Welcome to the archived messages from In The 00s. This archive stretches back to 1998 in some instances, and contains a nearly complete record of all the messages posted to inthe00s.com. You will also find an archive of the messages from inthe70s.com, inthe80s.com, inthe90s.com and amiright.com before they were combined to form the inthe00s.com messageboard.
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Subject: Worst car of the 70s
The first car i bought out of HS was a 1970 Plymouth Fury! I swear that car was cursed! It looked great,but you never knew if it would start,stay running or what! It was constantly breaking down! I couldnt even sell the darn thing! I wound up selling it for junk!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
It's a three-way tie:
Ford Pinto: You hit one in the rear end and it blows up.
Chevrolet Vega: Had an aluminum-block engine that was prone to failure.
GM diesel-powered cars: Engines were poorly designed and failed often.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
What? Nobody mentioned the Fishbowl The AMC Pacer!
http://www.mederle.de/amc/pacer.jpg
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
All those cars were indeed junk! The imports werent much better! I remember a popular import of the time was the MG and MGB! They were nothing but trouble! You had to be a mechanic to own one!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Several come to mind... the Gremiln, the Chevette and the old Dodge Colt.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The Ford Maverick/Mercury Comet made me hold my nose
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
All those cars were indeed junk! The imports werent much better! I remember a popular import of the time was the MG and MGB! They were nothing but trouble! You had to be a mechanic to own one!
End Quote
But you didn't have to be a good mechanic to work on the MGB/Midget - two sizes of socket, two screwdrivers and you could take the whole thing apart and put it back together again ;-)
Phil
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
But you didn't have to be a good mechanic to work on the MGB/Midget - two sizes of socket, two screwdrivers and you could take the whole thing apart and put it back together again ;-)
Phil
End Quote
Ditto the Citroen 2CV
I've seen bodywork repairs achieved with a biscuit tin lid and a handful of rivets!
It's the only car I've seen with a crank handle for those cold starts
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Chevrolet Vega: Had an aluminum-block engine that was prone to failure.
End Quote
This was the first car that came to my mind. ::)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
My Father had the Ford LTD back in the late 70's.I think I saw one of my baby pictures with my brother in the background with his car parked at the curb.That picture was taken in 1977.That was a vintage car but it kinda sucked cause it wasn't roomy enuff. -howard-(don't call me jammin'!) 8)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Anything from AMC, the Pinto, Plymouth Volare & Dodge Aspen, any Datsuns, Chevy Chevette and Nova, Toyota Tercel.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
My Father had the Ford LTD back in the late 70's.I think I saw one of my baby pictures with my brother in the background with his car parked at the curb.That picture was taken in 1977.That was a vintage car but it kinda sucked cause it wasn't roomy enuff. -howard-(don't call me jammin'!) 8)
End Quote
They must have shrunk, then. My sister had an early 70's model LTD and we could have fit the entire neighborhood in that thing. The car was huge :o
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
I saw the Toyota/tercel mentioned! In the 60s and 70s my dad ran a gas station! The forst toyotas that were imported into the country were total junk! As were most imports then,there was a big problem in getting parts! in the 60s, if you needed a simple water hose, you had problems! you had to go to a place that worked on imports and then order the part from the country of origin! and sometimes wait months!
Were a toyota family as Toyota has improved 100%! Our 96 Toyota/tercel runs as good as the day we bought it!
It wasnt until the late 70s that import parts stores started opening in great numbers!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
In Aus it was the Leyland P-76.
They had a developing history of unforseen mechanical failures - two of the more insignificant ones being braking and steering, both of which would fail at 'unfortunate' times.
That car did for Leyland here, they were never heard from again...
FB :)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Ditto the Citroen 2CV
I've seen bodywork repairs achieved with a biscuit tin lid and a handful of rivets...
End Quote
...where the repair was stronger and better looking than the original?
To quote Jasper Carrott: "an upturned corrugated pram on wheels"
Phil
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
my vote goes to PINTO
it killed and maimed people
that is a bad car! :(
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Well a freind of mine's mother had a 1973 green Vega. Riding in the back of it was torture! It was like being in a little green coffin.... ::)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
my vote goes to PINTO
it killed and maimed people
that is a bad car! :(
End Quote
I had a friend who was riding as a passenger in a Pinto when it was hit from the rear. But fortunately, it did not explode and no one was hurt. :)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Without a doubt the Ford Pinto! As a teen, my dad unfortunately was a 'Ford' man and therefore that is what I got to drive...
True story...
