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Curbside Classics Archives
1970s Archive
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![Now that’s an interesting line, as this Diplomat was actually seriously considered as the basis of the 1976 Cadillac Seville. As the story goes, the big Opel’s body tolerances were […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Opel-1-a.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: Opel Diplomat V8 – “Something That GM Could, And Should, Build In The US”")
Vintage R&T Review: Opel Diplomat V8 – “Something That GM Could, And Should, Build In The US”
Posted on October 3, 2020 | 23 CommentsNow that’s an interesting line, as this Diplomat was actually seriously considered as the basis of the 1976 Cadillac Seville. As the story goes, the big Opel’s body tolerances were […] -
![We’ve never taken a closer look at the XJ6 Series 1 here. I did find an early XJ12 a block from my house, back in 2009 or so, and wrote […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Jaguar-1971-XJ6-side.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: The (Almost) New Jaguar XJ6 – “A strange and wondrous car”")
Vintage R&T Review: The (Almost) New Jaguar XJ6 – “A strange and wondrous car”
Posted on September 27, 2020 | 35 CommentsWe’ve never taken a closer look at the XJ6 Series 1 here. I did find an early XJ12 a block from my house, back in 2009 or so, and wrote […] -
![We’ve had a lot of Volvos in our current Saturday COAL series, but how about a vintage review of the newly fuel injected 1972 164E? Like so many cars of […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/scans0006.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1972 Volvo 164E – Now Fuel Injected, Depending On Where You Live")
Vintage R&T Review: 1972 Volvo 164E – Now Fuel Injected, Depending On Where You Live
Posted on September 23, 2020 | 10 CommentsWe’ve had a lot of Volvos in our current Saturday COAL series, but how about a vintage review of the newly fuel injected 1972 164E? Like so many cars of […] -
![I’ve started scanning another box of the vintage R&T’s sent to me by CC reader Lee J., these going back further to 1972. I still have a loooong way to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/scans0001.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Analysis (1972): Citroen GS – “‘Remarkable’ Would Be An Understatement”")
Vintage R&T Analysis (1972): Citroen GS – “‘Remarkable’ Would Be An Understatement”
Posted on September 22, 2020 | 34 CommentsI’ve started scanning another box of the vintage R&T’s sent to me by CC reader Lee J., these going back further to 1972. I still have a loooong way to […] -
![Given today’s high beltlines and gunslit windows, the Volvo 262C doesn’t look all that odd. It was just forty years ahead of its time. But it raised eyebrows pretty consistently […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Volvo-262-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1978 Volvo 262C – “There Simply Is Not Enough Headroom”")
Vintage R&T Review: 1978 Volvo 262C – “There Simply Is Not Enough Headroom”
Posted on June 26, 2020 | 22 CommentsGiven today’s high beltlines and gunslit windows, the Volvo 262C doesn’t look all that odd. It was just forty years ahead of its time. But it raised eyebrows pretty consistently […] -
![Yes, it was “reliable” in that it didn’t actually break down and leave them stranded, but it’s hardly a word that is applicable in the modern sense to a car […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Vega-1-top.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T 24,000 Mile Test: 1971 Vega 2300 – “Reliable” But It Got a New Short Block, Carb and Exhaust System")
Vintage R&T 24,000 Mile Test: 1971 Vega 2300 – “Reliable” But It Got a New Short Block, Carb and Exhaust System
Posted on June 17, 2020 | 61 CommentsYes, it was “reliable” in that it didn’t actually break down and leave them stranded, but it’s hardly a word that is applicable in the modern sense to a car […] -
![This 1978 review of the newly-introduced Jeep Wagoneer Limited provides an interesting perspective, as it was right about the time that the Wagoneer morphed from being a genuine utility 4×4 […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Jeep-top.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1978 Jeep Wagoneer Limited – “Can You Imagine An American Manufacturer Building the Same Body For 15 Years?” How About 29 Years!")
Vintage R&T Review: 1978 Jeep Wagoneer Limited – “Can You Imagine An American Manufacturer Building the Same Body For 15 Years?” How About 29 Years!
