It’s 1978, and you’re a Baby Boomer with a wife and a little kid or two, and you just got a promotion. Time to dump that hulk of a Pinto or rusty Nova, and buy a nice, new car. Specifically, a reasonably affordable compact-mid size car (the definitions of those were in huge flux at the time). What will it be?
I popped out with my choice: a 1978 Ford Fairmont ES with the 302 V8, sport suspension, four-speed stick (I’m not sure that was actually available), alloy wheels (not shown on this one), bucket seats, and floor shift. It was the closest thing to an international-style sport sedan, in my opinion, if hardly perfect. But it was clean, unpretentious, roomy, and light. Given what had been available from Dearborn up to that time, it was a first step in a big new direction from Ford, a harbinger of things to come. And yes, it was a “mid-size” in the changing realities of the time; the Fairmont had 90% of the interior room of a 1978 Impala. No, the LTD II wasn’t a “mid-size” car anymore, not that it ever was one, really.
But there were other cars in that general bracket that were appealing too. We’ve shown you some, but there were others too. Now I’ve set this up as a domestic car question, but if you’re from another country, feel free to go shopping from what was available there in 1978. But let’s keep it to sedans/hatches in the roughly comparable price/size bracket, otherwise we’ll be all over the map.
Ford LTD 4 door sedan.
Plenty of passenger room and truck space. The girls will need all the space they can get so they can carry all the clothes they have. 🙂
I remember when the Lebaron and Diplomat Coupes came out and I thought they were one of the best looking cars around. I would probably go with the Diplomat with the Leather that looked so comfortable. The Impressive front end and a hint of the Boattail made those so unique.
You are absolutely correct sir! I remember the first two door LeBaron I saw in the summer of 1977 — it was outstanding.
I’ve always been tempted to find a nice one ever since.
No doubt, beautiful car. This cover is the first car brochure I collected. The enterprising Mr. Moore left a stack of these at the barber shop I went to, about two minutes away from the dealership.
Unfortunately for Mr. Moore, I was 14.
A few years later I knew a girl in high school that drove one of these coupes. She was good looking, and had a tailored look about her, kind of like the car. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one that thought so.
The wheels on this are just awesome. I’m not sure they appeared on anything else. The Diplomat, Cordoba and Magnum would be the likely suspects. According to the brochure, these are 15″ forged aluminum road wheels, 10% lighter than comparable steel wheels. The sunroof option was insane – your choice of steel or five tints of glass. This was a first rate luxury car. If they had skipped the base version and made most options standard, this would have truly been the next generation Imperial.
The coupe was also a centerfold. It won’t fit fully on my scanner. Here’s that bodacious boat tail booty.
Parents had a ’78 that was a piece of crap. Fell apart in 2 years. Ironically, once the defective parts were all changed, it became a good car. The paint fell off it, though.
I’ve got to agree with you, Dave. That is one very strikingly good-looking rear end.
Yup, this is the one. Compared to the multiple sizes of shoeboxes coming from the rest of the industry, the tail end of this car was a breath of fresh air. It was a shame that the sedan lacked the same kind of flair.
While I’ve never seen one, the unique factor resonates with me.
IF truly buying a car, I would be looking Mercury Zephyr or Diplomat.
In 1978, I was “a Baby Boomer with a wife and a little kid” (just our oldest son at the time), and had just started at my first “real” job. We decided to trade in my 1975 VW Rabbit and my wife’s 1975 Toyota Corolla to buy one of the first Westmoreland, PA 1979 VW Rabbits in the fall of that year. (I had determined that riding the bus to and from work was tolerable.)
But in answer to the question, if I went for a midsize car, it would have been a Malibu coupe with a six and manual transmission; GM cars were still the cream of the domestic crop in 1978-79, and I grew up on GM iron.
The Malibu would probably have cost less than the Rabbit, which stickered for about $5600, and there was no discount.
For me, Id pick a 78 Malibu coupe with a 4 speed bolted to whatever V8 you could get with it (305? 267? doesn’t matter, whenever the warranty expires its getting a 383 stroker motor) and the F41 suspension if that were available that year, and probably in navy blue with a white interior. Its not very broughamy but I always loved the Malibu styling from those years. I would also be cross shopping the Cutlass, Grand Prix or Regal but for some reason the Monte Carlo never appealed to me until the SS came out, and nothing from Ford except maybe a Thunderbird. Ive driven Fairmonts and while they look decent, they just felt very cheap.
