What car has the longest relatively unchanged production?

I was watching a video a Ladas in the rally video thread and it made me think of this question.

The Lada Riva was produced from ~1980-2010

In Mexico the B13 Sentra was produced from 92-2017 

What about stuff in the US?  I should change the title to fun cars... obviously the Crown Vic and Econoline have been produced for a long time, but who cares.

C4 Corvette is pretty long at '84-96

If you lump NA/NB Miatas together, '90-2005 (minus 1998)

The 370Z has been basically unchanged since 2009 (!)

The BRZ has been in production for 8 years already.  If the next gen doesn't change much other than the engine it is likely to be a long-lived platform.

What else?

Volkswagen Beetle.

1938 - 2003.

/end thread

^Truth^

73-87 Chevy trucks

FJ cruiser started in 2006. Still being produced and sold new all around the world with no changes 

I know my 1967 Mini Cooper s, still

was being produced in other parts of the world in the 90s

Hindustan Ambassador (Morris Oxford), 1956-2014

The Jeep J-truck is one of the longest running, 1962-1991.

Pacific heavy trucks are a contender too, 1947 - 1991

In reply to ShawnG :

Photos are needed of some Paciifics from the Island. Of course being from North Vancouver I'm biased.

DWNSHFT said:

Volkswagen Beetle.

1938 - 2003.

 

/end thread

Yup.  I believe second place is the Mini, 1959 to 2000.

If we are strictly talking modern cars - you can just lump all of Nissans lineup in there. I'm surprised they even bother refreshing the bodywork. 

codrus said:

DWNSHFT said:

Volkswagen Beetle.

1938 - 2003.

 

/end thread

Yup.  I believe second place is the Mini, 1959 to 2000.

So much the same, that a freshly stamped wing (fender) from 2000 would fit the old 1959. You'd have to fill in the side marker light, but everything else will line up. 

Ford E-series vans. 1992-present. 

Ford C-series cabover trucks. They looked basically the same from 1957 to 1990.

How similar do they have to be? The leaf-sprung, short wheelbase, removable-top "Jeeps" from ~1940 up to 1997 when they changed to coil sprung m is about 54 years old. If you include the basic body architecture, we can move up to 2020  which is almost 80 years.

Nissan Frontier

Alfa Spider with the cut tail was the same metal body work from 1970 to 1994.

Patientzero said:

^Truth^

 

73-87 Chevy trucks

They ran it to 91 on suburbans and some 3500's

ebonyandivory said:

How similar do they have to be? The leaf-sprung, short wheelbase, removable-top "Jeeps" from ~1940 up to 1997 when they changed to coil sprung m is about 54 years old. If you include the basic body architecture, we can move up to 2020  which is almost 80 years.

 

You forgot the Mahindra Roxor

The Crown Vic is fun. 

beetle wins.. 

Jeep is close, but you can't take a modern jeep engine and put that into a 1950's model easy..  The beetle.. Well....

Yeah, obviously beetle and mini, but I was more asking about stuff available in the US. 

And yes obviously there are many trucks and vans, but that's why I clarified "fun" vehicles.

ebonyandivory said:

How similar do they have to be?

Enough that performance parts for one will work on the other.  The entire production of the vehicle is a good source of spares, etc.

Alt. definition: Enough that the entire production would appear on the same update/backdate line in *SP for Autocross.

In reply to ProDarwin :

And that does put the Alfa Spider in there in FSP.  But since the tail changed to a square back, I would put that 70-94- a good 24 years of the same body, same chassis, same engine.  Same springs and shocks can be used for any of those years, as can wheels and tires.  Same roll bar, even.  My "best" Spider FSP car would be a '72 Spider with a late 94 Motronic engine in it, as it had progressed far enough to make quite a bit more power with slightly less weight (getting rid of that pesky SPICA pump).  

What's so funny about that is IMHO, the Spider lasted that long just because of the US market.  The coupe and sedan changed chassis' in '75.  

2005-2020 Nissan Frontier. 

300c and Charger are basically unchanged 05 to current right?

Porsche 928?  77 to 95.

Chevy Express / GMC Savana, introduced fo 1997 and still being built.

Jag xj - 1968 through 1993 (25 years).