Vintage HiFi Audio Forum

General Banter => The Circular File => Car Talk => Topic started by: OldiesButGoodies on September 21, 2014, 08:45:44 AM

Title: Cars in the 80s
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on September 21, 2014, 08:45:44 AM
What a bad time the 80s were for sports cars (as were the late 70s):

http://youtu.be/8Y0tOZco-jg (http://youtu.be/8Y0tOZco-jg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 21, 2014, 01:39:18 PM
By far the ugliest Mustang ever.   Sad, really.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 21, 2014, 07:07:59 PM
I disagree. The Fox body (79-93) Mustang platform provided an entire generation of gearheads with a body and engine that were easily and highly modifiable, especially the 86-93 EFI cars. Take an '86-'93 Mustang GT or 5.0 LX car, put 3:73 or 4:10 gears in the 8.8" rear end, throw a set of 10 or 12 inch ET streets on the rear wheels, and install a 125 or 150 HP nitrous kit, and you've got a car that runs mid 12's in the 1/4 mile. At the time this was truly unheard of. By comparison, even the "legendary" muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's were low 14 second cars at best in stock trim (with very few exceptions).

Throw in a few suspension mods and what not and you've got something that looks like this:

(http://image.mustangandfords.com/f/54416150+w620+re0/1986-ford-mustang-gt-side-view.jpg)

Which looks exponentially better than the Mustang II of the late 70's:

(http://worldcarslist.com/images/ford/ford-mustang-ii/ford-mustang-ii-06.jpg)





Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 21, 2014, 08:01:41 PM
You are comparing a front shot to a rear.   That 80s Mustang looks like a grandma car.

Oh, and you're wrong about Clapton, too.  :P
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 21, 2014, 08:02:45 PM
At least that 70s one has a couple curves around the wheel wells.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: ataudio on September 21, 2014, 08:05:03 PM
8W...you must be a Ford man.  :laugh:  I was in the late 80's.  I had a 1988 Mustang GT.
A great car in it's day.  If I was to buy a vintage Mustang it would have to be a 89 or newer.  Major change was moving from a MAP sensor to the MAF sensor.
Responds to upgrades much better. Honestly I wouldnt even but the 4.6L.  It would have to be the 5.0 pushrod...which I understand is back.  Cars are fun...but if it has wheels or tits it winds up costing you money.  All in all I like todays cars more. 

Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 21, 2014, 08:05:24 PM
Even the lowly Ford Maverick of the late 70s looked better.

(http://th06.deviantart.net/fs48/PRE/f/2009/233/4/6/Ford_Maverick_by_Bruno_Desing.jpg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 21, 2014, 08:07:10 PM
Ah, the 80s.   The only thing that sucked worse than the cars was the hair bands.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 21, 2014, 09:49:42 PM
Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos are awesome.  :) Clapton solo sucks. Listening to his solo crap is like reading an 80's VCR manual repeatedly.  >:D

I've become an import convert.

My 95 GT had 17 x 9 inch wheels, an Eibach Pro Kit, all urethane bushings, a tubular front k-member, a lower chassis brace, a strut tower brace, KYB shocks and struts, upgraded front and rear sway bars, subframe connectors, aftermarket torque boxes, and whatever else I don't remember. Basically all suspension parts were upgraded.

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/rock412dnb/topdown.jpg)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/rock412dnb/Picture003.jpg)

My WRX (with only aftermarket front and rear strut tower braces) handles leaps and bounds better on all types of road surfaces, wet or dry.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on September 21, 2014, 10:41:41 PM
The WRX is looming as a possible next car. Sounds like a fun drive.  Not the STI version because I cant stand the rear spoiler.

The Mustang of the timeframe accommodated any number of after market stuff,  but factory stock it sucked, IMO.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: schwarcw on September 22, 2014, 12:17:04 AM
I thought the Monte Carlos and the Buick Grand National were nice looking cars.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 22, 2014, 07:51:07 AM
Yep.   The SS was probably the best looking car of it's era (faint praise indeed).
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: GraphicFX on September 22, 2014, 08:48:47 AM
Even the lowly Ford Maverick of the late 70s looked better.

