I recently picked up a 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo LS to replace my Subaru Impreza WRX as a daily driver (Expect to read more about this car in the coming months). Questionable choice in appropriate winter beater aside, the car is a complete Grandma-mobile: Blue cloth split bench seat and column shift, idiot lights, no tach, manual locks, and crank windows. With the exception of the rusty smoothies and checking/cracking in the lacquer paint the car is in reasonably good shape for its age, but wouldn’t seem out of place at the church Bingo Night or seen hunting for a parking spot at the local Golden Corral in time for the Early Bird special.
Here’s the thing: I’ve owned an interesting car or two (My old WRX, my ‘87 Monte Carlo SS…Ok, I simultaneously owned four Monte SS at one point in time. I recognize that this is a problem. Go ask Brian about his tractor addiction), but I have never received the attention with those cars that I get with this car, especially from what I can best describe as “non-enthusiasts”. If anything, most people tend to ignore my SS or give me a dirty look as it rumbles by (I’m looking at you, old lady in the house across the street).
Since buying the car about two months ago now, I’m flagged down at least once a week by someone who wants to talk about the car and/or ask if it is for sale. That doesn’t include the scantily clad woman last week in Boston who yelled from across the street that she loved my car and wanted a ride (Although I’ve been informed that I may have misunderstood her intentions…), or the random and semi-frequent thumbs up that I receive while slogging through the morning commute on the highway each morning. Just this morning I had to interrupt the father and son who stopped me to talk to me about the fascinating topic of G-body upper door hinge failures with a, “Uh, I’m sorry guys, but I need to get to work”.
So, what gives? Am I the only one who gets more unexpected attention for their daily driver than for the modified classic car or truck that is their pride and joy?
When my buddies and I with GM B-Bodies used to go to cruise nights, we frequently got way more attention with our “boring” old man cars than the muscle cars parked there. It was more about them being different and unique than being “cooler.” I’d usually park my ’94 WB4 LT1 Roadmaster next to a ’67 Vette, and it would get way, way more interest and talk than the Vette–because everyone’s seen a Vette at a cruise night.
Yup. My’ 75 Plymouth Duster gets way too much attention. It is bone stock outside with a Slant-6. Every time I gas up I meet someone with a Duster story. I’ve had people offer to buy it for some odd reason. It’s just a driver, nothing special, but people love it. I own it but I don’t get it.
the only marking on my older Lightning is a little blue SVT oval on the tailgate. Car guys ignore it, the lawn crew guys LOVE it. I’ve had offers at stop lights. Weird.
My pedestrian white Mustang GT gets lots of compliments…not sure why…its just a white mustang…no spoilers, no scoops….plain jane white GT…people are weird.
The big ugly 4 door belvedere gets lots of attention but I’m not complaining!!
they want to take it to the southern states and double their money selling it to some Donk lover
When I called about a used car and casually asked about the color, the seller responded “you are going to LOVE this car”. It was a dark blue metallic ’79 Granada Coupe. Color plays a role as well, but primarily I see it as a mid size coupe phenomenon. So few ordered that way new and they defied the “blob factor” styling and aged gracefully.
The red Subaru 2dr hatcback 4wd I had as a winter banger back in the 80’s . For what ever reason it got a ton of attention … from both the general public ….. as well as the local police . Crazy .. but to date and despite the genuinely fast ( and some exotic ) cars I’ve owned that Subaru was the only car I ever got speeding tickets in . Three to be exact . Go figure !
I had a 79 Fairmont 6cyl. (93-94),PERFECT body not a scratch,it was that Ford two tone brown/baige combo ,ICE cold A/C. I bought it for $75 changed the head gasket and had the head shaved without removing the valves(!),I was cheap,something crapped out in the trans so I swapped it for a reman one with torque converter.In the end I had $285 in it. I put a set of 10 hole Mustang wheels on it and drove it everywhere. I got more “nice car” thumbs ups and people who had one but was never that cool’s than just about any car I’ve had . I was the nicest beater I’ve ever had. I traded it for a 1985 SVO plus $500. Not a good trade for me….
I had a 1965 4 door Bel Air a few years ago that I used as my daily driver. It was a plain jane 283/Powerglide car with blue bench seat interior. Even though it was a very well kept original car with fading original paint, I was shocked at the amount of attention it got. Everyone honked, thumbed up, and asked me every question you could think of. Apparently, every person in my city had either owned one, or their parents did, as everyone just had to tell me about it. Not once did I stop to get gas or beer and not get chatted up. Not once. It was awesome, the car made me feel like a celebrity. My next car was a bright yellow 70 Monte carlo with a cherry bombed 454, and hardly anyone gave it a second look.
