10 worst gm cars???

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
The later 1978-1980 H-bodies with the 140HP 305 V-8 were quick cars for their day. I don't have the numbers in from of me, but I now they did 1/4 miles in around mid-to low 15's.

For the late 1970's, stock, that was fast.


Better call up the auto rags and tell them they got it wrong...

For the complete list... http://www.h-body.org/library/vegabob/hbody-accel-times.html

(1) '74 Cosworth Vega-122cid 4cyl.130hp
4-spd./3.73:1 axle; wgt.2640
0-60 7.7 sec. qtr. mile 16.2/85 mph
Car & Driver 1/74

(2) '75 Cosworth Vega-122cid 4cyl.111hp
4-spd./3.73:1 axle; wgt.2760
0-60 8.7 sec. qtr. mile 17.6/80.1 mph
Car & Driver 3/75

(3) '77 Monza Spyder- 305cid 8cyl.145hp
auto./2.29:1 axle; wgt.3160
0-60 9.6 sec. qtr. mile 17.1/81.3 mph
Road Test 4/77

(4) '76 Cosworth Vega-122cid 4cyl.110hp
5-spd./4.10:1 axle; wgt.2670
0-60 10.0 sec. qtr. mile 17.4/78.5 mph
Road Test 10/76

(5) '77 Monza Spyder- 305cid 8cyl.140hp
4-spd./2.73:1 axle; wgt.3310
0-60 10.5 sec. qtr mile 17.5/79.5 mph
Car & Driver 9/76

(6) '71 Vega Coupe- 140 cid 4 cyl.110hp
4-spd./3.36:1 axle; wgt.2440
0-60 11.4 sec. qtr. mile 18.2/73.8 mph
Car & Driver '71 yearbook

(7-tie) '71 Vega Sedan-140 cid 4cyl.90hp
3-spd./2.53:1 axle; wgt.2304
0-60 12.2 sec. qtr. mile 18.6/72.3mph
Car & Driver 1/71

(7-tie) '72 Vega GT Coupe- 140cid 4cyl.90hp
4-spd./3.36:1 axle; wgt.2440
0-60 12.2 sec. qtr.mile 18.7/72.3 mph
Car & Driver 12/71

(9) '74 Vega GT Coupe -140cid 4cyl.85hp
4-spd./2.92:1 axle; wgt.2592
0-60 12.3 sec. qtr. mile 18.8/73.2 mph
Car & Driver 5/74

(10) '74 Vega LX Sedan-140 cid 4cyl.85hp
4-spd./3.36:1 axle; wgt.2560
0-60 12.4 sec. qtr. mile 18.8/75 mph
Road & Track 6/74

(11) '75 Vega GT Coupe-140cid 4cyl.85hp
4-spd./2.92:1 axle; wgt.2700
0-60 12.5 sec. qtr. mile 19.0/73 mph
Chevy Action 75

(12) '75 Monza 2+2- 262 cid 8 cyl.110hp
auto./2.73:1 axle; wgt.3310
0-60 12.6 sec. qtr. mile 19/74 mph
Motor Trend 11/74

(13-tie) '75 Skyhawk- 231 cid 6 cyl. 110 hp
auto./2.56:1 axle; wgt.3020
0-60 12.8 sec. qtr.mile 18.99/72.69mph
Road Test 4/75

 

[Dakota1820]

i didnt realize this thread was still going. lol i liked the corvair looks and all

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
i didnt realize this thread was still going. lol i liked the corvair looks and all


Yeah that one was known as "unsafe at any speed". Was a $2k car new. You get what you paid for in those days.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: artificialist

The Tercel sucked big time. Most of them never lasted due to poor engine design.


What was wrong with the Toyota 3A engine?

And I ask because my "shop car" at my former employer was a Tercel 4WD wagon. With over 250,000 miles


It was efficient, plowed it's way out of the mud at Texas Motor Speedway when "real" SUVs were stuck, reliable as a rock, and practical. The only shortcomings were that it was slow and even with AWD, it didn't handle particularly well.

Poor thing was used to carry a Detroit diesel 6.2/TH400 from the wrecking yard back to the shop and it puked out soot black engine oil, almost as black Dexron, and coolant all over the interior as well as tearing the headliner. (the engine and transmission fit in the cargo area just fine - the people that loaded the car were just being sloppy ) My boss sold it for cash and I had too many cars to rescue that great little wagon.


Most of the ones I dealt with had low compression and leaking valve seals or guides at 100,000 miles.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: artificialist

The Tercel sucked big time. Most of them never lasted due to poor engine design.


What was wrong with the Toyota 3A engine?

