Cool cars from days gone by..

[Pritch]

Tell Pritch.....

which 5 cool cars that are no longer built were the best in terms of performance, character, looks, etc. Something anyone could buy, IE something not exotic....and lets keep the prices realistic too.

Here are my 5

Nissan 240sx
Honda Del Sol
VW Corrado
Ford Lightning
Dodge Stealth (barring engine fires and self-detonating gearboxes)

anybody else?

[big_block]

Here's my top 5:

Honda Prelude
Toyota MR-2 (90's)
Toyota Celica 4WD Turbo (90's)
Chevy Impala SS (1994-1996)
Camaro SS/Firebird SLP

[Crash]

As I have duel-citizenship, I'm going to put up two lists, models sold on this side of the pond and in Europe. Oh, and as I'm older than some of you guy's, you might have to stretch your memory a little.

N.A.
70's Dodge Challenger. (The Muscle car era at it's best)
70's Trans Am "Smokey and the Bandit edition" (Come on now don't laugh, it was an epic film in its day and this was a very smart marketing idea)
70's Ford Mustang Mach1 convertable (Sill my favorite wild pony)
70's Datsun/Nissan 240Z (The start of a great line-up of Z cars)
70's The original Golf GTI (30 years later and the new one still doesn't truly match up to it)

Europe.
70's Ford Escort RS 2000 (An all-time rally favorite, I even rally'd one)
80's/90's GM/Vauxhall Lotus Calton (GM/Lotus working well together)
80's/90's Ford Cosworth Sierra (A 180mph 4wd 4 door Ford sedan, do I need to say more?)
70's/80's GM/Vauxhall HS Chevette (A true rally champ and nothing like the one which we got over here)
Last but by no means least...60's Austin/Morris Mini Cooper S (Oh yes, when this came out it rocked the car world. Cheap, Fast and more fun than anything else you can do with your clothes on!)

Ok, so I'm stuck in a time capsule. Yes, there have been many great cars that came out after these and they're still making some wonderfull cars today. But, for anyone who drove these cars in their heyday, today's vehicles seem a little tame. It's not that present day cars don't perform, in fact some of these are slow compared with today's offerings. It's just that the oldies "felt fast" and they had very distinctive looks. Maybe that is why we are seeing a modern resurection of the older designs today.

[Pritch]

Some great pics. I particularly agree with the Impala SS- one of a few American Cars I wish I could own, and the SLP firehawk (big block).

Crash I like that you mention the Nissan 240 and I couldnt agree more (because I own one :P)

anyhow. Thanks for the inputs. I have to stick with my original list at this point, though I have more options to choose from if this article Im doing on these machines gets a good review from my readers and I do it again someday.

What I need to know is (and I might throw this in another thread) but what sort of things to watch out for if buying one of the machines on my list?

I'll start

240sx- Noisy timing chain guides, rust through on front driver-side frame rail and leaky window seals.

anyone know any of the problem areas on the other machines?

JP

[The General]

My list, my list...

In no particular order:
- 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
- Buick Grand National
- Volkswagen Corrado
- Mazda RX-7 (Last generation)
- Toyota Supra Turbo

There are so many more...

[Pritch]

a great list too..those grand nationals are a blast!

[deeker]

VW Transporter - the Euro Quad-cab.
AMC Pacer - it's an icon... sort of.
Renault Fuego - what other car has a name that sounds like you're cursing?
The original Ford Bronco
Jeep Scrambler

[woohoo!]

1990-1994 Eagle Talon / Plymouth Laser / Mitsubishi Eclipse
1989-1990 Dodge/Plymouth Colt 200GT Turbo / Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo
1988-1989 Mazda 323GTX
1988-1991 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo
1994-2001 Acura Integra GS-R

[MiniK]

I gotta admit. Old school Mini Coopers have my heart. I love those cars. :roll:

[apl16]

hmmm......really liked the nissan 240/60/80 zed cars, especially the 280z.........likely because i had one and it rocked!!!........very disappointed in the new 350/g35 ugly twins.........coupes suck......hot hatches already

mr2
nsx
jag xke
'69 charger

[Crash]

Oh yes! the Jaguar XKE (or for the Brits out there, the E-Type).

Not the fluffy V12 version though, it has to be a 3.8 with the triple carbs...that machine produces "pure music to the ears"!!!

As an old Jag mechanic I've driven plenty of them over the years and nothing compares to them on a quiet winding country road with the sun shinning. It's a real "seat of the pants driving experience". Oh yeah! they are not the greatest handling car but they are fun with a capitol F !!!

