Forgotten fun cars of the 1970's/80's

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Forgotten fun cars of the 1970's/80's (Page 1 of 7)

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:12:07 PM EDT

We've about beat Mustangs/Camaros/Corvettes/Porsches/ZCars/etc to death here, how about some forgotten fun cars from the malaise and renaissance decades? Here's some of mine, in no particular order, sorry I could only get one image link to embed a pic:

1979-80 Plymouth Fire Arrow - Mitsubishi bored and stroked their anemic 1.6 out to 2.6 liters, gave it a new head and balance shafts, and Plymouth did the rest with tape stripes, wheels & tires, and general appearance stuff. The result was briefly the fastest 0-60 production I4 you could buy at 9.2 seconds by some rags' reckoning, and it was RWD to boot. Faster than even the same year turbo I4 Mustang in '79. Unfortunately, the suspension outback was straight out of the 1960's, leaf springs and a solid axle.

Can't find any linkable images, here's a Pinterest page with a bunch of Fire Arrows

1968-73 Datsun 510 - It's a shame that Datsun/Nissan failed to nurture and grow the legacy of this platform the way VW did with the Rabbit GTI/Golf GTI in the same segment. The VW came a few years later and is with us to the present day. The 510 in its era won a ton of races.

Gallery of the '71 510 Trans Am car

1975-81 VW Scirocco - I wanted one of these bad in HS, but VWs were pricy then, and our blue collar household couldn't take on a car loan with a double digit interest rate. They were a Rabbit GTi under the skin, with a bit less rear headroom, but they looked soooo much better than the Rabbit/Golf. VW never quite got the styling this right again with the Corrado that was its successor.

VW Scirocco

1974-78 Mazxda Rx4: Ok, so the half life of early rotor tip seals was measured in months, but this was a great looking car that would outrun most V8 "personal luxury coupes" (Mazda marketing slotted the car in this segment) of the same vintage. Mazda stopped bringing it here with the debut of the Rx7.

1968-72 Pontiac Grand Prix J/SJ - It was overshadowed by the more dramatic Buick Riviera boat tail on the same chassis, but the car could be had with a 455 and a Hurst package as well. Both are rare now. This was the beginning of the malaise era, with a body/chassis that anticipated more power than the smog-strangled engines of 1971-on could deliver.

1972 Grand Prix SSJ Hurst.

What else ya got?

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:15:32 PM EDT

[#1]

Datsun 280Z

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:18:31 PM EDT

[#2]

Mercury Capri (German made Ford imported by Mercury dealers)

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:19:27 PM EDT

[#3]

Fiat X1/9

My second car. It was a POS, but the chicks dug it.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:22:11 PM EDT

[#4]

Triumph TR-7, the shape of things to come.
A buddy had one, what a pile of shit

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:22:42 PM EDT

[#5]

Chevy Citation X11

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:23:14 PM EDT

[#6]

Isuzu Impulse Turbo with suspension by Lotus!

Along with the Omni GLH.

I got to test drive the impulse- tons of fun.

Actually owned the GLH! Just wish it had been the GLH-S

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:25:53 PM EDT

[#7]

Attached File

Toyota MR2

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:26:55 PM EDT

[#8]

Mitsubishi Starion

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:28:21 PM EDT

[#9]

Ford Courrier truck.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:36:33 PM EDT

[#10]

The 2002, I've had four of them now, great cars.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:38:34 PM EDT

[#11]

First car I ever bought that was running and driving was a frankencar. 1972 comet with a maverick hood/fenders/bumper.
250cid inline 6, 1 barrel carb, 4 wheel manual drum brakes, bench seat.

I loved that shitbox. Mine was a bunch of different colors. First thing I did was rattlecan it flat black.
Like this, but way shittier and used up. If I ever catch a decent deal on one, its coming home with me.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:41:12 PM EDT

[#12]

Attached File

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:43:46 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
Datsun 280Z

View Quote

Not mine, but identical. The first car I ever bought for myself. 16 years old with a 1983 Datsun 280zx..

Attached File

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:46:08 PM EDT

[#14]

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:47:53 PM EDT

[#15]

Dodge Demon / Plymouth Duster. I had a Duster with the 318 but my bud's 340 Demon was sooo much quicker.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:49:29 PM EDT

[#16]

Conquest

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:50:53 PM EDT

[#17]

71' ford "grabber" Maverick v8, iirc it was only 210hp, but its light like a pinto

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:53:08 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

Not mine, but identical. The first car I ever bought for myself. 16 years old with a 1983 Datsun 280zx..
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/162439/1983-Datsun-280ZX_jpg-2934231.JPG

View Quote

Loved those cars. My buddy had a 2+2 model. I had a 240

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:53:23 PM EDT

[#19]

Audi Quattro

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:54:38 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
71' ford "grabber" Maverick v8, iirc it was only 210hp, but its light like a pinto

View Quote

Mine was neither a grabber nor a V8. I think the 250cid was good for like 90hp. It was close to 40yr old by the time I got it, maybe pushing 70hp.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:55:07 PM EDT

[#21]

Porsche 914-6 with the Bravosa wide body kit

If you could find a clean body 914 and put somthing like a Focus ST engine/trans in there...that would be the tits.

Posted: 8/27/2023 5:57:20 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Dodge Demon / Plymouth Duster. I had a Duster with the 318 but my bud's 340 Demon was sooo much quicker.

