What Car would you purchase in the 1970's ...

[TheSilkySmooth]

... If there was a gas crisis and you had to get an economy car?

I will put in 1 vote on a Ford Fiesta:thumbsup:

[eTiMaGo]

nothing like it...

[SailDesign]

nothing like it...

'Zactly! Perfect choice.

[bdc87]

^ +2

[m911gt]

One of the original Civics

[BailOut]

One of the original Civics
Same here; a 1972-1976 3-door hatchback.

[bobby]

The Toyota Starlet was basic transportation, but extremely reliable.

I think most American cars in the 70's were complete junk...come to think of it, they kinda still are. I'd be embarrased to be seen driving an American car...very uncool.

[KCALB SIRAY]

Datsun 1600
http://www.turbophile.com/our_cars/andrew_l18_1600/sidefront.jpg

[tuckevalastin]

http://www.adclassix.com/images/77chevychevette.jpghttp://www.kitfoster.com/images/2006-7-13_Vega1971AdWeb-Medium.jpg

[ChinoCharles]

Dodge Colt!

[kou]

ford escort.

[mikenacarato]

'76 Ramcharger. idk why but ive always liked them.

[Gideon]

Why, the Trabant of course!

http://www.kfz.de/hersteller/trabant/trabant.jpg

[Thirty-Nine]

Probably one of the makes already mentioned here:

Toyota Starlet or Corolla
Honda Civic (I owned a 1979)
Datsun 210, 510, etc.

[MUSKOKA800]

In the 70's Dad had a '66 Beetle followed by a new '72 Mercury Capri (4 sp. standard).
Mom drove the '67 Pontiac Parisienne convertible followed by a new '72 Datson 510.
These were my weapons of choice while learning to drive ('72>>>).

Of those the Capri was most fun. It was only the inline 4 but had good handling and was a solid (German built) car. I actually kept it as my own when the time came for Dad to move on to his next vehicle.

[tuckevalastin]

No one would take one of these?

http://www.decodesystems.com/gremlin-premier.jpg

or these
http://www.cartype.com/pics/5246/full/amc_pacer_canada_brochure_75.jpg

[BailOut]

'76 Ramcharger. idk why but ive always liked them.
Please read the OP more closely. This is an exercise in selecting car during the oil crisis that occurred in the U.S. in 1973. With the rare exception of true farmers, ranchers and select contractor types no one runs out to buy a 5,000+ pound behemoth in the middle of an oil crisis, especially in the 1970s when our economy was not yet strong enough to support the salaries we see today.

[Loren]

Any of the small RWD Datsuns or Toyotas.

Interestingly, I spotted a '72 Toyota Carina (sort of a stretched Celica) on Craigslist yesterday for $1500. Thinking it would be the perfect first car for my son. Cheap, economical, different... and dead simple to work on.

1.6 liters, 88 hp, 91 ft/lbs, about 1900 pounds. There's a lot to like there.

[Forrest]

I had a 73 VW SuperBeetle. It was a great little car.

[gid]

'79 > '84 PLYMOUTH Champ / DODGE Colt with 1.4 ltr. Mitsu engine and 4 speed manual :thumbsup: or the old TERCEL that was all glass for the liftback :w00t: .

[Doug007]

... If there was a gas crisis and you had to get an economy car?

I will put in 1 vote on a Ford Fiesta:thumbsup:

+1 I used to have an orange Fiesta and it was great. I think the wheels were 12-13", really tiny but fun to drive. I can't recall the actual economy, but it ran circles around my other car, an MGB.

[Demon]

Uh, a Fiat X1/9 !!

http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/11890-2/IMG_1119.jpg

or probably the Alfasud.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Alfasud_orange.jpg

Iron-made Italian cars !!

[mchllp925]

Hands down.. a 1970 RED Hemi Dart :evil::burnrubber:

[bobselectric]

70 Opel GT- had one in the early 80's and it was really a fun car

[Loren]

That's a sexy car, Bob.

I guess I already have a 70's car in my garage, huh?

[WeeYari]

Not exactly in the theme of the '70s gas crisis, but this is what I learned to drive in and would rock another one in a heart beat. Purchased in 1973, it was the first new car my parents ever owned.

