Cult of Personality ][ : The Boogaloo [LORE][RD 5 FINAL RESULTS]

Angus Automobile Vagabond Sedan Deluxe - V8 353

OOC Intro: Groupe Régal is two of my brand merged (Angus in US/CA and Régal in Europe). In the early days I will focus on Angus unless a small import sport car from Régal is submitted. After 1980 the focus will be more and more on Régal.

The Vagabond was released in 1968 and was meant to be a more muscle-y car from Angus. Gone was the flathead days and the brand new Mistassibi V8 was first released on this model.

It was offered in Coupe or as a 4-door Sedan, and had a variety of engines available. The model shown here is the Deluxe with dual side mirrors, larger rims and brakes, and a 353 pushrod engine pushing more than 400 hp (293 net SAE).

Even if the deluxe was premium, Angus wanted to keep this model cheap - it was not high end at all, being pretty raw around the corners. It wanted to be many things, but Angus was anxious to see how it would sell - it ended up pretty popular in Canada compared to US models due to it’s cheap price, even the more deluxe versions, but did not do well south of the border as it was not a true breed muscle or pony car.

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Schnell New 2200 SE “Surf” MY1971
The Germans wanted to revolutionise the car and enter the Group B scene.

So they refreshed the new 1700S, 2200, 2400, 3200 V6 models, Instead of a ladder frame they switched to a monocoque unibody which would become the future. The engine has been heavily upgraded for rally along with its standard counterparts. This car’s bumpers were thick enough to lack the ugly 5MPH ones on license plates.

For the EU market, the trims had more powerful engines unlike the USA where this car has… Wait for it… 110 horsepower. It was enough in the 1970s as a replacement to the early cars. It now has a gas Mono-tube dampers. The surf model, as the name implied, was a popular car among surfers. It had a very flexible storage capacity and enough for the surfboards. excl. aftermarket roof racks. The side mounted vents in the pillars helped cooling down the rear seat occupants in the summer.

This model has a sunroof. It was very cheap and cheerful. Being priced at 12,100 USD. It costs $79,761 in today’s money.
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Cyanide Motors 1969 Husky


Husky A20

It’s a truck.” - a motorsport magazine

The 1969 incarnation of the Husky was a well received addition to the company’s catalogue. A truck, built like a tank and capable of hauling most of your wordly possessions, the Husky saw production in several trims, all of which featured the same interior, but differed in terms of power and drivetrain. Among those trims the A20 proved to be the most successful in North America.
The Husky A20 was powered by a 4.8L V8, meant to provide enough power and torque to carry whatever load was put into the truck bed. The semi-unintended side-effect was that the unladen Husky A20 was capable of reaching 0-100km/h in about 8.6s, which one wouldn’t necessarily expect from a vehicle that clearly wasn’t trying to be a sports car. In fact, some called it something of a split personality. Capable of dealing with harsher terrain despite not being a true offroader, capable of handling decently heavy loads and at the same time still usable as a pickup tool when meeting girls at the bar.
The A20 trim was came with 16" rims, automatic locker and 4-speed manual as standard, as well as headlights that were covered by plastic covers when not in use.

Engine

CM-1969 E-2 M481

  • Capacity: 4.8L
  • Cylinders: 8
  • Power: 212hp @ 4600RPM
  • Valce train: 16-valve OHV
  • Fuel system: Twin 4-barrel

Trims:
A10 - standard model, 3.6L V6, RWD
A15 - 3.6L V6, 4x4 - offroad-oriented version
A20 - 4.8L V8, RWD
A25 - 4.8L V8, 4x4

Some have come to also realize Husky’s potential as a platform - a re-tune of suspension, some engine tuning, softer tires and it could be a fun drive…

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OOC: The lore is a tad edgy but hey its 1970s latin america

In the early 1970s, one of few latin american car companies was blooming. A relatively small production company up to that point, Solariego, managed to get their hands on government subsidies to start the production of their new car. The “Copihue”.

