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Tag: Classic Cars
Classic Automobile Ads: Safety
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Classic Automobile Ads: Chrysler LeBaron
Until the Cordoba came in 1975, the Chrysler brand had marketed just huge cars and trucks in the U.S. A struck with monied midsize automobile shoppers, the Cordoba offered the near-luxury brand an entry into the midsize market, and also the perfect feedback to climbing gas costs along with pesky car-payment swelling rising cost of living.
1988 LeBaron
Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast, Episode 144: NASCAR Chicago Street Race, The Predictive Pickup Trucks of 1957
Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.
Episode: 144
Broadcast date: August 14, 2022
Guest: John Biel
NASCAR Chicago Street Race, The Predictive Pickup Trucks of 1957
With host Tom Appel out on vacation this week, co-hosts Damon Bell and Jill Ciminillo start the show by discussing Ford’s just-unveiled Bronco Heritage Edition models and the recently announced NASCAR Chicago Street Race, which is scheduled for next summer. Collectible Automobile magazine Editor-in-Chief John Biel joins us to chat about the great features in the October 2022 issue, including histories of the 1977-1979 full-size Chevrolets and the pickup trucks of 1957. Damon has a quiz on boxy subcompacts for Jill and John, and Damon also runs down the latest articles on the Consumer Guide Daily Drive blog, including a test-drive review of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X.
The Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast is broadcast every Sunday on Chicago’s WCPT AM 820 at 1:00 PM CT.
Discussed this week:
2023 Ford Bronco Heritage Editions
Test Drive: 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
Test Drive Gallery: 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT
Follow the crew:
Tom on the radio:
The Crew
To advertise on the Car Stuff Podcast call Andy Lieb: 847-291-7414
NASCAR Chicago Street Race
Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast, Episode 142: Generation Z Goes Car Shopping, 3 Quick Car Reviews
NASCAR Chicago Street Race
Classic Car Ads: Cheap Cars of 1983
Affordability is a relative thing. But odds are, if a manufacturer is sharing the price of a product in advertising, the thing being sold is probably a good deal. Of course, in the case of automobiles, the listed base price is subject to any number of asterisks and fine-print notations—especially back in the Eighties, before regulators were paying especially close attention to auto ads.
Still, back in 1983, the cars seen below mostly feel like good deals—especially the close-out-special DeLorean, which, surprisingly, is being sold as an ’83 model, even though production officially wrapped up in 1982.
Peruse the ads below and tell us which of the cars feels like the best deal to you. The place to share comments is down below. Oh, and read the Maxima ad carefully. To us, the car actually seems expensive when adjusted for inflation, but per the text, that Datsun sedan was actually priced below the Cadillac Cimarron. Well, at least a comparably equipped Cimarron—Caddy’s unloved J-Car started at just over $12,000.
Cheap Cars of 1983
Datsun Maxima
Advertised Price: $15,999
Inflation Adjusted: $46,875
DeLorean DMC-12
Advertised Price: $21,007
Inflation Adjusted: $61,550
Dead-Brand Madness: 10 Classic Car Ads from the 80s and 90s
Dodge Ram 50
Advertised Price: $5665
Inflation Adjusted: $16,600
Senior-Year Lust: The 5 Coolest Vehicles of 1983
Dodge/Plymouth Vista
Advertised Price: $8115
Inflation Adjusted: $23,775
Hiding Behind a Familiar Grille: The Captive Imports of 1987
Nissan Pulsar
Advertised Price: $7399
Inflation Adjusted: $21,675
Cheap Wheels: 1987-88 Nissan Pulsar NX SportBak
Renault Alliance
Advertised Price: $5695
Inflation Adjusted: $16,675
Unsettling Transition: The 1988 Eagle Lineup
Nissan Sentra
Advertised Price: $4949
Inflation Adjusted: $14,000
Dodge Charger
Advertised Price: $6379-$8290
Inflation Adjusted: $19,700-$24,300
Rand Road Revisited: A Used Car Dealer Gallery
Hyundai Pony
Advertised Price: $6395 Can. ($5050 U.S.)
Inflation Adjusted: $14,800
Canadian Confusion: GM’s Short-Lived Passport Dealerships
Suzuki Alto
Advertised Price: £3250 ($4950)
Inflation Adjusted: $14,500
American Suzuki Files for Bankruptcy; Will End Car Sales in the U.S.
Toyota Tercel
Advertised Price: $4998
Inflation Adjusted: $14,650
Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Cheap Cars of 1983 Gallery
(Click below for enlarged images)
Compact Cars of 1969
Sadly, our official home-office archive of Consumer Guide new-car-test magazines is pretty thin before 1970. We do have a digest-size magazine from 1967, but it’s most prices and such—no photos, no specs, and no test-drive evaluations.
The content excerpted below—save for the photography—comes from our 1969 Automobile Annual, a copy of which can be seen to the right. In those days, we broke down the market into the following categories:
- Compact Cars
- Small Sporty Cars
- Standard Intermediates
- Standard Low-Cost Models
- Standard Medium-Price Models
- Standard Luxury Models
- Prestige Models
- Sporty Specialty Cars
We also dedicated part of the book to station wagons, and, impressively, several pages to a very eclectic collection of import vehicles.
Here, we share the entire compact-car class as listed by the Consumer Guide 1969 Automobile Annual, and we’ve also included a few additional bits of information on each entrant—such as the prices for the optional automatic transmission and AM radio (yes, both were extra-cost items back in the day). Any questions? Drop us a line. The place to leave comments is down below.