AMC Javelin

[Black Yaris]

if it were the 70's I would buy a 10 year old Ferrari

62-64 Ferrari 250 GTO
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200611/1962-ferrari-250-gto_460x0w.jpg

[nemelek]

A Toyata Hilux Pickup Truck. I have always owned a truck.

[Altitude]

VW Beetle

[gid]

... If there was a gas crisis and you had to get an economy car?

I will put in 1 vote on a Ford Fiesta:thumbsup: good choice :clap: . If I remember right some of them had V.W. engine . We had a '90 FESTIVA with 3 speed auto and a '93 with a 5 speed manual . These were actually a MAZDA 121 ( 1.3 ltr. engine ) produced in MEXICO . Great little cars , the 1.3 ltr. can take serious punsihment . Seen it in person , felt pity for that '88 FESTIVA :frown: , still managed to make it to 150,000 + miles , amazing :eek: . :bow: to the 1.3 .

[SilverBack]

'73-'74 BMW 2002 :drool:
http://www.1-18scalecars.com/BMW/BMW_2002_Turbo_front_quarter.jpg

And maybe also one of these :bow:: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w4ir8mcM-8

[tuckevalastin]

There are some people here who would have gone bankrupt during the fuel crisis with their picks

[gid]

due to '79 > '80 winter had to get a loan to pay the oil bill , took quite a while to pay it off . Drove an automatic DODGE Dart with slant 6 at that time . Did quite well in the snow for a rear wheel drive . Fun car to drive . Wasn't very good about maintaining a car or practiced good driving habits in those days :burnrubber: . Life is a learning process .

[detroiter]

I'd buy a Mazda Rx3 with the rotary engine. A gas guzzling fun machine. I'd romp the gas and redline it every chance I got just to make all the gas misers angry, muahahahaha!!

[Phaeton]

My first vehicle was a 1978 chevy stepside pickup with a shortbed.
It had a 383 stroker motor with a posi rearend. My parents hated it.
I wish I still had that truck it was the most dangerous thing I've ever owned lol.

[pinoypizzaboy]

70's era mitsubishi lancer with a toyota engine lol

[GeneW]

1975 Chevy Nova. Straight six, THD 350. You could get decent mileage and the car was almost bulletproof. Properly tuned they ran great. Remove some of the Emissions Control crapola and they ran even better - yeah it was illegal, so were other things.

I owned one in the 1980s and early 1990s. With a working catalytic perverter. Wish that I still had it for Megasquirt purposes.

Been great with that straight six, a THD 200R4 and some other goodies.

Gene

[GeneW]

due to '79 > '80 winter had to get a loan to pay the oil bill , took quite a while to pay it off . Drove an automatic DODGE Dart with slant 6 at that time . Did quite well in the snow for a rear wheel drive . Fun car to drive . Wasn't very good about maintaining a car or practiced good driving habits in those days :burnrubber: . Life is a learning process .

Had a friend with a Swinger that had a Slant Six. One day he was clocked by the State Police doing 109 miles an hour. Got pulled over and asked, "Hey bud, where's the fire?".

The car had this "puke green" paintjob that looked like a cross between a lemon and a lime. Almost florescent green.

Loved the starters on those things... made a distinctive stuttering squealing noise that you don't hear too often today.

Gene

[GeneW]

I owned a 73 Chevy Nova which was a "twin" of the Pontiac Ventura shown in this chase scene. I doubt it was a stock model, doesn't sound like one anyhow. Mine did not have dual exhausts and other goodies.;

The driver in the front car is a Professional stunt driver, "Bo" something or other.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vACWV5sRcY

Gene

[Demon]

if it were the 70's I would buy a 10 year old Ferrari

62-64 Ferrari 250 GTO
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200611/1962-ferrari-250-gto_460x0w.jpg

In Italy this car is a sort of myth. In seventies, and in sixties too, this car had a price of over 5 millions of italian Lira. (whic was an enormeous price) Today it cost over a millions of euros, and in London was sold a racing 330TRI Lemans (whic is a modified 250GTO) whit a price of 7.500.000 euros.

Are you sure that you could launch a bid?

[nsmitchell]

I must say my Ford Fiesta was pretty darn cool. 4 speed manual and would spin the tires in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear!

