This weekend I was driving past a repair shop and saw this CC pairing for the twentieth or thirtieth time, so I finally decided to stop. The Plymouth Satellite and Zephyr Z-7 Coupe have been sitting here for several years, and both resonate strongly in the Curbside Universe. Stopping was a wise decision, since I discovered another Curbside Maximus hidden behind this pair.
I’m not referring to the Cougar tucked in behind our ’72 Plymouth Satellite- It was so tightly boxed in, this was the best picture available.
But I did get some decent shots of the Satellite, and our Jason Shafer wrote up an in depth review of a very similar car. Thanks his efforts, I can offer you this link, rather than researching the facts myself. Jason’s car even has wheel covers, trumping this rather frumpy example.
Instead of Plymouth trivia, we’ll move onto this third Curbside staple. A late eighties version of the quintessential GM B-body, a Chevy Caprice. A super example, it even comes equipped with that patented Anti-Niedermeyer accessory, a set of “yucky cheap aftermarket wheel covers.”
These CC trucks help mask the Caprice from prying eyes, but fit the Curbside Classic milieu equally well. I’m curious to know how this grouping occurred- They could all be a shop owner’s private stash of vintage iron, or perhaps projects abandoned by owners unable to pay. I know the Plymouth and Mercury are long term residents, but the others may only be overnight guests.
The Grand Wagoneer passed emissions last October, so it appears to be road worthy, but the crew cab Ford is too old for the Cali Smog Test, so there’s no online data. Zooming into my original photo, the registration sticker appears expired (the numbers were not legible, but current stickers are yellow, not white), so I think it’s been parked for a while.
The nameplate on the Fox body is also unreadable, but the fender gills identify as the Mercury version. This shot also shows the headliner drooping down, and a “phone dial” alloy wheel off a Mustang or other high-zoot Fox. I know it isn’t original, since Ford dropped the Zephyr at the end of ’83, a year before the wheels appeared in ’85.
I did take a couple of interior shots of the Zephyr, and it appears to be nicely turned out. Power windows and air conditioning weren’t a given in the early eighties, so whoever purchased this coupe set themselves apart from the rest of the proletariat by buying a deluxe model.
In fact, the Zephyr dash proudly declares it to be “Ride Engineered!” I don’t recall any specific suspension options offered on the early Fox cars, so I’m guessing this is pure PR fluff, but if someone knows better, please chime in.
To wrap things up, let’s return to our menacing Satellite. I captured these pictures in the town of Lawndale, one of many suburban LA enclaves. Doing a little online research, it turns out this Mopar B-body has a rather strong connection to Lawndale.
It seems that in 1946, Lawndale saw the birth of football tough guy Fred Dryer of the Los Angeles Rams. After football, Fred starting acting, where he played…
Rick Hunter, a “a renegade cop who bends the rules and takes justice into his own hands.” Of course, as a TV cop, Hunter’s preferred ride was this bad ass B-body. His ride was a bit newer than our example, but the unchanging nature of the B-body made it the perfect choice for a TV tough guy, and a direct descendant of our ’72 Satellite.
Of course, “Hunter” also provided us with Sergeant Dee Dee McCall and her bright red Dodge Daytona. For those more interested the sporty side of the show, William Stopford shared one of her memorable car chases here. Personally, I’ll stand by the Satellite.
I like that big Ford crew cab, though I’d need a big driveway for it. Street parking one of these here in my Toronto neighbourhood would be a job in itself.
Seeing that jellybean Ford with clear coat issues…
Was it only certain colors? I’ve seen a few F150s with those issues but my 2004 F150 Heritage in Arizona Desert Tan was still going strong the last time I saw it (sold in 2016) the paint shining with an owner who I doubt is waxing it as it pulls ranch duty.
Can see the smog place in that same auto center, that is where I get my bi-annual smog tests at, I get there before they even open in the morning – the more pristine vehicles of the collection shown in these pictures are stored in the various other businesses there (locked up overnight). Brought out in the lot when those other places open in the mornings.
Always like checking out what’s on a workshop’s forecourt/parking/store area. I’ve been known to divert to go past my favourite Alfa Workshops…….there were 3 Alfas 4Cs there yesterday.
“A super example, it even comes equipped with that patented Anti-Niedermeyer accessory, a set of “yucky cheap aftermarket wheel covers.”
…and those ones are especially cheap and tacky-looking, even considering what they are. I’ve seen nicer plastic on crappy little toys at the dollar store. Nice B-body, though. I guess we can thank GM for restyling the mirrors and swapping out to composite headlights, or we wouldn’t be able to identify this as a late-80s car.
I don’t think I would ever have termed either of these Satellites as Bad Asses. Maybe under styled, or on the conservative side, certainly aimed to undersell the market. I don’t think either of these ever carried sufficient attitude with them to carry out event the mildest of liquor store heists. Myself, I had limited seat time in Satellites, and I would have picked the 1970 as my favourite of all the attempts by Chrysler, with the 1974 as a second best.
Nice shots of some tucked away CCs, Dave.
Gimmie the Satellite.
LTDan surely will agree.
Of course it’s ” ride engineered ” an engineer had to design the suspension
Many years ago when designer jeans were popular a vender at the local flea market would call out ” designer garbage bags lady’s ”
When they asked him about them he would say someone had to design them !
Fun to see these cars and to read all of your comments.
IIRC the Fairmont/Zephyr were “Ride-Engineered” starting with the ’79 models, with the result being that Car and Driver reported that “the marshmallow men have been at it again” and their test ’79 with the sport suspension handled worse than a standard ’78.
Always liked Fred Dryer, especially as “Hunter”, a cheesy, stereotypical 80s TV cop.
I seem to remember the best line of the show:
Hunter: “Do I look like a cop?”
McCall: “If you looked any more like a cop you’d have your own TV show.”
The Satellite is cool to me, if only because it looks like both every cop car and baddie car from 70s movies at the same time. Put on some good shocks, a healthy engine, (don’t care as long as it’s got a big 4bbl. and goes “glug, glug, glug, –GROWL!!!!!– pop,pop,pop” through glass packs) some decent tires and stereo, and it’s off to cruising for me.
It’s my favorite here as I’ve owned some version of all the other featured CCs. If I’d owned a Satellite, reality probably wouldn’t line up with the fantasy. So I’ll keep the fantasy.
I have been told I have some resemblance to Fred Dryer. I guess it could be worse.
Surprised there are any of these Satellites or Coronets left. After retirement from fleet & rental service, they were constantly being rolled, flipped, crashed, blown up, or driven off cliffs in nearly every low budget ’80s action movie and TV show!
The ones with round headlights look the best. The feeble attempt to update with square lights always looked dumb!
Happy Motoring, Mark
You had me at ’72 Satellite
That one actually looks pretty decent. I wonder what it’s at the shop for.
I am guessing lower ball joints replacement?
The rest of the drivetrain was quite stout and Real World Reliable.
Dave: Any interior pictures of the Satellite?
It looks like it would “clean up well”.
I remember “Ride Engineered” as a phrase Mercury applied to many of its cars. I think that plaque may have been in my 86 Marquis wagon. I think I may remember it from my kid’s 89 Grand Marquis, too.
I had completely forgotten about Ford’s crew cab trucks from that generation.