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Detroit, 3:58 AM
Thu Nov 12
31 posts in the last 24 hours
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08/24/09
08/23/09
08/23/09
If it were me, I'd go for the standard Chevy gold, a powder blue or dark brown, with wide matching painted steel wheels and cherry poverty caps. Real Grandma-class look. After that I'd primp the interior and if it's running a three-speed (who needs a four-speed for street or drag strip action if a stroked 383 is really stout) I'd run the shifter back up on the column. And run a real quiet single exhaust with a turndown to hide that it's the size of a small sewer pipe.
Finally, I'd drive around the hardcore motorhead hangouts and pose as a dink -- chirp my tires as I go around corners, rev the engine with the clutch out, then let it lug when I put it into gear. Run with a couple of my biggest, baddest buddies and see who wanted to come out to play. For cash.
08/23/09
I hope he prowls the streets at night, waiting to embarrass 5.0s and Camaros.
08/24/09
08/23/09
08/23/09
It's really close on the "I don't give a shit" look, however. The leftover holes from a dent puller are classic, BTW.
"Yeah, I was pulling this dent out, but ran outta beer before getting the Bondo on, so...fuck it, it looks fine."
08/23/09
As for this little Chunky wagon, all matte black primer might be too obvious. Right now he's in keeping with tradition of matte black hoods, though--I guess it depends on what color he has in mind for the paint job. I'd leave it alone, except for trying to arrest the rust monster scabs.
And what a lucky dude, daily driver Vista Cruiser, back up Nova II wagon. Life is just not fair.
08/23/09
08/23/09
08/23/09
Yes, leave it in primer...looks more like a 'sleeper' than if it were painted. These 'Down On The Street' articles have made me more aware of all the classics in my town. 1964 was a good year for classy cars.
08/13/09
I'm not buying it with the Neon. For years, Chrysler touted 132 hp from its leaky DOHC motor, which was standard. Not really that basic for the time.
I'd have thrown the Corolla in the mix instead.
08/12/09
Or for truly BARE necessities, a Caterham. Or an Ariel Atom.
08/12/09
08/12/09
08/12/09
08/12/09
...both of those first two Fords have running boards. :)
08/12/09
Except it was a Fiesta instead of a Festiva.
Oh, and not all Novas were old folks' cars. Mine came in competition orange with a dignified black interior with black/white herringbone upholstery. On the other hand, they also came as very basic--I had no A/C, no power steering, crank windows and back "vent windows" instead of actual windows.
My 1970 Renault R10 was about 35 mpg, really comfy plush seats but stripped down interior with rubber floors, no carpet, and tin can thin doors, 4 on the floor, rack/pinion--what else do you need? I'd drive one again in a minute if they were still around.
08/12/09
*Sliding door right-hand-drive means you never have to set foot in the street.
*It has no parts that anybody would ever want to steal
*It looks like it belongs to the gummyment anyway, so the lesser criminals may be hesitant to go near it
*The vehicle itself laughs at mere potholes, even if your butt won't
*Can move a pretty generous amount of stuff
*Is tiny
*Can get up on the sidewalk if it has to
*Nobody else has one
*Can be fixed with JB Weld and duct tape right there on the street