The seventies were a bit of a challenging decade in regard to big cars, and I’m still struggling with my choice. Will it be this purple ’78 Marquis, or a ’71 LTD?
So I’m going to have to let you go first, otherwise this soul-searching might go on way too long.
1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454 red/black stripes and manual transmission
1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst
1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV
1977 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Indy 500 T-Top Pace Car Edition
1979 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Coupe (Black on Red Velour) 350 CI.
There’s no street legal 88 pace car with T tops, or any B/C body AFAIK. Wrong market, and no factory B/C in this generation with frameless hardtop-style doors. The actual pace car had a cutaway roof and wasn’t street legal.
Yes. You are correct. I got mixed up between the 1976 Buick Century and 1977 Delta Eighty-Eight. Olds did sell a limited number of 1977 Olds Pace Cars but they were all hardtops according to Norcalolds article below.
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/v-6-on-the-track-v-8-on-the-street-1976-buick-century-pace-car-replica/
http://www.norcalolds.com/newsletters/2017/mayjunesm8.pdf
So scratch the 1977 Olds Eighty Eight above and replace with 1976 Buick Century Pace Car Edition.
I loved the 1970’s large domestic cars and probably could add more to this list. However, if I only had one to choose by Paul’s rules, I would have to take the 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst for the rarity, creature comforts, easy to maintain and work-on. This car would have easily lasted me until 1980 when I get to make my next choice.
Oh crap, I knew this was coming. What do you pick after spending the prior thirty years with some of the finest cars the world had to offer?
I am truly torn. We are going for big cars here so there is no sense in settling for one of the more sensible cars from the late 70s. There will be plenty of time to wear that hair shirt through the 80s.
Chrysler became a bigger mess as the decade went on, although the 76-77 New Yorker Brougham had its charms, and I could also be talked into a 72 New Yorker or Imperial. I like the mechanics of the 70-71 better but the 72 was so much prettier.
I think I am going to go for Peak Lincoln with a 1972 Continental in the Town Car trim. I will get back to you on the color combo, but this red moondust version looks pretty nice.
Same for me (my family had a Copper Moondust Metallic ’72 with black Cavalry Twill vinyl roof, a slightly used dealer demonstrator, and I got to drive it a few times as a teenager). But I would prefer a standard model with tuck-and-roll optional leather like our car had, rather than the Town Car upholstery style. The high-backed rear seat was especially comfortable but disappeared after ’74.
Can´t decide between this and a big Chrysler. I like the fuselage style of them a lot, but I´m also flavor influenced by Ford products which rolled through almost every 70´s cop show on tv. But one thing is for sure, it hads to be as broughamy as possible.
Another ’70 sedan like the one I had forty years ago, I could live with a ’71-’73 as well. It has to be the four door, the coupe never really did it for me, except the few custom convertibles built.
What do you like better about the mechanicals of a ’70-’71 than a ’72 Chrysler or Imperial?
An International Travelall may be bending the rules, but I just now thought of it. Or maybe I have to wait until the QOTD asks what truck I would pick from the 70s. 2WD, a 392 and woodgrain! And a prepaid lifetime subscription for annual Krown oil spray treatments. An annual drive to Canada would not be too big of a price. I’m sure DougD would put me up overnight.
Ah, damn. I had been counting my lucky stars that you weren’t taking us there. Checked the calendar and everything.
The easy answer is a 1972 Matador hardtop just like my first car, but that’s a bit too obvious and not very much MM fun.
So I’ll go for obvious answer #2. 1974 Dodge Monaco with a cop motor, four hundred and forty cubic inch plant. Cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. No catalytic converter so it’ll run good on regular gas.
“1974 Dodge Monaco with a cop motor . . . .”
Excellent choice. Once you get all of the fasteners tightened and the doors and fenders aligned you will have a heckuva a nice car. Or you could get lucky as Chrysler would build one like that out of maybe every ten in 1974. 🙂
Sorry; been there, done that, got other priorities in life other than to spend a beautiful spring day writing. You can re-read this, if you really need. 🙂
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/auto-biography/thank-you-all-for-your-great-car-buying-advice-but-i-ignored-it-all-and-bought-this-pristine-1972-ford-ltd-instead/
“So I’ll go for obvious answer #2. 1974 Dodge Monaco with a cop motor, four hundred and forty cubic inch plant. Cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. No catalytic converter so it’ll run good on regular gas.”
That’s an awesome choice and one of the few truly large 70’s barges that I desire. That is one of the coolest cop cars of all time in my books.
Vince: I noticed you asked me a question the other day when we were all MM’ing the 50’s cars….
My replies to your query are here.
Paul… Love your choice! (LOL)… I need to think about that as I am torn. The ’72 LTD is of course on the list. ;o)
I’ll second that. I once drove a thrashed ’74 Monaco with most of the cop package but lacking the 440 (it has been a fire chief’s car) and was impressed by its handling.
I’m torn between that Dodge and a ’75 Buick Estate Wagon with HD suspension and the 455. As I recall, the ’75 GM full size models handled quite a bit better than the ’74s. I drove one of these quite a bit. It was comfortable, quiet, powerful, and handled much better than it had any right to. Of course, it was also an unreliable lemon that repeatedly left my father stranded. That’s why I got to drive it: it was his tow vehicle and he couldn’t replace it with something comparable because they had been downsized, so he didn’t want to give up on it eventually being put right.
I guess I’d probably go with the Buick for old times’ sake, but that Dodge sure runs a close second.
Lincoln Mark V. Any year will do as long as it had the 460/4bbl.
If “downsized” still counts as “big” it’s easy for me, though not very original … a ‘77-79 Impala or maybe Caprice, 350, F41. Perhaps a wagon, but probably a normal 4 door. If I could go slightly smaller, a ‘78-79 Chevelle, or even smaller, a 302 Fairmont. Two door or wagon for those; mid-size 4 door sedans of that era just seemed too dull.
Yeah, the definition of ‘big’ in the latter half of the seventies is a little tough. To me, when there’s an intermediate and full-size in the line-up, ‘big’ means the full-size choice. So, in that regard, I’d have to go with the post-’77 Caprice, as well. Specifically, one of the ‘bent-wire’ rear window glass coupes.