Driving down the interstate about 60 or 65 mph, cars began passing me and honking. I looked over and a driver who caught my attention this way was pointing back. I was clueless. I looked in the rear view mirror and smoke was billowing from my Pinto. At the speed I was traveling, the wind was pulling all of the smoke behind me so I was completely unaware of it until I looked back.
Freaking out and fearing that I was about to be burned alive when the Pinto inevitably burst into flames, I quickly pulled over into the emergency lane, hopped out, and hastily retreated to a safe distance. By the time the fire trucks arrived and doused the car, there was nothing remaining but the burned out shell.
And hey, I didn't even have to get rear ended to ignite this blast!
After the initial shock wore off, I was pleased that I would no longer have to drive around in a Ford Pinto! It was not exactly a 'babe magnet' set of wheels!
I'm sure Henry Ford was turning over in his grave during the Ford Pinto era. I will acknowledge that Ford has made vast improvements and now produces much better vehicles than they did back in the 1970's and early 1980's.
signed- almost met my maker because of a US automaker!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
WOW! You were lucky. I would have to say the Pinto was the worse car EVER! We had a AMC Hornet (does anyone remember those)-actually two of them. My sister dubbed the car "Horny" and the name stuck.
Cat
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
WOW! You were lucky. I would have to say the Pinto was the worse car EVER!
Cat
End Quote
I think the "Yugo" was. But that was 80's. Back to the 70's then. ;)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
As far as 70's cars, The Volkswagen(sp?) "Rabbit" was just as bad as all of the above mentioned.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
So many to choose from, but here is one that hasn't been mentioned.
1974 Ford Thunderbird
My mother had this for awhile, it was HUGE but utuilized none of it's mass for good use. It had a 460 cubic inch engine so about 8 feet of hood, it you pulled up on a hill you couldn't see in front of you casue the hood blocked you line of site. It had this little window in back so you couldn't see well out that either. The back seat was small so adults weren't comfortable back there. The front seats had a slick leather and they seats were about 6 feet wide so if you weren't buckled up you would slip from side to side. That, and it got about 8 mpg. It was not a cheep car, it had every option known to man at the time, including 3 switches to adjsut the seats upfront, so many choices that you could never find the same seating arrangement twice.
The most amazingly worse designed car, ever.
Thank god 70's cars have almost dissapeared from the roads.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Thank god 70's cars have almost dissapeared from the roads.
End Quote
I miss how big cars used to be. I really dislike the smaller, compact, "get hit and crushed" design. I also dislike how all of today's cars look alike. That same spherical design. And SUVs too. Forget it. I'll take me a station wagon any day!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Yeah but a smaller car today has more useful room than the larger cars of yesteryear. That's what's great about them. The get hit and crushed design costs more to fix but more less people are dying because of it. And the do look alike and that gets boring, but they are so much nicer to drive, maintance is a lot less frequent, motors run longer, gas milage is better, and mot importantly there is only about 5% of the emissions than cars from the 70's
Quoting:
I miss how big cars used to be. I really dislike the smaller, compact, "get hit and crushed" design. I also dislike how all of today's cars look alike. That same spherical design. And SUVs too. Forget it. I'll take me a station wagon any day!
End Quote
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Yeah but a smaller car today has more useful room than the larger cars of yesteryear. That's what's great about them. The get hit and crushed design costs more to fix but more less people are dying because of it. And the do look alike and that gets boring, but they are so much nicer to drive, maintance is a lot less frequent, motors run longer, gas milage is better, and mot importantly there is only about 5% of the emissions than cars from the 70's
End Quote
I agree on the emissions thing. :)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Yep, can't argue with that. ;)
I can remeber going to Disneyland in '80, you couldn't see the Matterhorn from the parking lot the smog was so bad. My wife and I were there last month and the air is much better in LA now than 25 years ago. It's good to know that things can improve over time.
Quoting:
I agree on the emissions thing. :)
End Quote
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
I think the "Yugo" was. But that was 80's. Back to the 70's then. ;)
End Quote
I had a friend with the last name of Igo. I don't know if he drove a Yugo but we used to joke about it. "The Igo Yugo." Or we used to say, "Where ever you go, Igo."
Cat
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Ugh, anyone remember Le Car? I actually saw one the other day being driven by a little old lady. Good shape, though. I can remember the car commercials while watching "Carol Burnett Show".
No wonder japanese cars made it into the N.American market big time during the 70's. :)
Of course, I still have a 1971 Datsun 240Z in the garage. heheh... ;D
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
A buddy of mine had a Le Car back in the mid 80's, don't recall what year it was, I do recall that it was a piece of you-know-what. He had so many problems with it.
