I appreciate all the car support from readers!
I’ve been doing my own research project too, see the youtube review below. But in the video I screwed up – I was blabbing about the ’69 Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car model and by mistake called it a California Special, a real insult. I apologize to Camaro lovers everywhere.
Clarification:
A white ’67 Camaro convertible paced that year’s Indy 500 and some 100 examples were built for speedway use, but it wasn’t a special edition.
When the Camaro again was invited to pace the ’69 race, Chevy determinedly exploited every aspect of the expensive opportunity. Thus was born regular production option Z11, a $37 striping package that recast a Camaro convertible into a Pace Car.
That $37 price is deceiving, because the RS trim package (which included hidden headlamps) and the SS trim package (with the Z/28-style Cowl Induction hood and decklid spoiler) also were required. Furthermore, the Pace Cars had their own special interior with orange and white hound’s-tooth upholstery complementing the orange stripes and white paint. Buyers could choose either the 350-cubic-inch/300 horsepower small-block V-8 or one of the four 396-cubic-inch big-block V-8s with outputs ranging from 325 to 375 horsepower (the latter with aluminum cylinder heads and an 11.0:1 compression ratio). The car 1960 Indy 500 winner Jim Rathmann drove at the head of the 1969 Indy field was powered by the 375-horse 396, but the vast majority of the 3675 replicas were 350-powered.
That video reminds me of this web site:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/
Go with a drop top! Shipped mine out from Georgia and glad I did
I’m waiting for one of these babies to arrive in North America.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Fiat 500 Abarth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpAFi9nIJVQ
Jim, if you are really in the market I suggest you go the the Pomona Car “swap meet” June 6th.
If you have never been it is unbelievable. Half of the fair ground is a swap meet for hard to find parts and the other is half is a selection of cars for sale you would not believe. Just a bunch of joe-six pack guys that know cars. Been going since I was a kid.
http://www.pomonaswapmeet.com/parts_seller/general.php
It’s all sectioned off- Chevys in one section, Porsche, Vettes etc.
This is popular in the LA area, but I am not too sure how many people know about it down here in SD.
“eldo” – that actually is a deVille convertible in the video.
new Camaro convertible – out next year.
72 Chevy pickup – 70-72s are highly sought after, would be a great year to own.
GT – Got Tools was probably true back in the 70s amd 80s, but no more. We actually have an 06 GT and all it has needed is oil & tires. No repairs.
You should check the quality stats, the world has caught up to the Japanese. JD Power top five brands in quality: Lexus, Porsche, Cadillac, Hyundai, Honda. 2 Japanese, 1 German, 1 American and 1 Korean. What a world!
Mid life crisis?
Nice video, TGIF!!
You’re clearly feelin’ the classic car, and you need to embrace this. Face it – going from Benz S-class to Lexus won’t satisfy you nearly as much as getting behind the wheel of a ’70s Caddy. LM’s swap meet sounds like a good option.
“eldo” – that actually is a deVille convertible in the video.
My family had one *just* like that! Geez, the memories…
I’ve mentioned before that my first car was a ’70 Chevy truck, with an engine not unlike yours, too.
p.s.: Other suggestions — Cayenne or Panamera?
Maybe go for a new Cadillac so you don’t have to worry about the maintenance for awhile?
I always thought the Audi TT hardtops looked a bit like deflated VW bugs…