First of its kind but last call before World War II

FIRST OF ITS KIND BUT LAST CALL BEFORE WWII

As the green leaves suggest these pics were snapped in Summer. I was driving upstate when I passed what looks to be an abandoned project. I had to turn around and pull over!

This is a 1941 Chevrolet Fleetline that may have once been painted Volunteer Green Poly. This car doesn't show up in any of the Chevy literature for 1941 as the Fleetline was a late addition to the model year. This simple 4 door was the only version available initially.

Despite looking truly abandoned this ride has many (if not all) of its components either installed or roosting in the backseat. A full set of original hubcaps still bearing a hint of the red accent swoops is present. One look at the dry rot on this tire and you know its only function will be to roll this on and off of a trailer. I was kind of shocked they held air at all.

Calamity!
This is what happens when you drop your car off for a full restoration and stop paying your bills. All of the trim has been carefully removed and most of the paint has been sanded off. Evidence of smoothed out Bondo where dents or rust repair were are visible all over. This beast looks like it was almost ready for paint when the clock stopped.

Yeah I know this is a terrible pic. I only include it to show off that upholstery.

This roofline is unique to the Fleetline as every other 4 door Chevy had rear quarter windows behind the rear doors. The worst of the body seems to be the rocker panels and lower door edges. OG paint remains only around the door glass.

The rockers on this side have been cut out completely. I'm guessing this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Runs & Drives!" meant slowly even when new. Under this mighty hood sits the 216 Blue Flame inline 6 cylinder engine good for a mere 90 horsepower. A three on the tree transmission and drum brakes all around complete the chilled expectations. This engine was later bored out to 235cc and it was a higher performance version of that block that powered the original Corvettes from 1953-1955. Variations of this motor were produced from 1937-1963. 

The lines for this are pretty sweet in my opinion. Production of all passenger automobiles ceased in 1942 so the factories could be used for the war effort. When production resumed in 1945 there was a pent up demand for new cars so they built what they could which meant that this car was produced with very little change through 1948. However back in '41 this was up to date.

Unfortunately these rides aren't worth much even in pristine condition. I can almost imagine the series of phone calls reaching the end of the line for this thing pretty quickly.

Someone probably drove this to the shop proudly figuring it didn't need much. They removed the paint and found damage which they started to repair. Then the rocker panel bad news came along with estimates for the interior and re-chroming. At that point you realize that you can go to the classic market and buy a perfectly preserved example for what you've already put into it.

Another scenario is that the elderly owner wants to restore his first car. The project starts and the owner dies or can't drive anymore. The relatives either try to sell it or look into finishing the restoration and see that the cost far outweighs the reward. Unless you have a deep emotional connection to a car like this it is akin to restoring a 1983 Ford Escort from the ground up.
*Notice the tiny opening at the bottom of the grill above the ER in New Jersey on the license plate. That's where you would put the crank if your starter failed! A true holdover detail.
**I also have no idea what that round thing is under the right turn signal.

I include two pics of the interior to show different aspects. Here you can see a perfectly round hole in the floor under the driver's feet. In my '47 Dodge this was an access panel for the master cylinder so I'm guessing it's the same.

The interior is actually pretty nice with the optional clock on the passenger side and speedometer in lovely condition. The horn ring is in place and the Bakelite gearshift knob is intact. My '47 Dodge had a massive under dash heater that would be clearly visible. Who knows if this came with one or not? If this ride was delivered to a Southern state there's a good chance it was never built with one. If you were a serious penny pincher you could order your Chevy without one all the way up through the mid-'60s but who would order a clock before a heater?
Well that will do it for this well worn example of a mass produced, very old car that few people want. Best bet for this beast would be for a father/son project or for someone to rat rod it out. I know it's sacrilege to say that about a running 76 year old car, but a truly stunning '46 fastback Fleetline sold recently for $3,800 so you know the cards are stacked against this thing.
Good luck faded trooper!

I ran across a Faded Player recently . . .

FADED PLAYER

I was walking through the Northern end of Bay Ridge the other day when this well chewed blob of bubble gum made its presence known:

Okay, alright, there was once something to work with here.

This is a 1982 Ford Mustang GT in what might be a very faded Medium Red. The GT had special colors and the Medium Red leaned in this raspberry bubble gum direction but this also might be a flashy custom color from the go-go '80s.

This hood scoop does nothing at all. If the sun weren't so bright you'd see that it's blocked off with a body-colored panel. That Mustang emblem in front of it was a foggy as it looks in this pic.

The GT took over where the Mustang Cobra left off the year before. From '79-'81 the most powerful Mustang engine available was a turbocharged 4 cylinder! The V8 from '80-'81 was a smaller 4.2 liter 255 which got better gas milage than the classic 302 V8 of the previous decade. Our feature car today  brought the return of the famous 5.0 302 V8.

The GT has a great look with a special front spoiler and air dam, that mini faux scoop, and a wing on the rear. This was a cusp model bridging the gap between the first Fox Body Mustangs in '79 and the redesigned next step for the Fox in 1983. After the '83 redesign (more of a minor tinkering than a complete overhaul) this basic design carried all the way through the decade and into the early '90s.

