Round 2 Reviews
1972 Armor Anvil
“SUVs are everywhere. I hate SUVs. SUVs ruin everything!”
Meanwhile, the granddaddy of the SUV is parked right over there, giving you the stink-eye. Meet the 1972 Armor Anvil, in case you’ve forgotten already.
This bad boy defined off-road fun in the 70’s. It had comfortable seating for five, and a removable hard top for those sunny days or beach blasts. It also featured Armor’s rather innovative-for-the-time 270cid SOHC motor, which put out a “would still be impressive in the early 2000’s” 181 horses. It put some pretty good pep in the step of the Anvil. And, of course, it had four-wheel-drive. The kind you had to get out and lock the hubs to activate. None of this fancy computer stuff. No fancy gadgets or gizmos on the dash, just a plain old AM radio. No funny business anywhere.
Sorry, started to sound like grandpa there.
In any case, Armor Anvils of the period are highly sought after both for restoration projects and for their offroad prowess, owning car shows, rock climbs and mud pits alike.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars, Counter Culture - Motor Sport
1969 Keystone Q2600 GP
While Keystone D-series sedans were puttering around American roads in small quantities (along with C-series in Canada), the bigger draw to Keystone showrooms in the late 50’s and early 60’s was the Q-series roadster. It was cheap and fun, with a no-thrills sense to it. It wasn’t exactly a head turner as far as performance went, but most buyers didn’t care. It was those who didn’t quite pull the trigger that kept Keystone sales execs up at night.
When it was time to update the Q in the late 60’s a combination of a radical reskin, a new rear suspension setup, and a new engine offering was the combination that they hoped would capture new sales. And that it did. While the styling was very risky, the new 2.5 liter V6 power plant was just what American buyers in particular were looking for. And no, thats not a typo. The engine is actually a hair under 2550cc, so technically it’s a 2.5. Keystone’s marketing team was just… creative… in naming the car.
The Q2600 GP (Grand Prix) was the first Keystone model ever to break the 10 second 0-60 mark, and have a top speed above 130 MPH. Of course, muscle cars were faster and more popular. But the Q handled far better, and gave that one-with-the-road feeling that only a British roadster could do.
Keystone’s encouragement of road racing teams lead to many amateur and pro-am circuit wins over the years, and even to this day the Q GP’s can be found participating in vintage road racing. Or simply carving up a meandering river canyon road.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Hot Rods and Sports Cars, Mainstream Culture - Retro Motor Sports
1970 Rowlari Diamondback
927 cubic inches. Not cubic centimeters, cubic INCHES. Stop and think about that a little bit. Run it through a converter if you have to, because most people these days are used to liters and can’t fathom how big that is. That’s over 15 liters.
And that’s how big the engine in the Rowlari Diamondback is. “Well crap, how powerful is it?” Not that powerful. 400 horses. Still enough giddyup to go 60 in 8.3 seconds. Rowlari designed the engine more for smoothness and comfort than all-out power. To that end, they added mechanical fuel injection to this beast of a motor. That explains why this behemoth, powering the mega land yacht Diamondback, still managed as reasonable of fuel economy as a Madison Trebuchet 427. If you can call that reasonable, anyway.
Oh, and did I mention it does all of this without all of that pedestrian “change your own gears” nonsense? After all, the Rowlari Diamondback was an opulent luxury car, and rowing gears is for peasants. And peasants also don’t get power windows, power leather seats, power steering, central locking, and air conditioning. At least not in 1970.
Of course, we all know what happened in 1973, and that certainly hurt the long-term prospects of the Diamondback. Finding one is rare, but possible. And it will definitely turn heads anywhere you go. We know, times are tough, so you may have to drive it yourself instead of hiring a chauffeur. Such is life.