If we’re including intermediates, then a ’72 Cutlass 2-door hardtop.
I had a 72 2 door broughm version of Mr Niedermeyers LTD! That got you cornering lights and other do dad’s. I had the 210 hp 400. It took me to the east coast, West coast, and everywhere in between. It was in my family for 3 owners. Indestructible.
I said with my last pick that I’ll be holding onto it through most of the 70s, so my pick for this decade would be a 78 Lesabre Sport Coupe with the Turbo V6.
Weird, I never considered myself a GM fan yet all my full sized picks for each decade have been one. I’ll make my second choice is a 70-71 Fury GT.
Beat me to it! I’ll take one of these in that late 70s GM ice blue.
These LeSabre turbo would had been badass in they was paint in black. Just imagine what if Buick had continued to make them to the mid-1980s adding the same turbo engines used in the 1986-87 Regal Grand National.
For the mid-size/intermediates, lots of choices with Chevelle, Cutlass, GTO, Charger/Satellite, Monte Carlo, Torino if you like “Gran Torino” or “Starsky & Hutch” or a Buick Century/Regal 4-door sedan brown like the one used in the tv series “Kojak”.
Edit: For some full-size models, we could mention some Canadian models like the 1971-76 Bel Air Sport coupe and Pontiac Parisienne and Laurentian
They would have been bigger and heavier than the Grand National to no great purpose.
Plus the LeSabre styling went off a cliff with the 80 refresh.
1970 Cadillac Eldorado in Champange Gold please! With a black vinyl top, altough a white one wouldn’t look to bad either. Hmmm….
Darn it!! this is hard………………1975 Cadillac Seville,1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Talisman and a 1974 Chevy Monte Carlo. would also love a 1975 Chevy Nova LN, 1975 Ford Granada, 1974 Dodge Dart, 1975 Chevy Monza Towne Coupe, 1976 Ford Mustang 2 Ghia etc etc
Ok, I understand the Dart, Monte Carlo and Nova LN, as I driven them back in the day. (The Nova, in my opinion, was highly underrated.) I kind of get the Seville and Fleetwood.
However, you need to explain yourself with the Granada, Mustang II and Monza!
I owned a 75 Monza 2+2 with V8 (monza towne coupe was like a mini Eldo), i always liked the way the Granada was packaged(mini Lincoln)and they looked great in 2 tone silver and black. And the Mustang 2?……..Because no one else likes them……….and i dig the Ghia trim. LOL!!!
The 1970’s is a challenging decade to pick a big American car, they were such gas pigs. I would of been one of the millions that switched to something foreign or smaller. My dad drove a AMC Hornet hatchback (probably the only one with a mobile phone) and a new VW Rabbit during the ‘70’s.
If stuck with a full size choice my ‘70s car would be another Riviera this time a ‘72 boattail GS (I loved these as a 9 year old boy) – I’m not picky about the color, just not white and no vinyl roof.
I actually wouldn’t mind a 1974 Riviera GS – not a car you see every day. Love the aggressive grill and extra brake/taillights. A 1/2 vinyl roof would be OK.
If there was a third choice why not another Buick? A 1977-79 downsized ‘B’ body LeSabre turbo sport coupe.
This decade is easy for me. There are very few full-size cars that I really desire from the 1970s, but one of my all time favorites cars is the downsized B-Body, especially in Chevrolet form. I used to really favor the 2-doors with the bent wire rear window, and for years wanted to buy one – lots of MM. Of course F41 suspension, the LM1, a TH350 and posi are absolute requirements. Today though, after all that luxury of my ’65 Rivera I need to simplify and go back to basics. I think I’d probably go for a plain 4-door. Make mine a 9C1 please. One like this below would do just nicely.
Easiest question here ever!
1977-79 Caprice with a V8 (either 305 or 350), F41, AC, and no vinyl roof.
4 doors, or even 2.
Easy choice
Tough one. Been thinking on this since yesterday.
Probably a list is the best I can narrow it down to.
1974 Dodge Charger with a 360 V8.
1975 Chrysler Cordoba with a 318
1973 Dodge Challenger with a 340
Honourable mentions go to:
1973 Olds Cutlass Supreme 350
1974 Chev Malibu 2 door with a 350.
I’ve already started thinking about the 80s and that will be even more difficult.
The only full-size ‘70s vehicle we owned was a hand-me-down ‘71 Catalina four-door with the two-barrel 400 seen in the background of the attached photo. Gutless and fairly generic, I really wouldn’t go for one as part of this exercise.
If we have to go big, I’ll take a 23’ 1973 GMC Motorhome, please.
But I don’t want a big American car from the 1970s! (Seriously, if I was alive in the 1970s I probably would have bought an import). And I suppose the the Dart/Valiant doesn’t count as big, does it?
I guess if I have to, I’ll go with the 1977 Impala, like some others before me. 15 years would be a long time to keep that Dodge I bought in 1962, but it’s a Slant Six so it’s still running.
++++My sentiments and choices precisely!
I was alive and driving in the 1970s, and I bought a new ’77 Honda Civic CVCC 5-speed. I was crazy about that car, sold it far too soon, and would put one in my fantasy garage today.
I too was alive and driving in the ‘70’s, and in that decade I bought a Volvo 122S, a Vega GT, and Alfetta sedan, a Ford Fiesta and a handful of motorcycles.
The1970s, huh? Well, a 1972 Impala sports coupe would be my first choice. Second, a 1970-72 Chevelle sports coupe. “Heavy Chevy” option, of course.Third, in the case of the colonnades, a 1973 Pontiac Grand Am. A 1977 Cutlass Supreme coupe. A 1977 Impala coupe.
I add the “Mid-sizers” solely because by today’s standards, they are HUGE!
Despite being the era of smog and safety, there are quite a few I recall fondly. I’d take back my ’71 Caprice, and the ’77 Impala, both well-sorted, comfortable and enjoyable to drive. The 1971-72 Ford full-size is another favorite. Never had a Gran Fury or Royal Monaco but I wouldn’t say no to either.
