62 new cars from 1980

"fhrblig" (fhrblig)
12/11/2017 at 22:16 • Filed to: None

I’m sure this has been posted by someone before, but it deserves to be posted again.

DISCUSSION (23)

interstate366, now In The Industry > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 22:20

3 words nobody remembers: Dodge St. Regis.

fhrblig > interstate366, now In The Industry
12/11/2017 at 22:27

Over 3 sold!

Steve in Manhattan > interstate366, now In The Industry
12/11/2017 at 22:28

I believe I do ... that was close to the last of what I think were called “R Bodies,” and many police cars came from that chassis. In fact, a lot of them were probably wrecked in the Blues Brothers movie.

Die-Trying > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 22:37

that mustang at 24......

XJDano > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 22:56

Neat.

ranwhenparked > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 22:59

And all repainted as police cars and wrecked in ‘80s TV shows.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 23:01

Man 1980 was terrribl... wait you could get the 2.3L turbo from the Mustang in the Fairmont? Interesting...

fhrblig > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
12/11/2017 at 23:04

That would be the only interesting thing about the Fairmont. Fun fact, I did most of my driver’s ed training in a Mercury Zephyr (Fairmont). It was.... a car.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 23:08

Every time I have ever heard someone say “Volaré” it’s been pronounced differently.

fintail > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 23:13

Never seen a turbo Fairmont before. Funny the old Volare and unloved Versailles are there, but ignore new cars like the bustleback Seville and new Town Car.

Peak malaise. I guess I’d pick a new MB or maybe a Cressida or something.

Shift24 > fhrblig
12/11/2017 at 23:25

Was 5 minutes in and there were only 2 cars that weren’t piles of junk, the accord and civic

Also cars no one remember Cordoba, Volaré, Fairmont, Futura, zepher, Aspen, SJJ1, Versailles

SpeedSix > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
12/11/2017 at 23:32

The early carbureted 2.3 turbo was available in 1980 (and possibly 1979) on the Fairmont. Like other carbureted turbo engines, it was notably unreliable, in an era when many cars had driveability issues.

SpeedSix > fintail
12/11/2017 at 23:36

The carbureted turbo 2.3 was available in the Fairmont in 1980, and possibly 1979 as well. Considering that the other engines in 1980 were the 200ci Falcon six and the downsized 255ci V8, the basic 2.3 I4 might’ve been the least terrible - it wasn’t as finicky as the early turbo engine, made more power than the six(!), and wasn’t as strangled as the small V8.

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/11/2017 at 23:45

They’re all wrong. To correctly pronounce ‘Plymouth Volare’, you have to sound like you’re vomiting.

fhrblig > Shift24
12/11/2017 at 23:47

I remember the Zephyr well from my driver training, especially when the turn signal lever came off in my hand. It didn’t break, it just came off.

fintail > SpeedSix
12/11/2017 at 23:55

Maybe low production or didn’t age well? Or maybe I just never noticed. I have noticed several GM turbos of the era.

What a dreary time for being a new car shopper. Even the MBs weren’t the pinnacle - that 280E isn’t the most beloved 123, turbodiesel 123s weren’t until MY 1981, you could get a turbodiesel S-class, but it was the final model year of the old W116. Still, better than virtually all of the competition, and build quality was stupendous.

That year, my mom had her beloved gargantuan mid 70s T-Bird (460, white on white) that she’d hold on to for 5 more years, and my dad had a 70 Mustang, soon replaced by a Horizon that he ended up liking a lot.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
12/12/2017 at 00:03

Well vomiting is just what the body naturally does when looking at a Volaré. Maybe that’s how it was named.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > SpeedSix
12/12/2017 at 00:07

Fair enough about reliability, but IIRC it made more power than the 302 of the day.