5 Ugly But Fun 1970s Cars

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
  • The 1970s decade for automobiles was one of the most interesting and radical in terms of change than any other decade before it. Here's the list of the top 5 ugly but fun 1970s cars.
  • Авто та транспорт

КОМЕНТАРІ • 857

  • @davidbaker4546
    @davidbaker4546 Рік тому +142

    Loved my gremlin. Wish I still had it. I abused it for years doing everything from taking it off road to jumping a hill dukes of hazard style (with 5 ppl in it which broke my transmission in 2) but not still ran. It was unstoppable.

    • @herschelpowers5086
      @herschelpowers5086 Рік тому +16

      The gremlin was one of the best cars ever made my aunt had one it was a tough little sucker

    • @Romiman1
      @Romiman1 Рік тому +21

      The Gremlin doesn't look ugly. It looks FANTASTIC!
      (eccept frontend and interior...) The long hood (with factory V8...) makes it cool.
      And the shape of the rear side windows is copyied by many makes for decades later on...

    • @qwincyq6412
      @qwincyq6412 Рік тому +3

      Had one on rental for my honeymoon. That car would swap ends as fast as you could look at it! Was worse than the mustang.

    • @77buickregal81
      @77buickregal81 Рік тому +12

      @@Romiman1
      Hey, you are so right. AMC Gremlins were _NEVER_ ugly cars. They actually had a little cute style of their own... Can't say the same for some other cars featured in the video.

    • @lancerevell5979
      @lancerevell5979 Рік тому +12

      AMC never got the respect it deserved. Being Number Four, they had to ride the bleeding edge of styling to get noticed. Gremilns lasted on the roads a lot longer than the competition from Ford and Chevy. Gremlins were cute too, very good personal cars.

  • @dihydrotestosterone
    @dihydrotestosterone Рік тому +26

    The grand am doesn't belong on the list.. 🎉

    • @kmyre
      @kmyre 6 місяців тому +4

      Was it not fun? It check the ugly box for sure

    • @common12
      @common12 5 місяців тому +6

      Totally agree- looked great in the era!

    • @johnmcmullen456
      @johnmcmullen456 Місяць тому +1

      Like the 2 door Grand Am, but 4 door model is ugly.

    • @markkunkel7401
      @markkunkel7401 Місяць тому

      Agreed. Beautiful lines and front end

    • @buglover-qb1dq
      @buglover-qb1dq 14 днів тому

      It had great lines.... But not everyone liked those distinctions

  • @dannyg6592
    @dannyg6592 Рік тому +62

    The Grand Am was attractive in two or four door. I liked the looks of the Bricklin. Its bumpers were way too large, but I forgive them as they were a tiny manufacturer with very limited resources, trying to meet the new 5 mph bumper laws. The Espada was odd looking, exotic and fast. The Gremlin and Thing were both so homely, they were also sort of cute.

    • @smgdfcmfah
      @smgdfcmfah Рік тому +2

      I hate all four doors of that era - coupe or nothing! However, I knew someone with a Bricklin and I loved that car. I used to car pool with his daughter through my young teens and he would occasionally pick me up in it (usually it was parked in the garage). Not only did I get a ride in a cool sports car, but his smokin' blonde teenage daughter would be forced to sit on my lap for the ride - win, win for me young me! I still think the Bircklin is a good looking car and has aged fairly well. The bumpers just make it unique.

    • @kingrex1931
      @kingrex1931 Рік тому +1

      I think that the Bricklin had 10 mph bumpers.

  • @michiganmotorsports
    @michiganmotorsports Рік тому +94

    It was a good time to be into cars for me.
    I was born in '64 and was a car encyclopedia by age 12. Could tell the make of the car by the exhaust sound driving by my house. My parents had me check out all their new cars in the '70s and '80s before they bought them.

    • @Funsho97
      @Funsho97 Рік тому +10

      My friends and I used to do that also, we could tell you what car was coming down the street just by the sound of the engine and at night we would identify cars by the headlights!!!

    • @mudman6156
      @mudman6156 Рік тому +8

      I could identify any car by it’s headlight configuration. Cadillac was the first company to introduce the square headlights on their 1975 model year. And Lincoln first introduced the European headlights on their new Lincoln MkVII coupe. One of my all time favorite cars is the big Lincoln MK V.

    • @nonelost1
      @nonelost1 Рік тому +11

      @@Funsho97 One especially had to be familiar with the "headlight signature" of police cars, such as Dodge Polaras.

    • @Louis-kk3to
      @Louis-kk3to 4 місяці тому

      64 me too,,,can you believe you're going on 60 ? I've been rebuilding automatic transmissions since I was 14 years old

    • @michiganmotorsports
      @michiganmotorsports 4 місяці тому

      @@Louis-kk3to Next week the odometer rolls over to 60.😆

  • @pjcornell9691
    @pjcornell9691 Рік тому +28

    My Father order and purchased a 1973 4 door white Grand Am with the 455ci engine. He had Von Dutch put a custom paint job on it in 1974... What a Hot car in Scottsdale Arizona back then. And ironically the Bricklin was used as our Scottsdale Police cars in the mid 1970's...

