Car Lust

1974... It Was A Very Bad Year!

by That Car Guy

Like every year, most 1974 models came out in the previous calendar year. 1974 may actually cover two or three years... from the introduction of the '74 models in 1973 to the '75 models that came out in the 1974 calendar year. So picking an exact model year for cars may be impossible... there are too many blurred lines. 1962 and 1969 have been covered here at Car Lust as Very Good Years... let's move on.

So back we go to calendar years 1973 and 1974 to cover all of the 1974 models... maybe even a '75 model or two. We had the first Arab Oil Embargo, Energy Crisis, gasoline shortages, and, dare I say, the National 55 Mile Per Hour Speed Limit. Our President, Richard Nixon, had to resign. The Vietnam War wasn't quite over yet. In September 1973, Rolling Stone wrote the first story about Disco music, and on February 8, 1974, we abandoned Skylab.

Next time you are on the Interstate, please slow down to 55 miles per hour, if safety allows. You will feel like you are crawling! (I did this in St. Louis on April 4, 2009, and got pulled over by a Missouri state trooper!) But this was thrust on us, we had to do it legally every day, creating hatred and contempt between us citizens and our government. "VOTE WITH YOUR FOOT" bumper stickers were a booming business, and CB radios were not just for truckers any more, allowing us instant "Smokey Bear reports" from our fellow motorists (10-4, Good Buddy!). Radar detectors were in their infancy. It seemed to take days to drive from Nashville to Daytona Beach, as we figured we were lucky to average 50 miles an hour (12 hours+) or face a ticket.

Whenever we mention mid 1970s cars, one thing usually comes up... those horrific federally-mandated bumpers. They were usually held on by either shock absorbers (The poly-gel mitigator system) or springs.  Insurance companies were paying dearly for low-speed impacts, and they wanted relief. The result was oversized bumpers that ruined the looks of every small car they were thrust upon, as most of these bumpers resembled guard rails. The Chevy Vega and Camaro used aluminum bumpers to cut weight, an industry first. Automakers rushed to fit these monstrosities onto our cars before they had time to cover most of them in urethane or blend the body panels to meet them.

Motor Trend's 1974 Car of the Year, the Mustang II, came out. As a typical 17-year-old I just had to have one, as my two-year-old Vega was already falling apart. It took me till June of '74 to get one. They really were "The Right Car At The Right Time", but times change, and we tend to forget that. I'm still a staunch supporter of the car, but a lot of folks refuse to even acknowledge them as Mustangs... and they weren't - they were the Mustang II!

The 1974 Mustang II offered an inline 4-cylinder Pinto engine, or an optional 2.8-litre V-6. Either could be had with a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic. Two body styles were built, a swoopy hatchback or more formal sedan with enclosed trunk. In 1974, the '75 Mustang II offered a 302 V-8.

A deluxe interior option was available with deeply padded doors, rear quarters, plush seats, and how can we forget the shag carpet? Hardtop, Ghia, Fastback, and Mach 1 trim levels were the choices. Introduced in 1974, the '75 Mustang IIs offered a 302 cid V-8, horribly power-choked with pollution controls. A V-8 emblem was placed on the fenders to tell everybody you had one.

The Muscle Cars were about dead by now. A  1974 Corvette started at 195 horsepower and went to 270 horsepower in its most potent form. By contrast, a 2009 Corvette offers 430-638 horses. Can you believe the '74 Camaro offered just 100 horsepower in the 250 cid L-6? Of course, you could go as far as a Z-28 350 cid V-8 with 245 hp. MOPAR Muscle Cars were fading fast. 1974 was the last year for the original Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda. The last 'Cuda rolled off the line on April 1, 1974... 10 years to the day since they were first built. The Firebird 455 SD went away as well.

Over at American Motors Corporation (AMC), it was the last year for the Ambassador and Javelin. The 1974 Matador and Jeep Cherokee were new, and calendar year 1974 brought us the all-new '75 model Pacer.

But there was a bright spot of 1974! May saw Volkswagen introduce the $2,995 Rabbit Mk1. Meant to be a long-term replacement for the VW Beetle, the car was about as opposite from a "Bug" as it could be, offered in boxy 2- and 4-door sedans. Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the squarish shape.

