General Chat
Q:
It's the end of the year and everyone has a usual year end review- so for nothing better to do - how about a poll of favorite cars or automotive inovations for the last 100 years?
Favorite car for style or performance or inovation: by decade - please state why you chose this car:
1900-1909 : Rolls Royce Silver Ghost - style & dependability
1910-1919 : Stanley Steamer - speed, true sports car
1920-1930 : Cadillac V16 Phaeton - style and power
Ok - you get the idea. More than one car can be chosen in a decade.
trucks too if you want.
A good history lesson if you want or just something to do until you're too sotted to think by Jan 1st.
Have fun and be creative.
Oh and have a Happy New Z Year!
Ed and Jeanne's
ZXelda 1981 280 ZXT: ZXena 1990 300 ZX
1941 Buick Special Sedanette (Betty)
1956 Dodge Royal (Dorothy)
1971 Buick Riviera (Rita)
1975 Ford F-150 Stepside (Fiona)
1992 Firebird (Frieda)
A:
The 0s; Gotta love the original Ford model A for all the hotrods it inspired, especially the Rat Fink style 50s fenderless roadster from the later model As.
The 10s; one word....Bugatti
The 20s; I loved the big Cords, and Duesenburgs, they exuded style, money, and power with the big 16 cylinder motors.
The 30s; 32 Ford
The 40s; Loved the look of the early Chevy coupes.
The 50s; Porsche Speedster, early VW bug with the big eyes, 57 Chevy Nomad, 53 blueflame 6 cylinder Vette with the mesh headlight covers.....cool.
The 60s; Carroll Shelby owned the 60s in my book with looks, and performance in every car he touched during this decade. 62 Ferrari 250 GTO, 63 bubbletop 409 Chevy Belair, 68 GTO, Datsun 2000 roadster, 67 Stingray, Bugeye Sprites, Austin Healey 3000.
The 70s; Loved most Pontiac T/As until 79, ZZZZZZZs, Triumph TR6, unfortunately this decade didn't have much to offer.
The 80s; 82 Mustang GT, F Testarossa, BMW 635 CSI, Also a dismal decade, but getting better.
The 90s; 94 RX-7 turbo, Porsche 944 turbo S, and others.
Black, bumperless, 78 Z with MSA superturbo system, K/N cone filter, ported intake, and exhaust manifolds.....15.9 @87 mph.
A:
Here's my 2 cents worth. Mostly American, but some others as well.
1910 - 1920 Model T Ford - It put the world on wheels for $295.
1920 - 1930 Again, the Model T Ford (Who could afford a Rolls?)
1930 - 1940 Model A and B Fords - affordable, dependable, still in use in many places today. Also, the '32 Ford Flathead V8s. 85 horsepower!
1940 - 1950 Willis/Ford Jeeps - They won WWII, and they are great little vehicles! Modern ORVs can't compare.
1950 - 1960 The 1955 Chevy V/8 - the first really stylish car that the young driver could afford. Also, the 1965 split window coupe Corvette, Gorgeous! and bad to the bone. 327CI, 300HP, positive traction, a 4 Speed and no handling at all! What more could a man ask for? :)
1960 - 1970 The VW Beetle - The best little car ever made. Also, the Ford powered AC Cobra (small block version). It was the most macho car ever produced. It kicked Porche and Ferarri off the road courses. Too bad the aluminium bodies desolved in the rain.
1970 - 1980 Just terrible cars this whole decade. Eurobox pieces of junk! The worst was the AMC Pacer. Ugly, slow, undependable, and a gas hog. The best were the Datsun Z and ZX series. They reintroduced the sports car to the world.
1980 - 1990 The Toyota/Honda/Nissan reign of high tech vehicles.
1990 - 2000 The Dodge Viper. Raw, gutsy, uncontrolable power! They don't handle worth a d*mn, but who cares! Stop light to stop light they kick butt and take names. (Come on, Ricer, let's roll!)
2000 - 2005 - The new Mustang GT. Great looks and performance at a reasonable price.
1979 280zx 5-speed w/53,000 original miles
Check out my Blog at http://conservatoid.blogspot.com
Post Edited (Dec 30, 9:33pm)
A:
I'm only going to address the near past, forgive me for being lazy but I don't want to type for a couple hours.
