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There is nothing wrong with a 1973, if you don't mind those ugly bumpers. It's very easy to re-tune it for much better performance. New intake manifold, 4 barrel carburetor, electronic distributer, headers and a better flowing exhaust system can bring back much of the horsepower that was lost by the EPA regulations that year. In most states classics that age do not require any smog tests, so most people will disconnect all but the PCV valve. Still, my favorite years
were 1969-72, mostly because of the styling.
I received a good deal on a Javelin at the end of the '73 model year and I really liked the styling, especially the grill and bumper. It came with the small 304, 150HP V-8 but it was fun to drive on the highway and got a lot of attention, perhaps because of its plum/white color combo.
I like the 1973 Pontiac Grand Am .
One of my all time favorites.
They were nice cars, but I never cared for the rear styling - much preferred the Grand Prix. Other than that, they were much the same car - and the '73 Grand Prix was one of my all time favorites. Wanted one so bad I could taste it.
Years later, I happened upon a used '77 Cutlass Salon in near mint condition, bought it, and it was the nicest car I've ever owned. No words can do justice to that series....you had to experience them to understand. We have lost so much.
I bought a '73 Luxury Lemans 4 door at the end of the model year. I had my first job and I was really proud of that car. It had the bigger engine 400cc which meant it went around everything except the gas station. Of course , couple months later , the Arab Oil Embargo hit so learned how to "feather" the gas pedal. The bumpers on the car were ugly but I kept that car for 12 years. My parents had a Delta 88 with the 350 engine which was gutless. It road great but not exciting.
Location: Butler County Ohio and Winters in Florida
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1973
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrownVic95
They were nice cars, but I never cared for the rear styling - much preferred the Grand Prix. Other than that, they were much the same car - and the '73 Grand Prix was one of my all time favorites. Wanted one so bad I could taste it.
Years later, I happened upon a used '77 Cutlass Salon in near mint condition, bought it, and it was the nicest car I've ever owned. No words can do justice to that series....you had to experience them to understand. We have lost so much.
I worked at a gas station as a teenager, one of our good customers had a 1976 Oldsmobile 442.
It was medium blue, white stripes and interior. Loaded interior with console shift and gauges.
455 V8 and a fairly quick rear end gear if I recall properly. I loved that car.
The 76-77 Olds Cultass were sharp in almost all models.
I love the 70s med and full size 2 door cars from GM.
I think the quality of the cars went to hell around 71-74 and improved around 75 up into the later 70's.
My buddy at work that I didn't even know brought his 73 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham that has little foot rest in the back to work yesterday and I was able to check it out.
As I sat inside the car I was appalled by the cheap plastic everywhere, including the cracks on the dash, and door panels, and loose pull straps. The fitment of the trim was pretty bad considering it being a Cadillac. The seats were really nice and soft, but everything else inside of it was of low quality. Hardly any chrome trim made the interior look extremely bland. Even the exterior panels and trim looked cheap and lacked bright work that stood out since the trim around the windows aren't chrome or stainless like they were in the past, but aluminum oxide and pot metal.
It reminded me of my 72 Cadillac and how much disliked it for those same reasons.
On the other hand the 69-70 models were much better overall. So I can definitely tell and feel the difference from just a few years.
Now GM and Cadillac improved its quality in 75, especially in 77 with it's downsized models. Now I can't speak for all cars, but the early 70's was garbage for quality control at GM.
Not sure how Ford did, but I heard Ford was better in the 70's for it's quality and construction than GM cars for the majority of the decade.
The 50's- early 60's up to about 64 or 65 were the best made cars to ever come out of Detroit from a quality and styling standpoint. It was truly The Golden Era of American automobiles.
I think the quality of the cars went to hell around 71-74 and improved around 75 up into the later 70's.
My buddy at work that I didn't even know brought his 73 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham that has little foot rest in the back to work yesterday and I was able to check it out.
As I sat inside the car I was appalled by the cheap plastic everywhere, including the cracks on the dash, and door panels, and loose pull straps. The fitment of the trim was pretty bad considering it being a Cadillac. The seats were really nice and soft, but everything else inside of it was of low quality. Hardly any chrome trim made the interior look extremely bland. Even the exterior panels and trim looked cheap and lacked bright work that stood out since the trim around the windows aren't chrome or stainless like they were in the past, but aluminum oxide and pot metal.
It reminded me of my 72 Cadillac and how much disliked it for those same reasons.
On the other hand the 69-70 models were much better overall. So I can definitely tell and feel the difference from just a few years.
Now GM and Cadillac improved its quality in 75, especially in 77 with it's downsized models. Now I can't speak for all cars, but the early 70's was garbage for quality control at GM.
Not sure how Ford did, but I heard Ford was better in the 70's for it's quality and construction than GM cars for the majority of the decade.
The 50's- early 60's up to about 64 or 65 were the best made cars to ever come out of Detroit from a quality and styling standpoint. It was truly The Golden Era of American automobiles.
I would probably agree with that for GM cars, but not Ford. The late 60s Fords were far superior to the early 60s - and 50s. Ford's big cars changed seismically for the better in '65 and improved over the next few years.
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1973
