DOTS: A Brave New Shop Lot Edition!

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
07/30/2020 at 14:08 • Filed to: Dots

I have no idea why there are at least three International Harvester Loadstars around town. I featured this one in my last DOTS but it was dark and rainy at the time.

The top shot is actually a recreation of a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that turned out very well. The two others can be found in the DOTS below. When you compared them, you can see the red one above actually has a weird panel screwed down on the hood where there should be bare sheet metal. Also of interest is the fact that all three are stake side flatbeds.

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The IH I saw was in much better shape than the others. The sun damaged red paint needs to be redone but it was in overall excellent condition. Just look at those amazing color matched wheels!

It is a rather space efficient design for a conventional non cabover truck, much less one so old in design. You have to wonder how restricted the engine bay is with that short hood.

The interior is actually the nicest I’ve seen in an antique commercial vehicle. The leather or vinyl (?) bench is a striking shade of red with some interesting design embossed on it, a nice touch. I like the color matched glove box.

This generation of Suburban is one of my favorite GM trucks. There is just something so right about them. I can’t say the running board is really my style though.

They are big vehicles. Very large indeed. But if you were to place this next to a modern Escalade, it would almost look small.

Nice little Datsun. It’s got the 5mph impact bumpers unfortunately. Great color though and no visible rust!

A sneaky Wagoneer. Those vinyl wood appliques really don’t weather the sun very well.

Many many Mercs! There is a German specialist place that mostly concentrates on W123s, almost all of the diesels. The guy I spoke to also says he does lots of air cooled VWs but hasn’t had one in the shop for a while.

He seemed very proud of this beautiful yellow diesel coupe he had purchased. The perfect MB Tex interior isn’t too unusual but the exterior was very clean.

That’s a wrap! Which leaves me with one question:

“Which one of these cars would you drive home in?”

I would take the little blue Datsun and hope and pray it isn’t half bondo and half rust.

DISCUSSION (23)

Just Jeepin' > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 14:15

It’s got the 5mph impact bumpers unfortunately

I never understood the dislike. I find them charming, and as a Jeep owner I have to appreciate the utility of a bumper that can actually bump without causing 5k in body damage.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Just Jeepin'
07/30/2020 at 14:17

I appreciate the utility and I probably wouldn’t mind as much if the old metal bumpers didn’t just look so much better. A 2mph impact bumper would be a much better compromise. Modern bumpers can’t even take .5 mph without putting a nasty gash in the painted plastic.

My mom’s Volvo XC90 is still on the original bumper after around 6 or more rear end collisions at about 8 mph I’d guess on average so it can be done without looking so bad.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Just Jeepin'
07/30/2020 at 14:18

Agreed. I recall a time when my buddy idled up to my truck’s rear bumper and proceeded to push my little truck for a bump start. No damage to either vehicle. Can’t do that with a modern car!

HoustonRunner > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 14:27

“Which one of these cars would you drive home in?”

The Suburban, no question. If I find an early ‘80's example with the 6.2L diesel (for a reasonable price) I’ll buy it. The first vehicle I drove, and though I lusted at the time for some of the newer cars my friends got, it will always hold a lot of sentimental value for me.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck
07/30/2020 at 14:29

You can if you shove a blanket between the two plastic bumpers. That came in handy once. Not my car.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > HoustonRunner
07/30/2020 at 14:31

That's fair. The red 'Burb had a little rust through in the rockers that indicates some Bondo elsewhere so seems a little risky. Then again, I chose the Datsun.

onlytwowheels > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 14:41

I would go with the white 64.5 - 66 Mustang coupe parked against the building, knowing it probably is 50/50 rust and bondo....

Kinja'd!!!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > onlytwowheels
07/30/2020 at 14:47

Actually, it looked pretty good. Paint wasn't baked beyond repair and even the tint looked fresh. I would suspect it was a good driver without major rust.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 14:52

Datsun for me too! Love that shade of blue that it’s in as well! The Loadstar would be cool too if I had the skills to drive something th at large...but I do like me some utilitarian basic vehicles! :D

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
07/30/2020 at 15:01

I don’t know what I would do with an antique commercial vehicle. That’s more like something you would buy as a 5th project vehicle than as your only project truck.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 15:23

That’s a risky endeavor. M any “bumpers” are mostly a plastic bumper cover with a very small bumper underneath. Flex the plastic too much and the paint will crease, then crack, then eventually peel off. It’s easy to misalign the actual bumpers because you can’t see them under the cover.

It’s smarter to install the tow hook and pull the car.

onlytwowheels > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 15:25

Then I’ll definitely take it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck
07/30/2020 at 15:26

In the case I was talking about, there were two minivans and one was broken down in an inopportune place. I wouldn't want to do it if it could be helped, but it was better than plastic on plastic contact and there were no tow straps or tow hooks in sight.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 15:39

I’ll take the 280Z thanks!

HoustonRunner > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 15:58

Now searching autotempest for running / driving diesel examples and there are only two versions: ones for $3k that are suitable only for a mudding truck, and those for $10-15k that have been amazingly well taken care of and preserved. I might even say NP for a couple of them in that state of care, but I’m not about to see my E28 and put down another $5k to get one.

I am very intently watching the new ones to see when the diesel option will be available. I tell myself I won’t buy it new, but the want is strong.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > HoustonRunner
07/30/2020 at 17:05

The diesel suburbans have always been cool and unusual. I like the new ones honestly.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Just Jeepin'
07/30/2020 at 17:08

For the enthusiast the 5 mph bumpers added about 150-200 lbs more weight to the car so a modern retrofit is to replace with 240Z bumpers that honestly are just window dressing, they are useless. Never hit anything in a 240, it’s made of pre- rusted pap er machie.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 17:10

So honest question for the younger crowd (born around 2000) , do you think of a car like the 280Z as a “classic” car like say a 1966 Ford Mustang or something more modern?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/30/2020 at 17:30

It is an in betweener. Not a modern classic, not an antique, and not a mainstream “classic.” After 40 years, I think they can be called a true classic due to attrition, valuation, and have had time to have an established value and community. The 280Z is close, but not quite there.

But I wouldn’t put it past some of my friends to not be able to tell the difference between a late 70s early 80s car and a 60s classic. It’s a hard question, but most people can’t say anything other than “it’s old eww boomer" and that is just wrong.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 17:41

If these kids could drive a manual 240z they would see the light and be like S. O.. B I need one RIGHT NOW. WHERE IS MY APPLE CAR PLAY?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
07/30/2020 at 18:13

I would take that Mercedes-Benz wagon...towing a trailer loaded with Datsun.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/30/2020 at 19:25

“ The light” has a cigarette lighter for a radio transmitter, which is what many of my peers still use. You are thinking of the people born after like 2005 who never experienced VHS.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
07/30/2020 at 20:38

That is fair and I am jealous.