1976 Eldorado convertible, one of the last series, and drive the heck out of it rather than putting it up as a “collectable” only to have 500 identical ones hit the market at the same time, destroying the values.
Big cars were losing their market very badly during this trying period. When the first embargo hit, all hell broke loose, and the market for big went out the door. Used land yachts were available for pennies on the dollar, and the mid-size and smaller market was lighting up. As much as I loved my 1977 Monte Carlo, it would not meet the criteria of this large car challenge, nor would a Nova, Chevelle, Seville, GTO, Cutlass, Regal, Torino, Elite, Montego, Cougar, Charger, Challenger, Satellite, Road Runner, Cordoba, Magnum, Rebel, or any other midsize or PLC. Add to that list any of the 1978 GM downsized models. I have to go with the few large car choices that stood out during that period, and those are few and far in between.
Since I came of driving age in the 70’s, I was a full on brougham fan, and still have a love of these monsters at heart. But what to choose?
A 1973 LTD Hardtop was given to me as a graduation-from-high-school present. It was the family car hand me down, but I loved it anyway. And while we were a ‘mostly’ GM household, it made me a Ford man. That said, one of my preferences below matches that which I’ve already picked for the 50’s and 60’s… I liked Chevy best as a youngster. A true like-father-like-son scenario.
Here’s the short list, but there are SO many I loved from this decade. Sure, it was peak malaise, but WHAT-EVER!!! ;o)
1972 LTD Convertible… brown with tan top and tan Interior. 429 please. (Sorry Paul.)
1979 Lincoln Mark V, Bill Blass Edition please. Sure I’d rather have the 460 that was not available that year, but that midnight-blue and white combo, STUNNING. So worth it, even if I only got the 400 under the hood.
A basket handle T-Bird would be nice, but I’m sorry. Big as they are, they are MID-SIZE cars and outside the scope of this exercise.
Ok, there’s the Fords.
Now for the car with which I was smitten later into the 70’s… a newly downsized Chevy Impala or Caprice Classic. Here I’d want at least a 305, perhaps a 350, but definitely a SBC under the hood.
Make mine a ’77 with black over silver two-tone, with red pin-striping, and a red crushed velour interior. It would look similar to the car pictured below, but loose the wire wheel covers for something nicer, and a red interior please. I’d prefer the coupe and its formed-over-a-wire back-light, but a sedan looks good in this combo too.
I fell in love with these when they came out, and although I still had a thing for big LTD(s) like a dark blue ’78 Landau… oh yeah… This Chevy may’ve led me down the path to be RetroCamaro Rick here, as opposed to my current handle… OK, that’s just crazy talk, I know… ;o)
Rick, yes I saw your reply to the 1950’s thread, thanks for getting back to me. I guess that was a good guess on the model car.
Those last LTD convertibles were nice looking cars, especially in red. The ’72 LTD convertible was a car my dad briefly considered in 1972. He really wanted a convertible, and while at the Ford dealer he saw one. In the end it was just too big for what he was looking for.
Nice Impala too! I’d have a hard time picking between the coupe and the sedan. After 1980, the coupe lost it’s appeal to me, but those 77-79 coupes looked great!
Though I prefer Ford to any other American manufacturer, I will now have picked a GM for two decades. Funny how that happened to me; I am not a GM fan at all.
1977 Chevrolet Impala or Caprice coupe. I drove these when new; Hertz had several Impala coupes in the Denver fleet. They were very refined and pleasant to drive in the city compared to the big LTDs and previous big Impalas in the fleet. Still think they look crisp after all this time and love the unique backlite. It was a great leap forward (downsize?) in big cars.
I’d have to say the 1975 Imperial… likely a sedan though as I find it’s lines and hardtop styling more beautiful than the coupe’s baroque opera windows.
Nice choice!
On any of those Imperial and equivalent Chrysler two-doors, the opera window treatment for the rear quarter windows was (thankfully) optional. In both cases, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t offered until the 1975 models. These cars were much more tasteful as plain hardtop coupes.
Best looking full size coupes of the era, hands down
In a sign of how things have changed, did anyone else notice that the 1975 Imperial pictured which, one would assume, came standard with every available feature Chrysler had (I thought the only thing that cost extra was the sunroof) doesn’t have a passenger side rear-view mirror?
I mean, WTF?
Here’s what was standard, and what wasn’t.
I’ll cheat. 1970 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe with the 390 horsepower 454 V8. A 60s car with a 1970 VIN number.
See you in the 80s.
Way to dodge the Malaise there, Mike!
Well played.
But for me, it was just too soon to trade in the ’68 Impala that I picked.
My choice too but a standard V8 would suit me fine. Here is previous CC on the car: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1970-chevrolet-impala-the-best-big-car-of-its-time/
I thought of this also. Get a 60s car that made it to 1970, when Ford and Plymouth had gotten too big. I’d make mine the Impala Sport Coupe though, because I was never a fan of the more formal roofs. Also I’d get a 350 V8 with the knowledge that the first oil shock was only 3 years away (as Paul stated in his rules for this exercise).
My other choice would be the one so many others have selected — the bent wire 77 Impala or Caprice coupe, again with the 350 (now the top engine).
I had a ’70 Impala Custom 4 door hardtop way back when, was even that color 🙂 . Alas all mine had was a 327, and before you say they didn’t put 327s in them, I did. Bought the car with only 56k miles on it but with the infamous soft cam SBCs were notorious for back then. Traded a ’74 Pinto with a bad trans for a nice running ’69 327 out of a ’69 Impala and performed my very first engine swap 🙂 .
1974 or 1975 Dodge Monaco (not the Royal Monaco which I feel is too glitzy) or Plymouth Fury III. 440 Magnum 4-barrel.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V, triple black, with the 460 under the hood. Last of the what had become at that point a dying breed, wasn’t nearly as offensive or gaudy as others of the decade, and was developed late enough to where it wasn’t wheezing for power nearly as bad as the Mark IVs of 74-76, plus it looked better as well. As much as I have a soft fondness for 70s broughams and other cars, I can’t in good conscience call them good cars, the Mark V is one of the only exceptions to that for me.
