What is your favorite obscure car from the 70s in your opinion? Mine is this one:
http://www.autobild.de/ir_img/58427156_7d2f81f539.jpg
It's a Renault 14 and it's French. So weird for a 1976 car, yet so ahead of its time! I think there are a few of those, imported to the United States.

Forget the 70s  There isn't anything like a

1933 Duesenberg SJ Boat Tail Speedster  Now THAT is a car!  ;)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/3536014683_3f18cb8671.jpg

1970 Plymouth Sport Fury GT

http://www.smcars.net/forums/attachments/finished-work/92432d1238848880-1970-plymouth-fury-studio_2.jpg

These were extremely rare (as a matter-of-fact I don't ever recall actually seeing one) but they seem to have a unique kind of coolness about them.

1976 Ford Grand Torino Elite.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/1976_Ford_Gran_Torino_Crop.jpg

When I was in preschool (mid 90s), the neighbors had one of these sitting dormant in their backyard. I wonder whatever happened to it. Pretty rare car, even then.

1974 Volkswagen Thing -- Acapulco model

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Volkswagen_Type_181.jpg

8)

1974 Volkswagen Thing -- Acapulco model

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Volkswagen_Type_181.jpg

8)


That is one of those cares VW would like to forget.

1976 Ford Grand Torino Elite.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/1976_Ford_Gran_Torino_Crop.jpg

When I was in preschool (mid 90s), the neighbors had one of these sitting dormant in their backyard. I wonder whatever happened to it. Pretty rare car, even then.




They stuffed some monster engines in some of those, I knew a guy in high school who had a Ford Elite with a 460 cubic inch V-8, which was probably the largest engine Ford offered in passenger cars.

They stuffed some monster engines in some of those, I knew a guy in high school who had a Ford Elite with a 460 cubic inch V-8, which was probably the largest engine Ford offered in passenger cars.


thats insane...I love how cars of that era had massive front ends to accommodate the massive non-transverse V8 engines, even if the rest of the car was small.

thats insane...I love how cars of that era had massive front ends to accommodate the massive non-transverse V8 engines, even if the rest of the car was small.


My sister had a '72 Mustang Fastback...all it was was front end!

My nieghbor's had a Chevy Vega wagon, not sure how obscure they were but they were the only people I knew that had one.

This is a mostly 60s car, but it was produced up until 1971, so:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j202/jaredflo/Pagoda/IMG_8929.jpg

My dad had one of these:

http://www.italiaspeed.com/2006/cars/other/book_review/spider_buyers_guide/alfa_romeo_spider_1.jpg



Cat

1974 Volkswagen Thing -- Acapulco model

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Volkswagen_Type_181.jpg

8)


Looks suspiciously like something the Wehrmacht drove in the Second World War.  :o :o :o


thats insane...I love how cars of that era had massive front ends to accommodate the massive non-transverse V8 engines, even if the rest of the car was small.


The cars back then used to have such big hoods you could almost land an F-18 on them.

Especially the Lincolns.

http://images03.olx.com/ui/12/04/52/f_156750252-a1e4afa0.jpeg

^ Get 'er our on the Interstate and open 'er up!

1973 Volkswagen squareback -- orange

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2668/3869388843_ab68f4b0e1.jpg

This was mom's car in the 1970s (I think hers was a 1972, though).  Rear engine, air-cooled.  A nightmare for New England winter driving!
:o

^ Get 'er our on the Interstate and open 'er up!

1973 Volkswagen squareback -- orange

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2668/3869388843_ab68f4b0e1.jpg

This was mom's car in the 1970s (I think hers was a 1972, though).  Rear engine, air-cooled.  A nightmare for New England winter driving!
:o


I feel your pain, Max.  ;)

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/AL-B_photos/IMG_1506.jpg

My dad's 1974 Volkswagen Bus, which he purchased in 1976 and just sold 2 years ago.

I have written lengthy diatribes here and there in these boards about how uncomfortable that danmed thing was.  :P

I feel your pain, Max.  ;)

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/AL-B_photos/IMG_1506.jpg

My dad's 1974 Volkswagen Bus, which he purchased in 1976 and just sold 2 years ago.

