What car has the longest relatively unchanged production?

pinchvalve said:

*snip*

The Harley Sportster began in 1957 and is still produced today essentially unchanged.

*snip*

Motorcycles?  How about those Royal Enfield's?

Is it an old design, or is it designed to look old?

noddaz said:

pinchvalve said:

*snip*

The Harley Sportster began in 1957 and is still produced today essentially unchanged.

*snip*

Motorcycles?  How about those Royal Enfield's?

Is it an old design, or is it designed to look old?

I looked that up before. It uses the old original tooling, just they've modernized certain aspects, like adding EFI

Well the Miata has been going for three decades, so that is impressive. And the MGB before it lasted 17.

ProDarwin said:

The BRZ has been in production for 8 years already.  If the next gen doesn't change much other than the engine it is likely to be a long-lived platform.

What elseb

There are a lot of differences between the 2.0L and 2.4L Toyobarus, more than NA vs. NB Miatas. Apart from the obvious engine difference, body panels, lights and chassis are different, there are some suspension differences, and the interior is vastly different.

Edit: Whoops, old thread, I think the 2.4 was just a rumor back then

Patientzero said:

^Truth^

 

73-87 Chevy trucks

you could almost lump it into 92 for the HD stuff 73-92 is a long run and from after that the HD trucks are fundamentally the same 92-2023+ (IFS torsion beam front, solid rear leaf sprung) aka garbage

Robbie said:

Jag xj - 1968 through 1993 (25 years).

That run ends in 87, not 93.  The 88 - 94 XJ6 was a significantly different platform from the 87 and older cars (Series 1/2/3 chassis vs XJ40 chassis).  The XJ-S was another long run.  From 75 - 96 on basically the same chassis, just with minor updates and a change in 91 to the later version (outboard brakes) Jag IRS introduced with the XJ40. 

For others, the Jeep XJ Cherokee ran from 84 - 01.  Engine options and such changed over the years and a few other components got updated.  But the only big changes were some electronics changes when OBDII came around, the addition of airbags, and the facelift they got in 97. 

rslifkin said:

Robbie said:

Jag xj - 1968 through 1993 (25 years).

That run ends in 87, not 93.  The 88 - 94 XJ6 was a significantly different platform from the 87 and older cars (Series 1/2/3 chassis vs XJ40 chassis).  The XJ-S was another long run.  From 75 - 96 on basically the same chassis, just with minor updates and a change in 91 to the later version (outboard brakes) Jag IRS introduced with the XJ40. 

For others, the Jeep XJ Cherokee ran from 84 - 01.  Engine options and such changed over the years and a few other components got updated.  But the only big changes were some electronics changes when OBDII came around, the addition of airbags, and the facelift they got in 97. 

Old thread, but not true entirely. The V12 was still offered in the series 3 until 93. The inline 6 car switched to the xj40 chassis.

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Old thread, but not true entirely. The V12 was still offered in the series 3 until 93. The inline 6 car switched to the xj40 chassis.

Interesting.  It looks like they did continue the Series 3 XJ12 through 92, as the XJ40 based XJ12 didn't come out until 93.  From what I can gather, they didn't exactly build many of those late Series 3 cars. 

rslifkin said:

Robbie said:

Jag xj - 1968 through 1993 (25 years).

That run ends in 87, not 93.  The 88 - 94 XJ6 was a significantly different platform from the 87 and older cars (Series 1/2/3 chassis vs XJ40 chassis).  The XJ-S was another long run.  From 75 - 96 on basically the same chassis, just with minor updates and a change in 91 to the later version (outboard brakes) Jag IRS introduced with the XJ40. 

For others, the Jeep XJ Cherokee ran from 84 - 01.  Engine options and such changed over the years and a few other components got updated.  But the only big changes were some electronics changes when OBDII came around, the addition of airbags, and the facelift they got in 97. 

I just like that XJ is the answer, Haguar and Heep

ProDarwin said:

. obviously the Crown Vic and Econoline have been produced for a long time, but who cares.

hey!  Crown Vics are cheap, durable, versatile and rad!

chandler said:

rslifkin said:

Robbie said:

Jag xj - 1968 through 1993 (25 years).

That run ends in 87, not 93.  The 88 - 94 XJ6 was a significantly different platform from the 87 and older cars (Series 1/2/3 chassis vs XJ40 chassis).  The XJ-S was another long run.  From 75 - 96 on basically the same chassis, just with minor updates and a change in 91 to the later version (outboard brakes) Jag IRS introduced with the XJ40. 

