Never bet against parents going full tilt and scorched Earth to protect  their kids.

I’d look it over carefully, take it to a mechanic and then in a normal car market I’d offer $1500. Not sure if that last would be worth the effort in this car market though.

It was the same dash layout the FWD A-body Century launched with in 1982. The Cutlass Ciera at least had a modern-for-the-early-80s layout with round dials. 

The only quibble I have with the blue interior is the black headliner. If they didn’t have the guts to go with a blue headliner they should put in a white or pale gray one. 

I mean, the name’s the wrong kind of retro. The Maverick was a popular model for Ford in the ‘70s but it was a sedan.

And it didn’t throw the CEL of Doom on day two;

And it doesn’t pretend to be an SUV.

I expect it was mainly an owner-operator option...

You should see the brown interior from later in the ‘70s.

I’d also think the road-salt zone in Australia has to be tiny compared to the US. Even more so if you calculate it based on what part of the population lives and works there. IIRC it’s basically one mountain range that even gets snow and ice regularly.

Literally the first abstract logo I learned to recognize as a kid;

Built-in booster seats went away in Chrysler minivans because they weren’t compatible with Stow’N’Go. I think they haven’t been brought back by anyone because third-party ones give automakers an excuse to slough off liability on those manufacturers.

The first Datsun “SSS” was a hotted-up four door 510 with twin carbs (not offered in the US, nor anywhere else that drives on the right - the rear carb was in the same space as the left-hand-drive master cylinder), hence “Super Sports Sedan”.

The fact that it’s not quite a two-headed car makes it extra-unique. That was probably done for an entirely practical reason, to stay at least in the ballpark of their target wheelbase, but I’d like to think it was so that the suits wouldn’t think they were screwing around. 

Hopefully now they’ll give him the “Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge” sign from the approach to the New Tappan Zee Bridge for his garage wall.

I remember Volvos because I grew up in that kind of town but I remember they were considerably more expensive than any domestic alternative, as were the bigger Japanese cars like the Cressida and Maxima which only came  loaded. 

The GOP is still afraid he’ll start his own party and cleave off a substantial chunk of their voter base, or call an election boycott just in time for the midterms that would have the same effect on their voter base. 

In the salt belt rust claimed everything.

I’m fond of “tulip panel” even though I haven’t owned a car with one for over a decade and I’ve never owned a car with one that’s visible with the trunk lid shut. 

Counterpoint; This is a pointless vehicle with no reason to exist apart from tax laws that charge less for a “commercial vehicle” than a “passenger car”.  Sure the cargo barrier’s nice to have if you’re packing it to the rafters with heavy stuff, but the load floor looks just as high as it would be in a 5-seater Yaris…