1970 Chrysler 300 convertible. The last gasp.
The rational choice is the 1977 LeSabre Sport Coupe with straight Olds 403 power.
1970 Plymouth Fury
70 Impala or Caprice, or 70 Fury Gran Coupe or Fury GT.
1972 Gran Coupe Plymouth Fury (the one with the hidden headlights in the double hoop grill) black with a tan interior and the 440 engine. Also, the rear fender skirts and the rallye wheels.
1970 Monte Carlo SS454
Checker Marathon with oval opera windows.
’71 Fury III with 360 in Dark Sherwood Green.
Too many to list:
Mopar: ’70 Sport Fury GT 440+6 in bright yellow with a black interior, top and stripes
FoMoCo: ’70 Country Squire or Colony Park white/tan interior/woodgrain 429/C6
GM: ’77 Delta 88 Holiday Coupe 403 T-tops
For show, a 75 Imperial hardtop. For go, a 73 Grand Am sedan (yes, I know it’s an intermediate). I still have the 58 Impala and the Riv.
A 1975 Olds Toronado in all its broughamtastic glory, please. Yes, I’ll take mine in sky blue, thank you.
This is high on my consideration list too – ’75 or ’76. Front wheel drive, a flat floor with 3-wide seating, dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes (in the rear anyway), and high-mounted brake lamps. In the mid-’70s! Way ahead of its time.
1975 to 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis four door in a dark color and a 460.
Everything else pales in comparison.
“Everything else pales in comparison.”
Except my Lincoln. 🙂
Never would have guessed 😀 !
I’m breaking my choices down by category:
Small car:
1970 Toyota Corona 2dr Coupe.
Midsize Family Car:
1978 or 1979 Buick Century Limited 2dr Coupe or Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon Brougham 2dr Coupe. Either must have tutone paint, no vinyl roof, factory mags (lovely Buick black and chrome ones, Olds super stock wheels)., split bench seat,, and all other options.
Midsize Personal Luxury Coupe:
1979 Pontiac Grand Prix. Must be tutone in Black and Tan, no vinyl roof, leather buckets in tan, snowflake wheels, cornering lights. I don’t like the 1978 model as the tutone ends at the base of the roof.
Full size family car:
1977 – 1979 Buick LeSabre 2dr. Must be custom or Limited model. No vinyl roof, Buick steel and chrome wheels, tutone paint, split bench seat, all optioned out.
Full size luxury family car:
1977 – 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d’elegance. Must have the color keyed wheel covers, all the options, and a moon roof.
Full size luxury Coupe:
1979 Lincoln Mark V Bill Blass edition . Lovely with its nautical theme of navy blue with white carriage roof.
1979 Cadillac Eldorado. Must have no vinyl roof, but opera lamps. Can have the standard Caddy wheel covers or the Caddy fake spokes. Must have leather interior. Any color combo. But, not the Biarritz, as that is just too over the top for me.
Luxury European Sized Sedan:
1977 – 1978 Cadillac SeVille d’elegance in black and silver tutone, no vinyl roof., red leather interior, all options, and Caddy fake spokes
This is the hardest to answer because I’ve always considered the ’70s big cars to be dull, tacky, plastic-y, emission-choked, badly assembled barges. But over time I’ve begun to appreciate their neo-classical touches.
So first choice may be a 1978-79 Pontiac Grand Prix (if that qualifies as “big”)–because it has that Grand Prix “elan” but is not so unwieldy and huge like the previous ones.
If not that, then I might go full-on luxo-brougham and get a 1975-79 Lincoln Continental, just for the ultimate in smoothness and silence, with a view over that early ’30s big classic-like hood with the Continental star on the radiator grille.
Hey I had that Grand Prix. I told a long story about it’s rarity, 301 4bbl and 4 speed manual, posi, all power options, etc, sometime in here but it may have been one of those comments that dissapeared upon submission. Seeing the pic made me think of it again.
One of these. Impractical, unreliable, piggish-at-the-pump, and the most beautiful machine my eyes have ever seen. 1970-1971: Sportsroof only and no brown interior.
Did they have sequential turn signal lights in the rear? Haven’t seen one of these in forever!
Indeed they did! 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcerNftDHSE
Either an Olds 98 Regency or Buick Electra Limited/Park Avenue of any year between 1971 and 1979.
The Thinking Man’s Alternative to a more vulgar and flashy Cadillac De Ville.
Wow. So many choices.
Thinking of cars that were considered big in the ’70s (versus now), I’m solidly in “Personal Luxury Coupe” Land.
I’m going to copy Joseph of Eldorado: a 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V. I’d go with the Bill Blass edition, but I love these in that champagne-y silver color.
1970 Dodge Coronet 500 two door hardtop. 340, four speed. Full instrumentation.
Sorry, but that’s an intermediate by 70’s standards. You have to upsize to a Monaco/Polara.
I’ll write to Mr. Townsend and have him send me a letter stating that the Coronet is a big car.
1970 Continental Mark III. I never much cared for the later Marks. Great thread!
And now for something completely different:
Make mine the “Suburban Status Symbol” of the 1950’s/60’s/70’s, with or without the fake wood trim: Ford Country Squire/Country Sedan station wagon. In this time period Ford was indeed “The Wagon Masters” (quoting their long running ads.)
429 V8 engine, every power option on the list, cloth insert seats, c-c-cold Ford Factory Air conditioning, AM-FM radio, aftermarket Michelin X/Sears Roadhandler radial tires & “Airlift” rear coil springs inserts. Green or ivory exterior color.
(1969 ad featured, but still the same basic car for 1970.)
“Go Big Or Go Home”.