Solariego Copihue

Picture taken in Chile, 1970

Story and pictures

Most of the technology in the car was purchased from European companies. The car was powered by a 4 liter v8, making 238 hp, and giving the Copihue a 0 to 60 of 7.62 seconds. Fitted with a hydropneumatic suspension, Solariego took pride in the seamless ride its new flagship had. What the company did have at home was access to one of the most diverse selection of leathers and premium materials in the world, a fact that was heavily emphasized in the publicity runs of the Copihue. “The most diverse and prestigious selection of interior materials in the globe.”

The car, initially meant for the Latin American market, was exported to the US. Interiors were made in specification of the client, and the company fought heavily to match the British and American luxury titans by providing the most premium of customer services. And while it didn’t reach the popularity of its competitors, the uniqueness bought some prestige of its own. Oftentimes, the rich clientele that bought the Copihue found themselves owning a car not seen anywhere else, and in the unlikely case that two Copihues encountered each other, the milliard of customization options offered to the client meant that no 2 cars were alike. The relatively inexpensive (For a luxury car) price of the Copihue allowed it to cement itself as an entry level luxury vehicle, one that even the upper middle class could afford.

One while looking at a Copihue will start to wonder, what is it with the empty space between the 2 back seats, the overpowered engine and the extremely large boot. That’s where the ugly part of its heritage rears its head. The 1970s in Latin america was a period of dictators, and every government needs a quick, spacious and imposing vehicle. The space between the 2 back seats housed weapons, medical equipment and other on the field supplies. The extra weight added by bullet proofing the vehicle made a much better use of the 4 liter V8 and the large boot could easily store a body… or two. The car was used across multiple regimes in the continent, whether it was transporting a key military figure, performing an assasination, or kidnapping political opponents, the Copihue proved to be a valuable tool for any dictator.

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1970 Shidley Chips “231 Street-Stock”
The late 60s and 70s saw a lot of powerful muscle and sports cars selling well, and Shidley wanted to make their brand more known and respected in the USA. They decided to create a muscle car. Instead of the classic approach of a large engine in a large vehicle, they opted for a tuned up 231 cui (3,8l) V8 in a small british sports car body, avaliable in europe with a much more refined and efficient i4. However, the V8 was powerful for its size and this car was very quick. The “street-stock” package was built for speed, with the most powerful iteration of the 3.8 V8 seen at the time. It also included special wheels with large tyres and a spoiler. The V8 version would make its way over to europe with far more performance due to better tyres and a retuned V8, but the street stock package was only avaliable in the USA as a special dealer order.

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1972 Mara Irena Wagon

Buoyed by the modest but steady success of importing the tiny Mara Companion (and with some extra motivation due to impending safety regulations that the Companion might not be able to fulfil), in the early 1970s Maxsim Bricklov also started importing Mara’s second car, the Irena, after its first facelift. Not only had that ironed out the worst kinks but it also added a 5-door station wagon and a 3-door hatchback / coupe to the lineup. On its debut in the late 1960s, the Irena had merely been available as a 4-door sedan and a 2-door panel van.


The Irena Wagon being driven on a road trip

With a 2.4m wheelbase and 4m in overall length, the Irena was considered to be a large family car in its home country, but in NA competed against the other recently launched ‘subcompacts’ and their already quite competitive price points. While some of these were offered in wagon form as well (Pinto & Vega), these had just 3-doors. Bricklov believed that emphasising the 5-door Irena wagon’s unique selling point would make for an effective ad campaign, as neither of the other three body types offered much except a lower price over the competition, and that’s an image of Mara that had built itself over the past decade anyway.

The necessary modifications for the Irenas could be limited to adding a second mirrored reverse light (again) and the front and rear side-markers. Since Mara’s main official export market had already announced a widespread lead ban in a few years time, the ‘export’ engine version tuned for lead-free 91 RON was shipped to NA as well.

Otherwise, the Irena’s formula was not too different compared to the entry-level trims of the other subcompacts - a 2.0l cast-iron OHV I4 (albeit somewhat undersquare) driving the rear wheels through a 3-speed manual, and double wishbone coil suspension at the front and a coil-sprung live axle at the rear.

