Rare and interesting car sightings

Somewhere to discuss things that don't fit into other categories.

Moderator: busrider

CCCC
Posts: 718
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:42 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Silvereagle and Scenicruiser
Location: vaucluse

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by CCCC »

Old couple in mint white JD Camira station wagon . (Newcastle)
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

Dark green HQ Kingswood sedan in Woy Woy!
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
scott
Posts: 1262
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:18 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by scott »

A canary yellow 1982 Ford KA Laser with original Victorian BHExxx number plates seen in Wattle Park this morning, complete with fluffy seat covers and steering wheel cover. According to Vic Roads rego check, was registered in January 1982. It also had a sticker on the rear window "I joined TEN against the toll" (The Ten Network had a campaign against the road toll in Victoria sometime during the 80's)

Not old at all, but a white Lamborghini Huracan seen in Glen Waverley, Lambos are starting to pop up everywhere. Just imagine how much it would cost if someone put a scratch on it in the carpark at the Glen.
User avatar
busrider
Administrator
Posts: 2388
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:35 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Maybe not my car...
Location: Not in the Gutta

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by busrider »

Saw an AMC Pacer in Modbury, SA today...
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

White Volvo 264GLE sedan in what appeared in good nick under bright streetlights, Maroubra. Probably 1979/80 model as it had the older style shovel nose front, but with the later wraparound tail lights. Haven't seen one in yonks!
P.S: also saw a rather battered (paint, not dents) 1980s silver Volvo 240 station wagon parked in Maroubra yesterday.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
scott
Posts: 1262
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:18 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by scott »

Don't see many of the old box Volvos here in Melbourne these days, even in the leafy suburbs.

They used to assemble them at the old Datsun/Nissan plant in Clayton, Vic. I remember friends had one which had Datsun 200B hubcaps from the factory, so there was some parts sharing, this arrangement finished in 1988.

I remember being driven home from school(rare) in it as a treat to get a ride in a Volvo (it was a rare thing) and seeing the seat belt warning lights go crazy when it was started. They decided they did not want to be bloody Volvo drivers anymore, and traded it (and their hat) on a near new ex demo VP Commodore in around 1992.

The old box Volvos continued here until 1993.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

I'm not so surprised to see the odd 240 floating around. They are well renowned for their longevity and reliability, and their safety was of the highest standard at the time.
What really surprised me was to see a Volvo with the chequered PRV V6 in such good condition still going like it is still the 1980s.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

Spotted this absolutely immaculate gold Volvo 264 GLE in South Coogee today. Interior beautiful! Even the steering wheel looks new! Going by the modern format plates, I think this car has been stored for many years. It worries me to see such a well preserved example of this model sitting in the street, to be honest. It should be displayed at a car museum, like the one opened recently in West Gosford. There wouldn't be many like this.
Attachments
Volvo_PRV_Lights.jpg
Volvo_PRV_Lights.jpg (297.04 KiB) Viewed 14146 times
Volvo_PRV_Rear.jpg
Volvo_PRV_Rear.jpg (223.88 KiB) Viewed 14146 times
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
scott
Posts: 1262
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:18 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by scott »

Seen earlier this week was a KE55 Corolla, still on it's original 1980 issue Victorian plates, blue in colour (like the one I came home from hospital in when I was born, only a bit newer). Interesting to see it the week Toyota shut up shop in Australia. Saw footage of a similar vehicle go down the assembly line in the news footage, when Malcolm Fraser opened the engine plant for Toyota in Altona in 1978, our Corolla may of been on the line at the time. Shame we traded it on our ill fated Camira.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

I caught some report on Toyotas closure the other night (on the ABC I think) including rare footage of the factory churning out those fantastic Carollas you mention. Made me sad and angry that we so willingly let this go. I forgot Toyota had such a long history here. Those Corollas can't be killed with a stick! Same with Coronas from the same period (before the Starfire powered ones in the 80s), which commonly drew huge milages. A bus driver who had a Corolla said his never missed a beat. Rust ended up causing it's demise.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
scott
Posts: 1262
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:18 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by scott »

With Holden closing the gates at Elizabeth this week, I managed to come across this immaculate 1991 VN SS up for grabs, fitted with VP repeater lights. Service history is exhaustive. One vehicle my generation admired in primary school.

https://www.australianmusclecarsales.co ... re-0l.html
Merc1107
Posts: 2243
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:38 pm
Favourite Vehicle: MAN 18.310, MB O405NH, L94
Location: A Coastal City

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Merc1107 »

Have seen a few of the early Toyota Camry "Liftback" style vehicles lately.

