Author: JJM3

1983 Ferrari 512 BBi coupe

I used to live about a mile from a Ferrari dealership. As I walked near it back in 2014, I saw a trailer parked around the corner with a low-slung sports car inside. Getting a little closer showed that it was definitely a 512. “Now that’s a Ferrari!”, I said. The man unloading the car chuckled as I walked away.

For 1983, Ferrari’s lovely Pinanfarina-designed 512 BBi received few, if any, changes. The BBi’s engine was Ferrari’s Tipo F110 A 340 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci flat 12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection—the 512 had moved to fuel injection (and added the i) for the 1982 model year. When paired with the five-speed manual transmission, 0-60 came in about 5.5 seconds with a top speed of 170 mph or so—fast, fast, fast for 1983.

Photo of a 1983 Ferrari 512 BBi
Photo of a 1983 Ferrari 512 BBi, courtesy of Wikipedia photographer dave_7

Ferraris had gotten more luxurious: standard equipment on the 512 BBi included air conditioning (often said to be inadequate), leather seats, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks driven from the key, a Nardi steering wheel, and a Pioneer AM/FM stereo cassette deck with 7-band graphic equalizer.

Although the 512 BBi was not legal in the U.S., some importers converted them to U.S. specifications by adding catalytic converters, side reflectors, and larger bumpers.

Of course, there’s a fairly famous eighties music video associated with this car.

Sammy Hagar may have his issues, but the 512 BBi he drives in the video made for this song demonstrates exquisite taste. When interviewed by Motor Trend in 2008, he still owned it.

The View From 2025

There’s some really excellent support for 512s (and all Ferraris) from the folks on FerrariChat (who contributed to the original version of this post). According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1983 512 BBi in #1/Concours condition is $345,000 (though recent auction results may make that seem low). A more “normal” #3/Good condition example is valued at $224,000. Ferrari 512s frequently appear for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on Bring a Trailer, and at in-person auctions.

Make mine Rosso Corsa (red), please, though I’m quite tempted by how they look in Grigio (grey).

Other Ferraris I have written about include the 1985 308 GTB Quattrovalvole coupe and the 1985 Testarossa coupe.

Last updated February 2025.

1989 Pontiac 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe

Originally posted on the fourth of July in 2014, here’s some eighties American iron.

“The Only Modification It Needed To Pace The Indy 500 Was A Decal.”

For 1989, the big news in the Pontiac camp was the release of the 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am, which was essentially a Trans Am GTA coupe with an exclusive engine option and some specific trim elements.

Rated at 250 bhp but actually making about 300 bhp, the LC2 3.8 liter/231 ci sequential fuel-injected, turbocharged, and intercooled V6 was teamed with the 200-4R four-speed automatic transmission. Mileage was 16 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by today’s standards), and nobody cared. What they did care about was the acceleration—Car and Driver managed to achieve a 4.6 second 0-60 time (Pontiac had claimed 5.5 seconds) and a top speed of 153 mph. At least in power, the third generation Trans Am had come a long way from 1982 …

1989 Pontiac Firebird brochure cover, courtesy of Flickr user Alden Jewell.
1989 Pontiac Firebird brochure cover, courtesy of Flickr user Alden Jewell

The 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am’s base price was $31,198—about $84,100 in 2025 dollars. Buyers got all the Trans Am GTA exterior and mechanical equipment, which included fog lamps, a power antenna, power steering, four-wheel disc brakes, the special performance package, a limited slip differential, and 245/50-VR16 black sidewall tires (a size still readily available) mounted on gold 16 x 8 diamond-spoke aluminum wheels. Turbo Trans Am-specific additions included larger brake rotors and softer front springs. In addition, there were Turbo Trans Am emblems on the fenders and 20th emblems on the nose and rear pillars.

Inside, standard GTA equipment included air conditioning, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, tilt steering, cruise control, a rear window defroster, a power deck lid release, and an AM/FM stereo cassette with an equalizer and steering wheel controls. Turbo Trans Am owners also got a turbo-boost gauge inside the tachometer face.

Options & Production Numbers

Pontiac built a total of 1,550 Turbo Trans Ams for sale (there were another 5 test cars), with 85% of them being t-tops with leather bucket seats (buyers could order cloth bucket seats and/or the hardtop, but few did). Period window stickers show the t-top roof and the custom leather interior combined in a value option package.

