Spotted an endangered species yesterday

I went to Gaffney, SC yesterday to walk a site. As I pulled into the parking lot, the first car in line was 1972 Vega, bright green sedan. It looked exactly like the one had used to own back in the 70s. Considering its age, it didn't look that bad. Had some rust spots on the fenders but it didn't look rusted through. They had put a hurst shifter on the manual trans.

I was amazed and shocked.

I cann't remember the last time I spotted a vega, pinto, gremlin, or any of the cars from that era who's names were not camaro, mustang, or charger. Sadly even things like the javilin seem long gone

Wow, we live in parallel universes. Yesterday as I pulled into a parking lot I saw a bone stock Pinto hatchback.

When was the last time anyone saw a Monza? Those cars used to be all over the place. I don't even see them at drag strips anymore.

My dad had a Vega as a first car. It came with a 4-speed, a "Drive Like Hell" bumper sticker, and a spider painted on the hood. He got a grand total of one hour's instruction on driving stick before he was relased into the wilds of Mass. traffic.

Dad got into quite a few accidents in that thing. His favorite story was about how he was stopped on a hill at a stoplight and the car stalled, rolling back into an octogenarian's Caddy ElHumongo. He got it started briefly, but it stalled again and rolled back into the Caddy again. The old man was screaming his head off at Dad the whole time. Dad finally realized he was in 3rd instead of first and got out of there as fast as the Vega could take him at the next green light.

I have always wanted a Monza Spyder (spider?) Had a friend in high school that had a Spyder. He coudnt walk and chew gum at the same time let alone steer and accelerate or brake. He wrecked the car within a month of getting it. Damn tree jumped out in front of him just down the street from my house. His next car was a Pinto wagon with the small round window in the rear quarter panels. Why his dad bought him a stickshift Ill never know. He "forgot" to put it in gear or set the parking brake and it rolled down the hill on his driveway and destroyed his neighbors front porch.

Meanwhile I drove my flat black Pinto sedan for 3 years, a previous owner painted it flat black outside.. and inside. It had flamable solids hazmat stickers on the back. I sometimes wish I still had that car. AHH!!! Those were the days...

porksboy wrote: It had flamable solids hazmat stickers on the back. I sometimes wish I still had that car. AHH!!! Those were the days...

Theres a kickass old flat red/rust colored trans am like that up in Hancock ny i see all the time, with a "flammable" triangle in the window. awesome.

I drove a Pinto notch back for years. 2.3 L and a four speed. Bought for $150.00 sold for $450.00. It was a great little car. I bet a fellow a twenty it would smoke the tires. Took his money and left twenty feet of black on the street in front of his house. That was a fun car. I wish I still had it. I don't suppose any of you guys and gals have one to sell in the south east?

There's a Vega wagon rolling chassis drag car for sale in Crawfordsville, IN on craigslist for $2k if anyone is looking for one.

My first ride in a "performance" car was a V8 vega. Only had 260hp, but man did it GO. Down side is I was 16, just aquired my permit, and it had a for sale sign on it. My imagination got the best of me. At this point i just want a Mustang II with a mild 302. Auto or man would be fine

I saw a Javelin a couple of weeks ago.

Maverick. That is all.

I saw a Honda 600 (or whatever the first Honda car was called) going down the interstate last night.

Springtime - all of the garage queens come out to play.

I saw not one but two running and driving Corvairs on Sunday. A later model Monza ragtop (on my own street!) and a Lakewood wagon.

alex wrote: Maverick. That is all.

There was a bad-ass sleeper Maverick in the pits at the Mitty. Anyone get pix of it? Baby blue with matching steelies, poverty caps, very subtle dual exhaust tips below the rear valence, Grabber hood in body color with no stripes, black vinyl interior. Among a sea of awesome vintage racers, this car got my attention.

Got rid of my last Pinto 2 years ago. It had been siting at my folk's place back in Washington state for a few years (my dad had originally bought me a pair of them for $100 back in 2000 when i thought I would be moving back to the west coast in a couple years).

Still miss my first Pinto race car, a '72 coupe, that I got back in '80.

Just saw a clean one out in Virginia Beach this past weekend.

My first "modern" car was a '71 Pinto, the second one sold in middle Georgia, 1.6 Kent engine. Man, that was a good car!

Would've been nice with a 289 in it, though...

porksboy wrote: His next car was a Pinto wagon with the small round window in the rear quarter panels.

Never knew such an animal existed until I saw one on Craigslist last night. Somebody wanted $1400 for it and to have it gone immediately, in spite of it not running, having a good bit of visible rust, and being blessed with a set of multicolor geometric disco stripes that would make the A-Team's van blush in envy.

Maybe the ugliest car I"ve ever seen.

You know what is really sad is not one car mentioned on here yet is all that rare around where I live, most of them you will see on a daily basis lol.

Jake wrote:

porksboy wrote: His next car was a Pinto wagon with the small round window in the rear quarter panels.

Never knew such an animal existed until I saw one on Craigslist last night. Somebody wanted $1400 for it and to have it gone immediately, in spite of it not running, having a good bit of visible rust, and being blessed with a set of multicolor geometric disco stripes that would make the A-Team's van blush in envy. Maybe the ugliest car I"ve ever seen.

the Pinto Cruisin' Wagon.

Guy in my 'hood has a perfect black and gold Vega Cosworth

rebelgtp wrote: You know what is really sad is not one car mentioned on here yet is all that rare around where I live, most of them you will see on a daily basis lol.

That's the exact opposite of how things are here. I NEVER see any of these cars; they've probably all rusted back to the earth. Hell, I wouldn't know what half of them look like if it weren't for the Internet. I got excited the other day because I saw the first Fiero and AE86 on the road I've seen in a year. My '87 FC is a rare bird in these parts, yet half the people who talk to me about it have a story about one, so I assume they were once popular in my neck of the woods.

Made a sales call yesterday and saw a '77 (or therebouts) Mustang Cobra II. White with green graphics but whole 'lotta visible rust. Wonder if it passed PA state inspection...

2.3 turbo Pintos are the raddest. They just go together!

These kinds of cars are rare in the metro Atlanta area. I blame it on ridiculous emissions requirements and keeping up with the Jones-itis. These are the cars my wife and i grew up with. We were well into our 20's before we had cars that had airconditioning. carpeting, seats made of anything other than vinyl, or less than three pedals on the drivers floorboard.