October 30, 2010
— Purple Avenger GM's agreements with Pontiac dealers officially expire Oct 31.
Courtesy of the GarageBlog, one of the primary reasons this patient died on the table was producing a long series of mediocre vehicles so damn butt ugly, they looked like well...a Pontiac Aztek.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at
10:11 AM
| Comments (179)
Post contains 101 words, total size 1 kb.
Posted by: cali grump at October 30, 2010 10:15 AM (hL0k8)
Posted by: pep at October 30, 2010 10:16 AM (8zlLq)
Posted by: Big Honkin' V8 at October 30, 2010 10:18 AM (3W1+C)
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 10:18 AM (/jbAw)
The thing had panache and history though, being an updated and consumerized version of the WWII Kubelwagon (the German's version of a Jeep).
If VW has sold it as a Jeep type vehicle, it would never have generated the kind of laughes it did.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at October 30, 2010 10:24 AM (8A5/g)
Posted by: Jon in TX at October 30, 2010 10:24 AM (lRqIF)
then they stuck it all together. A car by committee
Posted by: Frank G at October 30, 2010 10:25 AM (4X0aT)
Posted by: Kreiger at October 30, 2010 10:26 AM (YjJ53)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at October 30, 2010 10:27 AM (SB0V2)
They will be missed, but not for the Aztek. Shit, they couldn't even spell that correctly. They were trying to be too cute by half.
What I'll remember:
Any 1960's GTO's, especially the ones with three dueces (Vic!) and 455 Trans Am Firebirds (a big block in a Camaro, essentially) and GTO Judges.
*sigh* I miss musclecars...
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 30, 2010 10:27 AM (3jxR/)
Posted by: Chief Pontiac at October 30, 2010 10:28 AM (+1bKz)
Posted by: connielu at October 30, 2010 10:28 AM (vVy67)
Posted by: Purple Avenger at October 30, 2010 10:29 AM (8A5/g)
Once I saw the butt-ugly Azztek (it really warranted the second "z"), I knew the brand was doomed.
Posted by: ya2daup at October 30, 2010 10:29 AM (yRrAd)
Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at October 30, 2010 10:30 AM (xMKKV)
Posted by: Sam at October 30, 2010 10:34 AM (Cxsey)
Posted by: Editor at October 30, 2010 10:35 AM (YX6i/)
Pontiac or Obwandiyag (c. 1720 – April 20, 1769), was an Ottawa leader who became famous for his role in Pontiac's Rebellion (1763–1766), an American Indian struggle against the British military occupation of the Great Lakes region following the British victory in the French and Indian War.
Posted by: ya2daup at October 30, 2010 10:36 AM (yRrAd)
Posted by: Ed Anger at October 30, 2010 10:36 AM (7+pP9)
...I knew the brand was doomed.
During the '60's, they competed well in the musclecar market, but after the insurance companies killed that niche, it seems they couldn't figure out how to position the brand.
What was with that minivan that looked like the hand-held vacuum a few years back?
However, once the adults are returned to power in Washington and GM becomes a private company again, the resurrection of the brand as a full-fledged, no apologies, testosterone-dripping Euro-killer with a robust racing program might be possible.
I nominate myself for CEO of that effort.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 30, 2010 10:36 AM (3jxR/)
Pontiac sucked. The pre 68 GTO was the only thing they ever did well.
You want a Muscle Car? Go with the Blue Oval.
Posted by: garrett at October 30, 2010 10:38 AM (OJjnk)
Used to have a Grand Marquis. The key had Ford stamped on it. I was looking at a Mercury Villager at one time and was told the only difference between it and the Windstar was the day of the week it was manufactured. If it was a certain day, they stuck the Mercury logos on it, a different day it would be Ford.
Saturn never turned a profit and Hummer was a fad that has run it's course.
Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at October 30, 2010 10:39 AM (xMKKV)
The problem is loss of the best car in Ford's line, the Crown Vic. Ford quit making the model except for police use. They wanted you to buy the higher priced Grand Marquis Mercury. Now they quit the whole Mercury line.
I simply do not understand it. The Crown Vic was Ford's best selling car.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 10:44 AM (/jbAw)
a) I don't understand how American auto makers thought making the same model under different names was a good business model.
b) I can't believe they got away with it for decades.
I mean, the Regal, the Cutlass, the Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, and the Riviera & Toronado, and even the El Dorado were all the same the car from 1978-1986?