The View From 2025

Unlike many other eighties cars, 1989 Turbo Trans Ams hold their value just fine. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1989 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am in #1/Concours condition is $79,000, though some have sold for more. A more “normal” #3/Good condition example is valued at $29,900. Turbo Trans Ams often come up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors, but many are now sold at auction, whether online (Bring a Trailer) or in-person.

Make mine White, please. As with many other General Motors special editions, there’s no color option.

I’ve written about six different eighties Trans Ams; the 1980 Turbo coupe, the 1981 coupe, the 1982 hatchback coupe, the 1984 15th Anniversary hatchback coupe, and the 1985 hatchback coupe. I have also written about the 1986 SE hatchback coupe and the 1987 Formula hatchback coupe, but I probably should write about the base car at some point.

Last updated December 2025.

1988 Chevrolet Beretta GT coupe

“A car with performance that fulfills the promise offered by its exterior appearance.”

I always liked the Chevrolet Beretta’s styling. It was among the purest executions of the wedge in the 1980s (along with the Bertone/Fiat X1/9, the Pontiac Fiero, and the Triumph TR8).

Chevrolet soft-launched the Beretta as a 1987 model, selling it to rental car agencies. In its first full year of general availability in 1988, there were two Beretta models—the base coupe and the GT. The Beretta GT came standard with the LB6 130 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci multi-port fuel-injected V6: a notable step up from the “Iron Duke” LQ5 90 bhp 2.5 liter/151 ci throttle body fuel-injected inline four that came standard with the coupe.

0-60 mph came in a little over 9 seconds with the five-speed manual transmission and the V6—not that bad, but certainly not stunningly fast either. Fuel economy with the same powertrain combination was 19 city/29 highway by the day’s standards (17/27 by today’s measures). With a 13.5-gallon gas tank, a GT owner could expect a range of 265 to 290 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1988 Chevrolet Beretta print advertisement
1988 Chevrolet Beretta print advertisement

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $11,851 GT (approximately $33,300 in today’s dollars) included dual sport mirrors, power brakes, and P205/70R14 tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch wheels. Inside, the Custom interior, tachometer, and an AM/FM stereo radio were all standard.

Packages & Options

The Beretta was one of the early examples of General Motors’ move to option packages as the preferred way to reduce the number of possible equipment combinations. The GT‘s option packages were:

  1. Air conditioning
  2. Floor mats, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, intermittent wipers
  3. Auxiliary lighting, power door locks, power trunk opener, power windows, AM/FM stereo cassette with digital clock

Optional equipment included the GT-only Z51 Performance Handling Package ($153 for larger stabilizer bars, firmer bushings, tuned struts and shocks, and Goodyear Eagle GT + 4 P205/60R15 tires on 15-inch styled steel wheels), rear window defogger ($145), electronic instrumentation ($156), two-tone paint ($123), and AM/FM stereo cassette with digital clock and graphic equalizer.

Midway through the model year, Chevrolet added a Beretta GTU package for $2,500. Designed to reflect the Berretta’s involvement in the IMSA GTU racing series, the GT-based GTU featured a front wraparound chin spoiler, a body color grille and body side moldings, lower rocker panel extensions, breakaway mirrors, a rear valance panel extension, a rear decklid spoiler, GTU graphics, and Goodyear Gatorback P205/55VR-16 tires on 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

The View From 2025

Not a lot of folks are collecting Berettas, but there are enthusiast sites. I have not seen one on the road in over a decade. Berettas are rarely seen in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors, but Bring a Trailer has sold six over the last five years.

Make mine Maroon Metallic, please.

Other Chevrolet coupes from the second half of the eighties that I have written about include the 1985 Celebrity Eurosport, the 1986 Cavalier Z24, and the 1988 Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition.

Last updated October 2025.

1982 Toyota Celica Supra hatchback coupe

This post was one of my first entries in this blog. I’ve updated it to reflect both changes in my posting style and substantial improvements in available data.

“The ultimate performance Toyota.”

Remember when Toyota produced a reasonable amount of cool sporty cars?

I do—I believe they nailed it with the Mark II Celica Supra. First, the styling: although based on the Celica, the longer hood (to accommodate the Supra’s inline six) along with the retractable headlights (you’ll have to believe me that they were very cool in the 1980s) substantially changed the car’s look. It wasn’t just the styling—Supras also included a notably higher level of interior equipment.

