Lovers of 'classic' cars born to be mild

USA TODAY ^ | 29 March 2002 | Marco R. della Cava

[Deadeye Division]

PASADENA, Calif.

[SoCal Pubbie]

I have always felt that the AMC Pacer does not get the recognition it deserves. No, it isn’t a handsome car and maybe the quality wasn’t the best, but it predated the rounded “jelly bean” look of the 80’s, and there have been endless Italian “dream cars” that share the same squat, round, high greenhouse look that was the Pacer, but are given kudos for being bold design exercises.

[Dan from Michigan]

I remember my dad's Mercury Bobcat.
And then there is the Geo Metro and Ford Festiva of the early 90's. Those things are so small, I can't see why ANYONE would buy one. Those things would probably get blown off the Mackinac Bridge in a good windgust....like a Yugo did.

[jennyp]

Behold the AMC Pacer:

a.k.a. the Pregnant Gremlin!

[sneakypete]

Plymouth Duster?

All AMC cars (Gremlin, Pacer, etc)?

The Plymouth Duster was and is a pretty neat car,and the 340's outran everything in their class,and a lot of stuff that was supposed to be faster. As for AMC cars,some of them were pretty cool,too. The Javeline,AMX,and the "Rebel" that came in red,white,and blue with a hi-po 390 and 4-speed.

[sneakypete]

It's just that they've gotten so much bad press that it's hard to regard them objectively.

Pinto's were excellent cars for the money. I know several people who got one new for right at 2 grand while they were in high school,and were still driving them 10 years and almost 200,000 miles later. They really didn't explode at the rate most people think. This was just a clever lawyer running the settlement bidding up by using the press to back Ford into a corner.

[sneakypete]

Dodge Dart. That car took more abuse than any automobile should ever be able to withstand and kept right on going.

There has never been a tougher gasoline engine built by anybody than the old slant-6 Chrysler engine. I have a cousin who put 300,000 miles on one in a dump truck!

BTW,the Chrysler V-8 engines of that time were pretty damn tough,too. If it hadn't been for Chevrolet engines,engine rebuilt mechanics would have starved to death.

[sneakypete]

AMC's have been, by far, the most reliable cars I have ever owned,

I still have a 1958 Rambler Cross Country stationwagon. It has the original 6 that has been rebuilt,3 speed on the column with overdrive,factory air,ps,pb,and even the factory trailer towing kit! Fins like a 57 Chevy,and grill like a 58 Buick.

[sneakypete]

It's a German Pacer.

[sneakypete]

Ford Fairlane 500, 1961-66. (When the Fairlane went compact, it was nerd paradise. Sort of. Though the 1964 Fairlane was actually a handsome little car.)

Hey,watch it! I'm rigging up a original 62 Fairlane Sport Coupe now that still has the original bucket seats and console. Has a later 302 with Edelbrock and dual-feed Holley 4 barrel,and a C-4 with a ratchet shifter,though.

[sneakypete]

Wanna see some really good-looking 30's cars,check out the Cords,including the Westchester's.

BTW,if Ford were to come out with a exact body replica of a 1940 Ford Deluxe coupe,but with modern running gear (4.6DOHC,AOD,AC,PS,ETC),they wouldn't be able to produce enough of them to keep up with the demand. The 40 Ford coupe is one of the prettiest cars ever made.

[RangeRatt]

is that the "wedge center" console? Those things were TOUGH to sit on comfortably....

[sneakypete]

(The 1961-66 Lincoln Continental was the last known American car to deploy the suicide door style.)

Late 60'S T-Bird sedans.

[sneakypete]

C&P isn't heavy on tech, and they have GREAT articles on history of the different marques

The best I've ever seen for this is "Old Cars Weekly". It's a newspaper format published in Wisconsin,and comes out weekly. They have a toll-free number to subscribe,and also have ads like Hemmings does. They have Hemmings beat all to hell when it comes to interesting stories and tech/how to articles,though.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

Ford Fairlane 500, 1961-66. (When the Fairlane went compact, it was nerd paradise. Sort of. Though the 1964 Fairlane was actually a handsome little car.)

Hey,watch it! I'm rigging up a original 62 Fairlane Sport Coupe now that still has the original bucket seats and console. Has a later 302 with Edelbrock and dual-feed Holley 4 barrel,and a C-4 with a ratchet shifter,though.

Oh the original small Fairlane 62! My first car was a 67 4 door. I've got another one that will be the last domestic I own. Selling it. Original poster was a little off. The smaller Fairlanes did not include the 66. The body changeover took place with the 66 model year and went through 67. Stacked headlights - larger body.

[BluesDuke]

I forgot about the 1968-70 T-Bird sedans. Then again, maybe that was because those T-Birds really didn't deserve to be considered T-Birds. (Call me a fool but I've always loved the 1955-61 T-Birds...real T-Birds...)

[Rate_Determining_Step]

My trips into funkness with strange cars I've owned:

• Opel GT. Loved 'em. Ended up owning 3 over time.
• 75 Opel Manta. Fastest 4 cylinder car I ever drove. Never lost a race to another 4 banger.
• 74 Opel Kadette wagon in British Racing Green. Same engine and 4 speed as Manta. Nice and quick. Way cool.
• 74 Saab Sonnett. V4 FWD, all fiberglass. Funky!
• 79 Ford Fiesta. 1.6 Kent I4 engine. Totally indestructable little beastie engine. Beer can on 12 inch wheels.
• AMC Sprit hatchback. 256 cu. in. inline 6. Actually a good looking car. Performed well. Loved it. Looked like this:
  
  

[RangeRatt]

do you, ny chance, remember a Walter Matthau movie by the name "Charlie Varrick"? The Imperial that Joe Don Baker drove (after repo'ing it) was a real classic, as was the D100 Dodge Van Walter drove....

[sneakypete]

Is that the "wedge center" console?

I don't know what a "wedge" center console is. This one has a top that is probably 8 inches wide,and is chrome-plated and "grooved" like the old-style valve covers were.

[RangeRatt]

I have been a recipient of "Old Cars Weekly" since 1980; it is, by far, better than Hemmings, but the "newspaper" format makes it hard to store back issues.

[Dakmar]

Those Red, White, and Blue ones were Hurst equipped S/C Ramblers, aka "scramblers", lol.

That snorkel is factory stock, BTW.