I've always liked regular vehicles with odd factory options

David S. Wallens wrote: My brother knew a guy in school who drove a K-car wagon that was some ex-fleet vehicle that had a floor-shift manual transmission. I had a Dodge K car sedan with floor shift. My wife's car.

My parents back in 86-87 bought off the lot a brand new Escort wagon, 1.9 with a 4spd manual, no AC, manual windows/locks.

Then I bought a used 91 S10 that had a 4cyl/5spd/AC with manual steering. To top it off, a guy I know had a 84-86 S10 fully loaded, for the time, with the exception of power brakes!

Oh the days of being able to order what you want and being able it get it without extra package BS fluff.

Anybody remember when you could order "High altitude" (increased compression) and "Prairie Gears" ? Let us not forget Overdrive.

Powar wrote:

ZOO wrote:

vwcorvette wrote: Ex wife came to our relationship with a 1st gen Taurus 4 cyl manual trans. (ML-5 designation on the side). Never seen another. Or her.

I seem to remember it as an MT5 designation? Manual Transmission 5 speed? I remember seeing them too.

It was. I went to college with a guy who had a Taurus MT5 wagon. That car rocked.

And it had the 2.5 liter version of the Tempo engine!

I had some regular customers who had them, and it turns out the guy I work with bought one as his first new car. When it was about ten years old, the radiator let go and his wife drove it until it stopped running. New radiator, add coolant, ran just fine again. Well, as fine as those rackety, oil-drooly engines ever ran, at least.

My autos shop teacher had a 2.3l 5-speed Aerostar.

89 K car wagon. Baby blue. Roof rack. Power NOTHING. And to top it off....5 speed manual. It would go through snow though.

Early 90s S10. 2.5, manual, 4x4. WOULDN'T even spin the tires in snow.

93 Dodge shadow. 3.0 V6, 5 speed manual, no tach, manual windows, manual locks, no a/c, steel wheels.

My old Hyundai Tiburon was an odd duck. The body and interior were all 1999 but everything else was 2000.

It was more or less a stripper too.. cloth interior, no sunroof, no fogs, steel wheels with covers, and an odd exhaust tip that I never saw on another Tiburon.

It also rolled off of the truck 6 months old and with 1500 miles on it.. brand new.

Whoever spec'd my '08 Caravan didn't tick a single option box on the order sheet. I'd swear (wish) the thing would have a manual transmission had it been available.

I don't know if it was rare or weird but I thought it was odd. I had a 92 Grand Prix 2 door, all power options but then had a bench seat and column shifter

I bought an 88 Ford Ranger new off the lot with a 2.0 not the 2.3 and no rear bumper as it was an option.

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/cto/4279511584.html

WANT!

gofastbobby wrote: http://annarbor.craigslist.org/cto/4279511584.html WANT!

One of 158? I used to see tons of those.

In reply to KurtAKX:

Calling an LT1 a "Tune Port" (marketing term I know) makes me doubt the validity of his claims. Maybe only 158 got a hole drilled into the A-pillar for an alley light?

Still a sweet wagon.

• Lee

The standard 9c1 sedan is a dime a dozen. 1a2 wagon was very rare, from '91 to '96 less than 900 were produced. It'd be cool if the wagon had four wheel disc brakes like the sedan, but oh well.

I am going to look at it this weekend. It may be added to my fleet.

iceracer wrote: Anybody remember when you could order "High altitude" (increased compression) and "Prairie Gears" ? Let us not forget Overdrive.

Most of us were not even conceived in the 30's. My flathead had factory "denver" heads on it when I got it which were the hot ticket in stock racing. I thought altitude heads died out in the early 30's.

My 87 4Runner SR5 has AC, altimeter, cruise, a 5 speed, no sun roof, and manual windows and locks. Interesting set of options.

1981 Chevy El Camino motor is a 229v6 3speed on the floor body is in great condition.

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/4382156041.html

I once saw a 93 Jeep Grand Cherokee in white with cladding delete, steel wheels, cloth seats and a manual.

I wish I could have made that happen. ZJs look nice on steelies sans cladding. I've seen other manual JGCs since - it was an option in 93 and 94, though supposedly no 94's were built that way. I've never found another with cladding delete.

Not a rare option, but an odd option: I had a Toyota Van wagon with the ice maker.

Sorta rare: I've driven a CTS manual that is not a "V" car. It seems most are either a V or an auto.

I had a 90 full size bronco with a stick shift and the 5.0 v8. I haven't seen a stick bronco since I sold it.

Last car I had with high altitude head and overdrive was a '54 Willys Aero Eagle.

I think the compression ratio was 8 to 1.

It even had a two barrel carburetor.

I love things like the inclinometer available on older Mitsubishi 4x4s. Part of an optional gauge pack, you got your oil pressure and voltage along with degree of incline or descent, and angle of lean.

I recently bought a 69 Suburban with 4wd, 4 speed manual, no power steering, no power brakes, AM radio, and air conditioning. Also, it's factory turquoise with a white roof....seems like a really odd combination all things considered.

I'm also a sucker for odd storage options, like the little boxes on the Nissan Titan.

Or the First Aid kit molded into the rear door of the Nissan XTerra.

Oh, the new Toyo FJ had a great gauge package as well. They added a compass and an outside temperature gauge.

The rear seats in a Subaru BRAT were pretty odd. I can't imagine Ford offering these in an F-150 today!
Note the joystick handles that you got to hold onto.