LosAngeles

This post isn't about cars with rear-wheel power of some sort worthy of praise....it's about the garbage ones. We all know the base Eclipses were crappy. But are you saying that the front-drive turbo models are no good? Because I would have to disagree. Oftentimes, the mags (I know, they're some kind of authority) would recommend the front-drive turbos over the loaded AWD models....save some bucks, plus the car is less complicated.

Yep, same case with all the american makes (nerdiness alert) Buick: Electra, Invicta, LeSabre, Skylark, Century, Roadmaster Pontiac: Bonneville, Catalina, Grand Prix, Star Chief, Ventura, Laurentian, Excutive, Parisienne Ford: Galaxie, Customline, Victoria, LTD, Country Squire, Country Sedan, Fairlane Yep, before the smaller (mid-size and compact) cars were created (to fill in the gap made by the standard (full-size) cars becoming 230 inches long, the model names were just trim levels of the exact same car. Hell, in the 30s and 40s merged-up GM, the BRANDS were simply trim levels of the same car, hence the Sloan ladder....even at Chrysler in the 50s (Plymouth, DeSoto, Dodge, Chrysler, Imperial) There's so much variety, it's insane these days....because the only way you got it before 1961 was to go to a completely different company (which there were hundreds back then)

Just look what front end made it onto the Impala....

You've never seen it on the street....trust, once the customizers start to play around with it a little, you'll feel it.

I guess you want it to have a solid rear axle with a 9" Ford rear end too? It's not gonna happen...this car has to please more than the dragstrip crowd. Ford is just cheap like that...for GM and DCX, a BOF car would be a step back. But this isn't about that debate....back to our exceptions post.

The Late Show with: -a 65/66 full-size Pontiac hardtop -the first 06 Kia Rio (a white sedan driven by a chick, didn't look too bad) -2 Honda S2000s, one right behind the other -and an accident where a first-gen Dodge Stratus driven by some thuggish ruggish lezzie wedged up an old lady's Lexus ES330 from behind....going UPHILL!!

I really didn't care to drink much when I was 18-20....one reason why it didn't matter was likely because I was smoking big weed at the time...I haven't blazed in two years, but I love them beers these days.

More useless RWD/AWDs: -70s and automatic Beetles--difference from 50s and 60s manual Bugs is night and day. See front end for the biggest offense these cars commit. -Porsche 924--the slab-sidedness compared to the 924 is just tragic. -Dodge Challenger/Plymouth Sapporo--basically disgusting, and I can't even see an engine saving its life. -78-81 Toyota Celica fastback--among the ugliest Toyotas of ALL TIME, if not ugliest cars in general. -Honda Civic wagon 4WD -68-75 Jaguar XJs--the body just isn't my cup of tea...and hey, if it's British, every system on it may as well be mechanical, because I can't trust anythign electric. -70s Rolls Royces that aren't Camargues--leave those to the uber-Rolls Royce fans. front-drives I'd check for: -Chevy Celebrity--just looks so good with low-profile wheels, especially with the later nose and a 2.8. Good luck finding a stick however. -Legend (88 and up sedans, all coupes)--just a great car to sit in and drive....and they must be preserved for future generations. -80s Cutlass Ciera/90s 2-door Ciera/Century/Century T-Type--again, like the Celeb, one for the "cleans up nicely" file (as long as it's got the 2.8). -Quad 4 GMs with sticks--most all of them looked decent enough, and that engine is worth the trouble...if you can deal with the noise it makes. -the Twin-Dual-Cam V-6 GMs--just a personal fave, that's all...GTP, Z34, the Cutlass Supreme versions, I liked them all, even with the slushbox. -Grand Prix Turbo--the body mods that lived on in the first GTP, those lovely wheels, and...it's a turbo!! Plus, hey, the engine still lives on in today's 3.5 and 3.9 -Buick Regal after 88 with the 3.8--love the body, and even in normal aspiration, that car can at least get out of its own way. -88-95 Ford Taurus SHO--you were stuck with a stick, and that was how it was gonna go.

Are you complaining about the unibody LX Chryslers? As long as the car isn't tinny and collisions won't intrude into its cabin, frame construction means nothing to me.

[quote name='Sixty8panther' date='Sep 1 2005, 08:19 PM']Uhhhh... Escort GT? Are you serious LA?  :blink:[/quote] Decnt engine (ask Allen Engineering), and I liked the styling enough.... [quote]RWD Throwaway: - 1975 Ford Gran Torino[/quote] I like the body on it enough to go after one, and I have seen lots of potential in it for a while now....why do you consider it worthless? [quote]- 1982 Ford Fairmont[/quote] I will never clap to anyone saying that a Fox Ford is no good....if it can go on a Mustang, it can find its way onto any other Fox's chassis. [quote]and the king of them all by leaps and bounds: The Mustang II. Any year any condition![/quote] Pinto 2.0/2.3...that's all you need. But yeah, the look is just not the business... [quote]FWD Keeper: - 1989 Cavalier Z24 (don't ask it's an emotional thing)[/quote] Does it pack the 2.8? [quote]- 1991 Honda CRX [post="8199"][/post] [/quote] Gotta add 88-90, and the 84-87 Si. And their Civic hatch counterparts. All as long as they're sticks.

