DOTS: Midtown Machines Edition!

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 09/06/2020 at 15:59 • Filed to: Dots

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The carspotting was good in Midtown yesterday. I walked probably 4 hours around exploring Atlanta’s famous !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and boy does it deliver. I’ll probably drop a post later with some gratuitous park photography.

This Porsche 914 was delightful as you don’t expect to see something so pure in a big city. He was clearly wrestling with the unassisted steering in traffic but I for one was enjoying it. I’d never heard one start up before and they sound better than I expected.

Is the number a callback to a famous race car? I think so but I can’t remember where I’ve seen something similar before.

Sure, Porsches are cool, but class ic Rolls aren’t the sort of thing you see a lot. And even rarer to actually see one on the road. I can’t remember the model designation on this one but I’d be interested to see if any of y’all can pinpoint year on this one. I love the body color accents on the wheels.

Such an elegant machine. Strange how upright the greenhouse is. Modern Rolls Royces aren’t half as graceful as this.

The single cleanest CRX I can remember seeing. This thing was c l e a n . While the whited out front indicators aren’t to my taste, this is a real time capsule. Paint still even had clearcoat so it had to have been repainted at some point. Plastics need some attention though. Poor CRX, it should be garaged in this condition.

The interior was perhaps the most surprising. No rips or tears in the uncovered seats , no cracks in the dash, no trash strewn around it, this thing was m i n t .

Wow, very few of these old Honda Civics are left that aren’t either perfect or totally ruined. This one is a two door hatch, which makes its survival in good non running condition even more unlikely.

I found an unmodified Polaris Slingshot! These things are everywhere but this has got to be just about the first I’ve seen not covered in neon and blasting loud music out of custom speakers. It was still playing music above comfortable volume , but there were no calls from passersby to “turn that s**t up yo” like there frequently is.

I never knew the Volvo C30 came in that fantastic shade of orange but here one is. Nice!

And you can also see a rare BMW that I can’t quite remember the name of.

A classic W123 Mercedes is exactly the sort of thing you expect to see around here. This one was nicely preserved but aren’t they all?

Bigly truck and smol Fiat size comparison. The verdict is in and it has been determined that is one great shade of pastel green.

Can you really do a Herbie homage with a yellow N ew Beetle? I’ve seen lots of white ones but never one in yellow. I don’t think it quite works.

So, Oppo, which car would you drive home in? The CRX is tempting but that Porsche 914 has got to take it. I’m not sure the Rolls is for me and the C30's body damage puts it behind the Honda in my ranking.

WilliamsSW > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:06

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914 and it isn’t close.  The BMW is a 318ti. Kinda meh to me - the 4 banger was nothing remotely special and IIRC it used an older gen rear suspension.  

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:07

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That BMW is a 3-series compact

404 - User No Longer Available > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:08

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But what about that sweet, sweet Malibu?

Just Jeepin' > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:10

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The W123 I saw today I actually heard first, because the exhaust was totally shot.

So, they’re not all carefully preserved, although the body did look clean from the back.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WilliamsSW 09/06/2020 at 16:11

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Those short stubby proportions always intrigued me though. It seemed like an odd choice for BMW to sell them here at all and I applaud that bravery though giving it a more powerful engine might have made them more appealing. It’s just so odd to see one at all.

I think almost every one of us would take the 914. Except Just Jeepin if I mentioned in the article about the vent windo wed 4 liter manual 4x4 Cherokee I saw that was covered in filth. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max 09/06/2020 at 16:12

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Ah, I couldn’t remember which car it was based on. I’ve always like the short stubby proportions of them but the drivetrain isn’t particularly remarkable. I alwa ys wondered why they were sold here at all.

onlytwowheels > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:12

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Had you not said C30, I would not have known what it was from first glance. That one has had a rough life.

Yellow Beetle is not a Herbie, but a fan of Herbie. Like wearing your favorite player’s jersey. That’s how I’m going to justify it.

Roadkilled > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:16

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I’m guessing that the “75" on the 914 is its model year. Porsche had to add those big bumpers to the 75 models to meet new U.S. impact requirements.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > onlytwowheels 09/06/2020 at 16:17

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It’s odd to see a Volvo C30 and a BMW 318 in the same parking lot as they are basically the same idea with vastly different executions and both sold in small numbers. Personally given the presence of a sunshade that damage could easily have been another driver merging poorly in traffic. I see identical damage on tons of cars here that I never noticed in the suburbs. I saw just such an accident today. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 404 - User No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:19

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This one? I could wait a day or two and photograph a classic one if I was quick enough. Meh. It’s a good large sedan in a world that is moving away from non premium large sedans so there’s that.

