Name your favorite ride from the 1970's

[Ultra]

For me, it would have to be:



1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible

This remarkable Plymouth was photographed at the 2005 Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, MI.



1of 9 known to have existed.

[Arthur Dent]

Oh the 70s! I love car from the 70s. Mazda Rx-3, Dodge Challenger, 2nd generation f-bodies (screaming chickens and all), Lotus Elan +2, Lotus Esprit, Triumph TR7/8, Rover SD1, even the lovely Rx-7 was introduced in 1979. For today I'd call a Triumph TR8 convertible my favorite.

[SeaLion]

I would like to try a Lancia Stratos, its sharp lines are gorgeous.


Of the cars from the 70's that I actually has driven it will be the Alfa Romeo Montreal with its 2.6 V8. The car was for my disposal for a week-end, it was a orange 1977 model, all original.


The nearest to these that I've actually owned myself was my blue Fiat X1/9 from 1980. Here I am at a spring meeting in Norway, the date was January 1th 1994 and the temperature -12°C.

[porridgehead]

Those are some seriously hearty and, some might say, foolish individuals.  -12C + most of the cars in that photo is a recipe for frostbite, hypothermia and roadside assistance. That said, it sure looks like fun.

[Ultra]

Those are some seriously hearty and, some might say, foolish individuals.  -12C + most of the cars in that photo is a recipe for frostbite, hypothermia and roadside assistance. That said, it sure looks like fun.

What?

No favorite 70's ride of porridgeheads?

[porridgehead]

The 70's scare me. Mustang IIs, Chevy Vegas, 400 c.i. TransAms that produced 180hp... ugh.  Besides I lost most of my brain cells during that time.

Sure there were cars I lusted after, that beautiful little Lancia Scorpion that I nearly bought (hey, was that a bullet that just flashed by my nose?)... super model gorgeous with crack whore reliability.



Or the giant sucking sound that was the Mercedes 6.9.



Oooh... the op-art 928 was a favorite of mine too.



Of course, my very, very, super-secret, undying love of the 70s were the Zingers.

[Arthur Dent]

Those are some seriously hearty and, some might say, foolish individuals.  -12C + most of the cars in that photo is a recipe for frostbite, hypothermia and roadside assistance. That said, it sure looks like fun.

I drove my Triumph Spitfire in the snow quite a few times - top down of course! Great fun.

[Boxer2500]

I think I'm almost obligated to pick a P-car here.



I'd hit that all day, every dayl.

[porridgehead]

Yes, yes and yes. Please. I'll even take an R series replica. Any of the Porsche R's is worthy of adulation.

[Jagman]

For me, it has to be this one, since I owned a 1970 version...............

[porridgehead]

Well jeez... you can't just leave us hanging. Tell us about it. Likes, dislikes, experiences, anecdotes, pictures... anything. For the love of Dino, throw us a bone!

It's not every day that you run across an owner of one of the greatest, all time, automotive beauties. Tell us, were there warts? Knock knees? Maybe a hammertoe?

[Rich]

FWIW, my favorite ride of the '70's was my first:  '74 AMC Gremlin X....six under the hood...three on the floor....cinnamon brown w/ white hockey stripe...rallies....hipo 'X' emblem....

Favorite notsomuch re- the car....the memories....

r

BTW, would love to hear about the Dino as well...

BTW2, apparently Ferrari is prepping a second gen Dino aimed at Porsche...no word on the second gen Gremlin.

[Otto Puzzell]

So far, I'm solidly in porridgehead's camp (them there Zingers is wicked cool), but I do like the Gremlin, too.

[Tifosi]

'70 Hemi Plymouth Superbird...after that, everything on the road sucked...





Dan

[Ultra]

[Otto Puzzell]

Lot's of new members since this was visited last. What do you say, new guys?

[DeAutogids]

[Carnut]

Well jeez... you can't just leave us hanging. Tell us about it. Likes, dislikes, experiences, anecdotes, pictures... anything. For the love of Dino, throw us a bone!

It's not every day that you run across an owner of one of the greatest, all time, automotive beauties. Tell us, were there warts? Knock knees? Maybe a hammertoe?

I too had a Dino 246GT - first registered May 1974 hence one of the very last.
As I said elsewhere: everything you read about them is true.
Not only is it really beautiful but it's a fabulous drive too.  Everything just seemed to gel together to provide an experience which I've never quite felt elsewhere, despite having driven other Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

It wasn't specially fast, particularly by today's standards, but the way it delivered what power it had, the noise, the handling, the practicality was all wonderful.  No frills either - just a chassis, an engine, a driving seat and wheel envoloped by a swoopy body - a pure driving machine, despite what BMW might claim!

The only real downside (apart from the price of servicing and spares) was its propensity to rust - big time.
Most have been rebuilt these days so have probably been properly rust-proofed.  And if you get a good one, it's the car of a lifetime (unless it's earth-shattering performance you want from your Ferrari, but with only 195 bhp that's not what you'll get..)

Recommended wholeheartedly, but the price of them these days precludes me every having another one sadly.

[knightfan26917]

Easy.

1977-1979 Caprice Classic coupe



Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * meet_07.30.11_Cold.Treat *
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"It almost seems like yesterday" __ Kenny Rogers __ '20 Years Ago'

[Otto Puzzell]

More Zingers

[RayTheRat]

From the 70s?  Not the best decade for American cars...and since I bleed Chevy orange (like Cort Stevens) I'd have to say a 1970 flat-window, split-bumper 1970 Camaro RS/SS or Z-28.  Although I'm usually a smallblock motor guy (327 or 350) I might consider a 396 bigblock...or I might go with a "Mighty Mouse" 406 like I have in my race car.  I'd have to have an M-22 "rock crusher" transmission and a Gear Vendors overdrive or a T-56 6-speed trans.  Yeah.  I could live with that.  

[Otto Puzzell]

OK, OK, one more Zingers pic

[RayTheRat]

Another 70s Camaro that I DID own was a 79 Z-28.  I bought it real cheap cuz it had a burned piston.  I redid the interior, rebuilt the motor, installed a different transmission...and then a friend made me a deal I couldn't turn down.  So I sold it to him.  He let it sit and eventually scrapped it.  Sheesh!