1964 Mercedes 190D

The Fintail Mercedes, named for the fins on their tails, were introduced in 1961, and replaced the Ponton sedans. The 190 was Mercedes' cheaper, more basic sedan, and the "D" on this one denotes a diesel. Seeing such early Mercedes is becoming increasingly rare, but this one appears in great shape for its age.

 

  

1976 Ford XC GT 351 Ute

You've seen it on Curbside Classic, you've seen it on Hooniverse, and now you can see it here. Uniquely Australian, Utes are car-based pickups, similar to our own pickup cars. This particular one is based on the XC Falcon, and has been made in to a sort of GT 351 clone (the package was never available). This car has been sitting on the Oregon coast for a while now, but hopefully its rarity (at least in the U.S.) means it will be saved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Delgiata Lineup Revealed: Eagle & Villager Hybrids

The first model in the 2014 lineup of my mythical car company, Delgiata: The Villager. Villagers are Executive class sedans with a dual-purpose hatchback. The electronic hatch may be opened remotely in one piece, lifting and sliding forward a bit on the roof for maximum opening, or in two pieces, with the glass lifting and sliding and the bottom part folding down and out to form a tailgate and longer loadfloor. Carbon fiber and micro-veneer construction is ultra lightweight and strong, and the plug-in electric motor is combined with a range-extending 1.5 liter horizontally opposed "flat" 6. Equipment levels are generous, with options limited to colors and owner-packages, including "Rear Office," "Entertainment," and full-boat, sybaritic, "Complete," packages.

The Villager joins the smaller, ultra-high mileage Eagle, below:


The second model introduced this year is the Eagle, the "entry-level" Delgiata that is anything but. Small exterior size belies the roomy 4-passenger interior, with every modern convenience. Construction follows its larger Executive brother's, the Village, in carbon-fiber and microveneer. In the Eagle, the plug-in hybrid drivetrain includes a range-extending .9 liter inline 3 cylinder. Combined they move the Eagle from 0-60 in 8 seconds while giving combined mileage ratings in the "150 MPG/e" range.

Both new Deligiatas feature electronic all-wheel drive.

These two new models in the Delgiata lineup join the 4-cylinder hybrid "Delivery Van" I created in the mid 2000s., here.

1979 Datsun 210

The 210 replaced the B210 as Datsun's basic economy car. It was reliable, got good gas mileage, and was practical: all it needed to be. The design feature that stands out the most on these are the grill-mounted turn signals (which shows just how boring the design is). This 210, though it has some rust, looks great with blue pinstripes and the original hubcaps.

 

 

1980 Mercury Bobcat

The Bobcat was Mercury's version of the Pinto, and, along with the Comet (the 70s one), was one of the worst Mercury rebadges. Before the seventies, Mercuries were always a little special, but from then on they became Fords with a different grill. The Bobcat/Pinto was intended to compete with the small Japanese hatches, popular during the fuel crisis, but the Pinto's reputation for bursting into flames did it no favors. This Bobcat is in fantastic condition, and the "sport" wheels look great.

 

 

1975 Pontiac Firebird Formula

The second-generation Firebird, like the Camaro it was based on, made its debut in 1970, and would last for 11 years before it was retired. Performance started out strong, though dropped considerably throughout the seventies. Still, even in 1975, the Firebird was still available with 400 and 455 ci engines. This Formula's green paint and matching stripes date it instantly: a very 70s paint job for a very 70s car.

 

 

1966 Nissan Patrol

Like the Land Rover Series and the Land Cruiser, the Nissan Patrol was a go-anywhere utilitarian off-roader. The second-gen Patrol was produced relatively unchanged for 21 years, though it was only available for 7 in the U.S. This Patrol appears to be complete, stock, and in restorable condition. It's parked in a small town on the Oregon coast, not Seattle.

 

 

 

 

 

1970 Chevrolet Malibu Chevelle

1970 brought an updated Chevelle, with bigger, more rectangular looks, and even bigger optional engines. The ultimate, of course, was the SS with the LS-6 454, but plainer cars (like this one) were available. It's refreshing to see a '70 Chevelle with dog-dish hubcaps, no racing stripes, and Malibu badging.