August 2013 – CARS-YDSE.com

1980 or so Checker Marathon Wagon

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One thing became very clear to me when I researched this car, it is very difficult to tell what year it is. I see this particular Checker series went from 1960 all the way to 1982 with very minor changes in the body style. This car has obviously been semi-restored and so I don’t know if the body has been changed. For instance, there are no side lights on this car; were they removed when body work was done? To me, the semi-professional observer, the car seems to be from the later years based on the interior and the back-up lights, but who knows?

Anyway, this car is a great example of the classic Checker wagon. One other note, notice the cell phone cable on the front seat, this was clearly not an original offering.

If you do know what year the car is, please leave me a comment.

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I found this video on the Checker Wagon.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo74UeLsQrE?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]

1958 Triumph TR3A

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I’ve said this before but this time it’s absolutely true, “I actually drove one of these”. That’s not really such a big deal except it was for me.

I have a dear friend and we both lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. After college, I came back home and worked for a few years. That’s when Richard bought a TR3 and started the renovation process in his father’s garage. After the tear-down and before the reassembly, he wanted the engine and engine compartment steam cleaned. That’s when I got to drive it, sort of. We attached the car to his father’s car via a trailer hitch we rented and off we went. I was in the passenger compartment sitting on an old milk box and steering with a pair of Vise-grips clamped around the splines where the steering wheel usually was attached. It was in the heat of the summer and I remember driving in Paterson New Jersey in the 90+ degree heat as kids on the streets cheered as we drove by. We must have looked pretty odd to them but at least all they did was cheer.

I spotted this TR3A parked in a semi industrial area of San Francisco. This was a 3A and thus a “new and improved model” and it was in really great shape. I was kind of shocked to see it all buttonedup but with no signs of vandalism.

Watch the video below for some interesting facts about the car.

One other thing I remember, TR3s have a hole in the grille for a manual crank. Wow, that says a lot for the reliability of the Lucas Electric starting system.

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Here is a video I found that describes a Triumph TR3A.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJb2Ugm4hUg?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]

1970 AMC Gremlin

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Yes, I know this car does not look showroom new. Look at the beginning of the next post down (previous post) to read why.

Back in the early 1970s is when the Japanese and German car makers began to dominate the U.S. market. The VW bug and the Toyota Corolla and others from Datsun and Opel sold almost one million vehicles that year. That’s when the American Motors Corporation introduced The Gremlin, the first American sub-compact. AMC tried numerous tactics to get a piece of the market. They made a high-performance two seater version and offered a 12,000 mile warranty but they had disappointing results.

Here are some photographs of a Gremlin survivor I spotted in San Francisco. Yes, it is a rusty hulk but still has most of its original “charm”. It probably still gets over 20 MPG. By the way, notice that the hubcaps are all original American Motors.

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Here is a video I found that describes American Motors strategy for releasing the Gremlin in 1970 1/2.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivX48OcZE_Q?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]