90's sleeper cars appreciating

Guildedagain

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So, not only these awesome 90's cars are pretty dang hard to find now, unavailability will be compounded by steeply rising prices. What a world...

But to see these unsung gems finally get the recognition that deserve is good. My pretty much all time favorite car now is a 1995. Has every modern convenience imaginable but still has a cable from the gas pedal to the engine and a cable from the clutch pedal to the clutch, minimal computer systems but ABS and Air Bags.

An incredible marriage of technology, drivability, ease of maintenance. Nothing surpasses this decade. From 2000 on, cars start getting bloated, going "drive by wire" by 2005, as my surprised neighbors just found out "their gas pedal was going out", step on it nothing happens, left the old couple stranded mulitple time, no thx.

 

James Hart

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Not a sleeper, but I am planning a 16v head and intercooled turbo addition to my wife's car. 1992 Volvo 245 wagon :)

20201010_152414.jpg
 

Opsimath

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Yes, built not bought :cool:

one of my previous employers...
IMG_20161011_153635.jpg
Ooooohhhh. Nice!

Nice, too, that you can do the work yourself. I kept a '70 Torino hoping I could find someone to show me how to work on a car, but no takers so I finally sold it (the apartment complex front office was complaining).
 
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adorshki

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My beloved '90 Thunderbird SC (SuperCharged/SuperCoupe take your pick...), Cinderella. Looked just like the ad cars.

1990-ford-thunderbird-sc-print-ad.jpg


Ford's highest output motor in '90, even beat the Mustang 5.0. Their technology showcase too: Distributorless Ignition, Computer Controlled Timing, EFI, Electronic adjustable shocks, ABS, dual exhaust, Independant Rear Suspension w/ trailing link cornering load toe- in geometry (rear wheel steering assist) , 16" rims on 1/2" lowered suspension w/ heavy duty anti-roll bars and functional aero skirts, (note lack of wing!)

And it looked pretty damn good too.

1674357236494.jpeg

Mine had the blue leather interior, loved it to death, and the best seats I've ever had. Full power including lumbar and even those side bolsters could close in and really clamp you in, if you wanted. Passenger seat too! CD AND tape JBL sound system. A true "GT", you could cruise tirelessly all day at 90 if you wanted, and the motor would still be loafing!

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Great instrument panel with the boost gauge right there top dead center:
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Ah, but the engine.... another glorious piece of automotive sculpture:

"SUPERCHARGED" cast into the finned intercooler-to-supercharger manifold runner. Blocks were cast in Ford Germany Cologne plant with beefed up skirts and webbing for the application.

232018_Engine_Web.jpg


Sadly, she was a somewhat temperamental lass with several achilles' heels, and many critical components have been out of production for years including the shocks and the ABS pressure housing/distribution manifold, and Engine Spark Control module (that grey box between the air intake housing and the supercharger input shaft housing). That kind of stuff tends to drive down auction values, even for pristine examples, since they'd be so difficult to keep original.

But I loved her to death. 🙃
 
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JohnW63

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"Mine had the blue leather interior, loved it to death, and the best seats I've ever had"

I like the leather seats in the Taurus too. Power all sorts of things to adjust your position.

1995_ford_taurus_sedan_se_i_oem_1_500.jpg
 

James Hart

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Thet 'un there looks like it wants to be one o' them million mile Volvos when it grows up.

Why ain't it a sleeper? :sleep:

in the 210k range currently... sleeper would be if it had something unexpected under the hood. While it has updated handling and a sport exhaust, it is still pushing a stock 114hp :) The 16v + Turbo is good for about 200.
 

Guildedagain

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II think he meant it looks like a sleeper car, has a berth?

This is my 90's squeeze, 1st year of this body style, more advances than you can shake a stick at. You really have to go over the original sales brochures to know this stuff, like;

load toe- in geometry (rear wheel steering assist)

My '95 wagon has it, but I'm probably the only person in the state that knows it.

Parking in the shade at the bicycle shop many many moons ago.


1995 Legacy.png

More in it's element.
P1310436.jpg

Coming home after sunset.
IMG_2028.jpg
 

mavuser

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Not a sleeper, but I am planning a 16v head and intercooled turbo addition to my wife's car. 1992 Volvo 245 wagon :)

20201010_152414.jpg

my mother had the same color blue 1989 Volvo 240. we bought it as a demo from the dealership with about 4,000 miles or so, in 1989. sold it with 220,000 miles, still going strong. probably around 2001-2004 or so.
 

James Hart

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Had several 240/740s over the years -- always wanted a turbo-wagon, but the stars never aligned. Great cars.

I've owned 8 Volvo over the years... P1800, 242, 262c Bertone, 2x245, 745, V70, XC90 V8. I dig them all!
I love the old volvo wagons. I grew up in these in 70s...

My dream would be a P1800ES but the 245 is my favorite of all of them.

my mother had the same color blue 1989 Volvo 240. we bought it as a demo from the dealership with about 4,000 miles or so, in 1989. sold it with 220,000 miles, still going strong. probably around 2001-2004 or so.

My previous 245 was the same color too... I think it was one of the most popular colors from mid 80s on through the line.
 

Westerly Wood

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I've owned 8 Volvo over the years... P1800, 242, 262c Bertone, 2x245, 745, V70, XC90 V8. I dig them all!


My dream would be a P1800ES but the 245 is my favorite of all of them.



My previous 245 was the same color too... I think it was one of the most popular colors from mid 80s on through the line.
It was the only model my Dad would buy over a 10 year period. Sedans and the wagons. Like every 3 years. He was a travelling salesman, the last of the Biff Loman types before malls killed that industry.
 

jp

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We had a 1998 V70 GLT that my wife loved, mostly because it was so cushy. I was forever on the hunt for the T5 version with a manual transmission, but those were always hard to come by.

I had two truly favorite 90s cars. I tend to like cars that have guts under the hood, but are more so well-balanced drivers that handle predictably when pushed.

The first was a 1990 Nissan Maxima SE, 5-speed, 3.0 liter V6, sport suspension. It was so fast, smooth, and balanced. I was tempted to trick it out, but we ended up selling it when we moved overseas. These and the following 4th generation were real sleepers. They went downhill after Renault acquired Nissan in 1999.

The second was a 1999 Subaru Impreza L-wagon AWD, which was a wonderfully zippy and fun little racer that would have made a great rally car.
 

mavuser

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new Volvos made in China! yikes!!

now seriously, I don't have any major issue with anything made in China unless it is complete junk, and i'm not saying the new Volvos are bad (or good)...my point is just, a Swedish car...made in China?? somehow even Mercedes or Audi that would not shock me, but Sweden?? man u are smart to maintain the old ones. u could do that full time, and flip them. i agree total sleepers!
 

Westerly Wood

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the only issue with volvos is electrical system. they are finnicky and expensive to fix.
older toyotas on the other hand, always had great consistency from that brand.
 
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