Definitely trust the milage quoted by the seller of every classic car, especially when the dashboard has been completely torn to shreds! This dash has been WORKED; look at the hole smashed into the top in the middle. The dash pad, face, and vents have all been torn out. I can see that this is a stick shift though which makes this one fun car to drive.

Here's the 3/4 view of this hatchback pony. The dimensions are tidy for a rear wheel drive V8 sports car. Beginning in 1983 a convertible would be available for the first time in 9 years. Those are Mustang rims from a slightly newer car.

A single out of state plate is holding this thing down while the cops and tow trucks pass it by. Does this really look like a Vermont car? Can you imagine driving this thing in any amount of snow? Might as well sit on a diner stool and swivel in a circle.

D & D Autoworks had their hand in this beasts creation many moons ago as you can see from the faded lettering next to the trunk lock.

As munchy and weathered as this thing is it is standing up at the proper height with all its lighting and glass intact. Besides scuffs and scrapes there are no major dents to be found, and just a few rust spots are staring to creep.

Well that's where I'll back away from this '80s tough guy vision.

The 5.0 Mustangs of the decade were crazy popular and filled the streets when I was in high school. They remain affordable and are very easy to work on with parts availability second to none. If you want an easy classic to take to shows or just roll around in for summer you could do a lot worse.

The automotive equivalent of Grey Gardens

THE AUTOMOTIVE EQUIVALENT OF GREY GARDENS

I was walking along the border of Greenwood Cemetery where flocks of wild parakeets chatter overhead when something about an otherwise forgettable vehicle caught my eye. It seemed a little too rounded around the edges . . .

What we have here is a 1999-2002 Land Rover Discovery II in Chawton White. The bumper looks a little soft around the corners. Could it be my old nemesis? It is!

Ladies and gentlemen there comes a time in the life of some vehicle owners when, despite the advice of their best friends, they turn to tape. It's been a while since I featured a good tape repair and believe me this has plenty! Notice the care and thought that went into this corner: black tape for the black parts but they've left the grill openings and logo clear. Yellowish tape over the turn signals and clear tape to hold it all together. Who needs a Pick-n-Pull when True Value is just down the street?

Once it starts it's like mold spreading over the entire area. If anyone reading this has some white tape please send it to me and I will leave it on the windshield of this Brit.

Tape addiction is usually a sign of other personality traits not all of which I feel proud to point out. 

From this angle you can still see the breeding of this tony ride. When new this truck cost around $35,000 (which has the buying power of $50,000 today). This was not a cheap car! Stalwart and proud was the Land Rover when new.

Uh oh. Looks a little lived in from here. The old Coca-Cola/coffee/pineapple juice and sandwich combo. Super British.

Unfortunately this is a case of Hoarders: Automotive Edition. I do feel a little shameful writing these posts because there's always going to be somebody pointing out (rightfully so) that I'm mocking either mental illness or somebody's lowest point. You know what though? It's parked on the street so I'm gonna let 'em have it. See you in Hell everybody!
*Shout out to the blue tape that just wanted to join the party.

This person must drive by touch because every bit is currently held on with tape. There's no adjusting that mirror from here on out. I wonder if the window can even go down? It seems to be taped in place.

Alright this thing is messed up. It looks a little like the aftermath of Woodstock. 

The skylights on the rear of the roof always looks pretty cool to me on these rides. Blue tape on the roof, black tape on the taillight, Encyclopedia Britannica in the back.

We've got more turn signal tape restoration happening here. It seems the plate was even taped on at some point. Single out of state plate to keep it ticket proof.

This side lower light is brutal. Overall this truck isn't in bad shape really; few scuffs and no rust to speak of. It could probably be put right without too much trouble.

OH YEAH the grandaddy of all tape repairs; FULL WINDOW RE-CREATION!

From this angle I see that the rear door vent window has been replaced with black tape too.
These trucks are tough and capable, if somewhat pricey to maintain. There's definitely a story behind this vehicle because it's like seeing a former member of high society begging for change. If you haven't seen the original Grey Gardens I highly recommend it!
In fact
here's the whole movie just sitting on Youtube. Have at it!

A Valiant effort (groan)

POSSESSING OR SHOWING COURAGE AND DETERMINATION

I was way out in the hinterlands of either Brooklyn or Queens when I passed by this dirty little ride. At 50 years old it holds up nicely!

This is a 1966 Plymouth Valiant 200 in White. There is a Plymouth Beige that's not far off from this but the color chips I could find from this year show a White that's not super bright so I think this is it.

Plymouth in the '60s was an exercise in doing a lot with a little. Each year brought frugal changes that drastically altered the appearance. For instance the grill and taillights changed each year making essentially the same car seem fresh with each vintage. However behind this grill is an identical opening to the years before and after this ride.

This little Plymouth looks like it's cowering and dejected with that one dead eye. It's a shame because overall it's in great shape. The windshield looks like it was replaced hastily with that thick black rubber all over the surround.

