By Robert Emslie
Welcome to Craigslist Crapshoot, our weekly search for the most bizarre, awesome, and/or terrible vehicles that the online classifieds has to offer.
I think we can all agree that the movies are magic. That is except when they aren’t which is laid bare when a glaring mistake is made in their production. That was brought to mind with the 1971 Mustang MACH 1 brought to us by Hilman_Hunter in reference to the James Bond movie of the same year, Diamonds are Forever. It was in that flick’s centerpiece chase scene that the red Mustang incredulously shifted from one set of wheels to the other in a narrow alley navigating stunt. Oh James!
smalleyxb122 went with The Wraith, but shrewdly eschewed the main character for a Triumph Spitfire and found its spitting image in Detroit. Speaking of spitting, do you remember John Belushi’s zit gag from the movie Animal House? You also might remember the ambulance that was parked in front of the eponymous frat for much of the movie as it’s been for sale in Oregon for the past decade or so, and mdharrell offered it up as his contribution.
Our winner with the most upvotes was 0A5599 for giving us a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500. It wasn’t the movie connection that made it the winner I don’t think—Johnny Knoxsville, who cares?—nor was it the accuracy of the ad—Galaxie not Galaxy. What likely took it home was the fact that the car was just so badass, and at four grand, seemed a pretty decent deal.
Congrats to OA5599, and thank you all for your roles in this production. Now, let’s looks for some Euro-thrash.
Jeff Glucker
It’s exactly* like a Ferrari Dino, for just $1700!
https://images.craigslist.org/00y0y_ifCadoMY48d_600x450.jpg
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/6128459615.html
*nothing
Or, for an even more reasonable $10,000, this magnificent creation, for sale in Surprise, CA:
https://images.craigslist.org/00M0M_hu811iB4nbl_600x450.jpg
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/6110711053.html
Five to one it has a tick in the engine ,soon to become a parts car.
The Mera Fiero had a bit more styling influence from Italy.
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2016/04/09/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1986-pontiac-fiero-mera/
It was a dead nuts knockoff of a 308, so good in fact they lost their court case and had to stop making the cars.
Fun fact:. The first showroom-new-take-the-full-depreciation-hit car in our family was Cadillac’s attempt at fending off the Europeans. Ours came home the same month they came to the market, when it still had a four banger as the only engine.
https://buffalo.craigslist.org/cto/6107268205.html
https://images.craigslist.org/00A0A_3clvkWYWfLq_1200x900.jpg
https://images.craigslist.org/00k0k_wGbEv7wgil_1200x900.jpg
Those are hard to find! I tried to look them up on a previous CLCS. I thought about the Allante, but that actually was a European car in Cadillac drag.
I still think they look like a 4 door BMW E30, but about 3 years before the E30 was available as a 4 door. Especially the rear 3/4 view.
Those were terrible,ill designed and hastily executed . Born to be Clunkers.
It was underpowered, and the price was a lot for Cavalier underpinnings, but it was reliable and withstood a lot of crash damage during the 100,000+ miles we had it. Other than routine maintenance, it had a carburetor base gasket develop a leak around the 95k mark.
We had the V/6 it was an excellent driver.
GM’s most deadly sin…right there!
This fruit was hanging so low that I had to bend down to pick it. I mean look at it, says EURO right on that rusty door. $900 gets you
a lot of cara $900 headachehttps://images.craigslist.org/00I0I_4rLIVm3M6Tu_600x450.jpg
https://grandforks.craigslist.org/cto/6123972888.html
(I know, I’m bending the rules by posting a car from the 90’s, but good luck around these parts finding an ’80s Celebrity Euro)
I had to cheat (by casting a nationwide net), but here’s an ’88 Celebrity Eurosport for you:
https://images.craigslist.org/00505_lqldEyCagbV_600x450.jpg
https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/6135016538.html
I wanted to post a Buick Century T-type or a Pontiac 6000 STE, but couldn’t find a single one even with a nationwide search. (My folks had that version of the Century; my mom’s sister had that version of the 6000.)
That was my first thought, and almost in my back yard. I’ll give yo uthe glory and the upvote
With it’s rich Corinthian leather and soothing blue tones, this ’77 Chrysler Cordoba looks like it’d be an amazing place to spend time.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f92ca5c88a4c7ee9df048344b578eab85342e4a400aa14ce38892476bb2af734.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bd60a8d692c9fd07f66bf64f5384bbcd64f031baf8b5d89b195ecae6c17583ff.jpg
https://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/6124812616.html
The 400 ” lean burn ‘ engine. More trouble than you expected.
Eh, no emissions ’round these parts. I’d pull off all of that nonsense and swap on some decent heads, intake manifold, and carb. Could probably easily double the horsepower.
yes, but an edlbrock efi fix would make the 400 lean burn a torque outputing monster.but, seriously,$7.5K????