And don’t mind Steve over there in his Diamondback lowrider. He and his friends are actually pretty cool.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars, Mainstream Culture - RestoMod
1971 Hessenburg C200 1700E
Hessenburg was trying to ride its quiet wave of popularity through its devoted fan base in the early 1970’s with the C200. A compact-sized sedan (or hatchback, depending on whose opinion you ask), this series didn’t quite catch fire like Hessenburg expected. At least, not for a couple years. The 1973 Oil Crisis changed the view of the general population and suddenly they were flying off of lots.
That same devoted fan base kept Hessenburg rolling for many years, and thanks to the C200’s reliability, they kept themselves on the road even longer. While they didn’t have quite the cachet of the “hippie bus” predecessor, there still to this day are enough people who try to keep original examples on the road to see a fair amount of them out in the wild. The North American clubs have several thousand members, which is quite respectable.
With sedate design, power on the low end of modest, and a selling price that wasn’t exactly rock bottom, the Hessenburg C200 easily could have passed quickly into the night. It didn’t. Nor did it roar and scream “I am here.”
Scores in: Counter Culture - Spiritual Classics, Counter Culture - Jalopy Culture
1968 Franklin HiWay GT
Ah, now here’s a truly rare beast. The 1968 Franklin HiWay GT was yet another example of an early British sports sedan. Smaller than the Shidley Skidmore of a few years earlier, the HiWay GT promised to be a true driving thrill that was easy to handle in even the most compressed roadways in the States.
Unfortunately, Franklin’s engineers badly miscalculated their suspension geometry and spring rates, making for an extremely harsh and unpleasant ride. While it could hold 5 people inside, the back seats of the HiWay GT rarely found use, except where back seat passengers had no choice but to get in. Ah, yes… families inflicting punishment on their children. Although it had overall better handling and control on the road than the Keystone 2600GP, it was so painfully uncomfortable that most buyers either opted for the two-seater, or stayed away from British cars altogether. Or perhaps purchased one for the sole purpose of road racing.
Today, a Franklin HiWay GT of the era is extremely rare to find. Those that are running , I can guarantee, are not doing so on top of their original suspension. And if an owner has gone so far as to make the radical change of refitting something like the Keystone suspension, you can pretty much guarantee they’ve upgraded other goodies, like the creature comforts inside.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - RestoMod, Mainstream Culture - Retro Motor Sports
1969 CM Husky A20
An oddball choice to fill an oddball market niche. To some, that sounds exactly like something Hetvesian manufacturer CM would do. In 1969, they did exactly that by launching their oddly beefy Husky A20 coupe utility in the North American market.
The idea had been around for more than a decade, but this was the first time that anyone had seen a “ute” with both front and rear solid axles. Even more oddball when you consider that suspension available in a rear-wheel drive format, such as this example here. While that choice may seem odd, it worked well for the “utility” portion of the segment. CM also seemed rather in tune with buyers here, understanding that those who would choose a coupe utility over a traditional pickup also wanted far more creature features than were generally available on the latter. Air conditioning was a commonly fitted option, seats were made of prime materials and with more padding than typical for the era, and even a tilt column was integrated in all units.
The 4.8 liter V8 under the hood also gained a reputation for its ability to be hopped up. Back in the early 70’s, a couple aftermarket manufacturers tested the waters with hotter cams, better intake manifolds, headers, and the like. They were popular enough to be made well into the early 90’s. Front suspension upgrades for these hot rods were taken from the earlier Deerhound sports car, drastically improving handling.
Intriguing all-around that such a strange car panned out in such a way.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Hot Rods and Sports Cars, Counter Culture - Classics
1967 Ryuji Chariot 1300
How does one define success? Most, at least by today’s standards, would have a set of complex minimum metrics that must all be met. Perhaps why some great modern products are still considered “failures” by their makers. But decades ago, the idea of success could be nebulous. Take, for instance, the 1967 Ryuji Chariot 1300. Absolutely a sales success in their home market. With equal certainty, a sales failure in North America, with average annual sales throughout this generation of about 2000 units. But it was far from a failure.
