Author Topic: A car question... (Read 1512 times)

ironglow · « **on:** July 30, 2010, 06:43:52 PM »

Yep!.. Change of pace, a car question. No right or wrong; just opinions.

Which U.S. made car when it was introduced, made your eyes bug out, your jaw drop and started you salivating?
Since not all the coolest cars are the newest models..let's put the model year brackets from 1950 to present.
Let's hear it guys..just which car when fiest introduced..rerally "grabbed" you, and why ? I'll wait for a few posts and opinions, then I'll post my choice..with reasons. Remember..no right, no wrong, just poster's choice...

dukkillr · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2010, 06:59:57 PM »

I'm young enough to not have been driving when the first American muscle cars hit the market. The dodge viper, however, was as cool as anything on the market when I was about that age... 8.4L v10... not much else you need to hear...

magooch · « **Reply #2 on:** July 31, 2010, 04:37:31 AM »

I don't think my eyes bugged out, but I thought the Dodges and Plymouths with the 426 hemis and a four-speed were awesome. That of course had more to do with the running gear than the eye appeal of the body. For pure good looks almost any Corvette works for me.

Oh yeah, I had a Cadillac Seville one time with a Rolls Royce type grill that was pretty eye catching.

Old Syko · « **Reply #3 on:** July 31, 2010, 07:40:04 AM »

Dodge Viper, without a doubt, but in the original prototype configuration rather than the photo dukkiller posted. The original also had a Mazaratti V12 engine which produced much more horsepower than the V10 that was eventually develloped. The now well known V10 was still in the early stages of devellopment when the first proto hit the track.

Sourdough · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2010, 08:51:53 AM »

The Ford GT-40. Yea I know it was a limited production car, but it was fantastic. The newer version with the new technological advances is even better.

Standard production cars, the Mazda RX-8. Smooth lines, rotery engine, and handling that is a dream.

ironglow · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2010, 10:08:55 AM »

Some nice machines mentioned here, without a doubt. I had a Mazda Miata which I truly liked a great deal..but by the original post, this is limited to U.S. cars only...although imports would be a nice thread for somebody to start also.
I'm holding a bit before I indicate my choice...hint; it's a "vintage" car.

spikehorn · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2010, 10:30:03 AM »

I saw a new lime green dodge daytona the other day, haven't been much into chrysler products since the hay day of muscle cars but this one deffinetly turned my head.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** August 01, 2010, 03:17:01 AM »

Cameros when they first came out in 67 and again when they came back out last year. Also the 67 big block chevele and agian the 70 ls6 cheveles. I knew i just had to have a buick grand national when they became intercooled and 86 and bought an 87 and it was probably my all time favorite car. I also was a big fan of the late 60s early 70s mopars.

pmeisel · « **Reply #8 on:** August 01, 2010, 03:29:14 AM »

The original Barracuda, in the early sixties.....

The late 60s Shelby Mustangs......

The Dodge Daytona circa mid 80s....

The Lincoln Mark VII (had one for awhile.....)

The 4 door Jeeps! Want one......

ironglow · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2010, 04:13:24 AM »

Yes indeed! some very nice "iron" listed here..any of which very few would mind to "darken their driveway"..
Guess it's time for me to "fess up". My favorite car that I have ever owned wouldn't make this list..but the one which made my mouth water is the 56-57 Studebaker Golden Hawk.
Now, some of our younger forum members may not even recognize the Studebaker name, but it was a company that produced some interesting products (starting 1852). Here's an interesting video;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGOjFz_z0iU&feature=related

ironglow · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2010, 04:34:28 AM »

BTW:
The Golden Hawks did not come only in gold color, a full panoply of colors were offered. By the mid 1960s it was Studebaker/Packard corporation and Packard had their own Hawk.
Much as I wanted one, I never owned one, although as a very young man in 1954, I did have a light blue 1950 Studebaker Champion Starlight coupe. See pics below:

shvlhead.45 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 01, 2010, 07:40:47 PM »

In the posted order; Chevrolet SSR w/LS2 and 6 spd tranny, Trailblazer SS, Dodge SRT10 with 6 spd.

EVOC ONE · « **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2010, 03:00:21 AM »

I have always been a car buff. My parents tell stories of how I could name most of the vehicles on the road before school age. To this day I love to drive and look at vehicles.

The one car (and there have been a few that have struck a stong interest over the years) that still stands out as the first one I recall that made me "star struck" was a 1969 Road Runner. A cousin returned from Vietnam and purchased a new one. It was dark blue with flat black hood stripes, a four speed, blue rims with chrome center caps and fast as heck. I loved riding in that car. The sound of the exhaust, the rise of the front when he accelerated, the wicked sound of the rear breaking loose and tires squeeling when he "banged" those gears still stays with me today.

