Posted on 06/13/2012 9:59:05 AM PDT by doug from upland
Thanks for posting #31. Few things make me laugh out loud but this one is among them.
I forget the name of the motion picture this is from but I can recall that scene vividly!
The Corvair was a very well designed and well built car. The problem was that it needed to have different tire pressure front and rear or it handled like it was on bowling balls (no radials in those days) Unfortunately, a shyster lawyer named Ralph Nader decided he could make a name for himself and trashed the car in the automotive version of Earth in the Balance.
Exactly. Even then they were highly successful models.
First of all, the rust problem was not limited to the Vega. My husband had a ‘69 Cutlass that you couldn’t put anything in the trunk because it had rusted through. There were holes in the floor in the back seat area as well.
The other problem was with the linkage. It was a standard shift on the floor, and would get stuck between gears all the time. On the other hand, the engine was great, ran for over 200,000.
I also think that GM put that diesel in a Cadillac model, an Eldorado, I think. My in-laws had one, dark blue convertible with light blue leather seats. -horrible car.
My worst car though, by far, was a Buick Electra Wagon, an ‘85 I think. It was loaded with electronics, all of which failed within two years, the seats, the windows, the climate control, none of it worked. The transmission went at 40,000, the radiator went at about 50,000, the gas gauge didn’t work, smog control thing failed and took out the carburetor and when you went around the corner, the engine would sometimes just shut off.
The car was so bad that AAA threatened to drop my membership. They told me to get rid of the car or fix it.
I have two stories: 1) I worked for a rental agency near Dulles airport-Redskins Park in the 70’s. We rented a Vega to defensive lineman Verlon Biggs. I will say that it still had 4 wheels when we got it back. 2) I bought new a ‘76 Mustang II “Limited Edition”, the white over red two tone hatchback model. Had the 4cyl (Pinto) motor. First time it rained, water poured a steady stream thru the top of the windshield. Timing belt gave out at 115k. Of all the cars I have owned, that “Pin-Stang” remains the worst.
I'll confess I bought one.
Underpowered, only available in two colors lousy suspension and a gas tank between the occupants and right in front of the firewall. I had six recalls on it in the first year just trying to control the spontaneous combustion problem.
This diesel Chevette had something over the Olds..
The engine was originally designed to run on diesel and was built by Isuzu. The olds.. well.. Some GM engineer (who probably still works there) thought it would be smart to take a gas engine and bolt some diesel bits on it and see how it went.
GM, not to be out done with the fabulous 5.7 olds diesel also made a 4.3 V6 diesel (I think this was the start of the 4.3 gas V6.. Basically a small block chev minus 2 cylinders) that could be found in early 80’s front wheel drive cars and also the metric body rear wheel drive cars of that period (Malibu, Monte Carlo, cutlass)
You can’t really find a diesel Chevette any more. They where great donor cars for the engine. Bobcat used a ton of them in skid steers.
Other rare birds..
Mark VII with a BMW diesel
Luv Pickup Diesel
Ranger Diesel
I am sad to admit. I have owned over 50% of the cars on the top 10 list.
My wife had a 1979 Monza, but with the 5.0 liter V-8. One of the fastest (and most dangerous) cars I have ever driven. It could burn rubber in all gears (3-speed automatic), and would go faster than you would want to drive it. Never felt quite right at high speeds...
It was also THE worst car in snow and ice... It would start sliding when you put it in gear at an idle, just getting out of the drive way, no matter how many bags of kitty litter you put in the back. Needless to say, it never got out of the driveway in bad weather.
You could also only take it once to a shop for a tuneup. You had to loosen two engine mounts, and jack the engine up to change all the spark plugs. When you paid the bill, they would kindly tell you to never darken their door again...
The electronics were Italian.
I had.” an MGB with Lucas Electronics...and never had a problem.
Lucas was also known as “The Lords of Darkness
Bet that old buick had the 2.5L 4 cylinder named “the iron duke”.
That motor would live up to it’s name. It’s history can be traced back to marine engines.
It’s ONLY weak points where valve cover gaskets and the fiber timing gears.
For the Mustang, turn it into a convertible, put different rims on it and it would look like a pretty sharp car.
My first car was an AMC Gremlin. If somebody posts a picture of that dog turd, I am going to go postal and then have to check into rehab, and spend years in counseling.
All I wanted was a 1967 Mustang coupe and I saved for years. Then my father MADE ME buy a 1974 Gremlin to commute to college. Puke.
I HATED that car.
A year later I dumped that dog on my Sister and got my hot rod 1968 Mustang California Special. My favorite car to date.
Have mercy on me and don’t post a picture of the AMC trunkless wonder. My hold on reality is tenuous as it is.
Le sanity esta Fra-jil-lay. Don’t finish me off with a Gremlin picture.
I drove my first Chevy Vega from 1972 through 1978, when I sold it before returning to the States from Germany. I bought a new Chevy Monza “station wagon” in Dec 1978 and drove it unitil the fall of 1991, when the main seal went and left a big puddle of oil on the ground. It had 163,000 miles on it. The Chevy Monza was a Chevy Vega with the Pontiac Sunbird’s cast iron block engine instead of the aluminin block. I got great mileage with the 4 speed transmission in the Monza.
My wife’s Century blew the oil filter off and dumped the oil out of it while driving. She had someone bring her an oil filter and oil and is still driving it 100k later.
My wife’s Century blew the oil filter off and dumped the oil out of it while driving. She had someone bring her an oil filter and oil and is still driving it 100k later.
I drove my 72 Vega in the snow in Indiana, Kentucky, and Germany. I drove my 78 Monza in snow in making many trips from Washington DC to Indianapolis, Indiana, during 4 years in Germany, and through the mountain pass just east of El Plaso on New Year’s Day 1983, when there was 6 inches of packed snow and ice between the tires and the asphalt of I-10, the Texas Highway Patrol were only allowing cars with chains or snowtires to go through the pass. I always used snow tires in the winter and had no problems.
I think the best line I’ve ever heard describing it...
“The back end looks like the squat a dog takes when it’s taking a @hit.”
Although the rust was a problem, some Vegas had an engine that lasted. A friend’s wife had one that went over 100K. He asked for help one day and I found a blocked fuel filter. He was really happy until I told him the gas tank was rusting out. A couple of months later, the gas poured out of the tank when the car was being refueled.
Sorry. I must interject.
Obama killed Saturn. Part of GM's deal with The Devil. Couldn't have non-union plants now could we? Not as part of Obama's assault on America.
BTW...I currently own a 2008 Saturn Ion 3. A very nice car. I traded in a 2007 Hyundai Elantra for it and could not be happier.
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