    • @Jjrmtv
      @Jjrmtv Рік тому +3

      good memory!

  • @chrisclermont456
    @chrisclermont456 Рік тому +68

    The AMC Gremlin was an incredibly fun car to drive. It would smoke many other cars in its class with it's torquey inline 6. The V8 version was insane!!!

    • @kenjackson8078
      @kenjackson8078 Рік тому +4

      I swapped out the automatic for a B/W T-10-S 4 speed out of a Rebel. Powered by the completely stock 258 I6, I was still able to pull wheelies in 1st and second. Most reliable vehicle I've ever owned In spite of me treating it like it was a Jeep.

    • @randolfo1265
      @randolfo1265 Рік тому +5

      I had a 1974 Gremlin with the inline 6 and 3 on the floor, I can confirm, smoke the tires anytime you like!

    • @CDBC
      @CDBC Рік тому +2

      My girlfriend had the Levi edition one, 3 on the floor, it was a blast!

    • @mikeweizer3149
      @mikeweizer3149 Рік тому +2

      @@CDBC Seems as though everyone who grew up in the era of bell bottoms and Zeppelin owned either a Gremlin or a Valiant, Duster, Dart or Nova back in the day!.( quite a few Pintos as well). Of all those sub compacts in the 70s the Gremlin was about the best!!!!.

    • @spankynater4242
      @spankynater4242 Рік тому

      I had a feeling this car would be on the list, but I actually thought it looked cool.

  • @patrickmcgoldrick8234
    @patrickmcgoldrick8234 Рік тому +6

    I disagree, I think the 4 door Gran Am was a good looking car whose style is still contemporary today. Great engines,good transmission options.,and great handling.A very underated car at the time.

  • @MrJayrock620
    @MrJayrock620 Рік тому +47

    I’m pretty sure the VW Thing was based of the Kubelwagen from WW2, or at very least it’s successor.

    • @thomasholland7981
      @thomasholland7981 Рік тому +3

      Yeah, I saw a ton of them on Combat! and The Rat Patrol.

    • @kevinhughes9200
      @kevinhughes9200 Рік тому +7

      I've always thought they were as well. All that's missing is flat grey paint and some iron crosses.

    • @hankkingsley9300
      @hankkingsley9300 Рік тому

      I can tell you're not trained for narration. Jesus Christ liven up. Talk about amateur hour. You morons think anybody can do it. BZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTT! The. 19.73. Buick. Was. Thebestcarevermade. But. Some. Would. Disagreewiththis ASsEment?

    • @joseluisherrera4669
      @joseluisherrera4669 Рік тому

      i think the VW 181 (Thing ) was always eclipsed by the smart design of Citroen Mehari

    • @sergioleone3583
      @sergioleone3583 Рік тому +3

      You are 100% correct. I had a friend that had an actual Kubelwagen, and the engine casing had some "interesting" logos on it.

  • @richarda996
    @richarda996 Рік тому +20

    1972 Gremlin with the 258 straight six and automatic cost $2600 out the door. It had towed a 1000# camper 75 mph down intrastate 10 getting 26 mpg. It was a great all around vehicle.

    • @johnmaki3046
      @johnmaki3046 11 місяців тому +1

      AMC "6"s were GREAT motors!

  • @draggonsgate
    @draggonsgate Рік тому +31

    My Mom had a '74 Gremlin, in this funky blue color that looked lavender/orchid-ish in the shade, with denim interior. It had the 304 with an auto tranny, manual steering and brakes. Oh, and an AM radio. That thing was a beast! My Mom loved that car! It was totaled in '82 when she got hit head on by a Buick Electra and walked away. She bought a loaded '83 Spirit, which she absolutely hated. She traded it the next year for a Daytona Turbo.

    • @charlesprice7608
      @charlesprice7608 Рік тому +3

      She had a Levi edition Gremlin. If there ever was a collectible Gremlin your mother had it! 😎👍

    • @richardkaltenbach3961
      @richardkaltenbach3961 Рік тому +2

      Imagine A Gremlin With A 401!

    • @draggonsgate
      @draggonsgate Рік тому +2

      My Mom always liked fast cars. The first car I remember was a '61 Fury, and then she got a '67 Dart with a 318 which she traded on the Gremlin. In 1990, I showed up to show off my new car, and unbeknownst to me, she has bought a new car the day before... I was so proud of my Mercury Colony Park with the wood sides and roof rack... parked next to her new Z-28 with the t-tops... my dad just shook his head... lol

    • @charlesprice7608
      @charlesprice7608 Рік тому +1

      @@draggonsgate was the Mercury a wagon with a rear facing back seat? My uncle had the Country Squire which was Fords Station wagon. Station Wagons where popular in the 70’s

    • @draggonsgate
      @draggonsgate Рік тому

      @@charlesprice7608 nope... side to side

  • @pauldolan4368
    @pauldolan4368 Рік тому +15

    I learned to drive in a 1973 4 door Garnd Am 400 small block. Corduroy inserts on the front buckets, console shifter , what a sweet ride she was !

