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These are the cars that Toyota, Honda and Nissan came in and ate up Detroit's lunch with their high quality fuel efficient vehicles.
In the early 70's? I wasn't around then, but I thought the foreign stuff was just as poor (if not more so) than the American stuff. They were just smaller and so got better mileage.
This was in the days when UAW workers would get pissed off and would do such things and putting ball bearings in the floor pans before they were welded shut so that when a driver drove one of these cars they had to listen to them roll back and forth.
Whhhaaaattt??????
I've never heard this one before....why would they do something like that?????
Maybe that's why everyone thinks American cars are junk? Because someone had to deal with the racket caused by hidden rolling ball bearings?
Yes it was the way for the workers to get back at management as they basically were at war with each other and both sides so arrogant that little regard was given to the product the customer was getting. When Japan had taken 1/2 of their business they started to figure out this isn't the way to operate but by then the damage was done.
If that's true about the ball bearings, no matter how much of a grudge you have against management, that seems like self sabotage. People don't buy the cars, you're out of the job.
When I think of the spotty quality of American cars in the 70's, I just boil it down to the era. It was the 1970's, all everybody wanted to do was go home, light a joint and screw, then hit the disco. Who cares if the bumpers aren't bolted on tight when there's a party to go to?
These do look good in the brochures but the reason you don't see many these days is that most were built horribly and they guzzled gasoline at a time when you couldn't buy gas on some days at any price. This was in the days when UAW workers would get pissed off and would do such things and putting ball bearings in the floor pans before they were welded shut so that when a driver drove one of these cars they had to listen to them roll back and forth. In '73 they mandated seat belt buzzers which ran constantly which normally wouldn't be a problem until you put a package in the passenger seat. When the terms gas guzzler, land yacht, etc came into use. The vast majority of these vehicles went to the crushers because nobody wanted them back then.
These are the cars that Toyota, Honda and Nissan came in and ate up Detroit's lunch with their high quality fuel efficient vehicles.
I traded the previosly mentioned 76 Grand Prix in on a 79 GP (that car was a screamer, by the way. It had the 305 4 barrel carb in it. Also had the crappy transmission that went South at about 20K). Anyway, I bought the car and heard this rattling in the back. Pulled the seat and got myself some really nice sockets, a couple box end wrenches and the remains of someone's lunch. It also was missing one of the rear speakers.
These do look good in the brochures but the reason you don't see many these days is that most were built horribly and they guzzled gasoline at a time when you couldn't buy gas on some days at any price. This was in the days when UAW workers would get pissed off and would do such things and putting ball bearings in the floor pans before they were welded shut so that when a driver drove one of these cars they had to listen to them roll back and forth. In '73 they mandated seat belt buzzers which ran constantly which normally wouldn't be a problem until you put a package in the passenger seat. When the terms gas guzzler, land yacht, etc came into use. The vast majority of these vehicles went to the crushers because nobody wanted them back then.
These are the cars that Toyota, Honda and Nissan came in and ate up Detroit's lunch with their high quality fuel efficient vehicles.
The big cars from the 70s are by far the best cars ever made and they are still commonly found on the roads, I drive one. The quality went down when they tried to make tiny econoboxes.
In '73 they mandated seat belt buzzers which ran constantly which normally wouldn't be a problem until you put a package in the passenger seat.
I remember those. I think it was called "ignition interlock." The car wouldn't start until the seatbelts for all occupants were fastened.
It could be disconnected which is what most people did, so it wasn't really a problem.
Well, thats a misconception. It was not the big early 70s cars that were "junk".... it never really was the big cars of the 70s that were junk, but more limited to the mid-late 70s smaller cars. I have a 1973 Pontiac and its been the most trouble free car ever!!! Out of 10 years of ownership all I have ever needed was a alternator and master cylinder.
Also, it was actually in 1972 some cars had that seat belt deal. I had a 1972 Electra that if it detected someone on the passenger seat, it would buzz until the belt was fastened.
The early 70s Japanese cars were not up to par quite yet... sheetmetal was very tinny on many of them... save for maybe the larger Toyotas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lumbollo
These do look good in the brochures but the reason you don't see many these days is that most were built horribly and they guzzled gasoline at a time when you couldn't buy gas on some days at any price.
In '73 they mandated seat belt buzzers which ran constantly which normally wouldn't be a problem until you put a package in the passenger seat.
These are the cars that Toyota, Honda and Nissan came in and ate up Detroit's lunch with their high quality fuel efficient vehicles.
Thats right... it was not until the late 70s/early 80s that the Japanese cars really shined... and especially in the mid 80s-mid 90s era... after the mid 90s, it was all downhill for the Japanese cars for the most part IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JR_C
In the early 70's? I wasn't around then, but I thought the foreign stuff was just as poor (if not more so) than the American stuff. They were just smaller and so got better mileage.
I agree 100% 73-79 Ford fan!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 73-79 ford fan
The big cars from the 70s are by far the best cars ever made and they are still commonly found on the roads, I drive one. The quality went down when they tried to make tiny econoboxes.
Yep, my 72 Buick had that, but it would start with the belt fastened... however if it detected someone on the passenger seat, it would buzz until the belt was fastened. I think it was the 1974 models that had that no-start feature.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fleet
I remember those. I think it was called "ignition interlock." The car wouldn't start until the seatbelts for all occupants were fastened.
It could be disconnected which is what most people did, so it wasn't really a problem.
Thats right... it was not until the late 70s/early 80s that the Japanese cars really shined... and especially in the mid 80s-mid 90s era... after the mid 90s, it was all downhill for the Japanese cars for the most part IMO.
Hhhmmm I thought japaneese cars were all that and a bag of chips since the 80's? At least that's how everyone make them out to be.
I recall the seat belt interlock being a 1974-75 thing...I had a 75 Nova that had it...you could start the engine under the hood for testing purposes IIRC. I had a manual that told you how to legally disable it.
Well, thats a misconception.... I have a 1973 Pontiac and its been the most trouble free car ever!!! Out of 10 years of ownership all I have ever needed was a alternator and master cylinder. .....it was not until the late 70s/early 80s that the Japanese cars really shined... and especially in the mid 80s-mid 90s era... after the mid 90s, it was all downhill for the Japanese cars for the most part IMO....
There is no argument against personal anecdotes they can't be disputed or denied. I congratulate you for getting one of the few trouble free cars American cars from the time.
On the 70s and Japanese cars, the Honda CVCC, the Nissan B210 and an number of Toyotas were simply unobtainable at times as there were long waiting lists for these cars by the mid 1970s. Honda especially had very long waits on all its cars because they could not keep up with demand. At the same time, the cars highlighted in this topic were sitting on the lots looking for buyers. So I disagree with your statement.
If Detroit was building good cars that people wanted, then the Japanese, with their "tin boxes" as they are being characterized here, would not have been able to come in here and gain the market share they did. The fact is, it was Detroit's market to lose and this is what happened. And BTW, it wasn't just Detroit, VW also lost a huge amount of market share for the same reason. The 1970s Rabbit, especially after they started making it in Pennsylvania, was a horrible car, so horrible that VW had to close that factory. It was a stunning fall for a company that practically had the small car market to itself at the beginning of the 1970s with the Beetle.
Last edited by lumbollo; 12-23-2009 at 08:34 AM..
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