1991 Cadillac Coupe deVille - Best of All It's a Cadillac?

Had to have been the fall of 1988 when I first saw one of these stretched Cadillac's in person. After years and years of relentless downsizing and product misfires, I knew immediately that Cadillac had finally done something right. Well, hindsight being 20-20, I can safely say after all these years that it was more like they did something less wrong. Our blue on blue subject here is a 1991 Coupe deVille

First, a little historical perspective. Introduced first in the spring of 1984 as early '85's, Cadillac's first foray into front-wheel drive, full-size cars was an out and out disaster; especially the coupes. Unbalanced with odd proportions, a half vinyl roof and fourteen-inch wheels with fake wires only exacerbating the absurdity of it, these stubby little cars certainly didn't "look" like what a Cadillac let alone a luxury car should look like. And a luxury car looking like a luxury car is of paramount importance to the luxury car buyer; especially Cadillac buyers. "Best of All, It's a Cadillac"? Sorry. This ain't no Cadillac.

Curse them as we may, even the cars the little front wheel drive Cadillac's replaced at least looked liked Cadillac's. Probably the reason why Cadillac sold as many as they did despite being powered by a variety of horrible engines. This is a 1981 powered by, of all things, a Buick V-6.  

Amazing what an inch here and there will do for balance and proportion. While certainly, no 1949 Cadillac by a long shot, the additional inch and half fore and aft that Cadillac grafted onto the "1985" deVille for 1989 made a literal huge difference. Thing is, and this is where the passage of time has eroded my opinion of these cars down, this is still an awkward, dare I say ugly car. An improvement over what came before it for certain but still super clunky.

Sad thing is the clumsy sheet metal detracts from a very nice if not stately interior. While far from today's ergonomically perfect automotive cocoons, this leather-lined vault was a nice evolution of Cadillac's storied interior design ethos years ago. Even in blue, this interior is worthy of being called a "Cadillac".

By 1991, they had sorted out most if not all the problems with their weird aluminum block, iron head V-8 engine too. Punched out to 4.9 liters for 1990 and fortified with port fuel injection for '91, what was once called the "HT4100" made 200 horsepower and 275 pounds of torque - pretty impressive. Thanks to a curb weight of around 3,500 pounds, the "4.9" moved these cars with a verve that you wouldn't be out of place saying was quite "sporty". 

The reality is this '91 deVille is now just an old car whereas, for instance, that red '81 pictured above, even with a Buick V-6, was still a Cadillac. And looking back at the early 1990's, I still find it amazing that Cadillac sold any of these given the increasingly stiff competition that was just beginning to come ashore from Lexus and Infiniti. Then again, we only realize how bad off we were in retrospect. 

1997 Lexus SC400 - Snooze You Lose

 

I came across this 1997 Lexus SC400 about ten days ago when I was doing one of my "cheap car" searches on cars.com. With only 63,000 miles on it and an asking price of just $5,999, it seemed too good to be true.

I've been in love with these luscious cars ever Lexus first rolled them out in 1991. Combining the subtly elegant styling and superb performance and build quality of the game changing game-changing Lexus LS400 hat debuted in 1989, the original SC, or "Sport Coupe", in my opinion, was one of the best looking automobiles to be mass produced in the 1990's.

The SC400 was not a two-door version of the LS400 but rather, save for sharing the same V-8 engine, an entirely different automobile. And although undercutting BMW and Mercedes luxury sports coupes, were still priced way, way out my price range when new. Also, living in the northeast, an expensive, rear wheel drive luxury car would have made little sense even if I could have afforded one. So, for the last twenty to twenty-five years, I've stood and admired them from afar as the few that actually got produced and sold succumbed to old age. 

With my filters on cars.com set at a maximum price of $10,000, imagine my surprise when this car came up in my net for sale at a Volvo dealership out in Warren. Although the pictures of it are gorgeous and there's not a spec of rust anywhere on it, priced at roughly half of what other SC400's with similar mileage were going for across the country, not that there was that many of them, something just didn't seem right. I called the dealership and much to my delight it was still available and the salesman said the title was "clean"; it was not a salvage. I made an appointment to drive out to see it that night.   

