Tennessee Shite: 10 August 2025 Update!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I think it's that cars over 25 years old don't have to have airbags, and the Federal and State governments seem to have so many employees I bet a lot of them really haven't got anything to do let alone anything better. Nice to see fat VOSA equivalent types get a gun too.

[Madman Of The People]

Here's an old Chevy pickup being used as an advertising billboard by some chicken restaurant which has recently opened.

 

Haven't tried the place yet, so I don't know if its any good.  Appears to be a locally owned outfit.....

 

http://www.hattieb.com/

 

 

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[Clanger]

Not to usurp Mr. MOTP's but here are a few pics from a recent visit to a local junkyard here on the left coast.

 

I wanted to get a set of the SD1 wheels but would have needed to get the two off the white one to make up a set but the fucktards wouldn't sell them to me.

[Clanger]

I think it's that cars over 25 years old don't have to have airbags, and the Federal and State governments seem to have so many employees I bet a lot of them really haven't got anything to do let alone anything better. Nice to see fat VOSA equivalent types get a gun too.

Not quite... if the car was imported to the US in the same model year that you are trying to import it would have to meet all of the  regulations then in place.  Once it's over a certain age it's exempt from DOT (25 years) and EPA requirements (21 years), but it must then pass scrutiny in the state you want to register it - there are no Defenders or 110s that will meet the smog requirements in California because the 110 wasn't introduced until 1983 and to make it compliant with the California 1983 standard would be financially ruinous.  Wanna know how I know?  Answers on a postcard to "why the fuck did you only read the federal regs and not state regs?", C/O the Beeb, London W12

[Bear]

Also, destroying the cars is as much to do with them being ringers. Naughty people ring cars.

[PhilA]

Ah, but when it comes to California, all the federal regulations become void. You know that.

I own a couple of "49 State" vehicles. The Renault is one of them.

 

Phil

[Madman Of The People]

9 June 2015 Update!

 

New 'Vette.

 

 

 

 

Nissan 300ZX.  So '80s it hurts!

 

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Old Pontiac Catalina awaiting restoration.

 

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[Skizzer]

I do hope the restoration is only going to involve some new tyres and closing the bonnet.

[danthecapriman]

Love the Pontiac! It looks brilliant like it is.

That would be my daily driver if it were mine!

[Madman Of The People]

A long-overdue update.

 

 

No, its not the Ghostbusters car, just a gimmick to sell diet pills.

 

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Rusty Chevrolet Corvair.

 

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Toyota Land Cruiser.

 

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[Madman Of The People]

14 May 2016 Update!

 

Wow, has it really been seven months since I last updated this thread?

 

Okay, let's make up for lost time!

 

 

Volkswagen T3, called the Vanagon over here.  Driving on a dealer plate.

 

 

 

 

Dodge Dart.

 

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Canadian-spec Chevrolet Orlando.  These were never sold in the USA.

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous E-Type.  Not shite at all but too beautiful not to share!

 

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Porker Panamera.

 

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Beetle.

 

 

 

 

Rollin' in his Eldorado ragtop!

 

 

 

 

MGB.

 

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Buick Electra.

 

 

 

 

Rare vintage Nissan,  I never thought I would ever say those words!  But seriously, when was the last time you've seen one of these?

 

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Old and new 'Stangs.

 

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I was a bit surprised to see this, considering the whole VW diesel scandal being in the news.

 

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Just another grocery-getter type car parked in front of the supermarket......

 

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1957 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman with the optional four-headlight system.  This option was only available in states where separate low and high beam headlights were legal.  By 1958, four-headlight set-ups were legal in all of the (then) 48 states.

 

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[Lukas]

Very nice!

 

May I ask if there are any Buick Park Avenues like the one I own still on the road in the US? Or have they all gone the way mine will go because of rust and electronical failures?

 

I dont think that it´s a car with a following, or is it? 

[Madman Of The People]

Park Avenues like yours really don't have anything resembling a "following" in the US, although the 3800 V6 is renowned for it's durability.  Keep in mind, these cars are getting old now and they weren't that particularly well made in the first place.  The engine may have been a simple design dating back to the early 1960s but the rest of the car was built to shoddy 1990s GM standards.

