On the first Sunday in March, I decided to venture across the river to see what CCs I could find. I had two specifically in mind: 1966 and 1976 Olds Ninety-Eights, both white, that sat side-by-side on a used-car lot. Alas, I had waited too long and they were gone. But never fear, folks, because I still managed to find plenty of interesting iron. Let’s go wander…
First up was a little used-car lot that has been in business for decades. Although the first couple of rows of vehicles change regularly, there’s a wide variety of old-timers out back, including this Land Rover Series hardtop.
Judging from the dust on the seats, I think it’s been a while since it’s seen the road. It looked remarkably complete, though.
Behind the Rover were a number of VeeDubs, including a stash of several early Rabbits, two of which were convertibles.
A TR7/TR8 convertible was also on the lot. It looked pretty good, with decent paint and no visible rust. But since it was sitting on a half-trailer, I assumed it wasn’t a runner.
One thing I found interesting was the Rexroat Porsche-Audi tag on the back of the nearest Rabbit. Rexroat was a dealer in East Moline that closed its doors in the early ’90s. I remember going there with my dad back in the mid-’80s when I was a kid and seeing 944s and 911s. Dad participated in a few Rexroat-sponsored gymkhanas with his 356 back in the ’70s. The building is still there, but it’s now a tire store.
I am quite sure this gold land yacht was a 1968 full-size Chevrolet, but I was unable to ID it as an Impala or Caprice. It does have the formal two-door hardtop roof line, though. To its left is what appears to be a 1970-72 Chevelle. There was a lot of snow mounded up (we had gotten 5-7″ of the white stuff the previous Tuesday) and I wasn’t wearing boots, so I’ll have to come back in warmer weather and check some of these cars out.
I almost didn’t take a picture of this one, but I noticed the alloys and realized it’s a GTI. An ’85, perhaps? I wonder if it is jpcavanaugh’s old VW.
For those of you more interested in domestic rolling stock, there was a Broughamy LeBaron sedan for sale. Despite some peeling paint, it was complete and in good shape.
The velour interior was quite nice as well, though I would have preferred leather. As long as it doesn’t have that pesky Ultradrive, it could make a nice work car for someone.
With its wire wheel covers, landau top and de rigueur chrome luggage rack, this was the über Acclaim. I think these looked nicer in darker colors, though. Nightwatch Blue with blue leather would be very sharp.
This green Triumph TR7 (CC here) has been a landmark west of downtown for years. My guess is that it sat unsold on the lot so long that the owner decided to turn it into a sign.
Is it hiding, or spying on passing motorists?
While it appears to be complete and in reasonably solid shape, it clearly is short an engine, judging from the nose-high stance. You wouldn’t want oil leaking into the building from above, now would you?
The building must have a stout roof, as the TR has been up there for at least 15 years; I always enjoy seeing it when I am on my way into West Davenport.
While the number of interesting cars at ground level was a little thin, there was a solid late-’80s Daytona Shelby Z hiding behind a bass boat.
Other than some surface rust on the roof, it looked pretty good. It even has its original factory alloys.
In a back yard just a short distance away, I recalled seeing a couple of old cars, including this 1947-49 Studebaker.
The homeowner must appreciate orphan makes, as there was also a ’60s Scout in residence. There were also a couple of 1949-52 Chevy sedans behind the Cornbinder.
I wonder if this one was a special edition, since it had what appeared to be factory-applied red rocker-panel striping and a red-and-black IH logo on the tailgate. Then again, they could just be dealer-installed extras. I’m sure Eric Van Buren, our CC Cornbinder expert, can identify the model year and trim level.
Farther east, I ran across a number of interesting CCs at a little import repair shop. I thought of Paul and his westward-bound A100 van when I saw this ’70s Dodge van with California plates.
This van looks like it just got time-warped here from about 1974. Seeing a unrusted Mopar van this old in the Quad Cities is rare indeed.
Inside it was similarly vintage, with the original steering wheel and high-back velour bucket seats. All it needed to be complete was an 8-track radio with CB and the corresponding whip antenna on the back. Breaker breaker, where the hey did all this snow come from?
Sitting right next to it was this solid (if engine-less) 1960 Ranchero. The custom red-and-white paint is not factory, and reminds me of a ’60s aftermarket custom paint job.
The interior was also red and white, and looked to need only a good cleaning and a radio to be hospitable for both driver and passenger.
