Wednesday 4th August 2010

Video: Why 1970s American Cars Were Terrible

Review of an Oldsmobile Cutlass is a masterclass in TV car tests

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If you've ever wondered why we're not all driving around in American cars from the 1970s, here's 4mins 50secs of the reason why.

It's an old Car & Track review of the 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 - all 225 horses and 7.5 V8 litres of it.

Besides the fact that this post oil-crisis monstrosity is frankly a bit of a hippocrocopig, what is most alarming is that the narrator doesn't seem to find its wayward performance in any way alarming - the implication being that this sort of dynamic behaviour is normal in a car of this era.

Our favourite quotes? Describing the car's braking: "With the discs hot she wanted to pull to the right. Quite a bit of correction was necessary to keep it in a straight line." And this little gem, spoken as the Olds understeers its way around some cones: "The front-end showed no tendency to wash out." Yeah, right...

You've got to hand it to the driver, though - at times he almost makes the big Oldsmobile look graceful.

 

 

[FishFace]

Just 70s American cars?

[Motown Junk]

300bhp/ton in 3....2....1....

[smele]

Chap I knew had one, borrowed for a couple of days as he like to be used (I found out afterwards the brakes like to seize if not used).

Sounded great. Looked sort of cool. Must have had 35 year rubber on it as well, true cop car style squeals around corners at 15 mph. 8 (if you are lucky) mpg. Not designed to go fast.

Yup, loved it.

[Oddball RS]

A quiet news day and finally something half decent to watch / read, keep it up please, and Next??

[Paul 8v]

I do love yank tanks but only 225 BHP from 7.5 Litres!?

[TheEnd]

Here we go!
Popcorn anyone?

[redgriff500]

Remind me what we we driving...

Given the choice of that or an Allegro I know which I'd choose.

[leon9191]

redgriff500 said:

Remind me what we we driving...

Given the choice of that or an Allegro I know which I'd choose.

What about a Mk1 Escort then?

[V8mate]

leon9191 said:

redgriff500 said:

Remind me what we we driving...

Given the choice of that or an Allegro I know which I'd choose.

What about a Mk1 Escort then?

1.1 Popular?

[leon9191]

V8mate said:

leon9191 said:

redgriff500 said:

Remind me what we we driving...

Given the choice of that or an Allegro I know which I'd choose.

What about a Mk1 Escort then?

1.1 Popular?

RS 1600 was out in 1970

[Alfanatic]

Um, I don't think the handling looks so bad actually, particularly for a '70s car. Sure it's rather roly poly but it doesn't look like the driver is having too much trouble shifting the weight / balance around to where he wants it. It looks like it has good enough balance to be entertaining.

It's ugly though, and 270odd bhp from 7.5 litres is not very impressive - but American legislation didn't give them much choice with that either if I recall.

[LightningMcSteve]

Paul 8v said:

I do love yank tanks but only 225 BHP from 7.5 Litres!?

It was a sad time. The engine range went from these in 1969
350 V8 325 bhp @ 5600 rpm, 360 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
400 V8 350 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 440 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm. (Manual transmission)
(W-30) 400 V8 360 bhp @ 5400 rpm, 440lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
(Hurst/Olds) 455 V8 380 bhp @ 5000rpm, 500 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.


to these in 1972

350 V8 160 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 275 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm.
350 V8 180 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 275 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm.
455 V8 250 bhp @ 4200 rpm, 370 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm.

The 5.7 litre engines (350 cubic inches) almost halved in power!

All down to fitting catalytic converters, pressure from insurance companies and also the oil crisis.

[FourWheelDrift]

70s American shed.

I honestly thought when I first saw it, it had been in an accident then realised it was the same on both sides and the those bulges either side of the doors were deliberate.

[AcidReflux]

See that's the sort of car I could have a lot of fun in.

[Paul 8v]

LightningMcSteve said:

Paul 8v said:

I do love yank tanks but only 225 BHP from 7.5 Litres!?

It was a sad time. The engine range went from these in 1969
350 V8 325 bhp @ 5600 rpm, 360 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
400 V8 350 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 440 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm. (Manual transmission)
(W-30) 400 V8 360 bhp @ 5400 rpm, 440lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
(Hurst/Olds) 455 V8 380 bhp @ 5000rpm, 500 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.


to these in 1972

350 V8 160 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 275 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm.
350 V8 180 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 275 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm.
455 V8 250 bhp @ 4200 rpm, 370 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm.

The 5.7 litre engines (350 cubic inches) almost halved in power!

All down to fitting catalytic converters, pressure from insurance companies and also the oil crisis.

Blimey that's quite a difference, is the Octane rating different over there too?

[kambites]

Compared to the fantastic 135bhp from 3.5 litres that MG were getting in the MGB GT V8 at about that time? And that was without the crippling emissions laws that US cars had to meet.

[Riggers]

LightningMcSteve said:

Paul 8v said:

I do love yank tanks but only 225 BHP from 7.5 Litres!?

It was a sad time. The engine range went from these in 1969
350 V8 325 bhp @ 5600 rpm, 360 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
400 V8 350 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 440 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm. (Manual transmission)
(W-30) 400 V8 360 bhp @ 5400 rpm, 440lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
(Hurst/Olds) 455 V8 380 bhp @ 5000rpm, 500 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.


to these in 1972

350 V8 160 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 275 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm.
350 V8 180 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 275 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm.
455 V8 250 bhp @ 4200 rpm, 370 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm.

The 5.7 litre engines (350 cubic inches) almost halved in power!

All down to fitting catalytic converters, pressure from insurance companies and also the oil crisis.

Those are some painful statistics - but mirrored by all marques of the big-three Yank car companies IIRC? Killed muscle-cars stone dead in half a decade.

[Garlick]

Looks like the perfect family car to me. I would certainly recommend one to anybody thinking of buying a current saloon or supermini. No need to look anywhere else.

[unpc]

I seem to remember my old 70's Beetle on crossplies not handling too well either. In fact I don't think many cars of that era did handle very well but let's not let that detail get in the way of a good story.

[Mafioso]

Well, if anything, it put a smile on my face!!