I have definitely noticed coupe versions of cars are much more prolific in the city and there are less SUVs around.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Just Jeepin' 09/06/2020 at 16:20

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Well almost all of them were serviced at regular intervals at MB dealers for at least their first 20 years and that will do a lot for a car. 

WilliamsSW > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:24

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The proportions of the BMW are a love or hate thing. I don’t like it, but others love it. Swapping in something silly like an S54 would make for a really fun car, for sure.

The CRX is pretty cool too -  but that’s an HF, so figure 70 horsepower on a good day.  Although the 5 speed was the only trans available. If you don’t mind 0-60 times in the teens, it’s a great car. 

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:27

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There are ratty W123 hippie cars here, they smell like french fries and they don’t do much maintenance. I like the Bentley version of that Rolls more I think, if I bought one. The Rolls is a bit too ostentatious, the Bentley grille is more attractive to me, I like the B ornament, James May agrees with me!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WilliamsSW 09/06/2020 at 16:29

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They are just so obviously an afterthought that it divides people on whether they love the slapped together look or not. No one could argue that the Volvo C30 next to it was a more intentional design but some people don’t mind. I could go either way.

The CRX was never remarkable for straight line performance so so long after its contemporaries have fallen into the thoroughly slow category the difference isn’t as bad. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Roadkilled 09/06/2020 at 16:30

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Oh, good catch. Might just be so. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/06/2020 at 16:37

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Woah, I never knew this was a thing!

Over here, the hipsters seem to take better care of their cars. No one could argue this face doesn’t belong to one. I think they just have more money as Atlanta is a perpetual boom town of entrepreneurship and new technology. The new  money musicians who hit it big here (there are a lot of them) go more for the 100k modified luxo offroaders. I’ve seen some pretty impressively tasteless ones.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:45

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Yep they are the same car, I’m sure there are some with shot engines out there, it would be fun to make an elegant sleeper. We have nice W123s, I have one haha, the only reason we have so many is the locals bought a lot of them, Volvo 240s too.

onlytwowheels > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:50

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I’d take the C30 over the BMW. I like Swedish cars, very much.

The orange one you saw is a special edition, the paint color is Orange Flame Metallic, and the interior was an eye popping black and orange.

A handful of years ago, I came close to picking up a pristine 2008 C30 V2.0, but it was an automatic and I was looking for a manual. Today, my decision may have been different.

https://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/17/in-the-autoblog-garage-2008-volvo-c30-v2-0/#slide-1610966

WilliamsSW > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 16:52

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I’ve always loved the look of the C30. Just can’t get past the damage like you.

The CRX wasn’t a drag racer in any trim, but the HF was the slowest of the bunch. On the other hand, it will sip fuel as well as any Prius. 

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 17:14

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Yeah, they do look pretty interesting. Europe got a second generation which was available with a 150 hp diesel. I think one of those would be really fun as a daily.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/06/2020 at 17:23

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They are less common here and perhaps are less susceptible to clueless yuppies running them into the ground as their appeal is more niche.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > onlytwowheels 09/06/2020 at 17:26

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That interior sure looks Volvo tan in the photo. But wow, that is a color combination. One I like, but it is sure to be polarizing.

I personally think the C30 looks better every year. They’ve aged well and almost- shooting- brakes are so few and far between. The back end really does look like an 1800 ES. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max 09/06/2020 at 17:29

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Wow, I never knew that. It’s, well, it looks not quite right.

That front end is where it gets weird. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WilliamsSW 09/06/2020 at 17:31

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And you’ll have a lot more fun on a gallon of gas than in almost anything else. Odd that it was a base model that managed to survive in such good condition.

The C30 was so close to being a shooting brake, and, with that 1800 ES esque tailgate, it was close enough for me. Could you get the turbo 5 in those? Because I love that engine but hate it in my mom’s absurdly heavy FWD XC90.

onlytwowheels > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 17:42

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It’s orange, very orange. Maybe this photo will show color better:

WilliamsSW > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 17:47

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The HF wasn’t exactly a base model- it was the fuel economy champ. I’m not sure if it was cheaper than the DX or not (I think the DX was cheaper?) . It was the Prius of its day, so it did attract a cult following in its own right.