*Virtually no difference in the bolded models.
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 30, 2010 10:46 AM (uFokq)
Posted by: garrett at October 30, 2010 02:41 PM (OJjnk)
My next door neighbor had one of those back in the day with the old 289 HP. He thought it was tough stuff until my brother got his 1969 Dart with the 340.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 10:47 AM (/jbAw)
Posted by: Walter White at October 30, 2010 10:48 AM (Epj2t)
See Mustang 5.0 Ford has you covered.
Right you are. One of my friends over in Bradenton whom I used to ride to work with (back when I had a job) nonchalantly pulled into the driveway one morning in a black 5.0. Very nice.
However, I spent my formative years under the hood of a Chevy and if I ever hit the lottery, the first place I'll go is to the Cadillac dealer and get a CTS V, black, with every bell and whistle known to man. I've heard that they're considering a limited edition station wagon with that engine in it. Now that will get the drums to a gig in style.
Although there is a guy in my neighborhood who has a new Shelby GT 500. Lust after it, I do.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 30, 2010 10:48 AM (3jxR/)
In lieu of sending flowers, former GTO and Firebird owners can just slit their wrists because there is just no more reason to go on with this charade called life.
Posted by: JC at October 30, 2010 10:50 AM (Mnxnf)
They had an Aztec there the first year all tricked out with a propane stove in the fold down back.
It looks really neat. I asked the guy just what he thought would happen when the car was rear ended and it had a propane tank in it's back?
The stupid MFers had never thought about that.
Honest, I was in shocked at the stupidity. You never saw that stove, I saved or created millions of dollars that GM did not have to pay in lawsuits.
All ugly list? Don't forget the AMC Gremlin!
http://tinyurl.com/37slsa4
Posted by: Kemp at October 30, 2010 10:50 AM (JpFM9)
The stupid MFers had never thought about that.
Posted by: Kemp at October 30, 2010 02:50 PM (JpFM9)
I don't get it.
Posted by: Pinto at October 30, 2010 10:54 AM (YX6i/)
My next door neighbor had one of those back in the day with the old 289 HP. He thought it was tough stuff until my brother got his 1969 Dart with the 340.
If it was a K-Code 289, it would have had no problem handling that Dart. But 61 Cu. In. is tough to overcome with a small carb and cheap heads. Also, the Dart would have run a min of 3:50 rear while the Caliente was stocked w/ 3:25's.
Posted by: garrett at October 30, 2010 10:55 AM (OJjnk)
Posted by: Sekhmet at October 30, 2010 10:56 AM (Rp/RA)
Had a 98 Grand Prix GTP Coupe that I loved... big enough back seat for the kids... and once I rebuilt the Supercharger, and exhaust, and upgraded the chip... it ran REALLY well...
And it had a Heads up Display.. actualy showed your speed in digiatl numbers on the windshield...
Posted by: Romeo13 at October 30, 2010 10:56 AM (AdK6a)
Posted by: Sekhmet at October 30, 2010 02:56 PM (Rp/RA)
Hey, give us a break. We're trying harder.
Posted by: Pea Green Honda Element at October 30, 2010 10:59 AM (YX6i/)
Posted by: garrett at October 30, 2010 02:55 PM (OJjnk)
My brother's had a 3:91 rear end. I don't know which version of the hi-po the neighbor had but the Dart blew him away bad.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 10:59 AM (/jbAw)
http://tinyurl.com/35ls75w
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 02:58 PM (/jbAw)
Sure thats not the new GM model?
Posted by: Romeo13 at October 30, 2010 11:00 AM (AdK6a)
Posted by: Monty at October 30, 2010 11:00 AM (o2hlb)
My brother's had a 3:91 rear end. I don't know which version of the hi-po the neighbor had but the Dart blew him away bad.
That Rear made a big difference. Did your brother's 340 have a six-pac on it?
That was the other edge.
Posted by: garrett at October 30, 2010 11:01 AM (OJjnk)
#41
I am thinking AMC had two design teams with the same requirements.
One came up with the Pacer, the other the Gremlin. Only explanation I can think of.
Posted by: Two door hatchback at October 30, 2010 11:01 AM (3W1+C)
The Crown Vic was a full sized sedan, so is the new Taurus. Ford doesn't make a lot of money selling two cars in every segment so it makes sense to kill off the old model that needed a massive update (which would have left it looking like a Taurus anyway)
Cops are using the new Taurus now. I'm surprised a few morons haven't been in the back of one yet to comment on space and ride comfort issues.