Compact Cars of 1969
AMC Rambler
Base Price: $1988
Automatic: $180 (3-speed)
AM Radio: $65
Base Engine: 164-cubic-inch 95-horsepower six
Wheelbase/Overall Length (inches): 106/181
For 1969, the Rambler was offered in base and 400 trim, and in 2-door- and 4-door-sedan body styles. A station wagon was also offered.
5 Most-Expensive American Sedans of 1975
Chevrolet Corvair
Base Price: $2242
Automatic: $140 (2-speed)
AM Radio: $54
Base Engine: 164-cubic-inch 95-horsepower six
Wheelbase/Overall Length (inches): 108/183
For 1969, the Corvair was offered in 500 and Monza trim. Only 2-door hardtop and 2-door convertible body styles were available.
The 5 Most-Expensive American Wagons of 1969
Chevrolet Nova
Base Price: $2221
Automatic: $140 (2-speed)
AM Radio: $58
Base Engine: 153-cubic-inch 90-horsepower four
Wheelbase/Overall Length (inches): 111/189
For 1969, Nova was offered only in a single trim level, and only in 2- and 4-door body styles. Though an expensive upgrade at $266, the performance-oriented SS was technically an option group.
Model-Year Madness! 10 Classic Ads From 1969
Dodge Dart
Base Price: $2383
Automatic: $176 (3-speed)
AM Radio: $62
Base Engine: 170-cubic-inch 115-horsepower six
Wheelbase/Overall Length (inches): 111/195
For 1969, the Dart was offered in a number of different configurations. Trim levels included Custom, Swinger, and GT. Body styles included 2- and 4-door sedans, a 2-door hardtop, and a convertible.
Car Spotter: 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator
Ford Falcon
Base Price: $2266
Automatic: $175
AM Radio: $62
Base Engine: 170-cubic-inch 100-horsepower six
Wheelbase/Overall Length (inches): 111/184
For 1969, Falcon was offered in base and Futura trim levels. Body styles included a 2-door “club” coupe, 2- and 4-door sedans, a hardtop sport coupe, and a station wagon.
Pony-Car Madness! A Gallery of AMC Javelin Ads
Plymouth Valiant
Base Price: $2290
Automatic: $176 (3-speed)
AM Radio: $62
Base Engine: 170-cubic-inch 115-horsepower six
Wheelbase/Overall Length (inches): 108/188
For 1969, Valiant was offered in 100 and Signet trim levels. A $45 “200” trim and decor group is often considered a midline trim level. Both 2- and 4-door sedans were available.
Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Compact Cars of 1969 Gallery
(Click below for enlarged images)
Compact Cars of 1969
Compact Cars of 1969
For GREAT deals on a new or used Nissan check out Mossy Nissan Poway TODAY!Pick of the Day: 1964 Cheetah Chassis #007
Old cars sell best when there is an intriguing back story. The best car salesmen throughout history could wow a prospective buyer with a great story. In this case, not only is the story great, but the car is highly desirable. This is a rare opportunity to have an original Bill Thomas Cheetah come to market.
The Pick of the Day is a 1964 Cheetah offered by a dealer in St. Louis, Missouri, advertising the rare sports racing car on ClassicCars.com. Because there are only a dozen authenticated Bill Thomas Cheetahs in existence today, these cars are well-documented and each carries a story uniquely to its chassis number.
Bill Thomas had a very successful skunkworks for Chevy despite the racing ban that hindered factory development in the early 1960s. That did not keep Zora Duntov and his team of engineers pushing high performance parts out the back door to guys like Thomas, as Ford was absolutely dominating the GT classes in both the FIA and SCCA with their guy, Carroll Shelby.
The Cheetah was essentially built around bowtie performance parts, including independent suspension and gearbox from the Corvette hooked to a powerful small block V8. In the case of this little monster, an experimental 377 cid Chevy with dual quads making just under 500 horsepower.
In the very detailed description in this listing, the dealer tells how this particular car was purchased with two other Cheetahs (numbers 005 and 006) by Alan Green Chevrolet in Burien, Washington. It is said that legendary Shelby driver Allen Grant, who did a stint in the Cheetahs, drove this particular car from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest.
While the other two chassis bought by Green went to work as road-racing cars, #007 was given to Green’s wife, Bookie, as a daily driver, show car and sometime drag car (yes, Bookie drag raced the car). The finish in the dealer’s signature color of metallic green over a green interior makes this particular car even more rare.
The Cheetah eventually was sold and titled in 1967. It became a regular drag car, with a different engine and fuel injection. It was crashed, but not destroyed, ending its life as a race car. In 2014, the car was painstakingly restored to original – including the matching numbers engine from the first owner.
“Torq Thrust wheels and period-correct Firestone Deluxe Champion whitewall tires,” says the dealer of the period restoration. “The paint and body are finished to concours quality standards, with excellent detailing down to the evocative hand-painted Alan Green Chevrolet lettering and recreated Washington State dealer plates. The minimalist cockpit features correct green trim, restored original instrumentation, and just enough room for an overnight bag. “Under the clamshell hood sits the original Bill Thomas engine, returned to 1964 specs with the dual-quad intake. It is fastidiously detailed, with beautiful paint finishes and a correct Harrison radiator with a modern electric fan for peace of mind.”
For $675,000, you can own the “anti-Cobra,” Bill Thomas and Chevrolet’s answer to Shelby.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
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