Even today, find a nice piece of road and an E-Type will transport you back forty years into the past, you'l feel like the great Stirling Moss risking life and limb on every corner but it doesn't matter as you'll also have the bigest smile on your face that you've ever had.
:D See I've still got mine from my last E-Type drive!

[The General]

Even today, find a nice piece of road and an E-Type will transport you back forty years into the past...

Cool, Ten years before I was born!

I wish I had had the opportunity to drive one of these beasts...

http://home.milkmandan.org/dev/null/archives/jaguar_xke_fhc.jpg

[apl16]

Damn!!!!!.......thats what cars are supposed to look like! :D

[Crash]

Good looking yes! but I'd go for the ragtop every time.

The doors openings on the coupe are too tight and you have to be a limbo dancer or contortionist just to get into one. Whenever I drive them, I constantly worry about getting out of it in the case of an accident...and with the performance and handling characteristics of the E-Types, that’s something which is always a possibility!

It’s a shame really, when you look back to the old days, as a Brit, it makes me mad to think that it all went so wrong. They made some beautiful cars in the past but were let down by the mentality of the British workforce. It was the days of Union tea-breaks, walk out strikes over what toilet paper was used, and nobody gave a toss about the company.

To give them credit, Ford has done a grand job with Jaguar. Once again, the company makes awesome cars...the trouble is...nobody is buying them!

If you think back about 10-15 yrs ago, a Jaguar XJ was pretty much the equivalent of an S-Class Mercedes-Benz, they were priced pretty close, as was the top of the line BMW. Now look at it, a Jaguar sedan is around $100k and the Benz...well their prices have gone through the roof and into orbit!

In my opinion, if you want a high-end car at the moment “a Jag is seriously bargain-basement priced”. Reliability and quality at the company is at an all-time high and just look inside a Jag and tell me that it isn’t more appealing to sit in than a Benz.

I think that Jaguar needs to look at its marketing strategies. When was the last time that you read a review on one? Maybe they should think about putting more vehicles out there on the press fleets for the journalists to talk about.

Yeah! Jaguar makes some wonderful vehicles but hardly anybody realizes it yet, in fact, it’s one of the best kept secrets in the industry!

[apl16]

mmmmmmmmmm........occasionally, i spend a sunny summer afternoon in stanley park around the cricket area reading or watching the world go by........i've had the joy of seeing a white/white leather xke ragtop there about 6 times.........beautiful........*sigh*

[The General]

Here's an example of a hot Ragtop:

http://www.buysellcommunity.com/uploads/082506/ww1/nfskvczopdxp.jpg

[apl16]

*sigh*..........another month 'til summer............sweet ride!!!

[Punisher]

(not sure year?) Mustang fast back hard top as seen in the movie Swordfish

79 BMW 320i(had one nice road handling)

76???? Austin Marina hatchback looks just like a corolla(I had one it was so frikkin cool!)

The Delorian from back to the future ugly shape but I like the stainless steel idea

Any Dodge Magnum

VW bug any of the orgionals from pre 1970 they had cooler lines

The General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard TV series

NOT the KIT Car from the TV series that thing SUKD and was FUGLY!

X5 BMW

Audi A4


I think that wraps it up for non exotics(the mustang is but I liiiike it!)

:roll:

[The General]

The General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard TV series


The absolute KING of the road!!

http://www.mygenerallee.com/gary%20schneider%20general%20lee.jpg

[Crash]

The absolute KING of the road????

From what I saw of that series, I'd call it..."King of the Air"!!! :lol:

[The General]

"King of the Air"!!! :lol:

King of the bent frame too.

[apl16]

lol...........had a friend in high school with a charger like that..........deep dark green.........mean looking...........always changing motors and carbs and stuff.......too much money, not so much brain...........great car......another bud had a '70 charger in orange..........nice ride..........and i had a '60 falcon sedan that burnt oil like crazy............lotsa fun!!!!!

[mchase66]

93 Civic Si
93 Supra Turbo
93 5L Mustang
93 MR2 Turbo
93 RX-7

Great year for cars ....

[kendan]

My list...

'86 Omni GLH(S) Turbo
'86 Mustang GT
'91 GMC Syclone
'86 Merkur XR4Ti
'88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe

[The General]

XR4Ti !!

I almost bought one of those.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/MerkurXr4ti.JPG/800px-MerkurXr4ti.JPG

Cyclone. 4.3L V6 Turbo!

http://www.baber.co.hu/1992%20GMC%20Cyclone_files/cb0333a1.jpg