The Used Car Lot: a road trip back to 1981

[1of10K]

It is interesting to reflect on what types of cars had no value or were being traded in back in 1981. At the time, people had no interest in Barracudas or Challengers; they were known as over-smogged, under-powered gas wasters and even though some were only 7 years old, they were not popular and were being driven to death or traded in. Big Chrysler, Dodge, & Plymouth sedans were a glut on the market too, and were also being dumped for cheap. Where I worked, they were taking in all sorts of these cars and not giving anything for them on trade. First Gen Cordobas were still hot, as well as used Omni/Horizon models. Just about any small car, except for AMC, was in demand. Many of us still vividly remembered the recent severe gas embargo and shortages, long lines, aodd & evens, and the fear of driving anywhere and not finding any gas stations open. The thought of buying some big 10 miles per gallon car was more of a nightmare rather than a dream to most people back then, no matter how nice of condition it may have been in.

I remember a purple 'Cuda that was traded in . It sat on the lot forever and was finally wholesaled off to some buy-here pay-here place. None of us ever thought about future crazy auction values, it was just another odd car whose time has passed.

[nszotovich]

It really as a uncertain time for cars. Very transitional. We were in a recession. Gas prices had crossed the "dollar" barrier and people insecure about the flow of oil. This is the stage upon which the K-cars emerged. But Americans have a short memory and an insatiable apatite for large hulks so here we are again driving 6,000 pound tanks. These "dressed up" trucks are good short term profit for car makers, but bad strategy. A least we have more choices for efficient transport, but we as a culture need to get over our "bigger is better" thinking.
There! Solved all the worlds problems.

[88AriesLEwagon]

Chrysler was supposed to be all FWD by 1985,GM was supposed to be all FWD with the exception of the Corvette,with Corvette being the only Chevrolet with a V8 engine.
The future looked like only FWD 4 and 6 cylinder engines,with sporty models (Mustang,Camaro,Firebird) shifting to FWD/Mid engine smaller layouts (Probe,EXP,Pontiac Fiero).
Truly,it looked like the death of the V8,RWD and performance.
One reason why the "Dukes of Hazzard" did so well on TV.
It harkened back to a time when gas was cheap,large engines and large cars were king.
People could not buy a 300+ hp V8 gas hog new,so they lived out their dreams via the TV show.
You never saw a small FWD car on that show....no Omnis,K cars,Daytonas,nothing.
The early episodes (shot it GA) did show some real-life cars,and there were a couple small foreign cars,but once they went to Calif,the illusion was RWD V8 stuff only....a living fantasy land that small town America at the time could not live.

A totally different time,that people today will never be able to fully understand.
Never before had people acted like they did,responding with fear to .99 gasoline and the $6000+ car.
Smaller vehicles and 4 cylinders didnt seem so scary to them afterall.
(ask anyone in 1972 if they would buy FWD and a 4 cylinder engine,and 95% would have said NO WAY).

[88 aries]

your wrong about not seeing a FWD car in the dukes of hazzard, in one scene it shows a 1981 Aries pulling out of the alley way, it is graphic red and its a 4 door

[88AriesLEwagon]

Never seen that one.Which episode?

[1of10K]

It is a shame that most people today who drive all those big 4 door trucks and other big SUV things don't remember or care that with all the oil we are using, everyone else in the world just laughs and calls us addicts, among other things.

I remember, as a teenager, the oil embargo of the early 70's in the midwest, how people lined up for miles at any gas station that dared to be open, helping my father and others push our cars up in the lines, to avoid using gas while idling. There were several trips we didn't take, because gas stations were not open on Sundays, and many didn't not have any gas anyway, or were holding it out for their friends. People were panicing and even if they had a mostly full tank, we quickly got in any gas line we seen, just to top it off, all the while hoping that the station didn't have a 3 or 5 gallon limit per customer.

Some areas had odd-even rules, that you could only buy gas based on the odd or even-ess of your license plate's last number. I remember several fights that broke out over people who were trying to line butt. The government even printed ration coupons, just in case, but luckily it didn't come to that.

But most people don't remember or didn't learn anything from those times.. here we are again, by the thousands, driving those big 4 dr trucks back and forth to WalMart. If we don't get off the gas kick and start going back permanently to smaller fuel efficient cars and trucks, our future may not look so bright.

[88AriesLEwagon]

We are about the only country out there that allows private citizens to own a full size truck.
You will see small Toyota HiLuxs,Ford Rangers..etc across the world but next to no full size V8 pickups.
In Europe the only large trucks are commercial duty,not for the average Joe.
The rest of the world laughs at us and calls us wasteful,and we are.
For they have been conserving fuel since day one.
Now that China is bigger than us and using more fuel,we will shortly be left short on supply....
afterall China is financing us not the other way around.
$4-5 a gallon gas? You can bet on it,eventually.
And then what will we do with all those 12 mpg hogs,,,,,,,

[1983EClass]

I feel that were already in the brink of that future. aswell as a spiraling downhill trend of the atmosphere collecting emissions that will eventually cause the decline of population, increases in psychotic illinesss's etc. etc.

[Butch]

I remember the fuel shortage in 1974, I had a 1970 Cuda Drag car, a 1968 318 Charger and a 1969 Harley Sportster. Gas wasn't a problem for me, I rode the Sportster everywhere. Fuel economy is big here, billions of Prius's and motor scooters on the road here. Many hybird SUV's also.
It's obvious that more than half our population is stupid ( since Obummer got elected ) and are still into the SUV status. Not giving a rats a$$ about fuel economy. But on the other hand, how many of us here even care to make mods to increase fuel economy and power ? Carbs have always been a waste of fuel, but yet there's these die hard fools that want to keep these cars original. The ex. sys. on these have been a cork since day one and yet people don't upgrade to a better sys that increase's power and economy. I think that the trend will shift to hybirds and electric cars long before oil will run out. Hell, I'd own one as long as it could burn rubber.

[88AriesLEwagon]

Actually the carbed 2.2s delivered better fuel economy than the TBI models.
EPA 26/41 beats mileage that cant meet even 30 mpg anyday.
Magazines usually averaged high 20s overall with around 35-36 at 55mph even with automatic.(they never saw 41 even with manual).
Looking at the government's website for EPA ratings,later models rated in the 24-28 area.
Doesnt make sense.With better control over fuel metering,even the lowly TBI should do a better job than a feedback carb.
Where did the extra fuel go? 2.2s never were rated over mid 90s for hp,while the carb models ranked 84-107 hp.