You know how a lot of Americans deride commie cars...

"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike) 05/30/2020 at 15:03 • Filed to: None

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...for being archaic and out of date and being updates of old platforms? Examples: Like Ladas being heavily based on old FIATs? Or how the Trabant was built for 30 years? Or the 126 was heavily-based on the older 500 and produced for almost 30 years?

Retort - the GM B-Body platform :

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‘1926-1996' :P

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/30/2020 at 15:16

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“With approximately 12,960,000 units built, divided across four marques, the 1965-70 GM B platform is the fourth best selling automobile platform in history after the Volkswagen Beetle , Ford Model T and the Lada Riva . [1] ”

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/30/2020 at 15:16

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“B” was just a GM  corporate designation used for whatever the current production full-size model was at the time, the chassis was totally redesigned multiple times over the decades. Most notoriously when they decided to try out an “X-frame” arrangement in the late ‘50s/early ‘60s, to allow lower rooflines without losing interior room, at the expense of virtually all structural integrity in a crash. 

For Sweden > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/30/2020 at 15:17

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I love the B-bodies with two-stroke engines and cotton  bodies

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 05/30/2020 at 15:19

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Except the Beetle, Riva, and Model T were all clearly the same car throughout their production run. Bragging about the B-platform’s sales numbers is like Toyota boasted about how they’ve sold over 44 million Corollas  since 1966 - yeah, it is an achievement, but there have been many totally different cars over 54 years that have just shared the Corolla name, it isn’t like they sold 44 million copies of the same, exact car. 

WilliamsSW > ranwhenparked 05/30/2020 at 15:27

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During that time frame, the B body didn’t even share frames across brands.  Oldsmobile never used an X frame at all, and Pontiac didn’t use it for long.  

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 05/30/2020 at 15:35

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Exactly. It's not really in the same league. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > For Sweden 05/30/2020 at 15:43

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:P

fintail > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/30/2020 at 16:22

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The same as saying a MB E class is the same car for decades. Maybe its spot in the model hierarchy , but that’s it.

And I love commie cars, fascinating things. I still remember seeing a Lada Signet wagon in Vancouver when I was a kid, and even then it pushed some buttons.

jimz > ranwhenparked 05/30/2020 at 16:29

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thank you. it’s like the Camaro and Firebird which where “F Bodies” all the way up until 2002 despite having done away with the bolt on front subframe somewhere (I think in 1981.) 

SiennaMan > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/30/2020 at 17:32

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I kind of miss the body on frame tugboats.  I had a 83 Buick LeSabre for a year or so in the mid-90s.  Fuel economy was atrocious,  but I'm not sure I've ever had as comfortable a driving seat as that front bench..

pip bip - choose Corrour > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 05/31/2020 at 05:03

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things i learn

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > fintail 05/31/2020 at 15:38

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I can remember seeing the odd Riva and Niva here when I was a kid too and I knew they were something unique as well! :)