Quoting:
Ugh, anyone remember Le Car? I actually saw one the other day being driven by a little old lady. Good shape, though. I can remember the car commercials while watching "Carol Burnett Show".
No wonder japanese cars made it into the N.American market big time during the 70's. :)
Of course, I still have a 1971 Datsun 240Z in the garage. heheh... ;D
End Quote
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The worst car of the '70's had to be my mom's Ford Granada. What a piece of crap that thing was. It was always having to be fixed.
As far as ugly goes, the Volkswagen Thing was probably the ugliest back in those days.
It's amazing how automakers can actually spend millions of dollars to put some of the ugliest things in the world on the road. It's even more amazing that anyone would actually pay more money to drive something so ugly.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
My mother had this for awhile, it was HUGE but utuilized none of it's mass for good use. It had a 460 cubic inch engine so about 8 feet of hood, it you pulled up on a hill you couldn't see in front of you casue the hood blocked you line of site. It had this little window in back so you couldn't see well out that either. The back seat was small so adults weren't comfortable back there. The front seats had a slick leather and they seats were about 6 feet wide so if you weren't buckled up you would slip from side to side. That, and it got about 8 mpg. It was not a cheep car, it had every option known to man at the time, including 3 switches to adjsut the seats upfront, so many choices that you could never find the same seating arrangement twice.
End Quote
I fail to see how this describes a BAD car. Believe me, our Town Cars are bigger and closer to your dimensional hyperbole altho' they have the same engine! Seems to me someone has caught the big-is-bad syndrome that hit in the '80s and is simply status quo since then!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Yeah but a smaller car today has more useful room than the larger cars of yesteryear.
End Quote
Nonsense. The reason people are using SUVs is partly because they need something bigger AT THE READY for any occasion. Vacations and moving are no fun w/little cars. Neither is crowding the whole family plus groceries. Day trips are much nicer w/more room to relax and stretch.
Quoting:
That's what's great about them. The get hit and crushed design costs more to fix but more less people are dying because of it.
End Quote
Not quite sure what was meant here, but incidentally, <i>any</i> car can have a "crumple zone" design - it's only little cars that desperately needed it. State Farm still informs people that everything else being the same, it's better to be bigger. This is simply a fact from Physics 101.
Quoting:
but they are so much nicer to drive, maintance is a lot less frequent, motors run longer
End Quote
I don't know how you get that big cars are higher maintenance and die earlier. Again, the bigger, the better on avg. The little 4-lunger has to do more work (including generally higher rpms and more pressure on the fuel inlets) to do the same result. It also has higher vibe problems than an extra-cylinder engine because more impulses along a line mean more equalizing of opposite impulses. Again, everything else being the same (basic designs, etc), I'd put my money on the big boy.
Not to mention, the drive is purely opinion. I love big cars - they drive so much smoother - including long drives and up mountains, etc. And the torque you can feel makes me feel more secure - not to mention its size which separates me more from outside dangers! I can appreciate turning radii, but even there, newer large cars have utilized improvements to make them virtually turn on a dime. Besides, maybe if parking lots were designed w/biggies in mind rather than "Compact Cars Only", it would all be the same difference!
Oppressed People, be free: understand you only need to go back to 18' "everyday" cars and SUVs will be unnecessary!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
We were referring to cars of the 70s.
I shouldn't have to explain myself any further since most seemd to remeber that, however for your benefit- Larger cars made now are much better vehicles than the 70s makes. I like the Chrysler 300m and some other models, points I was making is that these cars are smaller in outside demension but roomier inside, get better milage, less maintance, etc.
Quoting:
I fail to see how this describes a BAD car. Believe me, our Town Cars are bigger and closer to your dimensional hyperbole altho' they have the same engine! Seems to me someone has caught the big-is-bad syndrome that hit in the '80s and is simply status quo since then!
End Quote
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
We were referring to cars of the 70s.
I shouldn't have to explain myself any further since most seemd to remeber that, however for your benefit- Larger cars made now are much better vehicles than the 70s makes. I like the Chrysler 300m and some other models, points I was making is that these cars are smaller in outside demension but roomier inside, get better milage, less maintance, etc.
End Quote
Yeah, I can understand that as far as mileage, maintenance, emissions - comparing 90s to 70s, anyway, overall. But that's sort of a natural progression anyway as it has been over the decades.
