The LeSabre was among GM's first litter of downsized cars. Whereas the previous generation of big cars had decidedly baroque styling (amplified with those "Mae West," 5 mph bumpers), the first post-oil embargo Buicks were refreshingly clean, trim and even a bit European with wrap-around amber taillights and minimal chrome. Very unBuick-like, at least from the rear and side. Weirdly enough, Buick was briefly trying to switch with Oldsmobile to become the more "youth-oriented" brand.
Note that there's no sweepsphere along the sides; the big Buicks had started to share door sheetmetal with Oldsmobiles. Around this time GM was stepping up its efforts to cut costs and reduce divisional autonomy. That worked out well for them, no?
Remember when "Dallas" first began in the summer of 1979? Bobby drove a 450SL Benz, J.R. drove a 450SEL, but Ewing family patriarch Jock drove a Continental Mark V just like this one. He'd rather buy American luxury, not that kraut iron...
Poor Sue Ellen was stuck with an LTD wagon for the first few seasons, then got upgraded to a 380SEC after Pamela traded her Corvette for a Porsche 911. Cliff Barnes drove a shark-nose BMW 635i, if I recall...
As for the Lincoln: it needs a set of swangers, some kandy, and a fifth hangin' off the back, and then it would be good. fo' sho.
As for the Buick: I love the buick. So much potential for awesomeness. I had a friend with a an early eighties LeSabre with the 5.7L Diesel. Many people put down these 5.7L diesels, but his was proof that it was a good engine: 300k, started up everytime, and was smooth as silk. not much to write home about in the acceleration department, but still good.
@D-fktv: twice as defective with 2 followers!: From what I've read, the later 350 diesels had rectified most if not all of the earlier iterations' bugaboos. Too bad the damage was already done.
Please, please get pictures of a Ford Tempo or Mercury Topaz. I've been viewing Jalopnik for years, and ever since 1980s vehicles were deemed DOTS-worthy I have been hoping, praying that one day my beloved cars would be featured. I'll even settle for the original 1984/1985 models, which are a little more DOTS-worthy in terms of strangeness and oldness.
@Ford Tempo Fanatic: I shot a '78 Fairmont a while back but Murilee hasn't featured it.
If we ever see a Tempaz, it'll either be one of the first couple years (pre-Taurusish-restyle) or a 4wd model. If it's post-'90 everyone here will cry foul.
@F*ckingPlushroom: I might track down one of the many pre-1987 models (included several all wheel drives and a couple diesels), but unfortunately most are not in very desirable condition.
@F*ckingPlushroom: These things are true. I'd say 1/4 of the ones I see are in okay condition. I did see a fabulously awesome 1984 Topaz GS Sedan in MINT condition. Almost perfect, except the trunk was covered with decade old bumper stickers from the days of Reagan.
@Ford Tempo Fanatic: Didn't find an Tempos or Topazs when I was living down there, nor do there seem to be any around here by my folks, although there was a blue first gen Topaz sedan that lived around the corner when I was young.
@Upgrade to Tomsk Diamond today!: When I lived in the Lower 48 there didn't seem to be many Tempos or Topaz. All over in Canada and the U.S. though.
For the duration of their production they were the best selling sedans in Canada. There was even a rare model, called the L, sold primarily in Canada. Some made it into the States, but it was never advertised or mentioned in United States Ford literature or marketing items. L was a totally stripped down second generation Tempo, available in two and four door body styles. It was as basic as Tempo ever got, and the only model with standard steel, hub-cap-less wheels. I saw them all over in CA and captured many specimens on camera.
@A strolling player is: Gold Member!: 'Caminoized fourth-gen F-body? Ford Taurus wagon with a Lincoln 460 in the cargo area and Centerlines out back? Imported VW Golf estate with G60 Syncro AWD?
Some rulers, templates and a compass was all you needed to draw a malaise tank. Surprisingly they were much cleaner designs than the modern swap, swoop, edge and curve designs aka BMW.
Sheesh. The '84 MY of that LeSabre was my father's first halfway decent car, burgandy pillowtop seats and all.
Granted, that car lasted 190K miles on the OEM transmission, and the next owner had 220K on it last time it was spotted, but knowing GM build quality, a wrecker should be following at all times.
A good friend of mine had infinite access to a Mark IV, a '73 model, and man, could that 460 suck down some fuel.
I like malaise land-yachts...I just can't help it.