The engine was Toyota’s 145 bhp 5M-GE 2.8 liter/168 ci dual overhead cam fuel injected inline six, giving a 0-60 time of slightly under 9 seconds (spritely for 1982) and a top speed of approximately 125 mph. Over the next few years, engine power would climb to 161 bhp.

Mileage with the standard five-speed manual transmission was 21 city/34 highway by the day’s standards (19/31 by today’s measures). Choosing the optional four-speed automatic transmission—available only for the L-Type submodel—reduced highway mileage to 32. With a 16.1-gallon gas tank, Supra drivers could expect to travel approximately 355 miles before seeking more fuel.

1982 Toyota Celica Supra, the 1982 Motor Trend Import Car Of The Year.
1982 Toyota Celica Supra,
photo courtesy of Motor Trend from their Import Car Of The Year photo shoot.

All Celica Supras included tungsten halogen headlights, a four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering with variable power assist, and ventilated and power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes. Inside, automatic temperature control air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, cruise control, and a tilt steering wheel were included.

Two models were available: the L– (for “Luxury”) Type and the P– (for “Performance”) Type. The $13,598 L-Type (about $46,800 in 2025 dollars) included standard power mirrors and P195/70R-14 steel-belted radial tires (a size still readily available) on 14 x 5.5-inch aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, striped velour cloth bucket seats were standard.

The $14,598 P-Type (about $50,200 in today’s dollars) included fender flares, a limited-slip differential, Sport Seats with driver’s side 8-way adjustment and pneumatic lumbar support adjustment, and P225/60HR-14 steel-belted radial tires (a size currently available only from BFGoodrich) on 14 x 7 inch aluminum alloy wheels.

Options, Publicity, Period Reception, & Sales Numbers

Options include two-tone exterior paint ($120), black high gloss paint ($70), and an electric sunroof ($440). Options only available for the L-Type included a four-speed automatic transmission, a digital display instrument panel and trip computer ($450), and leather seat trim. Options only for P-Type buyers included a spoiler-type sunshade ($120).

At right is a classic commercial, with legendary (and very tall) race car driver Dan Gurney shilling for the then brand-new Mark II Celica Supra. The second-generation Supra was well-received—Car and Driver included it in their first 10Best list in 1983. Toyota sold 34,048 Celica Supras in 1982.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1982 Toyota Celica Supra in #1/Concours condition is $40,300. The value for a more “normal” #3/Good condition example is $12,400. This generation of Supras maintains a presence in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. When I last updated the contents of this post in July 2025, a Red Metallic 1985 Supra with Gray cloth seats and 114,000 miles was for sale in Hemmings, asking $29,000.

Make mine Silver Gray Metallic, please.

Other Toyotas I’ve written about include the 1980 Corolla Tercel Liftback, the 1981 Celica Sport Coupe, the 1983 Camry sedan, the 1984 Corolla SR5 Sport Coupe, the 1985 MR2 coupe, and the 1988 Supra hatchback coupe.

Last updated July 2025.

1981 Toyota Celica Sport Coupe

We do requests on Eighties Cars, whether or not they are definitive ones. A friend of mine mentioned his 1981 Celica in one of the automotive forums I frequent, and that was enough inspiration for me. In June 2020, Autopolis also published a typically thoughtful post on the second-generation Celicas.

 “The Ultimate Toyota.”

1981 was the final model year for the second-generation Toyota Celica, which debuted in 1978. Despite this, there were some significant changes, including the introduction of a new engine— the 22R 97 bhp 2.4 liter/144 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor.

Paired with the standard five-speed manual transmission, the Celica’s fuel economy was an impressive 25 city/37 highway by the day’s standards. Choosing the optional four-speed automatic transmission dropped the highway mileage rating slightly to 35 mpg. With a curb weight of a little over 2,400 pounds, Consumer Guide recorded a 0-60 time of 12.5 seconds—respectable for 1981.

celicas
1981 Celica and Celica Supra poster, courtesy of Flickr user Alden Jewell.

The Celica Sport Coupe was available in ST and GT trim levels. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the Celica ST ($6,699 or about $25,600 in today’s dollars) included tinted glass, electronic ignition, power assisted front disc/rear drum brakes, and 175/SR14 steel-belted radial tires (a size still somewhat available) on 14-inch styled steel wheels. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, “cut pile wall-to-wall carpeting,” a simulated woodgrain instrument panel and console, and an electric rear window defogger were included.

