There are few things in life quite as refreshing as a Saturday morning in the spring. After a winter of any sort, people are aching to get into the swing of summer.
Enjoying the weather on a recent Saturday, I fired up the trusty ‘93 A-Body Buick for running a few chores around Jefferson City. For a state capital of 40,000 population, and not being served by an interstate, there is a surprising amount of vehicular eye candy to be found.
There were books to return to the library. As I was leaving, a man pulled up in this Ford Tempo. This did prompt thoughts of my dad’s white ’88 Tempo two-door and my sister’s red ’92 that she rolled.
After running onto a few side streets looking for a particular Mopar, I stumbled upon the frequently absent cousin to my Century. There in all its well-worn glory was a Pontiac 6000.
I snap a picture then turn around to get one from the other angle.
My mission wasn’t over as I had spotted the Mopar prey a few days ago from the highway. After crawling slowly over several hills, I find my target. It’s a silver Dodge Diplomat, one of the too few Mopar M-Bodies that remain.
Looking at the car, it obviously hasn’t moved in some time. The interior is full of plastic tarps and various items. The license plates are the last generation Missouri plates that quit being used in 2007 or 2008. Rust was not frequently seen on M-Bodies in this part of the country and the body is straight.
Snapping another picture of the Diplomat, a highly under-appreciated car, I head off toward the hardware store for a bag of topsoil, thinking of the ’86 Plymouth Gran Fury I used to own. That was a great car.
Somewhat along the way (well, a guy does have to go on snooping scouting missions when he contributes to a website), I spy something unique down the hill and behind a house. A quick trip around the block and through an alley gives a better answer.
While not a particular fan of MGs or small cars in general, I find a collection of them, offering parts or awaiting restoration. I’m not sure which.
A friend of my father’s used to own an MG. He later owned a Mazda Miata that I drove exactly once. Its diminutive stature scared the bejesus out of me when amongst the trucks on I-44.
Aiming for the topsoil again I spotted this yellow ’81 Fairmont in front of an antique store. This seemed rather appropriate as it is now in its 30’s.
About a year ago, I spoke to the owner of an ’80 Fairmont. His sedan was factory black with a 2.3 liter four-cylinder backed by a four-speed manual transmission. He claimed to routinely realize 30 miles per gallon.
No sooner had I taken the pictures of the Fairmont than I see another Ford Tempo. And it’s another two door to boot. Wearing no plates, the old girl has mingled a little too much with salt and much too little with car washes.
I drive on up the boulevard toward the hardware store to grab the $1 bag of topsoil the wife desired.
My biggest desire was to see the ’78 Mercury Marquis at the used car dealer. Something about that car really speaks to me. Sadly, the 16,000 mile gem wasn’t there, so I had to fantasize.
If I had money and space, I think I would be Broughamiscuous.
The hardware store is the same store where I have seen the twin to my Buick Century. It, too, wasn’t there. However, the little number below was.
Not being familiar with Triumphs [ED: It’s a 1962-67 Mark I or Mark II Spitfire], I snap a few more pictures. When I return, the owner is placing his newly purchased potted plants in the front seat.
I will be covering a lot of territory this week. Life is good.
You think the 6000 LE is nice? Wait until you all see the (rust belt edition) Pontiac 6000 STE I’ve seen a lot at the local high school parking lot recently!
I see a Triumph TR2/TR3 in the collection of MGs!
There’s a Spit in the first pic and a TR4/4A/250 in the second.
TR4/5/250, not TR2/3. And there’s a late version Spitfire in there too.
2 Midgets, 3 MGBs (including the stripped shell), a Spitfire and a TR4 in the mix.
I always liked the Tempo coupe. When I got out of college in ’89 and went new-car shopping, I test drove a Tempo first. The lack of center hump made driving the thing fatiguing, as it required more calf muscle to keep the accelerator in place when you cruised. That was enough to turn me away!
A college buddy had a Mercury Zephyr with the 2.3L four and the four speed. That car was SO SLOW off the dime. Just dreadful.
” it required more calf muscle to keep the accelerator in place when you cruised”
Funny how that works. That was the only issue with the base 90 Lumina and one of the issues with the 87 Taurus I had(column shift on both).
I never got used to the lack of a tunnel or console to wedge my foot against.
That Dippy is pretty sweet! That color doesn’t quite do it justice though.
I agree – it just almost needs to be county-sheriff metallic green.
That or “Rustoleum” (Fleet) White.
A nice variety. I cannot look at one of those Pontiac 6000s without remembering a news fluff article at the time about all of the car names becoming numbers. It quoted a Pontiac dealer who was momentarily confused when a lady came in and asked to see a new Gooole. He finally figured out that she meant a 6000 LE.
So, the car has always been a Pontiac Gooole to me. Sort of a cousin to the famous Ford FISO.
As for the big Marquis, one of those lives outside down the street from me. I talked to the elderly owner once, who said that it was his mother’s car and has some really low miles, but that it needs brakes and that the aluminum wheels have fused themselves to the steel hubs. I don’t know what all he tried, but his method of dealing with it has been to let the old car sit outside and rot, so it is now one of those mythical 20K cars that would need a complete restoration.
Thank you. I don’t understand why a person would let a car rot away, but it is happening all too frequently.
I have seen the ’78 Marquis all of once. It is blue and very sharp. The dealer has been advertising it for months on and off. The only other Marquis of that vintage I have seen locally is on display at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Museum, as it had been the last “full-size” car in service with them.
Here’s the low tech way to free aluminum wheels from from cast iron hubs. Loosen the lugs. Start the car and give it some juice. Nail the brakes. Remove lugs and then the recalcitrant wheel.