 

Also consider cars like your Park Avenue we marketed to, and bought almost exclusively by old people.  And relatively well-off grey-hairs across America loved them!  As a result, they were never seen as being "cool" by the enthusiast community.  As these cars got older and the grandparents became too old and feeble to drive, they were often passed down to the teen-aged grandchildren so they could learn to drive.  Of course, the last thing any teenager wanted was to be seen in Grandma and Grandpa's old Geezermobile and treated the cars like the unwanted relics they were, hence the low survival rate today.

 

I still see a few of the later-style early 2000s Park Avenue and the closely related LeSable.  In fact, I know a guy in his '60s who bought an early 2000s LeSabre from a used car beater merchant because cars like these are dirt-cheap these days.

 

Checking my local Autotrader and I see there are no Park Avenues for sale with a 50 mile radius of the beautiful and majestic Casa del Madman, but I did find a 2008 Buick Lucerne (successor to the Park Avenue) going for $7,900.

 

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=37221&endYear=2017&modelCode1=LUCERNE&showcaseOwnerId=68726799&makeCode1=BUICK&startYear=1981&listingType=used&firstRecord=0&listingTypes=used&searchRadius=50&showcaseListingId=423935800&mmt=%5BBUICK%5BLUCERNE%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&listingId=428292302&Log=0

 

 

I checked the private listings on Craigslist and found a 1996 Park Avenue with 183K miles, peeling clearcoat and trashed interior for $1,100.  The 1990s-era Park Avenues that still remain will typically look like this.

 

https://huntsville.craigslist.org/cto/5578353246.html

 

 

 

Yours may be an exotic unicorn in Europe but they were disposable, throw-away appliances over here.  American cars from the '90 were pretty awful and even most Americans don't want them anymore.  As ever, the few that survive will someday become collectible.

[Lukas]

Top posting, thanks a lot for that! 

[Spottedlaurel]

Do like that Buick Electra. Just the sort of thing I'd like if/when I ever get something American.

[mouseflakes]

they were never seen as being "cool" by the enthusiast community.  As these cars got older and the grandparents became too old and feeble to drive, they were often passed down to the teen-aged grandchildren so they could learn to drive.  Of course, the last thing any teenager wanted was to be seen in Grandma and Grandpa's old Geezermobile and treated the cars like the unwanted relics they were, hence the low survival rate today.

 

Yours may be an exotic unicorn in Europe but they were disposable, throw-away appliances over here.  American cars from the '90 were pretty awful and even most Americans don't want them anymore.  As ever, the few that survive will someday become collectible.

...which all suggests you're doing the right thing Lukas - good work!

 

(of course, if you get so sick of its foibles that you decide to let it go, then...meh)

[Madman Of The People]

It's been over eight years since I last updated this thread, so I guess this posting is long overdue.

Spotted this off-road outfitted MINI Paceman.

 

[Madman Of The People]

From earlier today.

[High Jetter]

Many windows.

[Schaefft]

With a visit to TN being pretty much a yearly thing for now it's quite interesting to see the occasional late 80s beater still clinging on to life. With cars generally just seemingly getting run into the ground there's not much that lasts longer than 15 years outside of the many Grand Marquis and the occasional Towncar though from what I can tell. Even pull-a-part was mostly filled with trashed Altimas, bit of a shame really.

[Madman Of The People]

 

[Madman Of The People]

 

Spotted this Landie parked on a street yesterday...

 

[Madman Of The People]

Spotted this crispy Lotus Esprit on a trailer on this morning’s drive to work.

I'd love to hear the story of how this happened!

 

[Madman Of The People]

I’m in Louisville for a few days, touring all the bourbon distilleries.  This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is being used as an advertising prop for the restaurant across the street from my hotel.

[Madman Of The People]

Another restaurant in Louisville using cars as an advertisement. Ford Mustang and Pontiac Firebird.

[High Jetter]

Brusselsprout (sic) pizza?

🤮

[Madman Of The People]

[somewhatfoolish]

On 28/06/2024 at 05:05, Madman Of The People said:

 

 

Is that contraption for carrying a dirt bike?

[Madman Of The People]

22 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Is that contraption for carrying a dirt bike?

Maybe?  I’ve seen this car in my neighbourhood a couple of times since taking that photo.  If I ever see the owner, I’ll make sure to ask.

 

[tooSavvy]

On 05/09/2024 at 03:35, Madman Of The People said:

 

 

🚙💨