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- Let’s pretend: It is August, 1966, and you are a 20 year old guy (about to be 21) headed back to college for your junior year. Your parents have decided to help you buy a car, but it must be a new 1966 Chrysler, Ford, or GM product. Because the model year is ending and the1967s are arriving on dealers lots, it is possible to buy a car at wholesale (aka dealer invoice). Your parents will pay delivery charges, tax, title, license, etc. and include you on their insurance. You will be responsible for gas and maintenance.
- Scenario #1 – The budget is $2000 for the wholesale price of the car plus options. What car would you choose?
- Scenario #2 – Your Aunt Lucile sees what you are considering and says she wants you in something better. She kicks in $500 (Thanks, Aunt Lucille!), so now your budget is $2500. Which car would you select now?
- Scenario #3 – Your Aunt Vivian hears about this and says that if Lucille is contributing $500, she will too! Now your budget is $3000. Her only condition is that you take her for a ride as soon as you get your new car. What will you and Aunt Viv be riding in?
- Scenario 4 – Your Uncle Rich hears about all this and says, “Listen, sport, you are only 21 once. Pick out whatever you want, and I will pay for everything above the $3000 the family is putting in. Also, I will set you up on my gas credit card so you won’t have to worry about that either.” What will be arriving in your driveway now?
- Scenario #5 – By some miracle, you wake up one morning and are totally responsible, wise, reasonable, careful, and a maker of nothing but good decisions. How would your choices change in this (extremely unlikely) case…or would they?
- Clicking on the image at the top will provide all the data needed. (Helpful tip: Articles about most of these cars can be found in the Curbside Classics Archives.)
I’d like to say a Corvette, but that might be pushing things too far. A plain Nova with the 350 HP 327 appeals, but too spartan. So, I’ll have Cutlass convertible, with :
the 442 package.
Wide ratio 4 speed.
Power steering & brakes .
Air Conditioning .
Super Stock wheels.
Anti Spin rear axle in a 3.08 ratio for effortless cruising.
Bucket seats.
Shoulder belts.
AM/FM radio (gotta be able to listen to “Revolver”)
Console.
Tachometer.
On the way home from the dealer, stop at my friendly Pirelli dealer for some 175/14 Centurados.
Then to Koni for some shocks, and fiddle the wheel alignment settings to my liking.
I will have what hes having…
I’ll take a “D/Dart “. Only offered for ’66, and think only fifty were made. Engine code was 699. VIN started with LO23.
Car Craft magazine took one to Lions Dragstrip, and it did the quarter mile in 14.33 seconds at 94.22 mph.
Since front discs are a year away in the GM intermediates, I’ll add another stop on the way home. The local Buick dealer for a pair of aluminum front drums.
If I have to be frugal, a basic Mustang is for me…600,000 plus people can’t be wrong.
If I have some extra money, a Skylark Gran Sport with a four-speed.
With no limitations, I’d buy what I’ve been looking around for lately…a Toronado in gold, maroon, turquoise, or blue. 🙂
7 Litre Galaxie XL, black/red, 4 speed with all the options. Thanks Uncle Rich!
At the low end, a Valiant or Dart hardtop would be the ticket. Farther up the line, a Satellite hardtop or a Charger. A Chrysler 300 convertible would be a great all-out choice, though relatives might question the choice of a convertible to take to college and park outside.
One question though, I’ll bet there are still a handful of 66 Studebakers available at fire sale prices from the isolated dealers that have managed to find something else to sell. A Daytona coupe would be a lot of car for the money (If I am willing to be a social outcast at college, anyway.)
And it is interesting that AMC did not get invited to this party.
The only price guide I was able to find only covered the big three. I wish all manufacturers had been included.
I’ll go along the same route as JP. Frugal me would have gone for the Valiant. Indeed, my Dad purchased a new Valiant Signet in 1966. However if I were to take advantage of the opportunity my Aunts and Uncles presented, I would have loved to have had a ’66 Charger. That long console was an eye catcher.
If I see a ’66 Chrysler at a car show I spend extra time there drinking it in. A New Yorker would have been nice, but methinks a Windsor would have been the one.