I worked at a Honda dealer during this era, and I’m almost sure the 92 Civic VX (CRX HF replacement) was more than the Civic  DX.

There was a turbo 5 you could get in the C30. Pair that with a 6 speed and you could have some fun.  Plus Polestar tune maybe?

404 - User No Longer Available > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 17:57

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I was just trolling lol.

On the note of the midsize sedan, Toyota’s are doubling-down on it though . I guess taxicabs still need them.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 404 - User No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 18:05

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Haha, taxis here are almost invariably tired old Siennas and in my hometown they are a bit stranger. Well, I think two Previas, two 3rd gen 4Runners, and a 1st gen Frontier goes beyond strange and into concerningly nonsensical.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > onlytwowheels 09/06/2020 at 18:06

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I like it. Not too much, not too little, and the tri tone is nicely balanced. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WilliamsSW 09/06/2020 at 18:10

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Ah, I see. So the miserly appeal of the Geo Metro with most of the handling appeal of the more powerful CRXs, ok. I see why you would want one, but it isn’t something likely to remain in such good condition outside.

I love Volvo’s wonderful turbo 5 cylinder  but I’ve only experienced it in a vehicle where it is woefully inadequate. As in driving 5,000 pounds through the front wheels is just too much for it. I’d love to experience it in a lighter car like the C30.

WilliamsSW > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 18:32

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I’m not sure any engine could be exciting if it’s driving the front of a 5000 lb vehicle haha. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WilliamsSW 09/06/2020 at 18:38

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Now imagine you have the 220 some odd horsepower trying to lug this thing through the front wheels. I think it’s got only 5 gears to do it too. Not. Fun. At. All.

This car is a slightly subpar minivan in this configuration. That is all. Though the interior is a nice place to spend time if you’re not behind the wheel. The 5 cylinder is really got a lot to do in this application but I do wish I could get to know it in a car half the weight.

superdave847 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 19:05

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I love the color combination, blacked out Fuchs, and the meatball on that Porsche. Was it a 2.0?

Slant6 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 19:08

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I was at the Piedmont Park dog park yesterday. Good park for a good girl.

You gotta walk around Buckhead and shoot some cars. I used to live up there and saw exotics everyday.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Slant6 09/06/2020 at 19:23

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We might have been there at the same time! Looked like a lot of fun as it is a big one with lots of dog owners.

Maybe one weekend I’ll take the Mthe and walk around. I need to get a MARTA card. I know I've spotted lots of cool cars on the occasions I have gone. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > superdave847 09/06/2020 at 20:32

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I have no idea, as I just saw it drive past once. Yes, the color combo was indeed quite nice. The wheels really made it. The 914 was refreshing in a sea of donks.

WilliamsSW > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 20:50

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At least it’s a nice place to sit - Volvos generally are.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WilliamsSW 09/06/2020 at 21:08

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I can confirm that the seats are quite comfortable and there are lots of little thoughtful touches. As long as I’m not driving it it is fine, but the real problem is just that it could easily have been better on that front. It really needs AWD to make sense.

superdave847 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 22:08

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A sea of donks does sound fun though.

JeepJeremy > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/06/2020 at 22:32

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That 914 is sick!!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > superdave847 09/06/2020 at 23:04

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Eh, sometimes. There was a largish unofficial don k show tonight at the world’s largest drive in, The Varsity, and if that isn’t Atlanta I don’t know what is.

Well, what is REALLY Atlanta was the 100 people on dirt bikes and quad bikes doing wheelies through downtown with a single officer in an ATV to hold back traffic.

Atlanta’s car culture is hugely influenced by the city’s large music industry so make of that what you will. Few classics and lots of what I would call ruined vehicles with a few good ones that I still would never own. This poor poor Glady.

Sometimes seeing a classic Rolls (not a Cullinane) and a a 914 on the same block is a real treat but most of the time your ears are assau lted by the sounds of 50 different rap songs blasting to backtrack of 50 two stroke engines and or V8s revving their guts out into the wee hours. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > JeepJeremy 09/06/2020 at 23:10

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Yes, it was. Since I'm on my phone I can't link to my visit to the western hemispheres premier 914 specialist but I love those cars. First time I've heard one and they don't sound half bad. 

pip bip - choose Corrour > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/07/2020 at 04:41

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Rolls driver with arm resting on the window sill is awesome.