Speakeasy forum: Government Motors new offering

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-top-ten-worst-cars-pictures-new,0,2636913.photogallery

My grandmother had the 1972 Ford Pinto. It was an amazing machine. 2 Speed automatic and if you managed to get on a Texas highway up to 75MPH the air conditioner could kick in and you floored it to stay at 70.

That Edsel would be worth a lot today.
Bob

A 1965 Renault Gordini. It's like a Dauphin which was low class enough, but then you strip that down and you get the Gordini. I still remember the day that bright red brand new car showed up, but the bright faded quickly under a Texas sun. Still had plastic or cellophane protection sheets on the inside of of the front doors we had to rip off. It became my mother's car, drove it everywhere, got great gas mileage, but no acceleration. She liked the ease of parking it. My dad came to hate that car, not just for small size, but especially after it's plastic window handle broke off, among other things. Yes, plastic handles that were covered with some shiny metallic coating that made it look to be metal when he bought it. If one considered a Volkswagen like whole milk, then the Renault would be skim milk, or worse. I remember one trip from Texas to panhandle of Florida in that car with Mom and sister. We made it there on about $5-6 of gas. We filled up in Texas at 19.9 cents per gallon and I think the next fillup was near or less than 25 cents per gallon. We were on fumes by the time we rolled into Panama City to relatives house.

1960 model

http://www.arcar.org/renault-gordini-en51460

backside
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Renault_Gordini_%282%29.jpg

front
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Renault_Gordini_%281%29.jpg

upscale Dauphin model 1964
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bonhams_-_The_Paris_Sale_2012_-_Renault_Dauphine_Gordini_Saloon_-_1964_-_003.jpg

motor compartment
http://www.fotocoche.com//renault-gordini-foto-1731983.html

Stamping processes couldn't do that. It took hand forming and metal soldering work to create those shapes. I believe that car bodies were a specialty in European countries and often two manufacturers were involved in producing a car. The VW Karmann Ghia was one such car. It had Beetle running gear in a largely handmade body. They were not terribly expensive but one could buy a sportier British car for their price.

The "Ghia" and many other cars started to disappear with new US safety standards...not the least of which was higher and larger bumpers. Many cars just got too butt ugly to be appealing to anyone.

but I'm not sure I believe it, I was running wide tires at low pressure because of the narrow width of the rims.

And it took several miles to get anything abov the 95 reading, that's where fourth gear floated out and I had to go to fifth.

That car felt like it was just about lifting off the hiway.

I guess some folk are like cats. Nine lives. Glad to read folk survived their Pintos and Vegas.
Bob