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Hip to Be Square: Why Young Buyers Covet 'Grandpa' Cars
WSJ ^ | 05/09/2006 | By JENNIFER SARANOW

Posted on 05/10/2006 4:48:01 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Jabari Bryant didn't go to a car dealership to buy his new car last fall. The 28-year-old went to a retirement community in Tybee Island, Ga., where for $2,000 he bought a navy blue 1988 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham from a man who was "at least 83."

The seller said "his eyesight was going and he had no use for the car," recalls Mr. Bryant, an automobile glass installer from Savannah.

Young people today don't want their father's Oldsmobile -- they want their grandfather's. Some of the hippest wheels for under-30 drivers today are models commonly identified with seniors: Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Chevrolets and Cadillacs from the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.

From Collins Ave. in Miami Beach's South Beach neighborhood to International Blvd. in Oakland, Calif., teens and young adults are cruising in "grandpa" and "grandma" cars that they have painted bright colors like lime green, outfitted with fancy sound systems and propped up on monster-truck-style wheels. They're sweet-talking their grandparents into giving up old cars and offering to buy them on the spot from strangers.

Television shows, such as MTV's "Pimp My Ride," and rappers, including Snoop Dogg, are helping to drive the craze. There's even a new magazine, Donk, Box & Bubble, dedicated to the tricked-out-oldie-car culture.

For U.S. car makers, struggling to lift sales, it's a painful irony that the models striking a chord with young buyers aren't those rolling off the assembly lines today but rather ones made decades ago. Detroit's marketers are trying to figure out how to ride the trend without ruining it.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: automaekers; cars; classiccars; nostalgia; vintage
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To: sagar

I had a 76' Landcruiser. It was a freakin' tank and I loved it.


221 posted on 05/11/2006 1:27:04 PM PDT by dljordan
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To: Responsibility2nd

With all the $$ you save buying an old "land yacht" car and on the price of the repairs/parts, you can afford to buy gasoline!


222 posted on 05/11/2006 1:29:01 PM PDT by TChris ("Wake up, America. This is serious." - Ben Stein)
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To: Freedom4US

If the block was thorougly cleaned and the rocker shafts and stands wire brushed using cleaning wires in the oil passages, the engine won't develop this problem with modern oils and frequent changes; as soon as the break-in period is over, switch to Mobil-1 pure synthetic 10-30 or equivalent (Amsoil is great, too but very hard to find)and you won't likely have this happen.


223 posted on 05/11/2006 1:30:52 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

I was doing some work for an elderly lady back in the 70's and happened to take a look in her garage. There sat a 1947 Packard Clipper on blocks. I bought it from her for $500, changed the oil, put in some gas and a battery and drove it away. What a tank!


224 posted on 05/11/2006 1:34:33 PM PDT by dljordan
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To: Inge_CAV

That's why they built the top-loader four speed; darned near bullet proof.


225 posted on 05/11/2006 1:34:34 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: Liberty Valance
I just sold this for 4K



I think he got a screamin deal.

Cheers,

knewshound

Coming soon to a City near you !
226 posted on 05/11/2006 4:25:23 PM PDT by knews_hound (Driving Liberals nuts since 1975 !)
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To: Proud_texan
Good looking Ford! Here's my current ride, a little more "pimped" out, and up, than I need to pull my tractors around Texas and New Mexico but it is fun to drive. This pic is a couple of months old pic as the truck now has stainless tubular running boards. '91 GMC Sierra SLE 2WD.


227 posted on 05/11/2006 5:09:49 PM PDT by Muleteam1 (Gunsmiths were once known as "mechanics" in America.)
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To: Old Professer

Yep, a 427 side oiler and a top loader wold be hard to beat.


228 posted on 05/11/2006 5:38:56 PM PDT by Inge_CAV
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To: Liberty Valance
Look closely.....

Is that a Toyota crumpled up and jammed up in the rear wheel well?
229 posted on 05/11/2006 8:21:00 PM PDT by Nik Naym (Ted Kennedy's Oldsmobile has killed more people than Dick Cheney's shotgun.)
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To: Muleteam1

They are rare as hen's teeth, and worth a bunch of $$.


230 posted on 05/12/2006 10:09:38 AM PDT by timydnuc (I'll die on my feet before I'll live on my knees.)
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To: Cobra64
Do you know how the GT350 got its name?

