Your too hard on yourself sometimes. Seriously you do a Great job, growing pains are a thing but in order for natural progression to take place they must exists. The channel is Right, your delivery is Unique and thats what makes it Special ! So from now on just do what you do and we WILL watch ... apologies/excuses aren't necessary Keep em rollin Hawk...love n respect ✌
Spot on!!! Please no more apologies. You don't use AI and you actually narrate with a unique presentation. You're NOT monotone I would say a natural. Keep up the good work, and I will continue to watch every time I get a notification. Thank you
Agreed 100! Great information and narrating voice. Keep up the good work!
7 місяців тому+27
I recall when my dad bought a brand new 79 Silverado two tone paint job blue and silver. It had all electric locks and windows, a plush cloth interior with an AM/FM cassette player, and a 454 big block. It was awesome.
I remember going with my uncle to the GMC dealer, where he paid cash for a brand new 1980 GMC pickup... It was a blue and silver short bed, had every comfort and convenience option, and had a big Six cylinder engine. I'm pretty sure he only paid around $6,500 for it at the time. Those were the days...
I drove past a 1972 Chevy Nova today and was thinking what a missed opportunity Chevy had by never making a “Supernova” racing edition. The name was right there.
Do you know what the differences would be in a "racing addition"? About four pieces of trim, some adheasive foam tape and possibly 10 more horsepower allowed from the factory tune... It wouldn't he worth $18 dollars more than the base model. Go tour a GM or Ford Assembly plant in Michigan and you'll see. There's no difference in different models that's worth more than $20 dollars. I promise.
I bought a brand new GMC Envoy XL back in the day. XL meant 7 seater with the elevated 3rd row seating. I loved that machine. The BEST family SUV in the day. My kids fought over the 3rd row seats. Such a great platform and the engine was a great match in my opinion.
Still have my 06 envoy xl Denali. MANY trips to OBX beaches. Comfortable and plenty of power with the 5.3. Rated at 310hp? Rides smooth with the airbag suspension. How about the Chevy sportsman that came with a gun rack and rifle!!!
A guy near me has a Gentleman Jim pickup. I think he's owned it since new and keeps it in immaculate shape! The embroidered seat covers and floor mats on the example you showed were done later. They didn't come like that from the factory.
The Geo Storm was a rebadged version of the sporty, second generation Isuzu Impulse minus some of that car's more expensive features. Great car. Nice vid again.
Dude, love this kind of content. Have always been fascinated by these sorts of trim packages ever since I learned about Levi's jeeps and hertz Shelbys. Cheers!
My dad raced harness horses and, every few years, got a new Chevy truck to pull the horses around the state. From the 60s until the 90s. Grandpa aways had to have "2 GAS TANKS." In his Chevy truck.
Had a 85 cutlass supreme that had t-tops never leaked in all the years I had it. Miss that car. Thanks for covering all the vehicles that you do a lot of your videos brings back great memories for me. My father was kind of a collector of unique cars and we had some really cool stuff when I was growing up.
Great vid as always Hawk! The whole Eurotrim packages started in the late 70s with Domestics..Even the Pinto had one. Basically it meant more bodycolored or blacked out trim instead of chrome LOL. Those Eurosport Celebrity models had to be rare. I never saw them when new, and only did catch one years later at car shows.
Remember my friend! The speed bumps are not the obstacles...the speed bumps ARE the journey =) I get soooooooo excited when I see a new video from your channel...what you are doing is needed in automotive history so we WILL stop by to watch...do NOT worry for one more second!
When I worked an auto -parts counter in the late '90s, people were already forgetting that GM had four DIFFERENT 350 V8s in the 70s. When a dude came in wanting parts to rebuild a '350,' we asked him what type it was. He said it didn't matter because 350s were 'all the same.' So we split his order into parts for a Chevy, Buick, Olds and Pontiac 350. For some reason, he never came back to the store.
In '87 I worked in an auto parts store as well... had a guy come in for tune up parts for an '84 Pontiac Grand Prix w/ a 400. I asked him what year the 400 was...'84 is what he said, kind of dumb founded why I'd asked such a stupid question. Having worked full time at a Pontiac dealer (as well as being a "car guy". I told him that wasn't possible, the last Pontiac V8 made was in '81 & that was a 301. He argued, I took the book out & showed him he was wrong, he got mad & left.
My step dad had a 76 c20 camper special. When I was 16 I found a 76 c10 with an almost matching aluminum camper on it and bought it. Mine has the little slant 6 and a three on the tree. It is a good old truck and lasted me many years. That little slant 6 is still pulling dirt bikes and hunting equipment all over Texas and the south west. Hell the factory optioned 8 track still works.
I really like your videos! Very well put together and informative. We also have similar tastes lol Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the truck video!
Great selections: I would add the 1978 Buick century sport wagon with the Hawk Edition package just because it was so rare and hard to find. Two tone paint job with a hawk decal on the side. Also I would add the Chevy Astro RS/GMC Safari GT. it came with a custom 2 tone paint job and certain models had the rear quarter windows were deleted with louvers. Also, everybody should remember the Chevy Monza spider edition and the Mirage A little harder to find was the Chevy Monza scorpion edition.
