Curbside Classic Outtake: The Even More Tasteful Eighties Edition

Paul Niedermeyer
by Paul Niedermeyer
Paul Niedermeyer
Paul Niedermeyer

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  • Syke Syke on Dec 19, 2009

    Got a few memories of the GM A-bodies, as I inherited two of them. Both Buick Century's. The first was my mother's last dirty trick on me: '85 Estate wagon, fake wood paneling, fake wire wheel covers, V-6, four speed auto, maroon velour interior. Had to get rid of my tricked out Escort GT to take it (don't ask, family pressure). Unfortunately, it was one of the best running and most reliable cars I'd ever owned. I was embarrassed to be seen in it, but couldn't afford to trade it in. The other was a base model '84 four door sedan, 4 cylinder, three speed auto. Got it when dad died as part of the estate. Got rid of it shortly after. Shouldn't have - it was just as reliable as the wagon, and a lot easier to put up with as general transportation. Have always had a positive attitude towards Buick since then. Someday when I'm down to getting a boring four door automatic piece of transportation, I'll probably go back.

  • Supremebrougham Supremebrougham on Dec 19, 2009

    You know, there actually is a practical application for luggage racks like these, as well as some rear spoilers! Allow me to explain...My '87 Cutlass Supreme coupe had a rack installed, nicely done at that, and I found that whenever I was backing the car up I could look in the rear-view mirror and see the rack sticking up, and I used that to judge where the rear of the car was, and I never backed into anything. Spoilers work for that too. When you are only five and a half foot tall like me, you appreciate things like that...

  • 50merc 50merc on Dec 20, 2009

    Those A-bodies could be good basic, cheap transportation. In the 90's the unit I supervised had the use of two '89 Celebrity wagons. Built in the OKC plant, which ranked high in quality. Four cylinder, automatic, air, heavy duty seats. We got about 90,000 mostly highway miles from each of them before the cars were pulled back. Oil changes were about all the service they got or needed. No breakdowns. Thirty mpg or more at the legal limit. I could drive 500 miles a day and arrive home feeling fine. At seven years old the only cosmetic problem was flaking paint on the window frames (GM must have used awfully cheap black paint there) and both cars still had the batteries installed at the factory. If I could find an example that hasn't been abused and beaten up, I'd buy it just to haul stuff.

  • Buckwheat Buckwheat on Dec 21, 2009

    From 1985-1988 I "personalized" dozens of GM A,C,H, and W-bodies with aftermarket racks in a new-car prep dept. Every one made me want to hurl; the worst one was a new black '89 Lesabre T-Type coupe that had a tasteful standard-equipt spoiler and I had to put on a rack anyway (at the buyer's request). Yecccch! Still not as bad a the SimCon (fake cabriolet) tops though, the worst are cars with a moonroof/cabriolet roof combo.

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