"Connqr" (connqr)
06/06/2016 at 22:51 • Filed to: Oppo-pinion time
2
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"Connqr" (connqr)
06/06/2016 at 22:51 • Filed to: Oppo-pinion time | 2
| 31 |
Hello and welcome to another Oppo-pinion time. I know I have not done one of these in a while and for those of you who don’t know our remember what that is, I ask you a question,and you respond. Easy peasy. Now today’s question, Which car of this trio of terror would you own? Amc Gremlin, Ford Pinto or the Chevy Vega? I would personally say (and don’t bash me for this) but the Vega is actually a good looking car. That’s about the only plus side to this car, that ranks dead last. Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m 99% sure the engines on those things would rattle parts off and the suspension was made of wet toilet paper. The coveted Middle Place trophy goes to yours truly, the explosively bad Pinto. You all know the Ford story of the exploding gas tanks and the fact that it was cheaper to settle wrongful death lawsuits than fix all the cars and all of that malaise era goodness. Other than that fatal flaw, the car was acceptable, but not great. 1st place goes to that Gremie with it’s awkward styling claimed to originally have been sketched on an airplane vomit bag was rather good,with the main complaint being that it had bad fuel economy compared to the others due to it’s stock v6, while the 2 other guys got I4s as stock. That’s enough rambling from me, Let’s hear from you!
Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 22:56 |
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I also like the Vega.
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Connqr
> Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
06/06/2016 at 22:58 |
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Are we the only two people in the universe who like it, or am I overreacting?
not for canada - australian in disguise
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:01 |
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Gremmy.
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Connqr
> not for canada - australian in disguise
06/06/2016 at 23:03 |
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Good choice, my friend. Don’t know how it would do in our snow though. I know the Vega would turn into a pile of rust as soon as a single snowflake or water drop would hit it but the Gremie might live
.
ranwhenparked
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:04 |
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Gremlin. Rock solid reliable I6, solid construction, best build quality of the domestics at the time, and giant fuel tank to get you through the OPEC embargo.
Its only major defect was that it “looked kind of weird”, against the Vega, Pinto, and Cricket, that wasn’t much of a disadvantage.
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Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:05 |
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I personally find the Vega rather neat looking.
lone_liberal
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:06 |
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I had a couple of uncles who had a Vega and a Pinto. The Vega was a POS while the Pinto was serviceable. That said, the Vega is much better looking (like a mini 70-73 Camaro) and it’s easy enough to put a SBC in one so I would go Vega, Pinto, and then Gremlin.
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Connqr
> lone_liberal
06/06/2016 at 23:10 |
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If you like the Vega, be prepared to be on a first name basis with the manager of your local rust proofing shop.
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Connqr
> ranwhenparked
06/06/2016 at 23:11 |
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Yep, but you know people, always needing the flashiest thing so they can be better than their neighbours.
If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:11 |
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I’ll take Vega with a Quad-4 please.
And the Gremlin had a straight-6, not a V6.
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lone_liberal
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:12 |
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I’m assuming that any Vega still alive will have already had the rust taken care of, because left to it’s own any Vega that old will have long since turned to dust.
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Connqr
> If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/06/2016 at 23:14 |
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Wrong answer. The answer is Vega, LS swap, unlimited membership to local rustproofing shop. And I'm sorry for mistaking the I6 for a V6
Die-Trying
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:19 |
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been thinking of rounding up a pinto..... but already have a FEW projects lined up. the vega LOOKS the best to me.... and the gremlin is not even on the map.
i’d go with the pinto, and cram a 302 waay back and low into it, 4 speed, and turn it into a road race car.
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ranwhenparked
> Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
06/06/2016 at 23:22 |
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The Vega was good looking, because Bill Mitchell was still in charge of GM design. But, it’s positive attributes pretty much began and ended at the styling. I’m not just talking about the engine, everything else was half baked. Flimsy, tinny, structure with no insulation, cheap materials, zero rustproofing, and slipshod build quality. These things were pretty much built to stay on the road just as long as the warranty or GMAC new car loan lasted and not much longer.