[mikenacarato]

Please read the OP more closely. This is an exercise in selecting car during the oil crisis that occurred in the U.S. in 1973. With the rare exception of true farmers, ranchers and select contractor types no one runs out to buy a 5,000+ pound behemoth in the middle of an oil crisis, especially in the 1970s when our economy was not yet strong enough to support the salaries we see today.

well how about a ramcharger with a full hydrogen injection kit? :cool:

[TheSilkySmooth]

I'm surprised I didn't see one of these on the list - The VW Rabbit GTI!

[bobselectric]

In Italy this car is a sort of myth. In seventies, and in sixties too, this car had a price of over 5 millions of italian Lira. (whic was an enormeous price) Today it cost over a millions of euros, and in London was sold a racing 330TRI Lemans (whic is a modified 250GTO) whit a price of 7.500.000 euros.

Are you sure that you could launch a bid?

I'll take two! :wink::laugh:

[Demon]

I'm surprised I didn't see one of these on the list - The VW Rabbit GTI!

also known as Golf GTI XD

[jambo101]

Most of us back in the oil crises just kept driving our Chevy,Ford and Chrysler V8's as the crises wasnt about gas prices it was about gas availability,the whole thing only lasted a month then we were life as usual 50 cent a gallon gas.I remember buying an AMC-AMX with a 390ci http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/amc-amx/images/amc-amx-1968c.jpg

[gid]

we had a '79 or '80 (?) diesel V.W. Rabbit 4 door hatch with 4 speed manual for short period . Couldn't stand the overwhelming smell of diesel fuel and how it crawled up steep hills . People would get quite peeved then too . Got a few of these as they passed :middlefinger: . :rolleyes:

[kargoboy]

Foreign car: Datsun 240Z
Domestic: Chevy Cosworth Vega - yeah, a little slow but a great track car, still.

[KCALB SIRAY]

Foreign car: Datsun 240Z
Domestic: Chevy Cosworth Vega - yeah, a little slow but a great track car, still.

I'm looking for one right now (240Z) to purchase, lol great car

[WeeYari]

I'm looking for one right now (240Z) to purchase, lol great car

:thumbsup: The only 2x0Z worth trying to find. Lusted after it something fierce when I was 13.

[KCALB SIRAY]

:thumbsup: The only 2x0Z worth trying to find. Lusted after it something fierce when I was 13.
I'm looking to do the Fairlady option on one if i can find one at a decent price. I have a few leads in the area, but nothing solid yet.

[Bob_VT]

I'm looking to do the Fairlady option on one if i can find one at a decent price. I have a few leads in the area, but nothing solid yet.

If you get the 240Z they make a great car with a simple small block chevy dropped in. There was a companay called Scarab that would do the conversion.

Wow the 70's...... I bought a 76 Chevette and a 76 Trans Am in the same year. Sold the TA and traded the Chevette for a 78 Chev Blazer.... I considered a Honda but they were rust buckets within a year.... Thought about Subaru but they had a parts problem...... had a 72 Triumph Spitfire...74 Duster 340 ....... I went through some cars! I still own a 78 Ford Bronco that's in my yard now.

[KCALB SIRAY]

If you get the 240Z they make a great car with a simple small block chevy dropped in. There was a companay called Scarab that would do the conversion.

Wow the 70's...... I bought a 76 Chevette and a 76 Trans Am in the same year. Sold the TA and traded the Chevette for a 78 Chev Blazer.... I considered a Honda but they were rust buckets within a year.... Thought about Subaru but they had a parts problem...... had a 72 Triumph Spitfire...74 Duster 340 ....... I went through some cars! I still own a 78 Ford Bronco that's in my yard now.

Thanks, I already have the engine sitting in my garage. It's a 327 I've had for about 15 years. I built it since I had the parts and a buddy of mine machined it after i built my 71 RS Camaro.

[Ferret_san]

E-Type Jag.

[nemelek]

I'm surprised I didn't see one of these on the list - The VW Rabbit GTI!

My roomate had a red one. His CB handle was the red rabbit.

[fnkngrv]

My choice would be as follows....1973 Toyota Celica...

http://users.tpg.com.au/celica23/toyota/ra25.jpg

[gid]

very nice :thumbup: . Cars were more distinctive back then .

[yaris-me]

I don't think they had a fast back Celica in 73.:confused:

[WeeYari]

I don't think they had a fast back Celica in 73.:confused:

1973 Celica on display in a Toyota Museum. Was not destined for North American market. 1975 I believe was when North American markets got a fastback Celica.

