I remember as a kid hearing a car start in a parking lot and you always knew immediately whether it was a GM, Ford or Chrysler product. They all had very distinct sounding starters unlike today's vehicles everything sounds exactly the same whether it's American, German, .Japanese or Korean. All sound exactly the same....YAWN!
@@Zakman-ko3lq Ya it was a crappy gear reduction starter and mopars of the era need lots of cranking and they would not easily start (If at all) when it was damp/wet out or someone walked by with an ice cream cone.
californiahummus, I had a 1966 chrysler 300 that had 4 ashtrays and 3 cigarette lighters...I now have a 1967 New Yorker with 3 ashtrays and 3 cigarette lighters...one step at a time eh?
I grew up a Ford guy (thanks to my dad) but those Polaras hauled ass, especially with the big block 440’s. One of my friends, a tiny little girl, used to drive her dad’s Polara like an escaped felon - that thing was a rocket!
Yep, and with all 3 of them having about the same power from outdated engines, the same prices and so similar looks it did not really matter which you choose.
'71 - '76 and some even later mid - full size cars and pickups were gas hog cars with weak engines... compared to 1950's - 1970... Good MPG started coming back in 1976 with Pinto Pony 30 MPG and even better MPG in Pontiac Astre and Chevy Vega......
The polara and its cousin the fury were used by the CHP. The torsion quiet ride, the 440ci magnum and the torque flite were known for their bulletproofness. Rare car nowadays and not many around.
My brother had a 71 Polara that was a used CHP car. It had a 440 with all the police goodies. He took the engine apart and souped it up. That car would run ! It chirped the tires going on the 1/2 shift and the 2/3 shift. We had it to 145 mph on a certified speedometer. The spotlight was left on the car when he bought it at the CHP auction and the car was black and white without the logos of course. It was great fun to drive over the speed limit in the fast lane and watch people move out of the way as fast as they could. We drove by laughing and got flipped off a few times. The car really sucked gas, but gas was cheap. Great memories.
For those old enough to know, These were slide shows that appeared in the dealership, usually on a small table-top "box" unit. The sound you hear is for you to manually advance to the next slide! Ah 1970's technology! My grandmother owned a 1971 Plymouth Fury (cousin of Polara). It was a big lazy beast and if you hit something, you never got a scratch but you most likely destroyed whatever you hit! Go granny, go granny, go granny go!
The Chrysler products during this era seemed to be the "Poor man's" this or that, but in reality they were really good, well engineered, if GIGANTIC American cars. (we American's use to love our BIG cars!) When I was a kid back in the '60's every boy knew the different U.S. car's, both by sight as well as the different sounds they made. Today not only do they all pretty much look alike, they all make the same sounds. Also, there is a complete lack of not only U.S. automobile brand loyalty but national loyalty as well. It's a different world than the one in which I grew up. Back then the different branches of, for example Ford, Lincoln and Mercury would compete even among themselves, and have dozens of different models and "option packages" to chose from. Now Ford is going to make just FOUR DIFFERENT CARS! (as of a 2019 Ford press release) and a more or less "What you see is what you get" policy. This Chrysler Corp. no longer exists. Not too much American about it now. How I miss the old days when American cars ruled the American and world roads.
Yeah its a real shame. Chrysler is basically half Italian now as the FCA. GM is doing ok I guess, except for the strike back in September. And who the hell knows what Ford is doing after they showcased the Mustang Mach E. And great branches like Mercury, Plymouth, and Pontiac have ceased to exist. I never noticed it before but my Nissan sounds exactly the same as every other car except for European and Japanese sports cars and American muscle cars. They no longer sound loud and thrilling. Which is nice for a city but not so nice when you want to open up on a long country road and don't get to hear any cool sounds from the engine. At least back then if one company branch copied a car from the other, they redesigned the car's looks and made it look really different. Like the Mercury Cougar and the Ford Mustang. It doesn't feel like they even try anymore in that sense, for instance, the Escalade, Yukon, and Suburban. I was born in 2001 in Texas to immigrants from India who drove around on old motorbikes during their education in India and have since sworn to never drive a older vehicle again, which extends to me, which meant I was not allowed to buy a classic car and I never worked on one with my dad as a kid. I really wish they made cars a bit more, inspiring, especially since its so hard to find these classics. I have been searching for a 71 Polara for sale but all I can find are the 60s models. Cars just used to look cooler and inspired. Now if you want that from a car, you have to buy a expensive car that might even be impractical for a family. Its really something that I can get excited about a old Plymouth Fury or a Nash Metropolitan, a tiny little commuter car, but the Cybertruck that Elon Musk showcased doesn't interest me nearly as much.
@@crazycar4015 You sure missed-out on a fascinating era in American automotive cultural history my friend. I am almost 60 now and wouldn't trade my Baby Boomer childhood for anything in the world. (America was wonderful in that era!) My father, an Italian immigrant would bring old cars home and, along with my brothers he would teach us how to rebuild them. My grandmother had a Dodge Polara, it had a 383-ci that screamed, it truly did inspire awe! Well, most of the cars back then did as such. Good luck with finding your Dodge, you might also want to think about the mid to late 1960's Ford Galaxy with the "XL Package", my brother had one with a Ford 429-ci that had a factory rated 475-hp! God bless and good luck with your restoration.
@Charlie Brown My father gave me a 1971 Fury, later I got a 1971 Imperial with a 440 TNT from my grandmother. I dream about those cars from time to time, I've had a few cars that many people would love to have ( 1974 super duty 455 Trans Am and a 1969 Z28 that also had the rally sport package to name two) but the only cars I miss are the two 71s.