Car lore novel post: Mara Motors Company Thread (now up to date till 2000) - #2 by AndiD

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One week remaining for submissions for round 2.

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1968 Taube 3000 Rennsport

High performance on low tech!

Taube is a 1950’s East German car manufactor. It main focus was first on bikecycles and scooters but it expanded also into cars and light trucks over the years. After the collapse of the GDR the company still produces scooters and Microcars

The 3000 is the low production sportcar of the brand. The 3000 was build in half-secretly, not getting any permit for building the car in the first place, but also not being stopped by said goverment in favor of the possiblity to show West Germany how great their engineering can be. The car features a 1.5L Inline 4 engine, the exact same engine out the 2000, a 4 door sedan, and also the suspension components were directly taken from that car. The cars fiberglass body sits on a steel frame which was mostly made from unused metal from other productions.

The Rennsport Trim was made for the national racing league with most of them ending up wrapped around various objects which deemed themself harder than fiberglass. Some of them were be able to be saved and made street legal, or rather “Its legal until someone said something against it”-legal. The Rennsport features a tuned up engine, a more stiff suspension and an extended bodykit for better aero and cooling

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1973 Quezon Buenavista
427ci



About

The Quezon Buenavista is an intermediate car introduced by Quezon in 1970.

Following the partnership between the newly formed Quezon Motors Corporation and the American giant UAMC, both parties were able to benefit from a co-operation. On one side, UAMC was able to expand its sub-brands in South East Asia, and Quezon was able to benefit from the funding gained from UAMC utilizing Quezon’s plants, as well as being able to piggy-back upon their technologies.

As the demand for larger cars remained fairly stable in the Philippines, and drag racing continued to flourish in the country around this time, Quezon eventually decided to have their own share in the market and expand their influence in local racing even more by making a larger car that could house an equally large engine, and as such they introduced the Buenavista in 1970. Engine choices depended upon the customer, but usually it would be UAMC’s engines, now built by Quezon in a dedicated plant. Choices included the venerable UAMC 194 cubic-inch Straight Six, a 283 cubic-inch small-block V8, or in somewhat rare cases, the 409ci cubic-inch “big block” engine.

The car was available either as a coupe or a sedan, and featured rather interesting design features, such as foglamps that were mounted flanking the main pair of 7-inch sealed beams, and very muscular styling. Quezon had designed the exterior with the North American market in mind, despite having no plan on selling it outside of the Philippines.

The Buenavista proved to be somewhat popular among middle-class Manileños, as it was larger than their Laguna coupe, but not as expensive as the top-class luxury offering that was the Princesa. But the coupe variant of the Buenavista also proved very popular in drag racing, as the 409 cubic-inch “big block” engine produced in the range of 350 gross horsepower with twin four-barrel carburetors, capable of launching the nearly two-ton coupe to 100km/h in just under 7.5 seconds, and hitting a quarter mile in under 15 seconds.

Quezon later released a special edition of the Buenavista in mid 1972, with the incredibly large and incredibly oversquare 427 cubic inch UAMC Big Block V8. The engine, equipped with twin four-barrel carburetors, a performance intake, and a custom performance exhaust was said to have produced well over 425 gross horsepower, but not every car was built the same, apparently, as some were reported to have close to 500. Whatever the power level was, it was enough to propel the car to 100km/h in roughly 6 and a half seconds, and run a quarter mile in the high 13s and low 14s when equipped with a 4-speed manual and radial sports tyres, letting it claim the title of being the fastest Philippine-manufactured car at the time.

This legacy would be short-lived however, with the arrival of the oil crisis next year in 1973 and with then-President Ferdinand Marcos advising the Philippine public to buy cheaper, smaller and more economical 4-cylinder vehicles, the Buenavista’s popularity sharply declined. The Buenavista was discontinued by 1976 after they struggled to sell the large vehicle, with their smaller models such as the Cordova and Laguna proving to be more popular when fitted with smaller engines.