My Uncle would have made a strong play for a Chevelle for me that year, after all he had one of those.
This price list reminded me that a family friend had gotten a ’66 Cadillac SDV, but a few years later. I loved rides in that car in my youth.
A GTO, tripower, air, tilt, buckets, ps, power discs, windows and an 8 track.
Unfortunately an 8-track player and (front) disc brakes weren’t available until the 1967 model year. Everything else listed here was an option on the ’66 except that bucket seats were standard on the GTO (a console wasn’t).
In ’66 it would have to be a Corvair for me. Corsa convertible, 180HP, 4-speed, wire/knockoff wheel covers, in green please, with white interior. I wouldn’t kick a hardtop coupe out of the driveway either though.
Make mine a Monza four door, 140hp 4 speed. The new Saginaw trans was tough. And air conditioning since the condenser was moved from on top of the engine to behind the back window.
I also would take a Corvair in all five scenarios, just with higher spec and more options as my budget increases. I would be sure to buy a convertible to give Aunt Viv a ride in, of course. When Uncle Rich comes over, I’ll show him the build sheet with all the performance options, including the side draft engine and positraction rear axle. I hope he approves when I take him for a ride too.
When I wake up the next morning, I would realize that my Uncle Rich is exactly right about being only 21 once, but that I want to live to be 22. I would keep the same build, but would then go out and buy a tire pressure gauge and would be sure to use it weekly to make sure the tires were set to factory spec. I’d also starr saving up for some of those new-fangled Michelin radial tires…
It would likely boil down to manufacturer allegiance. Most of the Mopars would be okay. Top of that list would be a 300 convertible.
For GM products, hot ones would be that L79 Nova, SS396 Chevelle, or a loaded GTO. A properly-optioned, base-engine Corvette would certainly be suitable but a Riviera or Toronado would be the only Buick or Olds. Sorry, no Cadillacs.
Ford choices would be a Mustang of a specific model within the target price range, a GT350, Falcon hardtop or convertible, or even a Fairlane GT or GTA. Probably the best choice at the upper end would be a Thunderbird, although a Continental, maybe the 2-door coupe, would be a solid choice, too.
Clearly you are not acquainted with my family 😉 as this scenario would never, ever have happened. The motto of our immigrant Dutch family was:
Assimilate, get educated, get to work.
As it was I went to college with a rusty 1972 AMC that I patched together for a couple of hundred bucks.
But, if we must I think we’d be looking at a base Valiant 2 door sedan for $1645.71 That’s a fun book, too bad it didn’t cover more manufacturers.
Nice college parking lot so far… you’re gonna have to share it with another Ford. I love Mustangs but the Fairlane was a good looking ride in ’66. So… a dark blue with white side stripes 500 XL. Black bucket interior, 4 speed, limited slip, widest tires (looks like 7.75s to me.) I picked the 289. I didn’t see a 4 barrel option, so I guess I’m going aftermarket with that. Any heavy duty suspension and cooling package.
In reality, I did buy one about then. Actually a 1965. For $2862.34 I got a ‘65 Barracuda, 235 hp 273 ci 4 speed. Ran the heck out of it until Uncle Sam sent me away.
I’ve always been a bit contrary, and in the scenarios where I pay for my own gas, I might have selected a Tempest with the Sprint OHC6. It was probably pretty economical if you stayed out of the secondaries, but had plenty of scoot if you put your foot down. Just add more options as cash allows.
When I’m not paying for gas, let’s swap in a 400 3×2.
I would buy a Lincoln 4 door sedan just because I own a 1966 Lincoln now, I really want to know how it feels to drive a brand new Lincoln in1966
The me that could see into the future would have selected a Tempest or Le Mans hardtop with the OHC 6 and a 4-speed manual. The 1966 me (still a decade away from actually having a drivers license) would have probably gone for a Malibu with a 327 or similar Pontiac with a 326. Living in Houston air conditioning would be a must and, of course, and AM radio at least.