For the mechanically inclined this Ranchero, with its rust-free CA body, would be a cool project car, . Just drop in a 302 V8 or 300 CID six, add some vintage Keystone or Crager SS wheels and a bit of polish, and you’d be good to go!
I’m sure Paul will like this one, a late-production W124. As it was backed right up to the fence, I am unsure what is under the hood, but I imagine it is probably a 420E, a circa-1993-95 model judging from the color-keyed bumpers and trim. The alloys are off of a later MB, probably an early Oughts C-Class.
There was also a very nice ’60s Beetle in residence, probably a customer’s car in for service. I was attracted to its originality. Let’s face it, hopping up and otherwise modifying air-cooled VWs is as common as dropping a 350 Chevy into anything with–or without–wheels.
Sadly, it was not a sunroof model, but it still made my day to see this little red Vee Dub. There may be a number of old VWs in Eugene but in the Midwest, salt ate most of them and these days they are rarely seen anywhere outside of a VW-specific show.
Judging from the handicapped license plate and interior accessories, I am going to go out on a limb and say the owner is somebody’s grandma. If so, she is way cooler than the other grandmas with Impalas and Tauruses.
This Subuirban was another really solid car. I especially liked the Di-Noc wood sides, as most of these had two-tone paint instead. Looks to be about a ’78. And those bumper guards mean business!
These Suburbans, with a 129.5-inch wheelbase and 219.1-inch overall length are surprisingly only within a few inches of the current models (at 130 and 222.4 inches, respectively). At the far right, partially hidden by a mound of snow, were an early ’90s Dodge Colt and a Jag XJS coupe.
In the back corner were this orange Super Beetle and Nash Metropolitan. I think the diminutive Metro is about the only car that can make a VW look big!
I really liked this E30 325i cabriolet. E30s (’85 318i CC here) are getting thin on the ground around here; but for a white one I see regularly in Rock Island, this is only the second E30 cab I’ve seen in about a year and a half.
I’ve always liked black with a tan interior, and enthusiasts will like this example all the more for its stick shift. It seems like when new, most were automatic versions driven by country club wives.
And that, dear readers, is all for today. I did find more CCs on this particular Sunday, but they were over the town line in Bettendorf, so we’ll save them for another day.
Outstanding! I think I’m drawn to the LeBaron most, the BMW next. I’m not sure what it is about the LeBaron that does it for me.
A Metropolitan in all that snow!It’s done well to survive,my brother had a yellow and white one in the 70s which rusted faster than he could weld it!Highly sought after in my mis spent youth especially by the rock n roll crew who couldn’t afford a Yank,Cresta,or Zodiac.Haven’t seen a Falcon Ranchero for a long time,last saw one at a vintage moto cross race with a Greaves in the back.
For me the burban is my first pick then the dodge booogy van. Theres just somthing about lumbering down the highway with one thumb on the wheel and my head resting on the door post.
A fun tour. The Stude appears to be a 1949 Champion, and would probably be my pick of the day. However, I also like the Scout and the Dodge van. It has been a long time since I have seen a 1960 Ranchero.
The black GTI looks like the one I had. The snow is covering the hood, so we cannot see if there is a little dent on the leading edge of the hood where a stray rock hit the car. Mine would have also had massively fogged windows from the constant water leaks into the body.
The older Beetle is a ’58-63, as it has the large rear window with the smaller front turn signals (which got larger in ’64), IIRC. If the snow were off the hood, we could see if it has the Wolfsburg crest, present through 1962.
That TR7 on the roof is missing its tow trailer… They came standard from the factory that way, didn’t they?
Update – it’s a pre-62, as I don’t see a fuel gauge on the dash. There will be a lever below the dash on the firewall that can be turned to access the gallon or so reserve when the engine starts to sputter.
And it’s 1960 or later because it has push-button door handles rather than pull-levers, along with the dished steering wheel. Can’t see whether there’s a choke knob or not, that would determine if it’s a ’60 (with manual choke) or ’61 (automatic choke, no knob).
I knew you guys would be able to pin down the exact year 🙂
Nice finds! I’m quite partial to that Ranchero and Scout, with a little (or a lot) of work those would look great in my driveway.
But the icing on the cake is that fuzzy steering wheel cover on the VW! I may have to bend my rule about no accessories on the DougD VW. Maybe Ed needs one of those too.