[Demon]

My choice would be as follows....1973 Toyota Celica...

http://users.tpg.com.au/celica23/toyota/ra25.jpg

are those Mitsubishi Starion alloys <????

[kargoboy]

1975 Chevy Nova. Straight six, THD 350. You could get decent mileage and the car was almost bulletproof. Properly tuned they ran great. Remove some of the Emissions Control crapola and they ran even better - yeah it was illegal, so were other things.

I owned one in the 1980s and early 1990s. With a working catalytic perverter. Wish that I still had it for Megasquirt purposes.

Been great with that straight six, a THD 200R4 and some other goodies.

Gene

One of the first cars I owned was a '74 Nova with the straight six. Emissions-era
slow, but you could not kill that engine. It would have survived a nuclear blast.

[m911gt]

What were the options for motors in the 70's Celica?

[Loren]

are those Mitsubishi Starion alloys <????
They're very early Supra wheels. (back when Supra was just a version of Celica) Early 80's vintage.

[Latka]

nothing like it...

... except what you posted was a MY97+ Mini. ;)

I think this is what you mean:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/AndyKauffman/Minis/71_Mini-1.jpg

That's a '71. (sniff sniff) long gone now. Great little 998cc car. 10" wheels are far superior to the 12 or 13 in terms of ride quality. Plus they just look cooler. ;)

I've got a '66 Austin Cooper S that I'm going to be rebuilding here in the near future. I Love my Minis!

[UTVitz]

The best choice would have been a Datsun or Toyota then too. Funny how decades later not much has changed.

[IllusionX]

Hyundai Pony.

[gonzo452001]

I had a 72 pinto and a 76 chevette both pieces of crap

[Loren]

I had a 72 Pinto back in the late 80's. Best beater ever! Transmission was so well-worn that I could clutchless shift through all four gears up and down without grinding. Didn't care where I parked it, and like the Yaris, it was small enough to park anywhere. Good stuff.

I miss that car.

[GeneW]

One of the first cars I owned was a '74 Nova with the straight six. Emissions-era
slow, but you could not kill that engine. It would have survived a nuclear blast.

I only ever saw one Chevy straight six die - piston through the side of the block. The dumbass would not routinely change the oil and let it slide for a year. "bang!".

I heard all sorts of stories about that motor being used in trucks, trucks to haul lumber especially. You are correct that they were very rugged motors. The loggers out in the woods used to put tons of logs on their stake beds and go up and down mountains around here without any complaint from the motor.

I hated the 1974 series - for a time they were equipped with a "safety" interlock that prevented the engine from starting unless you put on a seat belt. Practically everyone I heard from about that interlock claimed that they would re-wire it to disable it. GM did not put such an interlock on the 1975 models. My 75 Nova had a bitch buzzer, just like my 2008 Yaris.

The 74s were also detuned and monkeyed with to the point that you could not get them to do much of anything. They drank fuel too. Fortunately emissions checks were still not required in PA so most of us ripped out the carbs when they became gummy, knocked out the titanium "caps" on the carb and reset everything to 60s standards - ear tuning.

Gene

[Benggolf2]

My first car was a Vauxhall Viva 2000 GT in Verdoro Green (special color).


http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/vauxhall_viva_gt_technical_specifications.htm

[TEHxFALLEN V1.2]

i wiould have choiuse some kind of corveete or something

[GeneW]

I had a 72 Pinto back in the late 80's. Best beater ever! Transmission was so well-worn that I could clutchless shift through all four gears up and down without grinding. Didn't care where I parked it, and like the Yaris, it was small enough to park anywhere. Good stuff.

I miss that car.

Used to call them and the Maverick the "MB RDT", Mobile Bomb Rolling Death Trap" because of their propensity to explode when they were struck from behind. Something about a plastic gas filler component which would shear and spew gasoline throughout the passenger compartment if a good sharp hit to the rear was experienced. Apparently some yummie at Ford saved fifty cents per unit by the substitution but cost Ford more because of lawsuits from people being incinerated alive in crashes.

Heard that you could replace it with a good durable filler component and then the car was pretty much foolproof. At least as much as a Ford can be foolproof.

At least your Pinto didn't have an air cooled THD 350 tranny. I still feel a little green thinking about such a thing in the Vega series. One of my friends used to rebuild THDs for lunch money and swears up and down that air cooled THDs are fine but I don't buy it.