But I can tell you they're not roomier now. We've had several generations of TC and believe me, while the new 1s are nice (well, not the recent bubble-top which cuts off the roofline for the driver), they're not the size in any way shape or form of the '70s.
No offense, Race. I love big cars, always have always will, and just seem to be 1 of the few loyal followers so end up defending them alot! And my '70s Lincolns are in my top 2 favorite cars all-time! They are very dear to me.
I had a "small" Cavalier I sadly gave up last year finally for a Monte. It was a good "little" car for years - but after sitting (rather, cramming) in some imports, it was still much bigger all around than most of them! (Which was fine w/me!)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
I agree with all who nominated "anything by the (now defunct for a reason) American Motors." My folks had one (I think it was a Gremlin, but it may have been another of their models) and it was a complete piece of junk. Among other things, it had a tendency to stall out in the middle of traffic! Yes, you would be driving down the road and all of a sudden the (expletive deleted) would just STOP RUNNING!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Well a freind of mine's mother had a 1973 green Vega. Riding in the back of it was torture! It was like being in a little green coffin.... ::)
End Quote
My sisters first car was an orange Vega, what a piece of crap. I hated that car, it couldn't get out of its own way. It sounded like a mini bike coming up the street.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
The Ford Maverick/Mercury Comet made me hold my nose
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The Pacer-or was that the 80's
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
The Pacer-or was that the 80's
End Quote
AMC cars are all LEMONS!My dad had an AMC Concord that was just plain awful.The car was NOT an easy car to drive,and driving it made my dad's angina worse,he'd get so mad at the darn hunk of JUNK!Also the FORD PINTO is unsafe and UGLY as all get out!!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
:P
My vote goes to the Gremlin, though any AMC would do.
My eyes bug out whenever I see one of those American compacts from the '70s. If you own a Pacer, what do you do if one of those windows breaks? Pay through the nose to a custom body shop, I'd wager.
Did I miss it, or did nobody mention the Ford Maverick? Feh, what's the point? You got the Vega, you got the Maverick, same diff.
Citron is French for "lemon," close to Citroen, eh? They had those 3-wheeler death traps.
Now, someone mentioned the Volkswagen Rabbit. After the '70s gas crunch, folks got interested in Diesel. You knew if your neighbor bought a diesel Rabbit. On a winter morning, yould hear the the thing warming up a block away. Oh, and those fumes.
You'd think Volksies being German would be agreeable in the winter. Not in the '70s, mon frere! My mom had what they called a Volkswagen "Squareback." Remember the car Harrison Ford drove in "Witness"? Ours was just like that, only orange. Rear-engined and air-cooled meant we froze in the winter and held on for dear life when we hit the ice.
It ran for 8 years and 200,000 miles of heavy duty family travel, but there were no tears when it went to the junk yard!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
:(How about the INTERNATIONAL Scout SUV? That was one UGLY vehicle,only contraption uglier than the Scout is the gas-guzzling bo-hemoth HUMMER! And the late 60's-70's Ford(Fix Or Repair Daily)trucks are no prize either. >:(
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Only things the AMC Gremlin,Ford Pinto,Chevy Vega,Chevy Chevette,and that ugly(expletive deleted)AMC Pacer are good for:
Battling it out at clunker DEMOLITION DERBIES!
&
PREY FOR BIGFOOT and GRAVE DIGGER at your local MONSTER TRUCK race!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Dad had no shame. He owned an orange Chevelle, a black Vega, a yellow Vega and MY personal favorite, a puke green Gremlin that he started up with a screwdriver. It was a social embarrassment for him to take me to school! :-X :-X
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Yea, I have to agree... AMC gremlin, Pacer, Matador were clunkers... Ford Pinto, or Mercury Bobcat ( they were deathtraps, gas tank in the rear)... But some of them old big cars of the 70's were stone reliable, roomy.. I miss my paps 73 Plymouth Satellite Station wagon... 318 V-8 is/was a good motor... Good grocery getter.. ;)
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Yea, I have to agree... AMC gremlin, Pacer, Matador were clunkers... Ford Pinto, or Mercury Bobcat ( they were deathtraps, gas tank in the rear)... But some of them old big cars of the 70's were stone reliable, roomy.. I miss my paps 73 Plymouth Satellite Station wagon... 318 V-8 is/was a good motor... Good grocery getter.. ;)
End Quote
As for 70's cars that I like:
The Pontiac 'Trans Am' Firebird was and still IS way cool!