As an owner of a Saab 97x I wasn’t blown away. The thing fell apart. As a boy the Aerosport VR was shocking and later as the owner of 2 stout V6 a bodies a 5 speed 2.8 with the finest suspension that is definitely a gritty car. That VR from a driver experience would definitely pay the bill. Theres no way in hell a Dodge Spirit/Acclaim/Lebaron was a better car than an A body. Those 2.8 a bodies did what you told them to do to be honest an automatic a body would engage reverse at 45 mph I can only imagine a sport engineered suspension with a manual. Honorable mention to the 78 Toronado XS and the only gas powered 350 powered G Body the 80 442. Good video. - Edit EARLY A body pre computer controlled transmission and abs etc
An honorable mention should be the 1984 Buick Summer Olympic Edition Century. I recall seeing a couple at our local dealer. The cars were white with tan interiors and had gold badging, including the Olympic logo.
I owned a 1975 GMC Gentleman Jim that I bought new in ‘75, it had the am/fm-8 track “quadraphonic” stereo sourced from Oldsmobile from the 98 series sedan and it sounded amazing for a stock stereo. Wish I still had that truck!
A family friend had a Gentleman Jim, I loved that truck. He drove it for 20 years!The black and gold looked awesome. My uncle had a Beau James. These were their daily drivers. I always wished they came in short bed versions.
My mom bought a basically brand new ( she bought it from a man who only put 5 miles on it) 1975 GMC High Sierra “Heavy Half”, with a 454/T400 setup. In order to save gas, my mom would take the bus across Denver to go to work, and while she was gone, my older brother would take it to the nearby green belt and run it over the motorcycle jumps. I’ve even jumped it a time or two when I was old enough to drive. Great truck, but my uncle got drunk and wrecked it pretty good. We put on a whole new (junkyard) front clip, and then after that, the automotive place she used, ripped her off by stealing the engine and putting a knocking and oil burning 454 engine in it. They then talked her into swapping a 350 into it. It would have been awesome to still have it in original and unwrecked condition.
There are so many “special series” trucks from GM. As a kid I was huge into fishing and remember ads for the starcraft series suburban. Starcraft was a boat manufacturer and I think the biggest differences was wood components in the interior, a body kit of sorts, and if i remember correctly a built in cooler. It was strange. I cant imagine many were made. Anyways, thanks for the video. Good job 👍
I went to a car show at a Chevrolet dealership and there was a 1976 Corvette Bicentennial edition. It was a white car with stars and stripes. Only 200 of those were produced. Also saw a 1976 Chevrolet C-10 truck. One was a Bicentennial edition and a 1976 Montreal Olympics edition.
Gentleman Jim and Beau James trcks also had a 3/4 ton frame, with half ton suspension, making for a smoother ride. Hence only being available as long boxes.
Yes T tops (except for the Corvette C3) were prone to leaking, they ruined the looks of the car, and because they were aftermarket (again except for the Corvette C3, which was designed for T Tops) they weakened the structure of the car and made it flex like crazy.
There were many models that had factory designed and built T-tops (and not just GM specific). And you're correct anytime you have a cut roof, the body structure is much weaker than without. That's why they designed the T-bar roof (T-top) to have that structural support center bar, unlike the Targa or Hollywood top. Furthermore that's why convertibles and such all have more chassis and body bracing to aid with rigidity. I've owned many vehicles throughout the years with T-tops, Targa, sunroof/moonroof, and removable hardtops (no soft top full convertibles though) and have loved them. All of my factory ones never leaked. All of the aftermarket ones, all did leak (to some degree). But just like with anything, regular maintenance is needed. Like replacing seals/gaskets, and adjustments when it's time.
@@4by_yotaguy373 I have a 1976 Corvette, and it is almost impossible to drive it with the t tops off. Air comes in through the door windows and over the top of the windshield, where it winds up in the enclosed area behind the seats. It tends to build up pressure back there, and tries to come back out, while more air is coming in from the front. You wind up caught in the middle, in sort of a vortex, which feels like being in a tornado. Apparently they discovered this problems with the first C3 models, and made the rear window removeable, so air could flow cleanly through. The soon quit doing that, probably because of cost, and the lack of a place to put the rear window when it was removed. Other than the Corvette, every single American car I know of had aftermarket T tops. They were made with a full roof on the factory assembly line, then sent to an aftermarket company for the T top conversion.
2:22 I know someone that owns one of these, it’s in good shape too! I remember my step dad owned a 77 Chevy Bonanza in 78 it was like new with a factory 400 4 barrel 3 quarter tin 4x4! I remember our neighbor bought a brand new Chevy Silverado step side 4x4 it was black with these factory colored stripes and said Sport on each side of bed,it came with a white roll bar and white spoke wheels ,,I loved my step dads truck but as a kid I thought the neighbor went all out and had a cooler truck !
Gentleman Jim: tho that edition was extra nice, quite a few Chevy/GMC trucks and SUV models of that era were also very lux. My dad had a 1977 K5 Blazer and its interior was still very nice compared to SUVs in the mid 90s when I was a kid. It was full power everything, wood-look trim, soft interior, quiet. It was a dinosaur compared to 90s stuff, but the interior was very nice.
the 5hp difference as far as i knew was because the cam change in the trailblazer ss had a different torque curve to move the xtra weight around from the ss that had a higher torque rating at a lower rpm curve vs the car versions camshaft
There are a few you forgot.... Sorry, kinda a Pontiac Guy... 1988 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 128 produced. First GM to get the 3.1, not even the Eurosport VR got it. 1989 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 1372 made (and they were completely different than the 1988 models) STE stands for Special Touring Edition. 1990 Pontac 6000 S/E AWD, one of the only cars that no one knows, not even GM, how many were made 1989 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2225 made, also a anniversary edition 1990 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2775 made I owned one of every car I just listed. One you forgot that was a kissing cousin to the Saab 9-7x is the GMC Envoy XUV.. You know, the SUV that turns into a Pickup!