Estimates say tha there were at least 8,000 Buenavistas were manufactured by Quezon from 1970 to 1976. Of which, roughly 5000 were fitted with the Straight Six engine, and the rest were V8 models. The numbers for the 427ci models are more robust, however. Estimates say there were only 197 427ci models made from July 1972 to January 1974. Within those two years, Quezon had ruled the Philippine dragstrips and left a lasting legacy to the small automotive community within the country.


Gallery



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The 1971 Centara Flamenco

(Sold under the Bazard name in the US, but completely an original Centara design. Centara and Bazard are an Automation Universe Brand and an American Brand, respectively, that are technically 2 halves of a single corporation, but in practice act pretty independently.)

The Flamenco was sort of a passion project for Centara. Originally billed as a family sports car, the Flamenco eventually centered itself around being the most exciting budget car available anywhere in the Automation Universe. A wide, short, aerodynamic body atop a comfortably tall and drivably stiff suspension gave this car an iconically unique look, and its wide tires and strong disc brakes made it feel like one of the sharpest, sportiest family cars around, even if the engine was on the weaker side. And it was cheap- even Centara’s higher end models rivaled most city hatchbacks in pricing!

Also, I wrote a story about it :D

The Flamenco was a result of years worth of passion and work. The engineers gave hours of their own time after every shifts to refine the design. They built (and destroyed) dozens of prototypes. Even through the worst financial crisis ever weathered by the company (240 million dollars worth of debt at one point!), the design survived. And after all this effort, Centara released the first models (in the Automation Universe) in 1969.

Bazard, meanwhile, was going a completely different direction. Noticing how last round’s Armada chassis only seemed to succeed in 3rd world markets, they began thinking… maybe the auto industry’s been neglecting one of the world’s biggest markets. After all, how many global companies often consider the needs of the average, say, Rwandan when building a car? With their resources and experience, if Bazard took the time to truly understand 3rd world markets and build a car specifically for them… then there’s a whole untapped market waiting for them.

And so Bazard had spent the latter half of the 60’s committed to this idea. They had invested millions into market research in South America and Africa. They’d gone on recruitment campaigns through these regions, hiring and training local employees to serve as designers and trainers. They’d even partnered with the government of Senegal to help establish a university in Dakar (and had more partnerships underway), so that they could train a new generation of auto-industry workers. They had invested so much around this plan, that many executives were considering dropping out of the American market altogether (at least in the consumer sector).


A top-trim Centaran-spec Flamenco, with fancier taillights and rims, as well as a higher-quality interior.

This was the company that, in 1970, Centara pitched the Flamenco to. They wanted Bazard to make a fleet version of the car, and they thought it also might make a good American budget car. But Bazard didn’t quite seem to feel the same way.

(An excerpt from that meeting's transcript)

“So, it’s got rear hinged doors?”

“Yeah, they’re eas-”

“But aren’t those less safe? Like, someone could fall out, or break in easier?”

“Wha- no, of course not! They’re not any easier to open than a regular door.”

“Hold on a minute, disc brakes on all 4 wheels? You kidding?”

“W-well yeah, they’re better-”

“Yeah, 'cause they’re more expensive. You think the average budget buyer can afford this? It’s a budget car, not a sports car.”

“What, no, it is a sports car! S-Sport sedan, I mean. I-It’s both. It’s a sportier-than-normal family car-”

“Sports car, sure. And it has an I6.’”

“Wait, no it hasn’t!”

“It says here it does. 6 cylinders.”

“No, no, it’s a boxer 6! …It’s like a V6, but laid out flat?”

“The Boxer? I thought you called it the Muhammad?”

“Huh, uh, why would you want it flat it like that?”

“It’s cool, it uh, saves space. And they’re sportier, too, 'cause like Porsches have them and stuff”

“It’s a Porsche engine?”

“You put a Porsche engine in a budget car. Fabulous…”

“Wait, hold on, what kind of Porsche engine makes 83hp?”

“It’s not a Porsche engine, i-it’s just that style-”

“Wait, what did you say there? 83hp?! In a car this size?”

“Well, you don’t really need any more-”

“Our entry level city vans from 15 years ago make more power than this! How the hell are we supposed to sell a car like this as a sports car?!”