And the 70's Corvettes were awesome too!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
my vote goes to PINTO
it killed and maimed people
that is a bad car! :(
End Quote
OK, this lover of all odd things automotive has to set things straight: First, the Pinto thing was a scam. It was actually initiated by TOYOTA, whose Corona (I think...one of their cars) had similar problems. The ones that exploded were generally hit by trucks, or large cars, frequently at high speeds.
Second, the Pinto wasn't a bad car: good chassis (sought to this day by street rodders to update vintage cars), good engine (still used today). They rusted, but so did everything from that era.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
Yeah but a smaller car today has more useful room than the larger cars of yesteryear. That's what's great about them. The get hit and crushed design costs more to fix but more less people are dying because of it. And the do look alike and that gets boring, but they are so much nicer to drive, maintance is a lot less frequent, motors run longer, gas milage is better, and mot importantly there is only about 5% of the emissions than cars from the 70'sEnd Quote
Due to a hit-and-runner in an SUV, I had the misfortune to plant my beloved 1979 Cadillac Coupe de Ville into a Jersey barrer & a guardrail at ~50MPH about a month ago. I shut off the STILL RUNNING engine, & climbed out without a scratch. Had I replaced 2 tires, I could probably have driven home.
The car recently passed smog for a 1995 model. It doesn't have any modern emission stuff beyond what was there in 1979.
Many new cars, even fairly large ones. are tight enough that I'm uncomfortable--the new Taurus/Sable comes to mind, as does the Chrysler Concorde. In both cases, my head is against the roof--I had more headroom in my 1985 Charger & even my 1978 Fairmont.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
:(How about the INTERNATIONAL Scout SUV? That was one UGLY vehicle,only contraption uglier than the Scout is the gas-guzzling bo-hemoth HUMMER! And the late 60's-70's Ford(Fix Or Repair Daily)trucks are no prize either. >:(
End Quote
Do not knock the International Scout! It was one of the most overbuilt vehicles ever made, & there's a reason that a good Scout fetches plenty of coin today. The old Ford trucks are the same way--many 4-wheelers (including this one) consider te 1977.5-79 Ford pickup trucks & 1978-79 Broncos the best 4x4's ever made. My uncle's 1979 F-250HD has over 400,000 hard miles as a work truck & snowplow & is still going.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Oh, yeah, I should say I'm a car nut and a half (so is my wife). My fleet consists of:
1979 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, awaiting major body repairs after a mating ritual with a guardrail. My baby.
1974 AMC Gremlin X--my second choice (couldn't find a manual-transmission Pacer), it now has a fire-breathing AMC 401 V8, & is getting a supercharger (hoping for 600HP) & a 6-speed transmission this winter. I want the vanity plate "1BADAMC"--though I might go with "HAFCAR". :)
1992 Ford F-350 4x4 diesel--Reading utility body, Fisher snowplow, 5-speed manual transmission, 343,000 miles & going strong--my work truck, and plow truck, and trailer hauler, and...
1986 Chevy Caprice Classic 2-door--picked up a couple days ago, free--it has a 4.3 litre fuel-injected V6, 115,000 miles, & runs well. I'll probably drive it through the winter.
1984 Ford B-700 chassis 40' school bus, motorhome project.
My wife:
1986 Buick Grand National--the Regal from hell, hers is essentially a full tilt race car with licence plates: rollcage, race seats, race harnesses, & a heavily-tweaked engine pushing 650HP (not bad for a V6)
1986 Cherokee Pioneer 4x4--489,000 miles on this winter commuter, going strong on its second engine (done at 299K), & still lots of fun off-road
1986 Chevy K-5 Blazer 4x4 diesel--REALLY slow, the Jeep's replacement...maybe.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
I know VOLVO's are very SAFE,but I think they are the most UNIMAGINATIVE and BORING cars built! The old Volvos are so UTILITARIAN and BOXY! I'm not a mother who has to ferry kids to school and stuff,so I REFUSE to drive a PLAIN,BORING car such as a Volvo!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
How about this Volvo? I like it!
;D
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Chevette
Pinto
Vega
Pacer
Gremlin
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
1971 Nova.....my mom was pregnant with me and told my father that the baby wanted the car. He bought it....I would NEVER pick a Nova....I was in her belly, how could I possibly see!!!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
>:(My foster mother had an early-70's Pontiac station wagon that was plug ugly but ran well. When that car went to pasture(she used it A LOT to ferry us kids around and to visit relatives in New York state and North Jersey,also to do HUGE food-shopping trips when sales were on),she let herself be talked into buying an 80's Ford Escort. Bad move on her part. The car was a real LEMON,nothing but trouble. Always stalled at very inconvienent times and places,such as the back roads of my area, the NJ Turnpike,the Garden State Parkway(in NORTH JERSEY at rush hour!) and the NY State Thruway(no-man's-land!)Lesson learned;DON'T BUY A NEW MODEL CAR!!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
too hell with new cars-overated,overpriced,no feel to em & they
begin to all look the same.......old still for me anyday... classic not plastic sh*t....