The Chariot 1300 was absolutely gutless and underpowered by the standards of the day, and even by the low standards of 15 years later. They were small, didn’t carry much cargo compared to traditional American competitors, and didn’t have the flash necessary to attract low-budget buyers away from even basic models of other manufacturers. But its reliability set a tone, and sowed early seeds in public opinion. When the Oil Crisis snapped Americans out of their fever dream 6 years later, who was ready to cash in on the fruits of that labor? Ryuji. Their inexpensive fuel-sippers exploded in popularity.
So very few Ryuji Chariots are left. Every single one can be categorized either as a restored show car or a parts car, with absolutely nothing in between thanks to rust, time, and limited initial numbers.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Classics
1970 Madison Trebuchet 427 HP
At the height of the muscle car wars, Madison was expected to improve their top gun Trebuchet 427 to keep competitive. They did not disappoint, with models such as this '70 Trebuchet 427 HP. The greatest earlier deficiency to muscle cars was their suspensions being too similar to more pedestrian models, and not being able to handle the extremes to which they were subjected.
“HP”, in Madison lingo, is a Handling Package. The motor was basically unchanged; 350HP from the factory, with additional aftermarket support available, was enough. But having the suspension tuned to rein in roll, oversteer, and general sponginess made the Trebuchet HP a whole different beast. The change could even be felt on a drag strip, but anyone who limited themselves to just that was simply denying the joy of possibility.
For those who could not afford such a beast, they could at least live vicariously through others; the Trebuchet was extensively raced in stock car and Trans Am formats throughout the early 70’s, winning many races and even capturing a title or two.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Muscle/Pony Cars, Mainstream Culture - Retro Motor Sports
1970 Solariego Copihue
Now this interesting model that I recently ran across at a Concours event is something even I had not heard of, and had to do research on. It turns out, this beast called the Solariego Copihue was the Presidential car of just about every Banana Republic in the 70’s. Not this exact one in the picture, though. No, that one was actually ordered brand new in 1970 by a rather flamboyant doctor in Miami.
Solariego didn’t have its own dealer network in either the US or Canada, and only a small one in Mexico at the time. As the import laws on vehicles were still rather lax in the pre-emissions era, it wasn’t unheard of for a wealthy person to take a couple vacations to Mexico within a year. The first one would be spent negotiating options and interior specifications, and the second would be for delivery of the vehicle. At which point, the proud (we guess?) new owner would drive their new whip right across the US border and on home.
Not many came across into the states this way, perhaps a thousand or so over the 4 years before the importation door was slammed shut. Of those originals, only a handful are left, and nearly all are Concours quality, or very near to. Curiously, there are now more registered Copihues in the US than there were back in 1974. We’re guessing that the less than stellar economies in South America are allowing curious collectors to get their hands on them for what is probably quite the bargain. As long as they’re not TOO riddled with bullets.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars, Counter Culture - Import/Export
1968 Angus Vagabond 353 Sedan Deluxe
While Madison may have been on the forefront of muscle cars with their early Trebuchet 427, every manufacturer had a comeback. Angus’s came in 1968, in the form of the Vagabond 353. It didn’t have as big of an engine as the Trebuchet, and wasn’t as fast. It still offered significant performance and driving thrill, and did so at a significantly lower cost than the Trebuchet. They were also much easier to find. This led to somewhat of a sales rivalry between the two.
Naturally, this rivalry also made its way into motorsports, with Vagabonds competing in many of the same series and races as Trebuchets. Yes, they often got their butts handed to them, but nonetheless made a good showing of themselves.