It all seemed too good to be true - how could this beautiful car be listed at only $5,999? I mean, look at this thing - it's perfect. At least from the looks of these pictures. The last thing in the world I like to do is waste my time but from the looks of this car and it having a clean title, it seemed worth the shot to drive out to BFE and have a look. 

Then I clicked on the Carfax and I found out why the car was so cheap - it's a "TMU" - true mileage unknown. Well, shoot. Not wanting a freak show of a car, I called the dealership, told them about the "TMU" on the Carfax report. While they steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, not that I accused them of doing anything wrong which was kind of weird, I told them I'd pass on the car and canceled my appointment.

 



It was my wife who insisted that I go out and take a look at it anyway. From the pictures, it certainly doesn't look like a car with more than 63,000 miles but you never know. And from what I could tell from the Carfax, the issues with the odometer had occurred back in 2000 or 2001 when the car had less than 10,000 miles on it. Besides, as my wife pointed out, it's a Lexus - they run forever and at just $5,999 and my Monte Carlo on its deathbed, it might be worth the gamble.

I called the dealership back to make another appointment to go see it but they told me some guy in Maryland found it online like I did but scooped it up and was shipping it down there. Snooze you lose. And I lost. 

1967 Jeep CJ - American History

 



I've never aspired to own one of these but I do believe in any proper museum of motor vehicles, an entire wing should be dedicated to the grand daddy of all SUV's, cross overs and really anything with all wheel drive, the Jeep CJ. Our subject here is freshly restored 1967 CJ-6 for sale up here in Cleveland for a not unreasonable $8,800. Here's the listing.

 

 

The Jeep "CJ" was a series of vehicles built by Willys-Overland, Jeep-Kaiser and The American Motors Corporation between 1945 and 1986 and was essentially a commercial version of the "general purpose vehicle" (Jeep for short) used by the military during World War II. "CJ" was short for "Civilian Jeep" and accompanying numbers early on denoted the series, as in CJ 1-4 and later, wheelbase length; CJ 5-10.

 



 

The myriad manufacturers of the CJ continually upgraded suspension, engine and drive train components in attempts to make them more civilized or "car like". No easy task given live, rigid axles fore and aft sprung by leaf springs. Our '67 CJ-5 here, brutally crude and primitive by today's standards, was fairly docile compared to what came before it and in particular the military grade Jeeps it was based on. Still, compared to a modern cross over, they rode like garden tractors.

 

 

One of the most significant upgrades to the CJ came after Willys sold Jeep to Kaiser in 1964. To counter complaints that the CJ's flat head "Hurricane" in line 4 cylinder engine was underpowered, Kaiser  bought a license from General Motors to produce Buick 225 cubic inch V-6 engines. The 90 degree "Odd-Fire" V-6 was so popular that by 1968 more than 75% of CJ's sold were powered by it. When Kaiser sold Jeep to AMC in 1970, they dropped the V-6 for their own in line six and V-8.

Allegedly, there are charms to these things above and beyond their manly good looks - but they're lost on me; they're too crude, too loud, too rough - what's the point? To me, I can hit myself in the head with a hammer and get the same experience. Blame my suburban upbringing for that as much as anything else. There weren't many near by places to off-road twenty minutes east of Times Square. Perhaps if I grew up in a rural part of the country, areas I find far more conducive to a healthy, family first lifestyle than living outside one of the world's largest population centers, I'd feel differently about them and I'd "get it".

 

As it is, I see them only for what they are - seminal vehicles that literally paved the way for the modern sport utility and cross over vehicles. The most popular vehicles on the planet had to had to start to somewhere and what better way than with with a vehicle so important to the United States during World War II. If you're interested in getting your own part of American history, here's the listing again.



1985 Ford Mustang GT - Trust Me. It Was a Very Big Deal

What more can I say about an '80's Mustang that I haven't said already? Good question. I'm only blogging about this mint condition '85 because I love it to death. And it reminds me of the 1983 Mercury Capri RS "bubble back" my wife had when I first met her. Sigh. It's times like this I wish we didn't have our Corvette.