With front engine, front wheel drive, and a water-cooled engine, the car was called the Golf in Europe and the Caribe in Mexico. This Mk1 model is still being made in South Africa as the VW Citi Golf. Other body styles followed, including a pickup truck. Rabbits were even made in America for a while.

1974 saw the short-lived "Seat Belt Interlock System", where the car could not be started without all outboard front seat passengers' seat belts fastened. These devices did not always work, and frequently the car would not start until you raised the hood and pushed an "Emergency Override" switch.

This was a sequential system... get into the car, put on the seat belt(s), then try to start your engine. If the sequence was broken, you had to get out and start over or, more often than not, get out, raise the hood, and press the "Override" switch. Because of the failures and unpopularity of the system, it was not built into 1975 model cars. Surprisingly, a few '74 model cars had airbags installed, eliminating the dreaded "Interlock" system. "FASTEN BELTS" warning lights and buzzers replaced this doomed idea.

Catalytic converters were the rage in 1974 on 1975 model cars. But years before we had to buy Unleaded Gas, smog pumps and other devices were installed that robbed cars of power. A lot of folks just plugged vacuum lines and removed fan belts to defeat these devices. In "The Blues Brothers", the Bluesmobile was a '74 Dodge Monaco and, as Elwood (Dan Ackroyd) said, "It can run on regular gas". But most of us weren't on a mission from God back then, and were barely aware that the next year we all would be hunting this "Unleaded Gas" stuff for some strange reason. 1974 also introduced the 1975 models with the funny little fuel tubes to accept only the smaller Unleaded Gas nozzles.

The best car movies of 1974 were "Gone In 60 Seconds", "Mr. Majestyk" (If this film won't make you buy a Ford pickup, nothing will), and "The Man With The Golden Gun", with the AMC Hornet jump/flip/twist scene. Not a lot of music or TV shows were car-themed this year. Kraftwerk's "Autobahn" and TV's "Happy Days" (Spun off from "American Graffiti") were about it.

Convertibles were a dying breed. 1974 announced the end of the Corvette convertible, and just a year later, in 1975, we were told that 1976 would be the final model year for the last EVER American convertible, the Cadillac Eldorado.

Luckily, the New Year was just around the corner, and new life would be breathed into America. The Vietnam War ended in 1975, the 1976 Bicentennial Year would soon cheer us up, we had a Presidential election to look forward to, and a great little car was about to be introduced (Pun intended).

The most primitive of all transportation hit a new low (And high) point in '74. Campus protests had finally ended, so bored college kids started a trend called streaking. This activity was seen at televised football games, 1,543 folks set the all-time streaking record at the University of Georgia on March 7, 1974, and even Johnny Carson was surprised by a streaker on his stage! The Oscars weren't immune either, as David Niven was interrupted during his presentation (Oh yes, they call him the Streak... fastest thing on two feet...).

So 1974 wasn't all bad, I guess.

--That Car Guy (Chuck)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIPv9AtZ2zE

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Google Images provided the speed limit sign photo. "How Stuff Works" provided the 1974 Vega photo. I still have the 1974 Mustang II owner's manual. Wikipedia gave us the Javelin and Rabbit pics. We found the April, 1974 Popular Mechanics issue at a flea market. James Bond Multi Media provided the AMC Hornet jump image. "The Streak" lyrics and video are from Ray Stevens and Youtube.

The Ford Rangers

by That Car Guy

The story of the current Ford Ranger compact pickup trucks may be the best example of automotive evolution, not revolution, ever built by an America car company. Now 26+ years into production, a few of the parts and pieces on these trucks have never changed! While most of us think of a Ranger as a small domestic pickup truck, the name was first used in 1950 on a Ford Panel Truck with extra windows and a conversion to four-wheel-drive by Marmon-Herrington. Could this be a first SUV? Mention should be made that the Edsel used the Ranger name as well. With an automaker owning name rights, they seem to make the most of what they have, like GM's "Astra/Astre" and "Sierra/Ciera".

