"Malaise" Era Cars

Lately, smog era cars have been haunting around in my head. Sure, they may have sucked back in the day, but I think they would scratch my V8 RWD itch on the cheap + be a bit different

Mustang II

Fairmont

Granada

Mirada

Monza

Now only if I can find one from a not so over zealous seller wanting $3k for a rust bucket

The neat thing about the malaise era cars is they're all based on, or evolved into, much better cars that you can borrow parts from. Like Camaro suspension on a late Nova, or fox mustang parts on an early fox sedan.

Here is your new car...

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/4238149849.html

I think the Fairmont is your best bet. I see more of those than any of the others (a Granada? Probably been 10 years for one of those). Mustang stuff will attach easily. I briefly looked at Mustang II's and they were nigh impossible to find still roadworthy where I live. Gone even from junkyards. All of the others you listed are even tougher to find.

I'll take a Volare wagon with a factory small block!

Am I the only one here who watches EMERGENCY, Kojak, Quincy ME, and CHiPs reruns etc for the cars in the background?

That Mustang II you posted is pretty awesome

ebonyandivory wrote: Am I the only one here who watches EMERGENCY, Kojak, Quincy ME, and CHiPs reruns etc for the cars in the background?

No, you are not. Add Starsky & Hutch, Rockford files and Magnum P.I. to that list as well. And any number of cheesy '70's movies like Car Wash, especially if they were filmed in California.

A lot of the malaise era cars only need an engine swap to be respectable street machines. In fact the Japanese cars (if you can find them anymore ) really only needed headers and good carbs.

I know it. I grew up in the malaise era, so the only new cars I could lust after were what are now the malaise era. Early 80's Corvette, screaming chicken Trans Am, 5.0 Fox, early RX-7 or Prelude, 280ZX. By today's standards even the Countach would fit in there. One of the cars that's still on my bucket list is an early 80's Grand Prix. Largely because when I was a kid, my grandfather had an '81 and I loved to ride in it.

pimpm3 wrote: Here is your new car... http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/4238149849.html

Secks.

I've been looking on and off for the last two months. I found two Granada coupes for sale not too far away. Still waiting for pics for one; the other is a 302 + 4spd with tin worm disease in the trunk and possibly everywhere else.

There are some Miradas here and there for sub $2k in ran when parked condition 20 years ago.

Fairmonts and Monzas do out number the rest, but peeps want a fair chunk of change for their abandoned or blown up projects.

If I can find a decent sub $1k car with minimal rust (southerners speak for no rust ), l would jump at it.

These are cool

HappyAndy wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: Am I the only one here who watches EMERGENCY, Kojak, Quincy ME, and CHiPs reruns etc for the cars in the background?

No, you are not. Add Starsky & Hutch, Rockford files and Magnum P.I. to that list as well. And any number of cheesy '70's movies like Car Wash, especially if they were filmed in California. A lot of the malaise era cars only need an engine swap to be respectable street machines. In fact the Japanese cars (if you can find them anymore ) really only needed headers and good carbs.

You wanna see the PERFECT malaise era background mobiles, find a movie called The Van on Netflix. It's supposed to be like Meatballs and Porkys and those comedies of that era, except for the part where it isn't actually funny, at all. HOWEVER- I've watched it twice for the cars.

Granada's came with 4 speeds. I drove to college in one.

mechanical bits are easy on these cars, but trim parts etc. can be tough.

I think these cars are a great way to get into the old car hobby. They are still cheap because they have a bad reputation. Many are simple to work on, and a few bolt-on parts or a motor/tranny swap away from being as fast or faster than the vaunted Muscle Cars of the 60's and 70's. Find a clean example and roll with it.

Fairmonts are Fox-chassis cars (as we all know), so they make all sorts of nonsense for them.

My buddy sent a perfectly straight, slant six Mirada to the crusher about 15 years ago. We're not friends anymore.

bearmtnmartin wrote: Granada's came with 4 speeds. I drove to college in one.

For some reason Ford called it a 3+1. It was the SROD which was just the earlier 3.03 three speed with a 4th tacked on.

ebonyandivory wrote: I'll take a Volare wagon with a factory small block!

in 1980 my parents bought as Aspen Station Wagon.. with the slant Six and a manual 4 speed. Basically the same thing with a different name. The 4 speed made it very interesting. I got to drive it once, I remember it being a -long- chrome shaft that doglegged to get around the bench seat

Storz wrote: These are cool

2nd and thirded here

I won't lie, I've always wanted a Dekon-Monza replica with a LS7 w/Kinslers under the hood.

Other interesting option would be a Pontiac Aerocoupe (2+2 I believe?).

One of my saved CL searches is named something like "Granavolespalare" as a mish-mash of exactly this cars in the search field... I think I've also got the Diplomat in there...

I've seen a couple of Granadas pop up, more Fairmonts. I get a lot of false positives 'cause I have Malibu in there but I'm not filtering on year.

I think one of my big fears is that while you can lose some money modifying and later selling an E30 or a Volvo, a hot-rodded Granada may be worth scrap... Guess that just means to plan on parting it out?

bearmtnmartin wrote: Granada's came with 4 speeds. I drove to college in one.

They also came with a 3 speed stick. I had one. It was a pig to drive.

I have owned many cars from that era, and they all suck compared to just about anything from today. However, I could keep an early Impala running basically forever with little more than a screwdriver and some duct tape. If PA didn't insist on an inspection and silly things like floorboards, mine would still be on the road.

So I agree that they are a great entry into the old car hobby because they usually run and are easy to work on, just don't expect much in terms of performance or handling. (5000 pounds beasts with 120hp V8s can only do so much). I'll add these to the list:

Strike_Zero wrote: Mustang II

I never realized Mustang IIs could look that awesome.

Ransom wrote: One of my saved CL searches is named something like "Granavolespalare" as a mish-mash of exactly this cars in the search field... I think I've also got the Diplomat in there... I've seen a couple of Granadas pop up, more Fairmonts. I get a lot of false positives 'cause I have Malibu in there but I'm not filtering on year. I think one of my big fears is that while you can lose some money modifying and later selling an E30 or a Volvo, a hot-rodded Granada may be worth scrap... Guess that just means to plan on parting it out?

I have save searches running along with threats of the being in the doghouse

I have some 302s and LT1s and other various bits laying around + a nephew that needs some "reengineering". I figured it would be a good way to scratch my itch, put a wrench in his hands, some skills in his back pocket and crap outta the garage

Since I'm horrible at selling things, I don't have to worry about that :)