact have garnered a "cool" factor lately. Now, obviously, if someone puts together "Corolla" and "cool", chances are they're blabbering on and on about the AE86; nothing wrong with that, but the AE86 isn't the only cool Corolla around.

Chances are, if you grew up in the early 1980s, you'd think differently; I grew up in the 1990s, and even then, these weren't that common. I don't remember seeing these very much in my childhood, but I assume that they were sold in Lawrence, but probably in small numbers; I've seen more sedans than wagons--by a longshot. 

In 1985, the Corolla went front-wheel-drive, and aside from the AE86 coupes and hatchbacks, the coolness all but disappeared; it was almost like Toyota decided to take the fun out of driving for their best-selling car--and it all went downhill from there. One by one, Toyotas got lamer and lamer as the sporty models started disappearing for good. Thankfully Toyota isn't Honda, as I would probably be sued right about now. 

 As I stated above, I do quite like these; I've loved wagons for the longest time, too, and I have a soft spot for vintage Toyotas. Yes, I can call this "vintage", since it is over thirty years old now.  Now, obviously, this is a far cry from today's Corolla, and for good reason; for one, Toyota actually built sturdy cars back in the early 1980s; you'd think that old 'yotas would rust or at least develop surface rust, but honestly, I haven't seen any of these here with iffy cancer--they're either mint or close to it, or they're a lost cause. This one was pretty damn mint, and with a couple hours of claybarring, this probably could pass as  "used car" circa 1986.

I was mostly impressed--not only by the awesome condition, but by how original it was, right down to the dealer plaque on the liftgate; if this is the same "Freeway" that sells Fords now, they've done business for over thirty year--which honestly is quite a feat in the ever-changing dealership
 landscape.  I think this car could go on to be one of the nicest classic Toyotas in Minnesota--even though this obviously wasn't intended as a sports car, it's been well kept. And for that alone, I think this is probably one of the coolest Japanese car I've shot.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Ford Fairmont

Ford has had its fair share of shit cars, be it by reputation, or by choice. In the Malaise-era, carmakers were scrambling to produce low-cost cars-for a low cost. Platform was nothing new to Ford, and during the Malaise-era, the blatant rebadging of Fords to Mercury was ever apparent. Billed initially as a low-cost medium-sized car, the Fairmont was the result of slipshod engineering--and build quality. I've never seen two Fairmonts with identical panel gaps--even in commercials. And the styling was.. well, for Christ's sake just look at it! Squares here, squares there, squares everywhere--except the wheels obviously.
To add to the Fairmonts not-all-that-redeeming characteristics, it was a choice as a baddie car in car chase movies--and it gained a starring role in many an episode of "Dukes of Hazzard". But not all was bad.
Since it shares its platform with the Mustang (and quite a variety of other cars), pillaging some junkyard speed parts should be no issue; fitting them shouldn't be a hassle either. Fixing the ever-so-common rust however... no one makes reproduction parts for these cars, and that's a shame because I'd hate to cut up a clean car to save a shit one. On second thought, just start with a clean car in the first place--well.. okay, maybe not. I have a thing for the two-door; it's a nice, cleanly designed (for its time) simple little car that be force-fed quite big power numbers. Any big engine will fit in the bay, and the addition of stickier rolling stock only sweetens the deal.. But what about the four doors?
Often overlooked by enthusiasts and hot-rodders, the four-doors were Ford's bread and butter vehicles. Available only with the six cylinders, they were common with criminals, detectives, and other markets where fleet sales mattered, and engine output did not. But is that the point of the Fairmont four door? Probably not. Vynil seats, monotone paint, and black stock wheels (because steelies sounds too boring, right?) mark this sedan as a basic, likely ex-fleet or rental car. It'd be a good bad-guy car, too, or maybe even a good sleeper.. Or maybe I'm reading too much into this plain-jane sedan.








