27/08/2008 @ 15:45:02: Neptune: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
... I spotted this very, very rare Datsun 210 with not a spec of rust on it.
The sad part is that this poor little car was being forced to pull this big heavy trailer behind it! How abusive of the owner to do such a thing, look how it sags in the back ... By the way Neptune, why don't you check the towing capacity for this baby? Maybe 150 pounds or so?
I search for it on the internet (I also wanted to check my old car magazines * I have a stash of them somewhere around here*) But could find nothing.
I did however, find that a small tow hitch is available for a 1974-1980 Datsun
B 210 which gives it a towing capacity of 65 lbs (US)
27/08/2008 @ 17:03:59: taxiguy: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Ha ha, I guessed a little bit high even

What in the world kind of thing would you tow that only weighed 65 pounds though?
27/08/2008 @ 18:21:32: ingo: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
How much are 65 US lbs in kilogrammes? And aren't there differences if the trailer has an own brake or not? Without an extra trailer-brake (it works, when you are braking), in Germany the maximum weight is -for all cars, I guess- 450 kg. With brakes, it depends on the car.
I wouldn't wonder, if the Datsun is allowed to tow more than a same aged and same-sized VW Rabbit or so.
BWD-cars and cars with very conventional suspension often are allowed to tow more than same-sized FWD-cars. The total weight of the car is not the main thing.
27/08/2008 @ 19:48:46: Neptune: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
I couldn’t find any info on the Volkswagen MK1 Rabbit (Golf) but the MK2 Rabbit (1985-1992) can tow up two 1,000 lbs (US) with a standard hidden hitch receiver (I’m guessing it would be a Class I receiver hitch) A Class II receiver hitch is/was available, but requires underbody modifications to fit it (sounds expensive)
@ingo, yes a vehicle can tow slightly more if the trailer is "braked" (has it’s own set of brakes) Then the vehicle does not have to stop the trailer by itself, the trailer helps in stopping making for shorter stopping distances, and also less wear and tear on the TVs (tow vehicles) brakes.
27/08/2008 @ 20:05:26: Neptune: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
How much are 65 US lbs in kilogrammes?
Almost 30 kg (something like 29 and a half) If I’m not mistaken, someone correct me if my math is wrong.
Not much you could pull around with that rating.
27/08/2008 @ 21:57:45: ingo: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
29 kg? Then 65 lbs are 1885 kg - this is very much for towing!
I'm not familar with the towing-weights of Golf's, but I remember, that one old-Audi-freak has bought a Golf I Cabriolet for towing his trailer with old Audi's and DKW's. The Cabriolet is allowed to tow 1450 kg, much more than the normal Golf I. It has less than 1000 kg, I think.
The -very shitty- Fiat Ritmo Cabrio hat also 1450 kg, much more than the normal (shitty, too) Ritmo. The former girl-friend of a friend had such a car. But 1450 kg were too much. Even with a horse-trailer with just one horse inside, the driving was getting dangerous and unsafe.
27/08/2008 @ 23:50:37: BlackIce_GTS: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
No, it's 65lb~=30Kg, not 1lb=30kg.
1Kg=2.2lb.
What are you supposed to tow that weighs 30 kilos? I can tow more then that just walking.
28/08/2008 @ 00:24:18: atom: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
31/08/2008 @ 05:40:06: taxiguy: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Went out to toady and got some car pics. Here they are...
You might want to grab a barf bag before taking a look at this one, it's pretty horrible. I don't think I've ever seen anything more tacky and tasteless in my life, I can't beleive someone thought this actually looked good!
I found the Violet/Purple color of this Taurus to be quite interesting, I think I've only seen a couple of others like it. I kind of want one

I also want a purple Escort like this one
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1109513717053036973LbagXJ
Somethin' about the color purple...
I found a very rare car that I have only ever seen before a couple of times in my life, a first generation Infiniti Q45
Quite a fancy and modern looking interior for a car from the early-1990s
A better view of the late-70 Eldo I posted a picture of a few weeks ago. Still hasn't been sold, but at least it's been moved to the front of the lot where passer-bys can actually see it.
And look what I happened upon at one of the car dealers, twin Fieros!

