I’ll admit it – I am a mite prone to daydreaming. One of my more frequent stops on the woolgathering express is to ask myself what might I be driving if I had that blasted time machine working. Some cars are easy: my 1993 Crown Victoria neatly translates into almost any year of big Ford. If we pick, say, 1973 (good grief, was it really forty years ago?), then I would have a 20 year old 1953 Ford sedan out in the drive. Cool – the last flathead V8. Probably a maroon top of the line Customline with an automatic. I wish I would have had one of those to drive to high school. Other cars do not translate so well.
Those reading here for awhile will recall that not quite two years ago, I bought my first new car in quite awhile – a 2012 Kia Sedona. You couldn’t get a Kia in 1973, so my daydreaming turns into more of an exercise session. Let’s pretend this is good for me. OK, what do we have – a competent wagon. Fairly dull, and not really very popular at all. It is not what you buy if you are trying to impress people. And, it has a great warranty. BINGO – if we are still doing 1973, the Mrs. is driving around in a gray 72 AMC Matador wagon. With either a 360 or a 401, because my Kia really hauls. But no woodgrain – would that equate to power rear doors today? Mine is without.
The longer I think about this, the parallel is almost perfect. They are virtually invisible, many people don’t even know what they are, and while nice, the interior is quite uninspired. Yes, I’m sticking with the Matador. The taillights are even the same shape!
So, how about you? If we stick with 1973, how would your current car translate back. For example, a 2010 is 3 years old, so it would be a 1970 model for this daydream. And if you get really stumped, you don’t have to stick with my arbitrary 1973 choice. If there is a car of another era that makes you wonder if your current wheels have been reinCARnated, go for it.
Odd as it may seem, but my gen1 xB reminds me of an Alfa Giulia sedan from the sixties: tall, boxy body with superb visibility, bus-position steering wheel, and a similar-sized DOHC four with about the same horsepower and notchy five speed stick. Oh, and I drive it like an Alfa was meant to be driven 🙂 And none of the reliability issues to boot.
Of course, the differences are are also huge, but I’m as prone to flights of imagination as jpc. It’s no more of a stretch than his Sedona reminding him of a Matador wagon; maybe even less actually. Although I think that’s an inspired leap of imagination.
I finally figured it out.
A 1965 Mercury Colony Park and a 1961 Studebaker Lark wagon!
Wow. That would totally suck.
Then back in 1973, we had a president that was totally secretive, used the IRS to harrass voters, had an enemies list, and had an Attorney General on the verge of being fired. I think his name was Barack Milhous Nixon?
Not suck, your 1973 driveway is 9 kinds of awesome!
My current car (2005 Focus) does remind me of my first car (1985 1/2 Escort) in many ways, both being small front-wheel drive 4-door hatchbacks. Although I feel that the Focus is the better car overall, I wish it had the same interior materials quality that the Escort had (i.e. less plastics).
The car in my driveway in 1973 was my father’s second & last car he had, a brand new 1973 T-Bird, which was the polar opposite of my cars
New and old cars together. I’m pretty consistent. I’d say I’d have a 1973 Audi 80 wagon, or maybe a Volvo 240. Obviously red
Nice choice JPC, I’ll go for the Matador too, because there actually was one in our driveway in 1973.
Is that why I like the Kia Sedona too? I always thought it was because the horn goes “meep”.
Although I regularly check Ebay for 71-73 Matadors, and share the links with Dad (two this week!) I can’t really entertain the idea of getting another.
Although my Focus and Caravan don’t remind me of anything in particular, my FIL occasionally tries to sell us on getting a Ford Edge, and I do see some 46-48 Ford in those..
Dream Garage in 1973: Pontiac Grand Am sedan in sliver-green on red with 400-4 speed for the garage queen and a Hyper Pak 170 Valiant/Lancer wagon with Push-button Torqueflite and orange-red interior and exterior.
Reality garage in 1973: Chevrolet Malibu/Laguna or Caprice wagon (well optioned, for mom, colors are silver on grey) and an equally well optioned Nova sedan for Dad (Stovebolt 6 or 307ci SBC, AC, THM, HD suspension, and full instrumentation, please. Also, make it black on black).
No Nova was never outfitted with a Stovebolt. Novas initially came with the 194 which grew into the 230 which replaced the Stovebolt in full-size Chevys in 1963.
Every RWD Chevrolet inline 6 is technically considered a “stove bolt” since everything evolved from the same engine, much like SBC.
The third gen changed significantly for 1962 but are all generally considered stove bolts even if not marketed as such.
Chevrolet inline 6 stopped in cars after 1979, light trucks 1984 but carried on internationally and in commercial applications through 2000.
Wow, JPC, great call on the Matador wagon. Just perfect.
I’m not sure what would parallel either of my hatchbacks in 1973. Hatchbacks back then had sloping decks and weren’t a good match. Maybe the best parallel to my Focus ZX5 or Matrix would be the Hornet Sportabout.
Current car: 2008 Nissan Altima 2.5 S, bought used in 2011. Why I bought it: got a good deal, smooth highway cruiser, comfortable, bit of presence but not too ostentatious.
What I’d have in ’73 based on the above: ’68 Olds Cutlass sedan. Yeah, I could like that.
What I actually had in ’73: my first car, a rusted out ’65 Buick Wildcat running on four bald snow tires.
Oh let’s go back to your 1973 date and see what we get. I have a 2007 Pontiac Torrent and a 2003 Ford Freestar in the driveway right now.
My 6 year old Torrent is really more of an economy car than it is a real SUV so I am guessing I would have a 1966 Nova in the garage, I’m going to say that the little Pontiac is a bit sporty so it seems likely I’d have the two door hard top Nova, but my Torrent is not a GXP version so I guess I can’t lay claim to the fiersome L79 small block, so 283 V8 I suppose.
My 10 year old people mover would equate to a 1963 Ford Galaxy wagon. I have all the options so make my Galaxy wagon a top of the line model with the wood siding, please.
Too bad I just sold my 2003 300M Special – our trip back in time would have netted me a 1963 300J model, but knowing me I’d have opted for the big 1963 Impala SS with a 409.
Yow! I hadn’t thought of it that way:
2001 Focus ZTS = 12 year old small Ford = 1961 Falcon, since I have the DOHC/5speed in the Focus at least I get a 289V8/4speed in my Falcon
2007 Base Caravan = 6 year old basic people mover = 1967 Dodge Coronet wagon with slant 6 / auto.
1963 VW = 50 year old people’s car = 1923 Ford Model T
The 289 didn’t debut until 1964 so the best you would have in 1961 Falcon is a 170 cubic inch with a 3 speed manual.