My Dad had one….but with the 351…Green, 6 passenger (no rear seats)…it was lightly optioned, did have power disc brakes (which I think were optional…my Uncle had a ’69 4 door hardtop with drum brakes all around)…AM radio…..and the primary reason it got traded so soon in 1973 was due to it lacking Air Conditioning….by then we’d moved from Vermont to Virginia, and acquired a poptop camper taking trips around the area and down to Florida…the ’73 was a Country Sedan (Metallic Brown) but was better equipped than the Squire…our first air conditioned car, it had power locks (but manual windows) AM/FM stereo (first car to have that), and trailer towing package…it had the 400 2v…also a 6 seater. My Dad added air-raise rear suspension (probably an overkill for a poptop)…and electronic ignition which was later yanked (Radio Shack kit)….kept until ’78 when he bought a Chevrolet Caprice Classic wagon…even fancier (probably the plushest car he ever bought) only car bought off the showroom floor…Shearer Chevrolet in South Burlington, VT. They were all nice wagons (the Chevy was the last wagon he ever bought…the Chevy was in accident in ’84 and he went through transition and eventually got an ’86 Dodge 600.
As for me…I’m an admirer of the MOPAR wagons of the early 70’s…and although I don’t normally like vinyl roofs, my choice would be a ’70 Fury GT with a paisley roof (I know it was a mistake, but ….)…not sure what I’d do to replace it (probably remove it completely and go painted)…but hope we’re talking at that time, rather than current times. This is if we are talking full sized. Otherwise, I’d go with a ’70 Hornet 2 door, or later in the decade a ’79 Concord.
A 1973 Dodge Monaco Wagon., just like the one pictured. I bought it during the 1979 fuel crisis for $600 bucks, it had all of 60K on it. Drove it for a year, added 20k miles, and sold it for $1200
Wish I still had it, along with many other cars that have passed through my hands over the years.
My dad had one, in yellow.
It was an awful car.
I had to drive it and it was like driving a giant box of pillows.
No road feel.
I remember wondering what was following me in the rear mirror, and after getting a moment at a stop sign to look closer – realized that it was the rear window. What a giant wreck of a car.
Looked good though.
Is the Matador coupe big enough to be classified as big?
If so, then that. If not that, a ’75-’77 Cordoba with the 400.
If not big enough, then a ’76 Olds Delta 88 coupe with a 350, in poop brown if possible.
…or anything else that goes “Glug Glug Glug” and rides like a cloud.
Having parked my 1962 Chrysler 300 H, I decided that I didn’t need more power (421hp 426 Wedge) but rather better brakes.
So I can’t resist a 1971 Triple black Imperial Coupe with the Industry new four wheel computerized “Anti Skid” brake system.
Suddenly my car has the brakes it should have had 10 years ago.
A ’75 Pontiac Grand Ville Convertible. Triple white, navy blue accents and pinstripe.
I’d take one of those if I could only substitute a dashboard upgrade similar to what the ’75 Buicks and Oldsmobiles received.* The 1971-76 Pontiac dashboard is one of the great disappointments of the era, even more so than the 1969-70 dashboard (which at least still retained the Pontiac Indian-head high-beam indicator).
*Yes, I’m aware that the Olds and Buick dashboards were changed because optional airbags were offered in 1975 and 1976 (likewise, the 1975 Cadillacs got a new dash for the same reason). Of course this option was so pricey that few buyers chose it, but the result was an updated dash design for all the Olds, Buick, and Cadillac full-size cars.
I would have to go with an Ambassador coupe with the 401.
+1 Strange choice I know. But as a Wisconsin boy, Kenosha Cadillacs touch so many memories of home. Neighbor was a Wisconsin State Trooper. Kept his big blue Ambassador cruiser parked next door.
Make mine a ’71 or 72 sedan. ’70 models didn’t have the 401. 73’s of any make ran like crap. The 74′ Ambassador was the last AMC aimed at the full size market. One look at the ugly nose job left even AMC lovers hoping the death was quick and painless.
I will take a 1970 fuselage Chrysler, preferably one of the upscale four door hardtops, but model is negotiable. As long as the USS New Yorker has the 440 V8 with all the trimmings I would be a happy camper. By now, nearly 50 years on, all of the assembly defects would have been corrected and if the Mopar was going to rust it would already have happened. The only thing better than having a Chrysler from this era would be to have the Imperial instead; preferably one of the two door coupes that is a rolling definition of big on the outside, small on the inside.
A 1977 Chevrolet Caprice with a 350 SBC, please. The bent glass coupe is a seriously attractive car, the performance is pretty good for the 70s especially with the F41 suspension, and the fuel economy won’t completely wreck me during the 1979 gas crunch.
1971 Buick Riviera in Nocturne Blue for me, please.
I kind of think the 70’s should be broken into 2 categories. 1970-1975 and 76-79. The early 70’s cars still had some power, a few of them making the most power they ever had, even in sedan and wagon form. The tail end of the muscle car era, it would be hard to chose any brougham sled over a true performer, yet I have an unexplainable attraction to some of the worst malaise mid to late 70’s sedans. To me there is a huge contrast in the American car from 1970-1979. I suppose my picks would be the Monaco police package for an early 70’s car and a 1976 Buick wagon before they were downsized. I do like the 77 wagons also, but for this discussion, bigger is better!
I’ll skip the obvious GM B-body and go with Brendan’s choice, one of the last C-body Mopars and THE last four-door hardtop 1978 Chrysler (fun fact: the pared-down line of Chrysler-brand-only C-bodies for the final year included 4-door hardtops but no post sedans).
I’ve always been a small-car guy, though, and I’d be mightily tempted by the Horizon sitting in the showroom next to it, possibly enough to put in a special order for one with manual everything, high-series broughamy interior, whatever sporty-handling options were on the table – and fender-tip turn signal indicators! Yes, you could get them on an early Omnirizon, and never mind the view of the RH one is probably blocked by the wiper, I want ’em!
I think jonco up above picked the winner, if I can’t have a Mopar B body. 2-door hardtop ‘70 Fury with a big block, slicktop, RWLs, rallyes, no fender skirts, and true-to-era metallic avocado green paint. Black naugahyde buckets with floor shift.
A ‘small’ Caprice bent window coupe in a similar non-broughamed ‘I really want a muscle car’ look and all the motor/suspension I can get isn’t a bad sled either.
