1988 Buick Regal - 1988 Is Calling.

Wow. Look at this; one of the automobiles General Motors introduced in 1988 to compete with the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable; the GM-10 based Buick Regal. While certainly better than what it replaced, the 1988 Buick Regal was clearly, and this is me - a big fan of these cars being brutally honest, not (good) enough.

 

 

In every way imaginable even including, subjective as it is, styling, the front wheel drive, 125 horsepower, 2.8 liter V-6 Regal was a massive improvement over what it replaced. The problem with the Regal was that it wasn't any better than what Ford was doing and was absolutely inferior to what Toyota, Honda, Nissan et al from Asia were offering.

 

 

What's more the Regal and very similar offerings from Oldsmobile and Pontiac were all coupes. As much of a coupe geek as I was and still am, even I knew back then that was odd. Especially considering that GM spent $7 billion (poof!) developing these cars. And they only made coupes? Incredibly, four door versions of the Regal, Cutlass (Olds) and Grand Prix (Pontiac) didn't appear until 1990. Ford didn't even offer two door versions of their Taurus or Sable. Clearly the market was shifting away from "personal luxury cars"; apparently Roger Smith didn't get the memo. Let's not even begin to talk about what a Camry or Accord was like back then compared to even the Ford Taurus. It wasn't even close.

 

 

Still, this fan of all things with two doors would jump on this before any two door CamryAccord even if he does know better. An '88 Ford Taurus? Even an S-H-O would get past over for this little blue on blue gem.

 

 

You either get that...or you don't. Look at all those buttons. Utterly ridiculous. Don't you just love it?

 

 

1988 is calling. Asking price is a very reasonable $3995. Answer the call before I do.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1972 Chevrolet Impala - Babies Love Their Mothers

My affection for these cars has more to do with my liking what was new when I was a child as opposed to appreciating the cars for themselves. Not unlike a child loving their mother regardless of whether their mother is Mother Theresa or The Bride of Frankenstein; whomever that person is is going to be adored.

Most "car people" don't share my appreciation for these massive automobiles. Those of us who do love them for what they are are a small lot as opposed to the masses who believe the 1957 Chevrolet,  the most beautiful or coolest car ever made. Sorry. I think the 1957 Plymouth was a better looking 1957 Chevy than the Chevy was. And the 1972 Impala, as big and overwrought as it was, was the better looking car as well. Love is blind and most importantly has no reason.

 

There are more affecionados of this '68 that came before these 1971 vintage dreadnaughts. Remarkably, this '68 is but an inch and half shorter than our '72.   

 

 

The '72's smaller "shoulders" on the rear flanks lending the eye to tell the brain that the car is larger than the car it replaced. While it is a bit larger, it is no where near as large as it would appear to be. 

 

 

I've yet to find any evidence that there was any point to the '72's bulk; its cautious, evolutionary styling further suggesting a car that soldiered along with very little attention to purpose or concept. If you've spent any time behind the wheel of one of these you know that these things are quite the handful in anything more than being driven in a straight line as well. Then again, most if not all cars of this vintage were pondering oafs as well. The big GM's actually better than similar sized fairings from Chrysler and Ford. As big as this car is, starting in 1973 it got bigger. Government mandated safety bumpers pushed the front end out an additional five inches. Another five inches got tacked on in 1974 when the rear safety bumper was bolted on.

 

 

If you share in my appreciation of these cars and this one in particular let me know. While ambitiously priced at $8,000, I'm sure you could talk the owner down to a more reasonable six grand or so. The color doesn't help the value of this thing either but if you're looking for an old ride at a reasonable cost, you could do a lot worse. The owner claims 37,000 miles on her for what that's worth. Car is located in Pittsburgh.