 

 

Thank me later for sparing you the melodramatic details of when I first met my wife and I was impressed as hell that she was driving a "5.0". This is a serious car blog and it's all about the cars. Well, for the most part. Anyway, this being a 1985 Mustang GT, it is historically significant and worthy of being blogged about given that the '85 Mustangs were the last of the "5.0 H-O's" with carburetors. Big deal? Trust me. It was a big deal.

That fact lost on anyone who isn't an ardent fan of these cars but the switch to fuel injection on the "5.0 H-O" was a huge change and one that was not welcomed at first. Fuel injection was still in its infancy back then and the false starts and problems The Big Three had with it going back to the 1950's didn't bode well for it. Besides, Ford was doing a great job tweaking this engine adding carburetor barrels, bumping up compression, changing cams, pistons, exhaust and intakes until it made a heady 210 horsepower for 1985. Somehow Ford squeaked this through corporate average fuel economy and emissions regulations which were getting increasingly stringent. So stringent that there was no way they could be where they would need to be in the near future using a carburetor. Therefore, Ford didn't switch to fuel injection because they wanted to; they had to.

The only thing with these cars is that if you got it with the "real 5.0", they only came with manual transmissions. I'm man enough to admit that as much as I enjoy driving and I can handle a stick, given a choice, give me an automatic. That's a five speed, by the way. My wife's car had a four speed; for 1983 Ford was transitioning between transmissions. Starting in 1984, Mustang GT's did come with automatics but the 5.0 you got was the "centrifugal fuel injection" engine you'd also find under the hood of Grand Dad's Mark VII. CFI was a batch fuel injection system similar to GM's throttle body injection system where one injector was mounted where the carburetor was. Fuel and air was mixed together "up there" and then sucked down on a torturous journey through the intake manifold  to the cylinders. For 1986 the "HO" got port fuel injection that injected fuel into each cylinder individually.

 

 

 

Look at me brattling on and on here when I thought I had nothing more to say. Well, when you love something or someone you'll always find something to talk about. This gorgeous little gem is for sale in Toledo, Ohio with a fairly high asking price of $10,500. Here's the listing. But look at it this way - you could spend less for one and dump the money you didn't spend into it or buy a complete car right from the get go. Up to you. But still do your best in negotiating and make me jealous and get it for less than $9,000. Good luck.







2004 Lincoln Town Car - Smart Kid

 

Last weekend the wife stumbled upon this 2004 Lincoln Town Car for sale near our home here in Cleveland. With my Monte Carlo on a morphine drip and us not wanting to jump into 48 - 72-month "paper" right now, with an asking price of $3,000 and her knowing of my penchant for big old cars, she thought it a good idea that I kick its tires and see what was up with it. 

 

Ten, fifteen...twenty years ago, I would have leaped at this car but as I've gotten older I've actually become younger; at least in terms of my taste in cars. I was ambivalent about test driving this but I did it anyway. Hey, you never know, maybe there was some magic in its plastic chromed grill that would entice me. I dragged our 21-year-old son with me who was even more incredulous about it than I was.  
 

 

My opinions about these cars has eroded slowly over the years to the point now I can't look past them being "old man cars" at worst and "service cars" at best. Who would buy such a moth bally thing new as a daily driver? Some people did although the reasons why are lost on me. It's not that they were bargains either. This well equipped "Signature Series" stickering for more than $45,000 back in its day. A far superior Lexus LS 430 about $10,000 more. Shoot, you're ready to drop $45G on a Lincoln what's another ten or fifteen grand?

 

 

It's been a while since I've been up close and personal with one of these and I'd forgotten just how big they are. 215 inches long and 78 inches wide. That's more than a foot longer than my not small Monte Carlo and two inches wider. The length is manageable - it's the width of big cars that throws me for a loop.

 



  

That extra width enabling "comfortable" three across seating fore and aft. That center armrest folds up making a seat back of sorts although the practice of three across up front these days seems as crazy as smoking.



