JohnW63
Enlightened Member
That is one darn long body line. 215" ( 18 feet ) and 4650 lbs by the specs I found... Triumph GT6 = 149" ( 12.4 feet ) and 1790lbs ( 2.6 GT6s per Coupe deVille ! )
Like cars and trucks?
- Thread starter Opsimath
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adorshki
Reverential Member
I myself prefer an automatic for commuting, but gimme a stick for a hill climb.
I do know what you mean about a stop sign at the top of a hill, though. What were they thinking?!?!
Never had the pleasure of driving a late '60's-70's Mopar muscle car but definitely loved the lines on the 'Cuda and Challenger.
Funny thing, even working at a major Dodge dealership, nothing like that ever came in, even though the service manager ran a dealer-sponsored modified dirt tracker. Early '90's, probably gettin' scarce or trailer-queened by then.
First got the itch around '78 I think, had already been through the Camaro but still had "the eye". After dropping off a GF at her folks' house on a Sunday morning, was coming back down the little country-type road and passed a white '70 Challenger R/T convertible just parked in a pull out, far from any driveway.
Took me about 10 seconds to decide I wanted to go back and just eyeball the sucker. Top was down, hood was gone. White cotton t-shirt stuffed into the mouths of the 3 carburetors. Figured the guy must have been tuning or something and needed to park it.
Always loved the lines on the '72 Satellite and '70 SuperBee, too, especially the front end:
Took me a while to appreciate the lines on the early Roadrunners and Super Bees, but I get it now.
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gibsonjunkie
Member
When I was in high school my dad was deciding between a 1970 Torino or a Cougar. I lobbied hard for the Cougar and it was one of the best cars we ever owned. When I became a Junior in college my folks gave me that car - but.... I would have also liked the Torino....
fronobulax
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If I want a deliberate self induced panic attack I go back in time to when I was driving a '64 Rambler, three on the tree, foot operated emergency break and foot operated high beam toggle. I'm approaching a stop light at the top of a hill, have my high beams on and am in fear that the light will turn red, an on coming car will approach or both. But I lived through that reality and I still drive a stick.
Many of the justifications for doing so are no longer valid, better gas mileage being the last one I remember falling, but I continue to do so. Like @Guildedagain I feel more engaged (or at least pay more attention to the car). I also have a collection of techniques to deal with driving on or getting stuck in snow or ice that I can execute with a stick but not as successfully with an auto.
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
My 1st car, '67 Rambler Ambassador 4dr 232 six cylinder/auto had L1 L2 on the shift quadrant, L1 started in 1st gear, but L2 started in 2nd gear, less spin out in snow. Genius.
My 5sp wagon is twice the car of a "slug-o-matic" equipped car. Much better take off, and I like to keep the engine revved, I hillclimb out of the canyon @ 4000rpm = 50mph going up a steep twisty dirt road hill. Put an auto equipped car in D and you'll never get that kind of performance.
Auto equipped cars feel like slugs to me, and one major problem is coming back down into the canyon, no engine braking. My last auto equipped car, also my 1st Subi, a 1995 Impreza wagon 2.2/Auto refused to hold 2nd gear coming down the hill, would jump into 3rd while in 2nd on the shift quadrant. Only with serious braking would it go back into 2nd, and that kind of braking on ice can get you killed in the winter.
Wife's 2000 Outback wagon just flatly refuses to downshift into 2nd gear coming down the hill, it's brakes all the way.
Early AI, the car decides what to do, not you.
Not for me.
My 5sp wagon is twice the car of a "slug-o-matic" equipped car. Much better take off, and I like to keep the engine revved, I hillclimb out of the canyon @ 4000rpm = 50mph going up a steep twisty dirt road hill. Put an auto equipped car in D and you'll never get that kind of performance.
Auto equipped cars feel like slugs to me, and one major problem is coming back down into the canyon, no engine braking. My last auto equipped car, also my 1st Subi, a 1995 Impreza wagon 2.2/Auto refused to hold 2nd gear coming down the hill, would jump into 3rd while in 2nd on the shift quadrant. Only with serious braking would it go back into 2nd, and that kind of braking on ice can get you killed in the winter.
Wife's 2000 Outback wagon just flatly refuses to downshift into 2nd gear coming down the hill, it's brakes all the way.
Early AI, the car decides what to do, not you.
Not for me.
Opsimath
Senior Member
There are no canyons in Florida. I'm good.
Opsimath
Senior Member
I believe the truck had foot operated emergency brake, too. But that didn't matter if the brake wouldn't hold the truck. I guess the release was a pull just under the dash. I don't recall. I think I've tried to block as much of it as I can from my memory.
Yes, I lived through the stop sign at the top of the hill, although I was somewhat lacking in finnesse, but do not care to ever have to repeat it. I choose the automatic.
Somehow I got a standard transmission VW bug stuck in very little snow, maybe a couple inches (?), in Iceland. It took four Icelandic fellows to push it out.
fronobulax
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Opsimath
Senior Member
Once every 40 years or so and we had some about 3 years ago.But I wouldn't be too sure about "no snow".
Still good.
CosmicArkie
Member
Here's a little known combination of the Ford engine and a British sporty car, turned out pretty well:
Here's the '72 Bronco I had for about 35 years (the puddles were water as I had just washed it):
Opsimath
Senior Member
Nice Bronco. Why "had"?Here's a little known combination of the Ford engine and a British sporty car, turned out pretty well:
Here's the '72 Bronco I had for about 35 years (the puddles were water as I had just washed it):
The sports car is eye catching as well. I just have a weakness for Bronco's.
adorshki
Reverential Member
But I wouldn't be too sure about "no snow".
