When I was a kid (grade school - child of the 80s) I loved the 80's Trans Am, probably because of the TV show Night Rider. I have a brother that's much older than me and he had a Pontiac Firebird, but it had the V8 found in the Trans Ams. How he never wrecked that thing being in high school at the time is beyond me.
When I was in high school in the 90's my favorite car was probably the mid 90's Toyota Supra.
As a kid - loved the TransAm - and I also loved the Camaro - pre 80 too. I thought the T-tops looked cool. I ended up buying a 78 Camaro from a neighbor lady - who barely drove it. It was a sweet car - and the transmission was very smooth. Could watch the gas gauge go down as the speed increased.
When I was 17 (1987) I almost bought a black 1980 TransAM w/ T-tops - I think it had a 4.9L V8 302 - but my dad dissuaded me from buying it (most likely b/c he was worried w/ me getting a sports-car but he gave me other reasons not to buy it such as insurance and more expensive upkeep).
In 1967 I bought a 1965 Mustang convertible. It was maroon with a white top, had the "high performance 289", 4 on the floor, and was real good for a smoke show.
Since then I've had about 25 other cars and none gave me the visceral thrill that that one did. I traded it in for a new Datsun 2000 in 1969 (kind of a pre-cursor to the Z) -another fun car - I once redlined it in 5th gear with the speedometer reading 140. The most fun I've had with my clothes on.
I had a 93 Transam. I spinned tires accelerating when I was already going 45 or 50.
It was fun to drive. When one of my friends who had recently bought a mustang rode with me, I was glad I had the neck rest up on his side. I punched it at one spot and threw him back against the neck rest. He was impressed.
In grade school it was the Lamborghini, in high school and college I wanted a Hummer (both kinds), but now... hell, I'm not sure. I'll never drive anything but a pickup so it would have to be either the top of the line Ford F150 Platinum, but I have also heard good things about the Chevy Silverado High Desert.
Triumph TR-3, I actually had one in high school. My first car was one of the original VWs imported to the US (small back window, very under powered 30hp air-cooled engine). When the Bug broke down (died of total compression failure -all 4 cylinders leaking air, oil and gas!!) I was desperate for any wheels. The TR3 was sitting under a tarp in a side yard and the guy's wife sold it to me for $300.00. It barely ran, but I did drive it home. I never knew the story why the wife would sell a classic British roadster for next to nothing, but years later I do wonder. ;<)
It was a dream car for a teen - - - when I finally got it going right.
Triumph used a Ford tractor motor block (1,600cc or, like mine, 2,000cc) and added an aluminum header and a Stromberg carb. The 4 speed was, granny gear, keep rolling accelerate and cruise - no overdrive and barely any need to use the clutch because the syncromesh was so good. It was not a hot rod, but it did move smoothly and cornered like it was on rails. Probably because it was so low to the ground, it felt much faster than it really was. Wheel balancing was a nightmare because of the spoke wheels (think bicycle spokes), but the real "knock off" spinner hubs were cool.
The outside rear view mirrors were on the long, rounded front fenders, several feet from the driver. They looked neat but were pretty much useless. Instead of windows in the doors, the TR3 had removable "side-curtains" which were not great at keeping the rain out, but didn't take up too much space in the tiny boot (trunk).
I wish I hadn't sold it for spending money when it went to college!
Acura TL Type-S 2008 (the only year this model is in). Fucking when my friend first got the car, I was so fucking hype. It was so sexy, sports car brakes with a 3.2 L V6 engine that ran like a charm. He still has it but DAMN I wish he would sell it to me already. Fucking gorgeous realistic car I have ever seen. A foreign sports car is cool, but is absolutely impractical.
My first car was a 1961 Thunderbird convertible I bought it for less than $300. (not a typo) in 1969 when I got my drivers license had that car through high school and in college it was great looking but the hydraulics were always fucking up, the convertible would get stuck or the trunk would freeze in mid opening, but with the top down in the summer going to the beach it was a chick magnet. I finally got a good job in 1972 and my dad cosigned for me to buy a new car, a Dodge Challenger hemi like the car from the movie Vanishing Point I loved that car but It was a real attention getter from the fuzz, I got pulled over several times a month, fun times.
