Impact of the 1960s and 1970s

[hashmaker]

I think Obamas' "cash for clunkers" took out many of the 80s-90s vehicles. What survived that you might have trouble finding engine parts for as they had to seized it up. If you modify an enging then it won't pass the smog test. As they say smog kills... not just people!

 

[snakeyes]

:sixpack:I think up till 93 and in 2004 was a new body style

 

[Budnicks]

A lot of us boomers were lucky enough to grow up in the late 50s, 60s ,and early 70s. We experienced firsthand a tremendous time for the American auto industry and the entire car culture. We look at the automobile differently than probably any other generation. A car from that era isn't just transportation, it's an extension of our own personalities and influences our entire lives. People call us car crazy, or car nuts and I agree with them. It's a label that I wear proudly. I sure as hell ain't going to change now!

or gear head...LOL

 

[pabster]

OK, thought of one. The Viper. And an honorable mention goes to the Acura NSX.

 

[Budnicks]

I forgot all about the Acura/Honda NXS it was a pretty good looken' car... a bit pricey, but a good buy compared to some of the other super cars of the day.... They had Titanium connecting rods too & they could rev like hell for a itty bitty 275hp V-8....

 

[snakeyes]

and don't for get this one from the 60's the studebaker avanti

 

[Flys-Lo]

Didn't the fox body mustang run from 79 to 92?

"Fox Body" Mustangs ran through 2004. My wife has a convertible GT and we have the last of the fox-body 5.0's - a 1995.

Here is my 11 year old "driving" the 95 GT:

[video=youtube;FGQV8q8-AQM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGQV8q8-AQM[/video]

Besides burning tires he enjoys wrenching on what he calls HIS 68 Super Bee project.

 

[YY1]

Is that still a fox? it's a totally different body- MUCH less headroom, and no more hatchbacks.

I almost bought an NSX in 1995, when you could find one for 8-10K, if you looked hard enough.
Not really an import guy (but do like some selective ones like, ahem, Unimogs), and had just started my "new" job.
Also almost bought a "carport find" 67 912- original and solid EVERYTHING for $3500!

How about this for a potentail universal "muscle car' definition:

A car that has a specifically designed, higher performance version of the engine normally installed in the standard model (not just larger), and has special exterior badging/striping with the intent to create an image, and call attention to the special perfomance.

This would solve a couple of problems.

1- It makes a 1970 318-2 barracuda, a pony car, but a 340 Cuda, a "muscle car" version of a pony car.
2- It makes a 1955 C-300 a muscle car. (I for one, contend that this car, and not the GTO, was in fact, the first).
3- It does not make a 30's supercharged Cord, a musclecar. IIRC, there was no other powertrain available, and there was, AFAIK, no "special" badging.
4- It does make a 66 Coronet 383 a muscle car (heh,heh).

The counterpoints could be-

What about chevies that have 283, 350, and even 400 emblems on 2 barrel cars?
What about max wedge cars, with no badging? (factory race cars?)
What about 30's V8 fords? (wasn't there only one flathead version?)
What about Olds Rocket 88? (was there another engine option, was there a "standard". "non-rocket" 88 in the same body style?)

Feel free to ruminate.

I for one, have never even liked the term "muscle car".

 

[pabster]

Yup, still a Fox body.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fox_platform

I've always liked the term "muscle car", but then again I'm most likely pretty ignorant of what constitutes one. My 318 2bbl looks like muscle car, sounds like one with the Flowmaster exhausts I put in, but it sure doesn't move at muscle car speeds.

 

[Flys-Lo]

Is that still a fox? it's a totally different body- MUCH less headroom, and no more hatchbacks.

Technically yes. I don't know why I know this - LOL - maybe since I own two and they both actually provide quite a bit of fun for the family. I also had to do a lot of research when shopping for various parts for a Factory Five Cobra replica I built back in the mid-2000's. The fox-bodies started in 78 with the Mustang and Fairmont. They did a major redesign for 1994 called the Fox-4. It's commonly called SN95 and 60% of the parts were redesigned for the 94 update. It all came to a glorious end with the "new" Mustang in 2005. The 2003 "Terminator" Mustangs are highly desirable and very fast.

 

[YY1]

Interesting.

My friend bought a 96 or 97 GT brand new.

Ran pretty good, but I didn't fit in it

 

[Budnicks]

Wait a minute, hey now this isn't a damn Fox Body forum guys...LOL... I still persoanlly just don't like any Mustang after 1970, until the new 2005 retro styling... but that's just me $0.02 cents

 

[Flys-Lo]

Wait a minute, hey now this isn't a damn Fox Body forum guys...LOL... I still persoanlly just don't like any Mustang after 1970, until the new 2005 retro styling... but that's just me $0.02 cents

1000 apologies. I have relinquished all memberships to Mustang forums and pledge all automotive allegiance to Mother Mopar.

 

[Budnicks]

1000 apologies. I have relinquished all memberships to Mustang forums and pledge all automotive allegiance to Mother Mopar.

LOL... now that's much better...

 

[pabster]

I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to write "F**d" or "Mu****g" in this forum. May the Mopar Gods forgive me for my transgressions.

 

[RustyRatRod]

damn rustang.

 

[wahya]

A lot of valid points here. There used to be a show on tv called Wonder years (I loved that show). One of the episodes was about the family's old car (I think it was a Dodge station wagon). The dad didn't want to trade the car. He worked and worked, trying to keep it running. He felt he had more than just money invested in it. He had his time and sweat. He enventually had to have it towed away and bought a new car. I was thinking, as cars became more and more complicated, less owners actually worked on them. I practically rebuilt my Plymouth. When my new truck needs work, I take it to the mechanic.

 

[Flys-Lo]

I was thinking, as cars became more and more complicated, less owners actually worked on them. I practically rebuilt my Plymouth. When my new truck needs work, I take it to the mechanic.

I attended a conference during SEMA a few years back on how auto manufacturers and dealers were pushing for legislation to only allow dealerships to work on cars. No DIY'ers, no corner mechanics. Luckily it's been stopped early on before they got into making too many proprietary parts and technologies.

 

[YY1]

On Wonder Years, they traded a 68 Polara wagon in on a 68 LTD 4 door.

Ooops.

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Lost a LOT of Gen I and II Dakotas to CFC, but you still see tons of them on the street and in the yards.

Makes you wonder how bad Chrysler f'd up to give up the market they created.

 

[MarPar]

Al Bundy always had a gotdamn Dodge...



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Al Bundy always had a gotdamn Dodge...