    • @dryan8377
      @dryan8377 Рік тому +4

      Here here... my parents bought one that was a demo on the show room floor with 6k miles. 4 door, star mag wheels. 400 2bbl, beautiful car. Drove that thing coast to coast a few years later. Funny thing, you had to go thru the right wheel well to change the aft spark plugs on that side. I miss it. To me it was one of the most beautiful cars ever created. The sticker price in 73/74 was around 6500 bucks.

    • @anotherdamn6c
      @anotherdamn6c Рік тому +1

      We got the 2-door in '75 drivers ed. Beautiful car. Awful color--kitchen counter green.

    • @charlesprice7608
      @charlesprice7608 Рік тому +2

      The Pontiac 400 wasn’t considered a small block. It was a different engine than the Chevy 400. The Pontiac 400 was the same size as the 350 and the 455.

    • @akickboxralph1
      @akickboxralph1 Рік тому

      @@dryan8377 I would have LOVED your parents Pontiac! I settled for a '73 Luxury LeMans 4dr in a beautiful metallic red called Buccaneer Red with a white interior. It had the handling package (front and rear stabilizer bars). As a mechanic, I drove many cars and in the day it was the best-handling car I could find. Also, many GM intermediates by '73 (and on) had a crowded engine compartment because most were equipped with air conditioning. making antics like you described necessary to change spark plugs. My '62 Pontiac Grand Prix needed the AC compressor removed to change the left front spark plug buried under it!

    • @camilo1455
      @camilo1455 Рік тому

      @@dryan8377 hear, hear 👂

  • @mudman6156
    @mudman6156 Рік тому +25

    The big Lincoln’s were some of the most beautiful cars ever made. They were certainly the most comfortable as well. Rolls Royce luxury took a distant backseat to both Cadillac and Lincoln. The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible was gorgeous as well. As was the new Seville.

    • @marko7843
      @marko7843 Рік тому

      AND Imperial....

    • @johnmaki3046
      @johnmaki3046 11 місяців тому

      "Eye of the Beholder", buddy!

    • @kmyre
      @kmyre 6 місяців тому

      Except they weren't

  • @lancerevell5979
    @lancerevell5979 Рік тому +18

    VW Thing was the civilian version of a West German Army vehicle, basically their equivalent to our Jeep. Essentially a modernized Kubelwagen from WWII.

    • @jameslester3861
      @jameslester3861 Рік тому

      If I could have bought a VW THING, I would have had it painted and trimmed as the German WWII vehicle, complete with the spare tire mounted on the hood.

    • @markallen2984
      @markallen2984 11 місяців тому

      For years before I could actually drive, I really wanted a VW Thing painted with zebra stripes 🦓

  • @vintageflatulence150
    @vintageflatulence150 Рік тому +20

    Great video. I never owned any of these cars, but I really liked seeing the Grand Ams, Gremlins, and Things. I had a VW Beatle convertible that was great fun, and I have wished many times that I still had that car.

  • @stacygrenier7932
    @stacygrenier7932 Рік тому +6

    1st. I like these cars there not ugly their just different

  • @terry94131
    @terry94131 Рік тому +11

    Say what you will, but my '77 Buick Century got me through grad school with nothing more than a minor coolant leak. And so comfortable!

    • @geraldboykin6159
      @geraldboykin6159 Рік тому +2

      Sweet 70's - I heard no one complain and all have live through the era!

    • @johnmaki3046
      @johnmaki3046 11 місяців тому +1

      Not much to look at, but these ALWAYS ran!

  • @kznte
    @kznte Рік тому +10

    I used to have a 1975 AMC Gremlin X :) I loved driving that little car because of all the funny looks I got with it, especially on the interstates :) Can you imagine a car like that keeping up with the new modern cars of the time doing 65 mph on the interstates? I loved that car and miss it to this day :)

    • @audreyjohnson4599
      @audreyjohnson4599 Рік тому

      Me too. My '75 Gremlin was an ugly lime green, but she was one of the best handling cars I've ever driven. She could turn and stop on a dime. One of my favorite memories was right after I bought her. I pulled into a full-service gas station to fill up, seeing as the gauge was showing below the quarter mark. When the pump showed 16 gallons and kept climbing, the person pumping the gas looked at the car kinda funny, so I explained that Gremlins had a 21 gallon gas tank.
      I called her Greta the Green Gremlin. She always started, even in the winter, and could go almost anywhere a 4 wheel drive could. One spring I plowed mud so deep it knocked the body plugs out of the floor between the front and back seats. I still miss her and her quirks to this day.

  • @grand73am
    @grand73am Рік тому +17

    They didn't call it a Gremlin for nothing :-) . But at least it wasn't bland, and if looking for cheap and practical, it was pretty good.

  • @mattg8369
    @mattg8369 Рік тому +19

    I actually love the look of the Grand Am sedan.

    • @kfh1
      @kfh1 Рік тому +8

      IMHO, the Pacer should've been on this list instead of the Grand Am!!! lol

    • @jmorrow888
      @jmorrow888 Рік тому +3

      Reminds me of the Edsel a bit. People thought it was ugly at the time but looking back it’s a great looking car with an unusual front end design.

    • @dryan8377
      @dryan8377 Рік тому +4

      @@jmorrow888 You should've seen the tv commercials about the grand am back then. It featured a 73 model crashing into a brick wall at 5-6mph, the entire front end collapsing, but coming back to form as if nothing happened. The big flexible nose was the key. We had one. That nose you could punch it all day and it would pop back out!

    • @jmorrow888
      @jmorrow888 Рік тому +3

      @@dryan8377 The feature you didn't know you needed!

  • @stanleysteemr1316
    @stanleysteemr1316 Рік тому +13

    The cars I thought were ugly back in the day seem much more attractive now. My attitude and vision has changed 64 years later. How did that happen.? lol

    • @TimothyMichaels
      @TimothyMichaels Рік тому +8

      It sneaks up on you, then one day POOF 💨 changed 😐

    • @nate678
      @nate678 Рік тому +9

      It doesn't help that the newer cars are getting uglier every year. Or maybe it does 😂

    • @stanleysteemr1316
      @stanleysteemr1316 Рік тому +1

      @@nate678 you made me laugh. lol

    • @WinterInTheForest
      @WinterInTheForest Рік тому +4

      @@nate678 This. Even the ugliest cars of yesteryear had unique styling whereas every make and model today has the same appalling features.

  • @chitown1098
    @chitown1098 Рік тому +6

    Could not disagree more about the Pontiac Grand Am 4 Door. Really beautiful sedan with the honeycomb wheels. The lines were much better than the 2 door.

  • @unarammer2003
    @unarammer2003 Рік тому +11

    I remember a Chevrolet truck commercial in the 1980's "DONT YOU BUY NO UGLY TRUCK!!!"classic...

    • @haworthlowell805
      @haworthlowell805 Рік тому +4

      Yes, and look at what thry're selling now!

    • @terrygugel3803
      @terrygugel3803 Рік тому

      I think that was a dodge commercial in the 90's

    • @unarammer2003
      @unarammer2003 Рік тому

      @@terrygugel3803 come on man,you gotta admit that a dodge prospector is an ugly truck...

    • @terrygugel3803
      @terrygugel3803 Рік тому +1

      I agree,just remember the commercial on TV I'm a Ford fan myself

    • @unarammer2003
      @unarammer2003 Рік тому

      @@terrygugel3803 they probably all had one..this was one of those hurry hurry hurry...don't you buy no ugly truck,come on down to dipshit chevrolet

  • @gobbletegook
    @gobbletegook Рік тому +23

    A friend of mine in high school (1973) got a brand new GREMLIN with the LEVI option trim package. It had denim seats, which included copper buttons and the LEVI tags sewn into the seat stitching. Not a great car (it kind of fell apart within 5 years) but it served a purpose back then. It was made here in WISCONSIN, when AMC was a big thing in Milwaukee and Kenosha.

    • @me8042
      @me8042 Рік тому +3

      I kind of wonder if it would have lasted longer if it wasn’t owned by a high school student. I remember how high schoolers drove.

    • @bjones8470
      @bjones8470 Рік тому

      I would have loved the Levi interior when I was a teenager!!!

    • @leonwaltemate6152
      @leonwaltemate6152 Рік тому +1

      I lived in Kenosha when AMC was still in business and it was a civic duty to drive one of their cars.

    • @johnmaki3046
      @johnmaki3046 11 місяців тому

      The Gremlins were okay!

  • @BobGeogeo
    @BobGeogeo Рік тому +18

    Thanks for this. Most people class the Espada as a 4 seater instead of a 2+2. That's one reason for the front overhang - to push the V-12 away from the passenger compartment.

    • @johnchurch4705
      @johnchurch4705 Рік тому +5

      Harry Metcalf & Jay Leno love their Espada’s.

    • @christiansanden8005
      @christiansanden8005 Рік тому +5

      Awesome car❤❤❤

    • @ceedoubleyou
      @ceedoubleyou Рік тому +5

      until youtube, didn't realise there was a love hate thing for the Espada, I have always loved it, just can't imagine anything designed by Ghandini being ugly.

    • @christiansanden8005
      @christiansanden8005 Рік тому +1

      @@ceedoubleyou Agree

  • @petertornabeni602
    @petertornabeni602 Рік тому +10

    I think the Pontiac is a stretch - the rest of these cars . . Well I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder huh !

    • @johnmaki3046
      @johnmaki3046 11 місяців тому

      Pontiac "style" REQUIRED LIQOUR CONSUMPTION!

  • @LerockJohn
    @LerockJohn Рік тому +3

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Gremlin was soooo out there along with the Pacer. Love them both!

  • @KevinSan88
    @KevinSan88 Рік тому +7

    That white on burgundy GrandAm coupe is a sweet looking package

  • @jons.6216
    @jons.6216 Рік тому +5

    The Buick Apollo was pretty out there as well!

  • @jwelchon2416
    @jwelchon2416 Рік тому +9

    I had a Gremlin with the V8. It was a blast to drive, I enjoyed it more the 75 Corvette I had at the time. The Bricklin was a classic example of trying to make the government happy rather than car buyers. Plus it competed with the Ford Pantera which was a beautiful car.

  • @matthewlibanio8227
    @matthewlibanio8227 Рік тому +9

    Always wanted a VW thing. Hahaha. Great video!

    • @dryan8377
      @dryan8377 Рік тому +2

      The things were amazing and still are! Driven many of them, mostly as rentals in other countries. Try to find one these days... big bucks!

  • @victorvance2573
    @victorvance2573 Рік тому +7

    I must say the Espada has always been my favourite Lambo! I even prefer it to the also fantastic Countach and Miura.

  • @anotherdamn6c
    @anotherdamn6c Рік тому +2

    That 2-door Grand-Am was our Drivers Ed car in 1975. Kitchen counter green. Good times.

  • @plap.
    @plap. Рік тому +12

    I was very young when the thing came out. My dad had a 68 bug so VW was something I kept up with. I remember the things release and TV commercials well. For the longest time i thought everytime you drove it under a bridge overpass or behind a tree or building it changed colors and got covered in some pattern such as polkadots or stripes. Thought it was awesome and more than once tried to convince my parents we needed one.

    • @nastybastardatlive
      @nastybastardatlive Рік тому

      It's a re-badged NAZI Kubelwagon. Look it up.

    • @plap.
      @plap. Рік тому +1

      @@nastybastardatlive I know what it was. When I was three or four the last thing on my mind was ww2

  • @THROTTLEPOWER
    @THROTTLEPOWER Рік тому +2

    Great vid, really enjoyed!! 👍👍

  • @alphawoolf5981
    @alphawoolf5981 Рік тому +5

    Aside from the Pontiac, you were waaaaay off-base with your picks of ugly cars. The Bricklin, in particular, was a beautiful car.

    • @kfh1
      @kfh1 Рік тому +2

      I know it had it's short comings, but I always liked the look of Bricklin!!!

  • @armyvet8978
    @armyvet8978 Рік тому +1

    I had a brand new Gremlin X in 1973. Inline 6 with manual trans. I was stationed at Ft. Hood and lived in Houston, and went home almost every weekend. Put almost 50,000 miles on it in a little over 2 years. Not one problem, never left me stuck on the side of the road.

  • @joecosta5189
    @joecosta5189 Рік тому +5

    The AMC Pacer looked like a fish bowl

  • @richmeyer2064
    @richmeyer2064 Рік тому +17

    Taste is subjective, I always admired the 4 door Grand Am and it's longer wheebase. The body colored flexible nose was ahead of it's time compared to the huge bumpers fitted on most cars to comply with new government bumper regulations. Enjoyed the video.

    • @dryan8377
      @dryan8377 Рік тому +4

      exactly! It was designed specifically for that purpose to beat the 73 fm regs that came into play back then for 5mph bumper survivability.

    • @danielweyant1461
      @danielweyant1461 Рік тому +1

      Being slightly ahead of the world is a dangerous place in marketing

    • @onlyrog5
      @onlyrog5 11 місяців тому +1

      I don't think anybody disagrees with you.

  • @Onteo1
    @Onteo1 Рік тому +11

    The Bricklin ugly ? Still a great car in my book and it handled very well. Drove one at a dealer I worked at. I still want one today.

    • @spankynater4242
      @spankynater4242 Рік тому

      That was the point of this video: ugly but fun cars to drive.

  • @kentkrueger6035
    @kentkrueger6035 Рік тому +20

    I always liked the AMC Gremlin. I thought it was a fine looking car, albeit a bit unconventional.

  • @Jim-hu6ou
    @Jim-hu6ou Рік тому +4

    My first car was a 73 Grand Am two door. Even tho emissions had choked horsepower the 7.4L 3 speed, it laid rubber in 2nd gear at 70 mph. Loved that car!

    • @alfx5432
      @alfx5432 8 місяців тому

      That's was cool. I remember that car. GM needs to get back in the game, they need to build affordable reliable gas saving cars. Can they do it.

  • @andykerr3803
    @andykerr3803 Рік тому +3

    I had the 4×4 version of the Gremlin called the Kammback, it was fun and great in winter.

  • @desertsunman5880
    @desertsunman5880 Рік тому +2

    Thx for the Memories 🎯🤙🏄‍♂️😎

  • @ljmorris6496
    @ljmorris6496 Рік тому +5

    The '74 GTO was actually a good seller with decent performance, they should had kept it on the Ventura. The Firebird was the "GTO" of the late '70s and beyond..

    • @joyceleadbetter2600
      @joyceleadbetter2600 Рік тому +2

      74 GTO should of still had the 400 in it. Even better a 455 option.

    • @ljmorris6496
      @ljmorris6496 Рік тому +1

      @@joyceleadbetter2600 I disagree a bit. More than likely if GTO continued with maybe an available 400 option until a probable '77 downsize Lemans based GTO w/301 HO woulda replaced Ventura GTO.
      I say this because fuel economy/emissions at the time and GTO sales were being stolen by Firebird until Ventura GTO was available plus the Firebird overall was a better performance car in corners than any GTO at that time.

  • @Kevv554
    @Kevv554 Рік тому

    Your videos are fantastic. I really enjoy them!

  • @Pancreaticdefect
    @Pancreaticdefect Рік тому +3

    I love the Espada.

  • @MrCapi55
    @MrCapi55 Рік тому +5

    Small Correction:
    The US called "Thing" was used Since WW II, not since Western Germany.
    It was the VW type 82 "Kübelwagen".
    "Kübelwagen is a contraction of Kübelsitzwagen, meaning 'bucket-seat car (Wikipedia quote)"

    • @davidyoung8521
      @davidyoung8521 Рік тому

      It was a tribute to the WW2 German "jeep". There was an amphibious version of the Kubel.

    • @davidyoung8521
      @davidyoung8521 Рік тому

      Strap a MG-42 on the hood of a Thing and paint it grey.

  • @averyparticularsetofskills
    @averyparticularsetofskills Рік тому +3

    This channel is so interesting for so many reasons. I've got to be honest and say I'm addicted to it and am always ready for the next one. I enjoy and respect your opinions. Keep em coming!✌
    Stay Safe
    &
    Be Well

    • @spankynater4242
      @spankynater4242 Рік тому +1

      Except the narrater sounds like he's on lithium.

    • @averyparticularsetofskills
      @averyparticularsetofskills 7 місяців тому +1

      ​@@spankynater4242 👌 facts...
      Has to be a bot reader!!
      No one with real flesh sounds like a 1985 "See n Say"

  • @MichaelandCathy1999
    @MichaelandCathy1999 Рік тому +4

    Bricklin was built in New Brunswick, not your Detroit of Canada. I remember seeing this in Montreal in the day, but that was rare.

  • @5litreho
    @5litreho Рік тому +5

    I had a 1972 Gremlin X that came stock with a 304 V8 and 3spd manual. It was fast and fun. Then I pulled the engine and Trans, and installed a 360 4bbl and torqueflite 727 auto. Then the Gremlin became stupid fast and hard to stop with manual drum brakes...

  • @201950201950
    @201950201950 Рік тому +5

    Thank you! That was a real fun video to watch. Hey, would you ever do a video on the sub compact cars of the '70s like the Dodge arrow?

    • @johnmaki3046
      @johnmaki3046 11 місяців тому

      The Plymouth/Dodge "Arrows" were "built" by Mitsubishi! 'NUFF SAID!

  • @treesnmoguls
    @treesnmoguls Рік тому +1

    Fun Video! I never thought the Gremlin was ugly, but the Thing, yes it was ugly! My neighbor had an Orange one. It sounded EXACTLY like a Beetle (same engine and transmission, I believe...).

  • @timjohnson5519
    @timjohnson5519 Рік тому

    Thanks for creating this list. I had a '74 Gremlin, blue with gold accent stripes and Levis interior. Loved that car!

  • @whitsundaydreaming
    @whitsundaydreaming Рік тому +6

    I really liked the submarine doors and “colonnade” styling of the mid 70’s GMs. Of course the Grand Am coupe was sexier but the sedan was no wallflower.

  • @JeffFrmJoisey
    @JeffFrmJoisey Рік тому +9

    The Grand Am also came in a Police Package for a few years. Rutgers University Police used them for a couple of years. They looked sharp in their bright white paint with red and black markings and a red Twinsonic light bar up top.

  • @berean65
    @berean65 Рік тому +2

    They may be called ugly today, but they sure look better than today's cars and trucks!

  • @nlpnt
    @nlpnt 9 місяців тому +2

    Four doors was a HUGE IMPROVEMENT to the Grand Am's looks, since it deleted those fugly window louvers! GM only had one attractive quarter window treatment for the Colonnade coupes, the thin-pillared triangular ones that were clearly the original intent, and as the run progressed it was more and more restricted to the base models only.

  • @westhavenor9513
    @westhavenor9513 Рік тому +20

    The problem with the Bricklin was the old school engine choices in a time of very high fuel prices, not the bumpers. I owed the Datsun at the time. It was totally gutless by then, but at least the fuel economy was acceptable. Also, the Bricklin was really expensive.

    • @richardkaltenbach3961
      @richardkaltenbach3961 Рік тому +1

      Imagine The Bricklin With A 401!

    • @randolfo1265
      @randolfo1265 Рік тому +1

      So Right - It was not the bumpers that did them in. Everything you said, plus the gull wing doors were unreliable and quality control was dodgy.

    • @daveondre4892
      @daveondre4892 Рік тому +4

      If you could afford the car legitimately, one would not care about gas mileage on a car at that price point

    • @jimoconnor6382
      @jimoconnor6382 11 місяців тому

      The Brickland became the DeLorean and some say the Brickland was the AMC Vixen which is why they used a 390. Kinda cool

  • @SierraBravo347
    @SierraBravo347 Рік тому +6

    My first car was a '73 Gremlin. I paid a Benjamin for it.

    • @davidmitchell6873
      @davidmitchell6873 Рік тому

      You over paid.

    • @SierraBravo347
      @SierraBravo347 Рік тому +3

      @@davidmitchell6873 Lol, it was only 9 years old, and I was in High School and had a paid off car.

  • @CICatinga
    @CICatinga Рік тому

    For sure driving a vw thing is such fun! Without the roof and folded down the windshield, is like driving a bathtub in wheels… 😂😂 1976 VW Thing owner… thanks for share!