Waitaminnit…
I want this. EXACTLY this: http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/plymouth/316070-1970-plymouth-fury-440-convertible-executive-special-order-factory-black-loaded.html
A 1976 Landau model in this colour with the swivel seats and the 400 V-8
Any 1977 thru 1979 Oldsmobile Delta 88 or 98. GM hit a home run with the downsizing of the B and C frame cars in the mid 70’s. My sister had a blue 88 sedan with the crushed velour seat. Very classy car.
Large sized American car for the ’70’s?
There is no way in hell I could ever get that desperate.
I’ll stick with my ’73 Raleigh Sports 3-speed. If I absolutely need motorized, there was always my ’72 Honda CB350.
Syke, there may be an exception made for you, perhaps it can be a large American motorcycle from the 70’s… 🙂
My first motorcycle was a new ’75 Kawasaki 100 street bike, which I outgrew within six weeks and picked up that Honda from a college prof. My first big motorcycle (by the standards of the time) was a new ’79 Triumph Bonneville 750. And, from there, it took off.
Bottom line is that I was never a fan of what became the big American car. The last ‘full size’ (mainly because it was the only size) car I ever really liked was the ’58 Chevrolet. I kinda liked the ’61, but by then my head was already turned by the Corvair, and that’s where my style has been ever since.
And my love of Raleigh 3-speeds has never gone away. My daily errand running transportation for short errands is a ’73 Raleigh Tourist – a bike identical to those ridden in the village scenes in Downton Abbey, rod brakes and all.
Paul, I found your ride. I know you’ve been looking for an excuse to get back to Arizona, here you go: https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/1974-ford-gran-torino-elite/6868024773.html
“Does not currently run”. I wouldn’t pay $6250 for a non running vehicle!
No question that Ford did brougham and malaise better than anyone else at the time. No thanks, I’ll pass!
Had my eye on a new 1970 Monte Carlo with 3 on the tree and a bench seat back then. Wound up with a Volvo 242. I’d go back for the Monte this time. I think they had something similar to that “Panty Cloth” upholstery Ford used to have. Too bad it won’t come with my gf though. Also, I want to keep the Grand Prix, the Studebaker and Packard from prior decades. Hope I didn’t miss something in the rules that would prevent this.
I’ll cheat a little here and more or less duplicate the ‘78 Pontiac Bonneville 2-door owned by a friend’s mom. I’d make mine dark blue with blue velour interior instead of her white with burgundy vinyl. Gas mileage is a concern, so I might try the 301 Pontiac mill instead of her 350 Buick one. If the 301 was too weak kneed, then give me a Pontiac 400, if possible. Otherwise, the 403 Olds.
1970-72 Mercury Marquis Brougham 4 door
1975-78 Mercury Grand Marquis (must have the 460ci V8)
1971-72 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight 4 door
1977-79 Chevrolet Caprice Classic (must have the Chevrolet 350ci V8)
1971-72 Buick Electra 4 door
1970-71 Chrysler New Yorker
1977-79 Buick Electra
1972 Lincoln Continental 4 door
1971-72 Ford LTD
1971-72 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale
1971-72 Buick Centurion 2 door
I like the early 1970’s vehicles a lot better than the late 1970’s vehicles
Excellent choices, DD!
I also liked the early 1970’s better.
I liked the pre-Malaise era automobiles (1970-72) the best because they had much better drivability and performance since they weren’t fully smogged out with 5mph bumpers, Emission Control Devices and Smog pumps
Before we were married, my wife had a 1977 Olds Delta 88 Holiday with the 403/4bbl, FE3 suspension, posi traction and HD cooling system (it was set up for trailer towing). It was a sweet ride and I never should have convinced her to trade it away on that POS Mercury Capri.
I love all of those B bodies, but the only other one I would want is a 1977 Bonneville four door, with the 400 Pontiac and all the other options our Delta 88 had. In dark blue, with a dark blue vinyl roof and a blue velour interior.
I’m initially tempted to say a very-carefully-specced ’78 or ’79 GM B-body 4-door, either a Caprice or an 88.
But If we’re going really big, let’s make it a ’72 Imperial 4-doir, top-of-the-line, as de luxe as possible.
I’m still trying to get my head around why anybody would paint that poor Marquis in matt lilac. Anybody want to hazard a guess at what car that colour belongs on – if any?
A Pepto-bismol bottle?
For contentment I’ll take an early 70’s Chrysler New Yorker. Had a Newport coupe and it was a fine car, would take a few upgrades.
For real use I’ll take an 88 with the 350 diesel. I’m aware that these had a bad rep, but the simple solution was to take them to a GMC dealer for service, they knew what to do with them. The Impala issued to my dad by his company lasted nicely through its service period, while other reps had theirs perish under the care of various Chevy dealers who likely thought a wall job was sufficient for PM’s. And it drove well enough.
What’s a “wall job”? A “pm”?
They parked the car out by a wall instead of actually servicing it.
PM=preventative maintenance
I would take that time machine 10 years forward and get something from the 1980’s
The 1970’s is the decade of bad taste(except for music) and a lot of blah
The 1970s and “BIG”?
There is no other choice.
The 1979 Lincoln Continental Collector’s Series sedan.
If I ever find a ’77 Coupe Deville with steel roof it won’t be my daily driver, but it will be my special one
In the 1970s I started noticing cars, and the one car that always stood out to me was the Ford Elite, Silver with a burgundy landau top. At 10 I was caught up in the great “brougham epoch”.
Not my first pick but deserves honorable mention. The 77 and 78 Olds Toronado XS. GM’S forgotten bent wire glass coupe.
1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V
Eh, the 70s aren’t really my bag, but if I had to choose one, it would the 1971 Buick Rivera. I’m more of a Forward Look nut, and the Riviera still has plenty of style.
I am going to nominate two that I did own and used them as DDs.:
1977 Lincoln Continental Mk V Emilio Pucci edition
1978 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
And one that I would like to own:
1975/76 CAdillac Fleetwood Brougham Talisman
First off, I’m philosophically opposed to the 5mph bumpers, so it’ll have to be something from the earlier part of the dreaded ’70s, the decade that taste forgot.
I was going to say ’71 Riviera, but then I thought I could do better.
Why not go all out and get the biggest land yacht with the wagon body style? I’m torn between a Fuselage Mopar and a GM Clamshell.
