At 03:43 PM 12/15/97 -0500, Trevor Boicey wrote:
>John McEwen wrote:
>> US cars of the '60s and '70s were among the most rugged and long-lasting of
>> any cars ever built
>> perpetuating a myth.
>
> ...this type of "I'm right you are wrong" statement itself
>perpetuates bad myths about Americans.
>
I'm a little curious....so does this mean that had John had AGREED that
American cars were junk, he would have been an OK guy, but since he DOESN'T
agree he's a bad guy....?
What was available in Europe in the 60's that matched American iron for
durability at a price? Mercedes? In '61 a 220 Mercedes cost $5500 WITHOUT
a/c, power steering, or other comforts.
How about Jag? Nice car...lousy gas mileage even when compared to a V-8,
maintenance hogs compared to the US cars, and expensive. Rolls?
Thanks...had one, that's enough....$1200 for a hubcap!!
Bottom line is this: for the price there were no cars equal to the US sleds
in Europe for durability, low maintenance, and cost. That's why there are
so many old US cars in South America now....they were over-engineered when
new.
Now, I will grant you that the US cars really didn't handle as well as
their cousins in Europe; they didn't need to on the freeways in the US.
Most people were quite happy with them until the Japs came in with better
assembled cars along with a manufactured fuel crisis in '73. When gas went
to $.50 a gallon, we freaked out. The US cars in the '70's had become
over-legislated, bloated barges. Build quality was low, and the emissions
standards had robbed them of performance.
I never was really hot for the US cars...I found them too common and boring.
But they were tough as a boot.
Ray
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