More proof that the P-39 rules! 😂

[manta22]

I had radial tire tread separation problems on my early '80s Firebird but they were Goodyears. In the early days, the only tire company that had experience with building radial tires was Michelin. I replaced the bad Goodyears with bias-ply Pirelli tires.

 

[GregP]

Funny you should mention Firestone tire recalls from the 1970's. I bought a set of the 500's replacement the 721 Steel Belted radials for a very stock 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix, and had one of the belts separate after about 1000 miles. Took it back to the dealer I bought it from only to have the manager refuse to warranty it (2 year warranty at the time of purchase) because the 19 year old me had obviously "abused" the tire! After having my father's lawyer call to Firestone's corp office suddenly got me a replacement set of a different style tire.

I also have never bought a set of Firestone's again, and once when buying a new truck had the dealer swap the wheels & tires so I didn't have to have a set on my new truck!
About the Vega, if you owned a 75-77 Vega, most of the issues had been worked out by then, and if you lived in sunny California, the terminal Rust issues they still had would not be a large problem. I actually like driving my 77 Astre Formula, but the tired 2.5 Iron Duke has long been replaced by a Buick 215 Aluminum V8.

My Vega was a 1972 and it ran like a top for 80,000 miles. I gave it to my brother's girlfriend and she drove it another 30,000+ miles. Mostly ran it in Tennessee, Indiana, and South Dakota (Air Force). It was GREAT in the snow. Sometime after I gave it away, I bought a Vega Kamback Wagon and put in a 283 with a 4-speed. I had fun with that for several years before deserting it for a new Chevy pickup after I graduated from college. I hauled Observed Trials motorcycles in it for 15 years.

 

[special ed]

My 72 Vega was a great tinkertoy car. The only negative was when it quit dead on the interstate about 1am. and engine was rigid so I assumed (right I know) it had slipped a bearing. Picked up an engine from a 73 and was about to begin exchange when it was discovered the airconditioner compressor bearing balls broke up. The engine was OK but the drag of that vertical style compressor stopped everything. If I had known what happened in the dark, I could have cut the compressor belt and drove home.
Another tinkertoy car was the Pinto. My ex gave hers to my daughter for college so one time when she visited I fixed a few things and took it for a short test drive. Misty rain had just begun and as I made a u-turn through the median, the beast began a spin into on coming traffic. A quick counter steer and it slid sideways in to the lane properly oriented and we accelerated away. The maneuver went so well that I hope all who saw it thought, "What a superior driver."

 

[SaparotRob]

To quote Pee Wee Herman "I meant to do that."

 

[GrauGeist]

Pintos and Gremlins were nose-heavy due to their rear axles being so close to the rear of the body, so they would spin out if a driver wasn't careful.

*Hmmm*

You know, there's something really famaliar about all that...

 

[GregP]

My Vega was pretty neutral when cornering, whether dry, wet, or snowy. I liked it. I COULD get loose in the wet, but was pretty controllable even when sliding. All in all, a pretty decent car, despite press to the contrary, at least for the 100,000 miles we drove it.

Of course, my 2019 Ford Mustang GT 6-speed is rated less than average mechanically. I have had it 3 years and nothing has ever gone wrong with it. My last pony car before that was a 2002 Camaro SS 6-speed. It was ALSO rated less than average, mechanically, and it it STILL running (a friend bought it) with nothing ever broken other than normal wear items. We sometimes go for a cruise together.

Wonder who rates cars anyway? Maybe they're just terrible drivers and treat cars roughly. Who can say?

 

[tyrodtom]

My dad's last car was a 74 Vega, lowest hp, and automatic. The few times I drove it I couldn't get it to 80.
But my best friend in my hometown had the pick of used GM cars since his dad was a GM mechanic.
So that meant Corvairs in the late 60's and Vegas in the early 70. But always the 4 speeds, and higher hp models.
I got to drive several of his pool of cars, and with 4 speeds, and a little hp they were a ball to drive.
Even a Chevette wasn't bad if it was a 4 speed with no ac or other luxury items.

I think of lot of these cars get a bad reputation because they got loaded down with accessories and automatic and what little hp they made was negated by the options the salesmen loved to bump their commission up with.
And most of those cars went to a early grave because a lot of people considered them disposable, and just didn't maintain them.

 

[Warbirdnutball]

That's only ONE definition:
1) A circus acrobat.
2) A clumsy girl who trips over her long dress in high heels.
3) Part of a padlock.
4) A P-39 with empty ammunition boxes and a ham-fisted pilot who is short on survival instincts.

Hey there. I distinctly resemble #4.