In 1963, Ford offered both a lower-trimmed just-plain-Galaxie and a higher-trimmed Galaxie 500. Ford marketed its full-size wagons in this era under completely distinct model names; the wagon equivalent of the Galaxie 500 was the Country Squire, which did indeed come with the fake wood paneling on the sides.
Started out with a flat air cooled four cylinder in the rear of the car….
today, it’s a liquid flat four in the front of the car with the benefit of all wheel drive, heat and air, etc, and the mileage is about the same.
Me: 1968 BMW 2800 with a 4 speed manual. First version of the incredible BMW M20 inline 6.
Wife : 1972 VW Beetle. She drives a Mini Cooper now so the Bug would be a fine substitute for a quirky retro car. Alternatively, maybe an Audi Fox for her.
Well it depends. If I look at my 2010 Ford Ranger and thought about what I would have in 1973, then it would have to be a 1973 Ford Courier.(Of course if I looked at my 2010 Ranger and thought about what I would have owned in 1983, I could also say Ford ranger(1983 Model)
If I look at my 1990 Volvo 240 wagon, and I went back to 1973 then I would chose a Volvo 140 wagon(or if I waited till 1975-1976 then I could get another(although earlier) Volvo 240.
If I look at my 2011 Scion XB, then I would look into getting a 1973 Volvo 140 wagon or a 1975-76 Volvo 240 Wagon
My aunt has a Hyundai Entourage which I think is the same as a Kia Sedona.
In 1973 dad had a Firebird mom I don’t know she just graduated from high school. For me I wasn’t born then but would have loved a Jeepster Commando.
I learned a good lesson this afternoon, never walk away from a computer that you are logged into. I left and I get phantom posts by the younger guys at the shop…
I’ll play.
In the driveway now
2003 Mercury Mountaineer, 7 pass, 4.6 V8 making 239 HP, AWD 3.73 axle ratios Track-lock diff in rear, 8000lbs tow rating.
1972 International Scout II 4 pass (2, 3 or 5 seating available) 5.6 V8 making 185 HP, 4wd, 3.73 axle ratios Trac-lok diff in rear, 5000lb tow rating.
Or a possible better match,
1972 International Travelall, 5 pass (2,3,5,6,8 or 9 seating available) 6.4 V8 making 235 HP, 2wd, 3.73 axle, Trac-lok, 10,000 lb tow rating.
Here in Rust Country, in 1973, it was ultra rare to see any 20 year old cars, from 1953. Rusted all away! Most 50’s cars seen still running were the Tri-5 Chevys, usually by teenagers.
An elder neighbor still had a 1959 BelAir sedan, but was getting rusty, and was traded on on a new ’73 Nova four door.
I do remember from summer ’73 that teens/20-something car fans loved the abundant supply of used 1960’s muscle cars and mid/compact coupes. One could get a ’65 Mustang V8 for less then $900 then. Or even a ’65 GTO.
I remember visiting relatives in Minnesota back around 1972 or so. The high school kids were driving a ’51 Ford sedan that had been purchased out of some elderly lady’s estate. Yes, it was getting some holes in the rear quarters after 2 or 3 years of regular use up there.
1973 was when I bought my first new car, a VW Super Beetle. It was pretty basic, only options were AM radio and cigar lighter and, by that time, the bloom was off the VW rose. One expected beetles to be noisy and slow but the one I bought was also not especially economical, if I recall it got 22-23 mpg. Of course I treated the gas pedal as an off-on switch but still…
My current car is a 2011 Mustang with the V-6 and the six speed automatic. In my opinion it is far superior to the VW, it has A/C, sat radio and you don’t feel like you are going to get squashed by a truck when you try to merge into traffic. If I were magically transported back to 1973 I would like to have a Datsun 240Z. I wanted to get one to replace the VW but no one was willing to lend me enough money. After a year or so of frustrating ownership I sold the VW (for about what I paid for it, thank you energy crisis), and bought a motorcycle and a 1973 Vega. Can you say out of the frying pan and into the fire?
Let’s start with 1973. I think the 2004 Chevrolet Astro would translate nicely to a 1964 Cevrolet Corvair Greenbriar (although something tells me the Corvair would be safer and more comfortable than the Astro), the 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis would be a 1967 Mercury Park Lane Brougham hardtop, the 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera would be a 1954 Oldsmobile Super 88 sedan, and my 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight would have to be a 1942 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser 98 (there was no 1944 model year). Not a bad driveway at all.
But what I think is most interesting is our hypothetical driveway of 2003. We’d have a 1995 Chevrolet Astro (almost identical), 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis (almost identical), 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (almost identical), and the only real difference would be a 1974 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight (a nice improvement with longer wheelbase and hardtop styling).
And just for fun, 2023: there’d be a 2015 Chevrolet Express (at least I think that’s the only van Chevy sells anymore), 2017 Lincoln MKS (or Ford Taurus, but Lincoln’s been heading downmarket to fill the Mercury gap), 2003 Oldsmobile Intrigue, and 1994 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight.
There I go again, I keep subconsciously thinking the Astro is a 2005 model. Change the alternate versions to 1994 and 2014.
My Versa, dad’s Chrysler (way back in the day).
Note the shape, and even the size, of the back door.
Here is the Versa. BTW, neither of these were/our literally ours; these are just representative samples.
OK, here is a leap:
My 2012 Grand Cherokee Overland.
For me, it is comfortable, good looking and safe. Of course I know that it is impractical and not at all efficient for how I use it (primarily commuting). But … it’s not too expensive (like the German statement vehicles) nor too cheap (i.e. too young for a middle aged dad). And this generation Grand Cherokee is popular–I see them all the time in greater Chicago where I currently live, and they seem to be equally prevalent around the country when I travel.
The 1973 equivalent: 1973 Cutlass Supreme Coupe.
I know, I know, it’s not 4wd, not a utlility vehicle. Then again, I really don’t use my Jeep in that way (I do appreciate the traction but don’t go offroad. I haul stuff, but frankly a decent-sized trunk would suffice), so it’s a style statement, pure and simple. A style statement that is “nice” and mainstream–not too much and not to little. What brand and model held that position in 1973? Oldsmobile, with the Cutlass Supreme Coupe. Not too big, not too small. Stylish, reasonably functional car for the day, but not over the top. Can be dressed up with options to give it extra character. However, it was not as practical as it should be for how it was really used (those huge, heavy doors, for example, and harder to get in back than the sedan). But it looked good inside and out and sort of felt “just right” for the era. Basic engines offered reasonable power (Olds 350 was ample), and optional 455 brought it closer to being a rocket (pun intended). Kinda like the spread from the Pentastar V6 to the Hemi on the Grand Cherokee.