In 1965, on the full-size Ford pickup, the Ranger name was reincarnated as the top trim level. The name carried on until 1982 when the XLT became the top of the line. Unheard of truck luxuries like carpet and nice seats were part of the Ranger package.

Compact Ranger vehicle development started in 1976 and then, in mid 1982, what we know as the First Generation (1983-1988) pickup premiered, replacing the Mazda-built Ford Courier. Original engines included a 2.0-litre I-4 (72 hp), a 2.3-litre I-4 (86 hp), a 2.2-litre I-4 diesel (59 hp), and a 2.8-litre V-6 (115 hp). Essentially, it was a scaled-down F-150 pickup with similar styling and engineering features, including Ford's "Twin I-Beam" front suspension. Later on, Ford would return the courtesy by basing the Mazda B-Series compact pickups on the Ranger. The Mazda B-2300, B-3000, and B-4000 are designated by their engine sizes in cubic centimeters. Sadly, the B-Series does not sell well, and our local Mazda dealer here in Franklin refuses to even stock them. 1986 saw the SuperCab and Ranger GT models appear.

The Second Generation Ranger (1989-1992) is very similar to the first. In 1989, the truck got a new front end with flush-mounted headlights, new grille, and bumper. Inside, new door panels and dashboard were fitted; the dash was continued until 1995.

The introduction of the Ford Explorer/Mazda Navajo in 1990 lit the modern SUV craze. Based on Ranger mechanicals and body parts (The dash, seats, windshield, hood, and much of the drivetrain were lifted straight from the Ranger parts bin), the Explorer was sold as either a 2-Door or 4-Door. Mazda only got the 2-Door body; the rumor was that they had the MPV Minivan to appease the 4-door truck/SUV crowd.

In the 1993 model year, what looked like an all-new Ranger was really just one of the best reskins in automotive history! Whereas all of the external body panels and much of the interior pieces were new, the same frame, drivetrain, inner bed stampings, seats, rear window, and even the dashboard were held over. This is the Third Generation Ranger (1993-1997). I was in the market for a small truck in 1994, and bought this new Cayman Green Ranger XLT with 2.3-litre I-4, 5-speed, air conditioning, AM/FM stereo, sliding rear window, and little else. JUST $9,986 was the sale price. Sadly, they also offered some of the most limited color choices that year as well. I owned this vehicle 12 years, longer than anything else I've ever had, and the truck served me faithfully until its early, sad demise on Halloween night, 2006.

XLT was and is the "luxury" Ranger trim level; carpet is even on the padded doors. The 60/40 split seat has a great center console that folds up for a (hopefully) skinny middle passenger and also have center seat belts. Mine had cloth seats that looked almost brand new after 12 years and 110,000 miles, intermittent wipers, stereo, tinted glass, sliding back window, power steering, and power brakes, but no tilt wheel... the only thing I really missed not having on the truck.

Unlike all other Ford trucks, only the "Ford" blue oval was glued onto the tailgates on the Ranger. Names like "Explorer", F-150", "Super Crew", etc., were applied on the other trucks, but not a "Ranger". So I went to my friends' salvage yard, found a Ranger with a smushed fender, and removed the "Ranger" badge. It had pins to hold it on the fender, so I cut them off and used double-sided sticky tape to hold the badge on the truck's tailgate. I told people mine had the only "Ranger" tailgate badge in the world, making it easier to find in a parking lot LOL. Pinstriping, black body side molding, and a Nassau, Bahamas, license plate made the otherwise plain truck look acceptable, if not understated.

All Rangers received an updated dashboard and driver airbag in the 1995 model, which was only made for half a year. The story goes that the new dash was for both the Ranger and the Explorer, and they couldn't make enough components for both vehicles, so they favored the Explorer, since it had a major facelift for 1995. My 1994 Ranger had the older style dash - I bought it in October, 1994, and the '95 models were not released until the next Spring. The '93 and '94 models had two vertical bars on the grille, the '95-97 trucks had one in the center. 1996 saw the passenger side get an airbag. That same 1995-model dash continues till today, except Ford stole two of the gauges from the panel... the same new "corporate" gauge cluster can be found all across the Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln lines.