Posted by: Allen at October 30, 2010 11:02 AM (NqhL+)
I remember when DATSUN was just getting popular.
My brother got a brand new 280Z 2+2 for graduation.
Cool car. Kinda a knock-off of the Jaguar S-type.
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 30, 2010 11:04 AM (uFokq)
Posted by: Pea Green Honda Element at October 30, 2010 11:04 AM (YX6i/)
The 240Z was probably one of the first Jap 'sports' cars.
It was a pretty quick rwd with a 2.4L in-line 6cyl with a 4bbl carb (I think).
Then Datsun came out with the 260Z with fuel injection, which was a big deal in the '70's.
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 30, 2010 11:07 AM (uFokq)
No, it had the old Carter 4 barrel that the cops could hear cutting in from miles away.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 11:09 AM (/jbAw)
It took a long time for the US auto makers to get the fuel injection right, which is really pathetic.
On the other, the Jap cars with carbs were terrible.
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 30, 2010 11:11 AM (uFokq)
In the Boston suburb I grew up in, we had a, get this, a CITROEN dealer.
It was in the same dealership as the Datsun. Citroen's were gone by the late '70's.
A Citroen, if you don't remember, looked like a SAAB on steroids.
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 30, 2010 11:14 AM (uFokq)
Funny thing about the Datsun/Citroen dealer...
it was located on Main Street right next door to RADIO SHACK/TANDY LEATHER.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 11:15 AM (uFokq)
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin' up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
Posted by: SantaRosaStan at October 30, 2010 11:16 AM (dS2wQ)
Those were the days.
That was long before NYNEX, longer before Verizon. Our telephone company was called New England Telephone.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 11:17 AM (uFokq)
My grandmother and my uncle both had one of these.
That reminds me of another little car much like the Lark!
http://tinyurl.com/l7ht8w
Posted by: Kemp at October 30, 2010 11:17 AM (JpFM9)
Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque at October 30, 2010 11:17 AM (fxACH)
Wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa (Yeah, yeah, little GTO)
Wa-wa, (Yeah, yeah, little GTO)
Wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa (Yeah, yeah, little GTO)
Wa-wa (Ahhh, little GTO)
Wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
Posted by: SantaRosaStan at October 30, 2010 11:18 AM (dS2wQ)
You oughta see her on a road course or a quarter mile
This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style
She beats the gassers and the rail jobs,
really drives 'em why-ee-eye-ild
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
Posted by: SantaRosaStan at October 30, 2010 11:20 AM (dS2wQ)
Posted by: Radioactive Satellite Of LOVE at October 30, 2010 11:25 AM (PWj+8)
Posted by: David Berkowitz at October 30, 2010 11:26 AM (nV8P6)
Ugly as they are, Azteks are pretty damn good cars. Very roomy inside for a guy my size (6'3", 240) which is rare for a smallish car.
I had one when I lived in Mass and I had no problem on the snowy and icy roads.
Yeah, they are butt ugly.
Posted by: Log Cabin at October 30, 2010 11:26 AM (OF0tv)
The Pontiac PR people were not amused to hear about that for some reason....
Oh, and mpur? The Mercury Villager was actually a Nissan Quest with different badges.
Posted by: MrScribbler, former Citroen owner at October 30, 2010 11:28 AM (Ulu3i)
'69 was probably the best year for US cars ever. All the big 3 had cool shit that year.
Posted by: GrumpyUnk at October 30, 2010 11:30 AM (TkQ9R)
The four barrel would suck some gas, but when I put that fucker to the floor it got some attention!
It was a bad ass car from 0-100, and that was all she had. Rear end set up for quick pursuit. Only state that I know had them was NJ. I blew by a trooper in my 88 and he waved! Really.
Put 120,000 miles on that baby. You could sleep a family of four in the back seat.
Posted by: Kemp at October 30, 2010 11:31 AM (JpFM9)
Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at October 30, 2010 11:33 AM (wd0Iq)
Posted by: joeindc44 at October 30, 2010 11:34 AM (Du09Y)
oh those GM interiors were plush in those big 98's, 88's, Bonneville's, Cadillacs, etc!
The crushed velour upholstery, very pillowy. Nice stuff.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 11:34 AM (uFokq)
Posted by: GrumpyUnk at October 30, 2010 11:35 AM (TkQ9R)
Posted by: Wodeshed at October 30, 2010 11:37 AM (nV8P6)
Yes. A currently unemployed one, alas.