So, that’s my pitch for the 2013-1973 equivalency for drivers making somewhat impractical style statements that were pitch perfect for the times (cocooning personal luxury 2-door to isolate and protect as the world seemed to be falling apart in the early 70s = cocooning luxury SUV that could drive through Armageddon if it had to for the uncertain twenty teens).
In 1973….
My wife’s 2006 Honda CR-V would be a late 60’s Dodge Coronet or Plymouth Satellite wagon, probably with a 318 under the hood.
My Chryslers would be 1960-61 Chrysler Newport, Windsor or Saratogas, given their intended mission and my particular taste in vehicles.
Equivalient of my truck (1994 Dodge RAM2500, RWD, diesel) would be a tough one. Style-wise it’s supposed to look like a 50’s pickup truck. However, if this was 1973 my daily driver wouldn’t be a pickup truck at all, but a fullsize sedan or wagon.
On second thought, in 1973 I would probably have ’56 Chryslers as hobby cars. I could imagine my 1973-equivalent self saying, “I like the fins, but Chrysler quality went to hell in a handbasket after 1956!”
BOC, I have some paperwork showing that the first owner of my Imp traded in a ’55 NYer. I mention this to my Dad occasionally so he can say, “Oooh, nice car!” I agree and covet a ’55-’56 for my dream garage.
Hmmm. 1964 Beetle –> 2000 New Beetle –> 2013 Beetle.
I think I see a trend!
Also, 1971 Volkswagen Microbus –> 1998 Grand Caravan –> 2005 Town & Country.
Honey, I think we’re in a rut…
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm 2005 Pontiac Vibe (wife’s car) = (go back a little farther because of the “compact nature” of the car) a 1963 Pontiac Tempest with the Trophy 4 and 3 speed manual.
Other “vehicle” is a 2004 Ford F150 Heritage 4.6V8/auto (standard cab) so my vehicle would be a 1964 F100 with the Y-block V8.
I’ve got four regular drivers now, two each summer and winter. It is easy for me to translate 2013 to 1973; here goes:
summer: 2008 Mustang GT = 1968 Mustang GT; 2004 T-Bird = 1964 T-Bird.
winter: 1998 SL500 = 1958 300SL; 2012 Focus = 1972 Maverick.
Hard to imagine that a 15 year old top of the line SL was just an old, used car in 1973. But I think it was, just like my ’98 SL is today. A new SL back in ’73 was about a $14K car; that 15 year old 300SL roadster must have been only a $6k or $7k car.
– constellation –
Well, since I drive a ’90 brougham, it would be a 1950 cadillac sixty special, which I wouldn’t mind at all, that’s for sure. My dads ’07 Shelby GT would be a ’67 Shelby GT 350, another awesome car. My dads other car, a ’06 300, would probably be a ’66 300. My moms ’04 mdx would probably be a ’64 Buick LeSabre wagon. The Buick is upscale but not in your face, can hold 7, and has more character than a typical wagon. All these traits carry over to the MDX.
Well, ’89 Electra would be a ’63 Electra, the ’92 Bonneville SSEi would be a Tri-power ’65 Bonneville.
The Allante? That’s hard. A Ghia L6.4?
Gee, I’m thinking your 89 Electra would be a ’49 Roadmaster. Now THAT’s a cool Buick. But you make a good point about how an 89 today is not nearly as old as a 49 would have been in 1973. So, maybe my old maroon Ford should be a ’56 or ’60 instead.
Electra T would probably correspond to a 60s Wildcat. My first car was a 65 with split buckets and a slightly sporty feel.
A good friend had a red 65 Wildcat convertible with the 465, buckets, and four speed. Got to drive it a few times. God, how I loved that car. It was a only a couple of years old when I met her – she got it new; family owned the Buick dealership. For such a huge car, it really did have a sporty feel and would move out pretty quick. I want to say it was a Hurst four speed but not positive. Figure you would know.
It was really a 425 with 465tq. Either 1 4bbl or dual quads. To my knowledge the 4 speed (on floor) was only available on Wildcat with bucket console and was just a regular Muncie.
Thanks, I knew the 465 stood for tq. but my distinct recollection is that the air cleaner had a 465 decal on it and the engine was commonly called a 465. It definitely had buckets and a console. I do not remember the carb set-up. I was enamored with my friends’ Wildcats in those days and this one was top of the heap. Great model name, good quality cars with fine styling for many years.
I’m having trouble with attachments going through but will give it a try again:
A lot of really cool 1973 driveways out there!
I will share my stumper: a 2007 Honda Fit. The year is easy, a 1967. Then what? Small, popular brand, more of a wagon than a sedan, I am out of my wheelhouse here. Closest I get is either a VW squareback wagon (utility, quality, fairly fun to drive) or a BMC Mini (really small but great space utilization, really fun to drive). Help me out, here, Canucklehead! 🙂
This is my problem, I have no idea what my ’06 3 hatch becomes. No Datsun 510 in ’66.
As for the 40-year-old equivalent of the flagship…imagine!
But there was a Datsun 410 SSS!
Damn, that’s cute!
That’s the wagon, which didn’t come in the rare SSS twin-carb version. Amazingly, there’s not a picture of a genuine SSS available on the web, but this is the 410 sedan done up in sporting fashion.
I’ve shot a 410, now I need to write it up.
2007 Fit = Renault R16; seriously. FWD, hatchback, similar size engine, and rear seats that magically re-arrange in creative ways to make a low, flat cargo space. of course the Renault has a much better ride….
I’ll some up and what they would be in 1973 and let everyone guess the “modern” equivalent
1972 Camaro RS 350 4bbl
1965 Pontiac LeMans Hardtop Sedan 326 V8
1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Sedan
1939 Pontiac Deluxe 8 Convertible
1938 Ford truck
1935 Buick Roadmaster Touring Sedan
1925 Chevrolet Roadster
1972 Camaro RS 350 4bbl
2012 Camaro 2LT/RS
1965 Pontiac LeMans Hardtop Sedan 326 V8
2005 G6 GTP sedan
1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Sedan
1980 Caprice
1939 Pontiac Deluxe 8 Convertible
1979 CJ-7? (edit…1979 Trans Am T-top)
1938 Ford truck
78 Ford F150 (or F100)
1935 Buick Roadmaster Touring Sedan
1975 Electra sedan
1925 Chevrolet Roadster
1965 Corvair conv.
Very close.
Funny thought… Just today as I was backing my 2010 Lincoln MKZ out of the driveway I was thinking that if this was the early 80’s I would be in a Lincoln Versailles, and in the early 80’s, my parents had a, you guessed it, a Lincoln Versailles
I recently scanned this picture from October, 1981 of our Versailles in our driveway. My dad had an auto body shop and bought it wrecked. Since it was for our use I guess the paint didn’t have to match that well… Supposedly the 351 Windsor needed to be rebuilt and he knew someone who built race engines and had them build it up a bit. My mom and older brother still remember it as a fast car – not something many 1977 cars are remembered for . I remember the brake pedal that said “4 Wheel Disc Brakes” or something to that effect.