I agree, I love all three as well. However, I'm more of a Ford guy so I'd probably lean towards buying the Galaxie 500 if I only had enough money to buy one car only. I still think that Chevy Impala and Dodge Polara are awesome cars and would still desire to own them too!
I did... here in L.A. the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Had the 71 Polara for its Fleet cause of the Big Ass 440 Cubic Engines that were in the Police Versions.
The '71 Polara/Monaco were the best ones yet; the fuselage styling added more room than the previous models, while the available 440 V8 still packed a punch with regular fuel.
My wifes dad had one and when you were in a curve the rear door would open sometimes. And people did not use safety belts back then much, guess you had to be a tough kid back then
Even back then, with typical 36 month payment plan, it's $2 to $3 more a month. Not really a selling point in that field of large coupes. Ford's design during that period just killed the others.
The Impala looks sooo much better than the Galaxie and Dodge. I couldn't decide which of the other two looks worse. I thought the Chevy looked better then, and I still do today.
@@jamesslick4790 Yeah it worked for awhile until people smartened up & realized GM was making all their cars with the same 350 Chevy engine. making too many cars with different names. Olds, Buick & Pontiac buyers were suckered into thinking they were buying an upscale car when they discovered it was just a "dolled up" Chevy.
I've acquired Moparphillia in my middle age. Chevy looked cool with that shorter overhang, but then the trunk was 17 cu ft 1/3 smaller! Amazing. Dodge with scads more leg room on half inch longer 122"wb. They felt wider inside because they were. And more floor room with unibody! Wonder why not put the spare tire under the trunk as in A body? Seems even easier to do in a bigger car despite bigger tire. Loved Dodge for the full rear wheel cut outs - very Chargery.
I had the Polara Custom with the 308 4 barrel, white with navy vinyl roof, blue vinyl interior. That bench seat was great on dates and bed o'plenty back seat. Radio picked up the Mexico City radio stations late at night.
You know what's really fun. When the socket on the back torsion bar mounting rusts away from its own crossmember and the car drops like it broke a torsion bar like on my dad's 66 valiant. Oh yes and I loved those unconnected front and rear sub frames that would grind and shake particularly when turning on a moderately rough road like on my 69 Chrysler. A 72 Impala was dead smooth, stable and quiet to my experience and not because GM said so but rather because Consumer Reports thought so when it gave it the top rating for that year.
My parents had a "72 Dodge Monaco when I was little. I remember it as being a very nice car. Monaco was a slight upgrade to Polara....concealed headlights and a more plush interior.
Back then, Chrysler products had no resale value. That was a curse that Chrysler had to deal with for many years. I think it was something that came about because of strategy by Ford and GM .
My friend's parents had a '72 Polara wagon. My father had a '71 Ford Country Squire. My neighbor had a '72 Chevy Kingswood Estate. I found that the Dodge felt cheaper, the Ford more user friendly and the Chevy was just better looking. Chevrolet's motors were more reliable at the time from what I heard. Today, the Chevy would be cheaper to repair with more plentiful parts. I'd take the Chevy but in convertible form which Dodge didn't offer that year for the Polara in '71. I love Fords but the Chevys of the early '70s had a more up to date design and engineering. They all rotted out within a few years back then but you could drive them after a major fender bender unlike today's cars. They all had real style unlike today's bland and soul-less cars. They might all be huge but SUVs and pickups are equally so.
I've driven all three of these. The Polara wins, no problem. Especially on power and handling. The Ford is a slush wagon and got horrible fuel mileage. The Polara 2 doors were really cool. Also the Polara's Torsion front end was adjustable with only a socket & ratchet. Mopar needs to make these again. They were very nice.
A good example of marketing b/s can be found @8:49. Polara has torsion bars front and leaf rears, and both the Ford and Chevy have "coil springs front and rear"...which are "less stable..and provide a little less control over every other kind of road." Great videos these are...brings us back in time. I find it amazing how automotive engineers were already aware and after pretty much the very same things their present day counterparts are.
I had a few early 70's mopars, Rust resistance was not their strong suit! (72 Charger, 71 Fury, 71 Duster 318) But I loved them all. Would love to have any of them as a resto-mod!
I, always, have liked the look, of the 1971 Ford; ever, since, it debuted-when I was 11.(I've 'been into' cars, since I was six.) I like all, of them, though.(well, not the Dodge headlamp placement, on these. I was happy, when the headlights got moved, up, again, the following MY.)
The Dodge's cabin looks comically small compared with hood and trunk akin to aircraft carriers. Weird. My first car was a '72 Fury sedan, just like the Dodge here, and the trunk was massive but a bonus at the Drive-in. Got caught once entering with two or three buddies in the trunk, one of them a pretty fat dude - sagging the rear of car. Busted!
I had a blue 1972 Ford LTD with all the trim and vinyl you could have. It looks allot like the 71but the rear taillights were a bit different. It had a 351 H code 2bbl with the FMX transmission and over 250,000 miles on it. It surprisingly had good power for just 240hp. A smooth riding car for a 4 door but floated like a boat after hitting 80mph on the highway.
5:50- Geesh, I'm really not sure what one to buy, they all look good, so confusing. Oh, but wait, they did a rearview mirror comparison! NOW I can make a proper decision...
I had a 1972 Coronet, similar type car. Very good running car. Not the best looking style cars but way better than a lot of styles today. One thing about the mopars in the day, really good reliability. Chevy engines I've had run smooth but seem to wear out and smoke before the mopar does. Seems the Chevy had the ride but the Mopar had the engine. I Love old Fords but never owned one.
My parents had one - 4 door custom. The 360cid/255hp figure seems low - ours would boil the right rear hide for half a block and kick the asses of 455 oldsmobuicks quite handily. Died a natural death c. 1982.