Nice dismissive attitude, but if that's how you feel, do you... Was this a take relating to me saying turbo K-cars are OK? I think Lancer, later Daytonas and LeBaron coupes, TC, Spirit R/T, Omni, and Shadow/Sundance had pretty nice styling. I wouldn't think of them like 10s, but like that slacker type that cleaned up pretty nicely when shaven with the Sunday best thrown on. I don't carry the same favoritism towards Chevy that I do for BOP, so I agree.... Camaro and Chevelle, for example, were no match for Firebird and Tempest/LeMans/GTO EVER in my mind....the Chevys were always the second choice to me (and often third, if an Olds or Buick found its way in) Chevy was simply too basic to win the war against BOP in my mind.....and oftentimes they were the choice of those who lacked imagination. But I guess that bowtie symbolizes machismo to a lot of people.

As much as the musclecar boys like pre-73s and 78-85s, and as much as the cruiser crowd likes the 73-77s, they're not worth having? Is that your way of saying you don't like Asian cars?

More: worthwhile fronties: -Neons with sticks--get them ready for the compact drags or the parking lot races -Cavalier Z24--untapped potential late 80s Cadillac Seville/Eldo/89-93 de Ville/Fleetwood--the V-8s of that period still make me curious...but hey, you can always trade up to the Northie (can they fit, however?) -Suzuki Swift GTi crappy rear-drives: -The first Mazda 929--I just can't be convinced. -70s Mercedes--the look just doesn't do it for me....neither do the engines -70s/80s SLs--why were these cool in the 80s again? -Fiat/Triumph/MG roadsters (US market)--electrics, tinny bodies, what is there to like?

I'd say about all Golfs with sticks are worth the trouble. I remember a crew that built up a bunch of A1s, and would likely spank any A2 and up GTI out there.... I co-sign on the base 300, and add the base Magnum.

My cousin somehow made an SE work, even with the stock wheels.

The Crown Vic is pretty difficult to defend. One could see bringing it to a 98 and up, but it just has a stance that doesn't lend very well to things like big wheels and all those things that make Caprices look beautiful. Town Cars from 90 on up can be made to look great...it ain't for the dragstrip, but it has its merits for nights on the town.....

I still find decent style in those 80's Cresses....the sharp lines lent well to loweruing and adding some wheels....plus again with the engine and independent supenseion...also there was a lot of good luxury equipment for the buck. The only snag was how they seemed to be overall packaged to market to old men.... Yeah, too bad it didn't get the Celica GTS engine. And the Matrix is the Vibe's ugly twin....the Tercel tall wagon revisited.

Unless you import a European engine for racing, I have to disagree....and the first-gen is just nasty-lookin'...

Even the Marauder? Town Cars are cool for lowrider/DUB cruiser duty.

I'd think as long as you had a 3.8, you're all good....you could always find a blower at a junkyard, and even then, an NA version is buildable.

Oh, come on.... There's nothing crappy about any rear-drive Lexi. Even a '90 LS400 is still beutiful to this day, plus there's still potential in that V-8. Not to mention they have bodykits for them in Japan. And I have three words for rear-drive Chryslers: Viper crate motor. Besides, I think Aspen/Volare coupes and wagons don't look half-bad. What are 93-97 N* Sevilles, chopped liver?

Wait a minute....the Pinto 2.0/2.3 four was buildable...the basis for the 80s turbo Fords and the almighty Cosworth. I once went to a musclecar parts shop and saw a built Pinto four with a blower stacked on top of its intake. What about the second-generation Prelude? Si Hondas were always straight with me. As are ALL Integras.

Gotta disagree: -Cressidas pack great sixes (shared with Supras), the 5MGE from 82-88, and the 7MGE from 89-92. -I'll give you an 84 left stock, but you can still kit it. -It's hard for me to consider Omega-based cars useless...and that Ecotec V-6 was never really explored (maybe Steinmetz would have somethign to say about that?)

Sorry, Northie, I'd rather stick to the months..... Spotted the following to start the month: -50s four-door Ford Customline -Aston Martin, problably that Vanquish. -that new two-door Maserati, have no idea what it's called. -Mini with a Union Jack painted on the roof.

Basically, our attitude and unwritten rule here is that front-drive cars are throwaways, while rear-drive is the greatest thing since sliced bread. But let's flip it for a second. I'm sure plenty of us can think of front-drive cars that are absolute jewels to drive and own for a lifetime, while there are plenty of cars that may put power to the rear wheels, but are complete wastes of road. So let's name some off... The only rules: -If it's already been named, don't put it on your own list (this keeps the clutter down) -All entries are open to dispute (e.g. "You can always swap that V-6 out of that Mustang and slip in a 351 for the dragstrip") Go. RWD/AWD throwaways: -Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch/Lincoln Versailles (the first generation, pre-Fox)--you replace the great, the beautiful Maverick and Comet with THAT? -Subrau XT6--emphatically NOT sexy -AMC Eagle--lifted for basically no reason at all. -Anything with an Olds Diesel--nuff said. -Mazda GLC--it would be a different story if it had a decent engine. FWD keepers: -Chrysler turbo K-cars--as long as they have sticks, a gasoline turbo is always worth it. And if you properly tune the suspension, you're golden. -80s Ford Escort GTs--I always found them pretty cool myself. -Toyota Corolla FX16--looks good enough, but the 4AGE engine puts it over the top. I turn it over to you for now....