I suppose a few words should also be said that many Ranger drivetrain and suspension components were shared with Ford's Aerostar minivan. They were both built at the same St. Louis, Missouri, truck plant, but they shared no body stampings. Almost any upgrade to the Ranger suspension could be applied to the Aerostar.

1998 was a banner year for the Ranger! So much that it's called the Fourth Generation, and it is carried on till today. A new frame with a reported 370% increase in rigidity by boxing in the front, rack-and-pinion steering, new front suspension (Replacing the "Twin I-Beam"), new front-end styling, and a three-inch extension of the Standard Cab came about, creating the same legroom in both Ranger cab models.

As another example of the Ranger's evolution, until 1998, the Regular Cab and Super Cab Rangers had different-sized rear windows... the Regular Cab's was smaller. Since this part of the cab was redesigned, all Ranger cabs now share the larger Super Cab glass. New tow hooks, Pulse Vacuum Hub Locks (4x4s), Second-Generation Airbags, new seats, and larger (15") 4x2 tires were also added in 1998.

Passenger assist handles were added, a new 120-horsepower 2.5-litre I-4 was installed for three years; a new 2.3-litre double overhead cam Duratec I-4 replaced that engine in mid 2001. There also have been three new grille and light treatments since 1998, even a new "Power Dome" hood.

There was even an electrically-powered Ranger! Called the Ranger EV, it was built from 1998-2002. Built on the 4WD chassis, it was 2WD, and had a truly unique rear suspension! 1,500 were made, most had NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) batteries, and they could go 65 miles at 65 miles per hour on a flat road. The Chevy Volt is expected to go 40 miles on a full charge. The EVs had an energy recovery system, batteries lasted for about 25,000 miles, and the EVs were leased, not sold. However, some have made their way to the used truck market. They were $50,000 before manufacturer incentives and public agency subsidies. The customers were said to praise the ride and handling of the Ranger EVs, helped in great part by the batteries' lower center of gravity.

To propel the truck, a special rear end was used. The 60-hp (45kw) AC motor/transmission/differential single-unit was mounted between the rear wheels, then half-shafts angled down to the wheels. A De Dion Tube and Watt's Linkage with carbon fiber leaf springs was used in 1998; conventional steel springs and no Watt's Linkage was used from 1999-2002. A ceramic core resistance heater was used, and an electric compressor ran the air conditioning.

2001 brought us the Explorer Sport Trac, a vehicle so close to my needs that I almost bought one... almost. Its bed is tiny... barely four feet long, not counting the tubular bed extender. However, long loads are what utility trailers are for... I can't justify driving around an empty eight-foot bed.

The Sport Trac's style and size were great for my purposes, but the interior was like a taxi cab... vinyl floor, poor lighting, and overall cheap appointments. They called the standard seats cloth, but they were covered in what more resembled wetsuit materials - one dealer told me you could hose them off. Leather seats and carpeted floor mats were available, but the trim levels just weren't up to par for a $30,000+ truck. Instead, I ordered a new loaded (Heated seats, remote start, sunroof, tow package, etc.) 2WD 2003 F-150 XLT SuperCrew for about the same money as a loaded 4WD Sport Trac.

Ford stretched the frame 14 inches on the Sport Trac so the rear wheels did not protrude into the rear seat area. I wish this truck had been sold as a 4-Door Ranger instead of an Explorer, as it still had enough "Ranger" in it, like the engine, dash, and size to justify the name. In other words, in my little ole opinion, there's more "Ranger" in this truck than "Explorer".

The Ranger has evolved into a reliable and affordable truck, but has also become a dinosaur - the bed hasn't changed in over 16 years. Sales of the Ranger have struggled on, lower than they used to be probably because the truck has not been updated. Many people do not want to replace their older trucks with a new one exactly like what they just had, so they buy Toyotas, Chevys, or other small trucks. Many of the other smaller pickups have gained size and mass, such as the Dakota and Frontier, but some customers just don't want a full-size truck. Again, I have an F-150, but the Ranger's compact size made it almost the perfect vehicle for me for everyday travel, small loads, and farm work. Oh, and it always got around 26 miles per gallon; I saw 29 on the highway once.