I have written lengthy diatribes here and there in these boards about how uncomfortable that danmed thing was.  :P



We had one of those for a while too.  Volksies were popular with hippies.  The ride was OK if you could get the sum bit started, then you had to depress the clutch just so, or it would stall out with a familiar "chug chug chug" sound and my dad muttering, "goddammit!"
;D

My dad's 1974 Volkswagen Bus, which he purchased in 1976 and just sold 2 years ago.

I have written lengthy diatribes here and there in these boards about how uncomfortable that danmed thing was.  :P


...set some time in the late fall, involving shovels and rakes and other implements of destruction?

...set some time in the late fall, involving shovels and rakes and other implements of destruction?


It was a case of American blind justice and judge wasn't gonna look at the 27 eight-by-ten color glossies with circles and arrows and a note on the back explaining what each thing was...

Anyway, back on topic --

1979 Subaru Brat
http://www.ebaymotorsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1979-Subaru-Brat.jpg

My friend's dad had one of these.  I remember riding in the back.  You could do that back in them days!
:)

It was a case of American blind justice and judge wasn't gonna look at the 27 eight-by-ten color glossies with circles and arrows and a note on the back explaining what each thing was...

Anyway, back on topic --

1979 Subaru Brat
http://www.ebaymotorsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1979-Subaru-Brat.jpg

My friend's dad had one of these.  I remember riding in the back.  You could do that back in them days!
:)


From Wikipedia:


The Subaru BRAT (an acronym for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter) was the coupe utility version of the Subaru Leone from the 1970s. The BRAT was developed directly from the company's four-wheel drive station wagon model and was first introduced as a 1978 model—following the concept of the Chevrolet El Camino and the Ford Ranchero,
American versions also had carpeting and welded-in rear-facing jumpseats in the cargo area—serving actually to circumvent a tariff known as the Chicken tax. Although the BRAT could fairly be called a truck, the plastic seats in the cargo bed allowed Subaru to classify the BRAT as a passenger car. Passenger cars imported into the US were charged only a 2.5% tariff, compared to 25% on light trucks.

The BRAT was restyled in 1982 and the jumpseats were discontinued after the 1985 model year. The BRAT was introduced with a rise in popularity of small trucks being sold in the USA, primarily from Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda. Production continued into 1993 but ceased to be imported to North America in 1987. It was also known as the Brumby in Australia and the Shifter in the UK. Imports to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand continued until February 1994. The BRAT was not sold in Japan and was manufactured for export markets.

I knew this guy who had one of these.

http://www.noneckschevelle.com/images/carpics/RickandMaryThrasher72ElCamino.jpg


If you DARED to call it a car, he would inform you that, "It is NOT a car. It is an El Camino."



Cat

I knew this guy who had one of these.

http://www.noneckschevelle.com/images/carpics/RickandMaryThrasher72ElCamino.jpg


If you DARED to call it a car, he would inform you that, "It is NOT a car. It is an El Camino."



Cat


El Camino's are bitchin'.  8)

http://www.santiagosc.com/auctions/Auction%20Cars%20Tulsa%2007/El%20Camino%20454%20SS.JPG






There was a guy who lived in the cul-de-sac down the street who had a GMC version of the El Camino, which was called the Sprint:

http://www.eastohiocoolcars.com/Trucks/1973GMCSprint5.jpg

Because as we all knew, if Chevrolet built a truck then they just HAD to make a GMC version of it, which always seemed kind of pointless to me.

As a matter-of-fact, GMC always seemed kind of pointless to me.   :P

El Camino's are bitchin'.  8)

http://www.santiagosc.com/auctions/Auction%20Cars%20Tulsa%2007/El%20Camino%20454%20SS.JPG









That was the photo I was going to post.  :D ;D ;D ;D


Oh, I forgot to mention that this is the car my mother had:


http://mclellansautomotive.com/photos/B32602.jpg


She had three of them. A red one, a blue one and a red one with the faux wood on it. How chic, huh?  :D ;D ;D ;D  My sister dubbed the car "Horny." (Horny 1, Horny 2, & Horny 3)  ;D ;D ;D



Cat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exGd6IC8dKY

Jerry Landers (John Denver) talks to the Almighty (George Burns) through his AMC Pacer radio.  You can see a plethora of other seventies classic cars in traffic.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/08/saint.gif

http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Fascination/74_Fascination_2Dr_DV_07_CC_09.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/52987128_ff79ceb5fa.jpg

http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/01/74%20Fascination%202Dr.jpg

http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Fascination/74_Fascination_RearEngine_Sdn_BY_05_MDB_03.jpg

This odd-looking vehicle is a 1974 Fascination, five of which were built by the Highway Aircraft Corporation of Sidney, Nebraska.