So what happened to all the Vagabonds after so many years? Well, similarly to the late 60’s and early 70’s, they have become somewhat of a “poor man’s” collector version of the Trebuchet. Doesn’t take as much scratch to pick one up, and often they’re in better shape. Parts are still cheap thanks to how plentiful they were. All in all, not a bad way to get into the muscle car game, even this late.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Muscle/Pony Cars, Mainstream Culture - Retro Motor Sports
1967 IP Icarus 2000DX Wagon
Though the import market was small in 1967, there was quite a head-to-head battle for family transportation. IP was already established in the US, and they weren’t going to just step aside and let Ryuji take over their market share. What the Mamayans brought to the table was a cleverly packaged, greatly downsized version of what American manufacturers were giving to large families: an 8-seat station wagon. Yeah, two of them were jump seats in the rear, and the benches in both rows were pretty tight, though not as tight as a Ryuji Chariot. But if your budget was as well, it was a worthy consideration.
83 horses under the hood from its 2 liter engine? Yeah, quite a bit strained if you were trying to go up a hill. Forget any actual high mountain passes, or going over the Continental Divide. But staying along the coast or in the flat lands, and this thing would (slowly) putter around for what seemed like forever on a tank of gas.
Unfortunately, most of them rusted away over the years. But many of those remaining have been passed down through generations of families, with the odd one now and then coming up at estate sales. Quite an interesting item from pre-Embargo import history, if you ask me.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Spiritual Classics
1973 Ivera 120 C6-C6T
When innovation fails, persistence can pay off instead. In Ivera’s storyline, that seemed to be the mechanism at work in the early 70’s. After their overly-advanced 77S failed years earlier, Ivera went back to the drawing board, seeking a design that better suited the lucrative North American market. The fruit of their labor was the 120. Much more conventional, and much larger than its predecessor, this premium sedan gained the attention of buyers looking for an upscale European alternative to Asian imports or American land yachts.
The Ivera 120 quickly gained a reputation for safety and comfort. Combined with even, measured handling in all weather conditions, it easily became a favorite of import buyers, and even a number of skeptics.
With how beloved these rides became, it was no surprise, then, that so many owners and their families held on to them, trying to keep them in as pristine condition as possible. It should also be noted that up in the True North, Ivera 120’s that were close to becoming parts cars are prized as ice racing cars. Probably due to its absolutely predictable behavior across the board.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Classics, Counter Culture - Motor Sport
1971 Bazard Flamenco
The late 60’s and early 70’s saw Bazard struggling to find a way to distinguish itself and carve out a large chunk of the pie. In 1971, they launched one of the first examples of a captive import, bringing the Centara Flamenco over nearly unchanged. It was a gamble, for better or worse.
And like many other early captive imports, it was for worse. The six-cylinder boxer engine installed in some of the imported cars was wildly underpowered for the displacement, giving the Flamenco absolutely atrocious acceleration. It was hoped that the lower production costs of making it overseas would translate to higher margins, but Bazard embarassingly had to put significant rebates on them just to move them. It was on the girthier side as well, meaning that anemic motor also couldn’t motivate the Flamenco very far on a gallon of gas. Which, when the Oil Crisis rolled around, had Flamenco owners basically abandoning their cars at the side of the road and hitchhiking to the nearest Ryuji or Mara dealership.
Now, if there’s one bizarre constant in the world, it’s that everything uncool becomes cool again. That’s where the Flamenco gained its following. What can you do with the worst car from a bad era? In essence, they’ve now become a way for people to rebel against the “status quo”, the “establishment” of the car collector world. They’ll show up unannounced to car shows, and their owners grin as their neighbors in more promenant, beloved cars wince and chug Pepto.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Classics
1972 Mara Irena Wagon
It takes a certain kind of person to rock any Mara, particularly something as utterly despised by the public as the Irena wagon. Slow, ugly, clunky, and to top it all off, brought to us by the man we love to hate the most, Maxsim Bricklov. Don’t worry, the swear jar is handy. We’re professionals around here.
Of course, history would be kind to the Mara Irena, with fortune blowing definitely in its favor just a year after its introduction. No matter how cheaply built they felt, and no matter how underpowered they were, Irena wagons started popping up everywhere (often in the driveways of former Bazard and Madison owners. Something about being able to go almost three times farther on a single gallon of gas was just irresistable to so many whose wallets burned to the ground in 1973.