Gene

[GeneW]

I had a 72 pinto and a 76 chevette both pieces of crap

One of my coworkers had a Chevette. One time for a lark he took it offroading and climbed up a hill with a sixty degree grade behind our work place. I came to work and saw the tire tracks up the side of the hill. He was a bit off of the hook so it did not surprise me, but seeing those tire tracks reaching almost all of the way up was impressive.

I don't know about their long term durability but that little car could do things that most SUVs cannot do today.

Gene

[Demon]

Chevrolet Chevette is just a re-dressed Opel kadett:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Vauxhall_Chevette_loved_by_learners.JPG/800px-Vauxhall_Chevette_loved_by_learners.JPG

Obviously, running on an 1.6L petrol engine, was the most economic car of the US.

[Kal-El]

I think most American cars in the 70's were complete junk...come to think of it, they kinda still are. I'd be embarrased to be seen driving an American car...very uncool.

Yeah, driving a Corvette of CTS is really embarrassing. :rolleyes:

You know if the Big Three were to all go under, you'd have to live in the same depression as the rest of us. :wink:

[mikenacarato]

oh man...i would hate being seen in a ford gt or a v model caddy.......

for the record....jk

[fearturtle44]

I purchased a 1977 brand new Datsun B-210. Hatchback. Good car with great MPG with no power. Purchased new for $4300. At the time the 240Z sold new for around $8500.

Kevin

[ZING]

My friends '60 or '62 (forgot) Buggy.


http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee339/kaychian/IMG_2274.jpg

[500snakz]

Yeah...I'd be embarased to be seen driving an 09 dodge viper with an 8.4 liter 6 speed, or even a 70 hemi cuda' with a 426 hemi!
NASCAR would be interesting. I can hear it now..."here comes Earnhardt in his Hundai elantra". DON'T HATE!

[gid]

we briefly had a used '79 (or '80 ?) CHEVETTE that you could see roadkill through the hole in the drivers side floorboard . Like a glass bottom boat on land . " Honey , was that a woodchuck or a raccoon that we just passed over ? " . " :iono: dear " . :biggrin: . That car was nothing but a pain in the :moon: . :rolleyes:. After that we went over to anything foreign made . Such as CHEVY Nova ( Corolla ) , PLYMOUTH Champ / DODGE Colt ( Mitsus') , etc.. :thumbsup: to those .

[TheSilkySmooth]

The best choice would have been a Datsun or Toyota then too. Funny how decades later not much has changed.

Best choice for what? We didnt care about reliability, plus, they didn't handle well and were sluggish. I'll stick with the FIAT 128 or a Chevy Nova. No damn Datsun B210 Bumble Bees either!

[anonymous user]

A subaru 360, got 60 mpg.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/images/subaru360-00.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/subaru360.html&h=360&w=480&sz=47&tbnid=JwCoXkCFf5qxQM::&tbnh=97&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsubaru%2B360&hl=en&usg=__3X7qejHU4lrTJMgRIzMaz8wTfm0=&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=1
I'm gonna build one in my lifetime.

[kimona]

I bought a new 73 240Z exactly like this one.

[churp]

Drove a 63 SS Impala from 68-74.
Also drove a 64 Triumph Herold from 72-73.
Sold the Herold to buy a 58 GMC Suburban (daily driver for a year and 3 trips from Miami to Nebraska).
Bought a Datsun 411 to replace the Suburban in 74.
Traded the Datsun for a Fiat 124 Sport coupe in 75.
Bought a 53 buick in 74 (painted it with laquer and had wide whites...Beautiful)
Bought a 63 VW bus in early 75.
When I sold the buick in late 75...the 'then' wife ran off with the Fiat a week later and left me with the POS VW Bus...oh well life goes on!:frown:
Sold the bus and bought a nearly finished 66 corvair (mid engine 350/headers/solid lifters/double pumper Holley) and had fun!:biggrin::burnrubber::biggrin:

This is typical for me since graduating high school in 68....:headbang:

The 70's gas crisis was a PITA for getting gas more than affording gas, and it was short lived....worst part was it was the reason for the double nickle speed limit!!

