The 1980s were not exactly the golden years for the big American RWD car. The second energy crisis in 1979 really put the kibosh on the genre, and throughout the ’80’s, market share for the sector was just around 10%. No wonder the manufacturers didn’t invest in them, and the two holdouts, GM and Ford soldiered through the decade with very little changes to their boxy cars. They had become the Toyota Crown Comfort of North America, suspended in seeming perpetual motion.
And most were dogs, thanks to higher gas prices and the upward creep of CAFE. But there was at least one exception: the C91 Chevrolet, which was still living in 1977. Heavy duty everything and the 350 4 barrel and THM 350 for motivation. If I had to have a big American car, it would have to be one of these. Of course wrangling one from a Chevy dealer would be another matter, but then this is an MM exercise.
Happy Malaise Era to you!
These would be my favorites from this era:
1989 9C1 Caprice
1989 Buick Estate Wagon
1989 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1989 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
1989 Ford Crown Victoria P71
1989 Buick LeSabre
1985 Buick LeSabre Sabre Collector’s Edition Sedan
1983 Chevy Malibu 9C1
1983 Buick Regal sedan
1983 Toyota Crown four door hardtop
1980 Dodge St. Regis
Assuming I get to keep the Packard, Studebaker, Grand Prix and Monte Carlo from prior decades, I’ll take a wagon this time. My wife had an ’87 LeSabre Estate. That year they used the Olds 307 C.I.D. Best A/C ever! Very comfortable. Hers had the 3rd seat and limited slip axle.
I would like an 86/87 Buick Park Ave, red over red. No vinyl top please. My drivers ed class(in 87) had a green 86 and a red 87, 99% of my time was in the red one. I remember it being dead quiet, comfortable (heat coming out within a minute of starting it up-a big plus in Wisconsin in January) and the stereo sounded pretty good (another plus to a 16-year old) I hoped I ran across a gramma car at an estate sale, but all I ever see of these are either totally thrashed, or big wheeled subwoofer containers…
If we’re allowed to take what might theoretically be considered midsize cars, I’d go with an 88′ Lincoln Mark VII LSC; but the equivalent Thunderbird, Cutlass Supreme, or Regal Limited would all be nice. Of we’re not including them, we probably shouldn’t include the Diplomat/Grand Fury/5th Avenue.
The true full size cars are slim pickings, mostly to GM B & C and Ford Panthers. Guess I’d go with a Colony Park.
1980 AMC Eagle with – wait for it – yes ! The turbo diesel ! I’d have it converted to a five speed with overdrive..Then ship it to Vlodivostok and drive it all the way to Santiago de Compostela. Then ship it to Nova Scotia, and drive it cross country to Carmel.
There are quite a few, but i will choose a 1985 Cadillac Seville Elegante and a 1983 Chevy Malibu 4 door with police package. I would also love an AMC eagle 4 door 4 wheel drive all fully optioned with leather interior.
An AMC Eagle wagon would be my choice too, but I don´t think it counts as a big car. So I will choose a Chevy Caprice classic. For me (and perhaps others in my age) it is synonym for a US car. You could not only see them on tv every da, but sometimes on the street as well, because they were officialy sold here in Germany.
It’s time for a Jeep Wagoneer, at long last. We’ll call it a full-size station wagon, as Kaiser Jeep did when it was introduced, and it’s over the 200 inch mark that makes a car “big”. This 1984 model that recently sold on Bring A Trailer would be my preferred spec – no exterior wood trim and the lovely three-dial gauge cluster with all the luxury trimmings.
Second choice would be a Dodge Diplomat SE to combine an all-steel roof with the less fussy grille shape of the Fifth Avenue.