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
STUFFEnd Quote
STUFF
Regarding Vegas, Gremlins, and social embarrassment, that reminds me of Margaret Cho's bit about her father and his El Camino, the offspring of a sedan and a pickup. She used to tell her friends at school he was Herbie, the yard guy. There were a few models of the pickup car, the only ones I can think of are the El Camino and the Subaru Brat, both hideous.
My stepmother had a Le Car. She taught at a prep school, and one night some students picked up the Le Car and put it in the dining hall for a prank.
In the '70s there was a food processor called La Machine, so the joke was "How do you get five elephants into Le Car? La Machine!" OK, you have to be under ten for that to be funny, sorry guys.
I don't know if it qualifies as "worst" but oddest, and perhaps ugliest: the Volkswagen THING. The gimmick was you could take the doors and stuff off of it and turn it into a dune buggy. I've seen several restored and on the road, all bearing a bumper sticker reading: "Don't stare at my Thing," "Don't laugh at my Thing," or "Don't point at my Thing." Any comments on the the Thing?
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
1971 Nova.....my mom was pregnant with me and told my father that the baby wanted the car. He bought it....I would NEVER pick a Nova....I was in her belly, how could I possibly see!!!
End Quote
Now now! You momma knows best. ;) ;D
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The Thing was supposed to be something like a WW2 German military vehicle...odd-looking, to be sure.
Elkys are cool. Especially Super Sport models with big-block engines. :)
Another car/pickup was the Ford Ranchero.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The Chevy "Luv" compact truck was so small,I wonder how a normal-size person ever fits in one! A shrink ray possibly? The S-10s are bigger and better compact trucks. But my favorite trucks are all Dodges-Dakota,Hemi Powered Ram,and the Hemi-Powered Durango SUV! I've seen some cool looking S-10 lowriders though. Whatever happened to the cool-looking LIFTED 4x4's,though? You don't see many these days! :-
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
The Chevy "Luv" compact truck was so small,I wonder how a normal-size person ever fits in one! A shrink ray possibly? The S-10s are bigger and better compact trucks. But my favorite trucks are all Dodges-Dakota,Hemi Powered Ram,and the Hemi-Powered Durango SUV! I've seen some cool looking S-10 lowriders though. Whatever happened to the cool-looking LIFTED 4x4's,though? You don't see many these days! :-How about the old VOLKSWAGENvans of the 60's and 70's? Those flower children knew a good van when they saw one,many "Vee-Dubs" are still running and in decent condition!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
I can say this because in high school from 1989-1992 I drove this car. 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88. As if that weren't bad enough, it was yellow! The good thing, it sure could fly! The bad thing, when you'd turn the car off and take the key out, it would still be running. It was sort of embarrasing.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
It was only the Pinto hatchback that would explode. However, the collision had to be just right for the bolts to puncture the fuel tank AND for the gasoline to ignite. It happened very rarely, but the possibility of being instantly incinerated scared the hell out of people.
Speaking of the desirable chassis, I do remember a few souped up hot rod Pintos.
I remember a few horrible station wagons, the Dodge Aspen, the Plymouth Velore (sp). Not only were they mechanically shoddy, but the interiors were so poorly constructed they'd just start falling apart. Door handles, side pannels, locks, upholstery and so forth would wobble, fall off, crack, split and otherwise go to ruin. In the '80s the station wagon was supplanted by the minivan. I think 1987 may have been the last model year for the station wagon.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Dodge dropped the RWD wagons (Diplomat/Gran Fury) first--1982 was the last year. IIRC, the FWD K-car wagons ran until 1986.