[LtNoogie]

My very first car was a 1974 Chevy Vega that I got in 1976 right out of high school. I don't remember how well it did in the gas milage department. The BIG thing then if you could afford it was to replace the four cylinder engine with a V8. Yeah, not economical but whooo that would have been fun for a guy in his 20's. I gave it to my brother when I entered the Army. He trashed it and then sold it for nothing.

From this:
http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp346/LtNoogie/vega.jpg

To this:
http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp346/LtNoogie/V8Vega.jpg

[kargoboy]

I love the Vega, I've always wanted a Cosworth and even have mentioned it in this thread.
They rusted so easily though, even more than average for it's era, and that was pretty
bad.

[LtNoogie]

Cosworth Vega... mmmmm.

Nothing a college student working at Six Flags Magic Mountain could afford.

[Loren]

Kimona, that Z is sexier than your avatar. :drool:

[TheSilkySmooth]

I bought a new 73 240Z exactly like this one. Love the chocolate colour - good enough to eat off of. Fun car in its day. Ive been lusting after a early 90's 300ZX; had a rental once - best handling stocker I've ever driven.

[TheSilkySmooth]

LtNoogie
"My very first car was a 1974 Chevy Vega that I got in 1976 right out of high school. I don't remember how well it did in the gas milage department. The BIG thing then if you could afford it was to replace the four cylinder engine with a V8."

Did it myself. I took my dad's commuter 74 vega GT and stuffed the 327 into it using the don hardy v8 kit. A lot more work than first thought given my sub-2000 budget. Bought a 10 bolt z28 posi rear diff and converted it from leaf to 4-link, long narrow vette radiator mounted in FRONT of the rad mount, TH350 auto trans from the junk yard with a oil cooler and a new filter, flip the hearter core 180deg so the outlets would clear the engine, cut and reshape the trans tunnel, new cut down front springs from a 63 impala, multipiece headers with header mufflers with side turn outs UNDER the doors, etc etc. 0-100 in 10 secs with a lazy motor and 3:55 rear gears. and YES you would lift the front off the ground when you nailed it at a stop light. Ended up selling to a 17yo kid for 1700 bucks after a year of ya yas and terrorsing the town.

[YarisMarine]

I owned a 73 Chevy El Camino for about a year before it died. paid $500 for it. loved it to death. donated it to charity.

[st0rmfreak]

i know this isnt in the op's original request, but if i had the money i would have went with one of these:
1970 ford torino cobra 429scj.
my dad has one of these sitting in his garage waiting to be redone. its yellow though.
28092

[Bob Dog]

My brother had one of those back then. He bought it dirt cheap as a college get to work car. It had the apetite of an elephant, and handled like an elephant on rollerskates . It sat when anybody else had anything else to drive. My choice was at the time was an original Beetle if I hadn't been in school at the time and had had a little more money it would have been a Subaru Brat or an early Celica. An early Corolla could be had at the time for an astounding $1895 new off the lot.

[Mouse]

Lotus Elan

[2+2]

Op, +1 on the Fiesta. I was a young guy parking cars at a hotel in those days and that was a fun little car. Had some real spunk. The chevette was uncomfortable. The rabbit was ok I guess.

A bigger car that I liked quite a bit was the Monte Carlo, especially the '76 with the long, long hood.

Op - if I buy you a razor will you fix your pic? lol Please? I get conflicted whenever I see it. Hmmm good looking... er umm what's wrong here... I... can't... look... away... fast... enough...

[2bad4u]

I had the same car yellow 1971 Ford Capri GT but with American Racer it was my first car.

[elmo]

Kimona, that Z is sexier than your avatar. :drool:

maybe in your world, not in mine.


i sure miss the good looking women thread we had, what happened to if :frown:

[Yar Is Word]

Fiat 850 Spyder

[Darb]

Meyer's Manx

http://www.imcdb.org/images/014/369.jpg

[tomato]

One of the original Civics

I had one!! :thumbsup: I had the first gen. civic hatchback for a while. Bought it used in the 80's and pretty much drove it to the ground until I got the '87 CRX HF (used, as well). I think I still have pictures of that little Honda civic somewhere, I think, will look. I'm pretty sure it had 4 doors, in fact, I remember moving with that car and packing a LOT OF STUFF in there (that's when I really fell in love with hatchbacks) but it was SO SMALL on the outside, you could park on a dime! You know, I still see them on the road from time to time, if you can believe that.