I just finished a video that's scheduled to go up this week on the history of heated seats in pickup trucks, I'm not sure when you're releasing your luxury truck video but is that something you talk about extensively or is just like a passing mention?
I have a 2021 standard cab long bed 1500WT that was 35,000 with a 2.7ltr turbo 4cyl auto,air,cruise,power windows and door locks. It does have a 110 plug in the cab and bed to charge battery tools
Thats why I will never buy new. Just got a 2006 jeep patriot with 75k miles for 3500. No issues. Sure, got a friend discount, but still. Grt deals where you can.
I once saw a wrecked Beau James edition truck just in a heap of vehicles back in the day as our rural landfill had a section for abandoned junk cars to be dropped off and piled up. This would have been around 1980 or so, anyways my brother and I went over to check it out and it had Beau James floor Matt’s still in it so we scooped them to put in his ‘77 Sierra. Good times!
Hey i wanted to cheer you your content is so interesting even from the perspective of a french guy hope that knowing that however the miles between you and your public you succed to spread interesting facts about the wierd and unique portrait of usa cars Sorry for my english i try to improve
Air Conditioning in Trucks: "no one needed it" Nothing says more about the utter disdain companies had/have for their workers. "For a few extra dollars, this work truck can have air conditioning to make your workers feel a little more comfortable and thus have higher morale." Company: Nope. [This comment is rhetorical and comments/replies are not welcome and will be ignored and deleted.]
Yes, in the 80s European cars, especially BMW and Volkswagen, were considered sporty, hence the Euro Sport name. The Storm was an imported Isuzu. The hatchback version was very popular in South America. Since it did not cost them any more to import it here, it was offered too.
Mate. I love your videos, great channel, and always look forward to your uploads, which are always appreciated as I’m sure you’re busy with other things and studies. The Eurosport VR… wow, what an ugly car 😂😂 the penchant that manufacturers had for sticking a load of plastic panels on cars. Just horrible.
I have a 1980 cutlass calais, which is almost the same exact model as the 442 you listed in this video. Has every single add on except for the engine. The calais had a 260 v8 and the 442 had the w30 option engine. Mine has an ls swap now tho
New guy here again. I just had to stop to say you got this Mr you are going one heck of a job. I guess maybe you are getting flack from the haters f em. I think but I could be wrong but I think alot of viewers simply enjoy the channel and also happy to hear the younger generations taking interest in the topic. You keep doing what you are doing and don't let anyone take you down. This is coming from a guy who would never even consider doing something like this and putting yourself out there. Again "F" em 👍🇨🇦🔧
Your videos are great and amazing and interesting and informative keep up with the good that you do continue with it and don't be hard on yourself you are a enlightening narrator 👍👍👍👍👍
You know I had a 1987 EuroSport sedan that I Just LOVED but the 2.5 "Iron Duck" was a POS!! Anyway, that EuroSport VR wagon woulda been a Serious chick magnet back in the day!! Looks better than the Dodge Magnums, which were ALL OVER Chicago!!!😮The Dodge Spirit R/T Turbo 224 horses was a Very sick car!! It'd make a Taurus SHO sweat!! But those Spirit turbos are probably all extinct.😢Great background music, btw!!😊
Geo storm long roof hatch a good callout. Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevy Monte Carlo with the NASCAR big rear closing windows yet short truck deck lid would be another.
T-tops leak cause the moulding gets compressed losing firm contact so a quick fix is Xylene painted on them. It swells rubber but as always test on an inconspicuous spot first.
I vaguely remember the GMC Gentleman Jim truck being advertised but I never saw one in the wild. I believe T-tops went extinct because of improving crash standards. Cutting out the material for the T-tops hurt the structural integrity too much and as you pointed out, they tended to leak. I had a girlfriend in college who drove a Celebrity. It was a very uninspiring vehicle and unworthy of the effort to tart it up as a "Eurosport." American cars were still working their way out of the Malaise era and European sports cars had a better reputation. BMWs and Porches were popular with the Preppie set in the 80s.
T Tops were cool though! Came to be as a safer convertible option when the U.S. Goverment was contemplating banning them in the 70s. I think they went away in the 90s for reasons you cited plus they are kind of a pain to take out and put in...People preferred just hitting a switch for a sunroof, and convertibles had made a comeback.
As someone who grew up when Square body chevy trucks '73-'87" were very common I've seen less than a handful of manuals, and I've never seen one without a radio, factory A/C, power brakes, or power steering. On the previous generation yes certainly but not on the 73-87 trucks. I'm sure there out there but as somone who has been around, drove, and ridden in probably over 100 of these trucks in the Midwest this is my observation.
@outspokengenius I don't know where in the Midwest you were, but you could pretty much bet 1 out of 10 outside of Chicago were stick, no air. Ex. Tow trucks, commercial pick ups, flatbeds, etc... I worked for a rather large towing company in the 80's & pretty much all of our squares were stick, no a/c trucks - including the parts pick ups.
The horsepower loss on the 9-7x aero is from it having a more muffled exhaust because it was more luxurious. The same goes for the Grand Prix GXP and the Buick LaCrosse Super. The LaCrosse Super had 300 horsepower vs the Grand Prix GXP's 303 out of the same LS for the same reasons.