For others, the Jeep XJ Cherokee ran from 84 - 01.  Engine options and such changed over the years and a few other components got updated.  But the only big changes were some electronics changes when OBDII came around, the addition of airbags, and the facelift they got in 97. 

I just like that XJ is the answer, Haguar and Heep

Are you kidding?  Jeep couldn't even do a single model year without a running change.  

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

chandler said:

rslifkin said:

Robbie said:

Jag xj - 1968 through 1993 (25 years).

That run ends in 87, not 93.  The 88 - 94 XJ6 was a significantly different platform from the 87 and older cars (Series 1/2/3 chassis vs XJ40 chassis).  The XJ-S was another long run.  From 75 - 96 on basically the same chassis, just with minor updates and a change in 91 to the later version (outboard brakes) Jag IRS introduced with the XJ40. 

For others, the Jeep XJ Cherokee ran from 84 - 01.  Engine options and such changed over the years and a few other components got updated.  But the only big changes were some electronics changes when OBDII came around, the addition of airbags, and the facelift they got in 97. 

I just like that XJ is the answer, Haguar and Heep

Are you kidding?  Jeep couldn't even do a single model year without a running change.  

Calm down.... lol

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Are you kidding?  Jeep couldn't even do a single model year without a running change.  

Plenty of small changes through the run, but nothing particularly big other than changes to engine choices.  And a lot of those changes swap right into other years anyway, they were just plugging a different part into the same hole. 

Still sticking with my answer from 3 years ago. The big Ford C-series cabovers were largely unchanged from 1957...

to 1990.

Yes, those two trucks are separated by 33 years.

rslifkin said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Are you kidding?  Jeep couldn't even do a single model year without a running change.  

Plenty of small changes through the run, but nothing particularly big other than changes to engine choices.  And a lot of those changes swap right into other years anyway, they were just plugging a different part into the same hole. 

There were several different rearends and they seem to have used them indiscriminately.  You didn't know if you had a Dana or a Chrysler rear unless you looked.

I stand by my statement   They didn't have a month of unchanged production let alone years.

I want to be able to grab a valve cover gasket or a brake shoe or ignition cylinder from the first year and use it in the last year car   The Mini is probably the closest to this.  VW changed the Beetle more often than once a year so they didn't even bother with model years...

The first gen SAAB 9-5 ran from 1998 - 2009.

VW bug , Mini , 2CV  , Indian Ambassador , some kind of 3 wheel TukTuk , 

but the winner that is not a car it is a Honda C90 step thru scooter , from the 1960s until today.

check out C90 adventures on YouTube and all the places he has gone on his C90 , Asia back to the UK , Alaska to Argentina etc.....

I love those Ford C series . . . iconic design of my childhood.

Launched in 1995 as a 1996 model. For 2023, now in it's 28th year.  I expect the model will make 30 years.  Scheduled for update in 2026  Sure, lots of engine changes but a 1996 door will still fit on a 2023.

In reply to ZOO (Forum Supporter) :

In 1987 I started with Coca-Cola driving local delivery and we had Ford C Series cabs. They were old then. 

The steering column goes through the floor. There is a rubber grommet for the pass through but the grommet gets old and cracks. Net result, rushing cold air pours in and is directed straight up your pant leg!

This is a toy but identical to what we drove:

I dont know a ton about the xj Cherokee but the wranglers are fun for this thought exercise. From their start in the 1940s they never really had what I would call a major revamp until yj-TJ changeover in the late 90s. So it felt like they never changed, but in reality they were evolving incrementally year after year. 

I have always been under the impression AMC was just buying surplus inventory from the any of the big 3 and making it work. My 90 wrangler had a gm steering column and it certainly appeared to be the same power steering gm used at the time, and ford ignition components. 

I think the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has gone relatively unchanged for the last 10-15 years or so.

???

I kid, I kid. (didn't read the whole thread. likely a repost)

In reply to John Welsh :

Some days I think about ordering a new one instead of another Silverado.  Except the USB port is a $50 option which should tell you something. Also I added the sliding door option.  I wonder if I can still get the sliding door extension to extend beyond my flares and wider wheels.

I've had a thing for vans since I grew up in the 70's.......

In reply to Datsun310Guy :

My dream US van in my dream color.  If JDM, I prefer the Master Ace Surf with the Crystal Roof.