Whoa! As soon as I saw this tired old Cadillac at the Cohort posted by tbm3fan, I instantly wondered if it was owned by the same person that owns the tired old Pontiac he shot in almost exactly the same spot, and we posted it here.
This one:
This can’t be a coincidence, right?
The Cadillac brings back memories of a summer day in the garage involving me, a broken Cadillac grille insert and some random scrap metal and hardware for re-attaching it to the car. Someone had bumped it in a parking lot and some elderly plastic tabs gave way.
And two more great examples of the dreaded blackwall tire/wire wheelcover combo.
…and there are motorcycles running an obstacle course in the background of both pictures.
It’s been a good week for finding old Cadillacs. I just came across this 1979 Fleetwood Brougham — in good shape, and with a huge roof-mounted antenna:
Eric, on your post 1st, must say, I love a ’79 Fleetwood. This one, even in it’s condition. If it had proper whitewalls and the signature color keyed wheel-covers given it’s nice color, would really be a knockout.
Considering available models,bulletproof drive-trains & styling.. I think 1979 may have been Cadillac’s all-around, best year ever.
But, grrrr, those blackwall tires (or worse yet, raised white letters). No.
Old Cadillac’s must have whitewalls. (wrong dimension white are still available & cheap) and better than none. anyhow, I had Diamondback Classic in SC make these for me in proper size and what a difference they made.
Maybe the owner runs a motorcycle safety course?
That’s the California Motorcycle Safety program. You can start out never having ridden a motorcycle and end up with your motorcycle endorsement. It is a very good program run over three weekends. They provide the motorcycle and even a helmet. I was an instructor years ago. Young riders are mandated to take this program before they can get their permit.
You are correct. That motorcycle training program has been running in the parking lot at the head of pier two and three, where the USS Hornet is berth, for some years now. Every weekend. Not sure if that part of the lot is under the control of the Hornet.
Nothing is uglier then an old, abused luxury car.
Someone paid top dollar to purchase, yet reduced to a pauper’s chariot as the years go by.
OUCH!!!!😒😒😒
Indeed. How the mighty are fallen…..
Glad they’re still around but both look terrible like this. Maybe it’s my age…
Sloan ladder for the modern blue collar worker.
I would love to keep the exterior as-is, but drop in a crate SBC, add the F41-type upgraded suspension bits, etc.
And then you’d have something close to what the Scandinavians would call a “pilsner car”, a car that looks crappy and beat up on the outside but has basically new mechanicals underneath. The name, as I understand it, comes from the idea that you wouldn’t care if your friends spilled beer on the seats because it isn’t a “nice” car.
I think I might need to emigrate. Do they need software engineers? 🙂
Thank you for sharing these photographs. I imagine keeping cars like this on the road in California is not easy due to the smog requirements.
You have to maintain the original pollution control devices in functioning condition, and the engine in reasonable operating order. With that, the car should meet the requirements for the year in which it was built. Let it get into bad shape, though, and all bets are off.
I recently donated a 1994 Ford Taurus with 160,000 miles. It was well maintained as a daily driver; it got smog checked the same day it was donated, passed, and was sold in three days to a new owner, the proceeds to benefit the charity. A relative donated a 1996 Nissan Quest which had been neglected. It failed and went to a junkyard for scrap value.
Older than 1976, the car is exempt.
Should have seen yesterday. I had to drive out to Richmond for jury duty and that was a 40 mile drive. Google maps and satellite view show the Superior Court to be in a somewhat rundown section of Richmond. There is some good, some fair, and some quite bad. I’m 1 block away driving down a street of old homes and scattered small industrial businesses and what do I pass. One 1966 VW Bus and two VW Transporters parked head to toe. Damn and no camera. In the jury room I look out the window and see a 61-66 Slick with a tool box back, all in faded gray, with a nice cabin cruiser attached to the trailer hitch.