I have a few strange models. One is an 85 Chevy Scottsdale Wrangler. Yes, I said Wrangler, like the Jeeps. Also I have a GMC Envoy XUV. It transforms from an SUV to a pickup truck. The roof slides forward, and the "hatch" glass lowers. It also has what is called a midgate that separates the back seats from the truck bed. The back seats fold forward, the midgate glass lowers, then you can fold the midgate flat to make an even bigger truck bed to haul full sheets of plywood or drywall. I also have a 1983 Camaro that has the F47 package which is basically the suspension from a WS6. It was made for the IROC racing series. It has no power options. 305 v8, 5-speed, no cruise control, no air conditioning, no t-tops. It says light as you can get it and had the biggest motor available in 83.
Also, the Euro models were based off of European styling. Basically the headlights and the ground effects. They also made lumina Z34 with 5 speeds that were Eurosports. They were pretty darn quick. Faster than a mustang 5.0.
You have to admit the Saab front end styling sure does look nice. Also another special edition on that platform was The North Face trailblazer. The only thing I could say about the opposed off my head is I was offered on the LT and above and also available on the regular wheelbase and extended wheelbase AKA EXT Model.
@@GreenHawkDrive You're welcome! Also, I never heard of it until I started doing more research of what my '05 trailblazer EXT came with for options if I got the higher trend
I has a 78 Olds cutlass Salon 442. It was 260, 5 speed no duals lol! To many they were ugly. There were 1380 units produced and of that 21% were 5 speeds. It used the borg warner 5 speed like the mustang. I called it the Gutlass 442
I've seen a Gentleman Jim on the road once, a sad rusty and battered thing. I've also seen the Celebrity Eurosport, but none of the others. Special editions were once truly 'special' and different made in limited numbers. But once the beancounters started running the carmakers they saw it a a marketing ploy and made bunches of them in as big a variety as they could. In doing so, the 'special' aspect was lost and is now mostly meaningless save for a few high-performance packages which can't be had otherwise.
Last gen CTS-V was detuned to 640 hp. Corvette was 650. Both had same mill but no way some grocery getter Cadillac is gonna get same power as the Vette. So..... thus the same reason Saab was detuned from the Trailblazer.
That was fun! I’ve owned a couple of these, like a 79 Cobra turbo 🐶. Traded that pooch for a ‘68 Mustang Fastback 7 liter Cobrajet. It sounded awesome, but my (Fiat 🤮) Gladiator pickup is quicker and probably corners better than the old Cobrajet did. Plus the roof comes off in a minute or two, and the center console will make a “Gentleman” out of anyone.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Your too hard on yourself sometimes. Seriously you do a Great job, growing pains are a thing but in order for natural progression to take place they must exists. The channel is Right, your delivery is Unique and thats what makes it Special ! So from now on just do what you do and we WILL watch ... apologies/excuses aren't necessary Keep em rollin Hawk...love n respect ✌
Love and respect for you too man. You’ve been super supportive the whole way. Thank you.
Spot on!!! Please no more apologies. You don't use AI and you actually narrate with a unique presentation. You're NOT monotone I would say a natural. Keep up the good work, and I will continue to watch every time I get a notification. Thank you
@@GreenHawkDrive No ... Thank YOU
You’re good man, there’ll always be haters. I love all your videos!
Agreed 100! Great information and narrating voice. Keep up the good work!
I recall when my dad bought a brand new 79 Silverado two tone paint job blue and silver. It had all electric locks and windows, a plush cloth interior with an AM/FM cassette player, and a 454 big block. It was awesome.
I remember going with my uncle to the GMC dealer, where he paid cash for a brand new 1980 GMC pickup...
It was a blue and silver short bed, had every comfort and convenience option, and had a big Six cylinder engine.
I'm pretty sure he only paid around $6,500 for it at the time.
Those were the days...
My dad's 77 Bananza was like that but had an 8 track. 454 and 400 automatic.😅
I drove past a 1972 Chevy Nova today and was thinking what a missed opportunity Chevy had by never making a “Supernova” racing edition. The name was right there.
There was yenko nova’s and super sport nova’s
@@Thumper68I know, however there wasn’t a SUPERNOVA.
Do you know what the differences would be in a "racing addition"? About four pieces of trim, some adheasive foam tape and possibly 10 more horsepower allowed from the factory tune... It wouldn't he worth $18 dollars more than the base model. Go tour a GM or Ford Assembly plant in Michigan and you'll see. There's no difference in different models that's worth more than $20 dollars. I promise.
@@nathanieladams7624 So you realize they were called Yenko Super Nova’s right?
They made plenty of super sport novas youngster@@nathanieladams7624
There’s nothing I want more at this moment then a Gentleman Jim pickup. Never knew of their existence
I love the Gentleman Jim pick up truck. I'd forgotten all about those things. It's hard to find a long bed C- Series Chevy pick up nowadays, period!
Made a street coupe too a SHORTBED with a 454cid options galore squarebody late 70s
In a W/T, Worktruck only.
I bought a brand new GMC Envoy XL back in the day. XL meant 7 seater with the elevated 3rd row seating. I loved that machine. The BEST family SUV in the day. My kids fought over the 3rd row seats. Such a great platform and the engine was a great match in my opinion.
did it have the 5.3
Still have my 06 envoy xl Denali. MANY trips to OBX beaches. Comfortable and plenty of power with the 5.3. Rated at 310hp? Rides smooth with the airbag suspension. How about the Chevy sportsman that came with a gun rack and rifle!!!
A guy near me has a Gentleman Jim pickup. I think he's owned it since new and keeps it in immaculate shape! The embroidered seat covers and floor mats on the example you showed were done later. They didn't come like that from the factory.
The pickup truck center console compartment is intended and sized to easily access your Personal Protection Device.
The cost of new cars and trucks is absolutly rediculous these days.
Love the wildly inconsistent typeface choices used on the Gentleman Jim. Lends the real air of class that GM was aiming for, mission accomplished.