You could buy all 3 of these full sized cars combined for half the price of just 1 average priced midsize car today, and today's midsize cars would be classified as compact cars in 1971. And I don't care how many times people say modern cars with crumple zones and a dozen airbags are better, I'd STILL prefer to drive something that isnt made primarily of plastic that will become brittle and deteriorate. Remember the plastic bumper fillers on 1970s cars? That's what the ENTIRE front and rear ends are made of on all modern cars. Yeah, that's gonna look great in a few years. We'll be seeing Hondas, Toyotas, chevys and Fords with headlights looking like they are floating in front of the cars because all the fascia plastic will have become brittle and fallen off.
Funny how only the last place seller feels a need to do this kind of comparison. And don't forget to keep a spare ballast resistor in the glovebox...you'll need to swap it out in damp weather !
Ballast resistors cost $2.35 and took 2 minutes to swap out, and typically burned out when the car had over 100,000 miles on it. About the time Chev and Ford were ready for new engines.
@@dicarlo57 HAHAHA obviously you never owned one, effing mopars in this era would not start if you walked by them with an ice cream cone. If you owned a mopar you kept a ballast resistor in the glove box and jumper cables in the trunk.
ive owned, over the years, a 66 chrysler newport, a 76 cordoba and a 93 plymouth acclaim, never had any problems, although i did carry an extra ballast resistor!
I owned all three of those cars. The 71 Impala was better for reliability by far. I`m not a chevy guy or anything I`m just telling you from experience.
Back then dashboard clocks were mechanical, not digital, and would be among the first things to break (just hit a pothole too hard). Much better to simply wear a wristwatch when driving.
Optional in those cars also, but funny that a Dodge dealer film would show them with the clock. But as Greg B said, the clocks were completely garbage and always broke and had to be manually wound.
Ill take the Oldsmobile. It seemed to be around this period that GM cars became such complete clones that they made the Chevy version of the 4 main line divisions pretty cheap looking. Step up to Buick or Olds and you had a classy car with a nice wrap around instrument cluster, really plush interiors at the base levels and a real Olds 350 or Buick 350. A bit more money but worth it.
Seems like quibbling maybe, but it was actually at this point that Chevy was catching up to Olds/Buick in standard equipment - like standard power disc brakes as mentioned in film, and 350 for nearly everything. Surprised they got rid of wheel lip moulding in Impala, cheapening it. This was when Delorean came in and boosted some standard equipment like bigger standard tires to match mid priced cars. I agree with the basic premise though.
had a 71 Ford LTD 4 Dr....had a 72 LTD 2Dr. as well (400-2V)....it was a 429-2V California car (4dr)....awesome on the highway....14 MPG @ 90-100Mph....about 15-16 @ 75-80.....TIRE ROASTER...my favorite cars were my old '72 Duster, and dad's 70 Charger R/T SE 440-6, and a buddy Plymouth 4Dr S/W....big block 440, baby....10 kids heading to a concert...loved that old station wagon.....would love to find one....MOPAR!!!!! liked Grandpa's 72 Impala though.... SB400/TH400...I inherited his car when I was 28 yrs. old....loved all the big three, but I am a MOPAR guy.
My mom and dad had a 71 Chevrolet lmpala 4 door hard top . It was a pretty blue and white. That car last a long time, and it was took care of. They don't make cars to last anymore, get to sell them.
Ahhh yes...Troy McClure in the old days. Before he made such famous motivational films such as "Hey...get some confidence, stupid" and medical films such as "Hey mommy, what's wrong with that man's face?"
Around 78, my dad bought a used 71 galaxy 500 station wagon as a second car for mom, had a 351w. That engine/body combo was completely gutless, I remember laughing out loud the first time I floored it on a drive. Comfortable and roomy tho.
Only a dozen years earlier, and for decades before that, Dodge was a medium priced car, while Chevrolet and Ford (and Plymouth) were low priced cars. Now the Dodge was proud to say it was cheaper than Ford or Chevy. . . .
Yep,hahaha: couldn't get enough of the good ol polara. That and with the other ''Mopar Tanks'' with 383 and 440... Mopar had the goods right from the start! Hahaha,Mopar or nocar!
i agree, im a ford man but i enjoyed the performance and build quality of the several mopars ive owned. Its hard to believe they sold so many GM products with poor fit and finish and unreliable performance.
dicarlo57 Yep,you're exactly right. My dad was/is a Mopar guy... so from the very beginning I was already getting set in my ways... Hahaha,And for points are right on key Friend: Chevy could have done it better.... But I will admit: I like those other two too... White Lightning 1973 with Burt Reynolds got me hooked to the 71 Ford (Custom 500 used in the movie [Lower Trim to the LTD] ). And the good ol 71 Chevy was good too... Hahaha,Thanks for telling me that Friend! Have a Great Day!
71 Plymouth. I do have to say that this was one of those videos that would loop on a tv screen in the dealership. So they would make it look like their car is better. Personally I would have all three. Gotta love mopar C bodies though.....
By 1971 and 72 the price differential between Dodge Chevy and Ford were minimal. A 72 Ford LTD Brougham and a Dodge Monaco comparably equipped was about the same.
I had a 1971 Sport Fury which was just about the same as a Dodge Polara. I bought it in 1973 and it really did have a wonderful ride on the highway. It was a beautiful looking car! However, every month I owned it, something else would break. Usually, the fancy accessories at that time: hide away, headlights, power windows, AC. That car was costing me more than if I was making payments on a new car. When I figured that out, I traded it in on a 1974 Dodge Dart which gave me 90,000 miles of mostly reliable service for 6 years. Since that time, I bought GM which seemed to be better cars.
