The Sorry State of Affairs in Automobilia in the 1970s, 80s and 90s

[Avalanchez71]

Even a 1960s Chevrolet Impala with a V8 engine would get crushed by my 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid

Quite literally - I never tire of sharing this video whenever someone says that old cars were built like tanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

That's always painful to me to watch a 1959 bat wing style Chevy get destroyed for the sake of selling up the safety attributes of an Elipson platform Malibu. 

Speaking of a lack or a safety, I'm always intrigued by Central American variants of cars.  Most of the newer lower tier cars I see in Mexico only have two air bags.  The prices usually are somewhere under $20,000 USD.

That is painful to watch that 1959 Chevy destroyed.

[Stephane Dumas]

The story of the Hillman Avenger who did a short journey here as the Plymouth Cricket.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lbJavfCfI8

[Max Rockatansky]

1991 Car and Driver sports sedan comparison:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a36053183/1991-american-performance-sedan-comparison-test/?utm_campaign=socialflowFBCD&utm_source=facebook&src=socialflowFBCAD&utm_medium=social-media&fbclid=IwAR0gF2L4-Tg63Eth2bc_ouB4GXkvZucGKzP_qqhXRcAiAfdQ41bmJ_xFtUM&fs=e&s=cl

Holy crap the Dodge Spirit R/T was fast for the time.

[bugo]

Chevy Monza, lots of 1970s era ads in this video:

I actually really like how some of the early 2+2s looked.  I've seen a couple Monza Mirages floating around car shows now and then over the years.

In 1975, the 305 V8 was available in the Monza. The 305 couldn't pass California emissions testing, so the optional V8 in that state was a 350. It was rated at a mere 125 horsepower and 235 lb-ft, so it wasn't a beast. Hoever, those engines could easily be made much more powerful, and a 350 that could actually breathe in a light Monza would have made a pocket rocket.

[Takumi]

Found a big green unicorn turd for sale locally.
https://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/d/beaverdam-monte-carlo-diesel-1982/7511992714.html

[DJStephens]

Chevy Monza, lots of 1970s era ads in this video:

I actually really like how some of the early 2+2s looked.  I've seen a couple Monza Mirages floating around car shows now and then over the years.

In 1975, the 305 V8 was available in the Monza. The 305 couldn't pass California emissions testing, so the optional V8 in that state was a 350. It was rated at a mere 125 horsepower and 235 lb-ft, so it wasn't a beast. Hoever, those engines could easily be made much more powerful, and a 350 that could actually breathe in a light Monza would have made a pocket rocket.

There was a tiny 262 cubic inch Chevrolet engine, in the mid seventies.  Am of belief that was the engine that went into the Monza, and not the 350.   There were 305 cubic inch Chev engines in them, as well, possibly '77 to '80, after which the H body was killed.   

[bugo]

There was a tiny 262 cubic inch Chevrolet engine, in the mid seventies.  Am of belief that was the engine that went into the Monza, and not the 350.   There were 305 cubic inch Chev engines in them, as well, possibly '77 to '80, after which the H body was killed.   

No, it was a 350. It's well-known and well-documented that the 350 was available in the Monza in California.

[GCrites]

But those still didn't weigh any less than a 350? The advantage of all these other small displacement V8s like the 289/302 Ford, 301 Olds, 301 Pontiac (not the same) and 215 Buick is that they all weighed a lot less than a full size SBC. With stuff like 283 and 305 Chevy's you don't get that.

[Max Rockatansky]

The 262ci was indeed a Chevy Small Block just as the 305ci and 350ci.  The weight difference between the displacements would have been negligible.  If anything the larger displacements probably weighed slightly less.

[bugo]

But those still didn't weigh any less than a 350? The advantage of all these other small displacement V8s like the 289/302 Ford, 301 Olds, 301 Pontiac (not the same) and 215 Buick is that they all weighed a lot less than a full size SBC. With stuff like 283 and 305 Chevy's you don't get that.

All Pontiac engines used the same block from the original 287 to the 455. There's no such thing as a "small block Pontiac" or "big block Pontiac" engine, except in Canada where Pontiacs used Chevrolet-sourced engines, so there were 409 Grand Parisiennes and 327 Laurentians.

[bugo]

One thing older cars, especially pre-1974 do better is styling.  1974 is when all the 5 MPH law came into affect and manufacturers suddenly had to consider safety over appearance.  It's hard to make a modern car appealing visually whereas those older car designers had almost free reign to do what they wanted.  Even now, all these decades after the 1990s cars and CUVs still end up more or less looking jelly bean-like.

1973 for front bumpers, 1974 for rear bumpers. This is why the 1972 Corvette has steel front and rear bumpers, the 1973 has rubber front and steel rear bumpers, and the 1974 has plastic bumpers front and rear.