“I-i-it has a lot of torque though, a-and it’s sportiness comes from the handl-”

“Oh, for the love of god, I just noticed. It has a solid front axle.”

“What? Oh, this is rediculous.”

“Jesus Christ!”

“Don’t you remember 7 years ago, we built a muscle car with a solid front axle?”

“y-yeah, I-”

“Do you remember how it was terrible?! How no one bought it?! How we all learned about what a ******* stupid idea solid front axles are?!!”

“Well t-the design is that old, it-”

“Sorry, what now?”

“W-we first came up with it in 63, uh, back before when the Armada had failed. We’ve been working on it –refining it, uh, for years.”

“All that time, and you didn’t change the suspension?”

“It’s not that easy, uh, w-we’d have to redo the whole design-”

“No no, you didn’t have any time to rework the suspension. 'Cause ya spent all that time building that 83hp Porsche engine, right?”

“Yeah, I’m done with this crap. We spend 240 million bailing you people out of debt and then you show us this ****! This is why you guys aren’t selling anything. I’m done here. [leaves]”

“I have to agree with him, here. I’m not seeing any reason why this car should work.”

“It’s just some sort of childish dream car, is what it is!”

Bazard, a company known for straying away from convention, struggled to understand, let alone accept this strange car. And truth be told, it was pretty flawed. But, with luck, Bazard did accept it, because of one fact that they understood quite well: Sales figures. In just one year, this car had sold very well in Gasmea and Frunia. In spite of its flaws, journalists loved it, and sales had exceeded what even Centara expected. Sure the Automation Universe has much different tastes, but the success of the Flamenco there was nonetheless hard to ignore. Plus, as they began to realize while considering the prospect, the cost of selling this Centara model through their already-set-up infrastructure was extremely low anyway.


A Bazard-built Fleet Flamenco, working as a taxi in North Carolina.

So, Bazard sold it in the end- after making some changes… Most Bazard models came with rear drum brakes, retuned suspension, cross-ply tires, and a traditional I6 from one of their vans. And they did make a version for fleet sales, which Bazard’s analysts thought the Flamenco was best suited for anyway.

But they didn’t completely abandon Centara’s ideas. While Bazard thought the American public wouldn’t care much for Centara’s brakes or engine or etc, they recognized that the original Flamenco had worked for a reason. And so they tried populating a few cars with Centara’s quirks, to see how would resonate with the American public.

The mid-range trim provided is one of said trims, being among the closest Bazard-made Flamencos to what Centara designed and sold in the Automation Universe; the only changes are some differences in the lights, and the use of cross-ply tires instead of radial (Centara kept insisting that radial tires were so much better and worth it, but Bazard just did not get behind the idea).

How well did it resonate? Well, I guess that’s for the host to tell us. :slight_smile:


A photo for a Centaran advertisement of the Flamenco. The version shown is the closest match to what was sent in the competition.

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Approximately two and a half days left for submissions. I am caught up on everything submitted to this point. However, I will be on vacation when the round ends, so I can’t guarantee an immediate round end post.

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Have a fun and safe vacation chief!!

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Safe? Aw, man, you buzzkill!

But yeah, I’m going to the ocean… and it’s going to be overcast, so no chance I’m going to burn myself to a crisp like last time.

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Cabrera 3700R


A bit of lore/More pics(↓↓)

Through the 70s, Cabrera would focus on small economy cars, given the economic situation of the country. But engineers are engineers, and through some shady negociations, they got a few locally built Dodge Darts, which were manufactured by Barreiros and it was the most powerful car in Spain at that moment.

Using the factory where the 200 Sprint sports car was built until the discontinuation of the model two years ago, they manufactured a new fiberglass body which, along several other modifications, made the car significantly lighter and sportier. Some of those mods were: forged engine internals, a much improved carb setup, revamped interior, more agressive cam profile and stiffer suspension.

Now, how did this car end up in the US market you may ask? Chrysler was interested in an alliance with an European brand, in order to sell their small cars in America. Given the close ties between the US and Spain at that moment, they turned their eyes into Cabrera, whose cars were exactly what Chrysler was looking for, and so a deal was made.

