Cars..

[roadscholar]

There've been a number of rear engine automobiles over the past 135 years but due to a variety of reasons they're all gone, except one. And it took a few twists of good fortune and some not insignificant engineering to keep it alive. But mostly it survived because it only had one mission and never deviated, pure driving pleasure.

 

 

[MikeB60]

We bought this thing back in the spring. Good ol  'merican muscle 430HP on regular.

[TEWKS]

Mike, I bet 430 is a real kick in the pants when you press on that loud pedal!  Nice!  I had an 87 with 220hp and that was a kick, or so I thought. 

Now, someday in the future, I need to check this box.  Bill, your thoughts between the rear engine 911 Vs the Mid engine Cayman S would be great to hear.  Thinking my budget is going to be in the 30K range. Obviously buying used.

 

Edit..the older Six Vs the newer Turbocharged Four cylinder...

 

 

 

[Marty Hill]

Pat, there is no substitute for a 911.  Yes, I've tried most of the others.

[roadscholar]

2 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Now, someday in the future, I need to check this box.  Bill, your thoughts between the rear engine 911 Vs the Mid engine Cayman S would be great to hear.  Thinking my budget is going to be in the 30K range. Obviously buying used.

 

Edit..the older Six Vs the newer Turbocharged Four cylinder...

 

 

Tough one Pat, it's sort of like there are GS people and RT people and we know how that worked out for you : ) If you have to choose I'd say go drive a few of each when the time comes. Honestly I have zero seat time in the newer stuff, still have the 996 Cab and a couple 986 Boxsters and am content for now, but it's the kind of thing only you can decide. I did drive a Cayman when they first came out, it was nice but didn't blow me away, although there are previous 911 owners that say it's the most fun car they've had. As far as 4 vs 6 cyl I personally would go with the 6 just for the sound alone inside the car, and may have seen somewhere they're going back to the six but I'd check on that.

 

When push comes to shove though I'm probably in Marty's camp, there are no half measures with the 911 it's full tilt boogie (or serene as an E class Benz if you want it to be) and likely an easier sell because it can double as family weekend entertainment : )    

 

[TEWKS]

Great info guys, thanks!  I dare not drive either until I find my last BMW motorcycle.  

[roadscholar]

5 hours ago, MikeB60 said:

We bought this thing back in the spring. Good ol  'merican muscle 430HP on regular.

 

4 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Mike, I bet 430 is a real kick in the pants when you press on that loud pedal!  Nice!  I had an 87 with 220hp and that was a kick, or so I thought. 

 

I had one of these in the 60's, Comet Cyclone GT same color combo, 390 with 335hp (3600lbs) fun car but it wouldn't outrun a tri-power GTO, GT350, or 427 Corvette for that matter. It tried though : )

 

 

 

[Whip]

My favorite car I have owned

 

 

[roadscholar]

Sweet, knock-offs and side pipes, quite desirable these days. I had a '65 too, sold the Comet after a year and bought this for same money (drove it from Daytona to Cape Cod with the top down : ) Sold after 8 or 9 months and got a '63 Super 90, never looked back.

 

 

 

 

[RandyShields]

In HS, I stored my 1969 Honda 450 at an older friend's house since I wasn't allowed to have a motorcycle.  He rebuilt a crashed AC Cobra.  Most fun car I ever rode in, even thought I didn't own it.  Went to a Cobra rally with him where there were dozens of these beauties.  Way fun to ride in!  Had 8 Webber carbs and side pipes.  Can't afford one now!  A true American sports car.  Turns my head every time I see one on the road.

 

 

 

 

[Whip]

My second favorite car I owned

 

1994 SS Impala 

 

 

[MikeB60]

1 hour ago, Whip said:

My second favorite car I owned

 

1994 SS Impala 

 

 

DyAnne and I test drove one just like that.  When she pulled on to the freeway the salesman said "give it a little gas" and I thought buddy you are going to wish you hadn't said that.  She ran it right up to 130...Ended up buying a Silverado but that SS was a hoot.

[roadscholar]

Reminds me of this test drive..

 

 

[TEWKS]

Bill, a bit over my budget but thought you might find this one interesting. 

 

 

 

[Whip]

My third fav

 

1998 Pace Car

 

[TEWKS]

My car history below. BTW, none of these pics were my actual cars but the colors are all correct. Gotta love the net! 