The Geo Storm was a rebadged version of the sporty, second generation Isuzu Impulse minus some of that car's more expensive features. Great car.
Nice vid again.
Love your videos man thanks for all the work you must put in.
I appreciate that man, thank you
Dude, love this kind of content. Have always been fascinated by these sorts of trim packages ever since I learned about Levi's jeeps and hertz Shelbys. Cheers!
Thanks brother!
My dad raced harness horses and, every few years, got a new Chevy truck to pull the horses around the state. From the 60s until the 90s.
Grandpa aways had to have "2 GAS TANKS." In his Chevy truck.
Unfortunately, you usually had to turn it around to fill them both!
Had a 85 cutlass supreme that had t-tops never leaked in all the years I had it. Miss that car. Thanks for covering all the vehicles that you do a lot of your videos brings back great memories for me. My father was kind of a collector of unique cars and we had some really cool stuff when I was growing up.
Great vid as always Hawk! The whole Eurotrim packages started in the late 70s with Domestics..Even the Pinto had one. Basically it meant more bodycolored or blacked out trim instead of chrome LOL. Those Eurosport Celebrity models had to be rare. I never saw them when new, and only did catch one years later at car shows.
Thank you as always man! I appreciate the answer. Yeah, I’ve never seen one ever😂
@@GreenHawkDrive I didn't realize they added a third to the price, so I'm not surprised I didn't see any.
@@autochatter LOVE your channel too Chatter! Always Good Stuff✌
I really don't remember seeing many "Euro" GMs until.the Lumina came out.
@@averyparticularsetofskills Thank you!
There was also a special edition of the GMC pickup in 1977 called “Sarge”
Remember my friend! The speed bumps are not the obstacles...the speed bumps ARE the journey =) I get soooooooo excited when I see a new video from your channel...what you are doing is needed in automotive history so we WILL stop by to watch...do NOT worry for one more second!
Great video, and very informative a lot of these models I was unaware of
When I worked an auto -parts counter in the late '90s, people were already forgetting that GM had four DIFFERENT 350 V8s in the 70s. When a dude came in wanting parts to rebuild a '350,' we asked him what type it was. He said it didn't matter because 350s were 'all the same.' So we split his order into parts for a Chevy, Buick, Olds and Pontiac 350. For some reason, he never came back to the store.
In '87 I worked in an auto parts store as well... had a guy come in for tune up parts for an '84 Pontiac Grand Prix w/ a 400. I asked him what year the 400 was...'84 is what he said, kind of dumb founded why I'd asked such a stupid question. Having worked full time at a Pontiac dealer (as well as being a "car guy". I told him that wasn't possible, the last Pontiac V8 made was in '81 & that was a 301. He argued, I took the book out & showed him he was wrong, he got mad & left.
Damn, the eurosport vr wagon musta been super rare
Right! Would be cool to see
I was about to comment that id actually rock a VR wagon 😂😂
My step dad had a 76 c20 camper special. When I was 16 I found a 76 c10 with an almost matching aluminum camper on it and bought it. Mine has the little slant 6 and a three on the tree. It is a good old truck and lasted me many years. That little slant 6 is still pulling dirt bikes and hunting equipment all over Texas and the south west. Hell the factory optioned 8 track still works.
I really like your videos! Very well put together and informative. We also have similar tastes lol Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the truck video!
That means a lot man. Thank you
Great selections:
I would add the 1978 Buick century sport wagon with the Hawk Edition package just because it was so rare and hard to find.
Two tone paint job with a hawk decal on the side.
Also I would add the Chevy Astro RS/GMC Safari GT. it came with a custom 2 tone paint job and certain models had the rear quarter windows were deleted with louvers.
Also, everybody should remember the Chevy Monza spider edition and the Mirage
A little harder to find was the Chevy Monza scorpion edition.
Definitely will be adding these to my notes for a future video, thanks man!
We had a celebrity eurosport when I was a kid. Looked cool at the time. Dark slate blue metallic. Basically just a 4cyl celebrity though.
As an owner of a Saab 97x I wasn’t blown away. The thing fell apart. As a boy the Aerosport VR was shocking and later as the owner of 2 stout V6 a bodies a 5 speed 2.8 with the finest suspension that is definitely a gritty car. That VR from a driver experience would definitely pay the bill. Theres no way in hell a Dodge Spirit/Acclaim/Lebaron was a better car than an A body. Those 2.8 a bodies did what you told them to do to be honest an automatic a body would engage reverse at 45 mph I can only imagine a sport engineered suspension with a manual. Honorable mention to the 78 Toronado XS and the only gas powered 350 powered G Body the 80 442. Good video. - Edit EARLY A body pre computer controlled transmission and abs etc
I'm excited for the video about luxury trucks!
An honorable mention should be the 1984 Buick Summer Olympic Edition Century. I recall seeing a couple at our local dealer. The cars were white with tan interiors and had gold badging, including the Olympic logo.
I had a friend back in the mid 80's that had a Eurosport Celebrity and it was actually the very 1st 4 door that I found attractive.
I owned a 1975 GMC Gentleman Jim that I bought new in ‘75, it had the am/fm-8 track “quadraphonic” stereo sourced from Oldsmobile from the 98 series sedan and it sounded amazing for a stock stereo. Wish I still had that truck!
Great throwback video. Well done.
Thank you!
GM dressed up the outside, but did not realize people wanted some beef with that bun
Jammed a 454cid in squarebody and called it a street coupe
A family friend had a Gentleman Jim, I loved that truck. He drove it for 20 years!The black and gold looked awesome. My uncle had a Beau James. These were their daily drivers. I always wished they came in short bed versions.
