Last week, we took a look at another multi-marque ad from General Motors in 1974. This one focusses on GM’s smallest offerings from the X-Body, F-Body, H-Body and Opel lines.
It’s not as intriguing as GM’s personal cars ad from 1974. There are neither women matching their outfits to their cars nor cowboys, but there are still some observations to make. The Opel, for example, doesn’t seem to have an owner. Those silver-haired people in the bottom right look like the owners of the Apollo, which, despite its raised-letter tires and Buick rally wheels, looks rather more senior-friendly than the other cars. The [human] models in this ad just aren’t as interesting as in the other and just look like regular people in fairly unspectacular 1970s clothing, the exception being the handsome African-American guy and his rather gaudy jacket.
These pre-1975 X-Body clones are rather unexciting and the Opel looks lithe and exotic in comparison. The X-Body generally looked best as a Chevy, although that ’74 GTO is intriguing for its rarity and for the hatred it receives from many enthusiasts—it really would have been more respected if it hadn’t worn the GTO name!
Which of the pictured cars would you choose? Personally, I didn’t even have to think. Give me that ’74 Firebird Formula, even if it isn’t as pretty as a ’73 or a ’77.
In ’74, I couldn’t afford any new car. But if I could, first choice would be the Manta.
3 years later, I actually bought a base-model ’68 Kadett 2 door sedan, for $150 at a garage-sale. The the tiny 1.1 push-rod mill and 4-speed probably gave the most fun for only 50 hp.
Back to new cars, – a distant second would be the GTO, as I didn’t care for the cramped interiors and slope-nose look on the ’74 Firebirds and Camaros.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Nova with the highest HP SB, handling option etc., 4 sp., LSD and aircon. Proceed to throw out the seats and fit Recaros, de-smog it/change cam/fit headers, done.
My first car was almost a 70s-ish Nova – complete stripper 4 door, 6 cylinder, dark green. It did have automatic and power steering and brakes but no carpet – only vinyl, like the seats, roll-up windows, and an AM radio. We had a pair of spinster sisters – both teachers – who lived down the road from us and the Nova was their go-to-work car – I think they had a nicer A-body Buick in the garage for church and vacations. I balked at the Nova since I was saving my summer job money for a 72 MG Midget I’d helped my buddy’s dad restore. Alas, all my money went to pay for another friends’ crappy Spitfire I rolled over an embankment…so no Midget and no Nova. Today I’d take either in the garage – though the Nova would probably be a better fit in today’s traffic than the MG!
Too bad that the 74 GTO didn’t have so many fans back in 74. If it had there might have been a 75.
Although I liked the Camaro, as a young post-secondary grad just starting my career I had to purchase something sensible in 1974. Gasoline was hovering around 50 cents an Imperial gallon. So I factory ordered a Vega GT. Enjoyed it a lot until I bought my Mustang in 1979.
Firebird all the way. Close second goes to a Nova coupe with buckets 350 and suspension/wheel upgrades. It is astounding how much collector interest the 68-74 Nova’s are garnering these days.
Opel, followed by the Firebird. the rest are just blah.
Firebird Esprit 350
Unless I could get an SD455 Firebird, I’d go for the GTO.
Probably the GTO or Manta [different ends of the spectrum].
I think both Buicks belong to the older couple. They are in front of an affluent looking home; he drives the Apollo, she the Opel! Its a classy small car for “her”
Yeesh…..I’d wait for the 2 door notch Pontiac Sunbird with the V6.
1974 was a dark year. Even my Dad said he’d never consider anything from 74. And he wasn’t a “car guy”, just a member of the buying public with friends who’d bought back then.
A low point for driveability and fuel economy.
Easily the Firebird, it was a fun car to drive, even in 1974 trim if equipped properly. The X cars were hard to get excited about – rather dated 1968 inspired styling and cramped for their size. It simply made more sense to spring for the mid-size car if you could swing the extra few bucks a month and pass on the X body. The H body quality problems were fairly evident by 1974, pass on those as well.
The Manta is interesting, but I have zero experience with them.
Manta for me, they were beautiful then, and still are.. And they seemed to be better built than most of their contemporaries, and they didnt rust badly. I wanted to drop some pics in here but had to post them at the cohort, bandwidth issues..or something. the Manta pics I posted are not quite Curbside Classic, but I couldnt resist. This car is based in the complex behind where I work and occasionally on quiet evenings when industry dies down she comes out for a bit of ‘exercise’ and the ground shivers, I run to the window to listen to the 383 Chev motor [I read the blurb on the cars windscreen]
I was in elementary school when the ad came out.
It’s interesting how many, including myself, would pick the Manta. Obviously, WE do not represent the market at the time.
My next pick would be a Firebird/Camaro.
I like the 75 Nova a lot more than the 73-74. My uncle had a 74 Ventura with the 6-cyl, dark green, not a bad car, but it looked a lot cheaper and more primitive than my dad’s 75 Ventura.
Earlier, some one commented on the Mopar 360 having a lot more power various GM 350s. I will say that, in HS, in the early 80s, a pal of mine had a 74 Nova 350, and if not THE quickest, it was one of the quickest cars I rode in.
The Manta was replaced by Isuzu products at Buick dealers because of the dollar/deutschmark exchange rate, not the merits of either car. Buick dealers continued selling imported small cars until the FWD X body came on line.
I owned a 1974 Opel Manta Luxus – was really fun to drive. I bought it in 1978.
If I could go back to 1974, and had these choices, I would buy the 455 SD Trans Am I looked at a relative’s dealership, long gone now.
None of the above…gimme a 360 Dart.
If it must be GM…Super Duty 455 Formula, please.
The only thing I didn’t like about GM cars was their lack of “proper” gauges. Except for the speedometer and fuel gauge, everything else were warning “idiot” lights.