And I ask because my "shop car" at my former employer was a Tercel 4WD wagon. With over 250,000 miles


It was efficient, plowed it's way out of the mud at Texas Motor Speedway when "real" SUVs were stuck, reliable as a rock, and practical. The only shortcomings were that it was slow and even with AWD, it didn't handle particularly well.

Poor thing was used to carry a Detroit diesel 6.2/TH400 from the wrecking yard back to the shop and it puked out soot black engine oil, almost as black Dexron, and coolant all over the interior as well as tearing the headliner. (the engine and transmission fit in the cargo area just fine - the people that loaded the car were just being sloppy ) My boss sold it for cash and I had too many cars to rescue that great little wagon.


Most of the ones I dealt with had low compression and leaking valve seals or guides at 100,000 miles.


It might have had low compression.

I think the 3A was pretty low compression to begin with.

It was rather high on HC at idle. Near the 220ppm limit. At 3000 rpm HC was real low though (I was the state inspector for the shop)
Still ran like a top.

Shifter felt "funny" It felt like it came up and then down into neutral then up and down again into the next gear. Like an "M" shaped throw. That's the best way I can describe it. Other Toyota FWD shifters feel like that but it seemed really prominent in the Tercel.

 

[Spazdog]

Quote:
(3) '77 Monza Spyder- 305cid 8cyl.145hp
auto./2.29:1 axle; wgt.3160
0-60 9.6 sec. qtr. mile 17.1/81.3 mph
Road Test 4/77


Interesting.

I actually "raced" the 350 Monza I mentioned. I put "raced" in quotes because his victory was certain. I was still 15 and only had a -125cc license.

My Honda CB125S (124cc single) could allegedly do 0-60 in 12 seconds. I have my doubts. One had to be in a full-tuck on level pavement to hit 70mph at all on the little bike. And that took awhile.

Anyway, I holed him real bad and held him off for what seemed like a long time. I wish somebody had been timing it. My bike didn't have a tach. It had the shift points marked on the speedo in red so you had to watch the speedometer. I was upwards of 50 mph by the time he passed me. He was at a considerably higher speed than I was so 9sec 0-60 is believeable.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog


I actually "raced" the 350 Monza I mentioned.


LOL that's pretty cool, if it still had the long legged 2.29 gear under it, was no doubt hampered in it's off the line acceleration...

Interestingly my Marauder at close to a third more weight of the Monza, will run 85 MPH in the 1/8 mile(I've never ran 1/4 with it)... That's what the "ringer" '74 Cosworth Vega did in the 1/4...

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
i didnt realize this thread was still going. lol i liked the corvair looks and all


Yeah that one was known as "unsafe at any speed". Was a $2k car new. You get what you paid for in those days.


The "worldviews" of MOST of the members on here (it seems) would be quite contrary to those of the one who deemed the 'Vairs that, as well as all his followers/believers/etc..

 

[eddy21]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: lexus114

I bought a 1980 Monza Coupe after Graduating High School. It had the 2.5l Iron Duke motor coupled to a Saginaw 4speed trans. You can laugh all you want, but that thing moved! I would almost have to say it was fast! (for what it was) When I would go through the gears, You could even feel the two barrel carb kick in!


I suppose everyone's opinion of fast differs, I owned four Monzas, not one fit my definition of fast... Listed in order of speediness, two coupes with V8(4.3L stick & 5.0L auto), a hatchback with 3.8L Buick V6 & automatic, coupe with the Iron Duke & stick...



I`m saying it was a fast little car for what it was. And I said "I would almost have to say it was fast". Never called it fast. I should have said "quick" that may have been a better word. I`v owned fast enough cars in the past to know the difference.


.When I was in high school, a friend's older brother had a Monza. Notchback with a 2bbl 350 from...something

I don't know. It was a Chevrolet orange 350 and had no discernable emission equipment. Anyway, I don't think the car was actually fast. I think it felt fast because it had tiny tires. Maybe 14"s. Maybe even something like a 175/13. Little wheels that would light up under moderate throttle. And it had the passenger side "danger door" that around a left hand corner would suddenly fly open. Couple that with seatbelts that the retractors no longer work on and a front suspension in dire need of....everything, and you have a rolling death trap. But it did feel fast.


I remember California got 350's maybe 305's for emmisons reasons. I lived in the Chicago suburbs back then and a freind had a blow thru turbo 350 in a Monza. It was in

HotRod magazine

 

[Jarlaxle]

Yes, only Kali got the 2bbl 350 Monzas. 49-state cars got the awful 267 or a 2bbl 305.

I have to say that the thought of a Monza, Sunbird, Astre, or Starfire hatch with aluiminum LS power & a 6-speed manual sounds pretty good to me!

Useless trivia: the only H-body without an optional engine was the Skyhawk. They all got the Buick 231ci V6.