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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 I actually like driving my 77 Astre Formula, but the tired 2.5 Iron Duke has long been replaced by a Buick 215 Aluminum V8.
Hey there. I distinctly resemble #4.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.
Cars are nice and all, but where is the significance to the P-39? I must have missed it.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.
Buried in the "Groundhog Thread." There you will find wisdom and confusion.Cars are nice and all, but where is the significance to the P-39? I must have missed it.
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.*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.
Was it the 3.8 or the SHO?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"...
They had to use roll-up windows, if they'd used electric, the added weight of the electric motors would mess up the COG...................................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.
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.Was it the 3.8 or the SHO?