"" (bignslow)
11/01/2013 at 19:18 • Filed to: None
0
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"" (bignslow)
11/01/2013 at 19:18 • Filed to: None | 0
| 21 |
1980s was a decade that brought some of the worst cars to the automotive world. The Cold War was coming to an end and North Americans were still feeling the crunch from the 1970s energy crisis.
Ford was still trying to bury the fiery Pinto image. GM was replacing all the Chevy motors that they put into Oldsmobiles and Chrysler was barely even a company.
It was also a decade when North America started seeing a mass amount of Japanese imports flooding the market. In order to stay competitive domestic manufacturers had to turn up the heat.
As a result we saw some "fine" domestic cars roll off showroom floors all over the country. Cars like Cadillac Cimarron, Dodge Aries and Ford Tempo.
Surely, some of the craptacular cars are less craptacular then others and there were plenty of crap flung around from both sides of the pond. So, what in your opinion is the best worst car of the 1980s and why?
lonestranger
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11/01/2013 at 19:25 |
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Are we limiting it to North American brands?
If not, Yugo, Lada, Skoda, Dacia, Hyundai, Kia, Misubishi, and Daihatsu all made a ton of crap in the '80s.
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> lonestranger
11/01/2013 at 19:27 |
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Not limited to North American brands.
webmonkees
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11/01/2013 at 19:34 |
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The 79-87 Subaru Swingback.
A FWD -only version would probably come with a 1.6, and JDM could get 1.3. Power.
4wd got you a powerhouse 1.8, or opional TURBO for sub light-speed. Way sub.
duurtlang
> lonestranger
11/01/2013 at 20:04 |
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Unlike those Soviet, American and Korean brands (and Mitsubishi), Daihatsu built some quite decent cars in the era.
otto-from-another-computer
> webmonkees
11/01/2013 at 20:05 |
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SSuuu-win-g-bak!
GhostZ
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11/01/2013 at 20:18 |
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Second Generation regal. They were rusty, junky shitboxes with massive bumpers, overweight frames, ugly interiors, and boat-like suspension.
But at the same time, some models, were fantastic, and all models quickly became cheap, awesome RWD hoonmobiles.
You had a Diesel V8 in one model. An Olds 307 in an another. The GNX had a turbo V6. There was an asthmatic 305 V8 in another, but another of smaller V8s available too.
In Today's time, if GM released a 2-door 4-seater RWD manual car with a series of small V8s and an optional diesel V8, for dirt cheap (nowadays they are, anyway) we'd be praising it no matter how bad the build quality was.
Manuél Ferrari
> GhostZ
11/01/2013 at 20:28 |
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Oh those old school GM diesels. They were so bad Americans didn't trust diesels for decades.
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webmonkees
> otto-from-another-computer
11/01/2013 at 20:45 |
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Sure, it was a silly name, but better than telling your co-workers you got a new STD.
davedave1111
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11/01/2013 at 21:03 |
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The Triumph Acclaim definitely has the worst-car part down pat, and being mostly a Honda Ballade underneath, was also about the best thing to come out of a dire period for British-built cars.
Still boring, ugly, and slow, but at least there was some chance of it working.
From the same factory, we have another option. The Allegro is a good candidate for worst car of all time - at least until the Chinese started building cars, anyway - and those built post-1980 were the best of them.
And yes, I do realise that best of the worst car isn't quite what you meant. Maybe the Ferrari Mondial fits better.
Notoriously, the model started with the pretty pathetic (for a Ferrari) Mondial 8.
Yeah. Eighties crap. But it finished the decade with the Mondial T convertible.
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> GhostZ
11/01/2013 at 21:14 |
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Weren't those diesels making some ridiculously low horsepower numbers?
Edit: Ah yes the 105 horsepower 350. lol
George McNally
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11/01/2013 at 21:20 |
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I would have to nominate my 1980 Ford Fairmont Futura. 2.3 litre with a 4 speed manual. It was a POS. This isn't mine, but mine looked almost exactly like this one.
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George McNally
> George McNally
11/01/2013 at 21:22 |
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To top this off...I replaced it with an 88 Tempo......
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> George McNally
11/01/2013 at 21:30 |
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Well the Tempo is a good nomination too. There was a sedan, coupe, diesel engine model and even AWD model.
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GhostZ
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11/01/2013 at 21:32 |
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Ssssh. Diesel V8 in a small RWD coupe. Just keep repeating it over and over to yourself.
Although, supposedly they could be modified and squeezed with a turbo for pretty cheap to get some insane torque numbers.
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> GhostZ
11/01/2013 at 21:48 |
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Jonee
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11/01/2013 at 22:37 |
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Skyhawk T-Type. Turbo, manual tranny. It was pretty good for that era.
Aaron Short - PROUD OF LEYLAND
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11/10/2013 at 12:34 |
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The Morris ital.
Suspension from the 1948 Morris Minor, Engine from a maxi, Ital are so embarrassed by their input, you cannot find this car in any of their books or museums.
'Designed' by a failing committee, for failing committees.
Britain at its very worst.
Dsscats
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11/10/2013 at 13:13 |
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Fiero!!!!!!
Milwagner
> GhostZ
11/10/2013 at 13:49 |
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I briefly had the companion Olds Cutlass with the 307.
Not a terrible car, but the Olds 307 was everything bad about mid-80s smog motors... and fake wire wheels! LOL
When the carb finally failed, it would've taken more time (and swiss-watch-making skills to rebuild a qadraJet mangled by years of bad emissions engineering) than the car was worth.
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GhostZ
> Milwagner
11/10/2013 at 13:56 |
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The trick (and what a lot of people are doing now) is to take those motors and put a modern intake with EFI on it, and an ebay turbo. The intake and exhaust were horrible, but they had enough displacement that they make for good, cheap powerplants.
When they were new, though, they were shit. Quadrajets, I think, have had a bad name ever since.
Saf1
> Jonee
11/11/2013 at 07:02 |
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I don't know about this car but relatively that is the least flattering pose EVER. They are talking about a sporty car and this camera angle makes it look like it's been lifted...