Back here three across would be better although I pity the fool who'd have to sit on the hump. Kids today have no idea how good they got it. 

My driving experience with this car was, no surprise, disappointing. While this big rig of a car held together like no Town Car of yore, compared to most anything else on the road today it felt squishy, jiggly and soft. Part of that might have been the pounding 140,000 miles and 14 years of Cleveland roads has done to it but the owner bragged how the entire front end had been "redone" recently. You'd never know it. I felt so disconnected from the road in this car that I thought there was something wrong with it. There was nothing wrong - it's just the way cars used to be.  

 

There is something to be said about a massive trunk and styling details afforded by this much sheet metal. There's a full size spare in there with enough room left over for a stash of luggage and a couple of golf bags. It's a matter of taste of course but I've always found these cars to be at least interesting looking - although that doesn't mean I like them enough to seriously considering buying one. If these came in two door guise with a ranked back windshield perhaps I'd feel differently but Lincoln hadn't offered a "Town Coupe" since 1981.

 

 

After my test drive I gave the keys back to the owner with my standard, "lovely car...let me talk to my wife" speech. On the way home I contemplated making him a serious offer. What I liked about the car was that, given a mechanic's inspection, I'd have a sound car on the cheap that has none of the issues my ailing Monte Carlo has. When I mentioned it to my son he looked at me cock-eyed and reminded me that anything special that I saw in the car would fade quickly and then I'd be stuck with a Lincoln Town Car. Smart kid.

 

 

2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo - How Much Longer Can I Keep This Thing Running?

 





Last weekend I got a diagnosis from the local service center than my 2002 "Dale Earnhardt" Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS with "only" 160,000 miles on it needs a new oil pan gasket, exhaust system, power steering rack, right front wheel bearing, and a front stabilizer link. That on top of the air conditioning system that needs a condenser and the top to bottom cost of getting my car as  mechanically sound as possible would be just under $4,000.

 



 

In the past, every time I've gotten rid of a car because I believed the cost of the repairs wasn't worth it, I've regretted it. I have no intention of replacing this car nor am I going to spend that kind of money on it either; repair shops love old cars like mine because they can make money off them. Big time. I'm going to see just how long I can keep this thing going with it leaking oil and power steering fluid. This should be interesting.

The oil pan gasket - the repair doesn't sound like much but it's quite labor intensive to get at it -  and steering rack are leaky but they're not leaking; big difference. If either start gushing I've got a decision to make but right now they just have very slow leaks. The exhaust is noisy but tolerable. The only "have to do" is the wheel bearing. I bought the damn things on line on the cheap and I got what I paid for. Not 1,000 miles on them and the one I installed on the right side is vibrating. My bad. The stabilizer link is a quick and easy fix too. Living in north east Ohio, air conditioning is not as important as in other parts of the country. I can continue to live without it as I've done the last couple of years. Sucks when it rains during summer but outside that it's ok. Really. It is.

  

This all might sound like rote rationalization or my cheapness is on display front an center. Two kids in college and a modest income will do that to a man. Also factor in fear of buyers remorse. The good news is that I still really like this car. It's comfortable, reasonably economical, handles well, and it's paid for. I do 99% of the repairs on it myself so it's as close to a "free" car at this point as you can get.

 

 

Besides, what else is out there that's a fraction as cool?

 

1977 Chrysler Cordoba - Another Cordoba?

 

Another Cordoba? Well, yeah. And, c'mon. I haven't blogged about one for a while and this 1977 is really nice. An absurd asking price of $13,850 and the ugliest interior pattern I've ever seen is not going to dissuade me from taking another drive down memory lane in Ricardo Montalban's "small Chrysler".
 

Since I was so fond of my Cordoba, I feel compelled to blog about them whenever I come across one. Sadly, that's becoming increasingly less frequent; I haven't seen one in person in years and they come up less and less whenever I search the net for one. At car shows, I see plenty of Monte Carlo's and Grand Prix'. Even mid '70's Thunderbirds but I've never seen a Cordoba at one. 



