Rare Cars on the Job

[John Kogel]

Seriously, cars are waaaaaayyy better that they were in the good old days.

Not disputing that. In the old days, a consumer spent a small fortune getting to 50,000 miles. Now, if they just change the oil and filter regularly and and make sure their fluids are topped up and belts are OK, they'll get there without a huge expense. They might not be following the manufacturer's recommendation; but they'll get there nonetheless without doing serious damage. In the 60's and 70's that was nigh impossible. I can imagine that going back even further one became a pretty good backyard mechanic just to keep a car on the road for a few thousand miles.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

That was me - a shade-tree mechanic - a lover of the art, but no professional training whatsoever.

Better oil and cleaner fuel, too. I worked after school at the local shop. We used to have the pull the cylinder heads and scrape the carbon out of there. The valves would be burnt. Spark plugs always needed cleaning. The dirt under my fingernails was permanently black.

[mgbinspect]

It was heaven...

It was - and then 1974 hit. Cars with big, ugly, chrome bumbers. Vega, Pinto, Maverick and at the top of the list - drum roll please - the Ford Fairmount.

What a depressing time - I'm not sure the sun rose for most of the 70's, just kind of like winter with a blue cast. [:-yuck] Rust was the "in" color.

I present to you the biggest reason forigen cars took over - for your viewing pleasure:

Ah, yes... the beloved Gremlin...

Well, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I owned a Pinto - the 2000 cc version, but that thing was geared such that if you red-lined it in every gear, you could beat even many V-8's through all four gears, at which time they would all walk away from you. That was a fun car if you were any good with a shifter and clutch. I left a lot of people sitting stupefied at the green light in stop light races.

[Terence McCann]

Ah, yes... the beloved Gremlin...

Well, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I owned a Pinto - the 2000 cc version, but that thing was geared such that if you red-lined it in every gear, you could beat even many V-8's through all four gears, at which time they would all walk away from you. That was a fun car if you were any good with a shifter and clutch.

I'll forgive you even after coming forward. [] I use to see flammable stickers on Pintos - at least they had a sense of humor.

I owned a Gremlin. Kinda like a baby poop brown - very endearing. I will flat out lie if ever pressed for the truth.

[mgbinspect]

Ah, yes... the beloved Gremlin...

Well, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I owned a Pinto - the 2000 cc version, but that thing was geared such that if you red-lined it in every gear, you could beat even many V-8's through all four gears, at which time they would all walk away from you. That was a fun car if you were any good with a shifter and clutch.

I'll forgive you even after coming forward. [] I use to see flammable stickers on Pintos - at least they had a sense of humor.

I owned a Gremlin. Kinda like a baby poop brown - very endearing. I will flat out lie if ever pressed for the truth.

"Hi... My name's Terence McCann, and I once owned a Gremlin..."

True confessions may be good for the soul, but they're hell on the reputation. And, my brother owned a Vega.

You're right - the 70's was a really strange time in the automobile world.

[Terence McCann]

There was a Vega that had some chutzpah though - I'll be damned if I can remember the version/model. It was like the Corvair Spyder.

Crap...

[mgbinspect]

There was a Vega that had some chutzpah though - I'll be damned if I can remember the version/model. It was like the Corvair Spyder.

Crap...

The Vega GT. Vegas were geared exactly the opposite of the Pinto, which is why I could tear them up off the line, but once in fourth gear, it was all over. The Pinto really needed a 5th gear. It was literally screaming - ready to blow apart - at about 70 MPH

[Terence McCann]

There was a Vega that had some chutzpah though - I'll be damned if I can remember the version/model. It was like the Corvair Spyder.

Crap...

The Vega GT.

That's it. There was a nice silver with two black racing stripes version around. Still a POS but for a good six months, after being purchased, it still looked good. After that, not so much.

You're right, the 70's were odd.

[AHI in AR]

There was a Vega that had some chutzpah though - I'll be damned if I can remember the version/model. It was like the Corvair Spyder.

Crap...

I suspect that you are thinking of the Cosworth Vega. It featured a twin cam engine developed in conjunction with Cosworth, a British firm who, if memory serves, did some engine work for Lotus. I was never a Vega fan, but I was (am) an automobile enthusiast.

[Chad Fabry]

Vega's with sub frames and big blocks were all the rage for quite a while.

The Cosworth Vega was a 25,000 mile car w/ an all aluminum block ..including cylinders. Another of Delorean's bad decisions and misguided visions.

Speaking of pieces of shit, I had a 1981 Chevette diesel that topped out around 71 MPH but got an astounding 50 MPG with virtually no computer controls. To get to 71 MPH, one needed to have roughly a minute of free time to do nothing but hold down the accelerator pedal.

[AHI in AR]

Vega's with sub frames and big blocks were all the rage for quite a while.

The Cosworth Vega was a 25,000 mile car w/ an all aluminum block ..including cylinders. Another of Delorean's bad decisions and misguided visions.

Speaking of pieces of shit, I had a 1981 Chevette diesel that topped out around 71 MPH but got an astounding 50 MPG with virtually no computer controls. To get to 71 MPH, one needed to have roughly a minute of free time to do nothing but hold down the accelerator pedal.

As I recall, all Vegas had all-aluminum blocks. That was a big problem--warped blocks (or excessive wear, I forget which) resulted in a lot of oil burning. But I seem to remember that cast iron cylinder liners were the factory solution. Not a great one.

For POS honors, I nominate the Geo Metro. I didn't own one, but rode in one on a brief trip that included some interstate time. Without a doubt it was three cylinders of screaming mediocrity.