(http://th06.deviantart.net/fs48/PRE/f/2009/233/4/6/Ford_Maverick_by_Bruno_Desing.jpg)

Traffic traffic
lookn for my chapstick
feeln' kinda carsick
there's a ford maveric
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: non-prophet on September 22, 2014, 09:22:22 AM
The best cars from that era where from Europe.  Some of my favorites, BMW M6, Mercedes Benz 500sec AMG, Saab 900 spg and Volvo 780.  I have owned and sold everyone of these vehicles. 
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 22, 2014, 10:15:55 AM
Yes, I love that Volvo.   It has a similar look to the SS.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on September 22, 2014, 09:08:14 PM
I had forgotten that Volvo - a bit of an exotic production model for them with a body by Bertone.  The BMW 635 csi was my dream car back in those days.  The M6 version was hardly ever seen in PR.  Some European cars from that time were pretty good I guess,  but I would not go universal on that.  The Ferrari Mondial was and is a black mark in Ferrari's history - ditto for the early 308s. And Maserati with the biturbo? What a piece of shit car. The Aston Martin Lagonda?  You need a team of Anders to keep the electronics running in the Lagonda, specially the CRT-based instrument pod. And need I mention the Yugo was born in this timeframe?  ???

So you point out some decent exceptions,  but bad times overall.

Pepe
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Jim Pittsburgh on September 22, 2014, 10:50:11 PM
Had a 240 volvo, an RX7, and a Taurus SHO

IMHO some of the best of the lot during that very
sorry decade! Lol
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Mongojustpawn on September 22, 2014, 11:20:11 PM
Almost bought a Monte Carlo SS, got a 4wd PU instead.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 22, 2014, 11:51:40 PM
I owned an 88 Mustang GT from the time I was 16 until I was 22. Of course, that was the late 90's and early 00's. It didn't stay stock for very long. By the time I parted the car out, it was caged and backhalved with a big block build. This explains my love of the Fox Body Mustang.

One of the coolest cars that I've owned was an '87 Isuzu I-Mark turbo. The suspension was designed by Lotus. Picking it up for $50 didn't hurt, either. It handled extremely well. I abused and punished that car for almost a year. It just would not die. I sold it to a friend who removed the windows and used it as a go-kart on the Madison slate dumps.  >:D

(http://www.isuzuperformance.com/gifs/carpix/rbeck2.jpg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Reverend on September 23, 2014, 09:01:09 AM
I had a 1989 Merkur XR4Ti.  Loved that car.

(http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/2923/1801/32305900001_large.jpg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Jim Pittsburgh on September 23, 2014, 09:17:45 AM
Had a '78? Monte Carlo ( the first year of the smaller size)... the first new car I ever bought and it was by far the worst car I've ever owned.... stupid thing was built crooked and just ate up tires and the paint just kept peeling off of the trunk.... Chevy and the dealer were useless and refused to admit the problems....at the same time wife had a 76 Camaro, the year they used the recycled steel and it rusted out from under the paint...  sold them both and bought the RX7....which  tied for the most perfect car I've ever owned ( 98 Toyota Landcruiser was the other) 
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: RuralTom on September 23, 2014, 09:44:28 AM
There's an auto shop in Uniontown that I see a BMW 635 cs parked by all the time, presumably one of the owners, but that is a sweet looking ride!

I had an '84(?) RX7 and it was a wonderful car, loved it to death, I still kinda wish I'd hung onto it...  Charcoal grey exterior, red leather interior, removable 'moon roof', the rotary engine was awesome.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 23, 2014, 03:03:18 PM
We always kept an XR4Ti around at our garage.

The engine and drivetrain was identical to the Mustang SVT. SVT parts were expensive. Rotted or wrecked XR4Ti's were cheap.  >:D
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Detroit_Muscle on September 23, 2014, 03:34:24 PM
Can't argue that most were junk, but they still make nice raw material for hot rodders....