Wow, those prices were great! You can pay that much just upgrading the sound system of today's cars. I think history has shown that the Chevrolet would have been the best choice of the three cars. But I actually like the Polara.
I had one of these palora customs until the carb split while I was driving at speed and dumped gas everywhere ....whoosh there went my money. But I really like that car it would haul ass
Y'all should've seen my 1971 Polara's "unibody" when a forklift picked it up to move it in 2018. The body and the frame immediately separated from one another --- the body in two big rusty pieces, and the frame in three big rusty pieces. The front windshield fell out too. (It had lived the first 7 years of its life in Cleveland, OH, and the final 40 in Mississippi.)
Dead and I each had '57 Plymouths and '70 Chrysler Newports. Both Newport engines went South at 36000. Mine was in warranty, his was fresh out. There was a Coronet and a Polara mixed in there, along with a pair of New Yorkers. And I forgot Dad's '65 Newport I ended up with.
Too bad I can't buy one of these new today. My uncle ordered one of these with the "U" code 440 H.P. eng. Drove it till '79 and ordered a Chrysler Newport with the 360 H.P. LA premium eng. Last car he had till quit driving. A teenager at heart, he was.
It was intentional on the part of the big 3. It's next to im possible to find ANY form of advertising from the big 3 that ever even mentioned AMC, JEEP, INTERNATIONAL, SCOUT.
@@chettennant2642 Yeah, I figured that it intentional from the big 3. Then I asked my father about it and he said the same thing your saying about how the big 3 didn't want AMC/JEEP getting popular with the buying public. It was a screw job tactic of the big 3. So, yes I definitely agree with you!
I remember as a kid hearing a car start in a parking lot and you always knew immediately whether it was a GM, Ford or Chrysler product.
They all had very distinct sounding starters unlike today's vehicles everything sounds exactly the same whether it's American, German, .Japanese or Korean.
All sound exactly the same....YAWN!
Aka the Highland Park Whine (Mopar)😂
Someone needs to put together a compilation of them. As a person born in the late 90s I'd like to hear it for myself
Very true. Especially the Chysier products, a very unique sounding starter on their V8 engines
@@Zakman-ko3lq Ya it was a crappy gear reduction starter and mopars of the era need lots of cranking and they would not easily start (If at all) when it was damp/wet out or someone walked by with an ice cream cone.
@@matthewq4b I drove Chryslers 1965-78 and I never had problems remotely like that nor did anyone I knew.
Polara has an ashtray central to all, which is important for a family car.
californiahummus, I had a 1966 chrysler 300 that had 4 ashtrays and 3 cigarette lighters...I now have a 1967 New Yorker with 3 ashtrays and 3 cigarette lighters...one step at a time eh?
Back then, I remember almost EVERYONE smoked, as a kid I saw 13 year olds sneaking cigs from their relatives cig packs!!!
TheSpritz0. Still happens today just not in the us
Lol - breathe in dad’s secondhand smoke😂
@@77hodag coz you are just pussies today...
I grew up a Ford guy (thanks to my dad) but those Polaras hauled ass, especially with the big block 440’s. One of my friends, a tiny little girl, used to drive her dad’s Polara like an escaped felon - that thing was a rocket!
Would've loved to owned a Polara custom with a 440 police interceptor engine back then. A torque monster!
If it really meant that much to you, why couldn't you get one today? Torque is still the same?
Looking back they were all good cars.
Yep, and with all 3 of them having about the same power from outdated engines, the same prices and so similar looks it did not really matter which you choose.
+Peter Kroll Chevrolet 350 is still going strong today one of the best motors ever made
'71 - '76 and some even later mid - full size cars and pickups were gas hog cars with weak engines... compared to 1950's - 1970...
Good MPG started coming back in 1976 with Pinto Pony 30 MPG and even better MPG in Pontiac Astre and Chevy Vega......
+Scott Wiler only 4 bolt main ones - rest are not so good.
+BuzzLOLOL Yes, but Vega and Pinto shit cars - Pinto famous for exploding on impact. There's more to car ownership than just gas mileage!
I love watching these old videos!
I still have my 1969 Polara. Not restored by any means, but built like a tank and runs like a champ after a good jump start from sitting a while.
sirlordwhitman yeah, good cars , i have a 69 impala, and i understand your comment,
Why haven't you kept that car up to snuff?
Because it would modernise it & somehow ruin its vintage appeal.
The polara and its cousin the fury were used by the CHP. The torsion quiet ride, the 440ci magnum and the torque flite were known for their bulletproofness. Rare car nowadays and not many around.
They all rusted away...
I would still take the Galaxie 500 becasue I just love that front grille design for 70-71
71-72 had the same front grill design. The 69-70 had its own.
My brother had a 71 Polara that was a used CHP car. It had a 440 with all the police goodies. He took the engine apart and souped it up. That car would run ! It chirped the tires going on the 1/2 shift and the 2/3 shift. We had it to 145 mph on a certified speedometer. The spotlight was left on the car when he bought it at the CHP auction and the car was black and white without the logos of course. It was great fun to drive over the speed limit in the fast lane and watch people move out of the way as fast as they could. We drove by laughing and got flipped off a few times. The car really sucked gas, but gas was cheap. Great memories.
For those old enough to know, These were slide shows that appeared in the dealership, usually on a small table-top "box" unit. The sound you hear is for you to manually advance to the next slide! Ah 1970's technology! My grandmother owned a 1971 Plymouth Fury (cousin of Polara). It was a big lazy beast and if you hit something, you never got a scratch but you most likely destroyed whatever you hit! Go granny, go granny, go granny go!
Our '68 Polara rode like a Cadillac but was so much less expensive. It was also a beast in the snow!