Both my parents were professionals and made a good living but we were by no means wealthy and they were certainly fiscally conservative. I did have one aunt who may have kicked in some cash but anything above $3,000 would have come out of my piggy bank. Insurance premiums would weigh heavily in the decision We were a GM family and hewed to Pontiacs in particular – six of that brand between 1957 and 1980.
I’d probably go with a Lemans with a handling package, buckets seats, AT/PB/PS/AC, a small V8 and some radials.
Scenario #1—I’ll assume the $2000 only. I’ve always got stuff to haul around, and can be the friend who helps others with errands, so there’s a Falcon wagon that comes in just under the limit. Or, I could get out ahead of that van craze and buy a Club Wagon, I suppose.
I will, of course, be *dreaming* about 7-Litre convertibles and Country Squires, but that’s another matter….
Fun game for us today—nice to see all this data!
1966 Pontiac Grand Prix. Yes, and as long as we are in fantasy land I’d like to have Barbara Feldon in the passenger seat looking gorgeous like she did so well. Thanks Aunt Lucille, Aunt Vivian, and Uncle Rich.
Barbara Feldon, Diana Rigg, or Suzanne Pleshette indeed. My friend-down-the-street’s mother drove a 1966 Bonneville Safari wagon. She had four sons and was also our Cub Scout den mother. She smoked and had a voice exactly like Suzanne Pleshette’s. Though she was an attractive woman you would never mistake one for the other.
Well, the full common sense scenario would have me in the nicest slant 6 Valiant hardtop I could find for the cheapest price. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Middle of the road scenario? Marina blue Corsa hardtop with the 4 carb engine and a 4 speed, or an L-79 Nova SS, same colour. Thanks to my aunts!
Full ticket ride? 425 hp 427 Corvette coupe in, you guessed it, Marina blue. Thanks Uncle Rich! Now hang on….
In reality, my family was very generous with time and support but were firm believers in work ethic. I was expected to earn what I wanted. Thanks (really!) Mom and Dad!
My real ride when I was 21? I was in Trade School and my transportation to and from was a ratty ’64 Signet very like the example from a couple days ago. 50 bucks plus a little of my time to rewire under the hood.
Talk about a kid in a candy store! Modern me would likely head for a Chrysler 300 Convertible.
21 year old me, having grown up in the ’50s. Mustang Mania would be my Ford, GM I’d go with an Impala SS, and Chrysler a new Charger.
All with a mild V-8, automatic, buckets, console, AC, and as many other goodies as the budget would allow.
Looks plausibly enough like me at the wheel…..
1966 was a GREAT year for Pontiac. I like bigger cars so a 2 door hardtop Catalina with the 421 tri power, 4 speed, posi track, Heavy duty power brakes, HD suspension, HD cooling, and maybe a couple trim options. Buckets and console if its still in the budget. Or maybe a GTO or Chevelle, man 1966 was such a good year for GM.
Or kind of left field, a 1966 Barracuda, always thought those looked cool. Would have to get one with a/c, that back window would probably cook you like an ant under a magnifying glass
I have worked out this scenario many times, and I always come to the same conclusion.
I would buy a Valiant station wagon with 225 Slant Six with Torqueflite, heavy duty suspension and the disk brake package. I would also add an AM radio. In today’s dollars, said radio is over $500!
The stock tires would be removed the day I picked up the car and replaced with Michelin radials.
Looking back at the always conservative and practical me, it would have been a 1966 Dodge Dart GT with the 235 HP 273 V8 and the 4 speed trans. It would have the newly available front disc brakes and 14×5.5” wheels with Goodyear Blue Streak tires and the optional Sure-Grip rear end which was available even in the small 7 1/4” rear end.
As it was, the only new car I ever purchased was a 1964 Dodge Dart GT with the 180 HP 273CI engine and a 4 speed transmission. NO disc brakes or Sure-Grip or even 14” wheels and tires, because they weren’t available in 1964, but I later made my Dart into that, except for the front disc brakes. That was a great car and lasted me over 100,000 miles until I had to give it to my first X-wife. There was never another new car purchase til this day.
Barracuda Formula S, PS, power disc brakes, TorqueFlite, Sure Grip, AC, tinted glass, retractable belts, emergency flasher, basic group and Blue Streak tires – wholesale $3053.61. LL-1 Dark Turquoise please.
