Because this car is malaise no longer.
To be honest, I never liked the moniker, and I wish it a speedy death.
Because this car is malaise no longer.
To be honest, I never liked the moniker, and I wish it a speedy death.
I always thought these were fairly inoffensive. But then again, I didn't hate the Volare Road Runner either.
Not bad, not bad at all especially w/ the engine upgrade. Be interesting to see what it sells for.
Interesting, very interesting.
Didn't even know they made them in 75! It's interesting for sure. Cars back then definitely deserved the "Malaise" label for a reason because of their dismal performance, but the reality is you could take any car from that era and stuff a built motor in it and resolve that issue. As long as there is aftermarket support for the suspension, etc. I see no reason why you can't make most "Malaise Era" cars fun or closer to what they should have been.
Contradiction wrote: Didn't even know they made them in 75! It's interesting for sure. Cars back then definitely deserved the "Malaise" label for a reason because of their dismal performance, but the reality is you could take any car from that era and stuff a built motor in it and resolve that issue. As long as there is aftermarket support for the suspension, etc. I see no reason why you can't make most "Malaise Era" cars fun or closer to what they should have been.
Exactly this. Having owned a few late 70s Fords in stock form, I can say that the "malaise" label is actually too kind. Cars, especially American cars, in those days were absolute E36 M3. My first car was a well-cared-for 77 Cougar XR7. I won't even go into the "handling" of the thing, but the 351M under the hood didn't have enough power to break the tires loose even if you brake-torqued it, delivered 12 mpg on it's best day, and had lots of hot-start issues. Now, I loved it and I thought it looked good, and it was comfy, but by any measurable standard, it was an awful car. I'm willing to bet that the one in the link is, too.
Pre-Cordoba 
I agree it takes little effort to properly wake up any "muscle car" from that era.
But no amount of motor will keep that car from being ugly as sin in my book. Sorry, still Malaise to me :/
Tom_Spangler wrote:Contradiction wrote: Didn't even know they made them in 75! It's interesting for sure. Cars back then definitely deserved the "Malaise" label for a reason because of their dismal performance, but the reality is you could take any car from that era and stuff a built motor in it and resolve that issue. As long as there is aftermarket support for the suspension, etc. I see no reason why you can't make most "Malaise Era" cars fun or closer to what they should have been.Exactly this. Having owned a few late 70s Fords in stock form, I can say that the "malaise" label is actually too kind. Cars, especially American cars, in those days were absolute E36 M3. My first car was a well-cared-for 77 Cougar XR7. I won't even go into the "handling" of the thing, but the 351M under the hood didn't have enough power to break the tires loose even if you brake-torqued it, delivered 12 mpg on it's best day, and had lots of hot-start issues. Now, I loved it and I thought it looked good, and it was comfy, but by any measurable standard, it was an awful car. I'm willing to bet that the one in the link is, too.
Funny how that works. I had a base model `78 Cougar with a 302 that would absolutely obliterate the tires (well, tire,) if you brake-torqued it.
I just hate 'malaise'. All too often it is used to immediately discount over a decade of cars. I get it, they were dark days, but if the cars are still around after all of these years, cut them some slack.
But "malaise" is such an accurate term, and kinder than "motherberkeleying horrible due to laziness". I realize that many of the design problems were caused by the companies trying to give the people what they want, but that doesn't excuse the poor engineering and worse build quality.
No matter what you do to it, it's still a Volare.
Trans_Maro wrote: No matter what you do to it, it's still a Volare.
My favorite era of cars. Y'all keep hating so the prices stay cheap.
Esoteric Nixon wrote: Funny how that works. I had a base model `78 Cougar with a 302 that would absolutely obliterate the tires (well, tire,) if you brake-torqued it.
Are you sure it didn't have that one brake line kinked from the factory?
Bias ply tires are E36 M3. That's why every muscle car could light 'em up.
Trans_Maro wrote: No matter what you do to it, it's still a Volare.
Not a '75. '75 was based off the Fury, which was the full-size. Volare didn't even enter production until 1976 and it was an intermediate.
I've spent a decent amount of time thinking about the idea of a big block Volare.
I must admit, the painted 5mph bumpers look a lot better than the typical giant chromed ones of the era.
Ah Malaise....a shameful period in American history (and not just the auto industry.) There are cars that I like that I admit were, objectively, pretty bad. Think old air-cooled 911s or BMW 2002s...Firebirds... But they had some redeeming qualities.
American land barges from the mid-70's must have qualities that I have never experienced. A lot of car for the money, though.*
(*by weight)
The "Malaise era" isn't just a name for the cars. It is a term for the the 73-83 years in the US and was named after a speech Jimmy Carter gave that interestingly, didn't have the word Malaise in it. It was a low point for everything. The cars just showcase it better. They were indicative of the time. Outdated chassis tarted up in bloated styling saddled with emissions strangled engines that still burnt fuel like it was nearly free.
In reply to Trans_Maro:
No. It's not. And the Volare Road Runners probably were faster than this stock-for-stock...they were at least reasonably light.
I do like this, although I have an unhealthy fixation on the 71-74 "fuselage" B-bodies.
I love the "malaise" label. It keeps these things undesirable. Words cannot begin to describe what I want to do with an MK V
Keep wondering about the idea of an LS1 swapped Monza with a modern track style build. Or a Spirit amx with a multi port 401.
Some cars do have potential. Just takes a lot to get results from that era of cars.
I don't know. The mid seventies to mid eighties was definitely the lowest point in the American auto industry,and it wasn't just because of smog era engines. There was a lot else that they weren't getting right too.
That being said, if I ever got my hands on a Mustang II Cobra, clean and rust free, oh the fun I could have after a trip or two to the junk yard for EFI 5.0 bits and pieces.
Although I'm not a GM guy, I can't deny that more than couple of malaise era GM's have good bones that are all to happy to take modernish engines and circle track parts.
Not a fan of that era.
But I fricking LOVE the rear deck lid sticker on that car. It's perfect
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