You don’t hear the term “cream puff” used to describe cars much anymore, so maybe I’d better explain it for the benefit of our younger readers. A cream puff is a used car in particularly good shape, with particularly low miles, that has obviously led an easy life. They’re often nothing special, just well-preserved old cars–like these two. (It’s also a delicious dessert made of choux pastry.)
Yesterday, we looked at a couple of cheap projects in need of some (okay, lots of) assembly. In the nearly four years I’ve been doing this, I don’t think a single Saab has lost a Showdown, and we’re not going to break that streak today. The two-for-one Sonett deal won hands down. The Mazda RX-7 had its fans, but I think the fact that it was a former race car put a lot of you off.
I’m with you. Those two cars for $500 are a screaming deal, for exactly the right person. The trouble is finding that person. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of making one good car out of two marginal ones. I’ve done it a dozen times with old RC cars, but never in full-scale, and I think it would be a fun project. Or a giant headache that I end up selling for less than I paid for it after several fruitless years of tinkering. It could go either way.
When I was growing up, Christmas meant baked goods, and lots of them. My grandmother was half Swiss and half Danish, and she baked up a storm every year, as did my mother. Between the two of them, we were all on a non-stop sugar rush from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. It’s amazing I stayed as thin as I did as a kid. I’ve tried, with varying degrees of success, to revive some of their recipes: my lemon-curd-filled cupcakes are really good, and my skruppers (Danish pastry made with lard and yeast, layered with cinnamon and sugar) are passable, but not yet quite right. But I have yet to attempt one of my mom’s masterpiece gingerbread houses. This year, we’re in the middle of moving, so I haven’t been able to bake anything at all. But I can still treat you all to a couple of cream puffs. Here they are.
1978 Chevrolet Caprice Classic – $6,500
Engine/drivetrain: 305 cubic inch OHV V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Mesquite, TX
Odometer reading: 39,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
General Motors was the first of the “Big Three” to introduce a drastically downsized version of its full-size cars in 1977. Ford and Chrysler advertised their 1977 models as being real full-size cars, but the joke was on them: the smaller big Chevy was a huge hit. As before, the Impala was the less-expensive model, and the Caprice, like this one, was the fancy version.
This ’78 Caprice is a one-owner car, with only 39,000 miles on it. It’s powered by a 305 cubic inch V8 with a two-barrel carb, and a Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, driving a rear axle with a super-tall gear ratio to improve fuel economy. Don’t expect miracles when you step on the gas. It is a nice, durable combo, though, and the seller says this one runs and drives fine.
It’s as clean inside as you would hope it would be with so few miles. The seller claims the seats are leather, but I’m sure they’re vinyl. I doubt you could even get leather seats in a ’78 Chevy, except maybe the Corvette. There are some strange scuffs on the passenger side of the front seat visible in one photo, and a weird stain on the floor in back, but the rest of it looks like new.
It looks good outside, though the paint could use a waxing. All four original hubcaps are there, as is all the trim. I thought there was a filler piece missing above the rear bumper, but after looking at photos of other Caprices, I think it’s just sticking out farther than it should. It might be due to the trailer hitch.
1979 Mazda 626 Coupe – $6,250
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0 liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Millbrae, CA
Odometer reading: 79,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Now this is a car you don’t see often anymore: the first-generation Mazda 626. They were never a common sight on the road anyway, especially the coupe like this, and most of them were claimed by rust years ago. Last time I saw one in person was several years ago, in Portland, where you can still find one good example of any car, it seems.
This generation of 626 is rear-wheel-drive, with the same basic chassis layout as the first-generation RX-7. Instead of a rotary, the 626 is powered by a 2.0 liter four-cylinder, in this case backed by a five-speed manual. This one has fewer than 80,000 miles on it, and it runs and drives just fine. It just had a tune-up and a valve adjustment; now that’s something you don’t hear much these days, either.
The interior photos in the ad aren’t great, but they get the point across. It’s in beautiful shape, and it has cool houndstooth upholstery. It’s all original, and the radio works fine – but the air conditioning doesn’t. It kicks on, but it makes a funny noise instead of cool air.
Outside, it has been partially repainted, but the new paint doesn’t quite match. The original paint was faded to the point that you can tell what’s new and what’s old. But considering how few of these are left in rust-free condition, it’s a minor quibble. There’s also a dent in the rear bumper, but that’s trivial. It has cool alloy wheels that are more often associated with an RX-7, but I guess they were available on the 626 also.
These are both probably too old, and too nice, to use as everyday cars. And I’m not sure either one of them qualifies as a “classic” as such. But there is something to be said for ordinary cars that have survived decades virtually unscathed. The prices are probably more than you’d expect, but as I’ve said before, that’s just where the market is right now. Choose your favorite, enjoy your holiday, and I’ll see you back here on Friday!
626 for me please. 2 door,RWD and manual transmission.
Chevy Caprice big 6 cyl. o Boy, means Chevy Chase.
I had the 1981 version of that Mazda in brown back when it was only 12 years old. It had a bizarre amount of play in the steering wheel and one of the gears (third, I think) sounded like there was a broken tooth or something, but otherwise was solid. I sold it to a friend who drove over road debris and punctured the radiator, then seized the engine on it. Made me sad because otherwise it still seemed to have some decades of life in it, as validated by today’s car. We also had the wagon version of the Impala when we were growing up, so both cars were sentimental choices.
I started driving in 1989. All of these cars ( and so much more) could be bought back in the early 90s for $200-$800, on any given day. I completely dismissed all the little imports back then because I was a total fool. I pick the little yellow Mazda because I already have far more malaise era car experience than I need in my life. There’s very little good to say about those cars. Adding 3 more decades to them won’t make them better.
It’s Christmas, so… I’m taking BOTH.
By far the Mazda. Two doors, Japanese, manual, houndstooth seat fabric.
My mom had a ’78 Caprice with that super-tall rear-end gearing. It would honestly do 50 mph in first gear, and bury the 85-mph speedometer needle before it shifted into third.
I’m a die-hard GM guy, but I voted for the Mazda because 5-speed.
Mazda with a 5 speed, say no more. That Impala will run joylessly until the end of time though.
Wow… both so low miles! I’ll take the Mazda just because I had no idea the 626 went back that far. Also, I dig the 1970s shade of yellow.
I knew some people with early 626’s and they had to wait on a list to buy them. They drove fine, but were not particularly quick. Of course no regular cars were quick back then.
Many “sports cars” back then were also not quick. It was the worst of times.