The Chrysler products during this era seemed to be the "Poor man's" this or that, but in reality they were really good, well engineered, if GIGANTIC American cars. (we American's use to love our BIG cars!) When I was a kid back in the '60's every boy knew the different U.S. car's, both by sight as well as the different sounds they made. Today not only do they all pretty much look alike, they all make the same sounds. Also, there is a complete lack of not only U.S. automobile brand loyalty but national loyalty as well. It's a different world than the one in which I grew up. Back then the different branches of, for example Ford, Lincoln and Mercury would compete even among themselves, and have dozens of different models and "option packages" to chose from. Now Ford is going to make just FOUR DIFFERENT CARS! (as of a 2019 Ford press release) and a more or less "What you see is what you get" policy. This Chrysler Corp. no longer exists. Not too much American about it now. How I miss the old days when American cars ruled the American and world roads.
Yeah its a real shame. Chrysler is basically half Italian now as the FCA. GM is doing ok I guess, except for the strike back in September. And who the hell knows what Ford is doing after they showcased the Mustang Mach E. And great branches like Mercury, Plymouth, and Pontiac have ceased to exist. I never noticed it before but my Nissan sounds exactly the same as every other car except for European and Japanese sports cars and American muscle cars. They no longer sound loud and thrilling. Which is nice for a city but not so nice when you want to open up on a long country road and don't get to hear any cool sounds from the engine. At least back then if one company branch copied a car from the other, they redesigned the car's looks and made it look really different. Like the Mercury Cougar and the Ford Mustang. It doesn't feel like they even try anymore in that sense, for instance, the Escalade, Yukon, and Suburban. I was born in 2001 in Texas to immigrants from India who drove around on old motorbikes during their education in India and have since sworn to never drive a older vehicle again, which extends to me, which meant I was not allowed to buy a classic car and I never worked on one with my dad as a kid. I really wish they made cars a bit more, inspiring, especially since its so hard to find these classics. I have been searching for a 71 Polara for sale but all I can find are the 60s models. Cars just used to look cooler and inspired. Now if you want that from a car, you have to buy a expensive car that might even be impractical for a family. Its really something that I can get excited about a old Plymouth Fury or a Nash Metropolitan, a tiny little commuter car, but the Cybertruck that Elon Musk showcased doesn't interest me nearly as much.
@@crazycar4015 You sure missed-out on a fascinating era in American automotive cultural history my friend. I am almost 60 now and wouldn't trade my Baby Boomer childhood for anything in the world. (America was wonderful in that era!) My father, an Italian immigrant would bring old cars home and, along with my brothers he would teach us how to rebuild them. My grandmother had a Dodge Polara, it had a 383-ci that screamed, it truly did inspire awe! Well, most of the cars back then did as such. Good luck with finding your Dodge, you might also want to think about the mid to late 1960's Ford Galaxy with the "XL Package", my brother had one with a Ford 429-ci that had a factory rated 475-hp! God bless and good luck with your restoration.
All American car companies suck Chrysler and Fiat suck
Mary Barra has ruined general motors.
Ford only building the mustang 4 door SUV
Saddddd
im a ford guy, but I still remember in high school a friend drove a 71 impala 2 door, that thing had the largest trunk I had ever seen.
The optional 454 provided ample power
In 1980 my Mom bought me a 71 polara for.my first car. I loved that car.
@Charlie Brown My father gave me a 1971 Fury, later I got a 1971 Imperial with a 440 TNT from my grandmother. I dream about those cars from time to time, I've had a few cars that many people would love to have ( 1974 super duty 455 Trans Am and a 1969 Z28 that also had the rally sport package to name two) but the only cars I miss are the two 71s.
Can't decide on which car to buy. I'll take all 3.
same with me, I love all 3!
Great cars....i agree
same here! it's all 3 for me as well!
I agree, I love all three as well. However, I'm more of a Ford guy so I'd probably lean towards buying the Galaxie 500 if I only had enough money to buy one car only. I still think that Chevy Impala and Dodge Polara are awesome cars and would still desire to own them too!
You Talked me into a new 1971 Polara! I didn't see many back then but I sure did see plenty of Impala's and LTD's
that's because they all went to the junkyard. lol
Transportation Glitch is all that was !! lol . All I know is my 71 Impala 4 dr ran like a scalded dog .
I did... here in L.A. the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Had the 71 Polara for its Fleet cause of the Big Ass 440 Cubic Engines that were in the Police Versions.
That's because they were as ugly as someone who married a family member...
I currently using one as my daily driver
G A L A X I E 5 0 0 ✔️
The '71 Polara/Monaco were the best ones yet; the fuselage styling added more room than the previous models, while the available 440 V8 still packed a punch with regular fuel.
So with the Dodge I can fit 3 instead of the usual 2 in the trunk when going to the Drive In Theaters?
I've always found the 1971 Polara more attractive than either the Chevy Impala or the Galaxie 500.
Which do you think looks the most modern ?
My wifes dad had one and when you were in a curve the rear door would open sometimes. And people did not use safety belts back then much, guess you had to be a tough kid back then
Whats 90 dollars when your spending 4000.
Peter Hogan in 1971 $90 was decent money
It's about another 600 in today's money
It's you're and not your dummy
Even back then, with typical 36 month payment plan, it's $2 to $3 more a month. Not really a selling point in that field of large coupes. Ford's design during that period just killed the others.
90$ was like $1,500 today.
I love the bit where they imply torsion and leaf is superior to coil springs :) lol.
My father had that Polara model. It was an amazing machine.
The Galaxy all day long. Love them 71-72 galaxy's ltd's and customs.
The Galaxy looks the exact same as a Ford LTD we had as a kid.
@@Crashed131963 yup all looked about the same. Minor differences.
