Car From Your Birth Year - What Would You Choose?

[Cory Wolfe]

If tasked to choose a single car from the year you were born, what would you choose?

 

For me, 1988 is an interesting year. With its arrival, the U.S. saw the first George Bush become president, while George Micheal ended the year with the best selling album and number one single. The Young and the Restless began its streak as the number 1 daytime drama in television as Rain Man finished the year as the highest grossing film. It is also the year in which Enzo Ferrari passed away, singers Adele and Rihanna were born, and Sega introduced its Mega-Drive (later called the Genesis in the U.S.).

 

Going back to the automotive industry, Volkswagen closed its Westmoreland plant, the first foreign auto manufacturing plant in the U.S. Motor Trend's car of the year was the Pontiac Grand Prix (It's import car of the year was the Honda CRX). Car and Driver's 10 best list was comprised of the Acura Integra & Legend, Audi 5000, Chevy Corvette, Ford Mustang & Taurus, Honda Accord, Civic, and CRX, and finally the Saab 9000 turbo. 

 

To pick of car... Those of you who've known me from the beginning when I joined C&G back in 2003 won't be surprised. To this day, I still yearn for a Fiero to tinker with. With 1988 being the finale and best year for that car, the day I do finally go out and get myself one, it will most certainly be an 1988. Beyond that, I'd have a hell of a time choosing between a GT and a Formula. 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2015 by blackviper8891

[cp-the-nerd]

I'd probably go with the '87 Monte Carlo SS off the top of my head. Grand Nationals were badass too, but looks wise, I'm way more into the Monte and I wouldn't feel like I was killing a unicorn by doing an engine swap and heavy mods.

 

[Thed]

'94 Bronco

 

[G. David Felt]

So 1967 is a VERY HARD year to choose just one auto.

 

Daily Driver 1967 GMC Suburban

 

Fall & Winter Weekend Driver 1967 GTO

 

Spring & Summer Weekend Driver 1967 Camero Pace Car

[balthazar]

[ccap41]

Well, I'm with the OP on 1988. Personally, I've almost always hated 80's and 90's cars. Nothing really appealed to me until the latter half of the 90's. But this is actually a thing I've thought a lot about because my friends and I have asked eachother this before at work while wasting time(when we used to work together). We always thought it'd be cool to own something from the year we were born. But late 80's?!?! Eh. Not a huge fan of anything from then. I've always just been like.. I'd buy a Fox Bodied Mustang.. Which in the "real world" I still would. A CLEAN Fox is gorgeous...but most aren't clean.. I wouldn't even make it all stupid fast like they are capable of. I would just make it look extremely clean and original with a few minor mods to make it not slow lol.

 

Well today.. I looked up 1988 a little more and came across a GEM. I never knew this was built in 1988 and I still could never own one but in this case.. 1988 Ferrari F40.

So 1967 is a VERY HARD year to choose just one auto.

 

Daily Driver 1967 GMC Suburban

1967GMCSuburban.jpg

 

Fall & Winter Weekend Driver 1967 GTO

1967GT0.png

 

Spring & Summer Weekend Driver 1967 Camero Pace Car

1967CameroPaceCar.jpg

You have a FANTASTIC year for cars!

[Drew Dowdell]

Pickings were pretty slim in 1978.... 

Possibly a '78 Cadillac Eldorado or Seville

I could never turn down a Toronado, regardless of the year and there are worse things in the world than having to drive a '78 Ninety Eight coupe.

Lincoln Mark V is another possibility.

[cp-the-nerd]

Well, I'm with the OP on 1988. Personally, I've almost always hated 80's and 90's cars. Nothing really appealed to me until the latter half of the 90's. But this is actually a thing I've thought a lot about because my friends and I have asked eachother this before at work while wasting time(when we used to work together). We always thought it'd be cool to own something from the year we were born. But late 80's?!?! Eh. Not a huge fan of anything from then. I've always just been like.. I'd buy a Fox Bodied Mustang.. Which in the "real world" I still would. A CLEAN Fox is gorgeous...but most aren't clean.. I wouldn't even make it all stupid fast like they are capable of. I would just make it look extremely clean and original with a few minor mods to make it not slow lol.

 

Well today.. I looked up 1988 a little more and came across a GEM. I never knew this was built in 1988 and I still could never own one but in this case.. 1988 Ferrari F40.

 

 

Ya know, I always assumed we were the same age, but I didn't actually have proof until now. I'll race your stock fox body in my stock Monte Carlo SS! Both are slower than 4-cylinder family cars now...

[Robert Hall]

1970 was a great year for cars...hard to pick just one. Maybe a '70 Mustang Mach 1, Challenger, Charger, Camaro, Mercury Marauder, Ford XL, Cadillac Eldorado, Lincoln Continental, Porsche 911, Porsche 917....