Moving up to the GT ($7,429 or about $28,400 in 2025 dollars) added features such as tungsten halogen hi-beam headlamps, a locking gas cap, 185/70SR14 steel-belted radial tires (a size still readily available), dual outside mirrors with driver’s side remote control, a simulated brushed aluminum instrument panel and console, and an AM/FM/MPX stereo with four speakers.

Optional equipment included a sunroof ($290), power steering ($180), and air conditioning ($610). Raised white letter tires, aluminum alloy wheels, cruise control ($115), and an electronic digital-readout AM/FM/MPX tuner stereo with a cassette player, an equalizer/amplifier, and four speakers were GT-only options for the Sport Coupe.

The View From 2025

1000 views badge

Celicas of this generation sometimes come up for sale in Hemmings Motor News, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this post in September 2025, there’s a Silver Metallic 1981 Celica with grey cloth front bucket seats and 67,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $8,000.

Make mine Dark Blue Metallic, please.

Other Toyotas I’ve written about include the 1980 Corolla Tercel Liftback, the 1982 Celica Supra hatchback coupe, the 1983 Camry sedan, the 1984 Corolla SR5 Sport Coupe, the 1985 MR2 coupe, and the 1988 Supra hatchback coupe.

Last updated September 2025.

1986 Cadillac Eldorado coupe

“Imaginatively new. Decidedly Cadillac.”

Is it possible to miss the market more than this? For the 1986 model year, Cadillac downsized the front wheel drive Eldorado coupe again. This time, the wheelbase dropped to 108 inches, and overall length was down by over 16 inches to 188 inches—what was supposed to be the top of the non-limousine Cadillac line was now about the size of a 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity (or a 2025 Cadillac CT4 sedan) and a full three feet shorter than the (admittedly massive) 1978 Eldorado.

EightiesEldoradoSales

Predictably, Eldorado buyers didn’t go for it. Sales collapsed from about 74,000 in 1985 to about 21,000 in 1986—definitely not what would be expected from a complete model revision. Six years later, GM had now managed to duplicate the carnage that Ford had experienced with its 1980 luxury vehicle downsizing. Notably, Ford Thunderbird, Lincoln Mark VII (the Continental name departed that year), and Mercury Cougar sales were all up for 1986, along with those of some of GM’s “junior” personal luxury coupes. The December 1987 issue of Special Interest Autos simply called the Eldorado/Riviera/Toronado downsizing “the E-body disaster” and speculated that it was costing GM half a billion dollars a year in lost profits.

1986 Cadillac Eldorado brochure page
1986 Cadillac Eldorado brochure page

So, what did those relatively few buyers get with their $24,251 (about $70,900 in today’s dollars) 1986 Eldorado? Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included power four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, and aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, front bucket seats, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, a power trunk release, cruise control, electronic climate control, and an AM/FM stereo radio with power antenna were all included, so the Eldorado was at least pretty well equipped.

Packages, Options, & Performance Numbers

Moving up to the Biarritz (almost always the top-of-the-line Eldorado since 1956) cost either $3,095 (with cloth seats) or $3,495 (with leather seats) raising the price to either $27,346 ($79,900 today) or $27,746 ($81,100 today). Standard equipment on the Biarritz included nicer seats with power lumbar support, two-tone paint, and real walnut accents.

Options included a power Astroroof ($1,255), a nicely integrated cellular phone ($2,850), the FE2 touring suspension with 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels and 215/60R15 Goodyear Eagle GT tires ($155), and the Delco-GM/Bose Symphony Sound System ($895).

The Eldorado’s engine was Cadillac’s 130 bhp HT-4100 throttle body fuel injected 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy was 17 city/26 highway by the standards of the day (15/24 by today’s standards). Since the engine and transmission remained the same and the Eldorado was smaller and lighter, performance was better but still not very impressive: 0-60 improved to about 11 seconds.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1986 Eldorado in #1/Concours condition is $19,100, with a far more typical #3/Good car going for $6,900. Eldorados of this age come up for sale regularly in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and Bring a Trailer, so folks are saving them.

Make mine Corinthian Blue Firemist, please.

Other Eldorados I have written about include the 1982 Touring Coupe, the 1984 Biarritz convertible, and the 1988 coupe.

Last updated March 2025.

1983 Audi Quattro hatchback coupe

“Totally different by design.”

