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What is your favorite classic car, truck or SUV?
- Thread starter BroncoMustang
- Start date
Here is mine, a 1970 Dart Swinger 340 that I transplanted a 700+ hp John Aruzza HEMI . Has a factory 4 speed trans.
My wife and I did the install. I don’t know how fast it will go but it will smoke the tires at 60mph!
It is a dangerous machine. I will most likely be buried in it. I’ll never sell it unless the starter goes bad ( can’t even see it)
My wife and I did the install. I don’t know how fast it will go but it will smoke the tires at 60mph!
It is a dangerous machine. I will most likely be buried in it. I’ll never sell it unless the starter goes bad ( can’t even see it)
Attachments
My favorite classic car (that I actually owned) was a 1959 Volvo 445 wagon. I believe they actually imported only about 150 that year, and mine as a rescue from the tow truck on its way to the junk yard. I got the driver to pull over to a parking area, and gave him $250 in cash to park it on the spot.
Next day, it was in a Buddy's driveway, and the long, strange odyssey began.
First we made it into the gang's camping vehicle. We bolted 6" wide 15" rims onto it and put big fat jeep tires on it. The factory bolted-on roof racks became the foundation for a huge folding platform made out of 4' x 12' 3/4" plywood sheets that would open out into a 12' x 12' platform on stilts to support a big tent. The bumpers got replaced by 4x8 wooden beams, and the interior (yes, it was a 'Woodie' inside...) got dismantled, the wood stripped and stained, and put back in with 6 coats of bulletproof Varathane on it. The rest of interior was essentially painted steel, so we masked the instruments and repainted it.
And yes, non-power drum brakes are a trip! That trip would continue when you got back into your regular car and hit the brakes the first time, whoa Nellie.
We used it for camping (we especially enjoyed parking it at Lime Rock and watching the races from folding chairs up atop the platform).
Then one Sunday it blew the head gasket on the way home. I pulled the spark plug on the faulty cylinder, readjusted the valves so the intake valve never opened and the exhaust valve never completely closed, and drove the thing home on 3 cylinders. The head gasket was replaced two days later.
But..., being that it was a 1600cc 3 main bearing 4 cylinder, it was time for some skullduggery.
We got an old 1968 Volvo B-18B engine, rebuilt it completely, then put it together with a 4 speed plus overdrive trans, homemade mounts, and a shortened drive shaft, and "The Pride of Sweden" was christened. The radiator was never completely happy, but...
It was indestructible, and we tried... Imagine a miniature panel truck with late 1940's styling and clam shell rear doors, but with a folding rear seat, 12" of ground clearance, and 12" of headroom. It was like a miniature power wagon, with only 2WD. It still "got there".
More fun than this, the law does not allow...
ROFLMAO!!!
Greg
Next day, it was in a Buddy's driveway, and the long, strange odyssey began.
First we made it into the gang's camping vehicle. We bolted 6" wide 15" rims onto it and put big fat jeep tires on it. The factory bolted-on roof racks became the foundation for a huge folding platform made out of 4' x 12' 3/4" plywood sheets that would open out into a 12' x 12' platform on stilts to support a big tent. The bumpers got replaced by 4x8 wooden beams, and the interior (yes, it was a 'Woodie' inside...) got dismantled, the wood stripped and stained, and put back in with 6 coats of bulletproof Varathane on it. The rest of interior was essentially painted steel, so we masked the instruments and repainted it.
And yes, non-power drum brakes are a trip! That trip would continue when you got back into your regular car and hit the brakes the first time, whoa Nellie.
We used it for camping (we especially enjoyed parking it at Lime Rock and watching the races from folding chairs up atop the platform).
Then one Sunday it blew the head gasket on the way home. I pulled the spark plug on the faulty cylinder, readjusted the valves so the intake valve never opened and the exhaust valve never completely closed, and drove the thing home on 3 cylinders. The head gasket was replaced two days later.
But..., being that it was a 1600cc 3 main bearing 4 cylinder, it was time for some skullduggery.
We got an old 1968 Volvo B-18B engine, rebuilt it completely, then put it together with a 4 speed plus overdrive trans, homemade mounts, and a shortened drive shaft, and "The Pride of Sweden" was christened. The radiator was never completely happy, but...
It was indestructible, and we tried... Imagine a miniature panel truck with late 1940's styling and clam shell rear doors, but with a folding rear seat, 12" of ground clearance, and 12" of headroom. It was like a miniature power wagon, with only 2WD. It still "got there".
More fun than this, the law does not allow...
ROFLMAO!!!
Greg
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Sounds great; I love hearing about people working on their cars and their success stories & adventures with them.
There were a lot of muscle cars around back in the '60's, where I grew up. But, by the end of the '70's, the Nova was the "go-to" muscle car. Followed by the Camaro, Trans-am, Firebird... I loved the 1970 style Camaro. But, for me, it don't top the '72 Chevy 4x4. We spent as much time off road as we did on-road.
For Muscle cars, I had a 70 Dodge Charger RT/SE, another rare combination of both luxury and punch. Plum Crazy purple with a white vinyl Roof and black leather interior. It had a 440 Magnum Automatic drive line with Posi. The cam was replaced, and the carburetion had a Holley list 3310 carb (780 CFM) with vacuum secondaries.
I bought it in 72 from my Computer Ops partner. The entire trunk lid was lined with first place stickers from the Englishtown, NJ Drag track. I got it out on a newly constructed, not yet opened, section of RT 80 in NJ and opened it up. I chickened out at 140MPH, it had a 155 MPH speedo. I was taking too much of a chance with the tires, which weren't rated for such high speeds.
Only complaint, no power steering; which made it an absolute pig to parallel park with that massive engine block up front.
But go? That monster would pass everything but the gas stations.
My real car was a 68 Volvo, which I bought new and drove until 82. Over the years, it got 14x7 American Racing mags and H70-14 tires, reworked wheel wells (I added fender flairs originally intended for a Ford Econoline), 7/8" diameter anti roll bars front and rear, a higher ratio rear axle, and a pair of Weber dual throat DCOE carbs. The exhausts were a pair of Corvette side pipes. It sounded like a V-8 inboard racing boat when it got up to 65mph, it cornered very flat, and mostly would take a turn at about twice as fast as the turn warning speed sign.
I got it to 240,000 miles with one engine (self) rebuild, and sold it to another owner.
There was a 79 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, an 89 Lincoln Continental Town Car, a VW Super Beetle, and an 87 Camaro, too... Celia got the Cruisers, I got the Scooters...
At one point, I had a new 75 Chevy G-20 Sport Van that frequently went on Scout Canoe trips with three canoes up top and ten kids in the back. The other canoes went one to a car roof on Parents' cars. That was the last car I bought new, and I haven't had to make a car payment since 78.
Greg
I bought it in 72 from my Computer Ops partner. The entire trunk lid was lined with first place stickers from the Englishtown, NJ Drag track. I got it out on a newly constructed, not yet opened, section of RT 80 in NJ and opened it up. I chickened out at 140MPH, it had a 155 MPH speedo. I was taking too much of a chance with the tires, which weren't rated for such high speeds.
Only complaint, no power steering; which made it an absolute pig to parallel park with that massive engine block up front.
But go? That monster would pass everything but the gas stations.
My real car was a 68 Volvo, which I bought new and drove until 82. Over the years, it got 14x7 American Racing mags and H70-14 tires, reworked wheel wells (I added fender flairs originally intended for a Ford Econoline), 7/8" diameter anti roll bars front and rear, a higher ratio rear axle, and a pair of Weber dual throat DCOE carbs. The exhausts were a pair of Corvette side pipes. It sounded like a V-8 inboard racing boat when it got up to 65mph, it cornered very flat, and mostly would take a turn at about twice as fast as the turn warning speed sign.
I got it to 240,000 miles with one engine (self) rebuild, and sold it to another owner.
There was a 79 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, an 89 Lincoln Continental Town Car, a VW Super Beetle, and an 87 Camaro, too... Celia got the Cruisers, I got the Scooters...
At one point, I had a new 75 Chevy G-20 Sport Van that frequently went on Scout Canoe trips with three canoes up top and ten kids in the back. The other canoes went one to a car roof on Parents' cars. That was the last car I bought new, and I haven't had to make a car payment since 78.
Greg
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What is your favorite classic
Car Chevrolet Impala 64 (yeah yeah, i know)
Truck Chevrolet Blazer from 1970 (The bad ass cop car from all 80's movies)
SUV Ford Bronco from the 60's
Car Chevrolet Impala 64 (yeah yeah, i know)
Truck Chevrolet Blazer from 1970 (The bad ass cop car from all 80's movies)
SUV Ford Bronco from the 60's
I like them all. Our son a little while ago saw a '63 or '64 Impala convertible in someone garage (I didn't see it myself); it was in fairly good condition, but hadn't been started in probably at least 7 years. When my wife tried to inquire about the car, the guy's wife (it turned out she was the owner) wasn't real friendly & didn't seem inclined to sell it.
When I heard the story it was kind of funny; he was willing to sell it for $5000, but when she got word of it, she wanted $10,000 & sternly told my wife that she owns it, not her husband. We later tried to look at it as a family, but can never find them home (or she won't answer the door, not sure which applies as we've tried many times).
Here are a couple of crappy video screenshots I grabbed of my dad’s 1955 Ford F100 from this weekend.
He drives my daughter (5 years old) around in parades. My son was in the passenger side. He loves it because it gives him a chance to drive it.
He drives my daughter (5 years old) around in parades. My son was in the passenger side. He loves it because it gives him a chance to drive it.
This was my baby for three and a half months
I drove this around your beautiful country. I loved this car, small block 318, sheet metal
went forever.
Didn't take much to smoke up the tires.
I drove this around your beautiful country. I loved this car, small block 318, sheet metal
went forever.
Didn't take much to smoke up the tires.
Nice; my dad had a Chrysler version of it with a 440 in it. It had a lot of power, too.This was my baby for three and a half months
I drove this around your beautiful country. I loved this car, small block 318, sheet metal
went forever.
Didn't take much to smoke up the tires.
View attachment 6920533
I've tried getting a Blazer around the same year, but haven't had much luck (usually too expensive).'72 Chevy 4x4
Funny, we had some friends growing up who owned a '72 Blazer K5 For whatever reason, I started calling it a K5-1/2
. . .
I was raised with cars like this. My dad had one. My Grandfather had 2 Chrysler Imperials, ‘66 and 67. It was like being the Green Hornet. You could sleep, stretched out on the front seat. I am glad to have grown up in the time I did. Thanks for your post. It took me to that far away place for a few minutes
I guess with classic cars I prefer the unobtainable. Just to be clear, these are not cars I have or have ever even seen, just pictures of cars from the internet.
I think I have all of these.I guess with classic cars I prefer the unobtainable. Just to be clear, these are not cars I have or have ever even seen, just pictures of cars from the internet.
Matchbox Models of Yesteryear
As long as we're going with unobtainable:
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/enterta...ing-classic-movie-car-chitty-chitty-bang-bang
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/enterta...ing-classic-movie-car-chitty-chitty-bang-bang
If you ever go through southern Nebraska, be sure to venture off the beaten path and check this place out. Pioneer Village in Minden, Ne. Lots of antique modes of transportation in that museum. Some say the biggest private collection of antique cars in the US, but I didn't find that claim on their website. This place is a tribute to the tough resourcefulness of the pioneers and settlers who came before us.
http://pioneervillage.org/
http://pioneervillage.org/
Is the bottom one a Duesenberg?I guess with classic cars I prefer the unobtainable. Just to be clear, these are not cars I have or have ever even seen, just pictures of cars from the internet.