For my wife, Id want the exact car my aunt bought new in ’78-a Volare Premier wagon with a 318 in black with a red plaid interior, Di-Noc and nearly every conceivable option. That was really a sharp-looking car and very reliable up until the day she traded it in for new 1988 Taurus.
Zephyr Z-7. It’s all of a Fairmont Futura with two extra headlights…ha.
350 / 4 speed/ F41 Nova sedan, the Concours was gone so a base model with the blue plaid seats.
As much as it pains me to say it, I would probably also have bought a Nova sedan. I hate, hate, hate the earlier cars, but by the end of the line, Chevrolet had managed to make the Nova look acceptable (more so than the hideous Aeroback body style of which you all seem inexplicably fond), and if you got the right options, it drove decently.
I would go for a top-of-the-line Nova, whatever that was called in 1978 (I believe the LN and Concours grades were gone). I would custom-order it with the police package and 350 SBC. LA County Sheriff ordered a ton of these and the cars were always in hot pursuit, or so it seemed. You could hear the intake roar a block away.
I suppose the Nova is technically a compact but it should be OK to go down market for a choice.
How funny I posted before reading the comments and see now that the last three guys all chose the Nova 🙂
The Nova 9C1 was an amazing piece of engineering, a really fast car for its day. However, the back seat was too small for anything but small kids.
The Nova back seat was tight and I’m surprised they could use it for police duty. If I needed more space I’d go for the ’78 Fairmont Squire in white. If imports were eligible I’d go for the super-obscure Fox GTI.
I’d take either a basic Aspen or Volare coupe, order the E58 360 and the S13 H/D suspension, and not much else….
I’m torn between 2 Dodges. A 78 Magnum GT with the final year 400 (Lean Burn be damned), or an Aspen Super Coupe E58 360. I would add the Cordoba to my list but the square headlights killed the look in 78.
As a new high school grad in 1978, I definitely had a thing for the Magnum. Sadly, not that many people agreed with me.
I once owned a 1979 Magnum GT
What I *did* buy in 78 was a Merc Zephyr Z-7 with a 302. sorriest POS I ever had. Put me off of Fords for 25 years.
Would not have touched a Volare or VW Dasher as I had seen the reliability reports in Consumer Reports…dang that 78 Dasher 2 door hatch looked nice, but looked like nothing on it worked for long.
What’s left? Olds Cutlass? I rather liked the roof treatment on the Cutlass 2 door coupe in the mid 70s, but it looks like they went to a more squared off “formal” roof profile by 78, not to my liking.
Maybe I could find a dealer that still had a 77 on his lot…yeah, 77 Cutlass, Brougham me up Scotty.
Well the premise of the question did happen to my folks in 1978. They had 2 Pinto’s(yeas I am scratching my head about that also) and one of them needed to be replaced. It was replaced with a Mercury Monarch. I remember baking in that car in the 1980’s with its vinyl seats. It was such a shitbox and its replacement in 1986 was a brand new 1986 Dodge Aries K station wagon was big improvement(sad to say).
Easy: Pontiac Grand Am. I didn’t even have to think about it. Looks great as a sedan and even better as a coupe, I’d get the 4-bbl 301 V8 and snowflakes.
If I couldn’t get my hands on one, maybe I’d settle for a Cutlass 442 Aeroback or a Century Sport Coupe with the turbo. But that Grand Am was beautiful inside and out and its rarity gave it a certain X-factor. Love those cars, but then this is coming from a man whose dream classic car is a 1974 Pontiac Grand Am.
I was reading away hoping to be the first to mention the Grand Am–we had a 78 coupe. My Dad had a 2 door Beaumont with 307 that died in front of the dealership so he traded it in. Years later I asked why he chose the GA and he said it just looked cool–he honestly didn’t know you could custom order a new car. The GA was a cool car that made it till 1986 when my brother was hit by another driver.
This reminds me of the choices I faced when shopping for a super cheap used car in 1988. Wasn’t crazy about any of these vehicles, they all seemed merely ok transport. I would have to go euro import, Peugeot, Saab, BMW, Benz…they all had cool vehicles in 1978 and the exchange rate was still pretty good that year, so weren’t that much more expensive than domestics.
Without the benefit of hindsight, a Regal Sport Coupe turbo. With, a Cutlass Supreme Coupe, the gold standard. With the inflation of the day, if you played you cards right and got the most desirable options, you could get close to what you paid for it after 2 years, and the folks the beat a path to your door to buy it.
I’d go with a high optioned Impala 2 door with console shifter, F41 suspension package, raised white letter tires, sport wheels, V8 and round gauges.
It was one of the best looking of that era, and the end of the Bill Mitchell era.
Good choice, though as far as I can recall there was no console option on the Chevrolet B-body.
Well that’s a damn shame if true; I think it totally matches the character of the car.
There was no center console on the B body Impala until 1994-1996.
The Impala in 1978 was marketed as a car that could seat 6 ether in the coupe or sedan.
Two door door Grand Am with the 301 4bbl, the black and gold paint combo with Pontiac’s gold snowflake wheels. Second choice, Buick Regal with the Somerset option, navy blue, no vinyl roof, 307 under the hood and Buick ralley’s.
I don’t know if the “Don’t buy a GM Car in its first year of production” rule was firmly established until the X, A, J, N, and fwd C/H cars came along. The Fairmont was leagues better than the Falcon based Maverick/Granada it replaced, but they all seemed like post office vinyl seated strippers. We didn’t buy Fords. The Aspen/Volare had a dismal and well earned reputation and Chrysler wasn’t on the brink of insolvency, it was insolvent. AMC’s cars were smaller inside than the competition, especially the new A bodies, and although they were probably better built than anything else, they were HEAVY and not very fuel efficient. I was a huge fan of the aeroback styling as a child (when asked in interviews, what is your biggest fault, I always mention this) so I’d go with a loaded to the gills Cutlass, I would consider the Century Turbo because in those days GM did something new and got it right. Otherwise I’d go with a loaded to the gills Century or Cutlass Cruiser Wagon, woodgrain and all.
MY78 shopping list
US : AMC Pacer wagon–the only US car with true individuality (in ’78).
UK : Jaguar XJ6–last MY of 2nd series, best-looking of the classic British saloons.
Germany : still making Beetle convertibles? Gimme! Or a Benz 600, though neither’s mid-size.
France : Citroen CX 2.2 litre–still with chrome everything, wonderful. Or a Renault 16?
Italy : Lancia Gamma–the berlina or the coupe.
Japan : Subaru Leone hardtop, more for the engineering than the styling.
Other : Tatra 613? A bit big. Saab 99? A bit small. IKA-Renault Torino? Just right.
With the requirements set out above (wife, child or two):
A coupe seems like a bad idea, unless the children are old enough not to require special seating.
None of the 4 door sedans are really nice looking cars.
So one of the wagons would make a good choice.
What I had hoped for by this time was electronic fuel injection, but the microprocessor age was beginning and GM realized that a smart computer would make electronic fuel injection much better than a dumb analog computer.
As it really was around 1978, I did trade in my 1976 Riviera for a used 1978 Oldsmobile with diesel engine. I made sure that the oil was a CD grade diesel oil by changing it myself.
As luck would have it, my older brother did want to buy a new car in the spring of 1978. He enlisted his car-nut 15 year old brother (that’s me) to assist him in his quest. I’m trying to recall our rationale for selecting what he did, but we looked at little of everything available back then. The VW Rabbit was very fuel and space efficient, but it was rather expensive. The first alternative was the Renault LeCar, but they had a horrible reliability and rust reputation. The Dodge Omni was another looked at, but we were a bit scared of a “new” car from Chrysler, especially with the Volare/Aspen debacle still unfolding at that time. The Hornet was considered, but they were rather hard on fuel for their size. The GM A bodies, or X compacts were another price range altogether, almost as high as the Rabbit.
We were a Ford family and all of us kids’ first cars were Fords of some stripe. We looked at a Fiesta, not cheap coming from Germany and in high demand at that interstitial between Gas Crisis I and II. There were left over 1977 Comets and the Monarch was pretty pricey for what it was and not great fuel mileage. The Pinto was too small for him. Finally, we decided that a Mercury Zephyr ES 2 door sedan with the 2.3L Pinto and 4 speed manual would give the proper mix of space, utility and fuel mileage.
He waited the 8 weeks for the car to show up, and for the six months or so, it was great. With the Pinto motor, it was no rocket, but it wasn’t a total stone, either. But after the initial break-in, problems with the emissions controls started (and never stopped). The dealer either was never able (or cared to try) to replicate the issues and he just put up with it. He had a 48 month loan on the car and kept it all the way through and a couple of years after. Of all things, he traded it on a 1983 AMC Eagle sedan…
As mentioned before, I would have been all of 15/16 years old back then, so I would have wanted a Smokey and the Bandit replica Trans Am, most likely. I was trying hard to remember what non-muscle car appealed to me back then and I think I was pretty enamored with the fastback GM A bodies. I thought the Olds variations were the best looking of the fastbacks, but lots of folks liked anything with the name Oldsmobile on it back then.
