Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close

balthazar

In Hibernation
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    40,855

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    583

 Content Type 

Everything posted by balthazar

  1. balthazar
    The TRQ thing is a plus, but the silence aspect (WRT road safety) sure isn't.
  2. balthazar
    Too bad the 'granny glasses' face of the 3-series is being used here also.
  3. balthazar
    ^ Agreed 1000%. Current car is terribly wrong in profile.
  4. balthazar
    BMW is nothing if not excellent at designing very pedestrian, uninspired & dated interiors.
  5. balthazar
    I have read the average incentive on the s-class was $13,000 - that's amazing. Says a lot about the lack of value in the model right there.
  6. balthazar

    Cadillac LeMans

    balthazar replied to ocnblu's topic in Cadillac

    Well, in that it was a modified '53, as opposed to a fresh build, it's modification for '59 seems logical. Whether 'Mitchell's Reign' (he assumed the job in the beginning of '59) had any part in 'upgrading' one of Earl's concepts, I don't know offhand. I don't believe the '59 version was shown publicly, but I might be wrong on that- I'd have to check. Cadillac had the Cyclone on the circuit for '59. The '59 LeM was more of an update than a fresh idea. Cadillac first had quad lamps on the '57 Brougham. You are quite right on the styling analysis, IMO, it is a swanky lil sports roadster. It 'got it's suit pressed', so to speak. I still love those 'hump' fins & the exhaust ports on the '53 better.
  7. balthazar

    Cadillac LeMans

    balthazar replied to ocnblu's topic in Cadillac

    One online article claims the '53 LeMans was 51" tall at the windshield & 196" overall length. A production '55 convertible was 223" overall & a roofed car was in the neighborhood of 62" tall (convert would lose about 2-3"). The LeMans' series (5 built) were sold to private, 'in' owners, not sure why the program didn't continue beyond those, tho. GM Corporate had a fit OK'ing the 2-seat Corvette, and with the low sales '53-55, it's little surprise none of the other 2-seaters didn't get green-lit (Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Cadillac, LaSalle). Hardtop coupe would probably have been in the same vein as the Wildcat I hardtop : or as you imply; a stunner.
  8. balthazar

    Cadillac LeMans

    balthazar replied to ocnblu's topic in Cadillac

    ^ It was a clean-sheet build, fiberglas body, not modified from a production car. It's a 2-seater, much smaller than a production Caddy. I don't know how tall these people are, but the cowl looks right about hip-high : '53 & '59 versions side-by-side : Still prefer the '53. I love the windshield on the '53; how it wraps down around the cowl. Bottom line: I cannot get past my familiarity of what/when this car is stylistically, and the '59 restyle/proportions are 'wrong' for the '54-esque nose. :shrug: Still a beautiful car... just doesn't eclipse the original for me.
  9. balthazar

    Cadillac LeMans

    balthazar replied to ocnblu's topic in Cadillac

    I'm not saying it's not very appealing, but the result to my eye is '50s cues on a '60s-70s body; anachronistic. The rear flank scoops are a bit unfinished, too. The original design looks a lot more 'powerful' IMO. Alloy Sabre Spoke rims are fantstic, too. Front end design of the 'LeMans 2.0' indeed predicted the OEM '54s, tho the scale here is markedly smaller. I just wish GM Styling had built it from scratch rather than cutting into one of the original LeMans'.
  10. balthazar

    Cadillac LeMans

    balthazar replied to ocnblu's topic in Cadillac

    ^ That's after GM restyled/upgraded it. I think the original look is a far better fit. I prefer the domed hood & such : Cadillac built 5 of 'em, 1 is known to be destroyed. This is one of my all-time favorite car designs, ever.
  11. balthazar
    I prefer 2-drs immensely. In the truck segment, the front doors are usually the same size, so swing room is a non-point. I have a crew cab truck now (tho I miss my RC truck), and it has it's utility, but they NEED to be suicide doors for the ultimate in practicality. Like the extended cabs, but with full doors. The 4-dr fiats pictured on the bottom of page 1 are grotesque, but I agree with Olds- they'll still sell. Why, I have no idea.
  12. balthazar
    the lines don't need 'distinction', the trucks do that themselves. The marketing spit is what requires clarification.
  13. balthazar
    It's different, but they pale vs. the 2-dr hardtops' fluid lines. IMO, the flattop roof works far better on the 4-dr hardtops.
  14. balthazar
    Answer back: the aqua car was sold a few years ago. Pic album also shows a '64 2-dr sedan, that's another heartstring-tugger. I should make a point to see if I can stop in if I go to Hershey next fall. The price on the '62 is very fair, but the workload is very high.
  15. balthazar
    For sh!ts & giggles, I'm going to see if the '64 wagon is on the block....
  16. balthazar
    Don't worry, nothing will. Have 2 people in conversation about buying my '64 GP, and that would kill me to let go but I'm trying to work with my head over my heart.
  17. balthazar
    I see turn about is fair play, eh Camino? Sittting since '76, that '62s got to be completely gone thru. Rare bird, that's for sure. But hang that; going thru the webshots link, he has both a '64 2-dr sedan and a '64 wagon (the blue Cat in the background of the '62), plus the remains of a '64 Bonne wagon. Hmmm, just easy of Hershey... might be worth a phone call. A '64 wagon would be so cool.... A yardfull of Pontiacs, including an ambulance! Now that's a work vehicle! EDIT :: Oh, I know this guy. Haven't dealt with him directly, but have conversed a number of times. IIRC, a bit of a hardballer on pricing.
  18. balthazar
    >>"Ram Commercial is tapping into Fiat Professional, one of the largest producers of commercial vehicles in the entire world, offering more than 110 years of experience."<< Interesting stat, especially when Dodge brings 112+ years of experience to the table.
  19. balthazar
  20. balthazar
    http://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/3434135177.html
  21. balthazar
    He's not an "automotive designer", he just glued some sh!t to a production vehicle.
  22. balthazar
    I've never had an issue or wish otherwise RE backing up in my 2500HD CC, but it does have excellently-sized sideviews. I was in a brand new... I think it was a lexus LX470 today, and in reverse the backup camera view came on the center screen. I was a passenger, but I still felt my natural inclination was to look to the mirrors... so I didn't care for it. I like, and have advocated for ocn's idea above- a stripper line of vehicles. The average age of new cars buyers isn't 50 yrs old just because. This is higher than ever historically, and just as those that say the average age of -say- Buick is a "problem", then they would say the same for this stat. A stripper line would also foster an increased emotional attachment to cars for the younger generation if they could get one of their own before they're in their 40s.
  23. balthazar
    Will any of this new, Korean-esque, porcine, willy-nilly styling seep into the severely-dated mainstream models?
  24. balthazar
    Yea- I reject that theory. At the time it was floated circa the bankruptcy, no U.S. Buicks were imported to China, so Buick in the U.S. could easily been shut down with no effect on the Chinese market. And clearly the Chinese models weren't selling on the image of the Lucerne here. There's no logic to it.
  25. balthazar
    I know... That's exactly why I saved it for last.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search