Neat daydreams, but I can’t help noticing this “complete” price guide leaves stuff out. Like the brake options (10″ drum…disc…) on the A-body mopars, and the entirety of the American Motors Corporation.
Ha, I had an Aunt Lucille! She was the one who bought the 1961 Olds Dynamic 88 bubbletop new in the fall of 1960.
Like so many others have said, I’d stick with Pontiac in scenarios 1 through 4, as follows: Tempest Custom Coupe, Tempest LeMans 2-door hardtop, GTO hardtop, and Catalina 2+2. The Tempests would have the OHC 6, the GTO one of the 389s, and the 2+2 the 421 Tri-Power.
For scenario 5, I’d either stick with the 2+2 or go with a Corvette, Riviera, or Toronado.
Your thinking is just like mine for the first two – Tempest Custom and LeMans. But, having driven and ridden in several friends muscle cars, especially a hot GTO and a 300 hp 327 Impala SS , I knew I had absolutely no business with that much horsepower. I would have gotten into way too many races and probably wound up wrapped around a tree. So for me a LeMans Sprint 2 Door hardtop with an automatic would have been plenty.
A 20 year old living in Australia, in 1966 would only dream about owning an American car. Even 283 V8 / automatic transmission equipped 1966 Chevrolet Belair 4 door sedans were high end luxury cars that were owned and driven by wealthy Australians.
Even with a rich uncles financial input, Any American car in 1966 would be well out of financial reach for young Australians.
The reality, is that in 1966, most young Australians first car was a worn out pre Second World War British or European car. During the 1950s and 1960s Australian roads were heavily populated with old cars.
The situation is of course very different in 2022, with cars being somewhat cheaper for Australians than they were during the 1950s and 1960s.
The typical 20 year old might not have even owned a car!
For the Australian scene, I’ll have a HR Special Sedan.
186S.
4 speed.
Power Disc Brakes
LSD.
Pushbutton radio, rear speaker.
Deluxe heater.
If Auntie is feeling generous, make it a Premier sedan.
Same trip to the Pirelli & Koni dealer on the way home. (on the proper side of the road!)
G’day Chris,
Great choice particularly in the case of a Premier. Mind you a heater was standard equipment in Premiers and was standard on all HR models Holdens after September 1966.
But in my opinion, an even better choice from your local GMH dealer in 1966 would have been a RHD 1966 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan or RHD 1966 Pontiac Parisienne Sport Sedan. GMH assembled both with a 230 hp 327 V8. I would taken either in a single tone metallic green or black exterior.
Of course these Chevrolets and Pontiacs were the GMH flagship luxury cars of the day and were out of the reach of working class Holden buyers.
G’day Carl. Yes to the Impala Sport Sedan. I had a ’67 that was cut down into a 4 dr convertible in the early ’80s.
In November 1966, my father ordered through his local GMH dealer a metallic blue with blue interior 1967 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan. It was May, 1967 before the car was available, but what’s interesting, is the fact that our new ‘67 RHD Impala Sport Sedan was the first example GMH assembled that year and it was the actual car used for the 1967 GMH printed Chevrolet sales brochure shots.
Fan forced demisters were an ADR requirement by 66 such laws were already in use elsewhere but 66 HR was the first standard disc brakes sold in NZ, we thought they were flash but it was a real step backwards from the 64 Velox my dad traded for it.
Make mine a Lincoln Continental four door Sedan hardtop in spanish moss metallic with every available option.
I’m the guy who orders from the outside of the fancy illustrated menu: I’ll have what I see on the cover. That drawing of the Toronado is sweet . . .!
Since this only lists US made cars, the obvious answer i the $3000 range is Mustang GT Fastback, with the less obvious option of a Corvair Corsa, or possibly a well optioned Monza convertible since the milder engine is easier to live with.
If I can buy import, I’d want to know what a basic Porsche 911 goes for or a BMW 1600 sedan.