Audi’s Quattro had been changing the perception of all-wheel-drive in Europe since late 1980, but finally made it to American soil for the 1983 model year with a few modifications (such as larger bumpers) specific to the market.

The only available engine was the WX turbocharged and fuel0-injected 2.1 liter inline five cylinder making 160 bhp and running on premium gas. This engine was paired with a five-speed manual transmission connected to (of course!) the Quattro generation I all-wheel-drive system with manually lockable center and rear differentials. Motor Trend clocked a 1983 Quattro with a 0-60 time of 7.9 seconds—not bad for the early eighties. Fuel economy was 17 city/28 highway by the day’s standards (14/20 by today’s measures).

The Quattro was an expensive car, especially for an eighties Audi—almost three times the cost of the far more plebeian Audi 80 coupe it was based on (and whose squarish styling it closely resembled). At $35,000 (about $114,000 in 2025 dollars), it was approximately $5,000 more than a 1983 Porsche 911. But, there was nothing like it.

Page from the 1983 Audi Quattro brochure
Page from the 1983 Audi Quattro brochure

All 1983 Quattros included tinted glass, front and rear spoilers, halogen headlamps, an independent suspension, four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes, power rack and pinion steering, and 205/60R15 steel-belted radial tires (a size still readily available) on 6J x 15-inch light-alloy wheels. Inside, power door locks, power window lifts, full gauges, cruise control, and an AM/FM stereo cassette were all included.

Options & Production Numbers

Options for the 1983 Quattro were few—a removable sunroof panel ($450), special metallic exterior paint, leather upholstery ($1,500), electrically heated front seats, floor mats, and a rear-window wiper/washer ($210).

Total sales in the United States were only 664 over the three years between 1983 and 1985.

The View From 2025

Original (“Ur”) Quattros have a strong following. Quattros sometimes appear in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds and Bring a Trailer, but there just aren’t that many to sell. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1983 Audi Quattro in #1/Concours condition is $100,000. A more “normal” Quattro in #3/Good condition is valued at $47,100.

Color is a tough choice here, but I’m going to violate my usual “it is a German car, it looks good in silver” rule and ask that mine be Mars Red.

The only other Audi I have written about is the 1984 5000S sedan.

Last updated April 2025.

1983 Mitsubishi Starion hatchback coupe

Bring a Trailer had a Plymouth Conquest (the badge-engineered version of the Starion) up for auction in February 2025. I learned enough from the comments to want to update this elderly blog entry.

“The sportscar that’s charged with more than a turbo.”

The 1983 Mitsubishi Starion was a significant change of pace for Mitsubishi. Seen back in the day as a poor man’s Porsche 944 at about two-thirds of the price, the rear-wheel-drive Starion reached customers that Mitsubishi had never competed for before. Because of Chrysler’s relationship with Mitsubishi, nearly identical cars were sold starting in 1985, first as the Plymouth Conquest and Dodge Conquest and then as the Chrysler Conquest beginning in 1987 (gotta love branding).

For 1983, motive power was provided by the Astron G54B 145 bhp 2.6 liter/156 ci inline four with fuel injection and a turbocharger connected to a five-speed manual (no automatic transmission was available in 1983). 0-60 came in about 9 seconds in a car that weighed about 2,700 pounds. Mileage was 19 city/24 highway by the standards of the day (17/22 by today’s standards). With a relatively large 19.8-gallon gas tank, a Starion owner could expect a range of between 310 and 385 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1983 Mitsubishi Starion advertisement
1983 Mitsubishi Starion advertisement

At $12,079 (about $39,500 in today’s dollars), the base Starion EX included a fully independent suspension, four-wheel power-assisted ventilated disc brakes, power steering, P195/70R14 tires (a size still readily available), and 14-inch alloy wheels. Inside, power windows and a digital quartz clock were standard. Moving up to the LS—an additional $1,840, making the car a $45,600 purchase in 2025—added P215/60R15 tires and 15-inch wheels, air conditioning, six-way adjustable front seats, digital instrumentation, and an AM/FM stereo cassette with eight speakers.

Options & Production Numbers

Options included a sunroof, cruise control, and the Technical Performance Package. LS purchasers could go crazy and get leather seat facings and a single two-tone paint option (Italian Silver over Behring Blue Metallic).

Mitsubishi sold 6,297 Starions in the 1983 model year—pretty good for a make and model with little previous sporting reputation in North America. Period reviews were generally positive, and watching MotorWeek‘s treatment is interesting.