My '87 Monte Carlo LS at the dragstrip on it's way to an 11 second pass:

(http://i61.tinypic.com/14o84e0.jpg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Reverend on September 23, 2014, 03:36:23 PM
The Merkur engine was a 4 cylinder- turbo charged.  Same as the Ford Thunderbird turbo coupe.  I thought the Mustangs used 5.0 V8's?

Just looked this up.  The Ford Thunderbird turbo coupe came in 3 different engine styles.  The 2.3L which the Merkur had and a 3.8 and 5.0.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 23, 2014, 05:54:52 PM
The Mustang SVO was a 2.3L turbo, the same as the XR4Ti.

My bad earlier. I meant SVO, not SVT.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on September 23, 2014, 07:34:07 PM
The RX7 of that time was a great high revving maniac of a car.   I forgot about it.  The Buick Grand National was also born in that time - I think there was also a pickup truck called the Tornado or something like that that shared that drivetrain and was crazy fast.  Interesting cars all now that I think about it.  Not so bad a decade after all.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 23, 2014, 07:39:56 PM
91 GMC Syclone (GMC Sonoma P/U) / 92-93 GMC Typhoon (S-10 Blazer) with a 4.3 turbo AWD package.

My friend Jason had a Syclone. It ran 13.2 out of the box. With a mild tune and a few mods it went high 12's. It had serious issues with handling and traction doing anything other than running 1/4 mile. The transmission and transfer case were constantly out of the thing for repairs as well.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 23, 2014, 07:52:21 PM
91, 92 and 93 aren't in the 80s.   Just thought you'd like to know.    :P
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on September 23, 2014, 08:10:23 PM
Mark - you are getting too technical with the time frames.  The 90s and 80s are a blur to me now. 

In 1990 I traded in my Audi 5000S station wagon (which I bought at a junkyard with a salvage title) for a basic (no options, bare,  cheap as can be) Pathfinder SUV with a 5 speed stick.  I look back at that Audi 5000 wagon as capturing all that was evil about the 80s.  The Pathfinder symbolized Japanese reliability. 

Ironically,  the thing that drove me to sell the Audi was not unintended acceleration, but unintended lack of braking.  The exhaust pipe developed a leak near the rear axle where the hot fumes exited directly onto a brake line.  As  soon as the brake fluid boiled, the brakes became semi-inoperative.  Took me several weeks to figure out what was going on.  I hated Audi after that - I thought it exemplified 80s car engineering (it and the K car from Chrysler).  But like you all affirmed - some decent cars came out of the 80s.

Pepe
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 23, 2014, 09:01:28 PM
Mark - you are getting too technical with the time frames.  The 90s and 80s are a blur to me now. 



Last week is a blur to me now.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 23, 2014, 09:03:17 PM
the K car from Chrysler

Perhaps the worst American cars ever made.   I'd rather have an AMC Pacer.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 23, 2014, 09:49:33 PM
When my Nana passed away in 1997, I inherited her 1988 Plymouth Reliant K with less than 4000 miles on the odometer. It had an AM radio, a bench seat, and an ash tray the size of Wisconsin.

It was unsafe to drive. Pulling out on highways was a task and a half. It took at least 20 seconds to get up to 55 MPH.

Oddly enough, with under 10,000K on the engine, a head gasket popped. I put a junk yard 2.2 in it and sold it. Good riddance.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on September 23, 2014, 10:06:33 PM
an ash tray the size of Wisconsin.

That is imagery right there.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: non-prophet on September 23, 2014, 10:19:38 PM
I made a killing in the early 2000s, buying up all the LeBaron "k" vertibles.  I was actually sending 3-4 a month down to Florida.  They were easy to find in excellent shape for under $2k back then and I was selling for $2500-3500, who knows what they were getting for them down there.  My dad thought this was a trend and decided to keep one as a collector, which I cannot get rid of right now, but I digress.  What he didn't know, apparently those LeBarons were the new Miata in the gay community down there.  So, I always referred to it as the "gay" vertible and my dad never knew.  It actually was my dad's favorite vehicle.  I grew up on those Chrysler turbos, I had a 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z back when I was 16.  I was known in the tri-state as the eclipse, talon, laser, stealth and 3000gt dealership (probably sold 100 of these turbos).  And before someone writes it, yes, those are all vehicles from the 90s.  My unicorn still to this day is a Dodge Omni GLHS, I have never had an opportunity to purchase one.  I have only seen one in my life.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Reverend on September 23, 2014, 10:33:05 PM
I worked at a mom and pop cvs/walgreens/etc type of place in high school.  The pharmacist had a Dodge Viper and a Omni GLHS.  He used to swear up and down that the Omni was more fun to race/autocross.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 23, 2014, 10:37:12 PM
Dodge Omni GLHS, I have never had an opportunity to purchase one.  I have only seen one in my life.