My friend loves his 1978 Aspen wagon.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Forgive me if it was mentioned before. I read the first three pages, and got ansy :P I would like to put in a vote for the worst 70's car. Certainly the ugliest, hehe. An AMC Matador X-coupe two door.
http://www.hubcapcafe.com/i/2002/waukesha/amc_7401.jpg
The next would HAVE to be a Jensen Interceptor. It was a Brittish automobile, with a Mopar 440 engine. Nice car to look at, but combining a British electrical system, a leather interior, and a gas guzzling big Dodge engine, was not the best of all worlds.
http://home.hiwaay.net/~tjhiggin/hwystar/hs_angle.jpg
It almost looks like proof that a Beemer and a Porsche had an affair. An odd combo to say the least.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The Matador coupe's decidedly odd appearance was due to NASCAR--AMC raced Matadors, & wanted them as aerodynamic as possible for the 200MPH superspeedways. Many police departments, including the CHP, used (and were very impressed with) 401-powered Matadors.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Still looked wierd as hell. No way I would drive one, lol!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
You just need a ride in the right AMC. I suggest my Gremlin. :) Just bring clean underwear for after the first time I punch it. ;D
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
If it's as fast as the Superformance Cobra replica I rode in last year, I might ;D. That was the fastest thing on four wheels I've ever ridden in. With the 3 inch harness, I was still sliding up the seat when he floored it. SCARY fast, lol!,,,,,AW
450 HP 351, in a 2000 or so pound car :o :o
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
AMC 401, 375HP, plus a supercharger (about 600HP when everything is working right), in a 2400lb Gremlin.
My goal is 10-flat in the 1/4 mile.
But right now, it's in the garage...I kinda broke the transmission. :(
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
AMC:
Gremlin, Pacer, Hornet, Matador, etc.
Did anyone know that same person, Dick Teague (auto designer), did all these cars for AMC? I think he was on a good dose of acid.
He went on to do the new aero designs for Ford in the 80's & 90's i.e. Taurus, Thunderbird, Probe..looks like he got hold of some coke in the 80's.
GM:
Vega, Monza, Chevette, any diesel model
Big money spent on little pieces of crap. All that engineering talent couldn't produce an aluminun engine that couldn't melt.
They actually made a diesel Chevette!! Sold it to the public with a straight face!
Ford:
Pinto, Maverick, Granada, Mustang II
The Pintos problem would've been solved with a 4 cent collar on the fuel filler neck, would've saved lives. Ford admitted they didn't want to spend the extra cash.
Chrysler:
Cordoba, LeBaron, New Yorker, Volare/Aspen
ooohh, rich corenthian leather, vinyl tops, oprea windows! Offish looking cars that look absolutely retarded today.
Dautsun:
B-210, Honeybee, F-10
Before Datsun was Nissan, Datsun was....butt-ugly.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The MONZA!! I was trying to remember that model name. Sounded like Mazda, but was an American shitbox. I also forgot about the diesel Chevette. I've watched the Chevette inch slowly to extinction since the last model year, 1987.
I liked the Ford Granada and the LTD because I thought they were handsome cars. I didn't realize what crap they were when I was a kid. Another Ford junker was the Futura.
My dad had a Volkswagen Dasher for a while, another late '70s piece of crap.
I don't think Dick Teague's AMC designs were LSD inspired. Those shapes can only have come from psilocybin mushroom inebriation!
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
Quoting:
AMC:
Gremlin, Pacer, Hornet, Matador, etc.
Did anyone know that same person, Dick Teague (auto designer), did all these cars for AMC? I think he was on a good dose of acid.
He went on to do the new aero designs for Ford in the 80's & 90's i.e. Taurus, Thunderbird, Probe..looks like he got hold of some coke in the 80's.
GM:
Vega, Monza, Chevette, any diesel model
Big money spent on little pieces of crap. All that engineering talent couldn't produce an aluminun engine that couldn't melt.
They actually made a diesel Chevette!! Sold it to the public with a straight face!
Ford:
Pinto, Maverick, Granada, Mustang II
The Pintos problem would've been solved with a 4 cent collar on the fuel filler neck, would've saved lives. Ford admitted they didn't want to spend the extra cash.
Chrysler:
Cordoba, LeBaron, New Yorker, Volare/Aspen
ooohh, rich corenthian leather, vinyl tops, oprea windows! Offish looking cars that look absolutely retarded today.
Datsun:
B-210, Honeybee, F-10
Before Datsun was Nissan, Datsun was....butt-ugly.End Quote
The Pacer's odd proportionswere a result of GM pulling the rug out from under AMC--it was actually supposed to be FWD with a Wankel rotary engine. When GM dropped the entire rotary project in its tracks, AMC widened the car 7" to fit a conventional 258ci I-6 & tranmission. There was nothing wrong with the Hornet...as anyone who has driven a 1971 Hornet SC360 4-speed will attest. As i said earlier, the Matador's shape was dictated by NASCAR's superspeedways. The aero-styled 1983-88 T-bird is popular--I've heard many people call it the best-looking car of the era.