[TLyttle]

All through the 60s, 70s and 80s I drove Morris Minors; I was getting 40+mpg long before anyone thought it might be cool. My 65 ragtop was a truly great car, got up to 59mpgIMP on long trips with decent average speeds. Had some fragile points, one just had to be aware of them is all.

We had a 80 Mustang hatch for awhile with the 200" six in it, also got good performance out of it with some mods. We would still have it but for some old dude in his Dog 3/4ton with a big 5th wheel chuffing us from behind; no sign of braking on his part before the hit....

[The Shape]

A Toyota Hi-Lux

[detroiter]

Mazda Rx7

[tomato]

bump

[wooverstone8]

Trabant...

[TRDMarty]

1971 RS Z-28 Camaro (have one in garage):biggrin:
1972 DeTomaso Pantera (have one in garage):biggrin:
1970 Pontiac Trans Am (always looking for it):drool:
1970 HEMI Cuda (I keep dreaming):burnrubber:
1971 SS Convertable Chevelle (very possible some day):thumbsup:
1970 Toyota Yaris ?????:iono:

I can keep this going and going!!!

[1stToyota]

Another 1st gen civic. I had one for a few months, back in the 80's, until I forgot to set the brake and it rolled down the drive and took out a brick wall.

http://image.hondatuningmagazine.com/f/16628272/htup_0903_14_z+old_school_hondas+1978_honda_civic. jpg

[tomato]

^ that's my car! I had a green one, with 4 door and a roof rack.

[fnkngrv]

yup...the 1973 Toyota celica....

http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/data_e/images/a03_10_4_4_2.jpg

[Yaris Hilton]

When the gas crisis hit I was already driving a 1972 Chevy Blazer 4WD with a 250 Six and truck 4 spd. (New Process 435.) Didn't do too bad, I got 20 MPG on the highway with it and about 16 around town. I was sort of a hypermiler then. I got hit in it and replaced it with a '75 Pontiac Astre. (Rebadged Vega.) I loved that car! And it got around 30 MPG while I was flogging it at 75 MPH, flouting the 55 MPH limit while using the CB to check for Smokey Bears. (Didn't always work.) It topped out around 100 MPH, same as the new 351 powered '78 T-Bird I was cruising up the Interstate with from Alabama to Tennessee one day. My Yaris sedan would run circles around it, of course. (And the T-Bird.)

[wooverstone8]

or an Isetta...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/wooverstone8/isetta.jpg

[Yaris Hilton]

Isettas were classic antiques for sale in the back of Road & Track in the early '70s.

[MadMax]

Another Pinto owner here, I had a 76 Pinto Stallion like this but in red...

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/1971-1980-ford-pinto-1976.jpg

My Dad had a Woody wagon like this but in green...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2888826901_539f8f8864.jpg

..and my best friend and surfing buddy drove a silver Cruising wagon like this:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/guinnessd/pinto/79pinto/79pinto5.jpg

My sister also owned a bright orange hatchback that was destroyed when some old lady pulled out in front of her. How the old woman missed such a brightly-colored car was beyond any of us!

And despite what some claim, the Pinto was a great car! :wub:

My other sister had two Mercury Capris in the 70s, a British Racing Green one with the V6, and a red one with the four. Those were great cars but the Florida salt air was not kind on them...

Great thread, by the way!

Cheers! M2

[bkrownd]

1970 HEMI Cuda (I keep dreaming):burnrubber:

I was always partial to the AAR model. Probably drives like a POS, though.

My dad used to have a mid-70's Alfa Romeo Giuliette that was a very nice mountain car. Small car, big tires, torquey engine that would pull you out of a hairpin corner without needing to downshift. Rrrroowwwrrr! The dog crashed it in the driveway long ago, unfortunately.

Lots of 1970's Toyotas still driving around here in Hawai'i.

[RedRide]

I also had a (new) '76 pinto.

[STC]

1971 Pontiac Series T-37 2 DR HT... :burnrubber: - L65 Chevy 350 cu

The first muscle car I was introduces to... the family car.

When I was seven my dad took me out for a drive. He let her rip on an open stretch... the speedometer needle was well past the 120 MPH mark. I thought that was so cool!

:smile:

[bkrownd]

So THAT'S what all those 1970's cars look like without rust holes and spewing clouds of burnt oil! :D The shiny showroom photos are especially time-travel trippy - it's totally contrary to my mental image of these cars.