At the time of this writing, the Ranger's future is unclear. The current truck presses on, probably until 2011, but excitement for it has waned, at best. Reports say that a new truck is in the works, and could be built in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, or South Africa. There's a "chicken tax" preventing it being brought over from Thailand. A "chicken tax" is a 25% tax on imported trucks from certain countries, since US frozen chicken was taxed by West Germany, who was exporting the VW Type 2 to here in pickup truck form.

I'd still have my Ranger if some clunk-head hadn't hit a deer, knocking it into me, denting the side of the front fender, lower driver's door, and bed. I didn't even feel the impact. They kept going, of course, even though their plastic headlight pieces were all over the road. The estimate to fix the Ranger was over $2,500 and by Tennessee law, the truck had to be totalled because the repair was over 75% of the vehicle's value. Looking back, I should have fixed the truck out of my pocket, but after paying the insurance bills on it for 12 years, I felt I was due something. A new fender, minor body work, and paint would have made the Ranger fresh again, it really wasn't hurt that bad. But there was no good choice in the matter... losing that truck was like losing a beloved pet - it can't be replaced.

I really miss my Ranger :( .

--That Car Guy (Chuck)

Addendum to the post: I ordered a new Ranger in late 2006 to replace the 1994 model. After an 11-week wait, the new truck arrived with a paint defect. The dealer refused to repair the truck until I bought it, citing warranty requirements; I refused to take delivery until the truck was fixed, having been stung by previous dealers' promises to fix a vehicle "properly" after I took delivery. This standoff resulted in me walking away from the truck, the dealer, and probably Ford forever. --TCG (CPL)

Wikipedia does it again! I took the "Ranger" emblem photo on the back deck. The teal truck pic is from a print I took about five years ago. The cutaway diagram is from the 1998 Ranger brochure.

1969: It Was A Very Good Year!

by That Car Guy

Let's face it, there are landmark years in cars. Fellow Car Lust Contributor Anthony Cagle embellished us with 1962, and may have started a series of posts on some very good (and probably some bad) calendar and model years for our beloved vehicles. One of my most-remembered years, both then and now, is 1969. Right on!

Personally, I don't care if a car was a '69 model or made any time during that calendar year, anything that has a "69" on it is good enough for me. Differences between most 1967 and 1968 models were minimal - look for the addition of side marker lights, new grilles, and taillights, and that's usually about it. But most '69 models had all-new sheet metal and bumpers, creating a pleasant, rounded look that may never be seen again.

Why 1969? Well, to me, vehicular-wise anyway, it all seemed to come together that year - we had it all! Big cars, mid-sized cars, little cars, fast cars, economy cars, sports cars, convertibles, station wagons (For The Brady Bunch), motorcycles, and pickup trucks that were manly and rough as they should be, gol-blame it! Big cars were BIG, and little cars were common and accepted like a VW Beetle. We had vans, box vans, step vans, at least one minivan, and some vans had raiseable roofs to become campers, perfect for a Love-In, and were quite the scene at Woodstock. "Flower Power"-painted hippies' rides were hip, taking you to the Peace Rally in style. Car/vehicle/cult movies of '69 included "Easy Rider", "The Italian Job", and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service".

On top of that, we saw the cancellation of "Star Trek", inaugurated Richard Nixon, and, oh yeah, we landed on the moon. "Ground control to Major Tom!"

Three big changes hit nearly all cars in 1969, and they exist to this day. In no particular order, steering columns locked on all cars for the first time - that was the law of the land. Moved from the dash to the column and awkward at first tries, keys had to be inserted sideways into the column and turned clockwise to start. Took some getting used to, but most of us still do that today. GM and others have done an excellent job of moving some of the keyholes back onto the dash in recent years. Keyless ignitions are coming on strong, but steering wheel locking systems started here.

Second, either adjustable headrests or high-back front seats appeared on all cars for '69. Again a Federal mandate, this was in response to "whiplash" spinal column injury medical claims from rear-end accidents, although I also think that they are comfortable, great on long trips, and help prevent fatigue. If I were to rebuild a '66 Mustang, and I hope someday to do so, I would fit high-back buckets from a later year. I've seen pictures of early 'Stangs with high seats, and they look right at home!

