Archive for May, 2016

Open Boat – 1975 Buick LeSabre Convertible

May 19, 2016

The last big convertibles marketed by GM are imposing in their size and presence. And you didn’t need to buy a top-end Cadillac to get your big-convertible fix – middle managers could get a Pontiac Catalina, Oldsmobile 88, or the Buick, and working schmos could get a Chevrolet Caprice. And while driving a convertible these days means sacrificing space or convenience, these cars seat six and are equipped with power folding tops, so you can be pretty spontaneous about dropping the top, and they can take you near or far – providing you’re not afraid of getting half the fuel mileage of a modern convertible. Check out this 1975 Buick LeSabre convertible for sale for $3999 in the South Shore area of Boston, MA.

1975 Buick LeSabre convertible right front

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Dressed-down Audi – 1976 VW Dasher Wagon

May 18, 2016

VW’s B1 Passat was certainly a revolutionary step forward for the company – water-cooled, front-engine, front-wheel-drive, midsize – and their success (as well as the longevity of the model, even if it’s grown tremendously) speaks to how right they got it. More sporty than the Americans, and made with nicer-looking materials than the Japanese (though the Japanese ultimately built the more durable product), they didn’t find a tremendous amount of success in North America in the 1970s and 1980s, since VW was pigeonholed as the maker of Beetles. Forty (yes, forty) years on, that means it’s hard to find an early pre-facelift B1 Dasher in North America, but every so often, one pops up. Check out this 1976 VW Dasher wagon for sale for $750.

1976 VW Dasher left front

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No Shelby Signature – 1988 Dodge Aries Turbo

May 17, 2016

While Chrysler’s K-cars are (for most people) something to be mocked only slightly less mercilessly than a Yugo or Hyundai Excel, it alwaays bears remembering that these cars saved Chrysler’s bacon so it could produce memorable vehicles like the Dodge Dynasty, Chrysler TC by Maserati, and Plymouth PT Cruiser. Oh, and the Viper. And while they weren’t the best cars in the world, they were certainly what America wanted in 1981, selling strongly and providing the basis for many derivatives, including their famous minivan. And if you consider the competition – GM’s X-platform cars, and Ford’s Fox-platform sedans – it’s easy to see why they were able to dig themselves out of their hole with their offering. Let’s check out this 1988 Dodge Aries Turbo for sale for $2000 in Suffolk, NY.

1988 Dodge Aries Turbo left front

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