I've never been able to purchase one for one reason of another. If I ever find myself in a position to justfy the cost such a vehicle, a '69 Road Runner would be the one.

garbhead · « **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2010, 03:18:53 AM »

Mine without a doubt was the 1970-1973 Pontiac Trans Ams....I remember seeing the white w/blue stripes and/or blue w/white stripes ones when they first came out....here is a pic of the 1973 I bought in 1979 for $5700 and sold in 1981 for $5000 that sold a couple of weeks ago on ebay for $60,000

blind ear · « **Reply #14 on:** August 02, 2010, 06:43:07 AM »

68-69- 70 GTO. Cruise at 100 and feel like sitting on a couch, would do it with 4 - 200+ lb meat heads loaded in it. Would not make enough road noise or wind noise to make your girl friend know you were going over 55. Red with a white vinyl top. eddiegjr

ironglow · « **Reply #15 on:** August 02, 2010, 10:46:55 AM »

Here's one someone may like..and it is available. My son has founded and is director of a Christian youth organization. This car was donated to be sold by them, to help them in their work..ramps for handicapped, home repairs for needy etc.
The car is to be sold..it is a 1972 Chevelle, 350 engine, miles 70K. If anyone in western New York or Northwestern Pennsylvania (or anywhere) would like to see it, send me a PM. It is as nice on the bottom as it is on top !
Ironglow

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #16 on:** August 09, 2010, 09:37:58 AM »

My favorites were mainly GM's

1962 Chevy Biscane

1972 Pontiac Catalina (400cid)

1977 Chevy Montie Carlo (350cid)

Slowpoke Slim · « **Reply #17 on:** August 09, 2010, 11:11:16 AM »

Mopars. Real ones. Not the crap they're calling "mopars" today (A FOUR DOOR CHARGER!!- Barf).

68 Hemi Super Stockers, Barracuda and Dart.

65-70 B-bodies. Big blocks. Real Hemi's.

My first car was a 69 Coronet w/ 440, auto trans, sure grip rear end.

Ohhh, yeah. Got in a LOT of trouble with that car!

67 Coronet big block, Just a solid, strong, "sleeper" car. Didn't look like anything until you agreed to race me...

67 Plymouth Satellite 440 drag car, would pick the front wheels up off the track at launch. I had to do very little modifying to that one to make it competitive. Just basically stripped the interior, put in the roll cage, and gears...

66 Plymouth barracuda, 273 commando (the only car that ever REALLY scared me). It would go 165 mph with those tall gears, and it had 8" manual DRUM BRAKES!! You couldn't use the brakes at all until you got it down to about 85-90, or else they'd just heat up and stop working. Yikes. My brother's 70 6 pack Roadrunner would leave me in the dust from the starting line, but with enough road in front of us, once he topped out at about 135 mph (gears were lower), I would start gaining on him, and eventually come around him. It sure used to tick him off something fierce...

I had an old Chrysler engineering guy tell me they stopped racing the early barracuda's back in the day, because at high speed, a low pressure zone would develop behind that huge back window, and literally suck the back window out of the car! I guess it happened a few times. After finding that out, and finding out how much one of those back windows went for in early 90's $ ($800), I stopped that foolishness...

Good times.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #18 on:** August 09, 2010, 11:37:58 AM »

I was always a gear head in high school, back in the 70's. A great time to be a gear head, as most of the classic muscle cars were hitting the 10 year, 100,000 mile mark, sucked down that oil embargo gas, and could be found dirt cheap. I re-built several, including a 68 Camaro, and a 65 GTO, complete with triple deuces carbs (ran better with the 4bl Holley) In the early 80's, I picked up a 75 Corvette cheap with a blown 165hp smogged out factory motor. Put a solid cam 375hp 327 motor, and a Fairbanks Turbo 400 tranny in it. What a sleeper. Used to enjoy eating Mustang GT's for lunch with it. Back about 10 years ago, I found a 57 Chevy 2dr 210 sedan, black, rust free and straight, all stock except the drivetrain had been replaced with a 350/350, and a 4spd M22 tranny. That car was beautiful and fun, except the motor really over powered the suspension and brakes. Sold that one to buy a house. My last project was a 69 Camaro with a 6cyl 3speed on the collum. Put a big block and a turbo 400 auto in that puppy, and it was scary fast. Sold it a few years ago. Now that I am retired, I have been thinking about doing another car, maybe another mid 70's sleeper Vette...

Larry

1marty · « **Reply #19 on:** August 09, 2010, 04:42:28 PM »

In 1962 my first car was a 56 chevy. the thing was like a tank. I once hit a guy in the rear. His trunk wound up in his back seat and I had a couple of scrapes on my front pumper.

ironglow · « **Reply #20 on:** August 09, 2010, 05:12:12 PM »

Certain engines... 50s through 70s became legends;
The 283 Chevy, the Chrysler Hemi, Ford 351 Cleveland, Chevy 409, Ford 300/6... can you add more to the list?

DDZ · « **Reply #21 on:** August 12, 2010, 04:00:27 PM »

Ford 289, 390, Chevy 327, Dodge 340, 383, 440 six pack.

My favorite cars were the Mopars. Especially the 70 Roadrunner, or GTX. The Superbee, Dodge Coronet RT, and Charger RT were awesome cars also.

The sound of a hopped up Mopar, just did things for me. The sound of that rough idle in the 70 roadrunner is just down right awesome. I used to have one, but it didn't look as good as the one in the video, nor sound like it. I often dream of what could have been. That is one car I wished I would have kept. I bought it in 1975 for $950. Just wasn't room for that kind of car, getting married at 19 and having a son.

I remember a bunch of us would all park our muscle cars in a store parking lot, and hang out for awhile on Saturday night. Got the nick name of gear heads from the local people. There were some nice cars in the bunch. A 68 GTO, couple of Camero's , a Dodge Dart, 68 firebird, 69 & 67 Chevelle, Super Bee. Couple of Roadrunners including mine. Those were the good-ol days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs3UyHCSyNg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB6_0tssH0g&feature=related