Third, most cars lost their vent windows on the doors - VW and MOPAR held out a little longer on some. Maybe the greatest example is this 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood that had power vents in both front and back doors. For 1969, the side window count went from eight to four, as the vents disappeared altogether. Personally, I like the cleaner no-vent look, but Gramps sure was bummed out when he had to lower the big window to flick his Marlboro butt. Wind noises went down as well without the vents, as their latching mechanisms usually became loose over time.

I'm not sure how on-track this comment is, but I have to say the nicest car interior I have ever sat in, including a Rolls-Royce, was a 1969 Buick Riviera. What made it so posh was that everything was soft and deeply padded - even the A-pillar trim next to the windshield was cushioned! As kids, we would push the padding on the doors and under the rear side windows and marvel at how deep it was. The car had power everything, and the seats, headrests, and sun visors were First Class as well.

Power to the people! 1969 was Muscle Car Heaven! Taking fairly plain mid-size cars and giving them large engines and aggressive styling wasn't new, but that seemed to reach its peak this year. Wide-Tracking Pontiac rolled out "The Judge" (And Judge #2) to a hungry audience. MOPAR's Dodge Charger Daytona made its debut, the Plymouth Superbird followed in 1969 for the 1970 model year. The Mustang Mach 1 was born. For real, does it get any better than this? Holy Moly, if there is a year for Muscle Cars, 1969 is IT!

The '69 Camaro (Shown here) and Firebird were hot with Z-28 and Trans Am versions, respectively. These cars (Firebirds) also got "Endura" front bumpers, similar to today's soft, body-colored bumpers - a first for '69. I remember a far out TV ad where a guy was whacking them with a crowbar. The C-3 Corvette had been redesigned the year before, and there was the Barracuda and Challenger. American Motor Corporation's "The Machine" was introduced, and the AMX had been out for about a year. Sweet rides, every one! There were plenty more, and darn it, I don't have room for all of them here.

1969 was the last year for the Lincoln Continental's suicide doors. It was also the only year that the Continental had a groovy upright rather than horizontal grille. The 4-door Thunderbird, also with "center-opening doors", continued until the 1972 model.

I can't leave out one motorcycle. 1969 saw Honda unveil the mighty CB750, a 4-cylinder masterpiece that remains on a pedestal to this day. This happening bike put Honda over the top as a builder of large, quality bikes, whose reputation stands today.

The Discovery Channel called the CB750 the Third Greatest Motorcycle of all time. Number One was the cool Honda Super Cub, which has sold over 60 million copies, the most mass-produced vehicle in history. For the life of me, I can't find Number Two.

With the CB750's electric starter, screw-on oil filter, overhead cam, the industry-first front disc brake, and a low price of $1,495, the term Superbike was coined to describe this machine. Honda made the 750 for 10 years, eventually cranking out 400,000 of them. The inline design eventually spawned 4-cylinder 650-, 550-, 500-, 400-, and 350-cc bikes from Honda.

Trucks and vans were pretty much carry-overs in 1969. Back then, they were designed, then pretty much left alone for years. This is not to say that trucks weren't fashionable in '69, they just didn't change much. New grilles were about it.

And, finally, 1969 saw amazing aircraft advancements. Boeing's 747 made its maiden test flight on February 9, and the Super Sonic Transport (SST) Concorde first test-flew on March 2, then first broke the sound barrier on October 1st.

So no matter how we travel in 2009, we have to thank that year, now 40 years ago. 1969... It was a VERY good year. Peace!

--That Car Guy (Chuck)

Thanks again to Wikipedia for some great photos. The CB750 image is from "How Things Work". The steering column is in my SuperCrew.

Ford Pinto / Mercury Bobcat

by That Car Guy (Chuck)

Ah, the early 1970s. Gas was CHEAP... maybe 20 cents a gallon during price wars. The terms "Oil Embargo" and "Energy Crisis" had not been coined yet. We could put a dollar's worth of gas in the car and drive around town all night. Big cars were everywhere, muscle cars were still being made. But there was a storm on the horizon... for about five years, these funny little cars from Japan were popping up... Volkswagen Beetles were everywhere... and even though the Corvair had been a disaster, Americans were turning to smaller cars, and many people wanted them made here. The US automakers responded with the first generation of home-grown import fighters.