The "former Citroen owner" nic must have given me away....
Posted by: MrScribbler at October 30, 2010 11:37 AM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: Greg not Greg Troll at October 30, 2010 11:38 AM (3W1+C)
1964 Catalina that Dad bought for Mom's birthday: we remember you fondly. Mom even rushed out to buy a baby-blue outfit that would match the interior.
R.I.P. mom, dad and showboat.
Posted by: Marla at October 30, 2010 11:39 AM (kD8Fh)
Posted by: Wodeshed at October 30, 2010 11:42 AM (nV8P6)
Do they still sell PEUGOT's in the US?
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 03:43 PM (uFokq)
Nope, but there is a dealer near me that still has a sign up.
Posted by: Radioactive Satellite Of LOVE at October 30, 2010 11:44 AM (PWj+8)
Aside from my Citroen DS-21, I also owned: two Renault R5s, one R16 and one 4CV.
I'm better now. Really.
Posted by: MrScribbler at October 30, 2010 11:46 AM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: GrumpyUnk at October 30, 2010 11:46 AM (TkQ9R)
In the Boston suburb I grew up in, we had a, get this, a CITROEN dealer.
It was in the same dealership as the Datsun. Citroen's were gone by the late '70's.
A Citroen, if you don't remember, looked like a SAAB on steroids.
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 30, 2010 03:14 PM (uFokq)
Citroen is French for "Lemon"
Renault is French for "Piece of Shit"
Posted by: Minuteman at October 30, 2010 11:48 AM (264X9)
Posted by: GrumpyUnk at October 30, 2010 03:30 PM (TkQ9R)
'69 was the last good year for the muscle cars before the smog shit and "gov gas" shut them down. Soon they were all de-tuned to wimpy assed junk.
Then the mid 70s came and there wasn't an American car on the market that was worth a shit. They were all butt ugly and unreliable as hell.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 11:49 AM (/jbAw)
Put a couple of wide mags on the back and terrorized the neighborhood, blasting Motley Crue while rockin' my acid-washed jeans.
Good times.
Posted by: schizuki at October 30, 2010 11:51 AM (M+lbD)
Remember the Chevy VEGA?
I remember the first time I saw one, looked under the hood and saw plenty of room for a small block Chevy engine.
About two months later, Grumpy Jenkins had one on a drag strip, standing the front end waaay up in the air, the new Grumpy's Toy, a Vega with about 500 hp worth of Chevy power.
Good times.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 30, 2010 11:56 AM (3jxR/)
Posted by: CMU VET at October 30, 2010 11:56 AM (6/2eP)
Posted by: sTevo at October 30, 2010 11:58 AM (Uvo0l)
Remember the Vista Cruiser?
I think that's what it was called. It was the station wagon with the glass panels in the roof. Very cool boat.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 12:01 PM (uFokq)
First car = 1956 Chevy Bel Air. 265 Power Pack engine with 2-speed Power Glide transmission. Oil air cleaner. Would go almost all the way through a quarter mile until about 50 from the finish line before it would shift into second.
More good times.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 30, 2010 12:02 PM (3jxR/)
Another popular station wagon was the Ford LTD...something something.
Anyway, that was a beautiful car.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 12:05 PM (uFokq)
Posted by: Wodeshed at October 30, 2010 12:05 PM (0uuoS)
A cousin of mine is the owner of a '69 Corvette Stingray with a 427 Tri-Power under the hood.
An awesome vehicle.
Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque at October 30, 2010 12:07 PM (fxACH)
Those cars were made for something we don't have anymore today...
families.
Families that would pack up and hit the road and travel together.
Now we have single mom-strippuhs driving Scions with DVD players in the seats.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 12:07 PM (uFokq)
Country Squire!
Yes!
How could I forget. That car, my friends who live inside my computer, is Americana.
Posted by: Soothsayer is getting lost down Memory Ln at October 30, 2010 12:08 PM (uFokq)
Posted by: John at October 30, 2010 12:09 PM (KsX1m)
Posted by: Wodeshed at October 30, 2010 12:10 PM (0uuoS)
(paraphrased, but I have it saved)
"Hi, I'm Democrat Randy Glassman, and I want you to meet with me this Wednesday at the Maricopa Convention Center. Together we can take on John McCain. I'll serve the interests of Arizonans, not Washington...."
Two things:
1) Wednesday is after the election.