There's a guy in Uniontown (technically Waltersburg) who owns a GLH-S. It's all original other than an electronic boost control solenoid and a mild pro tune. I'm pretty sure it went low 13's in the 1/4 mile. He rarely drives the car. He also has a Shelby Daytona (the 80's front wheel drive kind).

The same dude used to own an extremely rare removable hard top version of the Maserati TC. TC's were another 80's hidden "gem" of sorts.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 23, 2014, 10:38:32 PM
What he didn't know, apparently those LeBarons were the new Miata in the gay community down there.  So, I always referred to it as the "gay" vertible and my dad never knew. 

It must have been the fine Corinthian leather (if you're under 35, you're not expected to understand).
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: SunnyDaze on September 23, 2014, 10:42:03 PM
What he didn't know, apparently those LeBarons were the new Miata in the gay community down there.  So, I always referred to it as the "gay" vertible and my dad never knew. 

It must have been the fine Corinthian leather (if you're under 35, you're not expected to understand).

This is the greatest photo ever taken. Women get pregnant just looking at it.

(http://thegarageblog.com/garage/wp-content/uploads/800_1976chryslercordobasportcoupe.jpg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: non-prophet on September 23, 2014, 11:04:37 PM
We sold three Chysler "Maserati" T/C hardtop convertibles.  Beautiful interiors and decent Pininfarina design, they also did the Cadillac allante, another 80s gem if you weren't one of the unfortunate to get a 4100 engine.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on September 23, 2014, 11:31:28 PM
What he didn't know, apparently those LeBarons were the new Miata in the gay community down there.  So, I always referred to it as the "gay" vertible and my dad never knew. 

It must have been the fine Corinthian leather (if you're under 35, you're not expected to understand).

This is the greatest photo ever taken. Women get pregnant just looking at it.


One more reason that I think you are actually 42 years old.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: schwarcw on September 23, 2014, 11:34:26 PM

[/quote]

It must have been the fine Corinthian leather (if you're under 35, you're not expected to understand).
[/quote]

This is the greatest photo ever taken. Women get pregnant just looking at it.

(http://thegarageblog.com/garage/wp-content/uploads/800_1976chryslercordobasportcoupe.jpg)
[/quote]

What a car!  I drove several new ones back in the day.  Loved them.  I would hate them now.  Big boats, poor handling and gas mileage.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: schwarcw on September 23, 2014, 11:35:11 PM
We sold three Chysler "Maserati" T/C hardtop convertibles.  Beautiful interiors and decent Pininfarina design, they also did the Cadillac allante, another 80s gem if you weren't one of the unfortunate to get a 4100 engine.

Pimp shit right here!
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: ST-Rider on September 24, 2014, 07:43:13 AM
Nothing tops the Nissan Stanza 4WD Wagon

(http://i.imgur.com/Ey5bj.jpg)
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: EmperorNorton on September 24, 2014, 07:56:35 AM
I worked at the VW plant in New Stanton from open to close.  Only drove Volkswagens for about 11 years, all 'employee-discounted' prices.  Rabbits, GTIs and of course Porsches were all on the menu.

Good times.
Title: Re: Cars in the 80s
Post by: Resident on June 16, 2015, 07:07:47 PM
Figure I would post this as this thread has been dead for a while.  This was my car of the 80s, owned it, loved it, drove the hell out of it.

1983 Datsun 280zx Turbo.

Enjoy the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_qBGMfm6JM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_qBGMfm6JM)