On the surface, this Fairmont appears to be a beater in awful shape; but considering the lack of surviving Fairmonts, this example is one of the cleaner ones I've seen--that's pretty sad in itself.
Tired brown paint compliments the rusted steelies well; with the addition of the broken trunk badge, this four-door seems like it'd be the perfect "cheap used car" about ten or so years ago. Today, this thing could pass merely for a "beater". Not a good fate for what used to be a popular car.
I like the overall appearance of this old Ford even if it is a bit messy; it obviously could stand a bit of a clean up, but what for? In this shape, it's destined to be scrap metal before long. Ironically, even though this is the Maverick's successor, I see way more Mavericks than any Fairmont. Maybe the Maverick was a better built car?
I don't know, but one thing's for certain; I'm glad I shot this turd when I did. It's not quite the most exciting I've shot, but in a city where classic cars often succumb to horrible modifications if not rust, a good spotting is a good spotting.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Oldsmobile Cutlass 442

In the 1980s, emissions controls were on the way out--sort of; performance cars were making a comeback, and GM saw profit in this. The G-body cars have long been a performance staple, especially as a used car. But when new, the G Bodies were in a class of their own. Each GM brand had its own lineup that catered to a different breed of buyers; Chevrolet had its luxury-oriented Monte Carlo, and for the most part, Pontiac's Grand Prix was the same. With the exception of the 2+2, the GP was also marketed almost strictly as a luxury car. Buick and Oldsmobile were a bit different; Buick has a long-standing performance heritage, and incorporated many performance cars into the Regal line, including the badass GNX and slightly-more-pedestrian Grand National. Oldsmobile had names like Calais, and Salon for its Cutlass models, but don't think for a minute that Olds shunned performance.
Closely working with Hurst shifters, the brand pumped out a nomenclature called 442--one that would stick right up until the demise of the RWD-Cutlass lineup in 1988. First used in in 1964, the designation meant many different things, from 400 cubes, 4 speeds and 2 exhausts, all the way down to the lackluster Quad 4, 4 valves, and 2 cams.
Despite no official reasoning of what 442 stood for with every single model year produced, the 442s have always been collector cars--and a car that's popular with the bling crowd. When a 442 in less that showcar shape hits my radar, I take notice. And this brown example made me do just that.












I wouldn't call this a poor car at all; the brown paint is interesting--its a shade I've never seen before on Oldsmobile's most sporting Cutlass. The gold trim accents it pretty well. Even the bronze wheels look to be in very nice condition. Where this example falls short, however, is in its general neglect; it appears to either be someone's beater, or it appears to be owned possibly by an original owner who simply can't afford to look after it anymore. Shame, too, because with a few minor fixes, this 442 could be a really nice car.
I've only seen black and silver, and this brown one is definitely a nice addition to the color pool; it'd benefit greatly from some cleaning up, and I think it'd make a great-looking car. Only thing I'd change is the lethargic 307, and maybe put a 400 or 455 in it, and maybe a new set of rolling stock. I love these things, and there's nothing that will change that. To me, this is possibly the best thing to come out of the 1985, with the exception of the Monte Carlo SS. Long live GM's sporty "muscle-coupes".

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Cadillac Coupe de Ville

It's a long known fact that as I've grown older, I've grown to acquire a taste for GM's top-tier luxury cars. I've been a steady Cadillac fan, and while I do appreciate a some Lincolns, I usually stand on the Cadillac side of the fence in that debate. Now, Cadillac has produced their share of questionable vehicles(most notably the Cimarron), but to counter that, the vast majority of their vehicles look great--even when they're not in tip-top condition, as evidenced here.
This Coupe de Ville is a 1974 model, and probably features the legendary 472 V8. Good enough for a rather disappointing 205 horsepower figure, the 380 ft/lbs of torque more than made up for the horsepower deficiency. With nearly 400 ft/lbs of torque, I doubt this big barge was a slouch, certainly not when it came time for cruising.
One of the major problems with these Cadillacs was the rear taillight endcaps. They were made of plastic polymer, and over time, the material deteriorated, and eventually broke away altogether, leaving a rather ungainly gap between the rear quarter panel and the chrome taillight surrounds. Unfortunately, these are one of the few pieces that replicas are hard to source, making Cadillac restoration a tricky business.