During a visit to Cabrera´s facilities during the negociations, executives got to see one of the prototypes of the 3700R, and impressed by the radical looks and good performance they decided to export a few in order to sell those as “exotic european sports cars”. Thankfully it´s confusing origins made everyone forget that under that yellow body it was still a humble Dodge Dart with the original Slant 6 engine.


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The 1967 Cross King Pike II 2500 Roadsport V8

To mark the end of production for their King Pike model, American motor company Cross created the 2500 Roadsport. With a 7 litre 60 degree V8 producing over 480hp, the Roadsport was designed to outstrip anything on the highway. Only 2500 was built and sold over the 1 year period of the car’s life. Despite this, less than 1000 survived to 1975 due to a majority being stolen and sold for parts.

The Roadsport was overdesigned in all aspects in an attempt to maximise luxury and sportiness, and failed to reach the “Family Premium” market the company usually tried to create cars for. However, it sold extremely well as a large, fast car capable of going from Point A to Point B in a short amount of time. With a sell price of $32,300 in 1967 (roughly $252,287 in 2020 USD) it was bordering on supercar territory, however you most certainly go your money’s worth.

Specifications

The Roadsport featured Double Wishbone suspension front and rear, tuned to be stiff but yet somewhat comfortable. It had a steel monocoque chassis, and when partnered with steel panelling the Roadsport was very prone to rusting, which also helped destroy many cars produced. Powered by the “Thrustmaster” V8, the Roadmaster could reach 157mph, and with an early two-speed “Shift-O-Matic” gearbox it was still decently controllable.

The Roadsport was a passion project for the head engineer at Cross, but unfortunately due to complications with heart problems he never got to drive the Roadsport. In his honor, the last King Pike to roll off of the production line was named in his honor. That car is now kept in the HQ of Cross in Florida and is often taken to car shows and is owned and kept running by the engineer’s family.

Lore and More Pics

The Cross Motor Company was founded in 1945 by Sir Jarvis Cross and was focused on making family cars that were quick, comfortable and luxurious while still remaining affordable. The King Pike originated with the Pike in 1950, which was produced for the next 3 years in large numbers. In 1954 Cross unveiled the King Pike, which was produced for over 11 years with multiple facelifts. The King Pike II was released a year later but only was produced for a year due to a lack of materials of funds. The company was in sucha bad financial situation that during the oil crisis the company nearly went bankrupt and had to outfit models from Henderson to simply stay afloat during the crisis. In 1999 the company expressed interest in re-releasing the King Pike, although huge backlash from the general public forced Cross to retract their statement. Although we will likely never get a new King Pike we can still look back on one of the best cars in American Motoring history and rejoice, for the King Pike still lives on in the hearts of enthustiasts and non-enthusiasts alike, and therefore it shall never truly die.

More Pics

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Riding on the coat tails of the previous generation 500, and probably the most biggest and beligerant of them all, the 1973 Wells 500. Everything about this generation 500 was bigger, and to Wells at the time, meant better.

Keeping up with the times, the '73 500 was by all means a land yacht. Termed a “Big Body”, and even “Donk” much later in life from car enthusiast, the '73 Wells 500 pushed the envelope even further than the previous generation. Riding on the then new “B-Platform”, the 500 was more solid than ever.

Boasting a new 355cu in 230hp V8, the 500 got around pretty good with the best of them. Although performance was decent, style and comfort is where this car truly shined. With seating for 6, and even more if you really tried, it’s no suprise that the 500 was a great cross country tourer, especially in wagon form…yes, there was a wagon.

Having thickly padded bench seating, the front being split with headrest, seating was akin to a really comfy living room couch type situation. For the new model, Wells dropped “Delux Special” as a trim and stuck with just “500” as the name.

Even though the top trim level was gone, you still got all the options of the day. Albeit now, you could get the 500 in not just sedan but convertible and wagon forms aswell.