My mom bought a basically brand new ( she bought it from a man who only put 5 miles on it) 1975 GMC High Sierra “Heavy Half”, with a 454/T400 setup. In order to save gas, my mom would take the bus across Denver to go to work, and while she was gone, my older brother would take it to the nearby green belt and run it over the motorcycle jumps. I’ve even jumped it a time or two when I was old enough to drive. Great truck, but my uncle got drunk and wrecked it pretty good. We put on a whole new (junkyard) front clip, and then after that, the automotive place she used, ripped her off by stealing the engine and putting a knocking and oil burning 454 engine in it. They then talked her into swapping a 350 into it. It would have been awesome to still have it in original and unwrecked condition.
Great content, as always! Keep up the good work!
Thank you man!
There are so many “special series” trucks from GM.
As a kid I was huge into fishing and remember ads for the starcraft series suburban. Starcraft was a boat manufacturer and I think the biggest differences was wood components in the interior, a body kit of sorts, and if i remember correctly a built in cooler. It was strange. I cant imagine many were made.
Anyways, thanks for the video. Good job 👍
GMC had a Longhorn package on their Sierra Grande pickups in the early early 70's
@2:35 I recall the same center console in my father's 1967. It was before the Gentlemen, but with A/C, all the upgrades of the Camper Special.
I went to a car show at a Chevrolet dealership and there was a 1976 Corvette Bicentennial edition. It was a white car with stars and stripes. Only 200 of those were produced. Also saw a 1976 Chevrolet C-10 truck. One was a Bicentennial edition and a 1976 Montreal Olympics edition.
Love these videos, keep it coming
Thank you!
Gentleman Jim and Beau James trcks also had a 3/4 ton frame, with half ton suspension, making for a smoother ride. Hence only being available as long boxes.
Yes T tops (except for the Corvette C3) were prone to leaking, they ruined the looks of the car, and because they were aftermarket (again except for the Corvette C3, which was designed for T Tops) they weakened the structure of the car and made it flex like crazy.
C3 T tops leaked too, and there were factory assembly line T tops put in some cars, but yes most models were farmed out.
There were many models that had factory designed and built T-tops (and not just GM specific). And you're correct anytime you have a cut roof, the body structure is much weaker than without. That's why they designed the T-bar roof (T-top) to have that structural support center bar, unlike the Targa or Hollywood top. Furthermore that's why convertibles and such all have more chassis and body bracing to aid with rigidity.
I've owned many vehicles throughout the years with T-tops, Targa, sunroof/moonroof, and removable hardtops (no soft top full convertibles though) and have loved them. All of my factory ones never leaked. All of the aftermarket ones, all did leak (to some degree). But just like with anything, regular maintenance is needed. Like replacing seals/gaskets, and adjustments when it's time.
@@4by_yotaguy373 I have a 1976 Corvette, and it is almost impossible to drive it with the t tops off. Air comes in through the door windows and over the top of the windshield, where it winds up in the enclosed area behind the seats. It tends to build up pressure back there, and tries to come back out, while more air is coming in from the front. You wind up caught in the middle, in sort of a vortex, which feels like being in a tornado. Apparently they discovered this problems with the first C3 models, and made the rear window removeable, so air could flow cleanly through. The soon quit doing that, probably because of cost, and the lack of a place to put the rear window when it was removed.
Other than the Corvette, every single American car I know of had aftermarket T tops. They were made with a full roof on the factory assembly line, then sent to an aftermarket company for the T top conversion.
Don’t be so hard on yourself man! You’re doing fantastic
I never could understand why GMC didn't use a very obvious special name: "Diamond Jim". Seems like a no-brainer.
I think Gentleman Jim what's Gentleman Jim Reeves record 1950's and 1960's Country and Western. Maybe not.
too gay sounding for the seventies
no one would buy it
GMC Gentleman Jim was a pretty cool truck. Saw a lot of these in Texas ! Rich ranch owners daily driver.
2:22 I know someone that owns one of these, it’s in good shape too! I remember my step dad owned a 77 Chevy Bonanza in 78 it was like new with a factory 400 4 barrel 3 quarter tin 4x4! I remember our neighbor bought a brand new Chevy Silverado step side 4x4 it was black with these factory colored stripes and said Sport on each side of bed,it came with a white roll bar and white spoke wheels ,,I loved my step dads truck but as a kid I thought the neighbor went all out and had a cooler truck !
I absolutely love your channel
I really appreciate that man. Thank you
Gentleman Jim: tho that edition was extra nice, quite a few Chevy/GMC trucks and SUV models of that era were also very lux.
My dad had a 1977 K5 Blazer and its interior was still very nice compared to SUVs in the mid 90s when I was a kid. It was full power everything, wood-look trim, soft interior, quiet. It was a dinosaur compared to 90s stuff, but the interior was very nice.
Great stuff! Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
First!
And allow me to say that this is an excellent automotive vehicle review channel! Please keep up the superb work!
I really appreciate that man thank you!
the 5hp difference as far as i knew was because the cam change in the trailblazer ss had a different torque curve to move the xtra weight around from the ss that had a higher torque rating at a lower rpm curve vs the car versions camshaft
Special editions aren't as unique now because consumers aren't as unique now
There are a few you forgot.... Sorry, kinda a Pontiac Guy...
1988 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 128 produced. First GM to get the 3.1, not even the Eurosport VR got it.
1989 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 1372 made (and they were completely different than the 1988 models)
STE stands for Special Touring Edition.