70 Monte Carlo.

 

72 Dart slant 6 AKA the tank. Think this was the beginning of a thing called Adventure Cruising. 

 

First brand new car was a 1984 Monte Carlo SS. Should of kept that one.

 

1986 Mustang GT.

 

Last car before Trucks became cool. An 87 GT. 

 

 

 

 

[roadscholar]

5 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Bill, a bit over my budget but thought you might find this one interesting. 

 

 

 

 

Sorry but somebody wasted a lot of time and money trying to make that poor little car into something it isn't and got it all wrong (color, wheels, interior, and who knows what else). And then to put it out there for 2 or 3 times what a nice original can be had for is really ludicrous. Anyone looking to spend 5 figures on a nice 912 would run from that, it might fly on the Vegas strip or Barrett-Jackson but nowhere else I can think of : )

 

912's were made the first 4 years of 911 production in the US, '66-'69 and were a less expensive no frills alternative with the pushrod 4 cylinder from the 356. In recent years with 356 values skyrocketing they're gaining traction as a collectible because of their simplicity and fun to drive factor (lighter, better balance, easier to toss around than early 911's).

 

A knowledgeable guy in the Porsche thread on Adv just picked up this one, it's more what collectors are looking for.

 

 

  

[KTM Doug]

Just a few

 

'66 442   Turned in '67 12.83 @ 111 mph

[roadscholar]

About time you showed up, good stuff.. Hey that last one is a real sweetheart, had a white E30 coupe for awhile. Wish I hadn't sold it, some think it's the best Bimmer ever. The SS Camaro ain't too shabby either : )

 

[Marty Hill]

A 912.  Yuk!

[KTM Doug]

Camaro was not an SS. It was a Z-28 with the 302.  Had the 325e for about 5 years of commuting.  Nice little car. Had a 318i a couple years before that.  We drove it to Texas in '83 for a 3 week tour.  The MBZ was the wife's 50th birthday present.  The Cobra Mustang of it's era was a dog. Only 240hp as I remember. Also horrible ride from the rear solid axle on this car. Did not have it long.

[KTM Doug]

Almost forgot.  Had a couple of these. And our last toy, a '56 frame off with a 500hp 383 I had built.

 

[Whip]

My first

 

1970 Eldorado

[Whip]

Another POS I owned

 

1962

[roadscholar]

56 minutes ago, KTM Doug said:

Camaro was not an SS. It was a Z-28 with the 302.  Had the 325e for about 5 years of commuting.  Nice little car. Had a 318i a couple years before that.  We drove it to Texas in '83 for a 3 week tour.  The MBZ was the wife's 50th birthday present.  The Cobra Mustang of it's era was a dog. Only 240hp as I remember. Also horrible ride from the rear solid axle on this car. Did not have it long.

 

It looked kind of special although I'm no muscle car expert. Love the Rally wheels on it and Tewks Monte Carlo, understated but effective at getting the point across. 

 

 

[KTM Doug]

This was fun for the 7-8 years we had it.

 

[Whip]

Another one of my favs I owned

 

1981 Scirocco S

 

Mars Red

 

 

[RandyShields]

Another one of my favs I owned

1981 Scirocco S

 

Had a roommate that had two of these in succession in DC.  Not a very good looking car but, man, was it fun to drive and could it go!  Fast and very nimble.  Held the road very tightly.  I know he really missed those when he sold them. We would occasionally swap, with me driving his VW and him driving my British Racing Green MGB.  Both fun in their own way.  His was a bit more mechanically reliable. . . .

 

Randy

[roadscholar]

13 hours ago, Whip said:

Another one of my favs I owned

1981 Scirocco S

Mars Red

 

The modern day version.

 

[Selden]

Ok, I'll bite. This 1919 was still in service in the 1950's.

 

 

 

 

 

Chain drive:

 

[Whip]

1 hour ago, roadscholar said:

 

The modern day version.

 

What is it?

[roadscholar]

2 hours ago, Whip said:

What is it?

 

A short lived coupe version of the 2nd gen C class (02-04?) that was aimed at younger buyers. A chopped off sedan with a hatchback kind of like the Scirocco or BMW 318ti. Most had a 2.3L supercharged 4 but a few had the 3.2L V6 that nearly transforms it into a GT car, at minimum a decent sleeper. Surprisingly good handling, brakes, and power (with the 6). Here's a video some guy made, not terribly exciting but 160mph is 160mph : ) (258kmh)

 

 

 

[Whip]

I loved the gear box and handling.

 

The seats were Ricaro knock offs that were great for cornering the way they held me in place.

 

 

 

 

[roadscholar]

Definitely fun to drive cars, the Merc stayed with that formula but a modern upgraded version. The styling included glass below the rear spoiler like the 2nd gen Scirocco, odd but the only cars I can think of with it.

 

   

 

BTW the first generation Scirocco was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also drew up some beautiful Alfas, Maserati's, and the BMW M1.

 

 

[Steve1962]

On 7/31/2019 at 10:04 AM, Whip said:

Another one of my favs I owned

 

1981 Scirocco S

 

Mars Red

 

 

 

 

I had one of those in metallic blue......mine was a 1978 with only 42k on the clock but was already 18 yrs old and rusty ( the car, not me!!) - got it for a bargain price and sold it on 18 months later for the same as I paid for it.  Utterly reliable but somewhat thirsty.

 

[roadscholar]

 

[Marty Hill]

4 doors, I can't get used to the idea.  PS, I'm sure I'm wrong.

[roadscholar]

More details on the Taycan.

 

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a28662827/2020-porsche-taycan-prototype-ride/?fbclid=IwAR2BNmn9x6ibYwvIWJalSQEh6c9Vq7n-Q7b3NYZWh7HdxG6h_oODPrW_z6I  

 

 

[roadscholar]

Don't know if anyone saw this when it happened but it was pretty bizarre. The 2nd video is fairly recent and gives a good description of how and why.

 

 

 

[roadscholar]

Click on one of the in car cameras below. The Fords are fastest in GTLM right now but the Porsche sounds the best : )

 

https://imsatv.imsa.com/

[Skywagon]

Now here is a rear engine car...My first car.  I was 16 years old.  I had it exactly 4 days before I wrecked it.  The ink wasn't dry on my license and it took a while before my dads boot print wore off my backside.  Not the actual one but very close.  Right color, but I had chrome reverse and no fuzzy dice.

 

 

 

 

 

This was car number 2.  That SS 396 factory 4 speed was a true early muscle car...

 

 

 

 

whoops....actually this was my first ride.  4 wheel drive all weather.

 

[szurszewski]

On 7/31/2019 at 7:22 PM, roadscholar said:

The styling included glass below the rear spoiler like the 2nd gen Scirocco, odd but the only cars I can think of with it.

 

 

really? You must not get stuck behind as many of these as I do. 

 

They’ve had that since the beginning (well, not that weird pseudo sendan thing), and there are at least a handful of other Asian hatchback ev/hybrids that have used that bit as well. 

[roadscholar]

2 hours ago, szurszewski said:

 

really? You must not get stuck behind as many of these as I do. 

 

They’ve had that since the beginning (well, not that weird pseudo sendan thing), and there are at least a handful of other Asian hatchback ev/hybrids that have used that bit as well. 

 

I don't pay attention to Asian cars, for the most part they're either butt ugly or plagiarized something European badly, and still are.   

[roadscholar]

On 7/28/2019 at 11:52 AM, Marty Hill said:

Pat, there is no substitute for a 911.  Yes, I've tried most of the others.

 

Hey Marty, didn't you used to have one of these ?

 

 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1993-porsche-911-rs-america-14/

[Marty Hill]

Yes I did.  Sadly I sold it to my then girl friend.  Without telling me she traded it for a new mercedes sedan.  I never took a pic of it.  Do I wish I had kept it?  Yes.  Mine was black.

 

[ESokoloff]

On 8/9/2019 at 10:54 AM, Marty Hill said:

4 doors, I can't get used to the idea.  PS, I'm sure I'm wrong.

 

Not sure how many doors this one will have but it will REALLY fly

[Marty Hill]

You buy, I'll fly!

 

[ESokoloff]

1 hour ago, Marty Hill said:

You buy, I'll fly!

 

Too rich for my blood.

I’ll have to wait for the Hyundai/Cracker Jacks collaboration

[roadscholar]

 

[John Ranalletta]

Very cool.  Had two thoughts watching.  The robots brushing the body pre-paint...could be adapted for car washes.  The most popular car washes around here take up lots of real estate because the process steps are in-line.  What the car was stationary and the robot changed tools to wash/dry?

 

The paint line reminded of our Subaru factory tour.  The young lady who was our guide worked in the paint section said employees selected to work in paint were given a list of prohibited and permitted soaps, cosmetics and hair care items as some compounds were proven to flake or dust off getting on the unpainted surfaces and ruining the paint jobs leading to re-work.