You can almost hear the yacht rock playing on the Quad 8-Track tape deck…
Agh the early 80s when you could wear fur in public smoke and drive baroque cars like that and not be considered anti social.
So everything I do is now considered anti-social?
Not if you drink PBL and live in Brooklyn, Carmine….
I hope you don’t wear fur down there in Miami… Unfortunately here if I drove a late 70s Lincoln with fur chewing on stogies and drinking highballs while driving I would probably have an angry crowd form in front of my house…
That happens in Portland, OR all the time. It’s called being “ironic”. Although the hipsters who do this prefer old Ford Falcons and Volvos rather than baroque cars.
The woman in the fur was my babysitter. And that was when we lived in Toms River, N.J. – before we moved to South Florida.
Not sure my wifes 08 accord or my 06 530i would translate to my choices in my 1973 driveway but I would have:
A 1973 Fiat or SEAT 132 sedan, and a 1973 BMW 2002tii.
Hmm
11 Cruze Eco—–probably a 71 Vega GT (would have been an Astre in reality)
05 Bonneville GXP—–65 Bonneville coupe 421 tri-power, buckets, 8 lugs
08 Grand Prix—-67 Lemans 4 door, 326, Rally II’s, buckets if you could get them
02 Firehawk Formula—-62 Grand Prix 421 SD, 8 lugs,
74 Firebird Esprit—-1934 Pontiac coupe 8
There was no ’71 Astre, it appeared in Canada in ’73 and crossed the border for ’75.
I’d say Cruze more directly translates to Nova, maybe the Eco model would be a 4-cylinder Nova but ’70 was the last year for those (Maybe Torque-Drive Nova=Diesel Cruze?)
My 1966 F-100 = 1926 Ford Model TT truck.
Stephanie’s 2000 Forester = That has to be a VW Squareback, even if the age doesn’t perfectly match.
I have a 1997 Saturn SL2 with minimal options, which I pretty directly translates into a 1957 Chevrolet 210 4dr, with a 265 V8 and not much else or a possibly a first year Vauxhall Victor F from the local Pontiac dealer. Going further afield, I’d have been happier with a Rover P4 or Citroen ID19 if I had to pick something smallish and basic from 1957.
98 Citroen hatch probably puts me in a R16 or similar, but what does my 59 Minx translate to? Real 73 my first car was about then had my license at 15 and was driving a 61 Triumph Herald sedan.
Probably the nearest to the Minx would be an early Austin 7, Bryce? Not really though!
What about a 1958 Citroen DS as analog to the ’98 Xsara and a 1919 Hilman 11 in place of the venerable Minx?
So in 2013 I have to set some context, I live in Manhattan and I drive a ’77 Electra. The reason I bought the ’77 rather than make payments on a certified pre-owned Accord is because, living in Manhattan, I DON’T have to drive it all the time (in fact, I almost never HAVE to drive it), so I go easy on it; I can enjoy the nostalgia without having to depend on the car day in and day out (though I will say it’s well put together). It’s a weekend/Connecticut court appearance not-on-the-train-line car.
1973 is almost 10 years before I was alive. But if it’s then, we’re right before the oil crisis and I’m a young lawyer in Manhattan with WAY more purchasing power than I have in 2013. Suppose I still choose to buy an older car, knowing that I won’t have to drive it all the time, same rationale as in 2013.
If it’s 1973 then I’m sure I would have noted the beginning of the decline of GM quality and gone for something with a little character, knowing I wouldn’t put too much wear and tear on it.
So, best guess is that I would be keeping a ’58-’64 Sedan DeVille or 60 Special in a garage on the UES.
Nice, its cool to see that every person under 30 doesnt automatically want a 3-series, post some pics of your Electra at large in NYC when you have chance.
+1
Once I get it painted, I’ll do just that. It’s an icky yellow color at the moment with some minor rust. I’m keeping it stock, but I think it will look better in a dark green.
As for me, I’m an outlier in my generation, for sure. My parents, after their Chevette crapped out at about 75K, went hard for the Japanese cars from the mid 80s onward. I grew up in the back of Civics, Camrys, and now my mom has a Prius.
My paternal grandfather, on the other hand, drove big cars…first a late 70s Cadillac when I was very, very small in the early 80s, and then, as he wanted something (believe it or not) “smaller and easier to handle”, a series of 1980s Grand Marquis, purchased new every 2-3 years to keep up the resale/trade-in value…he would drive the older one, my grandmother would get the newest one.
From my earliest memory, I regarded riding in those big GMs and Panthers as a treat. Transition from the hot vinyl seats in my parents’ base model Civic to the cushy air conditioned back seat of his land yachts was a turn on for me the same way nailing the throttle on a sports car is for others. The whirring noise that the Ford differential/AOD made reminded me of a jet taking off.
In particular I lusted after his sky blue ’86 Grand Marquis with the Town Car-esque sharp corners and hood ornament…but alas, he died before I was old enough to try to get it (he would definitely have given it to me).
So, my first car was an 80s Crown Vic in similar blue, followed by a Cadillac Brougham. I learned some hard lessons about being a non-mechanic and dealing with early 80s emissions controls devices, eQjets, and other fun stuff. When I moved to the city, I sold the Cadillac. I figured I wouldn’t really need a car, and that my little nostalgia trip of my teens to mid 20s had been fun while it lasted.
There’s really nothing new today I’d like to buy since the Town Car and Ford-Mercury twins were canceled. If I needed to drive every day, I’d bite the bullet and purchase something reliable, bland, and Japanese, keeping a big land yacht in the wings for weekend driving.
Whenever I needed a car, though, I hated the crap I got for rentals (well, except the one time I scored a Town Car). I got the itch and bought the Electra.
In Manhattan, where a car is basically useless and totally unnecessary, I have the luxury of being able to keep one of these without having to use it or rely on it day to day. I love that (so, I suspect, does it). Plus it’s a lot easier to tinker with than the Ford or the Cadillac were, without the ECM gadgetry.
Nice! Good to see that I’m not the only young person into big old landyachts. At my high school parking lot, it’s a sad sight of bland boring 2000s cars, mostly Japanese, and a few tuner jettas. My Brougham sticks out like a sore thumb!
My 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight was the biggest and oldest car in my high school parking lot in 2005 (the only one that came close was a 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue that a friend owned which was in even better condition than my car), at least until a rusty old late-1960s Mustang claimed the age trophy senior year. Everyone called it “Da Slab” (I’m from Houston), which I always took to be a complimentary form of “land yacht” but I know that they were using the more common form, an acronym for “Slow, Loud, And Bangin'” (better known outside of Texas as a “donk”).