My first love? The 1968 Dodge Charger with the Hemi option. My number two would have been a Shelby Mustang GT350. After I was in the working world, both were supplanted by the Porche 911 Turbo. I could have afforded one if I had given up my apartment, eating and buying gasoline......
When the 5.0 Mustang GT came out, I was just getting my driver's license. It was very fast for a relatively inexpensive car. But, I had a friend wreck his and it wasn't very well made. Lots of plastic to keep the weight down. Now, I would prefer Porshe (but don't have one).
The time was 1966-1967 when the Olds Toronado, and Cadillac Eldorado first came out. Front wheel drive was a "new" (never mind the 1930's Cord), radical concept in the world of RWD cars. Now front wheel drive is common place. At the time of my impressionable juvenille age, I thought they were pretty neat cars. Of course, I thought the same thing about go go dancers and strippers, look where I am now, lol.
I was 14 when Nash Bridges came on the air and it was love at first sight when I saw that '71 Hemi 'Cuda convertible. (Not to mention Jodi Lyn O'Keefe and Yasmine Bleeth)
I remember being really disappointed when I found out the cars they were driving in the show weren't really Hemis.
Citroen Traction Avante came out before the Cord. Cord was copying it.
First two years of the big FWD Eldorado's looked more like Toronados, talking about the rear end. I like their looks better than the later big FWD Eldorados.
Buick Riviera, from the second generation on, was made on the same unibody as Toronado / Eldorado, but it was not FWD.
Idea for a new car. Take a new Camaro and change it to a hatch back, then change the trim and write Buick Riviera on it.
Riviera's have not been hatchback, but their have been concept car Riviera hatch backs. Some of the most liked Riviera's look as if they were hatch back.
Hatch back makes a 2+2 daily drive more practical.
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When I was in high school in the 90's my favorite car was probably the mid 90's Toyota Supra.
Since then I've had about 25 other cars and none gave me the visceral thrill that that one did. I traded it in for a new Datsun 2000 in 1969 (kind of a pre-cursor to the Z) -another fun car - I once redlined it in 5th gear with the speedometer reading 140. The most fun I've had with my clothes on.
My taste in cars and women has never changed.
Favorite car I've ever owned was a bright yellow 04 Honda S2000 convertible. Built like a piece of jewelry.
It was fun to drive. When one of my friends who had recently bought a mustang rode with me, I was glad I had the neck rest up on his side. I punched it at one spot and threw him back against the neck rest. He was impressed.
It was a dream car for a teen - - - when I finally got it going right.
Triumph used a Ford tractor motor block (1,600cc or, like mine, 2,000cc) and added an aluminum header and a Stromberg carb. The 4 speed was, granny gear, keep rolling accelerate and cruise - no overdrive and barely any need to use the clutch because the syncromesh was so good. It was not a hot rod, but it did move smoothly and cornered like it was on rails. Probably because it was so low to the ground, it felt much faster than it really was. Wheel balancing was a nightmare because of the spoke wheels (think bicycle spokes), but the real "knock off" spinner hubs were cool.
The outside rear view mirrors were on the long, rounded front fenders, several feet from the driver. They looked neat but were pretty much useless. Instead of windows in the doors, the TR3 had removable "side-curtains" which were not great at keeping the rain out, but didn't take up too much space in the tiny boot (trunk).
I wish I hadn't sold it for spending money when it went to college!
SJG
Pacer or Pinto.
I actually bought a used hearse for $300 in my HS senior year and used it through college.
I remember being really disappointed when I found out the cars they were driving in the show weren't really Hemis.
First two years of the big FWD Eldorado's looked more like Toronados, talking about the rear end. I like their looks better than the later big FWD Eldorados.
Buick Riviera, from the second generation on, was made on the same unibody as Toronado / Eldorado, but it was not FWD.
Idea for a new car. Take a new Camaro and change it to a hatch back, then change the trim and write Buick Riviera on it.
Riviera's have not been hatchback, but their have been concept car Riviera hatch backs. Some of the most liked Riviera's look as if they were hatch back.
Hatch back makes a 2+2 daily drive more practical.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mase…
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lamg…
Quintessential large high power 2+2 hatchbacks, and clearly the inspiration for 928 Porsche.
Mustangs, especially the new ones, should be offered hatchback.
SJG