..and a few decades before the SEAT of the same name.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Seat_Cordoba_front_20081125.jpg/1280px-Seat_Cordoba_front_20081125.jpg
Cartier is a French company, 1979 is in the middle of the specified ’70s to ’80s window, and “Continental” refers of course to the Continent, so here’s a jauntily presented Mk V:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f79ab4e1501d29c8d9889d0ce5815de4f1991351f85463701e689e97dbb292d7.jpg
https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/6110090752.html
The photos time-stamped 16 months ago are a nice touch.
https://images.craigslist.org/00O0O_efVmgpZy54o_600x450.jpg
For $1500, it’s a wagon, it’s brown (a very greyish brown), and it has a stick (coming out of it’s steering column). All you need is a diesel conversion (although with the V6, you’d feel like you had a diesel) and you have the perfect Hoon/Jalop vehicle.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/6131681928.html
We had a Celebrity back in the day,good car drove it 5 years .
I present to you the 1990 Buick Reatta – it must have been intended to be like an European car, cause it sure wasn’t like any other Buick ! I actually kind of liked these cars although I never got a chance to ride in one.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/99bdad041f9dd3202829cea8a0edc93b2cb0c29dcd55eb6e3b9391a008cf6173.jpg
https://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/cto/6134993456.html
The Reata was an American car styled after a Euro car that was styled like an American car.
What an apt description! To me, the look like sleeker Volvo 480’s:
http://rs1250.pbsrc.com/albums/hh540/gentlegiant63/P1050688_zpsajkycdej.jpg
None of the Volvo 400-series was ever close to “pretty”, but the Reatta is imho a very neat design.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5c4d9d0984ed6c518e67c483731401244bb44adb3bf70d73f534a6b622f15219.jpg
A really accurate Craigslsit ad, for a 3 cylinder Lumina Euro for a grand. Oddly, not that much less than a comparable BMW now.
https://images.craigslist.org/00505_eIeIBGhz5G1_600x450.jpg
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/6109899456.html
A sad 89 Olds 88 with “Euro Grill”
https://images.craigslist.org/00W0W_7omXWqGn5P7_600x450.jpg
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/6092366671.html
Cadillac attempted to position it as an e30 beater.
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/6129425725.html https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/56347730199eb7945cc8155ca6da72362d7d5b995e07593c632e8a9d7181e69a.jpg
The new-for-’89 Thunderbird was designed with some European cars like the BMW 6-series in its sights. Here’s one that’s been quite used up.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/Nzg4WDEwNDQ=/z/42MAAOSwrhBZDnE~/$_57.JPG?set_id=8800005007
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/232338597525?vectorid=229466&lgeo=1&item=232338597525&rmvSB=true
Ford actually benchmarked the E24 6er during the MN12’s development…hence the significant cost overruns.
Thunderbirds w Sport Susp pkg and the 5.0 can be very nice GT cruisers. I had a 1992 model, stiff suspension but great at 90-100.
I had 1995 V8 Cougar w reg susp and it was all over the road at 80. Amazing diff btwn cars.
When you want a Golf GTI but are a Mopar guy at heart.
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/cto/6130905753.html
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7e00eef9f1e2fec9a746e985bbff78f04339b3d65f2eadd1eeef5979ce241674.jpg
It has European fog light (covers) from Bosch. Bonus point right there!
IIRC the Cutlass Supreme International series had a badge somewhere that was a series of European national flags — though its own internationality was more within what would soon be NAFTA. Here’s one with 217,000 miles and a very affordable $1,287 price.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0fe4cead6100db81511a1b77b43181b59abc845992112fd28929b61d90c39b02.png
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/699018097/overview/?aff=atempest&CMP=atempest
And to think I lusted over these…
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xjodlcOltdI/hqdefault.jpg
1982 Ford Fairmont Ghia ESP (aka European Sports Pack), only asking AUD$30k because it was originally a 6-cyl, now 351/T5.
https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Ford-Fairmont-1982/SSE-AD-4049381/?Cr=2
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7af340e9c1b47147ff589303aea266886751d730631846d9bf10c827282ec9f4.jpg
Tell ‘im he’s dreamin’.
I expect it is still for sale for a reason!
Clean lines, flush lamps, euro grille… hell, even 5 lug wheels. I’d read the E21 was the inspiration.
Someone at Ford was awesome – despite getting close to GT territory.
http://images.autotrader.com/images/2017/5/2/456/606/43582803776.456606558.IM1.MAIN.1000x666_A.1000×664.jpg
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=456606558&zip=76039&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D76039%26showcaseOwnerId%3D64298695%26startYear%3D1981%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceDESC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2002%26modelCodeList%3DMUST%26makeCodeList%3DFORD%26searchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3DMUST%257CSVO&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2002&modelCodeList=MUST&makeCodeList=FORD&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=FORD&modelCode1=MUST
Another stab at BMW.
Well… the did have the Hoffmiester Kink.
http://images.autotrader.com/images/2016/9/6/438/258/43304658556.438258406.IM1.MAIN.565x421_A.562×421.jpg
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=438258406&zip=76039&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D76039%26showcaseOwnerId%3D64298695%26startYear%3D1994%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceDESC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D1996%26modelCodeList%3DMUST%26makeCodeList%3DFORD%26searchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3DMUST%257CCobra&startYear=1994&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=1996&modelCodeList=MUST&makeCodeList=FORD&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=FORD&modelCode1=MUST
In the 1990s American car designers thought that any performance car was required to have a Hoffmiester Kink.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/31731991+w640+h426+q80+re0+cr1+ar0+st0/0209gmhtp-07-o%2B1996-chevy-impala-ss%2Brear-side.jpg