I remember seeing one of these at the Nebraska State Fair when I was a kid and wondering if they'd be commonplace by 1980.  

This just goes to show that Nebraska should just stick with the two things it does best: corn and football.  :D

This odd-looking vehicle is a 1974 Fascination, five of which were built by the Highway Aircraft Corporation of Sidney, Nebraska.

I remember seeing one of these at the Nebraska State Fair when I was a kid and wondering if they'd be commonplace by 1980.  

This just goes to show that Nebraska should just stick with the two things it does best: corn and football.  :D


Speak for yourself.  I like it.  Put the airplane-looking part at the front and you've got an Aptera, which follows the same aerodynamic design principle, except that it puts the axle up front and the single trailing wheel at the back the way God intended.

:D

When I was a little kid, I had a fantasy one of these was waiting for me in a garage the day I turned sixteen!

The 1975 Bricklin SV1
http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2007/07/04/537772/CAPK8J5L.jpg

Number one in da hood, G!

Speak for yourself.  I like it.  Put the airplane-looking part at the front and you've got an Aptera, which follows the same aerodynamic design principle, except that it puts the axle up front and the single trailing wheel at the back the way God intended.


Kind of like a Morgan 3-wheeler?  :D

http://www.khulsey.com/stockphotography/morgan-3-wheeler-super-sports-aero.jpeg

Kind of like a Morgan 3-wheeler?  :D


Speaking of which...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FoXyvaPSnVk/TNLJNryCILI/AAAAAAADhAM/0LFR1QeMUl4/s1600/Morgan-2011-Threewheeler-3.jpg

Sadly, I can't find a real-life image of the Morgan 2011 Threewheeler, but Morgan still lives.

As much as I dig the back-to-their-rootsness of the 2011 three-wheeler, if I had the means, I'd go with one of these:

http://www.allcarcentral.com/Morgan/Morgan_Aero_SuperSports_2010_CHR0038_Pebble_Beach_2009.jpg

The 2010 Morgan Aerosports is the perfect blend of retro and modern, while remaining unmistakably British.

http://www.motorsnaps.com/d/38542-3/1977+Morgan+plus+8.JPG

Back on topic, Morgans from the 70s-80s, whether three-wheelers or the Morgan Plus 4 and Plus 8 are pretty affordable. (The picture's actually of a 1975 Morgan Plus 8, but it's not like the body changed between 1970 and 1993.)

If, like most people, you're gonna have two cars anyways, consider an affordable classic.  For what you might otherwise spend on a new appliancemobile, you could just continue to use your "old" car as your daily driver, and have something fun for a sunny day...

El Camino's are bitchin'.  8)

http://www.santiagosc.com/auctions/Auction%20Cars%20Tulsa%2007/El%20Camino%20454%20SS.JPG






There was a guy who lived in the cul-de-sac down the street who had a GMC version of the El Camino, which was called the Sprint:

http://www.eastohiocoolcars.com/Trucks/1973GMCSprint5.jpg

Because as we all knew, if Chevrolet built a truck then they just HAD to make a GMC version of it, which always seemed kind of pointless to me.

As a matter-of-fact, GMC always seemed kind of pointless to me.   :P





Whoa, I missed this entire thread, and you KNOW I would have put my two cents in…

First for Catwoman and AL-B and any other lovers of El Caminos, know that GM has actually announced that they will produce a new version of the El Camino if they can get 100K confirmed comments that the car, or er, um, El Camino loving world wants one, go here to log your comment to bring the El Camino back..no BS, this is for real. The count is at 3000k + and going…

Nextly (is that a word?) there are SOOO many obscure but cool 70’s cars, let’s start with the:

Citroen SM
http://www.awecar.com/Make/Citroen/SM/Citroen_SM.jpg
A French car (Citroen already known for being pretty damn strange) with a Maserati engine, air suspension.  French weirdness and a fire-breathing Italian heart. Can’t miss. These are SO cool cars…check out the beginning of Burt Reynolds “The Longest Yard” to see what these cars can do.

