Survey: Most Under rated Cars of all time

What is your opinion on the most under rated cars ever made?

 

Studebaker Champions and Chrysler Airflows come to mind as cars that didn't get much respect in their days, but were really pretty good cars.

 

1932 Fords

 

The Ford Edsel.

 

1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk.

 

The Airflows were considered a flop...but the '40 Plymouth/Dodge/Chrysler was an under-rated car, maybe not at the time since they sold well, but over the course of its life it's been pretty well forgotten except by a few restorers...it's a shame that the '40 Fords have taken the spotlight, but at least I know I can pick up a '40/'41 PlyDoChry pretty damned cheap, and have a nice riding solid car to boot...

 

It's not really traditional, in the context of this board.
But my vote would have to go to the ubiqutous VW Beetle.
This car was designed in 1932 by Ferdinand Porsche. Built & imported into this country by the millions untill 1969. Built in Mexico untill (I think) last year. So damn simple anyone can work on it. The flat air cooled 4 has powered just about everything. Countless sand rails, kit cars of every description, homebuilt airplanes. This was the genisis of all the 4 cyl. Porsche engs. that won countless races. The list goes on, & on.
Besides, I taught both my girls to drive a stick, on one. "Just let the clutch out EASY, & don't touch the gas" Piece of cake.

Anyway that's my vote.

 

today most older cars are sought after and none are Under rated. In the day in my opinion(not that counts for anything) most of the medium sized fords with the 427's and the early chyslers with the 413/426 wedge motors were under rated unless you had raced against one or owned one. Friends my daughter likes the smiley faces

 

'47-48 Frazer. I dunno. Something about them that makes me smile. They kinda have this not quite a Rolls Royce look about them. I know, I'm weird.

Vance

 

Lets see...the 40's Plymouth coupes have real nice lines but were always overshadowed by the Chevy's and the Fords. I guess the same could be said for the 33/34 Plymouth coupes.
Clark

 

OK. Where is the under rated part? The Beetle is an icon.

 

It has to be the Dodge Omni GLHS. Yes, I'm serious... maybe.

 

those little cars were freakishly fast for a POS econbox...pretty durable too. I read where the GLH designation actually came from the factory meaning Goes Like Hell....who says engineers don't have a sense of humor.

 

I'm going to go with the, Don't kill me, the Corvair.

 

My mom had one of those. It was blue...she traded it in on a Honda.

nothing is over rated.....everything that was "underground cool" has been discovered by now.

 

Early '50's Hudsons ran like hell, but nobody seemed to be aware of them. They used to kick the shit out of the Fords, Mercs, and Chevys that everyone was running. They also tore up the Nascar circuit back then.

 

Coupes schmoopes...sedans are where it's at Then again, I'll let all of you guys snatch up all of those silly coupes and I'll stash up the leftover sedan's nobody wants...they look better anyway

 

Gremlin X
opps did I say that

 

1951 Kaiser traveler, it had a hatchback, Padded dash, popout windshield, and more room inside than you can believe. You could flatten the rear seat and make up a bed in the back.
I remember my uncle worked for a Kaiser dealer, and another was the foreman out at the Kaiser plant in willow run, out side of Detroit.

 

Hudsons (fast) and Tuckers (engineering and design)

 

Yep...anything from AMC......They were well built and generally ran like tops..................except for the 62 aluminum blocks.

 

Corvettes- Oh I thought you said Overrated...

41 -48 chevy cars were a great ol car that were overlooked by most folks, and still are an aquired taste for many....

 

Pacers and 52 Packards.

 

I'd say almost any studebaker, they always seemed to have little innovations that placed them ahead of the rest. Really amazing when you consider their shoe string budget.

 

1940 Pontiacs are good looking cars you rarely see.

 

Rambler american with the 390 /4speed comes to mind....waaaaay underrated sleeper

 

Definately Hudsonsand I was gonna throw in Cord the orginal not the crap repops of the 70's. Way ahead of there time and amazing styling

 

anything amc, most pre 1980 mopars, hudsons, nash, packards, lasalles, cords, deusenbergs, marmons, muntz, pierce-arrow, studes, crosleys, and any other odd ball or small time car builder that i might have missed.

 

Clark,
Gotta agree with you on the 40 Ply. Much better styling and engineering than the F#@d. The only thing they lacked was the V-8. Plus my dad has had one for 25 years.

Gotta chime in for the perennial whipping boy...the Dodge Dart (and sibling Plymouth Valiant).

 

I think it is the cars that came out when the Chevy Tri-Five came out. I like the Tri-Five (mainly the 55 chevy), but the Fords, Plymouths, Pontiacs, and Olds were also very good looking cars.