@wimbles - Pontiac 6000 STE Fanatic: For all ye nonbelievers.

I saw these little buggers zipping around San Francisco when I got out of class at the Academy of Art University Monday evening. Must have been nearly a dozen of 'em convoying in small groups south of Market.

April 1 was nearly three weeks ago, guys.

@Pixel: Bah, you beat me to it with the A-body.

Late-1980s/early-90s GM A body sedan. Slow, plentiful, cheap. Lots of parts available if you get a more mainstream model and many were owned by granny types so you can find the occasional low-mileage example in good shape. Decent cars if you don't mind so-so handling and averaging 20mpg from a V6.

In 2002 I recommended a Prius to my grandma. She still has it, she loves it and refuses to get rid of it (she hates the second and third-gens).

Since nobody else here seems to want a LHD pseudo-Pontiac wagon, I'll take it when you're finished with it.

Impressive, but the ending was incredibly underwhelming. Not that I could do better...

My dad helped repair a '64 Futura convertible for a friend a decade ago. It was metallic blue with a white top and blue vinyl interior. It was pretty basically optioned (the clock was a digital watch stuck to the dash) but it had a V8 and I loved it. I still love these cars.

@Squirrel-bait: *sigh* I guess you're right. Had we noticed the meter we would have paid. I'm not in the habit of taking risks like that. I can understand a fine amount like $20-25, but $50? How much do they charge in your neck of the woods? I wonder if SF's fines are so high because it's the only way it costs more…

@alec421: If you want it to end up with an American crate V8, billet wheels and 2-tone paint, sure. Chip Foose isn't a bad guy (I've met him), but I certainly wouldn't hire him to do an XJ220.

I went on a trip with friends in 2007 and, before they dropped me off at home, we spent the afternoon in San Francisco. Parked on Jackson Street, my friend's dad wanted to go into an antiques shop. We parked our rental Grand Marquis and he went into the store. Now, this being San Francisco, there was a parking meter.…

@Volvo4life: I always preferred the 2004 Vibe, since it had easy-to-read white dash numerals instead of red. They're really hard to find used. My family was shopping for one for about two years before we gave up and bought a used 2007 Focus SES sedan this year.

On the bright side, I think I recognize the setting of that photo. Looks like Sinsheim Auto & Technikmuseum in Germany. Do I get a cookie?

1967 Shelby GT500.

Ah yes, I remember when I used to buy junkyard stuff for decoration and clothing adornment- oh wait, I still do. I get just about every [6000]STE badge I can find (ever seen a Grand Prix STE Turbo? I have two door badges from one), and on rare occasions grilles or other parts from certain vehicles. Was planning to…

I had to break a mint-condition dashboard on a 1986 Cutlass Ciera to get at the parking brake mechanism. The whole dash is one great big piece of plastic and that brake assembly didn't want to come out no matter what we did. I thought it was a shame, since it was a low-mileage car and the dash was perfect.

Well, I hate to admit that I have a secret desire to collect the '80s GM A-body pseudo-performance sedans. I already have a Pontiac 6000 STE, so that leaves something like, say, a Celebrity Eurosport, Cutlass Ciera XC Special Edition, and a Century Gran Sport.

I recognize this car. I saw it tooling up Mountain Blvd in Montclair (Oakland) over a year ago. Haven't seen it since. It figures that you would track it down, Murilee. :)

@OG_: Thanks for that! I was actually referring more to the sped-up, almost slapstick nature of the acting in the video as silly. The lyrics translation helps a lot.