 

[Warbirdnutball]

My dad's last car was a 74 Vega, lowest hp, and automatic. The few times I drove it I couldn't get it to 80.
But my best friend in my hometown had the pick of used GM cars since his dad was a GM mechanic.
So that meant Corvairs in the late 60's and Vegas in the early 70. But always the 4 speeds, and higher hp models.
I got to drive several of his pool of cars, and with 4 speeds, and a little hp they were a ball to drive.
Even a Chevette wasn't bad if it was a 4 speed with no ac or other luxury items.

I think of lot of these cars get a bad reputation because they got loaded down with accessories and automatic and what little hp they made was negated by the options the salesmen loved to bump their commission up with.
And most of those cars went to a early grave because a lot of people considered them disposable, and just didn't maintain them.

Cars are nice and all, but where is the significance to the P-39? I must have missed it.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Cars are nice and all, but where is the significance to the P-39? I must have missed it.

Buried in the "Groundhog Thread." There you will find wisdom and confusion.

 

[GregP]

Well, since the P-39 wasn't that good of a fighter, they used to race them on the runway. It's how they got the design ideas for the AMC Pacer, a moon buggy if ever there was one.

 

[GrauGeist]

Oddly enough, the Pacer design is popular today, especially with makers like Subaru.

 

[Peter Gunn]

*SNIP*

I think of lot of these cars get a bad reputation because they got loaded down with accessories and automatic and what little hp they made was negated by the options the salesmen loved to bump their commission up with.
And most of those cars went to a early grave because a lot of people considered them disposable, and just didn't maintain them.

I agree, also I think a lot of folks' eyes glaze over when the word "maintenance" is mentioned. I can honestly say the only car that ever gave me trouble (and I've had lot's of "bad rep" cars like Caddys, Vette's, LeMans' etc.) was a Ford Taurus and really that wasn't even the cars fault. I loaned it to a friend and he hit something on the highway and gouged a leak in the oil pan. He then proceeded to drive it without oil until the engine seized on the highway. How. The. Eff. Do you do that? It had a full gauge package, spoiler, big V-6 all the options, but I digress, how do you not notice no oil pressure, especially when it also had warning lights for that etc.

Ford replaced the engine but it was never the same, totally buggy after that which was unfortunate.

In short, I think I've really never had a lemon or a "bad" car in my life, but then again... "maintenance"...

 

[SaparotRob]

I agree, also I think a lot of folks' eyes glaze over when the word "maintenance" is mentioned. I can honestly say the only car that ever gave me trouble (and I've had lot's of "bad rep" cars like Caddys, Vette's, LeMans' etc.) was a Ford Taurus and really that wasn't even the cars fault. I loaned it to a friend and he hit something on the highway and gouged a leak in the oil pan. He then proceeded to drive it without oil until the engine seized on the highway. How. The. Eff. Do you do that? It had a full gauge package, spoiler, big V-6 all the options, but I digress, how do you not notice no oil pressure, especially when it also had warning lights for that etc.

Ford replaced the engine but it was never the same, totally buggy after that which was unfortunate.

In short, I think I've really never had a lemon or a "bad" car in my life, but then again... "maintenance"...

Was it the 3.8 or the SHO?

 

[GregP]

We always called the Taurus the "Tortise," except for the SHO units.

Somehow, they remind me of a P-39. Maybe it's the doors and roll-down windows.

 

[glennasher]

We always called the Taurus the "Tortise," except for the SHO units.

Somehow, they remind me of a P-39. Maybe it's the doors and roll-down windows.

They had to use roll-up windows, if they'd used electric, the added weight of the electric motors would mess up the COG...................................

 

[special ed]

The Taurus was removed from Kodak's fleet list because the low roof line at the windshield caused head injuries in collisions. That's what the fleet bulletins said.

 

[GregP]

They needed shorter employees, huh?

 

[Peter Gunn]

Was it the 3.8 or the SHO?

It was the 3.8, actually I liked it pretty well, it was gold, had the spoiler and air dam like an SHO with the mag wheels, I only used it as a daily driver at which it gave good service for a couple of years. After the engine replacement however it was never the same so I got rid of it about 8 months later. It did have kind of a "cheap" feel to it but that was compared with our other cars at the time, a Lexus and a Caddy.

Interesting about the low roof line thing at Kodak, I'm 6' 2" but don't recall any issues getting in or out but then again, I may have just blanked out most of that car from my memory... or age has done that for me...

 

[GrauGeist]

Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, local PDs had the Taurus in their fleets.
Not for patrol, of course, but for admin and other needs.

However, they also wanted to use them for undercover work - and I was like, really guys? You think the bad guys are going to sell you dope or not spot you sitting down the street, in a plain white fleet Taurus with tinted windows??