2) I live in North Carolina, and have never lived anywhere near AZ.
Posted by: Lincolntf at October 30, 2010 12:12 PM (V/C0X)
A cousin of mine is the owner of a '69 Corvette Stingray with a 427 Tri-Power under the hood.
If memory serves, they didn't make many of those. Your cousin has a very rare 'Vette indeed. Also, IIRC, the only way to get at the front spark plugs was through the wheel well with a long extension.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at October 30, 2010 12:12 PM (3jxR/)
Posted by: Captain Ned at October 30, 2010 12:12 PM (P1/uX)
An awesome vehicle.
Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque at October 30, 2010 04:07 PM (fxACH)
If it is all original that car is worth some bucks. And yes awesome. I think the most awesome American sports car is still considered the old L88 'Vette.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 12:13 PM (/jbAw)
240Z had twin SU carbs.
Also had a 7 grand redline and a 4 speed.
I'll be in my bunk.
Posted by: Some car guy
The famous Datsun 240Z was a direct copy of an Austin-Healy 3000, but with a different skin and better quality assembly (in Japan). The more evolved version, the 280Z, was really a great sports coupe. Fuel injected, really fast.
Yeah, I owned a Mercury Villager for 8 years, and it came out of the same factory as a Nissan Quest. The Windstar is substantially bigger than the Villager.
Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch says... at October 30, 2010 12:14 PM (sJTmU)
Posted by: John Galt at October 30, 2010 12:26 PM (NLWij)
Mustang 5.0 is 4951CC, 302.15 CID.
Mine is bone stock GT, manual, Black with Stone interior.
No silly assed stripes, decals,flares or scoops.
Posted by: Bad Ass V8 at October 30, 2010 12:26 PM (3W1+C)
Posted by: Anachronda at October 30, 2010 12:31 PM (6fER6)
Posted by: Anachronda at October 30, 2010 12:33 PM (6fER6)
The station wagon morphed into the land yacht SUV which was exempt from CAFE rules because it was a truck.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 12:37 PM (/jbAw)
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 04:37 PM
True dat. Either the SUV or the mini-van, both classified as "small trucks". Go figger. Our brilliant masters in the Federal Government, praise be upon them. Now, the "crossover". Whatevah!
Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch says... at October 30, 2010 12:51 PM (sJTmU)
If you've got enough money, you can drive one of the old muscle cars--case in point, I'm the proud owner of a '68 RoadRunner., a clone of the one I bought brand new in January of '68.
The original cost $2945.00, off the showroom floor, this one has just under 15k invested in it. Since it aint for resale, I don't care. What a sweetie it is.
Modern cars are just transportation modules, with all the appeal of a rotted tree stump And never mind that the engineering is superior, the charm just isn't there..
Posted by: irongrampa at October 30, 2010 01:17 PM (ud5dN)
You're right. As soon as I read "Nissan Quest" I remembered that was the case.
Gaa, what an afternoon. Locked my keys in the car and some helpful guys helped me get in, but screwed up the mechanism in the process and now I can't open more driver's side door from the outside.
Stupid cars.
Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at October 30, 2010 01:30 PM (xMKKV)
I am thinking AMC had two design teams with the same requirements.
One came up with the Pacer, the other the Gremlin. Only explanation I can think of.
The Gremlin was a speedy, lame response to the Pinto and Vega. They just took a Hornet and hacked off the back, more or less. One of the most worthless cars ever made.
At least the Pacer was an attempt to do something new, a car designed in pursuit of the benefits a wide track can bring. It largely achieved that end, at the expense of being ugly.
My friend was cursed with a metallic purple Gremlin in college. Talk about adding insult to injury! One funny feature it had was an air conditioner with a temperature dial marked at its extreme clockwise position with "DESERT ONLY." They weren't kidding! Best danged a/c I've ever seen in a car.
Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at October 30, 2010 01:35 PM (kJXs1)
Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at October 30, 2010 01:37 PM (kJXs1)
As for Pontiac, yeah, the Aztek will always be a wtf-were-they-thinking footnote, but I don't think any muscle car has ever, will ever, touch the early GTO. That was a screamin' machine.
Posted by: Peaches at October 30, 2010 01:42 PM (zxpIo)
Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at October 30, 2010 01:46 PM (xMKKV)
Posted by: Buffalobob at October 30, 2010 01:48 PM (EMalB)
1970 formula 400 T/A munsey rock crusher, balanced and blueprinted, supercharger, perf cam, slammed down to as low as a pack of cigarettes on end.