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Kaizen%20logo%20for%20ad

1970 Kaizen FCP19s

K401 USDM TU1


Intro

As a 4-door sedan, 2-door coupe, or 5-door wagon, the Kaizen F series has historically served as the entry-level model to Kaizen’s main automotive lineup, excluding the compact TR series. First introduced in 1965 as a direct response to the Ford Mustang and BMW 02 series, it would serve as a smaller, more affordable, and sportier alternative to the 1966 5th generation Kaizen S series it was based on. The K401 F-series adopted a galvanized steel monocoque chassis with 4-wheel independent suspension, consisting of a compact front MacPherson struts and rear semi-trailing arm arrangement, and 4-wheel disc brakes. Power came from a series of carbureted and fuel-injected SOHC 8-valve 1.5 and 2.0L inline 4s, producing up to 121 hp in the top of the line 2.0L fuel-injected 12s trim. 4 and 5-speed manual transmissions, along with a 3-speed automatic transmission, were offered, all driving the rear wheels. There would be two main variations: one being a standard, luxury-oriented trim, and the other being the performance-oriented sport (s) trim. The sport trim came with performance suspension, tires, aero, and engine tuning, along with a 5-speed manual. One notable difference for the American market was the larger quad-light and grill arrangement compared to international models.

While the F-series would be praised for high build quality, well-appointed interiors, high level of standard equipment, and feisty driving dynamics, they were not exactly considered “fast” by any means, owing to a lack of engines that could be considered “powerful” in the USA. This was a pressing concern for something that was supposed to compete with legitimate sporting cars. (For reference, the top trim 12s had a fuel-injected 2.0L inline 4 with 121 hp).

In 1970, as a response to BMWs plan to introduce the 2002 turbo (by this point the highest performance Mustang and Camaro trims were unreachable), the Technical Update 1 (TU1) update was released, introducing a series of SOHC 12-valve 2.5 and 3.0L inline 6s from the S-series, using either a multi 2-barrel carburetor arrangement or fuel injection, to correct the power deficit, along with standard alloy wheels for sport models. This meant that the 190 hp sport-tuned variant of the 3.0L fuel-injected inline 6 became the top engine for the sport trims of the F-series. These 6 cylinders would gun for the driver who requested the luxury and power more associated with larger models while keeping the performance/lightness and economy of a compact executive.

This specific example is a FCP, indicating a 2-door coupe (wagons were FCE, and sedans were FC). The 19s trim indicates that it came with the 190 hp inline 6, 5-speed manual, and the sport package. Sport trims would also prove to be quite competitive in motorsports (especially in SCAA amateur) due to Kaizen’s wide range of official factory support, and 4 cylinder sport trims would be a major presence in the Trans Am Series under 2000cc (and eventually under 2500cc) class, along with a modest presence in rallying (I am not able to specify on this topic due to lack of knowledge).

they were supposed to come with limited-slip differentials but the game is a troll

In a time when engaging American manufacturers in a hypercompetitive and ferociously domestic-loyal marketplace wasn’t working, with the TR series compact and Terravis 4x4 providing little profit margin, the K401 was Kaizen’s last chance at establishing its own identity, be relevant in the future, and save itself from certain financial ruin. By being Kaizen’s first major philosophical shift from regal American-style comfort to a predominantly German balance of sport and luxury, the K401 allowed Kaizen to tap into a very selective yet influential luxury and sport import markets, and bring up the fight with Europe’s best, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Jaguar, along with Japanese competition from the likes of Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and Nissan. Enticing blends of traditional Japanese attention to detail, European driving dynamics, and American-oriented luxury would spearhead the Japanese luxury automobile presence in the United States, utilizing innovative technology, motorsports, and popular culture to engrain the Kaizen brand into the American mindset, proving that the Japanese were taking no prisoners in every new opportunity. To this day, Kaizen Corporation prides itself on being the first Japanese company to successfully break into the American luxury car market, and the K401 is the reason why this was all possible.