(for you marioman

)
31/08/2008 @ 05:45:27: marioman3138: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Thankyou! They look nice! I want both. Looks like a good price for the brown one.
31/08/2008 @ 05:56:39: taxiguy: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
They are actually much too high in price, beleive it or not
The Blue Book Value for a 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT is about $2,500, and that's for one that's two years newer and has relatively low miles. (Didn't see the milage for either of these ones)
31/08/2008 @ 06:13:28: marioman3138: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Oh, so I'm not going to rush to USA and buy either then
31/08/2008 @ 06:40:27: SPcamert: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Can someone tell me what year this Triumph Spitfire is. There seems to be not much differentiation in the mid 70's for this car. Thanks. By the way, if you look in the first pic there you can see my car in the background. Just wanted to point that out.
31/08/2008 @ 10:43:31: BlackIce_GTS: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
The Spitfire is (this is not helpful) from '70-'78.
Saw a Citroen 2CV and a BMW M3 CSL (E46) yesterday.
01/09/2008 @ 07:29:44: 93_Montero: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
01/09/2008 @ 17:01:11: Ddey65: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
That's actually a 1965, which is even better. 1966's had lower taillights blended together on top of the rear bumper. Anyway, I posted this sucker on StrangeVehicles.com a while back.
http://www.strangevehicles.com/content/item/127637.html
01/09/2008 @ 22:10:25: taxiguy: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Very nice cars Montero

I love the Bluesmobile and the '61 Plymouth
01/09/2008 @ 23:16:16: G-MANN: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Last week, on Bank Holiday Monday, I went to the Hampshire Pageant of Motoring at the Broadlands estate in Romsey. Here are some of the cars I saw:
Pontiac Bonneville lowrider
Cadillac lowrider
Dodge Charger
Ford GT40s (although they could be replicas)
A Hudson and A Studebaker (I think)
1969 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Hearse
Daimler
Daimler
Daimler
1938 Rolls-Royce (I think it's a Wraith)
Vintage Rolls-Royce
1972 Daimler DS420 Hearse
1987 Cadillac Hearse
Cadillac Calais
1963 Daimler Majestic Major
1985 Ford Granada Coleman-Milne (there were a few Coleman-Milne and Dorchesters at the show)
Boat-car
DeLorean DMC-12
2002 Bentley Continental R Mulliner
Studebaker
Cadillac Sedan de Ville
Ford Mustang Mach 1
1949 Jaguar
Daimler Sovereign
1987 TVR 390SE
Ford "Sidevalve Field Mouse"
02/09/2008 @ 01:21:56: Neptune: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
It has the same
auto-dimming electrochromatic rear view mirror as the Ford Expedition ...
•
Gentex auto-dimming electrochromatic rear view mirrors become available.
See Picture (D)
• On Eddie Bauer models, side view mirrors get redundant turn signals integrated into the mirror housing assembly.
• Power adjustable acceleration
and break pedals become available.
(C) 2000 model
Shown in Eddie Bauer trim
(D)
Gentex rear view mirror
It’s from an American company called
Gentex. Gentex specializes in advanced automotive technology products, and supplies them to automakers the world over.
Older versions of the contoured electrochromatic rear view mirror (the one in the Bentley and Expedition) had button on the face display that could enable/disable the auto-dimming feature. The mirror had two sensors, one was forward mounted on the back of the mirror to monitor the daylight (in low light conditions the mirrors dims just ever so slightly to reduce glare) The other sensor was mounted on the face of the mirror facing out the back of the vehicle to monitor the headlamp intensity of any car following you. (If the car behind you had it’s high-beams on the mirror would go into blackout mode. To remove the blinding light from your eyes) Most all auto-dimming mirrors, regardless if they are from Gentex or some other company, work in similar fashion.
Newer models of that particular Gentex mirror did not have the on/off buttons (which meant the feature was "always-on")
New Gentex mirrors are slightly different in physical appearance (they have a squared off bottom rather than being contoured)
02/09/2008 @ 01:45:52: 93_Montero: interesting/funny/special cars sightings
Nice pictures G-Mann, of course I saw the Back to the Future De Lorean at the museum but just before we got there I saw one in public driving on the highway. It wasn't known for good reliability but it would definitely be a unique vehicle to have.