This example of Cadillac's flagship two door (I don't like the 1970s El Dorados very much) is looking rather long in the tooth; mild patina couple with a few missing trim peices here and there suggest that this example is more than "used"; it's "well-loved". Clearly, being a local car, this banana boat knows the Twin Cities fairly well. After all, it was purchased locally at a St. Paul Cadillac franchise. Kind of fitting how the dealer name fits this Coupe de Ville isn't it?
Aside from the minor setback I noted up top (the missing plastic taillight surrounds), this example really isn't too bad. Yes, it suffers from hidden rust behind the dealer plaque, and I did notice that the infamous Cadillac crest is absent from the front fascia-- but so what? It's unmistakably Cadillac. If someone doesn't recognize this as a Cadillac from first glance, I have no sympathy. Anyone can recognize a Cadillac. The only thing I'd do with this guy, is find a proper front left hubcap to match the other three, and just cruise. I love big 'lacs, and this one is no exception.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Dodge Colt

Along my travels, I sometimes encounter cars I never expect to find; I usually expect to find hoards and hoards of old Cadillacs, older Buicks, and a few Chevrolets; if it's a Ford product, it's likely a 1970s-era LTD or an old pickup. When I'm hunting for Dodge products, that's where it gets iffy. I'm never sure what to expect.
In the 1970s, the Chrysler Corporation formed an alliance with Japanese maker Mitsubishi; this enabled Chrysler to get small cars over here to do battle with Honda, and Toyota, but it also enabled Mitsubishi a sure foot into the emerging Japanese car market in the US. One of the smallest offerings from this American-Japanese partnership was the Dodge Colt and Plymouth Champ. In 1979, the fourth generation Colt was introduced; available in 3 door and 5 door bodies (the 5 door started in 1982, there were a myriad of special editions produced along the way.
To date, I have only seen maybe ten Colts total. Total. As in, I have only seen ten Dodge Colts from this era. Ever.













I happened upon this Colt by chance; I was scouting out the area, when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted this gem. And gem, it is. Not a spec of rust on this 54,000 original miler. The current owner, who I talked to for quite awhile, is an avid SCCA racer, and a car enthusiast to the core. He cares about Colts as much as a Mustang fan loves the galloping horse. Getting to talk to him gave me wonderful insight on what it means to be a car enthusiast. He's thrilled that wherever he goes, people turn there heads. Some folks remember when the Colt was new, others are curious as to what it is. And that's the point of having an interesting car.
This is by far the cleanest Colt I have ever seen; the paint is factory fresh--as it should be. The emblems are all present, and in very good condition. Even the dealer sticker on the hatch has not succumbed to the elements. Inside, it looked damn near factory fresh. The steering wheel, the shift knob, everything was in tip-top condition. This truly is a time capsule car, and I don't often say that.
I had a pleasure shooting this car, and talking to the owner. In my blog career, I hope I have many more instances like this. A truly great little car (sorry Mazda), with an equally appreciative owner. Both make a great combination in my book.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Buick Electra 225

I try to keep custom cars down to a minimum unless they're special or outlandish. I tend to flock to cars done in a style or theme that's not too common around here. For that reason, I tend to avoid rat rods and most Tri-Five Chevies. Not that I don't like them perse, they're just a tad too common.
Car trends come and go every few years; about ten years ago, having a bright orange Honda Civic with white wheels, white graphics, and a big wing on the back was considered cool, and fast forward five years ago, and all-out "rice" started to die out. However, in the bling trend, it worked much the same. About ten years ago, having 24s and lift was considered "ballin"; and then rims got bigger, and there were better styles and brands available. Lifting is now quite passe, and often looks ridiculous. The idea now is to fit bigger wheels on the car, but have it sitting relatively stock. Here, we have a custom Buick Electra done in donk style. Unlike most of the examples I see around here, this gorgeous one is rather tasteful.








This car is awesome! The paint color is great; not too pearly, and no ridiculous murals. The vinyl top, too, is quite a nice contrast to body's darker hue. Definitely the route I'd go. There are a few nits to pick with this example, though. I don't approve of the exhaust tips--they look stupid on a Camaro, and they look even worse here. The wheels, too, could leave a bit more to be desired. Asantis or Forgiatos would do this car the justice it so much deserves. I didn't really inspect the inside, but that's where quite a number of donk-style fall flat in my book. Ugly steering wheels, TVs point every which way, and dumb-looking sound installs. Thankfully, from what I saw, this Electra had none of that.
All it needs is a wheel swap, a Sunday afternoon spent detailing, and me behind the wheel. Overall, quite a clean cruiser that could stand to be cleaned up some.