1990 Pontac 6000 S/E AWD, one of the only cars that no one knows, not even GM, how many were made
1989 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2225 made, also a anniversary edition
1990 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2775 made
I owned one of every car I just listed.
One you forgot that was a kissing cousin to the Saab 9-7x is the GMC Envoy XUV.. You know, the SUV that turns into a Pickup!
Gmc was the Cadillac of pickup trucks. Fancier and tough.
I can't lie that wagon is pretty sick tho......🤷🏽♂️😂😂. Those Saabs were cool but the Trailblazer SS was really cool too
I just finished a video that's scheduled to go up this week on the history of heated seats in pickup trucks, I'm not sure when you're releasing your luxury truck video but is that something you talk about extensively or is just like a passing mention?
RIP SAAB.. my parents had various SAAB’s, I loved them.
@1:55 WAIT, SO A 70S SQUARE BODY TRUCK COULD MOVE 187 TONS? SO HOW IS TOW COMPACITY FOR FULL SIZED TRUCKS NOW BARLEY 3 TONS ON AVERAGE?
it's a shame they don't make an affordable work truck these days. i mean, you don't need a 60k or 80k truck to haul some boards home 😏
I have a 2021 standard cab long bed 1500WT that was 35,000 with a 2.7ltr turbo 4cyl auto,air,cruise,power windows and door locks. It does have a 110 plug in the cab and bed to charge battery tools
That's what Facebook marketplace is for 😅😅😅
Thats why I will never buy new. Just got a 2006 jeep patriot with 75k miles for 3500. No issues. Sure, got a friend discount, but still. Grt deals where you can.
I have the fastest 0-60 "Saab" on Dragy... it's a supercharged 9-7X Aero. Love it!
That’s sick
My parents first new car was an 84 Olds Cutlass Ciera.
Cool video, glad UA-cam recommended.
Right on man!
I once saw a wrecked Beau James edition truck just in a heap of vehicles back in the day as our rural landfill had a section for abandoned junk cars to be dropped off and piled up. This would have been around 1980 or so, anyways my brother and I went over to check it out and it had Beau James floor Matt’s still in it so we scooped them to put in his ‘77 Sierra. Good times!
I enjoyed your video, never heard of these options.
Hey i wanted to cheer you your content is so interesting even from the perspective of a french guy hope that knowing that however the miles between you and your public you succed to spread interesting facts about the wierd and unique portrait of usa cars
Sorry for my english i try to improve
Don’t apologize man! I really appreciate your comment. Vive la France!
Air Conditioning in Trucks: "no one needed it" Nothing says more about the utter disdain companies had/have for their workers. "For a few extra dollars, this work truck can have air conditioning to make your workers feel a little more comfortable and thus have higher morale." Company: Nope.
[This comment is rhetorical and comments/replies are not welcome and will be ignored and deleted.]
I love these videos.
Thank you man, I appreciate that
Iv owned 3 1970s square body Chevy trucks other than my 1994 Chevy Silverado those old square body trks were the best GM ever built
Yes, in the 80s European cars, especially BMW and Volkswagen, were considered sporty, hence the Euro Sport name. The Storm was an imported Isuzu. The hatchback version was very popular in South America. Since it did not cost them any more to import it here, it was offered too.
One of the best accounts on UA-cam
That means a lot. Thank you
Mate. I love your videos, great channel, and always look forward to your uploads, which are always appreciated as I’m sure you’re busy with other things and studies. The Eurosport VR… wow, what an ugly car 😂😂 the penchant that manufacturers had for sticking a load of plastic panels on cars. Just horrible.
Thank you, Aled. I appreciate your comments every week!
I have a 1980 cutlass calais, which is almost the same exact model as the 442 you listed in this video. Has every single add on except for the engine. The calais had a 260 v8 and the 442 had the w30 option engine. Mine has an ls swap now tho
I would love the vr station wagon especially with the 5 speed
I love the inclusion of the original ads. But video in print
New guy here again. I just had to stop to say you got this Mr you are going one heck of a job. I guess maybe you are getting flack from the haters f em. I think but I could be wrong but I think alot of viewers simply enjoy the channel and also happy to hear the younger generations taking interest in the topic. You keep doing what you are doing and don't let anyone take you down. This is coming from a guy who would never even consider doing something like this and putting yourself out there. Again "F" em 👍🇨🇦🔧
I really appreciate this man, thank you.
@@GreenHawkDrive I appreciate your response. Keep up the amazing work 👍🇨🇦
Your videos are great and amazing and interesting and informative keep up with the good that you do continue with it and don't be hard on yourself you are a enlightening narrator 👍👍👍👍👍
I appreciate that man, thank you!
You forgot one of my favorite ones
the ever so famous
MACHO TRANS AM 🤣🤣
Great Video again
I appreciate that man, thank you
I believe I have a special Truck,1974 Super 20 Cheyenne/Longhorn package,Gold /White454/400 A/C,Power Steering,TX🥃
The GM W and B bodies have even more more badge engineering than the GMT360
Cool vid, keep up the good work.👌👍
Thank you Kerry!
You know I had a 1987 EuroSport sedan that I Just LOVED but the 2.5 "Iron Duck" was a POS!! Anyway, that EuroSport VR wagon woulda been a Serious chick magnet back in the day!! Looks better than the Dodge Magnums, which were ALL OVER Chicago!!!😮The Dodge Spirit R/T Turbo 224 horses was a Very sick car!! It'd make a Taurus SHO sweat!! But those Spirit turbos are probably all extinct.😢Great background music, btw!!😊
I’m not sure if it even exists but I heard that in 1964 the 442 could be had as a 4-door option. It could be so rare that there are no examples today.