1967 chevelle 396 SS balanced and blueprinted, 6 pack, perf cam, chrome up the arse, 4 wheel disc (this was in 1976).
1967/8 Cutlass 442-H/O - was mostly stock but had a few engine mods.
Mopar was the shyte, but most of the people I knew back then preferred Chevy styling.
Me? I had a 1966 ford falcon futura sports coup - not the cool rag-top sprint but the nerdy piece of crap straight six version. http://tinyurl.com/27hl7mp heh
Posted by: 13times at October 30, 2010 02:05 PM (h6XiD)
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at October 30, 2010 02:10 PM (au40C)
Posted by: stace at October 30, 2010 02:26 PM (8PLOi)
Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at October 30, 2010 02:32 PM (kJXs1)
The fastest vehicle (top end) I have ever been in was a 350 c.i. 'Vette. The fastest I have actually been however was on a motorcycle at 145 mph.
Posted by: Vic at October 30, 2010 02:38 PM (/jbAw)
Mercury 429 Cyclone. Holycow does it get more awesome?
Posted by: ron dorque at October 30, 2010 03:12 PM (Xefmj)
And never mind that the engineering is superior, the charm just isn't there..
2006 Grey 6.0 GTO, blends into traffic whenever you want. Takes off like Crocodile Dundee's buddy "Donk" throwing a headbutt.
Posted by: Dave at October 30, 2010 03:16 PM (zfaH9)
Late again.
They could have received enough fed money from Bawny Fwank if they had just named it the "AssTech"...
Posted by: RightThinker at October 30, 2010 03:38 PM (KmHbv)
I agree on the loss of the Ford Crown Vic/Mercury Grand Marquis. This is a well made, proven, solid car. The last of a legendary breed, actually. It's the last of the V-8 4-door family sedans, the design that made Detroit famous.
CAFE standards in the 1970's were the opening salvo in long march to regulate the breed out of existence. Instantly they became higher cost, with less horsepower, and smaller profit. Progressives are still bitter that Americans escaped through the light truck loophole and started buying minivans and SUV's instead. We just don't like the smaller cars they always wanted us to buy when we could find a bigger one.
So, they're taking them away from us. The Crown Vic is the first one to fall. They're coming for the SUV's next, and then anything that's not a credentialled work truck.
And you're going to be paying a lot more per pound for that smaller ride. Those new rides will feature more and more unproven designs. Reliability will become a problem again for all the manufacturers, just like it did for the Big Three after CAFE. Design costs for new models, already far too high, are soaring even higher. Models will be converging around a small set of very similar designs among manufactuers. It'll be boring. Nothing like the Aztec will be seen again, and this is a bad thing even though the Aztec was such an ugly vehicle. No one's going to roll the dice like with design so far outside the norm again. No way no how. Can't afford it. They'll be playing it safe.
Posted by: Cowboy at October 30, 2010 03:51 PM (g9AYc)
Posted by: goat lover at October 30, 2010 04:04 PM (8+vFO)
Posted by: 13times at October 30, 2010 06:05 PM
Too many to name, I'm from the 50s and 60s generation. But the ones I own/ed? My first new car was a 1964 Plymouth Fury Wedge. And I still have a 1966 Stingray Convertible 427/425 big block, 58,000 original miles.
Posted by: Deanna at October 30, 2010 04:09 PM (oNO62)
Posted by: CMS2004 at October 30, 2010 06:09 PM (Zxivg)
My first car was a 1951 Silver Streak Pontiac torpedo-back with straight eight and hydramatic.
A neat ride for a 16 year old farm kid.
Posted by: 2SoonOld2LateSmart at October 30, 2010 07:29 PM (h/OxL)
If they make a FWD Corvette, Chevy will have to be put down, too.
Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead...
Posted by: Merovign, Strong on His Mountain at October 30, 2010 11:39 PM (bxiXv)
The best thing about the Quadrajet? The name.
Probably the single most unfairly maligned, massively underrated carb of all time. Properly set up and modded, particularly the mid-70s versions with APT - those carburetors were absolute monsters. Frustratingly tricky to get dialed in though.
-Cnation
Posted by: cnation at October 31, 2010 05:19 AM (xdbAT)
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It was 'Aztek', and yes it was ass-ugly.
Posted by: Dang Straights at October 30, 2010 10:13 AM (tLPCU)