The 1989 Viper prototype was the most influential design in modern sports cars in my opinion. It reintroduced the American muscle car and revitalized the design with a chassis that could handle and stop as well as accelerate. It brought design back into american manufacturing and jolted design around the world. The Viper was an incredibly innovative and catalyzing creation and brought the sports car back into american psyche. I personally believe that this car is the reason we have seen the prodigious amount of foreign and domestic sports cars brought to the US in recent years.
'73 Turbo, not much stock. Sold now... :-(
A:
clutchman I think you're right. It's just strange to me that just when the retro craze hits and makers are making more muscle - 1973 again - gas prices scarring people off the gas burners.
Jump in with more stuff as you think of it.
Ed and Jeanne's
ZXelda 1981 280 ZXT: ZXena 1990 300 ZX
1941 Buick Special Sedanette (Betty)
1956 Dodge Royal (Dorothy)
1971 Buick Riviera (Rita)
1975 Ford F-150 Stepside (Fiona)
1992 Firebird (Frieda)
A:
1910-1920: Bugatti, c'mon. Nothing compared at the time.
1921-1930: Model T.
1931-1940: Model A.
1931-1940: Plymouth Coupe.
1941-1950: The Tucker. What a car, what an innovation. Actually brought the big three together to run this guy out of business.
1951-1960: 1957 T'Bird.
1961-1970: A no-brainer. 1968 Plymouth Hemi Roadrunner.
1971-1980: Toss-up between the Trans-Ams and the 'Cuda.
1981-1990: 280ZX Turbo's, DUH!!!
1991-2000: Porsche 911
2001-Pres: Ford GT
1981 280ZX Turbo
60,000 original miles
Still OEM (except for tires, fluids, and filters or course)
Swartz Creek, Michigan
It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and I'm wearing milk bone underpants.
A:
Myself, 30's and 40's...... nothing beat the Phaeton Packards ! !
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If my reply sounds offensive, TAKE IT AS HUMOR !! MUUUUHAHAHAHAHA !!
.
...'77 280 ZEE-EEK.....If it's got Wheels.....It's gonna Cost Ya ! !
A:
My salute to Mr Ford for putting the blue collar workers on wheels, same for the fuhrer n Ferdinand Porsche for the WV, the French Citroen 2CV etc etc.
anyone can make a dream car with lots of money/budget
Have you shared the left lane today?
A:
It's a historical fact that once Arnold s. bought a Vipor BUT THEN his lovely wife made him return it. Later, Hummers WERE allowed though. NK
Norman Krell
A:
1900-29 Ford Model T hands down. Ford did more things for the auto industry starting with this car than anybody else has.
1930-1939 Not sure here. But I do like all those V12's and monster phaetons.
1940-1949 The Jeep. A combined effort of American Bantam (who got shafted and deserve most of the credit), Willys-Overland, and Ford. The most recognizable vehicle around the world.
1950-1959 I'd have to go with Chevrolet here. The 350 V-8 is probably the most popular engine in America.
1960-1969 I know the VW Beetle came out in the fifities but I tend to think it caught on more and really took off in the Sixties.
~1964-1973 The Muscle Car Era needs no explanation. Hemi's, Chevelles, GTO's, Mustang's. And of course I'm going to have to mention the 240Z for getting the whole Japanese sports car thing started.
1973-1979 Reign of the pimp mobiles as I like to call it.
1980-1989 The Japanese big three with all their economy cars.
1990-1999 The Mustang. Even though I can't stand them, they're more generic than white bread, and to me they scream that your compensating for something.
2000-2005 Nothing worth mentioning.
I'll probably get flamed for this, but...Not many good cars have been made since '73 in my opinion that can compare with the classics. Workmanship, value, and just plain good looks are a thing of the past. Look at the retro cars coming out. They scream, "We've run out of ideas!" I like very few newer cars. Tacomas (till they changed to the new design), Lotus Elise, Z32, and the Ford Powerstroke are about it.
Morgan
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up
A:
lotus elise YUM!!!!!!!!!!
70 yay!
77 parts
81 compressed parts
86 compressed it handles
00 mercury cougar omg wtf : \ girl has to have something to drive
- owned
74.5 why did i sell you
81 1st car $425 found out s130s dont handle stock
82 good
84 BMW 325e omg never again
A:
Yeah and the Lotus Exige makes the Elise look like a Yugo, but it's not street legal here.
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up