The sheer number of Mara Irenas brought into the US and Canada has allowed many of them to stay on the road, even if they are often found in a patchwork of different-colored body panels with bubbling rust as seasoning. After years and much retrospect, current owners find them to be both satisfying and horrifying at the same time. Perhaps there is a lot more self-punishment amongst gearheads than we realize.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Spiritual Classics, Counter Culture - Jalopy Culture
1968 Taube 3000 Rennsport
Behind the Iron Curtain, automotive development was much different than in the West. Small, efficient, and cheap was the order for the masses, with Party leaders and other prominent figures getting rare models that had a bit more room, power, and even a modicum of style. That philosophy doesn’t explain what would be the ultimate cultural aberration for an East German automaker, then, when Taube came out with the 3000 Rennsport.
It was svelte, sexy, and even pretty damn fast. Despite having just a 116 horsepower 1.5 liter 4-banger, this black sheep forebearer of the European supercar could actually give the Keystone Q2600 GP a run for its money. It was only slightly slower to 60, but topped out 15 miles per hour faster, at 147 MPH. Sure, the Madison Trebuchet could outrun it in a straight line given a long enough road, but any turns would have the Trebuchet mowing wheat in a field. Meanwhile, the Taube 3000 Rennsport, in its stock form, could put some professional motorsports classes to shame in the turns. It was capable of over 1g on the slalom pad long before that was even a consideration to some sports car manufacturers.
Naturally, they were only built in miniscule numbers. Don’t get too invested in any dreams of owning this rare beast; there are only 18 known left in existence. It takes industry mega-titan kind of wealth to consider picking up such a toy.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Import/Export
1970 Shidley Chips 231 Street-Stock
British carmaker Shidley took a little of the schizophrenia out of their lineup when they added the Chips 231 SS to their lineup in 1970. No longer was anyone confused as to whether their Shidley was supposed to be an upscale sedan or a sports coupe. Performance of the Chips was quite sprightly, getting up to 60 in 7.3 seconds.
Their main competitor with this model, both at home and abroad, was the Keystone Q-series. The Chips was the car to have if you had a bit bigger of a budget, and also offered the advantage of being able to stuff two of your younger offspring into the package shelf with seatbelts rear seats. It also gained a few sales from folks who weren’t into Keystone’s flying wedge design. Unfortunately, many ended up parked in barns for years after the Oil Crisis revealed that its suddenly subpar fuel economy wasn’t good enough to save it from the fate of many muscle cars.
Time passed. Some made it back on the roads in one piece. Others had their engines invariably seize. Then, as their owners passed on, they came onto the market, often in rough shape.
With such a distinct, cultured sports coupe bodies available in the era of modern technology, there have been several prominent resto-mod examples built and shown off. My favorite happens to be one where the original 231 was given a custom multi-point FI manifold and supercharger. Not only is it lean and mean, the interior’s been taken to a new level with quilted panels galore and a fully integrated, RobotOS-based entertainment and climate control computer. Talk about fusing the old and new.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - RestoMod, Mainstream Culture - Hot Rods and Sports Cars
1970 Courageux 1750s Corse
As we were saying, before we cut ourselves off, Shidley and Keystone were locked in competition for the title of “Favorite Sports Car of North America”. It was pretty clear…
France has entered the chat
Ah, crap. Who invited them?
Trick question. They invited themselves, with the Courageux 1750s Corse. And what a little marvel it was. Some could mistake it for a sedan, and had it been built a little to the south, “Berlinetta” might have been a better descriptor. An all-aluminum 1750cc engine gives this model its name, and was quite an advanced trick for the time. At 97 ponies it wasn’t a firebreather, but its light weight and location in the rear of the car made up for quite a bit. It would run out of breath sooner than either of its competitors, but on a winding road that didn’t matter so much.
But it was so very, very French. It was an unmistakable car.