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If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:24 |
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A V8 goes against the spirit of the car. It’s an economy car styled like a muscle car. To that end it needs a high performance 4 cylinder. At the very largest I’d put in maybe an Atlas I6 if it isn’t too tall.
Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:28 |
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In stock form, the Gremlin was the best of this bad lot... particularly with the inline 6.
The biggest issue it had was biodegradable front fenders.
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Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> ranwhenparked
06/06/2016 at 23:28 |
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Yeah. I'd imagine that they're horrible cars but I still like it
mazda616
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:41 |
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Gremlin, for sure.
The Pintos became fireballs and the Vegas rusted away before their first owners signed on the dotted line.
camaroboy68ss
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:41 |
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I’ll take a Vega, especially a rare Yenko Vega,
Berang
> Connqr
06/06/2016 at 23:59 |
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Gas tank aside, the Pinto was probably the best of the three. It’s the cleanest styled, I think has the most space inside, probably also the most reliable (for whatever that’s worth).
Your boy, BJR
> Connqr
06/07/2016 at 00:20 |
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I’ll take the Gremlin in 401-XR flavor, because sometimes you just need a shitty compact hatchback with a 6.6L V8.
My bird IS the word
> Connqr
06/07/2016 at 00:21 |
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AMC gremlin please. Most of the people who still own these drop huge engines into them because they fit. I would do the same.
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Connqr
> Your boy, BJR
06/07/2016 at 07:20 |
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Seems about right. Also, why is the pic a gif when it doesn't actually Move?
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Your boy, BJR
> Connqr
06/07/2016 at 08:18 |
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Because kinja, I'm guessing
Dave the car guy , still here
> Connqr
06/07/2016 at 09:10 |
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BTDT, bought a new 1972 Gremlin X during high school. Traded my Fiat 850 Spider on it. Ordered it red over red and black interior on 5 -spoke 14" wheels with Goodyear polyglas GT tires. Later swapped to Pirelli tires. Wasn’t to bad a car and I was in the shop less than classmates with Pinto or Vegas. Got it because my dad always had luck with his Jeeps. Sold it after 4 years and 75k miles of no issues except one bad voltage regulator.
IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
> Connqr
06/07/2016 at 11:42 |
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Ahem.
*Cough cough*
BayAreaMiataBoi
> Connqr
06/07/2016 at 14:36 |
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1— Pinto. Econo-boxes, with stout base engines, as long as you had the super-reliable 2.0 German design for more hop-up parts; 2.3 was OK. Crummy transmissions, but the 4 speed was OK, as long as you maintained stock power. I know, because I bought and used up 4 clean California specimens and one hot-rodded rust bucket.
2— Gremlin. V8 was a nice upgrade, but THE LOOK!!!
3— Brilliant design, and throw away the engine after 60000 miles. Even more fun: get the Cosworth upgrade and throw away the engine after 45000 miles. ‘Nuf said.
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BayAreaMiataBoi
> Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
06/07/2016 at 14:52 |
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The Vega short block was the weakest spot in the car. Because it was designed with etched aluminum cylinder bores designed to work at a nice low temperature, any required smog gear, or hot-rod parts, or fast driving, or hill driving caused higher-than-designed cylinder heat and early block failure.
When GM cancelled the Vega program, they had left-over short blocks. They sold the left-overs to Pontiac, who put cast-iron heads (not the problem) on the Vega short block (the problem), and sold the package as the “Iron Duke”. You can read about the Iron Duke reliability problems on Wikipedia. . .
Just wear your damn mask...
> Connqr
06/10/2016 at 06:48 |
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No. The correct answer is Vega with turbo Ecotec/6-speed drivetrain out of a Solstice GXP/Sky Redline. There are more V8 Vegas today than there were Vegas built new.
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Just wear your damn mask...
> Connqr
06/10/2016 at 06:49 |
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Vega. I grew up riding around in a ‘73 wagon so I’m biased. The Gremlin second and the Pinto third.
Spridget
> Connqr
06/11/2016 at 00:39 |
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I’d go Gremlin with the 360 V8 or I6, early Vega with a Cosworth motor swapped in, and then Pinto with a 302, but it’s a close race.