Stately German ambassador to Coney Island

STATELY GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO CONEY ISLAND

I was all the way at the very end of Ocean Parkway where it meets the boardwalk at Coney Island when I noticed 2 German stalwarts roosting. I've already featured the Beetle convertible so now it's time to go a little more upscale:

This is a 1980 Mercedes Benz 300D in Silver Blue Poly. In official company verbiage this ride is known as the W123 in U.S. spec. The only visible difference between the U.S. and Euro spec are the headlights. The Euro version has lights that look larger because they're all behind glass that spans the entire surface of the housing as opposed to the separate exposed head and fog lights here.

We know it's a post-1979 model since these fog lights are yellow as opposed to the clear lenses on the earlier cars. This ride is sporting USA and Puerto Rico flag badges on the grill along with another mysterious one. I have to say it's remarkable that this still has its hood ornament that sits up there like a piece of cheese in a trap to passersby.

This 300D is powered by a 3 liter inline-5 cylinder Diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission (there were no manual U.S. spec 300Ds). This engine earned a legendary reputation for durability with many going 300,000+ miles before requiring a rebuild. This car is a part tank and part Swiss watch.

These chrome cowl vents only lasted through the 1980 model year before switching to black plastic versions for the rest of the '80s. This, combined with the yellow fog lights, identifies this as a 1980.

Two Germans of the same vintage are getting familiar like a couple of dogs. Both of these enjoy timeless looks that still seem fresh today.

I chose not to feature these 1980s Mercedes 4 doors until today because they remain ubiquitous on the streets of NYC. I finally relented because cars that are 37 years old and being used as daily drivers by dozens of people deserve a big shout out. I've never owned one of these but I've had friends who did and they are very capable, comfortable cars. The seats along are a stroke of genius as most seem to be in good condition even at this age.

Even if that D wasn't on the trunklid you'd know this was a diesel by its telltale chattering sound. That's the sound of getting between 26-38 miles to the gallon for 300,000 miles. Once biodiesel conversions became popular these were perfect candidates. The engine blocks are made of iron and the older indirect injection style of these motors makes them very forgiving on what sort of fuel they will run on. You can literally add vegetable oil to the tank if you're in a pinch and this thing will start and run. I've even seen a biodiesel full size black Mercedes 500SEL that was the strangest collision of ethics; massive limo-style ride that smelled of french fries while running.

That's where I'll leave this proud little tank.
As I said earlier these rides can be found all over the place both on the streets and in classified ads. Parts are universally available and many owners vow to keep these until the day they die. Regularly scheduled maintenance can be a bit pricey since this is a Mercedes but if it is kept up this car will literally run forever. Parts are essentially the same for all body styles so the convertibles, station wagons, and 2 door coupes are equally easy to maintain.

Silver Rocket!

      LATIN FOR "CROWN" FROM JAPAN      

Look, even the most mundane car becomes interesting after 35+ years. The thing about this ride is that it looks like it's a bit newer than it actually is, probably due to its styling compared to the other Toyotas of the same vintage. Without further ado: 

This is a 1980 Toyota Corona Liftback Luxury Edition in Silver Poly. The color helps pinpoint the year as there was very little change in appearance between 1979-1983, but the Silver was only available in '80.

This is in pristine shape for any vehicle of this age in the Northeast. It's not a particularly sporty or flashy model being plain silver and a 4 door (technically 5 door), so restoration is basically out of the question. This looks to be an example of someone making a frugal but not too frugal purchase in 1980, and garaging it ever since.

This cursive emblem looks as it did on '70s Toyotas. The Lift Back is an alternative to the more common 4 door hatchback body style. With the back seats folded forward there is a surprising amount of cargo or camping room inside.

Funny how this style gives the illusion of a trunk as opposed to a flat-windowed hatchback. The Corolla from this year was so boxy that you know looking at it that only a ruler was used in its design. This ride manages to have some curves.

This represents the end of old technology too. Rear wheel drive cars like this one were being phased out in favor of front wheel drive models. This car breathes through a carburetor as well. While the Corona would continue through 2002 in Japan this would be the last era for the U.S. market.