  • @D.E.Middleton
    @D.E.Middleton Рік тому

    Great content. Thanks.

  • @3.2Carrera
    @3.2Carrera Рік тому +2

    In the late 80's when I was in High School (and these were all just used cars), my buddy bought the ugly Cutlass and while it had no HP it still had torque. We had dirt roads all over and made a track and it was a fantastic drifter with extended reverse lock tail out action. Loads of fun for the HP dollar. Also in S FL there's a guy with a Bricklin that goes to the car shows. He's a fanatic for sure.

  • @theodoredugranrut8201
    @theodoredugranrut8201 Рік тому +2

    Hey I had a 74 Grand am, very cool car the endurance front end was its downfall. No replacement parts.

  • @msbae
    @msbae Рік тому +3

    The AMC Pacer, Ford Pinto and Chevy Vega should have also been on this list.

    • @Raptor3388
      @Raptor3388 Рік тому +1

      The Vega is a lovely design, crappy quality but in that category, I can't think of anything better. The Pinto is nice too. Much better than a bland Golf or some other subcompacts.
      The Pacer is goofy, yeah not very pretty, but fun. Not ugly though.

    • @kaysguy
      @kaysguy Рік тому +3

      The Vega didn't look bad. It was just an awful car .

    • @Primus54
      @Primus54 Рік тому

      My generation was just starting to be able to afford new cars when the Vega came out. We called them mini-Camaros due to the front end similarities. But boy, were they complete junk!

  • @nonenonnenopenonenomorefor5556
    @nonenonnenopenonenomorefor5556 19 днів тому +1

    My buddy has a 74 in early 80s highschool his dad and us painting it .had the 400 in it fun times in Illinois

  • @genxskeptic5816
    @genxskeptic5816 Рік тому +2

    The ‘75 Grand Am 4 door looks a bit like my first car. A 1976 Olds Cutlass sedan. I bought that Cutlass in ‘82 and drove it until it started falling apart in ‘93. 😂

  • @evenstargalaxy9586
    @evenstargalaxy9586 Рік тому

    Loved this video thanks. Have you done a 70’s Thunderbird video?

  • @calvincooley1074
    @calvincooley1074 Рік тому +2

    Grandpa had a73 GA, 4dr, endura, 400, buckets & console in FUGLY green

  • @mr_gamble_good
    @mr_gamble_good Рік тому

    That's a beautiful color on the 4 door GTO! I wish we could see more of the interior of these classics.

  • @patpeterson2671
    @patpeterson2671 Рік тому +1

    The VW Thing was super popular in exotic places as a vehicle rental , usually arranged through the hotels ..... and especially in the Caribbean and Central America and the South Pacific islands too ....

  • @paulhiebert1887
    @paulhiebert1887 Рік тому +2

    Fun fact in 74-75 Eugenie Street in Saint Boniface (Winnipeg MB Canada sub division) had all five cars on the street, although the Lamborghini only drove for about 6 weeks and broke down and parts were unavailable for it. It was owned by an Italian doctor who brought from Italy when he did a training program at the Saint Boniface Hospital. It was a great time for an eight year old car nut. Another car that could have made this list was the first generation 64 to 66 Plymouth Barracuda. The original design was designed more like the 2nd generation, but the bean counters weren't convinced that there was much of a market for a nimble smaller pony car and okayed production but insisted that they hed to use as much body panels as they could from the Valient. The result was a car that looked odd from certain angles.

  • @WhittyPics
    @WhittyPics Рік тому +2

    My dad had a 73 4 door Pontiac Lemans. I knew a guy with a AMC Gremlin. We used to make fun of those along with the Pacer.

  • @nucleargrizzly1776
    @nucleargrizzly1776 Рік тому +5

    I had forgotten how attractive those early 2 door Grand Am's really were.

    • @mrsamsung8184
      @mrsamsung8184 Рік тому

      Can Ams were cooler

    • @nucleargrizzly1776
      @nucleargrizzly1776 Рік тому

      @@mrsamsung8184 Way cool. But well into the emissions choked bad years of Pontiac.

  • @zrocks2001
    @zrocks2001 Рік тому

    The Grand Am was awesome my best friend got one back when we were in college maybe 86 it was rough on the outside but the performance was like a rocket or something you would never imagine.

  • @timothyirwin8974
    @timothyirwin8974 Рік тому +3

    The VW Thing is practically a Kubelwagen from the Second World war slightly modernized. Would you describe the 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda beautiful or ugly?

  • @joshuacohn2004
    @joshuacohn2004 Рік тому +3

    You are a true car historian and I really enjoy all of your videos thank you!!!!