So General Motors, American Motors Corporation, and Ford Motor Company launched, almost simultaneously, their assault on the imports. GM had the Vega, AMC touted the Gremlin, and Ford introduced the Pinto, somewhat unique to this group by being the only car to have rack-and-pinion steering, which we all take for granted today. All of these little cars were unibody, had rear wheel drive, and were introduced in the glory days of no Five-Mile-Per-Hour-Bumper or Unleaded Fuel requirements. When the tougher bumpers were required, starting in the 1974 model year, the initial car styles took a turn for the worse as "Guard Rail" bumpers made the cars look heavy and awkward.

Seems that small Ford cars were always trimmed nicer than their GM equivalents. Rather than hard door surfaces and places for gauges, Ford had padded vinyl doors and needles that actually moved on the dash, though upper door panels were made of hard painted metal. Upgraded interiors offered adjustable head rests, again a feature not available on small GM cars. Cruise control, tilt wheel, power windows, and power door locks were never offered on these American subcompact cars. A personal liking of mine to the Pinto was, in either hatchback or sedan form, their profile was virtually identical.

But driving a Pinto was a different experience from other small cars of the time. Even though the cars were light, the steering required more effort than the recirculating ball systems of the others, probably caused by the quick turn ratio. They were initially offered with drum brakes on all four corners, which were not as effective as discs.The power-grabbing optional power steering and power brakes were a good idea on a Pinto, even though its compact size suggested that these should have been luxury items, not necessities.

The Mercury Bobcat, identical to the Pinto save for the hood, grille, taillights, and badges, popped onto the scene in 1975 and died with the Pinto in 1980. Both cars were replaced by the front-wheel-drive Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx, respectively. The Mercury shared the Ford's 94-inch wheelbase and offered the same 2.3-litre I-4 (88-hp) or 2.8-litre V-6 (98-hp) engines, and the same 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatics. Surprisingly, these cars were light... they weighed in from 2,000 to 2,300 pounds... a Miata weighs close to 2,500 pounds. The Bobcat was available as a 2-door hatchback or wagon, but not as the "sedan" Pinto version that had an enclosed trunk. Mercury wisely installed the Pinto's deluxe interior as standard trim to appeal to uppermarket subcompact buyers.

Toward the end of the 70s, large vans became customized beyond reason with shag carpet, mirrors, CB radios, wood cupholders, RV-style windows (Some heart-shaped), airbrushed graphics, and other gaudy niceties! Commonly known as "Sin Bins", from 1977-1980, Ford decided the Pinto Wagon would make a good economical approach to this trend, so they gussied up their wagon with graphics, a porthole, raised white letter tires, nice wheels, a tach and gauges, sport steering wheel, spoilers, and some attitude, and called them "Cruising Wagons". I remember seeing quite a few of these on the road, so their idea seemed to be met with success!

Sadly, what the Pinto became most famous for was their danger in a rear-end collision. Two things were poorly designed... the gas tube filler poked directly into the tank, sparking a fire in a serious collision, and the tank itself had very little protection from incoming vehicles. It was also determined later that the body structure was weak, the body cavity would compromise and the doors would jam, thus causing escape to be nearly impossible. Cigarette lighters shaped like a Pinto were sold in the finest novelty shops. For a while, the cars came equipped with Firestone 500 radials, which had a nasty habit of band separation, leading to blow-outs. The Pinto became involved in litigations and late-night comic jokes. Though the video here is quick, it shows the bad press the car received and ultimately lead to poor sales, a tarnished reputation, and an early demise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcNeorjXMrE

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOWIlP9t8y4&feature=related

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NOWIlP9t8y4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NOWIlP9t8y4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

--That Car Guy (Chuck)

The picture of the Vega, Gremlin, and Pinto is from Motor Trend; the interior picture(s) is by LoveFords.org; the Bobcats are from Wikicars; the Pinto Cruising Wagon is from Barraclou.com. The first video is from Youtube; the second video is from "Top Secret".