If I can ever find a serious animation/graphic art job I plan to bypass the first new car that many people my age get and get a 1969 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight (or something similar) for around $10,000 plus a simple, reliable daily driver like a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood (or maybe something smaller and cheaper like a Park Avenue or Century) for days when I don’t feel like driving the classic (in reality it would probably end up just being an emergency backup car, I can’t imagine willingly driving a Park Avenue over a 1969 Oldsmobile). Two nice older cars for $15,000 would definitely be better than one new car for $20,000, especially considering that the only new car I would want to buy is the Fiat 500 cabrio.
This must hurt a bit:
http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/detroit/2012/1112_2012_detroit_2013_cadillac_ats_first_look/
“The new ATS faithfully follows the segment-defining BMW’s formula. In fact, chief engineer Dave Masch would probably argue his baby Caddy follows it even more faithfully than BMW. The dynamic benchmark for the ATS was the E46 3 Series, the car many enthusiasts still regard as best of the breed. Masch’s team believes BMW moved away from the driver-focused chassis tune of the E46 with the current 3 Series — the E90 — and expects that trend will continue with the next-gen 3 Series due later this year. They see an opportunity for Cadillac.”
Carmine, how many millennials (like myself) do you think lust after both a barge like yours (a 1981-83 Imperial, in my case), a Saab 900 Carlsson Combi Coupe, and a 1st gen Dodge/Plymouth Neon (with every *FACTORY* performance & handling option Mopar made (like an ACR rear axle, DOHC cylinder head, R/T shocks, ACR/RT 5-speed gear box, etc.))? Do you think many younger car fans have similar tastes?
I dunno, I get positive reactions to my large cars from younger people, there is an interesting curiosity, kind of like grandmas house, I imagine that like Orrin pointed out above, many of them may have grown up in the more austere imported compacts from that era and see the big poofy expansive interiors of American cars as so soft and comfortable, I’ve had people ride in my older cars and ask “why don’t they make cars like this anymore”
Although my main preferences lean towards big American iron, I like sporty cars too. So I imagine there are people that like a good mix of both, I have always thought that cars are like food, you have to taste all sorts of different ones
Someone tries to buy my 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight at least once a month, and its always someone under 30. I’ve got a feeling that many want it for the wrong reasons (one of the most common comments I get is that I should tint the widows or get oversized wheels), but plenty like it for what it is (and congratulate me on keeping the original wheels and paint). And of course, with seating for six my car was much more popular in high school than everyone else’s Corrolas and Maximas when marching band practice was over and everyone needed a ride home.
Last year I got my most memorable pitch. Someone in a brand new Accord shouted to me across a three lane highway at 45mph asking if I would sell my car. I have a feeling that even if I had a 65 Mustang I’d get fewer people asking to buy it, since Mustangs are everywhere but C-body Oldsmobiles are few and far between.
When I lived in Boston, and I suspect the hierarchy in NYC is similar, we had the following list of car types in ascending order of which got the most respect, or deference, on the road:
3) Big s**tbox
2) Old s**tbox
1) Big, old s**tbox.
So a ’77 Electra is about right, since everyone else will figure you’re beyond caring to drive a car that big and old, and will stay out of your way. 😀
If I ever move back East I’m getting something like that. (What did Kramer drive, a ’73 Chevy?)
In my parking space now:
A 2012 Toyota Yaris. In a U-Stor waiting to be Craigslisted: A 2010 Yaris. How’s that for predictable?
The Dodge Van went away a year ago – too thirsty and needed a transmission transplant. I took it out back and shot it…auctioned off the carcass.
Okay…on to 1973. There were no FWD minicompacts back then; nor, with gas at 48 cents a gallon, would I have wanted one. Not that badly, anyway.
My first choice, and fifteen years later I actually did have it, would be a Datsun PL620. Redesigned that year. Light and nimble and indescribably useful.
But suppose, say…I was maybe afraid of buying Japanese in those innocent days:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKZDhrgHzM4)
Second choice: It would be a tossup – either a Kaiser C101 Jeepster Commando wagon; or a Pinto wagon. The Pinto, believe it or not, would be more practical – because there were dealers, and some of them cared (unlike the Jeep dealers of the era) and the 2.0 four was a proven German unit.
But the Jeepster…oh, even then, I lusted for the crude; longed to roam logging trails…camping gear and case of beer….
Today, of course, the modern SUV is silly as an image or toy car; and far too expensive to go crashing through brush.
Times change; choices change; and purchase decisions with these.
1973 was the first year of Civic. plus Honda had been selling the FWD 2 cyl 600’s since 1970.
Okay – I grant you.
And – I’d forgotten! – I almost did buy a used one.
A bullet dodged – those things rusted so fast you could hear it happen. It wasn’t until Gen3 that Honda really got hold of the tinworm. Honda did, in fact (I think voluntarily) buy back a large number of rotted-out first-generation Civics.
Had I bought, and not gotten my money’s worth…it would have soured me on Asian cars for a long, long time.
The 600 might have been an interesting car to have, in retrospect. But at the time, it wasn’t viewed as much different than a Subaru 360.
Driving a 600 in America in the 70’s must have been terrifying, like being a tiny mouse in room full of cats, imagine a huge Continental or Eldorado filling your rearview mirror as you merge on the highway.
600’s didn’t rust as bad as the Civics that fallowed. The one I had in the mid 80’s didn’t have a bit of rust while the early Civics did even in our climate. It was a fun car to drive and the 50 MPG was nice.
My current drive is a 2009 Toyota HiLux V6 fitted with a box back so the equivalent would be a straight 6 Holden Belmont HT series panel van. http://www.flickr.com/photos/42220226@N07/4586332878/. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=toyota+hilux+2009&client=safari&hl=en-gb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xzipUe7xHeeQigfWsIGQDQ&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=768&bih=928#biv=i%7C42%3Bd%7CvTXdJJYfRPyz8M%3A
I have a 2004 Crown Victoria base level, so a comparable car would be a 1964 Custom 500 with either a 352 or 390.
1973 equivalent of my 2010 Prius? Well that is tough, no hybrid cars then. But there was one car, a modified Opel CaraVan station wagon, which set a mileage record in 1973 that still stands today.
Its official site says, “It holds the world record to date for a gasoline-powered vehicle of its size and only mild modification from the original stock pushrod engine. This 1959 Opel achieved over 376 miles per gallon in Wood River, Illinois, in 1973!”
Here’s a picture from the LeMay museum today. Watch this fun documentary clip.
1973 counterparts of my ’93 Miata and the ’04 Mini Cooper Lily’s picking up tomorrow? Obvious.
They brought it to the Seattle auto show last year. The engine has had more than mild modifications.