Probably a ’72 Olds Custom Cruiser, then. Not quite as ugly as the Pontiac equivalent, but more personality than the Buick. Hold the woodgrain, though.
Other cars I forgot to mention on here are
1970-71 Ford Thunderbird 2 door
1970 Cadillac Eldorado
1973-74 Pontiac Grand Prix w/swivel bucket seats
1970 Cadillac Deville/Fleetwood
Well, if I have to trade in the Merc I previously picked, I would go for a 76-78 Chrysler NYer hardtop sedan in any color with the glove soft leather gut and 440. (I had one and stupidly let it get away) I would even consider an Imp from 74-75 as they are really similar. Brougham all the way with a little Bowie in the 8-track and a full tank of gas.
Honorable mentions:
77-79 Continental Williamsburg Town Car
71-71 Chev Biscayne sedan with 454/Turbo 400
75-76 Buick Estate Wagon (loaded please and with Buick rally wheels)
77-79 Oldsy Holiday 88 with the prerequisite buckets/console and 403.
71 Matador coupe with the seldom seen “Machine” package and 401.
72-73 Dodge Monaco wagon, loaded with a 440.
For the decade of excess mixed with malaise, nothing less than a ’74 Fleetwood Talisman will do.
More seriously, a ’70 Chrysler 300 convertible. What a great taillight design!
One like this with the police suspension, the emissions crap ditched and about 400 hp on the 360 if I were living in the US…
…or the car on the left for Europe.
As someone mentioned earlier, I would love to have a Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman, too.
Remember, it’s a “Fleetwood Talisman”, NOT a Fleetwood “Brougham” Talisman, as selecting the Talisman package elevated you above the plebian ranks of the common “Brougham” title.
ANYONE commoner can have a “Fleetwood Brougham”. YOU have a “Fleetwood TALISMAN”!!
Make ours a 1974 model, please, as the ’74 edition added the ultra exclusive rear seat console which was not included on the ’75/’76 versions.
Also, the ’74 was available with leather seating. This, too, was dropped for ’75/’76.
A stunning ’76 model:
And, to those who don’t believe in fairytales…
Here’s an interior picture of a ’74 Fleetwood Talisman with the leather seating option…
The historic antecedent to the ultra-luxury four passenger armchair interior was found in the full-custom coach-built bodies on luxury car chassis in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The Duesenberg J Arlington by Rollston, known as the “Twenty Grand” is one of the finest examples.
I had the opportunity to ride in a ’74 Fleetwood Talisman twenty-five years ago, it was indeed special.
Glad i’m not alone in understanding what an amazing luxury car this Cadillac Fleetwood (i stand corrected)Talisman really was!!!
My choice: 77 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door with 400cid engine, no vinyl top, rally II wheels and other carefully selected options. Might have to go with the 350 for practicality.
Runner ups:
70 Buick Estate Wagon, or Wildcat convertible
77-79 Buick Estate Wagon (400cid)
71 or 72 Riviera
76 Eldorado convertible
Equal opportunity choices:
Any year Lincoln Mk V
70 or 71 Chrysler Town and Country. But really almost any 70-77 Mopar C body
Full sized cars of the 1970s were so bad – I wouldn’t want any of them, regardless of their cost, perceived luxuries or ability to buy any of them.
I drove them.
They were horrible. No road feel, wallowing listlessly down roads, tires squealing at curves if you went too fast, tippy crapmobiles.
Remember those cop shows popular back then? Watching the “Streets of San Francisco” as Malden and Douglas careened in car chases, losing hubcaps? The bloated Ford products slowly drift around corners like elephants chasing a peanut?
No full sizers for me until 1992 or so.
BTW – Midsized luxury cars like the Monte Carlo, Cutlass or Cordoba are NOT full sized cars – no cheating.
Your memory is spot on! Big wallowing land yachts–even the GM ones until 1977
1974-75 Imperial/1976-78 Chrysler New Yorker 4-door , black, vinyl top delete, either burgundy or black leather interior. 440-equipped, of course….
I could make a long list of cars from the seventies that I’d enjoy.
But for me, my 71 Ford Custom with 302 V8 and AM radio would be grand. Good basic transportation. Mine was also most like the one pictured and even took me and buddy to California and back. A police scanner under the dash helped me as a young radio reporter to stay on top of breaking news stories!
Did Dirty Harry drive one of those?
A 1972 Imperial GT would also be nice. I have heard that a racing prep. Porsche 911 could give the Imp GT a match…
Late to the exercise but have mine which are full size cars of the 70s. Tough call as there are quite a few I like and quite a few of them I drove back in the days. I tend towards the early half of the decade before engines are choked
1970 Oldsmobile 98 with 455 in Aegean Aqua Poly
1971 Marquis Brougham 429 coupe in Maroon
1972 Lincoln Continental 460 4dr in Dark Blue Poly
1977 Caprice 9C1
1978 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham 440 4dr in Silver with red pinstripes and Road Wheels. ATC I and no Lean Burn.
These cars can cruise US 5 or any of the Nevada highways effortlessly which is what they would be for me as they were never practical for around town errands given the size. Need to go smaller for that purpose.
Not sure if full size would encompass wagons but there has to be one.
1970 Ford LTD Country Squire 429 Medium Blue Poly
Nobody even so much as mentioned the post-Abernathy AMC Ambassador, that which first offered air conditioning as standard? Oh well…
See Jon’s comment above.
For me , it would all be cars I remember from my childhood owned by older relatives.
First, a 72-73 Pontiac Grandville 4-door hardtop. My grandfather owned one in the early 80’s. It was a metallic brown with a white vinyl top and white interior. The car was sort of a mystery to me, as I know the history of all the other cars he owned, except the Grandville. I remember a return trip from a family vacation that included my parents, brother, a cousin, and my grandparents to Jekyll Island, GA. I rode back with my grandparents, probable because I was tired of being harassed by my older brother and cousin. I can still remember cruising on some south Georgia highway with all the windows down, in the summer. I never felt like I was burning up or had my hair blowing around too much. We could still carry on a conversation too! Something you can’t do in a newer car!