Had a look at that VN SS listing too. Almost scary seeing some of the seemingly extensive repairs being done as soon as 30,000km :shock:
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

Merc1107 wrote:Have seen a few of the early Toyota Camry "Liftback" style vehicles lately.
They were a great car. One of our neighbours had a silver manual as a company car for many years in the mid 1980s. These came out before the Australian made Camry sedans and wagons that replaced the rear drive Corona.
These lift back Camrys that carried the nameplate first, were quite a stylish looking number and well appointed inside. They were front wheel drive too.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21566
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by boronia »

Wasn't there a small 4wd wagon before that, badged Camry?
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

You are probably thinking of the short lived (in Australia at least) Tercel. It had those taillights that took up the rear corner pillars. Quite ahead of it's time but abit wierd looking back then.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21566
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by boronia »

Thanks, that might be it.

(Eggstimer disease getting to me :shock: :lol: )
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
User avatar
Ikarbus
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:33 pm
Location: Inner West

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Ikarbus »

On the topic of 4wd Toyota's, a couple of years ago I saw an ad on carsales.com fora Toyota Camry SV21 circa 1990, badged "ZX" which was a 4WD sedan. Never knew they existed and never seen one since!
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21566
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by boronia »

There are all sorts of weird variants in Japan that never see light of day here. What you saw was probably one of those second hand scrap yard imports that get dumped here.
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

Many years ago, I saw an original American built version of Australia's Toyota Avalon, as a grey import from Japan. The headlights and taillights were the same shape but with different lens design and a myriad of subtle differences such as the grill and other trimmings that dramatically set it apart from the local version. It turns out the American Toyota plant that builds the Avalon, a car unique to the U.S market, exported a RHD version to Japan, and this is the grey import I saw.
The local 2000- 2005 Avalon was actually built using the old tooling shipped over from this U.S plant. It was already a superseded model originally introduced in the U.S in 1994. It was given a mid life facelift here in an effort to disguise its already dated design. No wonder it failed tomake much of a dent in our large car market!!
In the mean time America continued producing new models of the Avalon in it's home market right to this day.
It's a shame we couldn't import the luxury versions as they were pretty lovely cars. The Camry V6/ Aurion were second rate successors IMO and sales reflect that.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21566
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by boronia »

The funniest thing I saw in Japan a few years ago was the large number of "imported" Lexus cars, many LHD. The brand wasn't sold in Japan at the time, but the same models came out with Toyota badging.

Back in the 80s, I made a few dollars from selling "Hilux" badges to Japan, apparently everything there was just SR5, not just the 4wd versions. My girlfriend's brother had an accessory shop in Kobe, and these were in big demand.
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
scott
Posts: 1262
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:18 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by scott »

Saw a 1978? Corolla wagon with original Victorian registration plates and stickers advertising old Melbourne radio stations (3KZ, 3DB etc). When so many cars are being put on club permit plates it is amazing to see an original issue plate and a vehicle of that age still on full rego.

Many Avalons became taxis here in Melbourne in the later years of it's run, many Melbourne taxi operators took advantage of a good deal being offered by Toyota at the time. I remember seeing them when they were launched and remembering how stodgy they looked against a then new VT Commodore or AUII Falcon or even a TH/TJ Magna.
Merc1107
Posts: 2243
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:38 pm
Favourite Vehicle: MAN 18.310, MB O405NH, L94
Location: A Coastal City

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Merc1107 »

The SV21s did come in 4WD variants - these seem to have been popular in Canada (and elsewhere?) where such a feature may be beneficial in winter conditions. Similar to how the 4WD Corolla existed at one point, too.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

1982 -84 XE Falcon S in Maroubra yesterday afternoon.
You don't see these on the roads much anymore. What a great survivor. It's EFI too.
Attachments
IMG_20171207_170333-1000x563.jpg
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
User avatar
Swift
Posts: 13247
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Porshe 911 Carerra
Location: Ettalong- the world capital of 0405s.

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by Swift »

boronia wrote:Wasn't there a small 4wd wagon before that, badged Camry?
Well knock me down with a feather, I found this 1980s Toyota Tercel yesterday in Randwick and it's on historical plates!!
Also came across a little Laser mildly sporty edition. I had a return trip to the central coast in one just like it over 20 years ago and was impressed how well it handled high speed running on the then F3 expressway without fuss.
Attachments
IMG_20171218_182152-800x451.jpg
IMG_20171218_182152-800x451.jpg (131.31 KiB) Viewed 12240 times
IMG_20171218_182207-800x451.jpg
IMG_20171218_182207-800x451.jpg (126.77 KiB) Viewed 12240 times
IMG_20171218_191914-800x451.jpg
IMG_20171218_191914-800x451.jpg (144.24 KiB) Viewed 12240 times
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
scott
Posts: 1262
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:18 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Rare and interesting car sightings

Post by scott »

That model of KE Laser was called the Redline edition, a batch was built during 1989. Shame about the front grille. A friend of ours had a lovely silver 1988 KE Ghia hatch, it was a lovely car, well maintained by her car enthuasiast husband, and a great mechanic who still services their cars now. One bugbear was it had one of those aftermarket alarm/immobiliser things made by Steal Stopper that you had to key in a pin number before the car started, if you had a memory lapse and forgot the pin, you were in deep trouble, but her husband told her about the secret switch under the dash.
Post Reply

Return to “The Lunch Room”