This sort of list is bound to be geographically biased, but I’ll try and remain objective. In PARTICULAR order, for various reasons:
Ferrari 250 GTO (1962) - the best sports car ever build.
Ford Model T - relevant because it was the first mass-production car.
Volkswagen Beetle (the original, not that Yuppie Scum 90’s Version) - 22 million sold, 'nuff said.
Bugatti Royale - only six were made, and they are the most expensive cars today. Supreme luxury in excess, valued at about $40 million each.
Citroen 2CV (1948-1994) - for the same reasons as the Beetle: simple and succesful, but even more original.
Citroen DS (1955-1974) - way ahead of its time, and one of the most beautiful sedans ever produced.
Land Rover - think of all the contributions this car made to the development of countries, health care… and war… it is extremely relevant though. One could also argue the same for the Willy’s Overland Jeep.
Jaguar E-type - just because of its beauty.
Morgan 2 seater - wooden frame, same since 1948 or so. Classic English sports car.
Peugeot 205 (1984 - 1998) - because it was my first car
And for those of you that think I have no appreciation for old cars, this summer, sitting at a 4 way, across from me was a 64 GTO. Rusted out. To hell. Making a horrible clack/grumble/putt. I nearly cried.
–Tim
We are the children of the Eighties. We are not the first “lost generation” nor today’s lost generation; in fact, we think we know just where we stand - or are discovering it as we speak.
Coldfire…
“Ransom Eli Olds build an experimental three-wheeled steam car in 1891, following this six years later with a single-cylinder petrol-engined vehicle of dogcart type. He then made a small number of electric cars before producing his famous Curved Dash Runabout, the world’s first mass-production automobile.”
Source, The New Encyclopedia of Motorcars 1885 to the Present, edited by G. N. Georgano, published by E. P. Dutton, copyright 1982.
The cite is just to make it authentic.
I had a history teacher who loved to ask what was the first mass produced automobile.
I was one of two in that class that answered Oldsmobile. Because I read the lesson.
It was a sweet memory.
1970 Plymouth Satellite-the BEAST.
4 doors. But 3 didn’t work.
No paint, but a lovely shade of primer and putty.
Windows fell off their tracks during sharp turn.
Stereo blew up when a friend tried to jumpstart it.
Scared the HELL out of anyone on the road-bikers, joggers, cops.
Would do anything to find another like him.
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. That’s my name too.
Wait, no it isn’t.
I list those because I owned them, and they were great cars. The Camaro had an engine from a fuel-injected Corvette - 375 HP from the factory, and I had it rebuilt and had the compression raised and a race cam put in. It required octane booster and water injection just to keep it from detonating, even on premium gas. I figured it for about 425 HP. Of course, after the engine was installed I destroyed the transmission in about a month and had to put in a heavy-duty turbo 400, then I blew the rear end and had to put a 12-bolt in. Then the rear springs went and I had to rebuild them…
The 240Z had the engine rebuilt, compression raised, balanced, and triple Weber carbs installed. It was an AWESOME ride, but the carbs made a lot of noise at full throttle. Pretty loud little car.
The 1967 Pontiac GTO was the best and the most boss car ever to hit the road!! It came with that massive 400 engine, quadrajet carb, positrack rear end (that ate up a lot of tires), and a mean automatic transmission with a slap-stick racing H shift!
I owned one and miss it to this day! I burned up tires from roaring all over the place as well as brakes and a lot of gasoline. Mine was a metallic deep blue, with wide, white racing stripes, chrome hood pins, oversized rear wheels on blue chrome reverse moon rims, aluminum side pipes, smaller but wide front wheels on slotted chrome. I had a tiny air filter on top of the carb which only filtered out large things from being sucked into the maw, like Vws, Toyotas and Fords. I had chrome valve covers, a higher powered chrome coil, a tach mounted under the dash, along with an add-on oil and temp gauge. It had slip-clutch a/c {that means, when you roared out, the a/c clutch disengaged to give you more power and cut in when you eased off}, a CB, white bucket seats with head rests and a 4 speaker stereo.
I still miss that beast! Best car I ever owned and the most fun! Kept it for years until I fell on hard times and then the old goat just got too expensive to keep up and I had to sell her off. I ripped out the regular mufflers and poked on glass packs and had to weld the damn pipes in place because she kept blowing them off, clamps and all.
HOMER!!! NO VETTES? I can tell that MoPar blood circulates in your blood (although you do include a couple of Jap ‘Dodge-wannabes’ on your list, shame shame), but come ON! The new C5 is an awesome machine; surely it’s gotta be a close second to the Viper.
No question … 1969 Cadillac Coupe Deville (472)! Bought mine brand new, gas, oil, drive! 235,000 miles. Wish I could have found an ol’lady as good as this car!!!
I’m not really a car-nut but I’m pretty sure Mitsubishi seriously downgraded the horsepower of this car starting in 96. I remember when a co-worker was looking for one that he found that 95s cost significantly more than even 97s, because the older engine was so much more powerful.