[John Kogel]

There was a Vega that had some chutzpah though - I'll be damned if I can remember the version/model. It was like the Corvair Spyder.

Crap...

I suspect that you are thinking of the Cosworth Vega. It featured a twin cam engine developed in conjunction with Cosworth, a British firm who, if memory serves, did some engine work for Lotus. I was never a Vega fan, but I was (am) an automobile enthusiast.

Cosworth - one Vega for the price of two.

My 2 70's vehicles were Toyota and Mazda pickups. My wife had a couple of Volvos.

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[Inspectorjoe]

What's up with all the dissin' of Vega's? I take offense. Below is me in the summer of 1971 with my mom's brand spankin' new Vega (cool pants, eh?) If memory serves me, she got nearly 6 months use out of it before the axle separated from the chassis.

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[mgbinspect]

Vega's with sub frames and big blocks were all the rage for quite a while.

The Cosworth Vega was a 25,000 mile car w/ an all aluminum block ..including cylinders. Another of Delorean's bad decisions and misguided visions.

Yeah, the "iron duke" is wasn't. It's a shocker they didn't even use steel sleeves. I had no idea the pooped out that quickly, though.

Speaking of pieces of shit, I had a 1981 Chevette diesel that topped out around 71 MPH but got an astounding 50 MPG with virtually no computer controls. To get to 71 MPH, one needed to have roughly a minute of free time to do nothing but hold down the accelerator pedal.

The Chevette! That put a smile on my face. I had forgotten about it. I didn't realize there was a diesel version. 50 MPG - amazing!

[hausdok]

There was a Vega that had some chutzpah though - I'll be damned if I can remember the version/model. It was like the Corvair Spyder.

Crap...

We don' need no steenking 4-banger. Somewhere around 1980 my little brother and I ported and polished the heads on a Buick V-6, replaced the intake manifold, carburetor and ignition system, dropped it into a Vega wagon, bolted on some headers, threw some decent rims and tires on that little sucker and ended up with one screaming - and dangerously unwieldy - Vega super wagon.

It was a fun project but heavy in front, loose in the rear and it under-steered so badly that it was real easy to break it loose in corners. If we'd had more time and money, we would have done what it really needed - a lot of work on the suspension - but it just wasn't worth dumping money into.

Some high school kid got it and probably wrapped it around a tree someplace.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Tom Raymond]

Terry,

I'll see your gremlin and raise you a pacer[:-bigeyes

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[Tom Raymond]

My parents had a diesel chevette. I can attest that with enough road and a bit of an incline it would go faster than 71MPH. The QEW east of Kitchener headed back to Buffalo, my mother was pulled over doing almost 100. I'm pretty sure the cops let her go out of shear amazement.

That damned thing refused to die and was still running with almost 300,000 miles on it. The body wasn't safe to sit in, but it kept on running.

[Terence McCann]

Terry,

I'll see your gremlin and raise you a pacer[:-bigeyes

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Who could forget - another real POS.

[hausdok]

I remember how Motor Trend and Car and Driver went ga-ga over the Pacer, declared it the car of the future and all sorts of other hooey.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[mgbinspect]

I actually photographed this beauty while I was still working part time at the local airport, so technically it is a rare car on the job. Hope it takes you back.

One irony about pilots - they usually have very nice cars, but their aircraft are cosmetic disasters. Of course, they are required to have them basically torn down and inspected piece by piece every year, so they are usually in great mechanical shape, but the interior and exterior usually make me think, "I'm not sure I want to fly this thing..."

This pilot's 172 is, however, as immaculate as this Barracuda.

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[AHI in AR]

whatever it is it must have the optional "cloak of invisibility" feature...

OK. I post this and THEN the photos show up!

[mgbinspect]

whatever it is it must have the optional "cloak of invisibility" feature...

OK. I post this and THEN the photos show up!

For some reason, when I make an initial post, the option to upload photos isn't available. I always have to make the post and then edit it before "upload a photo" appears. Beats me....

[hausdok]

Hi,

You can't post photos from quick reply. Click "reply to topic" above the quick reply box and the extra options will show up.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[mgbinspect]

Hi,

You can't post photos from quick reply. Click "reply to topic" above the quick reply box and the extra options will show up.

OT - OF!!!

M.

Thanks for the tip! I always wodered how that could be more user friendly.

[Marc]

We don' need no steenking 4-banger. Somewhere around 1980 my little brother and I ported and polished the heads on a Buick V-6, replaced the intake manifold, carburetor and ignition system, dropped it into a Vega wagon, bolted on some headers, threw some decent rims and tires on that little sucker and ended up with one screaming - and dangerously unwieldy - Vega super wagon.

It was a fun project but heavy in front, loose in the rear and it under-steered so badly that it was real easy to break it loose in corners. If we'd had more time and money, we would have done what it really needed - a lot of work on the suspension - but it just wasn't worth dumping money into.

Some high school kid got it and probably wrapped it around a tree someplace.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

My brother replaced the 6 in-line in his 62' Bisquane with a 350 4 barrel from a pickup. He left the original 3 speed column shift tranny in place. Now, 6 in-lines are low rpm engines, the V-8 runs higher. The result is that the engine was barely above idle at 70 mph in high gear. He sold it to a guy who won $50 in race against a GTO. The guy didn't know what his top speed was because the speedometer pegged at 120.

Marc

[Terence McCann]

Great pics Mike, thanks.

If we only had a crystal ball - back then you couldn't give these away during the 1st oil ripoff shortage.