[GCrites]

But those still didn't weigh any less than a 350? The advantage of all these other small displacement V8s like the 289/302 Ford, 301 Olds, 301 Pontiac (not the same) and 215 Buick is that they all weighed a lot less than a full size SBC. With stuff like 283 and 305 Chevy's you don't get that.

All Pontiac engines used the same block from the original 287 to the 455. There's no such thing as a "small block Pontiac" or "big block Pontiac" engine, except in Canada where Pontiacs used Chevrolet-sourced engines, so there were 409 Grand Parisiennes and 327 Laurentians.

Yes. That was part of the appeal of B/O/P over Chevrolet is the block weight savings.

[bugo]

But those still didn't weigh any less than a 350? The advantage of all these other small displacement V8s like the 289/302 Ford, 301 Olds, 301 Pontiac (not the same) and 215 Buick is that they all weighed a lot less than a full size SBC. With stuff like 283 and 305 Chevy's you don't get that.

All Pontiac engines used the same block from the original 287 to the 455. There's no such thing as a "small block Pontiac" or "big block Pontiac" engine, except in Canada where Pontiacs used Chevrolet-sourced engines, so there were 409 Grand Parisiennes and 327 Laurentians.

Yes. That was part of the appeal of B/O/P over Chevrolet is the block weight savings.

Don't forget that the Buick 215 had an aluminum block, which partially explains why it was lighter than the typical iron block V8 of its day. The 300 small block weighed 80 pounds more than the aluminum 215. The 215 was modified by Oldsmobile and used in the Olds F85. The Buick version was also used in the 1961-62 Pontiac Tempest, which came with a rear transaxle.

[GCrites]

Then Rover started making it and I think it wound up in some Fiats? Crazy left turn there near the end

[bugo]

I don't know of a Fiat with the Rover engine, but the MGB-GT used it.

[GCrites]

Probably that.

[DJStephens]

There was a tiny 262 cubic inch Chevrolet engine, in the mid seventies.  Am of belief that was the engine that went into the Monza, and not the 350.   There were 305 cubic inch Chev engines in them, as well, possibly '77 to '80, after which the H body was killed.   

No, it was a 350. It's well-known and well-documented that the 350 was available in the Monza in California. 

    That must have been a 1975 sales brochure, meaning summer/fall of '74.  The 305 was introduced for 1976 Chevrolet models, with an Aug/Sept  '75 roll out.  There was no small displacement V-8 from Chevrolet in '74 or '75 model years, other than the 262.  Meaning no 307, or no 305.  The displacements are all in litres, even then.  The 4.3 L option was the 262.  Shows availability with a stick shift manual trans (Saginaw, most likely).  There was no manual trans offered with the 5.7, according to that literature, likely due to California emissions standards.  There is an original Monza Mirage and or Spyder here in Las Cruces.  Mid to late seventies.  I don't know the exact year, or the owner, but am guessing it has a 305 engine, if the original power plant is in it.   Interesting posting, maybe the 5.7 availability was for one or two years.  Good information.   

[bugo]

The brochure the image I posted was dated May, 1975. A brochure for the Monza 2+2 is dated September, 1974, and doesn't mention the California 350. It does say that the 262 came with the 4 speed manual standard. Here is a link to all of the 1975 Chevrolet brochures that are available on oldcarbrochures.com. This is an incredibly useful website, containing thousands of car brochures, mostly from the US, from as early as the 1900s. It's easy to waste a lot of time looking through these old brochures.

[bugo]

Speaking of a lack or a safety, I'm always intrigued by Central American variants of cars.  Most of the newer lower tier cars I see in Mexico only have two air bags.  The prices usually are somewhere under $20,000 USD. 

South American cars are fascinating as well. One of the most interesting is the 1966-1981 Argentine IKA/Renault Torino. If you look closely at the roof, you will see that it was based on an American Rambler American with unique front and rear sheetmetal (The infamous AMC SC/Rambler used the same bodyshell). The European style dashboard was unique to the Torino.  IKA stood for "Industrias Kaiser Argentina". In 1970, IKA was purchased by Renault, and the Torino eventually got Renault badges. The Torino was available as a 2 door hardtop or a 4 door sedan. The engine is perhaps the most interesting part of the car. It used the Kaiser Tornado engine which was introduced in mid-1962 and was used in Jeeps in North America. This was an unusual design for the day, as it was an overhead cam inline six cylinder engine, when the vast majority of American sixes were either flathead or overhead valve engines. This engine made up to 248 horsepower in a Torino, which made for excellent performance.

Here is an IKA Torino.



Here is a Renault Torino. The Torino was one of the only front engine, rear wheel drive Renaults ever built.