View Quote

Yep , a-bodies are great ! Chrysler had the whole torsion bar / pinion snubber suspension down pretty good for drag racing . It just worked good on the street or strip .

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:02:24 PM EDT

[#23]

I had a 1972 Datsun 240Z and a Fiat 850 Sport Coupe with a mechanical cruise control-that was wild.

Not mine, but what it looked like. Rear engine, electric cooling fan, 4 speed and had a lot of pep

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:02:25 PM EDT

[#24]

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:03:08 PM EDT

[#25]

Ford EXP / Mercury LN7

Isuzu Impulse

Attached File

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:06:22 PM EDT

[#26]

The 70’s and 80’s, where your V-8 engine only makes 87 hp.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:07:42 PM EDT

[#27]

From this,

Attached File

To this,

Attached File

These just begged for a small block

Attached File

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:08:07 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
The 70’s and 80’s, where your V-8 engine only makes 87 hp.

View Quote

yeah but back then you didn't have the EpA ass raping tuners.

For example, that shitty 6.6 v8 that came in the F bodies make like a negative 100 HP, but change the pistons, swap the heads and cam and throw a big carb on her, shed prolly make 450hp easy

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:11:53 PM EDT

[#29]

Meeker XRtI although I’m partial, I had a ‘85! Basically a Cosworth GT from England.

2.3 turbo Ford engine.

Basically mine but I had aftermarket rims and had the ‘skirts’ repainted body color.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:14:53 PM EDT

[#30]

Buddy of mine put a Buick v6 in a Chevette. It would go through the gears sideways down the street.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:15:45 PM EDT

[#31]

Maserati Biturbo:

Attached File

Twin turbo all aluminum V6 making 225HP in a car weighing less than 2400lbs

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:16:18 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
Fiat X1/9

My second car. It was a POS, but the chicks dug it.

https://media.hagerty.com/media/wp-content/uploads/uscamediasite/images/story-images/2018/07/05/fiat_x19_220180717125623

View Quote

Came.to post this, my.older.brother got one second hand in 82-83, was fun to drive and he scored some hotties with it, but it was in the shop A LOT.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:18:25 PM EDT

[#33]

Jaguar E-Type V12

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:18:38 PM EDT

[#34]

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:18:44 PM EDT

[#35]

The 1st generation Suzuki Swift GT, a nimble and lightweight (1600-1800 lbs) little hatchback with a high revving motorcycle-like 1.3 L 100 horsepower engine.

Introduced in 1986 and in production until 1988 until it was replaced by the 2nd generation model in 1989.

Fun little cars that can surprise much more impressive cars around a tight racetrack, and become awesome if you can put some real power in them.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:19:31 PM EDT

[#36]

"Here comes spider out of the night!" lol

'77 Chevy Monza Commercial (1976)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG8MhRA_o2o

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:29:15 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
Fiat X1/9

My second car. It was a POS, but the chicks dug it.

https://media.hagerty.com/media/wp-content/uploads/uscamediasite/images/story-images/2018/07/05/fiat_x19_220180717125623

View Quote

Had one. JFC, what a piece of shit.

A friend's parents had a Scirocco...now THAT car was a blast to drive.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:40:09 PM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
Chevy Citation X11

https://autopolis.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/x11.jpg

View Quote

You NEVER see those anymore, especially relative to how many GM sold of all the X-bodies. I sometimes wonder if the rumors that GM paid to scrap used ones to reduce their potential future liabilities over the braking system were true? The X-11 was a great performance/room/economy compromise for its day though. I'd have taken one in a heartbeat!

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:43:11 PM EDT

[#39]

Porsche 951

Attached File

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:45:32 PM EDT

[#40]

VW GTI’s we always a good time.

My first car was an ‘88 GTI 16v, Tornado Red. It was a great car.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:48:41 PM EDT

[#41]

Had fun in the 79 Corolla. Used to take it in the woods and try to kill it.

70s Celicas are unobtanium and expensive as hell if you can even find one.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:49:14 PM EDT

[#42]

Here's another one:

1968-73 Opel GT: Looked great, painfully slow. Sold by Buick dealers alongside their Opel Manta coupe. EDIT: Tying in to the "How did they get so little HP per liter in the 1970's" thread, the 1971 GT's compression ratio was lowered from 9.0:1 to 7.6:1 (!!), costing the car more than a full second from 0-60 per R&T.

Opel GT on Wikipedia

Speaking of which: 1971-75 Opel Manta Coupe, a very good-looking car.

Opel Manta Coupe sold by Buick

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:52:10 PM EDT

[#43]

No pictures on my computer but I have a 74 rust free 914 with a subaru EJ20T closed deck block and EJ25 heads with turbo, intercooler, and a cable shifter.

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:52:24 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
Datsun 280Z

View Quote

Z cars were great, but no one's forgotten them!

Went along with a friend to test drive one once in a metro area in Alabama circa 1980. On a city 4 lane that had sidewalks - ie, probably a 45 mph speed limit - I commented about some girls checking us out as we drove past. He said "They're probably looking 'cause we're doing 100 MPH".

Posted: 8/27/2023 6:52:25 PM EDT

[#45]

My mom had a 1983 Honda Prelude with the 1.8L dual carb engine and a 5-speed.

She bought it new in '83 and it was a pretty peppy car for only 100HP.

It handled pretty well also and I can remember redlining it several times.