The Luxury Edition package got you niceties like air conditioning, rear defroster, rear wiper (this one unbelievably seems to be poised and ready for rain!), and a better-than-am radio.

Well there we have it; a nice full-size (for Toyota) classic in truly remarkable condition. That front fender dent is 100% worth repairing in my mind for a 36 year old ride so shiny. If you found one of these you'd still probably only have to shell out a few thousand even in this condition as it's too big and heavy for the drifter set yet not sexy enough in its 5 door dowdy iteration for collectors. I would LOVE to have this thing as a daily driver as it's sure to get 35mpg and run for 200,000 easy miles. Hats off Silver Rocket!

Let's kick off the weekend with the Tasmanian Devil!

SLIGHTLY TATTERED elta 88 Royale
I was on a long hot & humid stroll to Sunset Park the other day when I walked up to this yawn-inducing lump. I was about to pass it by when I realized who I was messing with:

The Taz!
I had to take a closer look after that name drew me in and I noticed the horrific condition of the roof. Yikes! I think if you crumpled aluminum foil into a ball and tried to flatten it again you'd get a texture like this.

Alright now that it has my attention, this is a 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 in straight-up BLACK. This car was born into one of the most woeful environments for domestic automobile production in history. The body was still huge, the horsepower was at an all time low, and technology was so lacking that it has more in common with a car built in 1940 than 1990.

Believe it or not this year heralded a newer, more aerodynamic body style than the years previous. It really amounts to softening the edges of a brick though.

Each time I crept a little closer more details emerged; plastic faux wheels, missing trim, buckled hood due to a front end knock, and of course a bat symbol in the rear (also faux) vent window.

It's been a long time since I encountered a good tape repair! I always applaud the efforts of those brave few who go this route. Add a twist tie to hold the bumper trim in place and it's as good as new!

Oh man this angle just shows the sad eyes of an old car forced to continue living in a modern world. Some do it with glamour and poise. Others wear there leisure suit persona with an embarrassed air.

The split grill was an Olds trademark from 1968 right up through its Great Recession termination as a nameplate. The dimensions of this beast are a holdover from the '70s, and they would remain as such with only minor changes through 1986 when the 88 line would shrink dramatically and go to a front wheel drive system. This was still body on frame rear wheel drive old tech. The first computer for helping assist with efficiency wouldn't arrive until 1981.

It was a really hot NYC day when these pics were shot so I can only imagine the temp inside an all black car with the windows firmly rolled up.

Evidence of the suns power is apparent in the destroyed dashboard of this rig. Big shout-out to the subtle aluminum antennae repair! Even more subtle is the black substance at the base which could be anything from melted electricians tape to black caulk. That damage to the hood is probably a result of whatever accident made the other side buckle.

Ah yes the foil tape shows up again, this time on the mirror! So diligent of the owners to run around this elder statesman fixing everything they can find wrong with it.

Just a 3/4 view of this colossus.

elta 88 is all that remains of the once proud Delta 88 moniker. The 88 series was introduced by Oldsmobile all the way back in 1949 and continued up through the 1999 model year. For most of its run it was a full-size car with only the Ninety-Eight above it in the hierarchy. The standard engine choice for this ride was a terribly underpowered 6 cylinder, followed by a succession of V8s. This one most likely has either the 307 or a 350, neither of which was fast or efficient.

This roof! What exactly has happened to this poor roof in its history? The vinyl is kaput for sure, but the trim looks like cake icing. ANYTHING would look better than to keep this but whatever.
In 1980 that Royale designation basically meant plusher seating.

A friend of mine in high school had an '83 Delta 88 and it went through 3 water pumps inside of a year. While this may be due to the terrible gas station mechanic they used I always blamed the car. About the best thing I can say about it is that we once tied an abandoned boat to it and dragged it down dirt roads until it broke free and crashed into the woods. This is NOT recommended as a classic car choice at all (and this is coming from an Oldsmobile lover whose first car was an '83 Cutlass). I did enjoy seeing this one though, if only for the myriad hooptie repairs.