I've written so often about these cars and what mine meant to me that I can do little more than simply marvel at this car's condition and be slack-jawed at its asking price. Would anyone really pay anywhere near the asking price for a Cordoba? And this oh-so-1970's interior? Good lord. Ricardo Montalban's much heralded and ridiculed "soft, Corinthian Leather" was a significant upgrade from whatever this is. For the record, this was called "Checkmate cloth".
 



Much like the home you grew up in, it's the memories you had in the house or experienced while you lived there that flood you emotionally whenever you drive by it or see a photograph of it. Cars do that for me too; especially Cordoba's. It's not that they were good or bad cars; if anything they were atypical American cars of the time. It's that I did a lot of growing up in the 4 1/2 years I owned mine all those years ago and my ride through all the good, bad, ugly and indifferent was at least something fairly unique and memorable.

 

https://charleyconnolly.blogspot.com/2017/09/1977-chrysler-cordoba-two-birds-with.html

https://charleyconnolly.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-green-cordoba.html

https://charleyconnolly.blogspot.com/2014/07/1975-chrysler-cordoba-anything-is.html

https://charleyconnolly.blogspot.com/2014/03/chrysler-cordoba-slip-sliding-away.html

https://charleyconnolly.blogspot.com/2012/12/toyota-corolla-fx-one-that-got-away_23.html

 

 

 

 





1969 Chevrolet Impala - Life's Too Short To Be Practical

 

An all-new-for-1969 Chevrolet Impala was a "company car" of my father's years ago and I was enthralled with it in ways that nothing he ever had from Ford or Chrysler ever did. Not to mention that god awful Rambler he actually owned. These relatively rare and whimsical Impala convertibles transfixing me even more so since even at the tender age of five or six I was transfixed by whimsy. Family sized convertibles made absolutely no sense what-so-ever and for that reason alone I want one so badly; even though I certainly know better.
 

I don't want this particular beat to death, rusted out, overpriced rolling death trap but a '69 Impala SS convertible would be front and center in my Jay Leno-esque fantasy garage of cars. Particularly with it's "Victory Red" finish sanded down by mother nature. Too bad as we say this car is a "basket case".

Meaning that it needs everything and is beyond help. Mechanical issues are easy to deal with but this being a northern Ohio car it's got lots of nasty, unforgiving, foreboding rust. Floor boards need to be replaced and the trunk floor needs to go too. Good thing replacement floor boards come with the deal; just bolt 'em in, right? Quarter panels look like they're falling apart and, maybe it's just me but from the looks of things the interior needs a little work too. This is a parts car at best. And with an asking price of $5,000, an expensive one at that.



Now, onto my knowing better about family sized convertibles. Convertibles were never that popular and if anything were created as a way to efficiently ventilate automobiles before the widespread use of air conditioning. Even by the late '60's they were seen as frivolous and in the case of a large two door sedan, greatly diminished the vehicle's practicality. Not to mention compromising an already questionable structure. Chevrolet sold approximately one of these to every ten pillared four door sedans they sold. Even fifty years ago Americans were practical first and foremost. Damn it. Well, life is too short too practical; to be practical all the time anyway.

That Impala my father had rented was of course one of those soulless pillared four doors and not something awesome like this. Honestly, though, not sure how awesome this is anyway. The late, great Bud Lindemann's review of a '69 Impala hard top left me with the belief that the car was an underpowered, squishy dog with horrible brakes. And that car had front disc brakes and a 396 V-8 for crying out loud. This car is a heavier convertible with a 327. Still, if it were in anywhere decent shape the asking price would be twenty grand more and it still wouldn't be perfect but perhaps a better buy. You get this thing for less than four thousand and drop twenty into it you're still not going to have anything really. Here's the link for the ad if you're interested. Looks like you're going to need a trailer too. Good luck.



Here's Bud Lindemann's review of a '69 Impala. The piped in sound effects and cheesy production music don't do anything to take away from Mr. Lindemann's wonderfully deadpan frankness about the car.