By Jim Brennan
I am breaking up this Hooniverse Two-Wheel Tuesday to bring you something a little different. Motorcycles are, for the most part, pretty basic. Sure you can get models that are High Performance, or ones that are Boulevard Cruisers, and some that are capable Trail Blazers, but they are still basic. So with that in mind, I thought I would provide the absolute opposite of basic two-wheel conveyances, with full on Luxury Four-Wheel Personal Luxury Cars. And what part of the country is more appropriate at providing these four-wheeled bordellos than Orlando Florida? Presenting the full on Personal Luxury Cars of Orlando Classic Cars…. with a poll!
I’m not going to go into too much detail with each of these cars, just the dealership descriptions. You have to judge which one is THE complete opposite of Two-Wheel Tuesday. Let’s start with one of the most beautiful Personal Luxury Cars ever created, the 1965 Buick Riviera Grand Sport. According to the dealer:
Excellent example with original paperwork and owner history since new. Powered by its original matching number code “LX” 425 cubic inch V8 originaly equipped with factory dual quads. Today the car runs beautifully on a single 4 barrel that was put on at the dealer prior to 1967. Dual quad carbs and intake are restored and in the trunk. This Gran Sport is reported to have been the Buick dealers personal car and paperwork shows that it was sold to the first owner in 1967, indicating the dealer must have been quite fond of the ’65 model!
Mileage is showing 35,000. Asking price is $45,000 which I think might be a bit steep, but what do you think? See the listing here.
The next car actually created this category, but by the time this one was built, it was on it’s fifth generation. This is a 1968 Ford Thunderbird Landau, and this generation of Birds are called “Glamour Birds” among the Thunderbird faithful. In order, there were the original two-seaters, the “Squarebirds”, The “Bullet Birds”, The “Flair Birds”, and on and on…. Anyway, this one is magnificent, and according to the dealer:
Certainly one of the finest examples in existence. A very well preserved car with 8,000 miles, all original, loaded with options and red! They don’t get any better! Excellent original paint, beautiful interior, trunk compartment and engine bay. Spare never down. Still riding on the original triple band bias ply whitewalls.
With only 8,000 miles, and still on its original Bias-Plys, the asking price is a bit steep at $35,000, but its only original once. See the listing here.
The next car isn’t thought of as a Personal Luxury Car, but so what? It has the proportions of one, it is a two-door coupe, and it is luxurious for its day. This is a 1973 Ford LTD Brougham. This is a time-capsule type of car, and according to the dealer:
All original and absolutely stunning! It would be hard to find a better example anywhere. Powered by a 400 cubic inch V8 and equipped with automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, twin comfort hi back seats with passenger recliner, am/fm 8 track, cornering lamps and more. Owners manual, shop manuals and window sticker included.
Mileage shows only 18,000 miles, and the asking price is $12,900. See the listing here.
This next Personal Luxury Barge is a bit over the top, as its a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk. This car was based on the contemporary Pontiac Grand Prix, but styled like no other car. According to the dealer:
A very nice Stutz! If your familar with these cars you know how hard it is to find a nice one.
Mileage isn’t disclosed, but the price is… and at $45,000, the mileage should be rather low…. See the listing here.
The next Personal Luxury Car is the 1976 Chrysler Cordoba, which was one of the most successful of this genre at that time. According to the dealer:
All original and in outstanding condition. 360 V8, auto, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, tilt wheel and more.
Only 10,000 miles on the odometer, and it is offered at $10,900! See the listing here.
[poll id=”75″]
Jeff Glucker
The Stutz is your antithesis of a bike, though it's pretty much a cartoon. The Riv is the class of the lot. And the T-bird is my guilty pleasure. The LTD is boring, and the Cordoba is awful.
I even have a soft spot for the last iteration of the Riv. I think it's a really classy, understated and subtle design. Now, where'd I leave my Mickey's?
I know you asked me a question, but I cannot stop staring at the Rivera. My answer is 42.
The Cordoba may have "soft, Corrrr-r-r-r-r-r-inthian leathurrrrrr-r-r-r", but the Riviera is definitely the one I'd want to bring home.
For much, much less than the cracktastic asking price… 45 grand is a whole lotta clams.
A guy down the hall from my office just picked up a mint 560SEC. Even the period correct anti-theft radio sticker on the window looks brand new. I've gotta ask him where he found it. Who keeps these cars in such great shape for decades?!
Rich old people.
You were right. I talked to the new owner. The previous owners were an old couple who only drove it from their home to the store. 8,000 miles a year. I'm so jealous.
My wife's Granddad has a 1995 or so Cadillac with only about 50k miles on it.
The Buick is too timeless to be a personal luxury car in my book. A personal luxury car should be compromised in passenger room and visibility in order to conform with tasteless styling fads of a tacky age. It should be slathered in garish chrome and non-functional affectations. The Riviera is to the personal luxury cars of the Carter age of darkness what the BMW 325i of twenty years ago is to the ones they sell today.
No you have it backwards. The Riviera is all that a personal luxury car SHOULD be. Everyone else just got it wrong and made it the norm.
The Chrysler and the Ford and MAYBE the Stutz seem almost reasonably priced. The Riv might be too with the dual 4bbl. carbs., but just seems really steep. The one I actually want is the Riv.
Definitely the Riv, though it's a little pricey. The Stutz gets perversity points, but I want to know more about the red and white '56 Nomad parked next to it. The rest you can keep. The LTD and Cordoba are boring malaise-bricks, and I refuse to drive a car with landau irons like those on the T-bird.
They could be easily removed. Honestly, I was trying to imagine how this T-Bird would look without the vinyl roof, as I find it too gaudy for my tastes. I don't know.
Here's a picture of a '67 with the standard plain roof. Even without the vinyl and landau irons, I find the post-'66 T-birds to be fat-looking and pudgy.
<img src="http://americandreamcars.com/1967tbird2drht050708.jpg">
I'll definitely agree that the `66 and below were much better looking cars, but there's something about a `67-`69 suicide door T-Bird. Also, they look much better sans the vinyl roof.
I'll take that Nomad behind that gawd awful silver thing.
Heck, I'd even take that white thing ('60 Chevy?) on the other side.
"In Cordoba, I have what I need.")*
*And what I need is to buy a different car.
Riviera. It is probably the most beautiful thing to come out of GM. Sure it can be called pricey but if any car deserves to be pricey this is it. Keeps it out of the hands of unworthy jackaloons.
I want that LTD. Oh dear god it's not logical, but I must have it….
So perfect.
it makes no sense at all, but I share your feelings 100%
I'm with you. And at least 2 others. Although clearly the best car, the Riv is all ate up with motor. It loses luxury points trying to keep up with a Chevelle or GTO. A true personal luxury driver cares not for such folly. That era of Bird just issn't my word. The Stutz is too out there. It would win a bizzaro contest but not this one. Call me a Ford fanboi but I just like the LTD over the Cordoba.
If I'm spending someone else's money: Riviera.
If I'm spending my own: there's nothing wrong with the Cordoba that the Mopar Performance catalog can't fix.
Makes me think of 'Repo Man'.
I want to make the argument for the Cordoba. If I'm looking for a personal luxury car, I don't want to get into astronomical prices, as this would justify a switch to a European GT car or an Avanti that would crush all of these vehicles in terms of performance and all but the Riv in style. So it has to be something huge from Detroit but cheap now, and the LTD and Cordoba both fit that bill– you can find well-kept examples with reasonable miles for a few grand. Between these options, I actually think the Cordoba has the better styling. Even if it drives like a tank and drinks gas like a tank, it is also built like a tank and should be cheap to keep running. It also has the advantage of having the least following here, so that you're not joining a club just by buying one.
Sure, the malaise power is low, but you can rebuild a Chrysler V8 to much higher spec without great expense, and with some inexpensive aftermarket suspension parts, you could probably even get it to go around a corner. Seems like a win to me.
How about a fully refreshed and mechanically improved Cordoba in fresh triple black with the 400 V8? Would the haters stop hating for that at least? 'Cause here's one from Hemmings for $8.5k:
<img src="http://assets.hemmings.com/uimage/6423049-700-0.jpg" width="600">
Hey look, it's the T-bird Eric Bana's dad drives!
I voted for the Cordoba.
But remember, the question wasn't what car do I like the most, it was: "Which Personal Luxury Car would make you feel like a 70's Porn Star?"
exactly why I joined team Stutz.
I, too, am jumping on the long, pimp-styled, freestanding-headlight equipped, bandwagon.
Nothing exceeds like excess!
I can remember looking at a nice '65 Riviera GS with the dual-quad engine, priced at $3500. But that was in 1980. I'd take all of these except for the Cordoba. As for low mileage cars, my mom's '78 Chevy Malibu Classic has 72k on it. Two-tone metallic light blue over bright blue, and 305 2-barrel.
The original Riviera is one of the best looking american cars ever. period.
That Riviera is awesome, but damned spendy. I would take it over the rest, though. But, seriously, a 70's port star would drive a Vette
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l3pjbpOo2V1qzzh6g.jpg">
I am feeling good to see all this old collection.Actually my grand father had the 1973 Ford LTD Brougham which i remembered the most to ride on that.Its two doors were comfortable.But i think more collections of late 70's must be included in that.
Thanx!