@sub-$3K luxury rides are expendable: my first real car was an '84 LeSabre... that thing was great.. only major issue was a broken tie-rod end... which luckily happened as i was backing out of a driveway... other than that.. i drove it happily from 60k to 120k my sophomore/junior/senior years of high school.. when i returned from my first semester of college i found it sitting on a commissioned sales lot.. it made me sad that mom & dad had decided to 'clear out' the driveway..
Nice start. Nothing says Klass like a tastefully padded vinyld landau roof with a lit opera window. But I'm pretty sure the big OC has other treasures to share on this topic.
What a flashback! One of my bosses had that same Buick--back when squared off headlights were still new and the infamous Buick portholes had also become squared off abstractions of their former glory!
Also, my old man had the Cartier Lincoln, but in midnight blue with the white top. Amazing driving experience. Turn wheel. Wait for front end to respond. Ahoy! Hard starboard!! Aye, Aye, Captain!
We averaged around 8 mpg. Not bad for a rolling living room.
@cq is experimental: Well, hey, it's Saturday, the meters aren't on... don't expect him to walk 'round the corner if he doesn't have to!
I parked his Stude on Decatur once on a weekend night while I ate with friends at Angeli's... I could keep an eye on it out of the window. Watching people's reactions was utterly hilarious.
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[home.flash.net]
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Note that there's no sweepsphere along the sides; the big Buicks had started to share door sheetmetal with Oldsmobiles. Around this time GM was stepping up its efforts to cut costs and reduce divisional autonomy. That worked out well for them, no?
04/05/09
04/04/09
Poor Sue Ellen was stuck with an LTD wagon for the first few seasons, then got upgraded to a 380SEC after Pamela traded her Corvette for a Porsche 911. Cliff Barnes drove a shark-nose BMW 635i, if I recall...
04/04/09
As for the Buick: I love the buick. So much potential for awesomeness. I had a friend with a an early eighties LeSabre with the 5.7L Diesel. Many people put down these 5.7L diesels, but his was proof that it was a good engine: 300k, started up everytime, and was smooth as silk. not much to write home about in the acceleration department, but still good.
04/04/09
04/04/09
Please, please get pictures of a Ford Tempo or Mercury Topaz. I've been viewing Jalopnik for years, and ever since 1980s vehicles were deemed DOTS-worthy I have been hoping, praying that one day my beloved cars would be featured. I'll even settle for the original 1984/1985 models, which are a little more DOTS-worthy in terms of strangeness and oldness.
Thank you for your time.
04/04/09
If we ever see a Tempaz, it'll either be one of the first couple years (pre-Taurusish-restyle) or a 4wd model. If it's post-'90 everyone here will cry foul.
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And by "most", I mean "any of 'em without 4wd, and some with".
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For the duration of their production they were the best selling sedans in Canada. There was even a rare model, called the L, sold primarily in Canada. Some made it into the States, but it was never advertised or mentioned in United States Ford literature or marketing items. L was a totally stripped down second generation Tempo, available in two and four door body styles. It was as basic as Tempo ever got, and the only model with standard steel, hub-cap-less wheels. I saw them all over in CA and captured many specimens on camera.
The more you know!
04/05/09
Trust me.
04/05/09
Inquiring minds and all that.
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Granted, that car lasted 190K miles on the OEM transmission, and the next owner had 220K on it last time it was spotted, but knowing GM build quality, a wrecker should be following at all times.
A good friend of mine had infinite access to a Mark IV, a '73 model, and man, could that 460 suck down some fuel.
I like malaise land-yachts...I just can't help it.
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Also, my old man had the Cartier Lincoln, but in midnight blue with the white top. Amazing driving experience. Turn wheel. Wait for front end to respond. Ahoy! Hard starboard!! Aye, Aye, Captain!
We averaged around 8 mpg. Not bad for a rolling living room.
04/04/09
And that Lincoln has the best opera windows I've ever seen!
04/04/09
Also, your friend is insane parking that Studebaker on Magazine street.
04/05/09
I parked his Stude on Decatur once on a weekend night while I ate with friends at Angeli's... I could keep an eye on it out of the window. Watching people's reactions was utterly hilarious.
04/04/09
A LeSebre
A Duster
and a Linc Mk V (Maybe)
Only the Linc is worth in being on that list. Definately not the Buick or the Duster. Rememeber this is the list that has A UNIMOG!
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