My wife’s 2006 Chevy Trailblazer would be a 1966 Chevy Bel Air or Impala station wagon. Hers is a lower-trimmed model of Trailblazer, and you’ve got the Tahoe and Suburban above it, so I’m thinking Bel Air, maybe Impala at most, certainly not a Caprice. She’s got the extended wheelbase 3-seat version, so it would have to be a 9-passenger wagon.
Taken literally, my ’99 Cherokee would be a ’59 Jeep, but most people buying Jeeps in 1999 (or today) wouldn’t have bought a Jeep in 1959. A ’59 Rambler wagon is probably a better analogy.
When I was younger I actually used to sit around doing this type of exercise in my head. Most of the vehicles around me were American, so direct translations were pretty easy. When moving back from the ’80s to the ’70s, I would upsize everything (e.g., midsize becomes fullsize). For example, the first car I bought with my own money was an 1985 Plymouth Turismo, which I bought used in 1989. Moving back in time, it would be a ’75 Duster, a ’65 Barracuda, and a ’55 Plymouth Plaza.
When I first met my wife, she had a ’87 Chevy Cavalier hatchback. That would be a ’77 Monza fastback (or Nova coupe, if you upsize), probably a ’67 Nova coupe (maybe a low-line Camaro?), and a ’57 Chevy 150.
This post has really got me thinking. I also tried it in reverse: what would the equivalent of my 1973 driveway be today? Well, actually, my driveway in ’73 would have consisted of Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Corgi. My parents, however, had the real deal, and translating their cars to 2013 was actually tougher than I would have thought, as the car categories, and their purpose and market perceptions, have changed so much. I wound up with multiple ideas per car, though I did narrow it down to one preferred choice for each.
Mom: 1971 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight LS 4-door Hardtop
Despite toting 3 kids and a dog, my mother refused to get a station wagon and always drove sedans (much to my dismay actually, since I loved wagons and was envious of my best friend’s family with their ’71 Custom Cruiser–clamshell “disappearing” tailgate, and ’72 Vista Cruiser–glass paneled roof, say no more). She didn’t like the looks or “statement” that wagons made. So what would she have had today, if she were 39 with 3 kids?
Option 1: Chrysler 300. A big, comfy Sedan. RWD and decidedly not a utility vehicle but roomy enough for a brood. But … big sedans are just not that popular/common anymore, whereas in ’73 they were totally the standard segment.
Option 2: GMC Yukon Denali. “Better” than a Chevy, but not quite a Cadillac (just like the Olds). Not a minivan, so somehow a bit more stylish as a family hauler. Just about the biggest thing you can buy for a family. But, Mom is 5’1″ and vehicles today are smaller, so this would be too big.
Option 3: Acura MDX. This, I think, would be it. I know it is not a sedan, but it isn’t a minivan either, and we did use the Ninety Eight as a family hauler. The Acura is nicely finished, somewhat generic, doesn’t stand out (except for the “beak” as per the brand’s current styling direction), but can be appreciated for what it does offer.
Pop: 1) 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix
He bought this car because he liked the looks, liked the Pontiac brand (sporty-ish) and it had enough room for the kids in the back when needed. It was bigger than the ’68 Cougar it replaced, but still had some flair. Its 2013 counterpart?
Option 1: Dodge Challenger, but in basic trim (no R/T or SRT) with the regular Hemi or (choke) the V6. Retro styling (the GP was retro for the ’30s with it’s prominent radiator, dual headlights and mini-boat tail) with a big back seat. But the Challenger was and is a pony/muscle car, and the GP just wasn’t.
Option 2: Honda Accord Coupe. A 2-door sportier take on a slightly premium popular product. For ’73, this arguably would have been a LeMans Coupe, since it looks so much like it’s 4-door counterpart. But it is as close enough in spirit, so this would be the 2013 equivalent car in my mind.
2) 1973 Buick LeSabre Custom 4-door Hardtop
This was a good year for my father, as he got promoted and got a company car. A Buick. Nice car. Comfortable, “near luxury” but conservative.
Option 1: Buick LaCrosse. A premium Buick, a new interpretation of the LeSabre. But Buicks don’t have the image today that they had then (at the time my family thought Buicks were very nice). Today different brands have assumed that role and Buicks still have something of a “damaged goods” reputation.
Option 2: Toyota Avalon. Swoopy styling for a big car, nice interior loaded with all the best gadgets of the day. But Toyota is not a “step-up” brand, so more akin to a Caprice in ’73.
Option 3: Lexus ES350. OK, I’ll admit, to me Lexus today is what Buick was in the 1970s. Well done, conservative, the quintessential “nice” car and vaguely forgettable. Granted the ES is the entry point into the brand, a role handled for Buick by the Apollo and Century for ’73. So perhaps the LeSabre would be more akin to the GS350. But given it’s slightly sport nature, the GS is arguably more of a Centurion equivalent. So I’m going with ES350 for this one.
Based on these choices, it is sort of sad, but probably true, that our driveway would have had no American brands in it at all. Shows what the Japanese were able to do … and how badly the American makes (especially GM) lost the plot.
Well, my daily driver is a 2012 Altima. Datsun/Nissan didn’t have a similar car in 1973, but there plenty of intermediates. Like my Mississippi-made Nissan, it would be a car built here, not a Chevy, but relatively inexpensive and relatively economical for it’s time. I would say it would be a lemans or a cutlass with a 2 barrel 350, or a six cylinder. Or if I went the Ford route, and more economical, then a 6 cylinder maverick.
Very good question….
1993 Buick Century = 1953 Buick Century; I like that idea.
2007 F-150 with a 4.6 = 1967 F-150 with the small V8 – cant remember what size that would be.
2000 Ford E-150 with a 5.4 and seating for 7 = well, how about a ’60 Country Squire with a 352? Works for me.
1963 Ford Galaxie = 1923 Model T Ford
Not too shabby on any of them!
2007 F-150 with a 4.6 = 1967 F-150 with the small V8 – cant remember what size that would be.
Check Wikipedia… FE 352 V8, 302 not available until 1969.
1999 Acura TL = 1959 Mercury Monterey or Montclair?
2002 Honda Accord = 1962 Ford Fairlane
1967 Volkswagen Bug = 1927 Ford Model A
2008 Toyota Yaris 3-door/5-speed = 1968 Toyota Corolla 2-door/4-speed.
Tempted to upgrade to a Chevy Sonic Turbo hatch w/6-speed manual. That would be (gulp!) a Vega.
I was given a Sonic as a rental in Kansas City last month I was concerned I would not like it but I was impressed. It was not slow it was a sedan dark blue polished aluminum wheels and fog lights. Apparently Avis is not buying just strippers for the fleet. Interestingly, mileage is still no better than my 20 yr old Buick Century but it’s a nicer driver of course. The color and the round headlight look help the car significantly.