Or not! (c:
I hate working on cars, so while I’d love the Ranchero, I’d pass. I can find ones here in similar condition at the same price point, which are turn-key functional. I do like the concave ’60 grille over the later versions.
Triumph….The Shape of Things to Come.
I guess they were right; Fiero and MR2 did follow in the 80s.
What a fantastic set of finds. A friend of mine has a 76 TR7 almost exactly like that roof one – same colour. I’ve always liked the FHC TR7 myself even if I’m in the minority. That Land Rover looks like a pretty solid project for someone.
It always amazes me how some dealers manage to have a lot of cars hanging around basically doing nothing. Maybe it is just my new car dealer experience in me, but with space at a premium cars that don’t move are a liability. Who knows maybe the guy owns the lot and has low overhead so he probably doesn’t care.
I am surprised no one mentioned the blue Aztek peeking out.
One of the former VW garages in Charlotte put a Beetle on the roof of their building. Eventually the garage closed but the building was reopened as a restaurant – with the Beetle still on the roof. One thing, though, this Beetle was completely gutted. It was basically a rolling body no engine, trans, or interior.
Yes, I have been having lots of W124 thoughts lately. My xB is so noisy and hard riding on the freeway. Of course, I don’t spend much time on the road, and around town, it’s a perfect errand-runner. Maybe a W124 wagon…
When I was in grade school somebody’s mom had a black circa-1990 W124 4Matic wagon. I always liked that car, but even then they were way more expensive than the Volvo 740s my parents drove at the time.
So how is the surviving W124 rate in Eugene?
I would guess there are more running W124’s in Eugene than anywhere outside Stuttenharghfenfarfegnugen. I think Paul christened them Eugene’s Official CC a while back. They even have their own dealer. (Not just W124s, of course. Any old Merc.)
Lots of W124’s around in SoCal, and many in beautifully maintained condition.
I’ve got a ’95 Wagon. Great car, but there are fair number of known issues to be aware of. Either find one that has had most of them taken care of or budget for them. Once fixed though, they certainly can go a long time and give good service. Prices have never been lower either.
I recently test drove a 1993 420E with 107k that was absolutely beautiful at a local Chrysler-Subaru dealer and was amazed at how nicely it drove even after 20 years. It had that carved from a solid block of granite feel that old Mercedes always had but without the slop in the steering like a W126 S-Class because it had rack and pinion steering. The interior was logically laid out without the fussy electronics of todays cars (my rental 2013 Buick Regal with the touch screen radio is a nightmare) and everything had a solid feel. Even though I really don’t need another car I’m seriously thinking about buying one of these. I’m not sure that newer Mercedes are an improvement over this car.
Actually, the W124 doesn’t have rack and pinion steering. But it wasn’t sloppy, just not quite as direct as a R&P setup. MBZ was very proud of their steering box (I forget the name of the mechanism right now), and resisted R&P for a long time. But eventually, they made the move.
Well International didn’t use a model year in the period while they were making the Scout 80 and 800 series but there are a few clues.
Twist style handles mean it is a Scout 80 (61-65). Roll up windows mean that it is late 62 or newer. The IH logo on the tailgate, instead of INTERNATIONAL across the top and Scout script in the middle, it what pegs it as end of 80 series production so assuming the doors and tailgate are original I’ll call in a 1965.
The stripe I think is added. The Doll-up versions available in that era had “Custom” badges in the center of the doors.
That generation of Suburban has always appealed to me, as they are not nearly as dandified as the latter variants.
What is the red conveyance parked on the right-hand side of the Beetle? I was going to guess it is a Mk III Capri, but it appears to have a Toyota crest on the grille.
That was a ’90s Mercury Capri. Richard Bennett did a CC on a pair he ran across last year: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-asian/curbside-classic-1991-mercury-capri-birds-of-a-feather/
Is that a first-gen GTI in front of the full-size Chevys? I’d take that one, rust and all…
It was hard to tell. I plan to go back when the weather warms up and see what’s in that back row.
Ok I’ll take the Landrover its a series 2A half an hour should see that driving put the half trailer on the hitch and I’d drag the Falcon ute away too, XF control arms and discs before you drop in another powertrain is how you do it the original front end is rubbish. and not up to the task, Eric will harvest the cornbinder, you can keep the rest.