There's snow and then there's "snow":
Border Patrol seized over $1 million worth of cocaine after it washed up on a Florida beach
What we need here is a DeLorean w/ the snowplow attachment.
'Vettes just don't have the heritage.
Guildedagain
Enlightened Member
I'm not sure "little known" applies to Carol Shelby's AC Cobra. I think I'd go Ford for that though ;]]
Awesome Bronco, but it needs a front bumper, looks naked like that. I like the Baby Moons and beauty rings. Non factory color?
Here's a really little known marriage of American muscle and Brit handling, the Jensen, which eventually got a little bloated with a 440 engined Interceptor. Having a 600lb engine up front makes a car plow through turns a bit - oversteer - no matter what you do underneath, it's just physics.
An earlier sportier version was much lighter with 383 engine. Man, talk about a pocket rocket!
Also in the little known Brit car/American V8 category, the Sunbeam Tiger, basically an Sunbeam Alpine with a fairly light 289 engine stuffed in. I would have also owned one of these in a hearbeat had they not always been rare and sought after.
Awesome Bronco, but it needs a front bumper, looks naked like that. I like the Baby Moons and beauty rings. Non factory color?
Here's a really little known marriage of American muscle and Brit handling, the Jensen, which eventually got a little bloated with a 440 engined Interceptor. Having a 600lb engine up front makes a car plow through turns a bit - oversteer - no matter what you do underneath, it's just physics.
An earlier sportier version was much lighter with 383 engine. Man, talk about a pocket rocket!
Also in the little known Brit car/American V8 category, the Sunbeam Tiger, basically an Sunbeam Alpine with a fairly light 289 engine stuffed in. I would have also owned one of these in a hearbeat had they not always been rare and sought after.
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Opsimath
Senior Member
Does the 'Vette snowplow with the top down?There's snow and then there's "snow":
Border Patrol seized over $1 million worth of cocaine after it washed up on a Florida beach
What we need here is a DeLorean w/ the snowplow attachment.
'Vettes just don't have the heritage.
davismanLV
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I had two 1963 De Villes, one a sedan and one a coupe in white just like this one. Man alive, I loved those cars!! The CDV got stolen when we lived in West LA. Broke my heart. What a great car that was!! I also had a 1965 CDV that was mint green. That thing was HUGE but it was like floating on a cloud! That car was probably one of my all time favorites. Also my 1978 CDV in black with the gray landau top white pinstripe and Bridgestone patterned white walls, and Appliance fine wire wheels. That car turned heads wherever I went!!My sister was / is an independent minded person. She dated a guy a few years older...maybe 5 years right after HS. He was a motorhead and always got great deals on cool cars. Her boyfriend came up with a deal on a white '63 Coupe DeVille. I think it was '71 when she got it.
It was damn cool! AC, power everything, red leather seats... Loved when she would let me drive it! The AC went after she broke up with her motorhead boyfriend and the local garage wanted $1000 to replace it in '72 so she junked it!
A similar car is shown below.
And speaking of Sunbeams, the Alpines with the slanted taillights made me a little crazy in the early 1960's!! Those were so clean and simple and I wanted one badly!!
Some cars need a manual transmission, but modern automatics can do a better job than most drivers on the road today. Having grown up with a damaged left knee (old horse wreck) I'm totally good with an automatics and their convenience. I also live on the West Coast and snow is rare and most everything in Vegas is flat.
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
Always been fascinated by this engineering marvel, unfortunately it never saw (and never will see) any kind of widespread production and use on the roadways, due to its inability to compete with its crankshaft based counter parts (not to mention the now fully electric) on the fuel efficiency front.
No matter how well tuned their injection system is, these spinners have a greater loss of unburnt fuel in the course of their firing rotation.
Still, hats off Felix.... that was the hell of an invention!
I remember as a kid, seeing quite a few if these in the streets of Le Mans, but they never really took off from then on:
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
It does.
Actually the plow is built in... it will pick up anything on the road, that measures higher than 3 inches.
CosmicArkie
Member
The had part....
When moving to Tejas I ran out of parking spots. Yeah, I know, coulda woulda shoulda. Unfortunately, it was sold before the market went completely crazy.
Weakness....
Does having 4 at one point count? That's why I turned this one into a 2by freeway flyer.
The bumperlessness....
I was going to do some smallish nerf/push bars but never got that proverbial round to it. Back when I did that the clean look was "in". Did the rear roll pan with a hidden receiver hitch behind the license plate.
The color was a one year only flavor - Code Y Calypso Green.
It had a Ranger pick-up 2 wheel drive twin I beam front end; Granada rear; turbo 3.8 V6/AOD trans; power window/steering/brakes; a/c.
Opsimath
Senior Member
You had 4 Bronco's? Wow! Any favorite?
The market has gone crazy. Some of those resto mods, especially the older models, are listed at six figures!!
Reminds me of the '62 Corvair Monza I learned to drive in, 4-on-the-floor, it could get rubber in the first three gears. Damn Ralph Nader!Always been fascinated by this engineering marvel, unfortunately it never saw (and never will see) any kind of widespread production and use on the roadways, due to its inability to compete with its crankshaft based counter parts (not to mention the now fully electric) on the fuel efficiency front.
No matter how well tuned their injection system is, these spinners have a greater loss of unburnt fuel in the course of their firing rotation.
Still, hats off Felix.... that was the hell of an invention!
I remember as a kid, seeing quite a few if these in the streets of Le Mans, but they never really took off from then on:
