The sad truth

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Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
A special ordered 1966 Dodge Dart with a four barrel V8, four on the floor and front disc brakes convinced me that Detroit cars were *@#&^%$*&^. Four Toyotas and three Hondas later, I haven't changed my mind. The only reason domestic cars are as good as they are is because Asian cars set a high standard for quality.


We taught the Japanese about quality.

My favorite cars were american or Italian. I don't think Ive had a great Japanese car yet. The 96 Impreza wagon was very good. American Isuzu built Legacy's could be nice.

Even my toy MR2 wasn't that great. The two great or nearly great Japanese cars Ive driven were at the top of their segment for price. Acura Integra gsr(?) and the Early LS400 lexus.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I miss carburetors and distributors . . . . . gave me something to tinker with.



i miss the sound of an old quadrajet....
 
Originally Posted By: Win


Modern engines of all marques are really impressive.


And the modern tech trickles down... if you follow the resto and hot-rodding literature or watch any of the many car shows on TV and the net, you know that its very simple to take a 70s "smog-dog" v8 and rebuild it to put out 700+ horsepower and be street-driveable. You can do about 90% of that with a carburetor if you want, but there are also full digital engine management systems out there that you can dial in to a gnat's eyelash, or you can let them "self learn" and they actually do really, really well.

The hardware of the 70s wasn't the problem, it was the lack of precision engine management to meet emissions requirements that in turn forced the hardware to be de-tuned with horribly low compression.
 
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Ban Asian cars in the US? Don't take offence but that is an unfathomably stupid idea , the Japanese took over the market in the late 70w because American cars of that period were JUNK


The Americans didn't have any decent SMALL cars at the time.
 
Originally Posted By: expat
Remember back in the 70's if you wanted somthing economical, you bought a foreign car or a .........


Fill in the blank.

Some people did buy domestic. Often for the last time.

Duster. 30+ mpg when optioned properly!
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I miss carburetors and distributors . . . . . gave me something to tinker with.


Haven't noticed...aside from fuel filters, haven't had to touch mine.
 
Originally Posted By: Win
Originally Posted By: Chris142
That era of cars were slugs! Smog dogs! 150hp from 400 cuin lol


Not quite that bad, but definitely low compression smog dogs - I think the 400 CID in my 75 Firebird was 170 ish, but the ratings had changed in the early 70's and rated HP was net, where it was previously gross, also resulting in lower numbers.

But ... low compression ... not much you can do. I had headers and a mild cam, not a lot more HP. They still made good torque, though.

Modern engines of all marques are really impressive.


The quickest Pontiac built until 1998 was a low compression "smog motor"!
 
Originally Posted By: Doublehaul
Can't speak to the 70s as I wasn't alive but I've worked on enough imported junk to know that every auto maker can build quality or trash...I don't buy into Japanese superiority...or American superiority...sure they've made some gems...also some dogs. Speaking of which look at the junk coming out of Germany these days...just goes to show


I find this to be ebb and flow. But yeah, I agree whole heartedly.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
We taught the Japanese about quality.


Yes and they were the ones who listened. No one here took Deming seriously till years later. Years later.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
No one here took Deming seriously till years later. Years later.


TRUE
 
Diesel HD pick-up trucks 0-60 faster than most of the so called muscle cars back in the day. The new Duramax is 7.1 according to the video.
A 6.2L Yukon 8 speed 116" wheel base with the right tires would make a good sportsman drag car, 12.0' and slower. Fuel efficient then drive it home.
 
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Originally Posted By: lexus114


i miss the sound of an old quadrajet....


Every now and then I still get called on to rebuild a Q-Jet; they were excellent carburetors which could be calibrated to a specific engine to a very precise degree. The people who maligned them simply didn't want to take the time to understand how and why they were designed the way they were.

Back on topic, I considered American, Asian, British, and German cars when I made my last purchase. I went with another BMW, but I'll be the first to admit that there are a lot of excellent cars available from more than one country. On the other hand, my wife was raised in a "Buick family" and you'd have to pry her X3 from her cold dead fingers...
 
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Ban Asian cars in the US? Don't take offence but that is an unfathomably stupid idea , the Japanese took over the market in the late 70w because American cars of that period were JUNK


The Americans didn't have any decent SMALL cars at the time.


They had some excellent captive imports, though. The Mercury Capri and Buick (Opel) Manta and GT come to mind immediately.
 
As the person who originally started this topic I think I should chime in here.

I think the discussion on the older American "junk" as it's been compared to the Japanese offerings of the 78's -90's while valid is getting off topic. The primary reason I started the thread is to provoke some insight into what the Europeans are doing to save their economy. Here in Canada we are witnessing staggering inflation, housing prices that just keep rising (rentals included) and basic household items becoming a luxury...this simply shouldn't be happening with the abundant resources we have at our disposal. Far too many items we are outsourcing overseas. This is ruining unions, and causing families to not have enough to survive. Lets not forget my recent experience with a Chinese made engine mount!
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4220309/1

I agree that in the past the big three didn't have much to offer against the Japanese in the automotive marketplace, and they suffered for it. But these days cars such as the Mustang and Camaro with strong sales and reviews are currently dominating the sports car market. Once we start investing in our own economy, we will see an emergence of jobs and our market will prevail. Once this begins there will be a trickle down effect to other industries that will grow and make North America strong again.

Oh and btw, not all European cars are great. The citizens in those countries know what happens when you start under selling your own countries' offerings for the imports. Yes, they know Fiat makes some garbage products too, but they'd rather stay loyal to keep their community strong.


Originally Posted By: SaturnIonVue
Back in the mid '80s when I lived in Miami, on several occasions in parking lots, seniors would stop me going from or to my Toyota Tercel to ask me how I liked the car. Most of the time, when I told them how good the car was, and how great the gas mileage was, they would invariably tell me they could never buy a non-US made car. This happened often enough (for some reason) that my standard reply became that "cars are expensive enough as it is, without me having to buy two American cars to equal one durable Toyota!" They didn't seem to like that comment very much. I suspect many were from Detroit and retired to south Florida!


Yes, THOSE were the days. But last I checked, we don't live in the 70's, 80's, or even 90's anymore!
 
Daihatsu had to leave the US (they are still a sizable player elsewhere), and the darling Subaru was on the verge of quitting US not too long ago. French had to leave even though some were quite good. I will never forget the auto show in Frankfurt when I lived there when the Lexus was presented there for the first time. They would give the keys to anybody willing to try, and, of course, those were German younger fellers first. there was a row of Lexus vehicles parked for the public. By the end of the show there was a line for the keys. Finally MB reps tried it. You had to see their faces. The price was around 40k DM then. Brits used to make great cars, but their fascination with seeping oil got the best of them. In fact, bad tongues had it that they gave up on computer manufacturing in UK, because they couldn't come up with the consistent oil leeks from the microchips. Sad indeed.

What's interesting is how perceptions vs reality works differently in different markets. I remember when Opel Kadett was a bestseller in Germany and the same car built at the same Korean factory as Pontiac LeMans was a mediocrity in USA.
 
I liked my 1974 Vega GT a lot better than my friends corolla or my other friends Datsun Honey Bee 210.

I stepped up to a (77?) Fiat 3P. That was fun.
128-3p-31-002.jpg
 
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