[ocnblu]

1964 Pontiac Grand Prix

 

[Cory Wolfe]

Well, I'm with the OP on 1988. Personally, I've almost always hated 80's and 90's cars. Nothing really appealed to me until the latter half of the 90's. But this is actually a thing I've thought a lot about because my friends and I have asked eachother this before at work while wasting time(when we used to work together). We always thought it'd be cool to own something from the year we were born. But late 80's?!?! Eh. Not a huge fan of anything from then. I've always just been like.. I'd buy a Fox Bodied Mustang.. Which in the "real world" I still would. A CLEAN Fox is gorgeous...but most aren't clean.. I wouldn't even make it all stupid fast like they are capable of. I would just make it look extremely clean and original with a few minor mods to make it not slow lol.

 

Well today.. I looked up 1988 a little more and came across a GEM. I never knew this was built in 1988 and I still could never own one but in this case.. 1988 Ferrari F40.

 

 

Great choice. It will likely stand as the best thing to come out of the 80's. 

[balthazar]

Hard to bypass the same concept as ocnblu, so... '66 GP :

 

Edited October 21, 2015 by balthazar

[oldshurst442]

1973.

Im maybe the last of the greats of the good 'ol days.

The last of the real muscle cars that is for sure if not for American Iron in general.

 

I will easily take a 1973 Pontiac Trans Am SD 455

 

And a 1973 Oldsmobile H/O 455 Cutlass 442

 

 

Or even a 1973 Cadillac Convertible. A 500 cubic inch Eldorado...Indy Pace Car at that. 

 

 

If I had to choose 1 of these 3....it would be the Trans Am as a Trans Am is really the first automobile that I fell in love with...It was a 1975 or a 1976 model. So I was a Trans Am guy before Burt showed us his Ban-One Black  and Gold Poncho.

Edited October 21, 2015 by oldshurst442

[loki]

i'll quickly say... from '83

any rwd Buick

a BMW 3 series

or a lambo coutach

[Cory Wolfe]

1973.

Im maybe the last of the greats of the good 'ol days.

The last of the real muscle cars that is for sure if not for American Iron in general.

 

I will easily take a 1973 Pontiac Trans Am SD 455

 

 

Always loved the early 2nd Gen F-bodies. That Trans Am is gorgeous.

[ccap41]

 

Well, I'm with the OP on 1988. Personally, I've almost always hated 80's and 90's cars. Nothing really appealed to me until the latter half of the 90's. But this is actually a thing I've thought a lot about because my friends and I have asked eachother this before at work while wasting time(when we used to work together). We always thought it'd be cool to own something from the year we were born. But late 80's?!?! Eh. Not a huge fan of anything from then. I've always just been like.. I'd buy a Fox Bodied Mustang.. Which in the "real world" I still would. A CLEAN Fox is gorgeous...but most aren't clean.. I wouldn't even make it all stupid fast like they are capable of. I would just make it look extremely clean and original with a few minor mods to make it not slow lol.

 

Well today.. I looked up 1988 a little more and came across a GEM. I never knew this was built in 1988 and I still could never own one but in this case.. 1988 Ferrari F40.

 

 

Ya know, I always assumed we were the same age, but I didn't actually have proof until now. I'll race your stock fox body in my stock Monte Carlo SS! Both are slower than 4-cylinder family cars now...

 

Haha I always had the feeling too. I think it was your tech-ness and taste in other things portrayed somebody roughly the same age as myself. I didn't know it was actually late 80's thought. Decent years..lol

 

Oh jeez. It's amazing how quick average cars have gotten. I mean our average cars would make those pretty sweet 80's cars look stupid.. and we don't drive anything extragagant. They were just damn slow back then! lol

Edited October 21, 2015 by ccap41

[oldshurst442]

 

They were just damn slow back then!

 

Or....one could say that they are just too damn scary fast today.

[ccap41]

 

 

They were just damn slow back then!

 

Or....one could say that they are just too damn scary fast today.

 

...touche'...

[surreal1272]

Well, I guess I'm playing my "old fart" card here. 

 

1972 Chevelle SS

[ocnblu]

Old fart?  I was 8 years old in 1972. 

Edited October 21, 2015 by ocnblu

[Robert Hall]

Old fart?  I was 8 years old in 1972. 

Yeah, I was 2 in 1972.  Some days I do feel old, but that is more corporate burnout and being out of shape...or when I look at a receipt at a coffee shop and see that I got a senior discount...or when I have to deal with Millennials...

[surreal1272]

Old fart?  I was 8 years old in 1972. 

LOL! I am among some good company then!