If it came down to buying on a real budget? I probably would have gone with an AMC Hornet or a Fairmont or a Nova of some stripe. IIRC you could get those cars pretty inexpensively.
With kids, I think I’d want the best A-Body I could buy in 4 door form, and doubtless there’d be a debate but I would lean towards a 4-door Buick Century with the available for ’78 Chevrolet 305 V8. Someone above mentioned a Cadillac Seville, but if I could afford a Seville in ’78, then I could also afford a DeVille, Fleetwood Brougham, or Continental, so I wouldn’t be limited to mid-size. Assuming I’m not in that territory financially, I’d choose the Buick or perhaps the Oldsmobile 4 door A with the best V8 available.
The Seville was mid sized in 78 or nearly mid sized. Actually they consider the 1992 Seville midsized which seems unlikely to me. The LeSabre is considered a large car, even in 1999 when I think it was no larger than the Seville.
My ATS is a compact car.
so….who is going to add up all the nominees to see which was the most popular? iirc, there was a stretch in the mid 70s when the Cutlass was the best selling car in the US. It might have been unhorsed by the Fairmont.
In ’78? A new car? Nope. Between the Volare/Aspen halting on the left turns, the
Malibu/et.al. speedometer going out every 10,000 miles, and the JUNK coming out
of Ford, why bother. Oh, those were bad years for the Volvos, too.
Back then, I could’ve gotten a beauty of Studebaker Lark with optional super-lark
packages, or the wagonaire, (or both!). Or, a lovely used Valiant/Dart wagon (yes,
the newest was a ’66 model), or a later model with A/C.
Why bother with new? I drove both Studebakers and Valiants
straight as every day drivers right through, um, 1996. I still haven’t bothered
with new. And I’m still driving them, but no longer every day. Somewhere in the
90’s the ’78-82 Mercedes W123 Diesels became affordable. Then the Volvos.
Why spend more?
in
Agreed. There was a lot of sweet stuff out there as 10-15 year old used cars that appealed to me a lot more back then. In many ways they were better than what you could get in 1978 and a lot cheaper, too.
Not in N.E. Ohio, back then everything turned to dust and rust in 6-8 years at best. My dad’s ’74 Vega GT didn’t make 5 years before it was unsafe to drive.
’78 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale, only because I have a biased toward classic Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs.
Just have to go back to a CC post of a few days ago
1978 Pontiac Grand Am.
I still think it was the best looking car of the late 70s.
Not many domestic alternatives in 1978 here in Chile, but I’d definetly take a Peugeot 404, which was built here until 1979. Already a CC back then!
Re: Paul N. “…I’d take a Fairmont 302 4-spd”
For 1979 only, Ford the standard trans on the 302 was a 4-speed (3 + OD). In terms of performance, the lighter Fairmont (probably under, or close to, 3000 lbs with V8) was quicker than the GM cars. It certainly cost a lot less.
In 1980, Ford offered only auto with the 255 V8–no 302.
On paper, the Fairmont seems the best. ALso, if you wanted a manual trans, the odds are the Ford probably shifted better.
So, as middle-school back then, I’d buy the Ford.
But, having access to a Fairmont and a Nova/Ventura in high school, and now as an adult, I can see that the 10-15% cost premium for the GM cars may have been money well spent. The GM bodies flexed and creaked less, they had better steering, nicer interiors, and better engines (at least the 305 Chevy variant was better), and with automatic, probably the same performance and mileage.
The Aspen/Volare 360 auto may have been quickest, but it was heavy, thirsty, and handled more sloppily, and fell apart faster.
I would have gotten a 4-cyl, 4-speed Fairmont sedan with manual steering, handling suspension, turbine wheel covers, and interior and exterior decor groups (chrome trim) and the neat aero mirrors.
The poor mans Volvo, roomy and good on gas.
If I didn’t care about fuel economy and had money to spend, top pick would be a 78 Grand Prix SJ with 301-4V. Or I’d get a Malibu with V8 and auto and F41i, or a Grand Am 301-4v
A Cutlass Surpeme Calais [handling package] coupe. With buckets, steel [no vinyl] top, and the Chevy 305 4 bbl. The 4 pot carb was not available this year on the Maibu or Monte, only the 305 2 bbl. I used to like the aeroback 442, but it didn’t age well.
I’d also get a 260 V8, since I know how long they last, compared to the V6’s.
I’d go with an AMC Concord wagon. My uncle had a ’79, cream with wood along the bottom. I remember is was very comfortable and seemed pretty well made. Of course that was before I was old enough to drive and notice all the little things you are aware of when you’re behind the wheel.
I’m with you Paul! And just happened to have said 302 powered Fairmont, the only difference being mine has a C4 instead of the SROD manual transmission.
In the UK, i’d have taken either a Chrysler Alpine, Vauxhall Cavalier or, if I needed lots of space, a BL Princess.
alternatively, if the budget permitted, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta or Lancia Beta
My older brother and his wife (20-somethings at the time) actually got a new car in 1979 to replace their 1972-ish Nova, so it fits this scenario almost perfectly. They chose a 1979 Cutlass Supreme Brougham in silver with a light blue landau top and light blue velour interior. I loved the car (and so did they) and it was largely responsible for my Oldsmobile obsession that continues to this day. So, that would totally be my pick!
I’d do just what my Dad did, and get a Malibu CLassic wagon. 305-4 speed. No fake wood, either. Ours had pale blue vinyl bench seats, and no, the back windows didn’t open. He WOULD have gotten another Olds but they wouldn’t sell him one with a 4-speed. THey had been driving a big gold Olds wagon with the power clamshell back door, (my sister and I fought over the way-way back) but it used too much gas (and didn’t like starting in our Wisconsin winters) My Mom drove that and I remember my Dad having a Buick Apollo and a Gremlin (The Gremmie had floor mats with a little gremlin character that came apart like a jigsaw puzzle, that kept me out of their hair for most drives) They kept the Malibu for 10 years, it was suprisingly rust free compared to other 10-year old cars in the neigborhood. ALso they probably didn’t want me driving a V8 car with a stick, so it got sold suspiciously close to me getting my license. The car towed our camper all over the midwest (and Florida a couple times) it was a good reliable car, unlike a few that replaced this one. (That’s me in the picture, BTW)
We had several Ford Fairmonts as field vehicles with 4 cylinder engines and 4 speed manual transmissions. Not very fast, but they had the strongest A/C’s I have ever experienced which was appreciated considering New Orleans heat and humidity.
I owned a 1979 Fairmont passed down from dad in all it’s blue with white vinyl top no A/C glory. It was the most miserable POS I have ever owned or driven. And no way does it have 90% of the interior space of a 1978 Impala/Caprice. Fitting 3 in front or back was next to impossible due in part to the car’s narrow width and the large center driveline hump unless your were a tooth pick. Fitting 3 up front and back in any B-body with front bench/split bench is easy and there trunks are large compared to my Fairmont’s very shallow one which couldn’t even stand a paper grocery back upright without squashing it.
That car was so noisy and loud to drive on the thruway that my dad used to keep the speed down to 55 on the highways on long trips. The windows were about as thick as a dime, there was zero sound insulation and the doors sounded so tinny when closed. The front flight bench seat was the most uncomfortable seat me or dad ever sat in on anything over 20 minutes of driving. The 200 six was as slow as a 4 banger and drank gas like a V8 and that was when it was running quite well with low miles! Electrical issues were a common nightmare, especially grounds, taillights and interior dash lights.
My pick for the class of 1978- A 2 door Grand Am with 301 4BBL and 350 THM trans snowflakes and two tone black and silver or second pick a Cutlass Calais with the bullet proof 260 Olds motor, optional 2.93:1 trailer towing rear gears, Olds rally wheels in navy blue and RWL tires of course with matching blue interior.
I owned a 79 Calais with 260 and those optional rare gears and it was an awesome car even if it was a bit anemic on the highway and rode/handled like a dream. My 1980 Grand Prix SJ with 301 4BBL would have been representative of the Grand Am and that car was one of the best from that time era in many ways.
No question about it, it would be a GM coupe. Either the Monte Carlo or the Grand Prix. Novas were nice, but by ’78 they were on the way out. An all-new, stylish downsized coupe was the way to go. The hypothetical child in the back seat had no doors to fall out of. This was the Seventies, after all, not the 2000s. If I had to be practical and get a wagon, it would be a Caprice, of course. Or… a Hornet Sportabout, if “midsize” was strictly enforced. I wouldn’t have cared for any Ford or Mopar back then, it would be AMC in a pinch as a very distant second.
In reality, I did drive a ’79 Monte Carlo, but a couple of years later, as a used car. And only because I missed out on a nice ’68 GTO that I really wanted – and could have gotten – at the time.