Questions about 70s Japanese sports coupes (car engine, sedans, best, pickup)

[victimofGM]

The 70s Toyota Celica, Datsun 200SX, and the later Honda Prelude were small sporty coupes. The Celica of that era obviously copied styling cues from 60s Camaro & Mustang. The 200SX was totally unique with a love and t or hate it styling. The Prelude was dull in styling but great in mechanical areas. I’ve noticed their engines were roughly about the same horsepower range as the base engine of Camaro and Mustang but faster because of lighter weight and gearing. You had to step up to the more expensive V8 to beat them in acceleration and top speed in factory trim.

Did any publication ever do a comparison test between any of these Japanese sports coupes and the Camaro, Firebird, & Mustang of the mid to late 70s in acceleration and cornering like track time? We’re they reliable? Did they have relatively consistent build quality? The first two (Toyota & Datsun) started as RWD but later models of the Celica switched to FWD while the Nissan 240SX went on it of production. Do you miss low cost sports coupes? Today’s compact sedans, even in base form, are far faster than the sports coupes of the mid70s. Other than the Civic none of them are offered in 2 door form. I know it’s the nature of the business. Cheaper to produce one body style of a model and coupes aren’t selling in numbers to make it worth their production.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by victimofGM

Did any publication ever do a comparison test between any of these Japanese sports coupes and the Camaro, Firebird, & Mustang of the mid to late 70s in acceleration and cornering like attack time?

I've never seen one

We’re they reliable?

Very, but they rusted away first. The first 3 generations of the Celica (inc. the first FWD) had R series engines - earliest had the 8R, then 18R, then 20R, then 22R. These are some of the most reliable car engines ever, the same engine was in the same year Toyota pickup/Hilux.

Did they have relatively consistent build quality?

Much better than domestics in the 70s. On par with other Japanese cars of the 70s

[USC1986]

I owned two Datsun 280-Z's. a 75 & a 78. which would have been considered competition with the anemic V-8 powered Camaros & Mustangs of the late 70's. The second generation Mustang was just a pathetic response to the oil crisis and the Camaro Z-28 of 1978 at least put out 185HP vs. 160HP for the lighter Z-car. Having owned a 74 Z-28, my first new car and a horribly unreliable lemon, and a 79 Z-28, I believe I can comment on these models.
The Datsuns were super reliable mechanically, but, as stated earlier, they rusted badly, despite my best efforts. Our northern winters didn't help, as little as I tried to drive them in bad weather.
And yes, Japanese build quality was far superior to Detroit in those days.
I'm 6'3" and those Z-cars had great leg room & good head room; I always felt comfortable in them.
I have noticed the early 240-Z's have really started to become quite valuable in the collector car market.

[V8 Vega]

70's Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs were terribly heavy and they hadn't learned yet how to make engines with good HP with the smog controls they had to have.
Just a little later the Japanese sport coups, especially the performance models, really had some good engines in lightweight, good handling cars that got good mileage too. Why they aren't made now is baffling to me.

[victimofGM]

Originally Posted by V8 Vega

70's Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs were terribly heavy and they hadn't learned yet how to make engines with good HP with the smog controls they had to have.
Just a little later the Japanese sport coups, especially the performance models, really had some good engines in lightweight, good handling cars that got good mileage too. Why they aren't made now is baffling to me.

Well the Civic still has a 2 door available. The Corolla hatchback has 4 wheel independent suspension so it would be a good platform to rebuild a Celica. Nissan has nothing