The Impala looks sooo much better than the Galaxie and Dodge. I couldn't decide which of the other two looks worse. I thought the Chevy looked better then, and I still do today.
Kamakan Khasraji not justo the 70s, the sixties too!!
Marty Duncan ya, the impala was by far the better looking out of all of them for any year
B.R Waterhouse that's right budy, and not just in looking, in performance too.
Chevy was reaching high in this body generation, Cadillac up front, Buick around back.... It worked.
@@jamesslick4790 Yeah it worked for awhile until people smartened up & realized GM was making all their cars with the same 350 Chevy engine. making too many cars with different names. Olds, Buick & Pontiac buyers were suckered into thinking they were buying an upscale car when they discovered it was just a "dolled up" Chevy.
Glad to hear Chrysler products didn't rust out any more... LOL!
The sending unit of my '72 Newport il failing. Fuel lines and tank are full of rust. I have to change filter regularly
I've acquired Moparphillia in my middle age. Chevy looked cool with that shorter overhang, but then the trunk was 17 cu ft 1/3 smaller! Amazing. Dodge with scads more leg room on half inch longer 122"wb. They felt wider inside because they were. And more floor room with unibody! Wonder why not put the spare tire under the trunk as in A body? Seems even easier to do in a bigger car despite bigger tire. Loved Dodge for the full rear wheel cut outs - very Chargery.
I hate to say it,but the Chevrolet was best. In this case
The Dodge Polara was a great cop car - especially with the big 440 Magnum V8 engine under the hood.
If it was 1971 I'd be at the dealership right now. Mopars always been my favorites. Nice video and gave you a like.
I totally agree. And I'm a Ford man.
@@LeopoldoNotarianni-rk9vv
I have had a few crown vics also. Good cars too. A 99 and a 06.
I had the Polara Custom with the 308 4 barrel, white with navy vinyl roof, blue vinyl interior. That bench seat was great on dates and bed o'plenty back seat. Radio picked up the Mexico City radio stations late at night.
You know what's really fun.
When the socket on the back torsion bar mounting rusts away from its own crossmember and the car drops like it broke a torsion bar like on my dad's 66 valiant.
Oh yes and I loved those unconnected front and rear sub frames that would grind and shake particularly when turning on a moderately rough road like on my 69 Chrysler.
A 72 Impala was dead smooth, stable and quiet to my experience and not because GM said so but rather because Consumer Reports thought so when it gave it the top rating for that year.
My parents had a "72 Dodge Monaco when I was little. I remember it as being a very nice car. Monaco was a slight upgrade to Polara....concealed headlights and a more plush interior.
Love them all. My dad had a 1970 LTD. Our neighbors had a Polara and that baby road like a living room sofa.....much smoother and solid than our LTD.
Back then, Chrysler products had no resale value. That was a curse that Chrysler had to deal with for many years. I think it was something that came about because of strategy by Ford and GM .
Yup, back then, you were lucky to get 1/10th the value on a trade in with 40,000 miles on it.
I'll take the Dodge for $3300!
My friend's parents had a '72 Polara wagon. My father had a '71 Ford Country Squire. My neighbor had a '72 Chevy Kingswood Estate. I found that the Dodge felt cheaper, the Ford more user friendly and the Chevy was just better looking. Chevrolet's motors were more reliable at the time from what I heard. Today, the Chevy would be cheaper to repair with more plentiful parts. I'd take the Chevy but in convertible form which Dodge didn't offer that year for the Polara in '71. I love Fords but the Chevys of the early '70s had a more up to date design and engineering. They all rotted out within a few years back then but you could drive them after a major fender bender unlike today's cars. They all had real style unlike today's bland and soul-less cars. They might all be huge but SUVs and pickups are equally so.
Ah, early 70’s cars. Fond memories. 👍
I've driven all three of these. The Polara wins, no problem. Especially on power and handling. The Ford is a slush wagon and got horrible fuel mileage. The Polara 2 doors were really cool. Also the Polara's Torsion front end was adjustable with only a socket & ratchet. Mopar needs to make these again. They were very nice.
Love the ltd front end. Model reminds me of 70s TV shows like canon and barneby Jones
I had a 1974 impala, vinyl roof....still is my fav car I had ever owned.
A good example of marketing b/s can be found @8:49. Polara has torsion bars front and leaf rears, and both the Ford and Chevy have "coil springs front and rear"...which are "less stable..and provide a little less control over every other kind of road." Great videos these are...brings us back in time. I find it amazing how automotive engineers were already aware and after pretty much the very same things their present day counterparts are.
I had a few early 70's mopars, Rust resistance was not their strong suit! (72 Charger, 71 Fury, 71 Duster 318) But I loved them all. Would love to have any of them as a resto-mod!
Polara definitely had the best sounding starter!
The Highland Park Whine😂
music to my ear's lol
I, always, have liked the look, of the 1971 Ford; ever, since, it debuted-when I was 11.(I've 'been into' cars, since I was six.) I like all, of them, though.(well, not the Dodge headlamp placement, on these. I was happy, when the headlights got moved, up, again, the following MY.)
I, have, always seemed, to like putting, commas after every, few words, that, I type, how about, you,?
Of these three I would go for the Impala.
Never driven one, but I used to drive a 1974 Caprice Classic.
What a car.
The Dodge's cabin looks comically small compared with hood and trunk akin to aircraft carriers. Weird.
My first car was a '72 Fury sedan, just like the Dodge here, and the trunk was massive but a bonus at the Drive-in. Got caught once entering with two or three buddies in the trunk, one of them a pretty fat dude - sagging the rear of car. Busted!