  • @throttlewatch4614
    @throttlewatch4614 Рік тому +2

    The Gremlin was my first car

  • @MillerMeteor74
    @MillerMeteor74 Рік тому

    We had a `74 LeMans that my grandparents had bought in `75 as a leftover. They gave it to us in 1980. I remember that water went in the trunk when it rained...
    I remember hearing about Bricklins, but never saw one. I actually saw a VW Thing a couple years ago. Very cool.
    The guy has a strange way of talking, but I enjoy these videos anyway.🙂

  • @jasonmurdoch9936
    @jasonmurdoch9936 Рік тому

    Excellent video especially about the gremlin with the 252 inline 6 is the same motor that's in my Jeep Grand Cherokee 1998 250.000 Mi and running like a clock

    • @johneckert1365
      @johneckert1365 Рік тому

      Similar, not the same. The 258 is a 4.2 and the motor in your Jeep is a 4.0
      Same basic design features though 👍

  • @tomrinehart3022
    @tomrinehart3022 5 місяців тому +1

    Had a Grand Am - great car! Had a 400cid engine…fantastic handling!

  • @davidallen5776
    @davidallen5776 Рік тому +11

    The Pontiac was perhaps the most interesting that year.

  • @enhancementtank5876
    @enhancementtank5876 Рік тому +2

    That Espada is a must own and its own unique entity. A true man's car

  • @jasonz7788
    @jasonz7788 Рік тому

    Awesome thanks 👍

  • @sewluna
    @sewluna Рік тому +1

    Ugly is strictly subjective! I love ALL these cars! I would own any of them!!

  • @elliotdryden7560
    @elliotdryden7560 Рік тому +2

    Close friend had an OD "Thing" in High School. It inexplicably caught fire one night at Myrtle Beach during First Week. Were fires common in these, or was it just the "First Week Curse"?

  • @impalaman9707
    @impalaman9707 Рік тому

    I, for one, would be PROUD to be seen driving one of those mid-70s Pontiac Grand Ams--coupe or sedan! I LOVE their body shape! They remind me of a "flying saucer on wheels"!

  • @tomfrazier1103
    @tomfrazier1103 Рік тому +1

    The '72 Gremlin was our family car, the only car bought new by my Grandparents I6 Mom sold it to enthusiasts c1983, mint condition. I myself had two '70s cars, '72 Dart sedan, 318, '77 LeSabre sedan, Olds 350, $100 & $200 cars.

  • @trigger90069
    @trigger90069 Рік тому

    Such a great vid. I want a Gremlin now!

  • @DocJ58-OCB
    @DocJ58-OCB Рік тому

    I had a 74' Grand Am 4 dr, I loved it....it was metallic Green with a white vinyl top and a 455 c.i.d.

  • @larryboysen5911
    @larryboysen5911 Рік тому

    I drove a close cousin to the Grand Am...a two door Pontiac Luxury LeMans. Blue body white interior and vinyl top and rear fender skirts. Bought new, drove it for 33 years. Nice car to drive.

  • @arevee9429
    @arevee9429 Рік тому +7

    I don't find the 4 door Grand Am or the Gremlin that ugly. And at least the Gremlin was a bit more reliable and solid than the comparable cars from Ford and Chevy. The 70's did have no shortage of ugly cars thanks to the battering-ram bumpers.

    • @lastgoateddie
      @lastgoateddie Рік тому

      The Punto was very reliable. Their 2.3 was even used in the Rangers.

  • @brianmoore6306
    @brianmoore6306 Рік тому +2

    Uh-oh. I love the 1973-1975 Pontiac Grand Am. I like the styling! I liked the two-door better...but I like the four-door too.

  • @Badge1122
    @Badge1122 11 місяців тому +2

    The most beautiful and great car of the 70's was the 72 Monte Carlo. I would rather have one than any new car on the market.

  • @bikingD
    @bikingD Рік тому +6

    Gremlin was way better looking than a Pacer, Pinto or B210 Datsun in the compact area. Plus was a better car than any of those. The X was actual very cool looking and aged very nicely.

  • @V8AmericanMuscleCar
    @V8AmericanMuscleCar Рік тому +3

    When I was a kid, my parents had a Beetle. I really didn't like that car. Than my parents decided to sell it and I was very happy! But not for long, they bought another Beetle. Thank goodness Thing wasn't available in my country! 😅

  • @josephdominics5935
    @josephdominics5935 Рік тому

    Old Grand Am looks kinda cool today. Looks real good.
    Man that Turbo Z was one of my dream cars.

  • @frankszabo6839
    @frankszabo6839 Рік тому +1

    Remember it like yesterday my dad my uncle and myself all were at Moody Pontiac in Ft Lauderdale. Thought that it was a good car back in the day. Good times

  • @debbiebermudez5890
    @debbiebermudez5890 Рік тому +4

    Mr. B. Here ! Am a big fan of GM A body’s they had some short comings ! But today’s vehicles with no style at all ! Today’s vehicles make the so call ugly car look like master pieces.

    • @debbiebermudez5890
      @debbiebermudez5890 Рік тому

      Good morning to all ! Thank you all ! It is good to see all of us have open minds ! Have a great day !

  • @KoldingDenmark
    @KoldingDenmark Рік тому +4

    Absolutely LOVE the look of the Espada and always have. Last time I saw one was in Palm Springs.

  • @KameraShy
    @KameraShy Рік тому +3

    I had a 73 Grand Am two-door. Loved that car. Beautiful and always got compliments about it. Ran great, drove great. It once started at 27 below zero. It tore me apart to get rid of it but after 19 years it had just rusted out too bad to keep.