Like this one?
Yea, but I’m sure an original Sunbeam with low miles probably cost way more than the Cobra I built. My friend’s Dad has a Tiger, and is in the local Sunbeam Club. There are quite a few around town.
For me, I love the classic GTO's. Those Pontiac motors have a different sound. They have a certain I'm pissed off but minding my own business tone. I think thats why I drive one. GM really had something, then the late 70's hit. (And there was John DeLorean's habit of...)
Also really dig the old Mercs- especially the 48, and lead sled mercs, and the '58 impala bel air- Yes, real trim package. And then... and then... and then...
Also really dig the old Mercs- especially the 48, and lead sled mercs, and the '58 impala bel air- Yes, real trim package. And then... and then... and then...
Wasn't the whole DeLorean thing that he actually made those cars in Ireland to import drugs to the U.S.? He would have made a ton of money if they'd done a little more engineering and better work. They were gimmick cars. but they sold like hotcakes.
I'm pretty sure that the drugs were a straw DeLorean grasped as the car business was sinking. I always thought GM used political connections to get the FBI to entrap him.
It just goes to show that one should go back and check what the final truth was. He got busted for 55 lbs. Meanwhile, literally tons of cocaine we're being blatantly smuggled into the U.S. by S. American countries
427 with a 750cfm QuickFuel. I get about 500 real HP to the rear wheels and they’re fatty MTs (Just painted GYEs). The whole car weighs under 1,800.
Not trying to nit pick but the m22 rock crusher was a close ratio gm tranny made by muncie and never available in a ford. It is however an amazing 4 speed.
I was watching Wheeler Dealers the other night and they did a 71 C-10 pickup. They said the short bed C-10s are virtually unobtainable.
I had a 69 shortbed stepside that I wish I'd kept.
Also had a 71 Cutlass S that I still see in my dreams occasionally.
Together, in very good condition, those two would likely be worth $70,000.
As best I can recall my net sale for both combined was somewhere around $1700.
If you guys think a 2014 Mazda CX-5 or a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek are going to that same route, please tell me now.
I had a 69 shortbed stepside that I wish I'd kept.
Also had a 71 Cutlass S that I still see in my dreams occasionally.
Together, in very good condition, those two would likely be worth $70,000.
As best I can recall my net sale for both combined was somewhere around $1700.
If you guys think a 2014 Mazda CX-5 or a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek are going to that same route, please tell me now.
The 'nicest' car that I've had, was a simple 1980 Monte Carlo with the 4 front headlights and the wide taillights. Unfortunately it had the 267 CID engine and I'd always wanted to swap that for a 350 CID with 4 barrel intake. Other things happened in life.
The 'quickest' car that I've had was a '94 Grand Marquis (fully loaded and velour interior w/ 60/40 bench seats) but with the "Police Package" (I never understood that one?) and man-o-man, if one were to 'hypothetically' hit the accelerator whilst on the highway, it really sets you back in your seats and you're doing damn-near double the speed limit in seconds. And the air-bags on the rear axle sure made a difference when cornering.
Hypothetically, and theoretically, of course. I think I saw that on a movie once, in a closed set, with stunt doubles. heh heh heh.
The 'quickest' car that I've had was a '94 Grand Marquis (fully loaded and velour interior w/ 60/40 bench seats) but with the "Police Package" (I never understood that one?) and man-o-man, if one were to 'hypothetically' hit the accelerator whilst on the highway, it really sets you back in your seats and you're doing damn-near double the speed limit in seconds. And the air-bags on the rear axle sure made a difference when cornering.
Hypothetically, and theoretically, of course. I think I saw that on a movie once, in a closed set, with stunt doubles. heh heh heh.
Love this, beautiful car.
Now that I live in AZ, I would love to get a kit car AC Cobra with some muscle behind it. Be perfect for around here.
Perhaps some day in the future.