I’m way, way to late to the party!
My car is the very cheapest 2013 model Nissan Versa,with 5 speed stick. Renault bought Nissan. They also bought AMC. Therefore, my ’73 would be an AMC Gremlin with the three speed manual and the 232 Six
Copypaste from Wikipedia:
The Gremlin was faster than other subcompacts of the time. Motor Trend magazine recorded zero to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 12.6 seconds with the 232 cu in (3.8 L) engine. The Ford Pinto and the VW Beetle were in the 18-second range. Fuel economy was 28 to 30 mpg with the small six, compared with the 35-plus mpg economy of the VW Beetle.
A 1973 Gremlin purchased by Consumer Reports was top-rated in a group of six subcompact models tested for the June issue. That car had relatively few sample defects and proved reliable over a long-term test.
My choice would have been a good one with decent mileage for the gas embargoes to come..
Wikipedia is being pretty generous with those MPG numbers for the Gremlin and Beetle, seems like they added about 10 MPG to them.
Based on the old, wildly optimistic EPA highway numbers?
I currently have an ’03 Subaru, so my 10-years-back vehicle in 1973? 1963 Greenbrier. Why? Only utility vehicle made then with a flat-6, like my Subaru. 😉
I guess I could add my wife’s 2011 MINI equivalent…could you still get a Mini in the US in 1971?
Official Mini exports ended in ’67 due to 1968 safety regulations, according to Wikipedia. BMC brought in the Austin America as a replacement, so there’s one choice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_America
My wife has a 2012 Mini Cooper, and I figured for a 2 door coupe with retro styling that’s nimble and easy to park, a 1972 VW Beetle would make perfect sense as an analogue.
Or maybe a Karmann-Ghia?
OK, it’s 1973……
2006 GTI….1966 Nova SS 327
2000 Crown Vic CVPI. 1960 Custom 390 interceptor
1975 Chevy pickup…1935 Chevy pickup
Wife’s 2012 Scion Xb…. 1972 Chevelle wagon
390 not out till 61. 352 would have been the cop engine in 1960, which seems to be a better approximation of the Ford 4.6 – durable but a bit weak chested.
It’s 1973. I swapped in the 390 cause the 352 wore out. 🙂
nothing on my driveway (were there city car clubs in 1973?) but…
my parents would be driving a shiny new orange 1973 FIAT 126
my brother’s drive would have a blue 2litre 1970 Volvo 145 and an aging silver ’65 VW type 3 squareback (closest equivalent I can think of to my sister-in-law’s 5 door Golf)
and my sister would be zooming about in a shiny red ’69 FIAT 850 coupe
…come to think of it since I’m insured on my sister’s car that works well for me!
actual 2013 driveway for comparison:
2013 FIAT Panda twinair
2010 Volvo V50 D5
2005 VW Golf 5 door
2009 FIAT Punto sport
Now that’s more like it… some of these answers were pretty far-out. I like how you even matched the colors up on the pictures, nicely done!
i drive a 1986 Pontiac Parisienne in 2013, so assuming in 1973 I would have drove a 1947 Pontiac Torpedo 4-door.
Of the primary cars that I drive now looking back to 1973:
1) Buick Century wagon – Buick Century wagon probably in same colors and trim.
2) Cadillac Eldorado – same
3) Imperial – same
4) Cadillac CTS – there were virtually no high performance sports sedans at that time but in 1973 Pontiac introduced the Grand Am which was available as a sedan. The Grand Am was available with the 455-4bbl dials and came equipped with radial tuned suspension and tires. Originally the 455SD that made it into the Trans Am was slated for the GA but due to certification issues was never released for that model. Buckets, floor shift, special steering wheel and real wood trim it was a real precursor to the CTS.
Looking at the other cars, it seems that they have aligned quite nicely over time.
Grand Am: the feel of A Grand Prix, the response of a GTO, and the qualities of the desirable imports – so said the ad copy at the time.
Pretty much sums up the CTS…
I guess my Infiniti G37 sedan would be a Grand Am as well. High performance sport sedans were definitely not the rage in 1973. I like to think that the G37 is kind of a combination of a GTO and a BMW 2002, both cars I lusted after back in their heyday. Actual car in the driveway in 1973 was a 1972 Maverick LDO with 302, my second new car.
2010 Acura TSX. Well Acura didn’t exist in 1970, so…
I’d have to say 1970 Buick Gran Sport GSX. They are both sporty cars from an unpretentious luxury brand. My TSX is the V6 model, which like the GSX is a very low production model. Just as the V6 is the larger engine from bigger Acuras, the GSX’s 455 V8 was more commonly found in Buick’s full-size cars. Not to mention the fact that their names are only off by one letter: TSX and GSX!
Maybe a VW passat or citroen ds more like it for 1973. Both are four door imports with a slightly upscale more sporting image without being real performance.
This is fun. For our 5 year old Prius, I was thinking of an Austin America (ADO16 1275) or a Volvo 122S wagon; both roomy, one technically complex, the other often making a socio-political statement. But Priuses are so popular, perhaps a slant-six Dodge Dart is really a more suitable predecessor. For our 12 year old New Beetle Turbo, of course an air-cooled Beetle, but with some Empi hop-up hardware, a cracked open rear engine cover, and “mag” wheels.
I’m going to take this ten years further back to 1964-’65, when I first had my drivers’ license and began contemplating my first car, which actually came along in early 1965. I had lusted after a ’57 Thunderbird since my childhood when they were new, but by ’64-’65, they were yesterday’s news, long in the tooth, three generations removed from the original, and had not reached the collector heights they enjoy today. They were frequently advertised in the L.A. Times, always in the range of about $1,000-1,500 or so. I would read those ads religiously for months, and I kept nagging at my dad that I so wanted one of these to be my first car. Nope, he would say, too old and too much mileage, and old technology. I had to give up, but kept my dream alive until more recent times, when I finally got my ’57 T-Bird in the form of a new 2003 Bird. So for me, with my 2003 T-Bird sitting in the driveway today, my time- translation back takes me to that first car in 1965, when I so desperately wanted that classic model.
BTW, minor nit, the maroon ’53 Ford Customline above is described as “top of the line.” I believe that would have been the Crestline, the Customline was the middle child (but you know that!). My dad had a ’54 Ford Customline as a company car back then, it was pretty basic, no power steering, no power brakes, no radio, surprisingly an electric clock, though, manual transmission and rubber floor mats. He would sit me on his lap and help me steer it into the garage. A long ago different world.
From my quick check the 53 Crestline was hardtops and convertibles only. Top sedan was the Customline. Crestline may have gotten a sedan by 54 (along with a new engine.)