Specs

VEHICLE TYPE
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
$19,500
ENGINE TYPE
Eris 30S4R3
Naturally aspirated SOHC 12-valve inline 6, cast iron block and head, mechanical fuel injection, 93 AKI
Displacement
3.0L, 183 cu in, 2993 cc
Power
190.1 hp @ 5400 rpm
(~192.7 DIN ps/~237.6 SAE Gross hp)
Torque
192.8 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
5-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): MacPherson strut/semi-trailing arm
Brakes (F/R): 10.4-in solid disc/8.9-in solid disc
Tires: P195/70R14
DIMENSIONS
Not available
PERFORMANCE
Zero to 62 mph: 7.6 sec
50 to 75 mph: 4.20 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.78 sec
Standing 1 km: 27.91 sec
Braking, 62–0 mph: 125 ft
Roadholding, 66-ft-dia skidpad: 0.902 g
Roadholding, 656-ft-dia skidpad: 0.882 g
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined: 17.2 US mpg

NOTE: Power ratings are in SAE Net J1349, a measurement which didn’t exist in this time period. Thus, Kaizen would have used the DIN 70200 rating in hp (not ps), which would also influence the trim name. All models would also receive a DIN ps rating, while JDM models also received a JIS ps rating and most other export markets received a SAE Gross hp rating. In 1971, Kaizen switched from DIN 70200 to SAE Net as their main power measurement.




19 Likes

1972 Turból Centurion Gladiator 420

Background

Following major management shakeups within the Turból Corporation in the early 1960s, the Turból nameplate pushed down-market in the mid 1960s with smaller, sportier mass market models intended to attract younger buyers; first the intermediate Cypress in 1965, then the Centurion pony car in 1967. A bit larger than most of the competition, The MKI Turból Centurion offered a slightly more upscale twist on the now-popular pony car formula.

The MKI Centurion was based primarily on the 2nd gen Legion Mallard, even sharing some sheet metal, and utilizing the same leaf sprung rear suspension. From the firewall forward, though, it had more in common with the intermediate Turból Cypress, giving space for larger engines, improved suspension, and Turból’s advanced for the time rack-and-pinion steering.

With a lightweight and inexpensive platform capable of housing most of Turból’s engine options, the Centurion was immediately put into service in motorsports to promote Turból’s sporty image. Centurions equipped with the 420-69 420ci (6.9 liter) big block V8 were prepped for multiple NHRA stock classes, and 305ci TCCB small block versions were prepped for a factory backed effort in the Trans-Am series.

Following the trends of the time, in 1969 a flashy and muscular top-trim was added to the Centurion: the Gladiator. Available only with high performance powertrains, it offered bold colors with trendy names like Moovin’ Mauve, flashy tape stripes, scoops, and spoilers to amp up it’s appearance.

In 1972, the MKII Centurion was released. Changes were relatively minor; to improve ride and handling, the rear leaf springs were replaced by coils, and relatively small styling changes such as a more fastback-shaped roof with a taller decklid, and available body-color elastomeric bumpers.

This Example

This 1972 Turból Centurion Gladiator 420 painted in the aforementioned Moovin’ Mauve is the first year of the MKII. Unfortunately, by 1972 the muscle car craze was beginning to die out, and the 420-69 big block wasn’t as powerful as it had been in the past thanks to reduced compression and a milder cam. However, with 299 net horsepower, a 420 equipped Centurion was still a very quick machine, especially when compared to the rest of the class of 1972.

Advertisement

Here’s an ancient ad for this car, from back when it won CSR120.


16 Likes

1973 Falls Stand Mighty Oak

In the year 1973, sales of Falls Motor company’s flagship truck were slowly getting stale. To help stimulate sales of Stand trucks and improve overall brand image, Falls decided to soup up one of their trucks with a massive 6.5l v8 from one of their muscle cars, producing over 206 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque. The result was the Stand Mighty Oak, an absolute unit that weighs over one and a half tons and can do the quarter mile about as fast as you would expect for the car that heavy. Equipped with 4wd, off-road tires and a lift right off the production line, this truck was known to be a beast off road.


Unfortunatunatley, this car did not last long at all. jus a few yers later the gas crisis hit, making it impossible to sell a car with less than 10 mpg. The spirit of the Mighty Oak still lives on through collectors, restoring the cars as well as it’s off road legacy.

5 Likes

Round is closed to submissions. Will do my last processing tomorrow once I get home.

9 Likes