Its probably that you don’t seem to see a lot of them, but I seem to get more attention in my Jeep Comanche daily driver than anything else I drive.
Thats a pretty cool car actually … so I’m not so sure it qualifies for this ‘ Boring car Gets Attention ‘ discussion
Same goes for Dutch’s 66 F100 IMO
Rarity if nothing else disqualifies both from being ‘ boring ‘ 😉
My ’66 F100 gets all kinds of attention, but to me it’s a motorized wheelbarrow.
Them- “That’s a really cool old truck, are you gonna restore it?”
Me-“Nope, I don’t need a yard ornament, I need a truck.”
Them-
The whole “rat-rod” thing has screwed up the civilians heads. The dumb asses can’t tell the hot rods from the working trucks
My ’66 F100 gets all kinds of attention, but to me it’s a motorized wheelbarrow.
Them- “That’s a really cool old truck, are you gonna restore it?”
Me-“Nope, I don’t need a yard ornament, I need a truck.”
Them- (confused look)
The whole “rat-rod” thing has screwed up the civilians heads. The dumb asses can’t tell the hot rods from the working trucks
I think its rare to see a granny fresh old car that hasnt been rodded or modded. While living Culver City, CA there were granny driven cars everywhere. I would see them parked at the grocery stores, post office, and such. People were attracted to them for what I think is that they make the best old cars to get. They werent abused and modified by a teen driver, they were maintenance regularly, low mileage, few dents, and as such little rust.
The granny who drives the ’68 Charger SE I saw all the time had me thinking about how to talk her into selling it to me.
My Caprice always attracts some attention where ever I go. It is kind of loud, so some people look at it with a confused look, some with a disgusted look, and others with genuine curiosity. If I go to a car show, I always get someone that comes up and says “I used to own/drive one of these, wasn’t it such good shape, etc etc”. It’s really funny when I set off some cheap car alarm when I roll through a parking lot with it. People either laugh or give me very dirty looks.
my Suburban gets a surprising amount of attention (positive) from normal people. It’s just a Suburban! how much more utility boring can you get?
1st would be Dad’s 71′ AMC Hornet Sportabout, Nothing to look at with It’s Faded to pink primer but what seemed to get people asking about It was It sounded different then others that’s because it had the 304 and posi rear, slow off the start but plenty of top end. 2nd would be My 81′ AMC SX4 ugly shade of goldish brown with black and gold stripes even with bald tires that thing went anywhere sounded more like a jeep then a AMC.
Had a really solid 73 chevelle deluxe 2dr. 350 2bbl, thm350, manual discs, radio, cigar lighter clock delete as a beater to keep the salt off my truck. Used to get compliments on that car all the time. Had to explain to many people that ” no its not a monte carlo”.
In hindsight, should have kept it and driven the truck in the winter.
’89 Dodge D350 that looks exactly what you’d think an old man’s beat up farm truck would look like. Some guy stopped me as I was leaving school one day to tell me my truck was badass.
toss up really—-1966 chevelle 300 4-door—actual little old lady car,283/glide—people freakin LOVED that thing—my beater 66 elky—-my boy gets lots of attention with his g-body wagon
I have always wanted to take a mid 80s Monte and swap a Manual Trans into it.
my 73 Falcon coupe (Aussie XB) gets rediculous attention. OK, yes, they’re getting a bit rare but its ratty, sprayed satin black anti rust paint finish should mean that most would turn their nose up at it. Wrong… it gets people offering to buy it, complimenting it, people asking if they can take a photo of it etc all the time. I understand that (kind of) in amongst boring camrys etc – but it happens at shows and stuff too.. I once parked it amongst restored $100,000 XB GT’s XC Cobra’s etc (basically my car but in nice concours condition) and have been amazed to see people totally ignoring the nice ones to check my car out….the `mad max’ factor is part of it where people think its ratted out on purpose but the reality is that its a cheap car – when I was younger and owned these in the `80’s I would have been embarrassed to drive it like it is but the truth is people flat out love it! nuts, totally nuts,.
Where do you find these cars!!!!! I’ve been looking for a really clean driver forever, all I find in New England are total garbage.
1975 chevy impala 2 door, faded red with a blue hood. All out beaterbut ive had more offers on that car than anything else.
I bought a grampa fresh 87′ Cutlass a few months ago as my DD and people love it. Its in excellent condition but dead stock, low option, 4 dr in grey!
Seems everyone mom or dad had one when they were growing up.
My old faded ’78 Fairmont boxtop gets a quite a bit of attention, mostly people that tell me they learned how to drive in a Fairmont.