Carspotters' Challenge #22--X(-Body) Marks the Spot

The peril of being an early adopter is...

...that they might not've gotten all the bugs worked out yet. I'm not sure who I feel sorrier for: the person who bought the Citation, or the one with the Aspen/Volare.

--Cookie the Dog's Owner

(Photo obtained from the Station Wagon Forum's collection of vintage street scenes, to which it was contributed by member "yellerspirit.")

Comments

[Chris Meirose on July 20, 2012 at 12:44 AM]

I suspect the white car just above the Citation is a 1978 Toyota Corolla. I had the 4 door version of this (also in white), and a '79 2 door as well (in brown). A beer can of a car with terrible performance, but they both always started and managed the South Dakota winter roads with surprising ability as long as you had weight in the trunk.

[That Car Guy (Chuck) on July 20, 2012 at 07:01 AM]

I see two GM X-Body cars (An Omega and possibly a 4-door Nova) that are quite lust worthy. Also there appear to be two Pinto wagons.

I can't quite make out the gold pickup... maybe an early Ranger or Jeep Commanche? It looks too low to be full sized.

Nice K-5 Blazer back there too.

[CJinSD on July 20, 2012 at 06:23 PM]

From left to right: Toyota Celica, Chevrolet Nova, Buick Regal Wagon, Chevy Luv, Pontiac Bonneville, Subaru DL, Mercury Bobcat Wagon, BMW 320i, ??, Honda Civic, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme(dark blue coupe), Ford Pinto Wagon.

[tigerstrypes on July 20, 2012 at 08:32 PM]

Chuck, CJinSD, I believe the pick-up is a third-gen (1977-1985) Ford Courier. Due to the fact that both the stripe package and body lines are blocked, the only giveaway is the fact that one can see a bit of red, meaning taillights on the bed. 1st-gen Chevy Luvs and Couriers have their taillights in the bumpers and 2nd-gen Luvs have almost no body line on their bodies.

[That Car Guy (Chuck) on July 21, 2012 at 08:14 AM]

Here's an early Ranger for comparison. It may even be the same colors:

http://images1.americanlisted.com/nlarge/1984_ford_ranger_for_sale_1200_springdale_ar_9267611.jpg

[John B on July 21, 2012 at 08:18 AM]

80s cars in a snow covered K-Mart parking lot.
It gets me depressed just looking at it.

[toronado455 on July 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM]

Wow, Chevy Luv vs. Ford Courier. Hmmm. I honestly thought Luv immediately when I saw it. But I think there is a hint of vent window in the door, which would mean it's the Ford.

The vehicle identified as a "Buick Regal Wagon" however is certainly a Ford Fairmont or related Fox body Ford wagon, not a GM.

There might be a third Pinto wagon directly below the "m" in K-mart. Size-wise, in comparison to the 73 Chevy sedan to the left of it, it seems possible. But way too blurry to be sure.

[toronado455 on July 21, 2012 at 01:00 PM]

@ Chuck. My bad, you said Ranger, not Courier. Either way I give up on that one. :-)

[toronado455 on July 22, 2012 at 01:25 AM]

CJinSD, how can you tell that first Pinto wagon is a Bobcat? The rims?

[tigerstrypes on July 22, 2012 at 07:24 PM]

Since I believe this is the most heated Carspotters' Challenge yet, here's the link to the pic straight outta the Flickr account (read: bigger size) for further scrutinizing:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5169/5371325521_84e394aa01_o.jpg

[That Car Guy (Chuck) on July 23, 2012 at 09:01 AM]

Thanks, Tigerstrypes.

I'm still torn as to what the little tan/gold truck is. I'm still leaning toward it being an early Ranger; here's a Comanche for comparison:
http://jeepusa.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/p51500271.jpg

I think the character lines on the bed lean toward the Ranger:
http://images1.americanlisted.com/nlarge/1984_ford_ranger_for_sale_1200_springdale_ar_9267611.jpg

[tigerstrypes on July 23, 2012 at 09:55 AM]

Here's the title of the pic, straight outta Flickr: AT K MART IN 1982

Pics or it didn't happen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39758941@N06/5371325521/in/set-72157622321874688

Due to the date, specifically December 18, 1982, is why I lean towards third-gen Ford Courier/Mazda B2000 (1977-1985). That rules out the Comanche (1985-1992), though the first-gen Ranger has a fighting chance(1983-1988).

[CJinSD on July 23, 2012 at 12:33 PM]

Now that I've looked at a bigger version of the picture, I can see that I blew the woody wagon ID. toronado455 is correct, it is a Fox of some sort. I didn't see the tail lights in the little version and imagined ghost versions of the Buick's tail lights in the bumper. The Bobcat wagon just screams Bobcat at me, mostly because of the wheels and the peaked hood power bulge. http://www.mclellansautomotive.com/literature/items/mercury/h4217-mercury-1977-dealer-literature.php

The pickup truck can't be a Ranger in my opinion because it has bed rails with hooks under them which the earlier captive imports had but the Ranger lacked. Also it doesn't look brand new to me, which it would have had to have been to be in the photo.

[CJinSD on July 23, 2012 at 12:37 PM]

I think the car between the BMW and the Civic is an AMC Concord. Behind the blue Blazer is a Plymouth Valiant Scamp or Dodge Swinger.

[That Car Guy (Chuck) on July 23, 2012 at 01:32 PM]

I don't see any vehicles in that picture that are newer than 1980; the X-Car looks like the newest one. Most of the vehicles are 1970s models, which predate the Ranger.

That small pickup has Ranger-style wheels and the 2-tone paint scheme matches the above link, but there's just not enough image of it for a positive ID, IMO.

[That Car Guy (Chuck) on July 23, 2012 at 05:10 PM]

Wait, folks... above the tan/gold pickup, I see... a third Pinto wagon!!!

[toronado455 on July 23, 2012 at 05:17 PM]

OMG, thanks for the high-res image link! All kinds of details are popping out now.

I'm 100% positive now that CJinSD is correct, it's a Chevy LUV. The moral of the story is always go with your first instinct. :-)

And I believe I'm correct about the third Pinto wagon way in the back under the "m". (And I'm going with Pinto, not Bobcat on that particular one.) :-)

[toronado455 on July 23, 2012 at 05:36 PM]

@ Chuck, I mentioned the third Pinto wagon on my July 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM comment. :-)

[That Car Guy (Chuck) on July 23, 2012 at 05:47 PM]

Oops, sorry... I've been painting today. Must be the fumes and the heat LOL.

[John B on July 27, 2012 at 03:41 PM]

"The peril of being an early adopter is..."

Wait, wait...don't tell me...
Paying for the privledge of being a GM test driver?