Edited October 22, 2015 by surreal1272

[riviera74]

Given that I was born in December of 1974, I am not sure what car was anything special then.  It seems to me that the better cars either came a lot earlier (pre-72) or later (waiting for the 80s). Sigh.  Most cars in 74 were either too big or poor performers or too small to be worth it.

 

Am I right that there was a lost decade in cardom?

[Stew]

1980 was a rough year for performance, but I always liked that gen Mailbu (parents had an 81 way back when). 

 

Edited October 22, 2015 by Stew

[G. David Felt]

You mid 70's babies can always go with the Ford Bomb! PINTO

[oldshurst442]

You mid 70's babies can always go with the Ford Bomb! PINTO

That is funny.

Like I said though. 1973 was a pinnacle year. 1974 on the other hand...it sucks to be him.

 

Sorry riviera74.

Not all is bad though in 1974. My dad had a candy apple red with white vinyl top 1974 Impala 2 door coupe

 

This one is the "Spirit of America" model

 

 

 

Id gladly own this...brings me back to my early childhood it does!

Edited October 22, 2015 by oldshurst442

[William Maley]

Let's see, 1989. What could I choose from this year...

 

[G. David Felt]

That is some awesome rolling steel in the Spirit of America!

[Frisky Dingo]

1987- No contest for me. 959 all the way. One of the all-time greats.

 

[GMTruckGuy74]

Born December, 1974... so I'd imagine there'd still be some leftover '74 models available (which in my case I'd prefer over the '75, which I truly wouldn't pass up if offered one though today  )

 

1974 GMC C/K1500 Sierra Grande

 

Edited October 23, 2015 by GMTruckGuy74

[William Maley]

1987- No contest for me. 959 all the way. One of the all-time greats.

 

 

That would have been mine... If I wasn't born two years late.

[smk4565]

The Ferrari F40 is still the best Ferrari ever in my opinion.  I would take it over anything they build today or have built since.

[Frisky Dingo]

I's rather have a 288 GTO and F50 both over F40.

[67impss]

Been thinking a while 1960 El Camino & or Chevrolet wagon

[ocnblu]

1980 was a rough year for performance, but I always liked that gen Mailbu (parents had an 81 way back when). 

 

This is pretty much the perfect size car, with the perfect drivetrain layout, in the perfect style.  These '78-'81 Malibu coupes are at or near the top of my all-time favorites.

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

The cars I would choose from my year of birth are:

 

 

 

and

 

[Drew Dowdell]

I'd name that Tornado Kermit

[ocnblu]

I've heard of hurricanes being named, but not tornadoes.  Good idea though.

[Robert Hall]

I've heard of hurricanes being named, but not tornadoes.  Good idea though.

I think the Weather Channel names them..they seem to name any weather event..

[Drew Dowdell]

Sorry OCN, I deleted your post instead of quoting it. There is no "are you sure?" On the mobile version.

My reply was going to be,"Damn autocorrect!!! "

[Suaviloquent]

Eh, probably a Jeep Grand Cherokee from 1994. Too bad the Comanche stopped production in '92.

 

Well...

 

Hmmm... my soul vehicle and my birth year vehicle are from the same company.

 

And it's not like I'm an outright Jeep lover today. It's just that at the time, Jeep was just everything to me.

 

Look at this thing, it's just glorious IMO. 

 

[Drew Dowdell]

 

Sorry OCN, I deleted your post instead of quoting it. There is no "are you sure?" On the mobile version.

My reply was going to be,"Damn autocorrect!!! "

Thanks a lot!   

 

 

Found a way to get it back.

[balthazar]

I've heard of hurricanes being named, but not tornadoes.  Good idea though.

I have always admired your lightning strike capabilities. 

[G. David Felt]

WOW, I am feeling really old today in realizing I am one of the few from the 60's.

[cp-the-nerd]

1980 was a rough year for performance, but I always liked that gen Mailbu (parents had an 81 way back when). 

 

 

It could be kinda cool if you did brakes, suspension, LS swap, and 6-speed manual. Cars were real garbage back then, so it would be a big undertaking.

[Cory Wolfe]

A lot of great choices! Love the 959.

 

Eh, probably a Jeep Grand Cherokee from 1994. Too bad the Comanche stopped production in '92.

 

 

 

Sort of off topic, but I just wanted to say this. I love that one of the most level-headed members is also one of the youngest here. 

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

Mine is easy.

 

[G. David Felt]

Mine is easy.

 

That is a lovely Mutang +1 for posting the beauty!

[Drew Dowdell]

Mine is easy.

 

 

Wow! Good year... you had a lot of great choices to pick from as well.

[oldshurst442]

Wings...great choice.

Id have a hard time choosing between a 1966 Olds 442 or a Toronado and this.

 

But if the Mustang would win...Id have this one: