4 Door "Muscle" Cars...

[Goggles Paisano]

Originally Posted by PecosBill

A four-door with a hood scoop and an air-dam. Aussies had some weird cars.

I disagree. I think the Aussie's got it right. I saw Mad Max as a kid and I loved their cars. So sweet.

[troidus]

Originally Posted by dorkpunch

My four door "hotrod"... Not really. BUT eventually I hope to make it into something. My first car, bought it in 2000 from the original owner with about 80k on the clock. Probably one of the ugliest sedans of all time, but I *love* this car. Hopin that someday it will be a bit of a sleeper, but I'm not opposed to a supercharger stickin out of the hood.

Put a 572 crate engine and a 4L80 in it.

[gsd4me]

Originally Posted by PecosBill

A four-door with a hood scoop and an air-dam. Aussies had some weird cars.

Don`t forget the boot spoiler.

[RumRunner]

Originally Posted by Mambo Dave

Collective? Ask me in 20 years and I'll say Yeah.

But like Leno says - collect what you like, what interests you, and you'll be better off in the long run than making speculations.

That said, there are a few considerations I'd think about with that car.

First - the 1988-1991 Vics of those years were winners in my book. I loved the changes in the aerodynamics of them when they came out. Still, that said, for some reason I, personally, don't feel this inner-drive to restore one. Preserve, OK, if I had the space, but it just doesn't push me to want to do like the Fiero-girl is doing to her car, lol. Ask me what 4-door car from that year I would preserve, however, and I might have to choose it anyway because I can't think of anything better from those years.

My father had one '88-'91 as a company car, and its FI motor sure was a nice runner. Not a muscle car by anyone's definition, but satisfying.

Lastly, we all see the direction we're heading... the big station wagons of the past are sorta not offered as much anymore. To that end it can probably become more unique. It can easily haul a family, a picnic, a camping-outfit and a boat... so that's cool.

The question is - how much would you enjoy it? I'd enjoy the heck out of owning a good-running one... even more so if it was the cop version (of which I don't think they ever made a station wagon version with the police package... BUT IF THEY DID... I'd be searching for one of those).

That one looks clean - like someone cared about it, or didn't use it too much... if that's the case, and it's cheap... then why not?

Thanks for your input. I've got two teens that will be driving before I know it. They are both musicians and will need to haul around guitars and amps etc... We have been discussing an older pick-up but they are getting $$$ these days. I figure that CrownVic design is pretty tough and with minimal work she could be a good runner. I have no desire to do a complete resto.

DW

[Jeffy]

Originally Posted by Goggles Paisano

I disagree. I think the Aussie's got it right. I saw Mad Max as a kid and I loved their cars. So sweet.

Not to mention the new cars like the Holden Commodore SS, Caprice V and the Ford Falcon XR8(XR6?). I wish Chevy would have replaced the Impala SS with the PPV Caprice. A few PPV Caprice's have been sold outside of the Govt. Fleet program but GM sadly put a stop to it.

Australia also has the V8 Supercar series which is really cool. They turn left AND right.

[Dukeryder]

Originally Posted by rpo83

The full set,

From right to left, GTHO Phase 1, GTHO Phase II, GTHO Phase III, GTHO Phase IV.

Only 1 production and 3 race car Phase IV's were produced, before the gov'ment stopped the major 3 Aussie manufacturers producing "Muscle Cars" .

those are cool

That GTHO on the right looks kinda like a 69/70 Mustang Mach One had a baby with a Fairlane

[vtwin]

Originally Posted by rpo83

The full set,

From right to left, GTHO Phase 1, GTHO Phase II, GTHO Phase III, GTHO Phase IV.

Only 1 production and 3 race car Phase IV's were produced, before the gov'ment stopped the major 3 Aussie manufacturers producing "Muscle Cars" .

The one on the left looks like the states Torino, the rest look like a widened Cortina crossed with a Falcon. Cool.

[rpo83]

another group shot

[smashomatic]

1965 Galaxie 4 door hardtop, lots of fun. It's got a big block and 4 wheel manual drum brakes.

[andruboz]

Originally Posted by smashomatic

1965 Galaxie 4 door hardtop, lots of fun. It's got a big block and 4 wheel manual drum brakes.

my sister picked up one of those one summer in college for $50. it had been hit so hard the car 'crabbed' down the road with the back wheels tracking 3-4 inches to the right of the front ones.

[Sniper X]

Originally Posted by PecosBill

A four-door with a hood scoop and an air-dam. Aussies had some weird cars.

Whether on a 4 door, or a 2 door, the ground effects all still work. They do look funky to us Americans on a 4 door solely because we never GOT the whole fast 4 door thing because of the American companies making so many cool 2 door muscle cars, and marketing telling us 4 doors weren't cool. One of my favorite race series is Touring Car.

[Crisis management]

Not in the same class as american muscle cars but the Holden Torana was my dream car as a teenager, brilliant for the tight roads we have here and capable of shutting down almost anything you come across.

http://holden.itgo.com/gtrxu1.html

Sorry no pics (technophobia!)

The only other car that came close was a friends 68 camaro with a mild 350 in it, not a huge top end but as it was an ex circuit racing car again it blew the doors of anything else on the road.

[troidus]

Originally Posted by andruboz

my sister picked up one of those one summer in college for $50. it had been hit so hard the car 'crabbed' down the road with the back wheels tracking 3-4 inches to the right of the front ones.

Could be that the axle had shifted on the spring stack on one side. A friend of mine once had a '75 Camaro that would change its crab depending on how hard he accelerated or braked.

[kobudo28]

Originally Posted by Jeffy

He's dead now, but a local car dealer and notable race car driver (Al Alden) teamed up with a couple of other guys and ran a 6.9 liter Benz in the Cannonball Run. They took second to a couple of guys in a Ferrari, Dan Gurney and Brock Yates. I didn't beleive him until he showed me the trophy and the pictures. The car would flat out fly and I guess more than a few gas pump jockeys dropped their jaws when they opened the trunk to fill an 80 gallon fuel cell.

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by kobudo28

He's dead now, but a local car dealer and notable race car driver (Al Alden) teamed up with a couple of other guys and ran a 6.9 liter Benz in the Cannonball Run. They took second to a couple of guys in a Ferrari, Dan Gurney and Brock Yates. I didn't beleive him until he showed me the trophy and the pictures. The car would flat out fly and I guess more than a few gas pump jockeys dropped their jaws when they opened the trunk to fill an 80 gallon fuel cell.

Another early finisher was two college students who were transporting a new Cadillac to the west coast for a commercial transport company.............