These Valiants and their siblings the Darts were considered compact cars in their day. The lines are clean as a whistle and the dimensions are nicely balanced. I love the no nonsense approach to Mopar in the '60s.

These cars remain very usable today. The compact dimensions are about the same as a modern Accord, the performance of the Slant-6 or small 273 V8 engines is adequate, and the miles per gallon can easily be in the mid to upper 20s.

Plastics were in heavy use in the interior with the cool off-center speedometer and gauge cluster sporting faux chrome. A missing radio and lack of air conditioner means this is basic transportation.

This ride is fitted with the legendary Torqueflite automatic transmission. The Torqueflite (written some years as TorqueFlite) was introduced in 1956 and continued in production all the way through 2015! This is fantastic news when you own one of these cars and need a replacement. I had a '72 Plymouth Duster with a slant-6 and the Torqueflite. After delivering pizzas with it for a couple months it needed to be replaced. I found a rebuilt unit for $300 with a 1 year warranty!

The taillights are different for each year in the '60s but I find this year to be exceptionally tidy. The top lens is the brake/turn signal, the center a reflector, and the lower are nicely incorporated reverse lights. I believe '66 was the first year where reverse lights were federally mandated.

I'm not buying that single out of state plate on the back. I've said it before but all you need to do to park with impunity in the outer boroughs is to tack an out of state plate on your ride and every cop will walk by it forever. I've seen several cars roosting on side streets for years with a sketchy plate.

The 200 was the mid-tier trim level in '66. The base model 100 had no chrome trim whatsoever and could be ordered in a very frugal package; small 6 cylinder with a three on the tree manual, radio delete, and even heater delete for the warm climate penny pincher. The highest trim level was the Signet series which offered the only convertible in the lineup.

I love this detail so I always point it out on '60s Mopars. This little Pentastar logo can only be found on the passenger side fender. The thought process is that when it is parked passersby will see it from the sidewalk.

The name Mopar covers all of the Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth lines. It stands for Motor Parts which is the official name of the company parts manufacturer. As a result there are Mopar car clubs and the like.

Well that's where we'll leave this smart little Plymouth. I highly recommend any '60s (and most '70s) Mopars for people looking to buy a classic car as a daily driver. I've had both the aforementioned Duster as well as a '74 Dart and both were totally reliable. These cars never want to die, especially with the slant-6 engine. Aside from the fragile plastic dashboard components parts are widely available. Hats off Valiant!  

3 legged pony

3 LEGGED PONY

Something caught my eye while I was riding past a little side street the other day:

Aww look at this hobbled punk! This is a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 LTD in Caspian Blue Poly. She's certainly seen better days.

The Galaxie was named during the Space Race craze when it was introduced in 1959. By 1965 it had all the typical styling cues of the day; boxy, straight-line design, stacked headlights, very reserved amount of chrome, etc.

There are crests and badges all over this car. The one above is a stylized version of an English crest from the 18th century. Why? Who knows?

The hood ornament consists of 3 royal-looking lions that were also gleaned from that crest. Curiously these emblems were only on cars intended for North America. Fords throughout the rest of the world had no logos whatsoever!

Big car with a big engine but drum brakes is all you got back in '65. There's a pretty substantial shiny spot under the rear of the engine too.

The 390 V8 was an option this year and it put out plenty of power. This emblem has a stylized Thunderbird in the middle of it to denote that this was the same motor that came in the T-Bird.

Even though this is just a 2 door hardtop it weighs 3,700lbs. With the 390 it was still good for 125mph but you really needed to plan your stops with those drum brakes!

The vinyl roof was torn off of the rear I suppose to address any rust that was starting. The patina on the trunk is pretty righteous.

This was the first year for the LTD which was a top-of-the-line trim option for the Galaxie before becoming its own line in '67. I always thought it stood for limited, but it seems a good percentage of the Ford community thinks it means Luxury Trim Decor.

The interior is a disaster. The entire dashboard has been ripped out and the horn is missing, not to mention wires are visible everywhere. We can see however that it has some options such as air conditioning, pushbutton radio, and the Safety Convenience Control Panel. That last one is the small box hanging under the dash above that radio lying on the floor. It consisted of 5 idiot lights to warn you when your door was ajar or locked, fuel was low, seat belts weren't in use, or flashers were on.

Single Georgia plate on the back is all it takes to park this on the street with 3 freaking wheels and never get a ticket.

Ford had great continuity across all of its lines in the '60s. This taillight looks much like that of the Thunderbird and Falcon of the year.

Just sitting there near the curb, it's all good.

I applaud this little piece of trim for sticking it out! Pretty soon it's gonna look like the kickers helmet in the NFL.

Up close every inch of this beast is rumpled.

I couldn't resist taking a couple more shots of the inside.

I like this choice of wheels as it does make the car look tough.

This car was a massive hit when it came out. The years previous were lower and seemed wider due to the side by side headlights as opposed to the stacked ones. Since it's an LTD 2 door with the 390 it's certainly worth restoring.