The Chevette was an Opel Kadett...and sucked. The diesels actually weren't bad--55MPG is nice. The diesel was an Isuzu. The Vega was a spectacular handler with a revolutionary (for the time) engine. However, it was fragile--people were used to cast-iron engines that would run hot or low on oil with no problems--the Vega's cylinder wall lining couldn't tolerate it, even for a few seconds. Keep the oil clean, keep it cool, & it will run a long time. Proof? BMW's 4.4 litre V8 (540i, 740i) uses the same coating process on an aluminum block. Eevn with a heavy V8 in front,. the Vega still handles well. The Monza was also a good handler (and a blast to drive with a 5-speed), but down on power. That was an easy fix, though--under all the crap, the engine (a 2bbl, 110HP 305) was still a SB Chevy V8.
The Maverick shares the chassis with the 1968-70 Mustang. Had the EPA held off one more year, Ford would have built a Boss 302 Maverick & maybe a Mercury Comet XR7. The Granada is also on a modified Mustang chassis--the 2-door ESS was actually a pretty decent performer: 302 V8, 4-speed manual, 4-wheel disc brakes, bucket seats. The Mustang II has the BEST chassis of ANY Mustang--street rodders use it to this day, & many people swap it under 60's Mustangs for better handling.
I want a Cordoba. Make mine a 1975 with a 440 Pursuit. :) My friend's 1978 Aspen wagon (with a mild 360) has left more than one 5.0 Mustang guy wondering what just hit him.
Datsun Fairlady Z (better known here as the 240/260/280Z)--no more need be said.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
To each his own...comming from an industrial design (transportation) background, I was commenting on how the cars were designed, put together and how the looked overall.
Dick Teauge, saw his first drawings/sketches for the Pacer, the proportions were just as bizzare with or without the roatry mill. Maybe more so..Considering the early problems that NSU and Mazda had with the rotary, it was probably better that GM left the rotary alone.
The Hornet, well, it may have run great but wasn't going to win any beauty contests, ditto Maverick and Cordoba. The Granada always looked like it wanted to be a Mercedes, but was desiged so clunkly, it just came off looking, well like a Ford that wanted to be something else.
Mustang II chassis may have been good, but the body/shape was the weakest looking of the 'stangs. It has to be the most femmine looking Mustang ever...& if you're going to mention the King Cobra, well that just proves the point...I'm well aware that some of the engines available in these made them quite the runner, but, ya gotta admit they looked like the bell-bottoms/lesuire suit of cars for their day.
Won't give you any leeway on the Vega though, my dad was dumb enough to buy a '74 (lemon yellow, no less!) and the block melted and went south in the first six months. Tranny went 3 mos after that, parts fell off like popcorn out of a hot-air popper, really a lemon. Sorry, but using BMW's success with an aluminum block dosen't prove that GM knew what the hell it was doing, or that the Vega was a good idea...I had Revell snap-on kits that were put together/engineered better..
The GM diesels were a "me too" quick conversion from gas mills, and poorly done at that. Head gasket, compression problems, etc. My uncle had a '79 diesel Olds 88, piece of junk. GM admitted as much in court (class-action suit was filled) and a issued a voluntary recall for repairs and updates. Izuzu diesels weren't as bad, but still not worth it.
You're right about the Z-cars, they were the exception to the ugly Datsun rule.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
The Chevette never used a GM diesel. All Chevette diesels were Isuzu. The early Olds 260/350 had problems with the head bolts (too small), but the later (1981-86) engines weren't bad. Just DO NOT START THEM WITH ETHER!
My friend has a Vega--a 1971 panel-delivery wagon. Even with an all-iron SB Chevy in the front (and air conditioning), with only 14" wheels, it's a very good handler. Other than stiffer front springs (V8 A/C Monza) & shocks for the extra weight & conversion to 5-lug wheels, the chassis is completely stock. He's owned it a good 20 years, & his aunt bought it new (4-cylinder/auto). It's his daily driver from Easter to the first snow.
BMW's 4.4 V8 (and probably some other engines; the 4.4 is the only one I'm sure of) uses the same Alusil process the Vega used. Modern metallurgy, however, makes it more durable.
The reason the Pacer looked so odd was because it was so wide. If not for GM dropping the rotary, it wouldn't have been so wide.
The Vega was also supposed to have a rotary.
Subject: Re: Worst car of the 70s
My vote goes to the Ford Pinto. It's a pretty bad sign when the distinguishing feature of a car is an unfortunate tendency to explode when bumped. ;D ;)