While the exercise calls for a car from the big three American domestics, I know that my family would never have set such requirements. My parents would have expected me to buy a VW Beetle, since they had already owned three by this point, and I am sure most of my other my relatives would have approved, given the MSRP well under $2000. My Aunt Lucile might have slipped me the cash to buy a Type 3 Squareback, though, so I could haul a few more things off to my dorm room.
Aunt Viv would have expected me to pick out a Karmen Gia convertible, and I am sure she would have enjoyed the drive I took her on. Uncle Rich, on the other hand, would have taken me straight to the Porsche dealer and told me to buy the car that my father could not afford because he married my mother. I’d happily pick out a 911S with him, and let him choose the color.
When I woke up the next morning, I’d remember that the 911 was not for amateurs, and I’d start saving up for some driving lessons that would teach me not to lift off the throttle in corners.
After writing this, I realized that it was partially inspired by this Bring A Trailer listing:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1967-porsche-912-coupe-32/
Well I’m sure what I will say regarding someone would have held true in 1966. In 1973, at the age of 20, a friend living in Pacific Beach bought himself a gold 1973 four door Newport. I was flabbergasted and asked why. I won’t get into the juicy details via the mind of a 20 year old male but I will have to say I could definitely see the logic in his selection.
As for me a Mustang would have been nice but now I will use logic and say either a Galaxie 500 2dr. or a Fury III 2dr. both with console but nice rear seating.
As it happens, my first car, and the one I owned when I was 21, was a ’66 Chev Impala convertible bought from my sister, 283, Powerglide, AM radio, power steering, WSW, and that was it (around $3,400 MSRP, $2,650 Wholesale). Now, I enjoy fantasizing about having an Impala SS 396 4-speed, with all the performance options, but I probably would have ended up against a bridge abutment on I-295 or the NJ Turnpike, or wrapped around a tree in the Jersey Pine Barrens, so that’s probably not a great idea. In my heart I was a Ford guy at the time, so I’d probably spec out various Mustang convertibles.
LOL! A base Mustang hardtop with AM radio and power steering already exceeds $2,000 wholesale. Better think again. Looking at things, I see the Mustang offered a tape player and Ford was getting into disc brakes, so things are looking up for my up-spec’d choices.
Finally taking the time tonight to sit down and price things out for this was… kind of surprising.
I decided early on scenario two was my focus; $2,500 is mighty reasonable to have to be wise but still have some room to play with (sans A/C, realistically) and scenario one for me would be too much of a no brainer; $2k worth of Valiant.
Thinking this afternoon about what I’d go for, I was of the mind a nice mid size Pontiac hardtop would fit the bill, but then once you start adding up options… Bucket seat cars get to the price ceiling a bit too quickly, and after looking through the 1966 brochure, I’m not so sold on the interior being all that nice until you get into LeMans money. Back to the drawing board. I start optioning up a 273/torqueflite Satellite, and discover similar results; if I want bucket seats, I’m forgoing quite a bit of stuff to get it, and I’m questioning if it’s worth it. Off to Dodge, where I notice a relatively low entry point on the Polara. Hmmm…
The brochure makes this seem reasonable. You get a lot of exterior metalwork off the bat, interior trim isn’t terribly spartan, fairly stylish dashboard. So I add up options. 230hp 318/torqueflite sedan, power steering and brakes, AM radio, left remote and interior rear view mirror, deluxe wheel covers, “rally” suspension, biggest blackwall wheel/tire set; $2497.89. I like the clean straight edge look that actually works with this sedan roof, barbell shaped face, delta taillights, bulletproof mechanicals, and it can be had in Mauve for 1966. I think I’m sold.
But it gets better. A big full size sedan too sedate? If you are willing to skip the torqueflite for the 3-speed, you can upgrade to the better appointed interior of the hardtop coupe, and throw in the 325hp 383 and sure grip rear end; $2474.49. Yes, you read that right, you just have to deal with a bench seat and column shift. They probably made all of 8. And this strikes me as one hell of a steal regardless.
In August of ’66, I would have ordered a ’67 Chevy Camaro! A family friend did just that, and it showed up about the end of Sept or early October. It was a medium blue convertible, with a V8 (327?), white stripes and she owned that car for over 20 years. She was planning on restoring it, but it never happened. It was sold as a parts car.
If I had to take delivery in August, It would probably be a Chevelle or maybe a GTO/Tempest. As far as Mopar’s go, it would be a ’66 Satellite with the best drivetrain I could get, a 440/torqueflite.
Ford wouldn’t be in the picture at all. I don’t see myself ever possibly buying a Ford.
Well I’d likely buy the car I already own a 66 MK4 Hillman Superminx estate nothing very flash fan forced heater was standard as were front disc brakes reclining bucket seats in the front also standard, mine has a Lockheed vacuum booster for the brakes which was an option, it drives just fine and stays with modern traffic with ease.
But of course in 66 NZ I could only order it they were UK assembled so I’d have to wait but it was the same for everything even NZ assembly cars, Our limited American cars out of Canada came in allotments if you got in too late youd have to wait for the reorder CKD packs and often got your new car after the next model was already out.
Scenario 1 is easy: Plymouth Valiant 100 V8 2-door post ($1751). Options would be the HD suspension ($11), 4bbl 273 ($79), radio ($44), disc brakes ($63), limited slip ($29), fast-ratio steering ($10), day/night mirror ($3), seat belts ($7). Final price: $1,993. Quick, nimble, lightweight car, though sadly, the A-833 4-speed ($142) would push it over budget.
Scenario 2 is also easy: same Valiant 100 ($1993 as equipped). but with the 4-speed ($142) and A/C ($246). Bonus: this and scenario 1 get the glorious-sounding exhaust with straight-thru muffler and 3″ single pipe.
Scenario 3 is also a Valiant…a Valiant 200 wagon (VIN VH45, $2142, I want the roll-down window the 100 doesn’t offer), with HD suspension ($11), 4bbl 273 ($79), 4-speed ($142), A/C ($246), radio ($44), disc brakes ($63), limited slip ($29), fast-ratio steering ($10), day/night mirror ($3), seat belts ($7). Total price: $2776, which leaves enough for a set of Blue Streak tires ($36). That should get some back-road action and surprise a lot of people.
Honestly…I would like this right now. Only would need three tweaks to drive every day: later (70s A-body) disc brakes and run 15″ wheels, convert the A/C to R-134a, and if the engiune needs a rebuild…Magnum 360.
I’m generally onside with your picks, but I surely wouldn’t pick the fast-ratio steering; had it and hated it in my ’65, even with its lightweight aluminum 225 engine.
All the Valiant wagons had openable tailgate glass—guessing you mean you want the electric tailgate glass?
No…reading the specs, it looks like the V100 glass doesn’t open. The 200 explicitly notes having it open, electric is a standalone option.
I’ve driven with fast ratio manual steering and love it.
Perhaps it’s best to ask the man who own(ed) one or two of them, rather than relying on a poorly-written and decidedly incomplete 3rd-party price guide. No matter what you’re reading into this booklet’s cursory material, all of the A-body wagons had openable tailgate glass. Every last one of them. The only way to open the tailgate from outside the car is to lower the glass and operate the handle, which is on the inside. If that weren’t the case, the glass would be sitting there, frameless and horizontal, just waiting to be broken off. Basic equipment was a manual crank with a lock in the middle of it; optional was an electric motor to do the job.
Then also make the wagon a V100 (VL45). I don’t want a power operated gate window. Bonus: saves almost $100 and takes a few pounds off the car.
Even a couple of generations later, this thing is gold. But… is there anything like it available today?
It is great to have the chance to think about this….particularly after so many years have passed, seeing what has happened to these cars and their values, but more importantly remembering how these cars made us FEEL! If I could go to scenario 3 I would choose a Corvair Corsa coupe with the 180 hp turbo engine. I had this exact car back then so I know it well and even looking back today it was a great driving car. But if I could go to the unlimited option, even being practical, I would choose a Corvette convertible, just 300 hp and of course 4 sp. I think the color I would pick was called Marina Blue and would want the removable hardtop option. Not a radical car by any measure, but even today is a great driver! I did own a 1965 Corvette coupe for a few years…..and I miss it as well!