I had a blue 1972 Ford LTD with all the trim and vinyl you could have. It looks allot like the 71but the rear taillights were a bit different. It had a 351 H code 2bbl with the FMX transmission and over 250,000 miles on it. It surprisingly had good power for just 240hp. A smooth riding car for a 4 door but floated like a boat after hitting 80mph on the highway.
Had same car but 429 4 barrel.
So don't drive 80mph!
5:50- Geesh, I'm really not sure what one to buy, they all look good, so confusing. Oh, but wait, they did a rearview mirror comparison! NOW I can make a proper decision...
Ryan lol!
Never was a Ford guy, but I always liked the styling on that era of Galaxie.
first car I bought myself was a used 71 impala bought it in 76 from a dealer .... cost was 650 bucks ....
Me gusta el Ford Galaxie 500 1971; de cuatro puertas; parecido al que tenía tío Melquíades Q.E.P.D; ese es el carro que me encanta
My folks had a '71 360 Polara 4 dr. Nice car. Very powerful.
I have to go with the Ford on this one.
I had a 1972 Coronet, similar type car. Very good running car. Not the best looking style cars but way better than a lot of styles today. One thing about the mopars in the day, really good reliability. Chevy engines I've had run smooth but seem to wear out and smoke before the mopar does. Seems the Chevy had the ride but the Mopar had the engine. I Love old Fords but never owned one.
My parents had one - 4 door custom. The 360cid/255hp figure seems low - ours would boil the right rear hide for half a block and kick the asses of 455 oldsmobuicks quite handily. Died a natural death c. 1982.
I'm a Mopar guy but forgot all about the Polara. Nice walk back in time.
You could buy all 3 of these full sized cars combined for half the price of just 1 average priced midsize car today, and today's midsize cars would be classified as compact cars in 1971. And I don't care how many times people say modern cars with crumple zones and a dozen airbags are better, I'd STILL prefer to drive something that isnt made primarily of plastic that will become brittle and deteriorate. Remember the plastic bumper fillers on 1970s cars? That's what the ENTIRE front and rear ends are made of on all modern cars. Yeah, that's gonna look great in a few years. We'll be seeing Hondas, Toyotas, chevys and Fords with headlights looking like they are floating in front of the cars because all the fascia plastic will have become brittle and fallen off.
Dad had a taxi company. I was little and I cried when they stopped making the polara.
Funny how only the last place seller feels a need to do this kind of comparison. And don't forget to keep a spare ballast resistor in the glovebox...you'll need to swap it out in damp weather !
ballast resistors were never a problem unless they were cracked
Ballast resistors cost $2.35 and took 2 minutes to swap out, and typically burned out when the car had over 100,000 miles on it. About the time Chev and Ford were ready for new engines.
Your full of shit
@@dicarlo57 HAHAHA obviously you never owned one, effing mopars in this era would not start if you walked by them with an ice cream cone. If you owned a mopar you kept a ballast resistor in the glove box and jumper cables in the trunk.
ive owned, over the years, a 66 chrysler newport, a 76 cordoba and a 93 plymouth acclaim, never had any problems, although i did carry an extra ballast resistor!
I owned all three of those cars. The 71 Impala was better for reliability by far. I`m not a chevy guy or anything I`m just telling you from experience.
willythewave The Ford is the most reliable now.
willythewave The Ford is the most reliable now.
The Galaxy looks the exact same as a Ford LTD we had as a kid.
Equipment! They forgot to mention no clock on the Polara. It's clearly present on the Impala & the Galaxie 500 appears to have one.
Back then dashboard clocks were mechanical, not digital, and would be among the first things to break (just hit a pothole too hard). Much better to simply wear a wristwatch when driving.
Optional in those cars also, but funny that a Dodge dealer film would show them with the clock. But as Greg B said, the clocks were completely garbage and always broke and had to be manually wound.
Ill take the Oldsmobile. It seemed to be around this period that GM cars became such complete clones that they made the Chevy version of the 4 main line divisions pretty cheap looking. Step up to Buick or Olds and you had a classy car with a nice wrap around instrument cluster, really plush interiors at the base levels and a real Olds 350 or Buick 350. A bit more money but worth it.
Seems like quibbling maybe, but it was actually at this point that Chevy was catching up to Olds/Buick in standard equipment - like standard power disc brakes as mentioned in film, and 350 for nearly everything. Surprised they got rid of wheel lip moulding in Impala, cheapening it. This was when Delorean came in and boosted some standard equipment like bigger standard tires to match mid priced cars. I agree with the basic premise though.
I love this beautiful cars!
I would have also liked the 71 Polara, namely in sage green with a white interior. ALAN
im gonna run out and buy one right today.
Back when you drove not play with your devices
Clem Newton Playing with your devices sounds sorta kinky to me.🥴😏
CHP loved the special all out, high performace models available this year - calibrated/certified 150mph speedos.
had a 71 Ford LTD 4 Dr....had a 72 LTD 2Dr. as well (400-2V)....it was a 429-2V California car (4dr)....awesome on the highway....14 MPG @ 90-100Mph....about 15-16 @ 75-80.....TIRE ROASTER...my favorite cars were my old '72 Duster, and dad's 70 Charger R/T SE 440-6, and a buddy Plymouth 4Dr S/W....big block 440, baby....10 kids heading to a concert...loved that old station wagon.....would love to find one....MOPAR!!!!! liked Grandpa's 72 Impala though.... SB400/TH400...I inherited his car when I was 28 yrs. old....loved all the big three, but I am a MOPAR guy.
I wouldn't mind either of these !
I hear that ding and I'm waiting for a stewardess to come by and tell me to put on my seatbelt.
It was tone on the 8 track tape that triggered projector to advance film strip. Those were the days.