Next, a 1972 Plymouth Fury Sport Suburban. It was the first car my parents had after they got married. It was yellow with fake wood on the side. I was about 5 or 6 when they traded it on a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass wagon, I hated the Cutlass! Even though my dad is still a dedicated GM man he still says that Plymouth was the best car they ever owned. My mom hated the Plymouth, apparently my dad traded her ’68 Firebird in on it without her consent!
Last, a 1977 Monte Carlo! My uncle owned one for a brief time in the mid-late 80’s. Sadly, it was probably one of the nicer cars he ever owned! Just before he sold it, he painted the Monte a beautiful metallic blue! To this day that generation of Monte is still my favorite.
I consider 1970 to be the end of the peak era for automobiles, 1971-72 to be a transition period from the high compression V8 era to the Smog/Malaise era and 1973 to be the beginning of the Smog/Malaise era which lasted until around 1985.
A toss up between two that I actually owned at one point:. ’72 Plymouth Fury II 2 door hardtop and a ’71 AMC Ambassador Brougham 4 door sedan. Both were great road cars and not horrible on gas.
Since I have one: 1975 Oldsmobile 98 Regency. Recently drove it from New York to Florida and back. Truly a great long distance cruiser, although the 12 mpg (premium) at a steady 75 mph was a bit hard to take (improves to 13.8 at a steady 65, it’s almost not worth speeding). But the rented MKT I took on the same trip last year was not as comfortable or nearly as pleasant to push down 1200 miles of highway. There’s something about those really big cars.
That said, the 75-77 Continental is a tempting alternative as is the 75-78 Imperial/New Yorker. Both are a bit better looking with those great bladed fenders.
`71 Continental mk.lll
`77 New Yorker coupe
So many choices. Torn between 70 Cadillac Fleetwood, 77 town car, 73 imperial. Or perhaps a mark v.
Of all the 70s cars I owned, my favorite was a 78 Ford Ltd landau.
1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. White on White, Leather and Blue undertones inside (carpet).
Before downsizing took hold in latter years of the decade, this was the era of some of the biggest, plushest and bloated land barges in auto history. So, let’s go all the way here. An early ‘70’s Eldorado. 5,200 lbs. and 222 inches of overstuffed luxury, with a standard 500 cubic inch V-8, rated at 400 HP in 1970.
Sorry, but I think I’ll stay in the 60s. See yaz!
This is a tough choice for me, only because there are dozens of cars from the ’70s I like. But I have to choose just one, per the rules. It has to serve me until the ’80s, so it has to be good, reliable, comfortable, and stylish. I think I have my answer…
The 1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car. Why the ’77 specifically? First, it was the final year for both the fender skirts and the proper Lincoln instrument panel. They switched over to a Mercury Marquis shell with Lincoln instruments and trim for ’78, which I felt was a convoluted attempt at de-contenting. It was the first year of the beautiful Mark V style grille shell, which I thought gave the big Continental even more class and presence. The 1977 would still have the 460 4V at least as an option, and still put out a decent amount of power to move 5000 pounds plus of American iron. It’s plush, it’s comfortable, and it makes a statement, but not too loud or bold the way a blingy and less reliable Cadillac would. Turbine spoke wheels would be a must.
1975 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency
1978-1979 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency
1975-1976 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser
1975-1976 Oldsmobile Toronado
1975 Pontiac Grand Ville
1976 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham
1977 Pontiac Grand Prix
1979 Pontiac Trans Am
1975-1978 Cadillac Eldorado
1977-1979 Lincoln Mark V
1977-1979 Mercury Cougar XR7
1976-1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
1975-1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
1975-1978 Chrysler Imperial and New Yorker
1976 Chevrolet Caprice Classic
1977-1979 Lincoln Town Car
I can’t believe I forgot to mention the 1970 Buick Electra and the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight, I always felt 1970 was more of a leftover year of the 1960’s when it comes to automobiles.
I started driving in ’75 so I got a lot of driver’s seat time in cars of that era. I tended to keep cars only a couple of years back then and sometimes had more than one at a time so I went through several “big” cars during that decade. I grew up in a Chevy family and back then brand loyalty still mattered to me, so my preference in the ’70s was and still would be for the full-sized Chevys. However, I wasn’t fanatical about it.
Leaving out the cars I had in the ’70s that weren’t considered “big” or full-size back then, I had a ’71 Impala Sports Coupe 350, a ’72 Fury 360, a ’74 Impala 350, and a sweet, almost new plain Jane blue ex-NJSP supervisor’s unit ’76 Gran Fury 440 Interceptor that invariably picked up the nickname “The Bluesmobile” from my friends.
Last, although it falls just outside the ’70s, I liked the downsize B-body Chevys starting in ’77 and the tightening up they did on the styling in ’80, my second-ever brand new car was a beautiful ’81 Caprice V8.
Tough choice. If I have to trade in the ’67 Continental, can’t find the love for it’s ’70 counterpart. I’ll go for a ’70 Buick Electra 225 2 door.
If it has to be full size, a 78 or 79 Chevy Impala with a small block and F41 or 9C1 suspension. Mid size I’d go for a Niedermeyer spec Fairmont, or a 350 engined Z28.
Does it have to be the biggest in the line-up, because I didn’t really like my ’72 Buick Estate Wagon all that much. I bought it so I could carry everything we had (as opposed to everything we needed) for our new-born baby. Worst mileage I ever got was 2 in short, winter trips around town where the choke never came off. Best was 13 at a steady 55 on the highway.
My favorite 70’s car was the ’73 Cutlass coupe I had as a company car for a while. Certainly not a performance car, but I liked the looks and it was a comfortable cruiser. The only real problem I had with it was the windows in that 2-door were enormous and the driver’s side window would frequently hop its track.
Hello all, long time reader first time poster.
To book end The decade, my choices would be :
1970 Oldsmobile cutlass supreme,
1979 Buick Riviera
Both have a nice touch of class that set them a bit apart from the crowd.
An american full size car of the seventies: A 1976 Chevrolet Caprice 4-door Hardtop. I like the styling of these last big full size Chevy.