Buick Rivera Boattail
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/1637/1641/29090820001_large.jpg
Now this may not be so obscure at the time, but they are getting pretty rare now. Seems like they always end up getting beat up/blown up in movies…this was GM head of design Bill Mitchell’s rebirth of the Corvette Sting Rays rear glass treatment. This had to be as strange looking then as it is now. I want one. This is one of the few cars out there that you can honestly say has a nice, um, "ass".

Fiat X1-9
http://chrisoncars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/IMG_1119.jpg
Yes, I know, Fix-It-Again-Tony. FIAT was basically a rust hole waiting to happen in the 70’s. The cars would rust after a car wash, and parts would fall off on the way from the factory to the dealership. But the X1-9 was different, a small, quick mid-engine two-seater that was a great handler and not too bad to look at. A mini Ferrari 308, half the cylinders, just as much driving fun, but at 1/3 the price of the prancing horse cars from Maranello. Too bad the average ‘merican couldn’t fit into one. I could, I worked at VW/FIAT dealer in the early 80’s, but couldn’t ever manage to get out of the damn things once I squeezed in…

Fiat X1-9
http://chrisoncars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/IMG_1119.jpg
Yes, I know, Fix-It-Again-Tony. FIAT was basically a rust hole waiting to happen in the 70’s. The cars would rust after a car wash, and parts would fall off on the way from the factory to the dealership. But the X1-9 was different, a small, quick mid-engine two-seater that was a great handler and not too bad to look at. A mini Ferrari 308, half the cylinders, just as much driving fun, but at 1/3 the price of the prancing horse cars from Maranello. Too bad the average ‘merican couldn’t fit into one. I could, I worked at VW/FIAT dealer in the early 80’s, but couldn’t ever manage to get out of the damn things once I squeezed in…





That looks like the Nissan Pulsar.


http://www.carsdetail.net/images/nissan-pulsar.jpg

My ex-husband had one of those in the early '80s.



Cat

That looks like the Nissan Pulsar.


http://www.carsdetail.net/images/nissan-pulsar.jpg

My ex-husband had one of those in the early '80s.



Cat


Haha that car screams 80s.

The 1983-88 Toyota Tercel Wagon gets my vote for most 80s looking car.

I knew this guy who had one of these.

http://www.noneckschevelle.com/images/carpics/RickandMaryThrasher72ElCamino.jpg


If you DARED to call it a car, he would inform you that, "It is NOT a car. It is an El Camino."



Cat


Sig had one of these up until about 5 years ago.

El Camino's are bitchin'.  8)

http://www.santiagosc.com/auctions/Auction%20Cars%20Tulsa%2007/El%20Camino%20454%20SS.JPG






There was a guy who lived in the cul-de-sac down the street who had a GMC version of the El Camino, which was called the Sprint:

http://www.eastohiocoolcars.com/Trucks/1973GMCSprint5.jpg

Because as we all knew, if Chevrolet built a truck then they just HAD to make a GMC version of it, which always seemed kind of pointless to me.

As a matter-of-fact, GMC always seemed kind of pointless to me.   :P





Ford made the Ranchero way back in the 50's


http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.4426787.1.flat,550x550,075,f.1957-ford-ranchero.jpg

Ford made the Ranchero way back in the 50's


http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.4426787.1.flat,550x550,075,f.1957-ford-ranchero.jpg




I knew someone with one of those, too-but not a 1957 model-a little later. Not too sure-'70s maybe.


His looked a lot like this one:

http://www.chooseyouritem.com/classics/photos/103500/103953.1971.Ford.Ranchero.jpg



Cat

Ford made the Ranchero way back in the 50's


http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.4426787.1.flat,550x550,075,f.1957-ford-ranchero.jpg



Ford introduced the Ranchero in 1957, Chevy came out with the El Camino in 1959.

http://www.vehicleappraisalsbyalan.com/1959%20El%20Camino.jpg

like the Ranchero  I use to have a 57 Chevy for my Barbie dolls and kept it for a long time after I gave away my barbies.

1970 Dodge Super Bee.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1970-1979/1970-Dodge-Super-Bee-red-2.jpg

I love how they made cars look so mean back then.  :o

I always like the 1969 AMC Scrambler..SC/Rambler and the 1970 AMC Rebel. Probably because my dad has had various Ramblers since the 60s.

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/amc-sc-rambler_69_tom-drew_2.jpg

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/1973_Plymouth_Duster_340_V8_For_Sale_Front_1.jpg
1973 Plymouth Duster 340 V8