The View From 2025

I have not seen a Starion on the road in decades, but at least a few are being saved, and there is some online support. A quick perusal shows that lack of maintenance of the complex for its day engine causes most of the serious issues with this car.

You occasionally see Starions come up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors, but there were none for sale when I last checked—the later 3000 GT does better. Bring a Trailer auctions a fair amount—enough to have a specific category.

Make mine Safari Red, of course.

Last updated June 2025.

Eighties Vehicles at the 2014 Mecum Seattle

Mecum’s short two day June auction in Seattle includes a lot of cars and trucks from the 1980s. As always, I’ll concentrate on the cars and trucks that actually sold (remember that this is not a no reserve auction) and add some of my opinions. Where I have covered the specific year and model of a car in this blog, I link to it.

Friday:

  • 1989 red Cadillac Allanté convertible with 23,000 miles—$11,500 hammer price.
  • 1981 gray/blue two-tone Chevrolet El Camino custom truck—$9,000
  • 1982 black Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible—$7,500
  • 1987 white Buick Regal Turbo-T coupe with 39,000 miles—at $20,000 the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars or trucks: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. I’ll mark these vehicles in bold green.
  • 1986 copper GMC custom pickup truck—an ouch! at $5,750
  • 1988 red Ferrari Testarossa coupe with 17,000 miles—$45,000
  • 1984 white Cadillac Eldorado convertible with 40,000 miles—$16,000
  • 1987 Bright Red Chevrolet Corvette convertible—$6,500
  • 1985 white Ferrari Testarossa coupe with 13,000 miles—$57,500 buys you the Miami Vice look, but is the dreaded major service just around the corner?
  • 1985 burgundy Cadillac Eldorado convertible—$7,500. What, other than indeterminate miles, made this go for less than half what the white 1984 did on the same day? And, by the way, why are eighties Eldorado convertibles suddenly showing up at auction?
  • 1984 silver Mercedes-Benz 300D limousine—$11,500. Who buys this car and what would their intentions be for it?
  • 1988 Gray Pearl Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with 36,000 miles—$25,000. Not nearly what they cost new, but holding at least some value.
  • 1987 orange Land Rover Defender 90 SUV—$43,000
  • 1989 orange Porsche 944 Turbo coupe modified for racing—$11,000
  • 1986 Iris Blue Porsche 911 Carrera coupe—$23,000. Perhaps the declared 148,000 miles drove the price down …
  • 1982 white Toyota SR5 pickup truck with 63,000 miles—$8,000

Saturday:

  • 1981 yellow Chevrolet K10 custom pickup truck—$18,000
  • 1988 red Porsche 911 Targa coupe with 57,000 miles—$30,000
  • 1987 white Avanti II convertible—$18,000. Mecum listed this as a Studebaker Avanti convertible, but of course this is not correct. This is one of the “continuation” square headlight Avantis built by a series of relatively unsuccessful entrepreneurs in the 1980s. This one has a 305 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 engine under the hood.
  • 1984 “Blurple” Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet very custom convertible built for Sir Mix-A Lot and featured on the back cover of his Mack Daddy album—at $30,000, can you get more eighties than this?

What do you think of this auction’s results?

Some Long Distance Travel In An Eighties Car

Last month, my wife and I took a 6,281 mile “jaunt” in my eighties car – a 29 1/2 year old 1985 Light Blue Metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe.

Last year, Lauren challenged me, causing me to me to write this … screed in May 2013:

“It’s Not The Same As It Was In 2004 …

… I took the 1985 out for some miles today and I noticed some things.

It’s a more tenuous feeling taking her out than it was in 2004. Of course, that was 33,000 miles ago, but the car seems more … fragile. I’m mindful of all that sweat equity (mine and many others) in it and the knowledge that it is now so … old. Less and less early C4s on the road for any reason and she’ll be thirty (!) years old in November 2014.

The car judges well and drives acceptably but the problems remain present and they are a litany: the “dumb as a bag of rocks” computer, the creaks and rattles in the interior, the passenger side power window near death, the console light that keeps slowly melting the console plastic, the seats and steering wheel not far from a recovery, the repaint that is who knows how many thousands of miles out, the characteristic droops on both front and rear bumpers that will need to be fixed with the repaint. They’re known problems and they can get fixed: but some of them (seats, repaint, bumpers) will require cubic dollars.

Continue reading “Some Long Distance Travel In An Eighties Car” →