Discontinued brands in america?

What do you mean "watch;" it's already happened. For the past twenty years "SS" means you get fog lights and alloy wheels on the latest incarnation of your mom's Lumina. Hot damn, sign me up!


There's not a new vehicle on the market today that's worth my hard-earned money.

 

I was always glad Ford left the Mustang as is (Front engine rear drive) instead of letting it be the Probe. I wonder what would have happened if the Mustang faithful hadn't raised their voices? Would that have been the end of the Pony cars? No rejuvinated Mustang? No new Camaro or "Challenger"(Still not as cool as the original and tooo fat). Maybe they would have slapped the name on some stinkin' SUV.

 

Ya gotta give them a little credit. Credit!! HA.

 

Fairmont, Futura, Fairlane.

 

In Australia we still have the Falcon and fairmont, the fairlane just got shitcanned and in regards to galaxies they were produced here inthe 60s but not since

 

I just got back from Kragens. Went to get an oil filter for my 64 Studebaker. Guy didn't believe there ever was an American car called Studebaker. Wanteed to know who built them. Gm. Ford. Toyota?

 

Hopefully you taught him a thing or two, that is just sad. He must have spent his life playing his Nintendo and mommy finally made him get a job, should have went to walmart since you do not need any product information to work there...or so it seems.

 

America's Love Affair WITH the Automobile -- OVER? S'been 6 months isnce you guys said all this.

WELL, a lot of it has come to PASS!!!

49Coupe has a great point, TOO! There can be a certain DECADENCE, both by companies (one of GM's BIGGEST problems!) . . .

. . . BUT also at the DEALER level! And it is NOT new, either.

When I was in college in the early '70s, one of my dorm mates told about his DAD, right after WWII. Of course, there were NO new cars to buys if you needed one. So, his old-hardworking-farmer-dad just hunkered down and kept saving his money ALL through the war.

Once the war was over, the old man had a pretty tidy sum. When production cranked back up again (left-over pre-war designs or not), he went to town and walked into the local PACKARD dealership and asked to see a saleman. JUST LIKE 49 Coupe at the Caddy dealer, the PACKARD people looked down their noses at him, wouldn't even entertain the idea that a hardworking man in overalls culd be SEEN in a Packard. So WHAT did my friend's old man do?

GOT PISSED, WALKED ACROSS THE STREET AND PAID CASH FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE CHEVROLET MODEL ON THE LOT. Then, he drove back over to Packard, showed him he STILL had plenty of cash left over and said his staff needed to treat people better if they wanted to stay in business!

 

I understand that in San Francisco you can still get a Probe

 

That's funny stuff!

 

"I understand that in San Francisco you can still get a Probe"

It's totally true.

 

I know this is old... But you must have missed out on the 80's Challengers...

Good Ol' K-Cars....

 

I think Chrysler actually used that Challenger name on a rebadged Mitsubishi, they used Charger on the Omni platform with the "sporty" (and I use the term loosely) 2-door body.

 

Yeah the Challenger, was RWD 4cyl Mitsu... The Charger from '79-'82 Had a VW 4cyl in it, then '83 on was a Puegeot 4cyl... Same with the "Duster".

I've always wanted to have a stable full of hopped up "not so muscle cars" Like the ones above... Along with a 90's "442" Cutlass. I think it would be hilarious to tell somebody you had a few Chargers and such at home, they come to your place and you've got a bunch of hopped up 80's econo cars.... That'd be great.

 

The "K" saved Chrysler's ass in 1981, keep that in mind! With over two million sold between 1981 and 1989, plus the "K" derivatives, Chrysler did damn well there. Make fun of the "K" all you want, it did its job well!

The '80s Challengers (and the Plymouth Sapporo twin) were Mitsubishis and built in Japan. Pretty damn good cars, too, that were not marketed for shit in the US.

 

The '78 Omni/Horizon had the Peugeot engine in it...the car was actually the US version of the French-built Simca Talbot, when Simca was still Chrysler-owned. In 1979, both the Peugeot 1.7L and the VW 1.8L engines were available. The Chrysler-built and designed 2.2L engine became the ONLY engine in the Omni/Horizon/O24/TC3 (then the Charger/Duster) lines in 1981, with the 2.5L coming into play in 1986. The "hopped-up" FWD Shelby Mopars have a pretty good following, even close to two decades after the last one was built in 1992.

 

Lets not forget what happened to the dodge daytona and chevy nova in the 80's. What where they thinking?! Took 2 iconic muscle cars and made them into front wheel drive compacts! Dodge is really coming out with some cool looking cars. The new dodge truck even looks great. Ford has the rustang and chevy.....they need to wake up. I love the general but come on! Could have done a better tribute car to the 69 camaro! The 1st prototype looked so much better. I seen a picture of a prototype subcompact car that looked awsome last year. Cant remember the name but looked cool. The new chevy truck looks like garbage, hhr is a copy of pt loser, cobalt is bland and guttless and over priced for all that plastic. Bring back the chrome steel!!

 

Why the PT Cruiser hate? I've owned two, and they are really great little cars, comfortable, look nice...have you haters actually OWNED one?

Back to the original topic, I believe that the automakers are making a better overall product than they did ten years ago. Will many of these newer cars and trucks become the topics of hop-up and resto forums in 2050? Hell, who'd thought folks here would be seeking wagons, panels, pickups, and sedans for buiders back in, say, 1986? Face it, probably 97% of the HAMB members HAVE a newer daily, even if they won't admit it. I'll bet that maybe ten percent of the HAMB actually drive their pre-'65 car every day to work. I freely admit I do not. The old cars are my hobby cars.

 

Mazzoma, you have a gift. Must've been the funniest one in your class!

 

I've never owned a 'Cruiser, but have driven a few customers... Just a rebodied Neon... Drives, and handles....like a Neon. Not to impressive in my eyes. I think if Chrysler would have made a 2dr out of it, and a Delivery they probably would have done real well there.

In essence I drive a '67 Car everyday..... '94 Chevy 2wd 1500 with a '67 Olds 425, and TH400.... She ain't real good in the winter though, my mechanic (me!) thinks it's got something to do with "wheel slip"

 

There is some commonality between the Neon and PT, but not nearly as much as you may believe. Very little of the aftermarket Neon performance suspension parts fit the PT, nor does much of the turbo set-up, either. There is basis in the Neon, but little commonality! Definitely NOT a "rebodied Neon".

 

I wish Ford would make the "49" that thing is SWEET.....

 

Last Pontiac reaches end of the line ..RIP

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091126/AUTO01/911260411/1148/auto01/Pontiac-reaches-end-of-the-line

 

I thought the same thing until I read they went to China instead of Obama for their handout.

 

buick isn't going anywhere, they are a huge status symbol in asian countries. They are like owning a Caddy in China.

 

g.m stated the down hill slide in 88 when they stopped making rear wheel drive front motor cars.

 

Uhhh... Not to pick a fight, but what about the '94-'96 Caprice/ Impala and their GM counterparts? As a cop that considered the '94-'96 Caprice 9C1 as the all time greatest cop car ever, I can assure you that GM did not quit making front motor rear wheel drive cars in '88.