Yep... the "350" refers to the estimated distance in feet between Shelby's office and the production facility... or something like that. I believe I read that in Shelby's Wildlife: the Cobras and the Mustangs.

BTW, if you've not seen it, check out the specs on Carroll's recent "remanufactured" vehicle, the GT-350SR.

Then there's *this* interesting bit of work (see www.SN65.com for the project journal). Amazing...


231 posted on 05/12/2006 11:52:15 AM PDT by Charles Martel
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To: tubebender

Thanks! I'm putting this one in the national MG show, which comes along every 5 years. I've been told by some of the concours judges that it has a chance to win the whole thing.

Of course, it'll only be pristine for that show, and then it'll start deteriorating, as I plan on driving it, and not just parking it under a car cover.

This time it's in Gatlinburg, TN., not too far for me to haul the wife and five kids and a car from Katrina-land. ;)


232 posted on 05/14/2006 6:43:39 AM PDT by Maury
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To: Proud_texan

That looks very nice! And I know where you're coming from. I'm a 37 year old guy, and I still can't stand the factory sound systems. With the new Corvette, they ding you and extra $3500 for the 'premium sound' system. It sounds like crap. So, I dropped the same amount on a complete JL system with a custom fit sub-box and it's amazing.

Makes me wonder why the automakers will not offer a TRUE audiophile quality sound system as a factory option. I know the real reason (to make more money for nothing), but I'm just asking the question rhetorically. ;)

Of course, my wife says I’m too old to be spending money on car audio systems. Says that you can tell that when someone starts to listen to Barry Manilow, but plays it very loud! ;)


233 posted on 05/14/2006 6:49:34 AM PDT by Maury
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To: Charles Martel

Are there any specs on this car floating around yet? Like HP, torque, top speed, and PRICE?

And do you have any more pics? It looks great!


234 posted on 05/14/2006 6:52:06 AM PDT by Maury
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To: Maury
Yeah, it's true about factory installed systems. I will say that the sound system on my '95 BMW, other than having a sub-woolfer, is top notch.

It is the "enhanced sound package" and I wouldn't have gone for it but it didn't look like the dash would be very receptive to third party parts.

In addition to the sound and only because once I started it was easy to do I added video for both DVD, over the air TV and a rear view where the camera is mounted on the top of the cab. I've never used the DVD and the TV only to check weather but I have used the behind camera when I'm hauling a trailer.

My wife swears I'm entering my fifth childhood. I can't disagree....

235 posted on 05/14/2006 9:07:27 AM PDT by Proud_texan (I'm gonna break my rusty cage and run)
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To: Muleteam1
I always preferred the '57 Chevy Belair over the '56 but both were stylish.

I've got a '57 Bel-Air. Absolutely love it!


My first car I got to drive was my Dad's 1967 Chevy Bel-Air station wagon (kinda like this car..)

236 posted on 05/14/2006 9:14:37 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Support American sovereignty - boycott employers of illegal aliens)
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To: reagan_fanatic
Really nice '57. Do you have the 265 c.i. or the 283 or something else?

My first car as a 14-year old Texas licensed driver was a '53 Chevy six-banger. Second car was the '56 Ford that I posted earlier.

Muleteam1

237 posted on 05/14/2006 10:55:17 AM PDT by Muleteam1 (Gunsmiths were once known as "mechanics" in America.)
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To: Cobra64

That is a nice car.


238 posted on 05/14/2006 10:58:01 AM PDT by mafree
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To: Muleteam1
Do you have the 265 c.i. or the 283 or something else?

I have a 350 bored out to 360 in it - gives it a nice purring sound!
239 posted on 05/14/2006 11:13:16 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Support American sovereignty - boycott employers of illegal aliens)
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To: reagan_fanatic
I've had some thoughts about getting rid of my '24 Dodge, and with a lot more cash, getting a '57 Chevy. However, I made a promise to my father-in-law that I would never sell the old DB coupe. It was given to him by his dad on the same promise. With the economic necessity of young families being mobile nowadays, I will not make my daughter promise not to sell the car when she gets it. It is likely seeing its last years in the family who bought it new. However, it won't be me who sells it.

I do like the '57 Chevy. If I did try to find one I think I would try to find a 2-door hardtop or a convertible. Then I would go back to original, down to the turquoise and white paint and hubcaps. Big bucks!


240 posted on 05/14/2006 11:41:31 AM PDT by Muleteam1 (Gunsmiths were once known as "mechanics" in America.)
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