PCA Forums

Some interesting stuff here, especially older stuff

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/ ... 45,00.html

Had a chevett for about 3 weeks. Was gonna remove the engine and trans and cram a 350 in it, but never did and sold it to a neighbor for $50 for the demo derby.

When I was too young to drive, the only one of my friends that could had a Chevette. We piled 6 people regularly into that thing & occasionally many more. It was fun in that too young to care sort of way.

The bad thing about the Chevette was the aluminum alloy engine block. They would distort and create all sorts of woes. When they started using cast iron sleeves, the engine became reliable. It was too late and everyone hated the Chevette.

The 71 Pinto is another story. The gas tank safety issue was finally resolved by a Dealer recall to install a large steel shield between the tank and the straps. The available engines were a different story. They first hit the street with 2 different 4 cylinders. A 1600, 98cid English Ford mill and a 2000, 122cid German overhead cam engine. The 2000 engine, which eventually grew into the 2400 engine was famous for breaking belts and short life. the 1600 engine was a time tested marvel used in racing for many years. Anyone recall the Lotus back then? It ws powered by the same series 1600. I bough a twin overhead cam Lotus engine and it was a perfect fit in my one of my 71 Pintos. It suprised the hell out of stoplight to stoplight racers. In its basic single venturi carb form, the 1600 lasted over 300,000 mile in the 71 I bought new for my wife. We later needed a wagon so I purchased a 74 model. That 2400 was so fussy. Over 9 degrees of timing and it would ping and rattle. When I rebuilt it, I punched it 0.60 and did a full port and polish to the head along with a triple angle valve grind. That engine had stones as big as grapefruit. I could run the timing @ 30 degrees without problem. Eventually the body wore out and we moved on.....

Most of the worst cars were made between 1975 and 1985. Before buying my 96 Vet, I was looking at a classic between 1967 - 1971 years, with the best year probably being 1970.

I didn't understand the rational for some of the cars on the list. It seems they put the Explorer, Excursion, and H2 just because they were SUV's. On the model T:

Americans the notion of automobility as something akin to natural law, a right endowed by our Creator. A century later, the consequences of putting every living soul on gas-powered wheels are piling up, from the air over our cities to the sand under our soldiers' boots.

So the Model T is bad because it gave Americans the ability to get around?

The bad thing about the Chevette was the aluminum alloy engine block. They would distort and create all sorts of woes.

It was actually its earlier predecessor, the VEGA (oddly not listed) which had an all aluminum block w/o liners and as a result, they burned tons of oil in short order. I think the Chevettes engine was better as I didn't see those with problems. My father in law actually owned a Chevette at one time. The Pinto burned oil too. It was those two cars that made people decide to start buying Japanese back then.

Pugsley wrote:Had a chevett for about 3 weeks. Was gonna remove the engine and trans and cram a 350 in it, but never did and sold it to a neighbor for $50 for the demo derby.

there is no way this hunk of metal would ever be used for a demolishon derby car.

i owed one of these -The 71 Pinto in dark blue is another story. mine didn't have the fold down rear seat or lift gate. The gas tank safety issue was finally resolved by a Dealer recall to install a large steel shield between the tank and the straps. The available engines were a different story. with 4 cylinders 1600, 98cid English cortina Ford mill . i ran the piss out of had a 4 speed and i let the car go due to rust and the started died and was to lazy to drop the front suspension. so i left it on the side of the road and called a friend who pick it up with his tow truck and junk it for scrap. the car was one of the best running fords i ever owned and got great mileage like 31 mpg. also had a holley 2 bbl carb.

Executioner wrote:Most of the worst cars were made between 1975 and 1985. Before buying my 96 Vet, I was looking at a classic between 1967 - 1971 years, with the best year probably being 1970.

1970 chevelle was one of the most iconic cars that still lives today.

Key Keeper wrote:1970 chevelle was one of the most iconic cars that still lives today.

Hehe, the car I've been looking at, but the price kept me from buying. The ones for $10k still needed work, but the '70 Chevelle with the 454 was a true muscle car. If you can find one with the 454, it goes for over $50k.

I didn't understand the rational for some of the cars on the list. It seems they put the Explorer, Excursion, and H2 just because they were SUV's.

H2 deserves to be on there just for being a JOKE. It's a GMC Yukon with a Hummer-looking body. It's about as stupid as sticking a Hummer body on a golf cart.

The real funny thing is to watch the idiots who buy those H2's get into bad situations that they think they can get out of because they have a "Hummer". LOL!

FlyingPenguin wrote:The real funny thing is to watch the idiots who buy those H2's get into bad situations that they think they can get out of because they have a "Hummer". LOL!

LMAO! Yup.. I've seen several H2s down here get pulled out of stuff by Jeep Wranglers w/4 bangers haha It's always great to watch

eGo

I'm a bit suprised the Fiero wasn't on there. Though I loved the car, it was loved neither by customers or GM (they dropped it after 4 years due to the first iteration having problems catching on fire due to the lack of a heat shield on the fuel line). Though it has a little spot in my heart for innovation (one of the first cars to use the plastic body panels that we are used to today). Still want to make a Lamborghini out of one some day.

renovation wrote:there is no way this hunk of metal would ever be used for a demolishon derby car.

Well not in the all out class, but for the pony class (4 bangers) it was a good "hunk of metal".

EH you are correct about the Vega. Chevette engines were better but, not by much. The oil burning Pinto was the 2000, not the 1600.

RENO. The 1600 came with a 1bbl. Thats what gave it fantastic gas mileage. It was the 2000 that came with the Holley 2bbl...