Posted on June 3, 2020 | 48 CommentsThis 1978 review of the newly-introduced Jeep Wagoneer Limited provides an interesting perspective, as it was right about the time that the Wagoneer morphed from being a genuine utility 4×4 […] -
![When you think of a second generation Pontiac Firebird, the image that probably comes to mind is a Trans Am. While that model certainly did become popular during the lengthy […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RT0673-Firebird-main-image.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Reviews: 1973 Pontiac Firebird Esprit – Trans Am Not")
Vintage Reviews: 1973 Pontiac Firebird Esprit – Trans Am Not
Posted on May 21, 2020 | 72 CommentsWhen you think of a second generation Pontiac Firebird, the image that probably comes to mind is a Trans Am. While that model certainly did become popular during the lengthy […] -
![The 810 had pretty iffy styling. Not just the typical mid-70s Nissan weirdness, which actually was toned down by this time. It was its proportions, with a long nose to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/datsun-8100001-crop-top.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "R&T Vintage Review: 1977 Datsun 810 – A Four Door 240Z – Under the Skin, That Is")
R&T Vintage Review: 1977 Datsun 810 – A Four Door 240Z – Under the Skin, That Is
Posted on May 19, 2020 | 13 CommentsThe 810 had pretty iffy styling. Not just the typical mid-70s Nissan weirdness, which actually was toned down by this time. It was its proportions, with a long nose to […] -
![The Peugeot 504 was of course the other relatively popular European diesel in the US (and Europe) along with the Mercedes before the VW Rabbit came along. It offered a […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/504-diesel0001-top.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "R&T Vintage Review: 1977 Peugeot 504 Diesel Automatic – Noisy, Slow, But Not Lacking in Gallic Charms")
R&T Vintage Review: 1977 Peugeot 504 Diesel Automatic – Noisy, Slow, But Not Lacking in Gallic Charms
Posted on May 15, 2020 | 31 CommentsThe Peugeot 504 was of course the other relatively popular European diesel in the US (and Europe) along with the Mercedes before the VW Rabbit came along. It offered a […] -
![I just posted the initial review of the new 1977 VW Rabbit Diesel as well as a 24,000 mile long term test. But I had forgotten that R&T kept their […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/100k0001-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "R&T 100,000 Mile Long Term Test: 1978 VW Rabbit Diesel – The Downsides of Being An Early Adopter, But Bailed Out By Fuel Economy and High Resale Value")
R&T 100,000 Mile Long Term Test: 1978 VW Rabbit Diesel – The Downsides of Being An Early Adopter, But Bailed Out By Fuel Economy and High Resale Value
Posted on May 14, 2020 | 32 CommentsI just posted the initial review of the new 1977 VW Rabbit Diesel as well as a 24,000 mile long term test. But I had forgotten that R&T kept their […] -
![The VW Diesel Rabbit (Golf Mk1) really was a game changer, and I’m not using the word lightly. Finally there was an affordable, compact ultra-efficient car that could actually be […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/scans0001-top.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review and 24,000 Mile Long Term Test: 1978 VW Rabbit Diesel – Quicker Than a Fiat X1/9")
Vintage R&T Review and 24,000 Mile Long Term Test: 1978 VW Rabbit Diesel – Quicker Than a Fiat X1/9
Posted on May 14, 2020 | 20 CommentsThe VW Diesel Rabbit (Golf Mk1) really was a game changer, and I’m not using the word lightly. Finally there was an affordable, compact ultra-efficient car that could actually be […] -
![The great irony of Olds’s introduction of its new big diesel V8 cars is that it came out just shortly before the only other large diesel sedan: the Mercedes 300SD. […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/300SDL-top-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1978 Mercedes 300SD – Mercedes Shows GM How To Make A Fast, Efficient and Durable Big Diesel Sedan")
Vintage R&T Review: 1978 Mercedes 300SD – Mercedes Shows GM How To Make A Fast, Efficient and Durable Big Diesel Sedan
Posted on May 12, 2020 | 29 CommentsThe great irony of Olds’s introduction of its new big diesel V8 cars is that it came out just shortly before the only other large diesel sedan: the Mercedes 300SD. […] -
![I’m not going to add much commentary to Road and Track’s first look at the new Olds Diesel (Delta 88 Royale) in the November 1977 issue, and a follow-up drive […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/98-top.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Reviews: 1978 Oldsmobile 88 and 98 Diesels – A Decent Start, But Some Questions")
Vintage R&T Reviews: 1978 Oldsmobile 88 and 98 Diesels – A Decent Start, But Some Questions
Posted on May 11, 2020 | 50 CommentsI’m not going to add much commentary to Road and Track’s first look at the new Olds Diesel (Delta 88 Royale) in the November 1977 issue, and a follow-up drive […] -
![(first posted 4/10/2014) How Detroit was lost. Those four words could serve as a current subtitle to this review that appeared 38 years ago in the April 1976 issue […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Review-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: Plymouth Volare, a “Solid Set of Wheels”")
Vintage Review: Plymouth Volare, a “Solid Set of Wheels”
Posted on March 24, 2020 | 69 Comments(first posted 4/10/2014) How Detroit was lost. Those four words could serve as a current subtitle to this review that appeared 38 years ago in the April 1976 issue […]