Geo storm long roof hatch a good callout.
Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevy Monte Carlo with the NASCAR big rear closing windows yet short truck deck lid would be another.
Those were the ones they made just enough of to allow them to race those bodystyles a NASCAR.
T-tops leak cause the moulding gets compressed losing firm contact so a quick fix is Xylene painted on them. It swells rubber but as always test on an inconspicuous spot first.
My brother had a 74 Cheyenne super 10 heavy half. It had air conditioning, wood grain in the interior, and all the chrome available on a square body
I vaguely remember the GMC Gentleman Jim truck being advertised but I never saw one in the wild. I believe T-tops went extinct because of improving crash standards. Cutting out the material for the T-tops hurt the structural integrity too much and as you pointed out, they tended to leak. I had a girlfriend in college who drove a Celebrity. It was a very uninspiring vehicle and unworthy of the effort to tart it up as a "Eurosport." American cars were still working their way out of the Malaise era and European sports cars had a better reputation. BMWs and Porches were popular with the Preppie set in the 80s.
T Tops were cool though! Came to be as a safer convertible option when the U.S. Goverment was contemplating banning them in the 70s. I think they went away in the 90s for reasons you cited plus they are kind of a pain to take out and put in...People preferred just hitting a switch for a sunroof, and convertibles had made a comeback.
I what I kid, Cuba, Missouri, guy had a Gentleman Jim truck (think a barber shop).
As someone who grew up when Square body chevy trucks '73-'87" were very common I've seen less than a handful of manuals, and I've never seen one without a radio, factory A/C, power brakes, or power steering. On the previous generation yes certainly but not on the 73-87 trucks. I'm sure there out there but as somone who has been around, drove, and ridden in probably over 100 of these trucks in the Midwest this is my observation.
@outspokengenius I don't know where in the Midwest you were, but you could pretty much bet 1 out of 10 outside of Chicago were stick, no air.
Ex. Tow trucks, commercial pick ups, flatbeds, etc... I worked for a rather large towing company in the 80's & pretty much all of our squares were stick, no a/c trucks - including the parts pick ups.
The horsepower loss on the 9-7x aero is from it having a more muffled exhaust because it was more luxurious. The same goes for the Grand Prix GXP and the Buick LaCrosse Super. The LaCrosse Super had 300 horsepower vs the Grand Prix GXP's 303 out of the same LS for the same reasons.
I have a few strange models. One is an 85 Chevy Scottsdale Wrangler. Yes, I said Wrangler, like the Jeeps. Also I have a GMC Envoy XUV. It transforms from an SUV to a pickup truck. The roof slides forward, and the "hatch" glass lowers. It also has what is called a midgate that separates the back seats from the truck bed. The back seats fold forward, the midgate glass lowers, then you can fold the midgate flat to make an even bigger truck bed to haul full sheets of plywood or drywall. I also have a 1983 Camaro that has the F47 package which is basically the suspension from a WS6. It was made for the IROC racing series. It has no power options. 305 v8, 5-speed, no cruise control, no air conditioning, no t-tops. It says light as you can get it and had the biggest motor available in 83.
Also, the Euro models were based off of European styling. Basically the headlights and the ground effects. They also made lumina Z34 with 5 speeds that were Eurosports. They were pretty darn quick. Faster than a mustang 5.0.
You have to admit the Saab front end styling sure does look nice. Also another special edition on that platform was The North Face trailblazer. The only thing I could say about the opposed off my head is I was offered on the LT and above and also available on the regular wheelbase and extended wheelbase AKA EXT Model.
Never heard of that edition. Thank you
@@GreenHawkDrive You're welcome! Also, I never heard of it until I started doing more research of what my '05 trailblazer EXT came with for options if I got the higher trend
There were also Michael Jordan edition Blazers & Trail Blazers.
I has a 78 Olds cutlass Salon 442. It was 260, 5 speed no duals lol! To many they were ugly. There were 1380 units produced and of that 21% were 5 speeds. It used the borg warner 5 speed like the mustang. I called it the Gutlass 442
I've seen a Gentleman Jim on the road once, a sad rusty and battered thing. I've also seen the Celebrity Eurosport, but none of the others. Special editions were once truly 'special' and different made in limited numbers. But once the beancounters started running the carmakers they saw it a a marketing ploy and made bunches of them in as big a variety as they could. In doing so, the 'special' aspect was lost and is now mostly meaningless save for a few high-performance packages which can't be had otherwise.
Last gen CTS-V was detuned to 640 hp. Corvette was 650. Both had same mill but no way some grocery getter Cadillac is gonna get same power as the Vette. So..... thus the same reason Saab was detuned from the Trailblazer.
That Storm wagon is kind of cool looking.
Has an 87 eurosport. Loved it. Would've REALLY loved a 5 speed vr!
The Saab version of the Trailblazer it was actually a really good, looking truck, and a lot of them came all-wheel drive.
I enjoyed this.
That was fun! I’ve owned a couple of these, like a 79 Cobra turbo 🐶. Traded that pooch for a ‘68 Mustang Fastback 7 liter Cobrajet. It sounded awesome, but my (Fiat 🤮) Gladiator pickup is quicker and probably corners better than the old Cobrajet did. Plus the roof comes off in a minute or two, and the center console will make a “Gentleman” out of anyone.
Can I dub your videos in Hindi?
No
@@GreenHawkDrive Why don't you create similar content for Hindi audience, I can help you with scripting, translation etc.🫡
I remember that tv commercial with the log trailers