'70s cars the good, the bad and the odd

[axlon]

It was a diverse decade for cars, which noteworthy ones can you think of from that time? I think the early rotaries deserve some credit.

928

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT8SnxwNL6U



RX-5 & RX-7

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=36385617032...



http://www.facebook.com/pages/AMC-Pacer-Fan-Page/2...

[DavidY]

Oh the AMC Pacer, a one star review in Motor magazine and famous for having different length doors on either side.

Also the decade of the introduction of turbochargers to road cars, BMW, TVR, Porsche, Saab

The NSU Ro80 was a 1967 car so really rotaries belong in the 60's

[AlexiusG55]

DavidY said:

Oh the AMC Pacer, a one star review in Motor magazine and famous for having different length doors on either side.

Also the decade of the introduction of turbochargers to road cars, BMW, TVR, Porsche, Saab

The NSU Ro80 was a 1967 car so really rotaries belong in the 60's

So do turbos- there was the 1962 Oldsmobile Cutlass Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair Spyder. Admittedly, both left production well before the next turbo road car (BMW 2002 Turbo) came in.

The Cutlass was powered by a turbocharged version of the Buick 215 (aka the Rover V8) that needed methanol-water injection, which they called "turbo rocket fuel"!

[quiraing]

The Alfasud.

Sometimes very very good, some days not quite so good, flat-4 boxer engine with fwd.

[caziques]

I thought it was Alfa pseud.

[woodytype S]

Was it not the Pacer that bust into flames when rear ended.
I maybe wromg.

[PDenyer]

woodytype S said:

Was it not the Pacer that bust into flames when rear ended.
I maybe wromg.

The Pinto iirc

[anonymous-user]

More on the Pacer:-

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/f...

[IroningMan]

You could have had a Gremlin, but should have had a Javelin.

[shovelheadrob]

My mate had a Gremlin, it was Ok until he washed it.

[Captain Cadillac]

The 70s were, IMO, correctly called the "malaise era".

Thanks to our inssane emissions laws and other insanity, muscle cars died, engines had their horsepower absolutely ripped to shreds, driveability suffered and sports cars were ruined (MG, E-Type, etc)

I'd still love me a 76 Fleetwood Brougham tho!

[12 POT]

woodytype S said:

Was it not the Pacer that bust into flames when rear ended.
I maybe wromg.

I believe that you might be confusing the AMC Pacer with the FORD Pinto.

[LuS1fer]

The Good
Firenza Droopsnoot - a game changer in terms of aero design and a move generally to a slanted nose.
Citroen SM - a stunner taht not only picked up the DS gauntlet but ran with it.
Lamborghini Countach - redefining the supercar silhouette.
Alfasud - redefined a fantastic handling small car in a cynically dull market.
Golf GTI - ditto
Lancia Beta - brilliant at the time for producing a 5 door fastback sedan, a lifestyle high power estate (HPE), a Spyder, a coupe and the mid-engined Beta Monte Carlo. Such a shame the rust killed this amazingly versatile range.
Datsun 240Z - a proper modern sports car
Toyota Celica - first proper Japanese Capri competitor.

The Bad
The Allegro - terrible car
Datsun 120Y - horrific to look at, be carried in or drive and yet still old in droves. Similarly the Renault 12.
Morris Marina - a rejigged Minor 1000 underneath.

The Odd
Volvo 262 Coupe - brick with a slightly slanty roof.
Citroen Ami 8 - ugly didn't begin to describe this. May be a 60s car though yet still persisted.
Simcas - all of them - very odd things including the Rancho.

[anonymous-user]

The Rancho was a Matra. Add also the Bagheera, a Matra-Simca.

[anonymous-user]

I confess to a perverse longing for a Datsun 120Y Coupe. Should I seek professional counselling?

[Bull1t]

Maybe I'm showing my background but theres one car that comes to mind for me:

[LuS1fer]

Breadvan72 said:

The Rancho was a Matra. Add also the Bagheera, a Matra-Simca.

Matra-Simca:

[dartissimus]

LuS1fer said:

Lancia Beta - brilliant at the time for producing a 5 door fastback sedan,

Sorry, pedant of the day, ours only had 4 doors

[911 Turbo LE]

This was said to be a terrible car in the 70's. The Austin 3 Litre

I'm picking it up today at 4.30 just 2 owners the last since the early seventies, Only 7 automatics left 3 registerd and 4 Sorn.

It reminds me of one of the old yellow american taxis in New york

[LuS1fer]

dartissimus said:

LuS1fer said:

Lancia Beta - brilliant at the time for producing a 5 door fastback sedan,

Sorry, pedant of the day, ours only had 4 doors

Good point - "Looked like" a 5 door hatch but wasn't, normal boot, like most cars back then.

Should add Rover SD1 which really was a hatchback.