Once again, Don. I “learned to drive” sitting on the lap of my paternal grandfather in his new 58 Chevy Bel Air sedan. I got to “steer” as well. I also got to start it up. He would leave it in neutral (it was a stick) with the brake on and the ignition switch knob in Off (unlock) position so it was all ready for me. He taught me how to drive a stick many years before I got a learner’s permit. By that time he was gone by my paternal grandmother took on the job of going with me as I practiced driving in her Chevy II. Great memories of the best grandparents a kid could ever have – I miss them to this day.
I hadn’t thought about it, but the Sedona really is the Ann Veal of cars.
You are likely correct about the ’53 Customline, my quick check could only turn up a ’54 full-model lineup, which shows the Crestline Fordor sedan. My aunt and uncle had both a ’53 Mercury Custom Fordor and a ’54 Lincoln Capri 4-door sedan, I had assumed the sedans were ubiquitous across all of Ford’s make and model lineup.
Taken literally, we’d have a 1959 Dodge Royal Lancer and a 59 Olds Fiesta Wagon.
1973 works perfectly for my newest car… instead of a 2010 Challenger R/T, it would be a 1970 Challenger R/T. Probably a 340-engined car to align better with the modern 5.7 Hemi.
It’s harder to find a match for my pickup, a 2005 Dakota 4×4 club cab. Could be a Scout 800 4×4 pickup, a Dodge A100 pickup or a 1/2-ton 4×4 IH Travelette.
My ’96 Thunderbird would have to be a ’56 Ford. I won’t go with the actual ’56 T-bird since that was a 2-seater… more like a Customline or maybe a low-level Fairlane with a 2-door sedan body and a midrange V8 engine.
As always, late to the party…
This is what my fleet looks like today…
1995 Pontiac Sunfire GT
1997 Chevy Cavalier
2004 Pontiac Aztek
2009 Pontiac G6 Sport Sedan
Ratcheting back 40 years…
1955 Pontiac… with V8… Star Chief? Or maybe the Pontiac captive import, a Vauxhall of some kind with the “big” engine? Cresta? Velox? No easy equivalent there…
1957 Chevy? Maybe, a 210, two-door, with a six and a Powerglide…
1964 Corvair Greenbriar Sports Van… Since there’s no direct Pontiac predecessor.
1969 Pontiac LeMans 4 door hardtop sedan. I guess the closest spec to my current Pontiac would be the one with the 350/4bbl/THM…
CA Guy, that must be a very gratifying memory. I only had my maternal grandmother in my life back then, and her ’56 DeSoto, all my driving lessons came from my dad. I would be so petrified trying to wrestle that huge unassisted ’54 Ford steering wheel to get the car in the garage, Dad would have the car running, the transmission in first, and he would slowly release the clutch while I would try to twist and turn it. Interestingly (that parallel universe again!), my dad’s next company car after his ’54 Ford was, wait for the drum roll…, a ’58 Chevy Bel Air 4-door sedan. That one had power steering and brakes and automatic, and being somewhat bigger by that time, I had a much easier time of steering into the garage. Later on, learning to drive with my learner’s permit in his next company car (a ’61 Falcon), he would take me up to the Douglas Aircraft plant on Ocean Park Blvd. to practice driving around their massive parking lot, of course, long gone now. A great time with a very patient dad.
Well I’m currently driving a 2013 Nissan X-Trail….. my wife has a 2012 Nissan Wingroad and my “toy” is a 1982 Toyota Celica XX……
Rewind that and I’ve got some challenges…. given that the X-Trail is a company car then probably the equivalent back in the day would’ve been a mid-size wagon…. perhaps a Cortina?
The wife would’ve been in a ’72 Corolla Wagon, or maybe a 510 wagon?
As for the toy, there’s no real equivalent I can think of, certainly nothing Japanese…. we’d be going back to something from ’42! I’m really lost here, some help anyone?
[Great post, JP Cavanaugh]
Question: what was the 1973 entry-level sport sedan? [i.e. what equates to an ’05 BMW 3 series? Remember these cars have been on 10 Best Lists for decades]
While the quick answer could be the ’73 BMW Bavaria (below), those were hardly as ubiquitous as BMW 3s -nor on any 10 Best list, and following GN’s logic above, creating a ‘car cross-walk’ to 1973 ought to include factors other than just marque (sales, body style, function, etc.) So I’ll veto the Bavaria.
The BMW 2002? Well, it was a coupe.
There were certainly many Mercedes 250/280s sedans on the road in ’73, but they were listed at $9K -well past entry-level pricing. Audi 80s? -nah. And the Japanese marque’s sedans weren’t performance oriented.
No, maybe the truer 1973 equivalent is the Pontiac Grand Am? The Grand Am project started out as a GTO; so at least in Pontiac’s mind, the emphasis was on performance. Plus Pontiac definitely wanted to compete with the euro sport sedan concept (hey, they were GMs Excitement Division) hence both 2 and 4 door offerings of the Grand Am.
But Pontiac only sold ~8,691 of the 4-doors in ’73, while BMW sold 106K 3 Series in the US in ’05 alone (even adjusting for the size of the 1973 car buying market, that leaves the Grand Am way out of the picture).
So what was the sport sedan of 1973? Or is the BMW 2002 and the Grand Am as close as we can get?
Current cars:
1996 Volvo 850 sedan
1996 Volvo 850R wagon
In 1973 I’d probably have two teenage Volvos, a ’67 sedan (a 144S if I were on my game) and a 145.
In 1973:
2013 Fusion with 2.0L EB = 1973 Gran Torino Sport 351 4 speed
2004 F-250 4×4 with V-10 = 1964 F-250 with 352 (largest gas engine)
1989 Ranger with 2.3L = 1949 F-1 pick up with a 6 cylinder (?)
1972 Gran Torino Sport = 32 duece coupe with a souped up flathead.
Way late, but this is a fun exercise…
In 1973:
2012 Kia Forte Koup = 1970 AMC Hornet 2-door, 232 I6
JPC’s AMC/Kia analogy works well here–the Hornet was a nicely-styled coupe, as is the Forte. It wouldn’t be an SST or a V8 (EX rather than SX trim) but the Kia’s standard 2.4 seems more akin to the optional 3.8 than the base 3.3.
1997 Ford Crown Victoria = 1955 Ford Fairlane 4-door sedan, 272 V8
1979 Chevrolet Malibu 4-door sedan = 1937 Chevrolet Master 4-door sedan
1988 Volvo 780 Bertone = 1947 Volvo PV444
Off by a year, but I can’t quite figure out what Volvo was making in ’46. Wiki seems to have conflicting info. Plus the new for ’47 PV series was more in the spirit of the 780 than was its prewar rehash predecessor model.