My mom and dad had a 71 Chevrolet lmpala 4 door hard top . It was a pretty blue and white. That car last a long time, and it was took care of. They don't make cars to last anymore, get to sell them.
Well damn. Rushing out to get a 2020 Polara right now!
This guy sounds like Troy McClure
Those vinyl seats were just awful in the summer
I love galaxie 71 is the ford
The 1969 Galaxie was a very nice car. The '70 through '72 not so much. They got a better look in '73.
@@efandmk3382 actually I had a 72 with 429 it was a killer of a car.
Ahhh yes...Troy McClure in the old days. Before he made such famous motivational films such as "Hey...get some confidence, stupid" and medical films such as "Hey mommy, what's wrong with that man's face?"
Those old dodges on cold mornings you better only press the throttle once when starting, or it will flood.
Haha, I remember doing that with my Polaras and a Dart.
Around 78, my dad bought a used 71 galaxy 500 station wagon as a second car for mom, had a 351w. That engine/body combo was completely gutless, I remember laughing out loud the first time I floored it on a drive. Comfortable and roomy tho.
do you have anything based on the upper models Chrysler has competed with during the 1965 to 1971 time period?
For the extra $90 I'll take the Impala with a real frame.
Only a dozen years earlier, and for decades before that, Dodge was a medium priced car, while Chevrolet and Ford (and Plymouth) were low priced cars. Now the Dodge was proud to say it was cheaper than Ford or Chevy. . . .
I owned each one of these cars used during my college years.
If you look closely, you can see their actual carbon footprint
South Texas..Chevy's everywhere would have been nice a lot more variety.
Yep,hahaha: couldn't get enough of the good ol polara. That and with the other ''Mopar Tanks'' with 383 and 440... Mopar had the goods right from the start! Hahaha,Mopar or nocar!
i agree, im a ford man but i enjoyed the performance and build quality of the several mopars ive owned. Its hard to believe they sold so many GM products with poor fit and finish and unreliable performance.
dicarlo57 Yep,you're exactly right. My dad was/is a Mopar guy... so from the very beginning I was already getting set in my ways... Hahaha,And for points are right on key Friend: Chevy could have done it better.... But I will admit: I like those other two too... White Lightning 1973 with Burt Reynolds got me hooked to the 71 Ford (Custom 500 used in the movie [Lower Trim to the LTD] ). And the good ol 71 Chevy was good too... Hahaha,Thanks for telling me that Friend! Have a Great Day!
71 Plymouth. I do have to say that this was one of those videos that would loop on a tv screen in the dealership. So they would make it look like their car is better. Personally I would have all three. Gotta love mopar C bodies though.....
Goat Boy Hahahaha, Yessir!
+71 Plymouth - Burt Reynolds looks under the hood and says dual quads 429" engine... and it's obviously a SINGLE 4 bbl. carb.!
Why aren't they comparing to a Plymouth Fury? Dodge was the competitor to Pontiac and Mercury.
By 1971 and 72 the price differential between Dodge Chevy and Ford were minimal. A 72 Ford LTD Brougham and a Dodge Monaco comparably equipped was about the same.
No is Dodge the competitor of Chevy and Ford.
I had a 1971 Impala it ws good
I had a 1971 Sport Fury which was just about the same as a Dodge Polara. I bought it in 1973 and it really did have a wonderful ride on the highway. It was a beautiful looking car! However, every month I owned it, something else would break. Usually, the fancy accessories at that time: hide away, headlights, power windows, AC. That car was costing me more than if I was making payments on a new car. When I figured that out, I traded it in on a 1974 Dodge Dart which gave me 90,000 miles of mostly reliable service for 6 years. Since that time, I bought GM which seemed to be better cars.
Wow, those prices were great! You can pay that much just upgrading the sound system of today's cars. I think history has shown that the Chevrolet would have been the best choice of the three cars. But I actually like the Polara.
I had one of these palora customs until the carb split while I was driving at speed and dumped gas everywhere ....whoosh there went my money. But I really like that car it would haul ass
impala looks like a bel air with minimal exterior mouldings.
Y'all should've seen my 1971 Polara's "unibody" when a forklift picked it up to move it in 2018. The body and the frame immediately separated from one another --- the body in two big rusty pieces, and the frame in three big rusty pieces. The front windshield fell out too. (It had lived the first 7 years of its life in Cleveland, OH, and the final 40 in Mississippi.)
Dead and I each had '57 Plymouths and '70 Chrysler Newports. Both Newport engines went South at 36000. Mine was in warranty, his was fresh out.
There was a Coronet and a Polara mixed in there, along with a pair of New Yorkers. And I forgot Dad's '65 Newport I ended up with.
I had a ' 72 New Yorker that I drove from 1977 to 1982.. was the best car I ever drove!
I'll take the Chevy
Too bad I can't buy one of these new today. My uncle ordered one of these with the "U" code 440 H.P. eng. Drove it till '79 and ordered a Chrysler Newport with the 360 H.P. LA premium eng. Last car he had till quit driving. A teenager at heart, he was.
Oh nice they got Troy McClure to do the voice over ;p
I had a 68 Sport Fury 440 4bbl Convertible not so long ago, smoooooooth and ran like a bat out of hell. Gas was killing me!
Hey, you guys forgot to compare the 1971 AMC Ambassador and/or Matador with the rest of these cars.
It was intentional on the part of the big 3. It's next to im possible to find ANY form of advertising from the big 3 that ever even mentioned AMC, JEEP, INTERNATIONAL, SCOUT.
@@chettennant2642 Yeah, I figured that it intentional from the big 3. Then I asked my father about it and he said the same thing your saying about how the big 3 didn't want AMC/JEEP getting popular with the buying public. It was a screw job tactic of the big 3. So, yes I definitely agree with you!