'70s rides, decade of disaster or delight?

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by 05stram

2100 in that day was still not a great deal, back then 2100 was a good chunk of change. My favorite buy I have to say is I bought a 62 SS Impala with a 409 Tri Power. Miss that land yatch.

I was speaking of what it would be worth today. I looked for a Vette for a whiile before I bought that one, they were generally more expensive than that around here.

[ChrisBlair]

Originally Posted by 05stram

If the scoop said SD-455 then you did not fool with it not even many vettes fooled with them.

But then again, not many SD455s really had 455s, and then again again the Ram Air IV that they used in place of the missing 455s was actually a more powerful mill taken all around- it breathed better

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

One thing about the 70's emissions choked vehicles, those of us that drove them can really appreciate the cars we have available to us today. When you have 4 cylinder cars that equal the power of some V8 from back then and V6's that surpass most if not all of them then you have to admit the good old days were not really all that good.
My 74 Camaro with a 350V8 had 145HP and a unrestricted top speed of 115.
My 76 Malibu with a 305V8 had 120HP and couldn't break 100 MPH.
Then things improved, my 79 Camaro had a 305V8 with 140HP and had a top speed of 120MPH.

True, but I was doing it in the '90s so I just removed the emissions stuff and put in block off plates. Trouble was the awful manifolds, small valves and low compression. But the day I yanked the emissions stuff off the '74 455 (rated about 230 hp) engine I transplanted into my '70 Skylark was the first day I spun the tires in third gear- with an automatic.

The disgusting thing was that you could find some Buick, Olds, or Poncho 455s with a factory 2 barrel carb! Ug.

[Richy_Rich]

70' BOSS series from the FORD Mustang lineup!

[LU8]

As has been said above the HP drop saw improvements in other areas like handling and brakes and the WS6 Trans Ams of the late '70s with 4 wheel discs and 8 inch wide aluminum rims had a 0.82 g reading, which was way better than anything from the bias belted era.

The turbo 301 motor has been spoken badly about, but this made the Trans Am faster with automatic and a/c mandatory than the 1975/76 L75 455 ci 4 speed Trans Am. It could do 16 second 1/4 mile flat, one second faster than the 4 speed Corvette of 1981. The Turbo 4.9 Trans Am was an 8 second 0-60 mph car, the Corvette of the same time was a 9 second car pre Crossfire. GM would never let the Corvette play second fiddle these days, but back then the Trans Am was better. That's why the Bandit chose it!





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[Stingr69]

Here is my 1980 Corvette. It's got about 47k on the odometer. Its a pretty car but not a lot of power even with the upgraded L-82 engine. I put some Eagle heads on it to up the compression then de-smogged it so it runs stronger now. Similar to the older 350/350 engine. I have had it for over 20 years.

-Mark.

[upflying]

Let's not forget the 70's including styling touches such as opera windows, coach lamps, landau tops, formal roofs, stand up grills and Corinthian leather. This Custom Cloud, generation 2 Monte Carlo epitomizes the silliness of excess nonsense popular at the time.

[LStick]

Originally Posted by NH 2012 SS/RS

Everyone remembers muscle car, but what did most people really have?
I had a 72 Pinto hatchback...lol
a 1976 Plymouth Volare Road Runner...lol (remember those)
Attachment 485648
Pic is not my old car, sole from google

I still a 1974 Olds Omega S
350 4bl this is the high output 180 HP...

Attachment 485649
Attachment 485650
This is an actual dealer installed "Olds MiniCamper" took me years to find one. It was still in its original box when I got it.

NOT 180 HP anymore....

Attachment 485652

Attachment 485653

I had the base Nova version of the Hatchback, I didn't buy the "Hatchback Hut" that was an option. My car was the bottom end answer to the oil embargo. The only thing that Nova hauled was out of state discount beer.

[SEVEN-OH JOE]

Originally Posted by ToolFan66

I owned a 70 Monte Carlo that I loved ripping up the roads with.. I also owned a 78 Nova that was nothing nice, and I mean that in a good way.

Lots of fun!! Granted I owned both of them in the 80's cause I was to young to drive in the 70's..


KC and the Sunshine Band.. That's the way uh huh I like it!! LOL!!

I ordered a '78 Nova that was nothing short of spectacular (for that era) as far as handling and, with the LM1 350, moved darned well, too. The secret?

9C1. Police Package. And then you added the civilian features you wanted. SLEEPER.

Interestingly, these were COPO, as well! http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums...d.php?t=156674

[upflying]

I drove a '77 Nova 9C1 for a living. Cool car, handled like a slot car...think of it like a 4 door Camaro.

[SEVEN-OH JOE]

Originally Posted by upflying

I drove a '77 Nova 9C1 for a living. Cool car, handled like a slot car...think of it like a 4 door Camaro Z/28.

Corrected.

[TheReaper]

This was a nice car but it didn't hold up to the Trooper abuse.

[trademaster]

One of my favorite looking cars in history is from the 70s









Those things are just begging for an ls7 swap.

[Rapid Runner]

1971 Road Runner 440-6 pack.. Nuff said



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[JAX CAMARO]

I had a 70 Cougar and a 70 Chevelle SS in 77 - 81. I would take either of them back today as they both were a blast and the Chevelle was rebuilt as I blew the 396 and had a 454 built and had it until 81 when I got married