And to this day, they remain unmistakable, especially when one shows up at an autocross course to light up its skinny little tires. Definitely not fast by modern standards. But so much more intriguing and special to watch.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Hot Rods and Sports Cars, Counter Culture - Motor Sport
1973 Quezon Buenavista 427
What’s got 355 horsepower and is longer than a horny longhorn? Wait, what’s HR doing here? No, it’s a joke for the blog! Jeez, guys.
The answer is the 1970 Quezon Buenavista 427. Never sold in the US, but there are a few here thanks to some weirdos who imported some in the 90’s and early 2000’s. The Buenavista was a very unique model out of the Philippines. It would be difficult to classify. Is it a muscle car? Is it a personal luxury coupe? It has elements of both, but isn’t fully committed to one side or the other. If we had to pick, we’d go a little more on the muscle car side. The giant trunk on the Buenavista, well… we stopped counting how many bodies it could hold at 4.
Partially because there was a thought that, having seen some shit in the Philippines in the 70’s and 80’s, there may have actually BEEN bodies in that trunk before.
Scores in: Counter Culture - Import/Export
1973 Wells 500 Convert
Starting in the 1950’s, you could get just about any kind of car you wanted in a convertible form. From tiny British roadsters to American barges and everything in between, if it had a roof, you could find a trim that, well, didn’t have a roof. The 1973 Wells 500 Convert is a prime example of this. A reasonably large, spacious, yet unassuming model, it was something that a reasonably well-to-do family could afford. A little showing off to the neighbors, a little extra fun.
Starting the following year, and throughout the remainder of the decade, new safety regulations would be introduced that would almost kill convertibles entirely. That also makes the '73 Wells 500 one of the very last examples of the convertible craze, particularly of the V8-powered variety.
All good things must come to an end, so they say. Well, the Wells 500 Club owners are doing their part to make sure the legacy of the 500 Convertible doesn’t end. It’s a fair bet that any large classic car show there will be at least one hanging around, reminding us of the ending of an era.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars
1967 King Pike II 2500 Roadsport V8
Phew. I’m winded after simply typing out that name. And I’m absolutely certain that it had salesmen tongue-tied back in the day.
It also must have taken an absolute superhero of a salesman to move the Pike II off the lot in 1967. After all, King was asking a near ransom for the Pike II luxury coupe, which had not yet moved on to a more modern 3-speed auto like many of its competitors. Apparently 485 horsepower was all that their customers cared about (beyond real woodgrain paneling, leather seating, and power options, that is.) Acceleration could have been described as “lazy” at best.
That’s fine for some, and not for others. This has meant that the remaining Pikes have taken very different paths.
On one hand, the stout frame and advanced safety engineering of the Pike Roadsport makes it a true King in demolition derbies. On the other, the low and cool cruiser crowd likes to take a much more modern 4-speed auto transmission (and of course, a thoroughly modern stereo system) for shows and boulevard cruises.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - RestoMod, Counter Culture - Motor Sport
1972 Turbol Centurion Gladiator 420
In our previous reviews, we’ve seen the go-to cheap muscle car and the go-to performance muscle car. What could possibly be left? Of course, the go-to prestigious muscle car: Turbol’s Centurion Gladiator 420.
For the immature crowd out there, 420 is referring to the engine size in cubic inches. And it smokes tires, not grass, so settle down there. Of course, being a product of the early 70’s, there’s a good chance that more than a few joints were smoked in most, if not all, at some point in their life.
In any case, the Centurion Gladiator had very competent performance with a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds and a 145 MPH top speed. Both of which are topped by the Madison Trebuchet. We’d suspect that most owners didn’t care that it wasn’t top dog all the time, as it was a much more pleasant car to drive on long stretches.
That’s a good thing for current owners, as hopping from car show to car show can really put on the miles, if it’s not a trailer queen.
Scores in: Mainstream Culture - Muscle/Pony Cars, Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars
