Awful Cars of the 1960's and 1970's and Their Reliability Issues

Some of these poor cars simply did not sell because of their terrible design, while others were underdeveloped and had major safety hazards. On impact, one vehicle would even explode!
These are the worst automobiles of the 1960s and 1970s.
Ford Maverick
It should be pretty clear by now that the 70s clearly weren't the best for Ford Motor Company. The debut of the Maverick back in 1970 only seemed to make matters worse.
AMC Pacer
The Pacer is perhaps one of the quirkiest American vehicles of all time.
Watch the video for more information!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Hello everyone! We want to thank all who have supported our channel. It's because of YOU that we keep growing. If you're not a subscriber, can you PLEASE help us out by clicking the subscribe button? We promise we won't bother you. As always, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OUR VIDEOS! - Michael J - Boca Brothers

[@SuperAsdke]

I own a 74 Gremlin, I think they look neat, and they actually had a decent engine under the hood.

[@SuperAsdke]

@Eric Resnick It was in a garage for about 40 years, and it started up with not much effort. Now it's a wip replacing parts on the verge of breaking, and engine swapping with a better condition JEEP engine. But I love these guys, they are honest most of the time. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Cousin had a Gremlin. Appreciate the feedback. That's what the channel is all about. I didn't appreciate AMC until later in life. Good company. Check out our video on the Ambassador! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWqsY3Saa952n68

[@EVnewbie]

The biggest problem with the Gremlin was it was ugly--and the rear suspension was skittish. It was reliable though, my neighbor had one, called it the cockroach and it was his work car for over a decade. Had to watch out for those nuts that stuffed 401 V-8's in them, dropped right in and the posi off a Hornet Sportablout with trailer package was an easy swap. A Sportabout wagon with 360 V8, posi, anti-roll bars front and rear? Yep, trailer towing package--simple carb swap, a set of headers and that thing was a very fast sleeper. AMC went bust because they were in heavy debt from buying Jeep, the gas crisis actually boosted their sales to record highs in 74 but the economy, gas prices as Japan marched in, the cost of safety standards, failure of the Matodor coupe in 74 drained them. Oddly enough, the best engine that AMC made was based on the 258, the 4.0 and it worked very well and is very reliable...just like the 258 but the new head and FI made it great. You can actually put the 4.0 head on the 258--good stuff. AMC, either too late to the market or too early--they were cursed! Stuff a 401 in a Pacer? Actually, if it came with a 304, you can! The rear end won't hold it though.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@EVnewbie Love Puppy??? CB

[@whoami7721]

My dad had 1975 Gremlin he gave to me. He was a part-time plumber and used to carry water heaters in the back cargo area with the rear seat folded down. There was so much room in the back of that thing. Unfortunately the hatch window broke and he sealed it closed. He could still shimmy water heaters into the back by sliding the front bench seat forward. We both loved it!

[@Apostrophe65]

Let's start with the Maverick, not only was it popular it was actually a good car and was also sold under the Mercury badge as a comet. The Cordoba was a rebadged luxury Charger SE for dodge and Fury for Plymouth. It sold very well for Chrysler and most had the 360 in them. The only reason you don't see many of them now is rust but that was a 70's problem across the board. The pacer may not have sold but the Gremlin sure did. That car was everywhere when I was growing up. What put AMC out of business was most likely the AMC Eagle, the car was way ahead of it's time but was under powered and very unreliable.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

YUP....Please check out our channel. Everything you've stated can be found in our videos. Thanks for your feedback. That's what the channel is all about!

[@gsracer8]

My father put 150,000 miles on his blue Maverick with zero prob's.

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

The Eagle was unreliable? But that’s my favourite crossover.

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

I remember ALL of these 1970's cars. Had a neighbor who bought a 71 Maverick. Painfully slow with the stock 200 inline six. But, he drove it for many years without any apparent incident. My uncle had a 76 Cordoba with the 400 Lean Burn engine. I don't remember him having any issue with it and it was surprisingly fast despite the mediocre HP engine ratings. AMC really botched what could've been a great niche car with their Pacer. They didn't have a Plan B if GM's rotary engine deal went south, as it did. AMC should've asked to buy Buick's 231 V6 engine which would've fit in the engine bay. AMC's straight sixes were an AWFUL fit and the hamfisted attempt to shoehorn them in was all too obvious. AMC Hornets were good all around econo cars. The Concord was clearly what the Hornet really wanted to be. A widow near me had one and she loved it. The Mustang II was just awful. A total let down from the still potent 1973 Mustang Mach I. The Maverick chassis should have been the foundation of the Mustang II instead.

[@garybrinker4522]

I'd love to have a V8 4spd Maverick😎

[@bennetfox]

You left out the Rich Corinthian Leather on the Chrysler Cordoba!!!!!

[@trainglen22]

The Vega. The car that rusted when on the dealership floor. The Omni was a decent car and you can't forget the GLH model. And you forgot that the Hornet was what kept AMC alive and was the starting point for the Concord, AMX in 1977 and 1978, plus the Eagle which was a decent car ahead of the current cuv craze.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

My aunt had an Eagle. Actually my dad's aunt so that made her my second aunt. Lol

[@stanwatkins1877]

How come you did not mention horrible reliability of the 25,000 mile Vega engine. They would sieze pistons to unsleeved aluminum block generally in the low 20K mile range. Really helped the Japanese small cars take over the American car market.

[@chrisshort9097]

I had a Vega and a Pinto the Vega was a piece of trash but I loved the Pinto never gave me any problems.

[@jeffreybrianring6392]

IMO the gremlin looks better than any of the current SUV's built now.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Especially a “ Juke” ( Joke! ). CB

[@danielulz1640]

Get your facts straight! The original Mustang was based entirely on the Falcon and shared its running gear and instrument cluster. The Cordoba was extremely popular and Chrysler's best selling model. Hornet and Gremlin were two of the most reliable cars of the 70's and 80's and AMC's most popular cars. This whole post is riddled with misinformation.

[@foggy634]

Sister bought a Pacer, "teacher in a goldfish bowl" After 1 year of non stop repairs sold it. Bought a Civic - all shes driven since. Aunt had a Hornet. Terrible.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for your comment. You're slightly correct but no dice. Your view of the cars is ALL subjective and so is mine. As a matter of fact. I don't agree with all of the list either. I grabbed it through research. We asked viewers to comment on whether they agree with the list or not. DON'T LET THE VIDEO RUIN YOUR DAY ? - - - - RELAX A BIT. It's only a video.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

As most anti-American/pro foreign car videos are. Granted, the 1971 Vega, 1971 Pinto & 1970 ( early ) Ford Mavericks were made with out inner ( plastic ) front fender linings/ an inexpensive add-on, which would have reduced the ( Northern U. S.) rust-out issues. I worked at a Ford dealer ( parts dept. ) from 1976-1980, and the newer Pintos/ Mavericks had plastic inner fender shields. Penny wise, yet pound foolish. I also worked for a Pontiac/ Honda dealer ( parts dept. again ). 1980’s- early 1990’s. You should have seen the Civics and Accords front fender/front strut towers, So rusted out, cars were deemed unsafe, Honda would, at least buy them back for $200, then scrap them all. So, in review, all car brands had their good , and yes, their bad ( cheapened by lack of parts that would have saved the car makers tons of $$ ( the Pinto fuel filler pipe outer 1/4 panel ( black ) steel reinforcement was a joke, 4 screws to bolt it on, customers complained they weren’t even painted!, but the D7AZ 8600 A fan blade recall across the board( except the Pinto 1600 ) was a mandated safety recall which ended deaths to mechanics by fan blades flying off and killing those poor souls. Again, most car makers ( their “ bean counters” )... Penny wise, YET pound foolish. CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Dad bought Mom ( in August 1974 ) a new Olds Delta 88 sedan. When salesman opened the hood, Dad saw ONE hood spring on one side, and an impression for a second one. Asking the salesman why, he replied that GM saved 11 cents ( ELEVEN CENTS) per Delta 88, buy just having one! Cheap B---s! CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@foggy634 Northern U. S. Civics rust out issues were a safety concern, due o the winter salt/ calcium chloride road snow $ ice melting mixture. CN

[@rangerrick816]

I had a 1973 AMC Hornet with the 258ci six cylinder - one of the best cars I've ever owned - I had it for years and over 100,000 miles and never a lick of trouble. You should have mentioned that most of the Corvettes of the 1970's were terrible.

[@jonathansimpson3545]

I have a 1976 AMC Hornet currently that I've been working on restoring, the engine still runs great and hasn't let me down yet

[@BELCAN57]

The Hornet was a very good automobile. The body style lasted from 1970 as the Hornet to 1978 as the Concord thru the end of AMC as the Eagle in the mid 1980's

[@VitoVeccia]

And it was a unibody construction, very rare for the time period.

[@tommywatterson5276]

For a small car, the Dodge Omni was a tight, quality feeling auto. The one in the family we had , sported the VW 4 cylinder. The engine was smooth running, a smooth as silk fun to drive 5 speed manual trans, had power and pull with FWD, it rode well, and you could put 5 people in it with grocery room under the hatchback. It got 40 mpg on highway too. Was a great little car.

[@wescam2958]

The ones with the Simca engine was a very different experience.

[@trainglen22]

I agree, the Plymouth Horizon was the twin. I learned to drive in one(along with a Madza GLC.)

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

MotorTrend 1978 Car of the Year. CB

[@markw9285]

the Plymouth version of the Omni was the Horizon. It was available in a 'TC3' version which was a more sporty looking vehicle. (The Omni had its 'O23' version which was basically the same thing). One of my favorite cars to drive. Handling was far superior to the FOX body Mustang of that time and it looked just as good. As an added bonus it had FWD. I put almost 300K miles on mine. Had to do a valve job on the VW engine, but otherwise it was a reliable engine. Didn't have any problems with the automatic transmission. The transmission gears had a finely tuned sound that gave a sense that things were 'meshing' just right when you were 'at speed'.. Only problem was the body's build quality. Lots of rust issues. Still remember it handling better than any sedan type car that I have driven to this day.

[@tommywatterson5276]

@@markw9285 yea, the Omni we had was a fun to drive with the manual tranny, the body was tight, engine and trans was tight and smooth, high mpg, just a great little car. I'm glad you enjoyed your horizon.

[@timhastings9360]

I've owned AMC Hornets a Gremlin, a Rebel and a 1967 Rambler American 2 door hard top. I'd love to get my hands on another AMC Hornet or a 1967 Rambler2 door coupe. I like cars that no one else would want.

[@jonathansimpson3545]

I have a 1976 AMC Hornet that I've been working on restoring, I love it

[@dmandman9]

I don’t think the Maverick was intended to be anything other than basic transportation. It was the successor to the Falcon. We had the Grabber and a few sporty options. They sold well and were reliable. I don’t think they tried to compete with European cars. That was the Granada which was pretty much a gussied up slightly larger Maverick.

[@davidpancerev9658]

Was the 'Grabber' exclusively an eight cylinder? Worthy model though.

[@dmandman9]

@@davidpancerev9658 I believe it was

[@boboren8246]

Really cannot agree with that list the Mavericks the pintos and the AMC products they all ran forever I don't know where you got your facts

[@jaypeterson7637]

My youngest brother had a Comet. Great car and reliable.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Please understand that the list is ALL SUBJECTIVE. This means what you think should NOT be on the list, others think IT SHOULD. In fact, it isn't even my list and I don't agree with all of it. Thank you for your comment. Just want to make it clear.

[@jaypeterson7637]

@@ThisOldCarChannel Often times text messages may come across as vindictive/trite. I like to comment on any video I appreciate watching to help the Utube algorithm. Like the old saying goes, "Opinions are like.......everyone has one". 👍😉🤗

[@ericknoblauch9195]

The Chevette also was very durable, and ran forever. I had one, and put over 200,000 miles on it. All I did to it was tune ups, oil changes, and fluid changes. It never broke down. If Chevy made it again, I would buy another one.

[@sledawgpilot]

Girlfriend had a Horizon. When we got married I used it as a cheap commuter. It was ok except for the smogged carb. Manual transmission probably helped for power. It ran quite awhile

[@kl0wnkiller912]

My first car was a 1971 AMC Hornet. It had a good engine and ran well. The interior was poor quality but pretty much every car from the 1970s had cheap interiors so i think you were a bit unfair with the Hornet. As to the Maverick, it really wasn't a bad car and the Maverick Grabber with the V-8 is a sought after collectable today. The V-8 was anemic but this was the begining of the 'emission control' era and all American V-8s had serious horsepower issues. I used to work in a dyno tune shop in high school in the late 70s. Even a Corvette on 1979 had a hard time getting 60-70 HP to the rear wheels.

[@richardb7977]

The corvair's handling suffered from people not keeping the tires inflated to the recommended pressures. They were supposed to be kept at different pressures from the front to the rear.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the feedback. That's what the channel is all about!

[@Fokkerc1]

As always, these reports aren't based on 1st hand knowledge. Rumors and non fact based legends persist.

[@MisterMikeTexas]

There were a lot of Mavericks, Pintos, and Mustang II's in the 1970s. The Pinto actually wasn't that bad a car. And many sources say it was no less safe than its contemporaries of the time. The gas tank safety issue affected the 71 - 76 models. It was resolved starting with the 77s.

[@WhittyPics]

They wouldn't even have had that issue if they didn't scrimp on a 50 cent part

[@MisterMikeTexas]

@@WhittyPics Iacocca wanted the car under 2000 lb and under $2K. What Iacocca wanted, Iacocca got. Few people under the suits level challenged him.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

TRUE!

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Fords ( cheap ) recall fix... black steel filler neck reinforcement held on by 4 sheet metal screws, didn’t even paint black part for customers. CB

[@semiretired86]

if Iaccocca just hadn't been so stubborn and frankly delusional so Ford could have recalled sooner then the reputation of the Pintowould have been better

[@diegosilang4823]

I am disagree with AMC pacer being "ugly" The design was clean, reasonably well proportioned and fairly futuristic.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Beauty of course Being in the eye of the Beholder.CB

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thank you all for sharing your opinions. That's what it's all about.

[@FasterNLouder]

Nobody really has anything to say about the Pacer besides, “uh…it’s ugly?” Ok, but it sold pretty damn well for the first few years. Same with the Gremlin, which lasted 8 years and continued as the Sprit. The AMC straight 6 was one of the most reliable engines of all time and stayed in production under Chrysler all the way up to 2004. Being “ugly” doesn’t make it a bad car.

[@BillLaBrie]

The Pacer was ok, but disappointing. We were promised a rotary-powered car of the future. We got a heavy Gremlin.

[@felixbaum48]

In its first year of production, the Pacer sold 145,528 units. Not really a failure for AMC.

[@steve119100]

I remember the big selling point for the 1969 Maverick was the $1995 base price. It was kept under $2000 because a shelf was used instead of a glove compartment. We had a yellow 1971 Maverick. It ran until about 1984, mine by then. I replaced it with a brand new, shiny 1984 Ford Tempo.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Ford Tempo/ Mercury Tooaz... many recalls.CB

[@indy69541]

@@EmmyPierz-ek7hi no recalls on mine drove it 200000 k before i sold it it was very reliable

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@indy69541 2.3 Harmonic Balancers went out All The Time. Maybe you just Bought 3 or 4 instead of letting Ford do the recall ???? CB

[@lrvb7279]

All AMC cars were outstanding automobiles

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Maybe all were not outstanding, but all were Unique, in styling. Dare To Be Different. CB

[@DerrickOil]

My Uncle bought 4 Chevettes from 1978-1986. No major issues from what I recall.

[@davidpancerev9658]

They weren't all bad, just not powerful.

[@jamesp13152]

My math says they lasted two years each Derrick. No major issues?

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

Can't fathom why Chevy didn't think to offer the 2.5 L Pontiac engine as an option later on. It would've been a natural upgrade.

[@__hjg__2123]

Oh yes sir!!! I LOVED my Hornet!!!!!!!!! the bug emblem on the hood, the plaid seats and that massive-oversized steering wheel........ I looked good!

[@EVnewbie]

The Mustang II should of been called the Maverick II and never offered with a V8. Problem solved! The MII was a decent enough, sporty economy car perfect for the 70's gas crunch. Wrong name though. The Hornet was used for 18 model years as the Hornet, Spirit, Concord and the Jeep Eagle wagons and SX4s. Very realiable drive trains, outstanding safety scores in comparison, roomy 108 inch wheelbases etc. Safe, reliable, roomy, decent economy for a 6, 2 doors, 4 doors, hatchbacks, 4WD versions--great cars for the time. It was one of the best cars for the 70's, not exciting, not pretty but good solid, safe transportation. I think you are confusing pretty and performance with reliable and economical. Oddly enough, more people died from VW Beetle rear end collisions than the Pinto--history proved it was average and VW was the worst. The Vega? They killed a lot of mosquitoes and the engine blew up before the car rusted out--that was it's safety feature! :D

[@lawrencerosen8444]

The Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare should have been on the list. Recalls and prone to rust.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Sad really, looked @ 1976 Brown Dodge Aspen R/T wagon @ Dodge dealership... Rusty frt/rr chrome bumpers. CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

BrandNew. CB

[@bcm12079]

I heard the aspen/volare were the most recalled cars in history. No wonder Chrysler corporation almost went bankrupt in the 1980s

[@woxyroxme]

The GM X body cars broke the recall record the Aspen/Volaré set. The old mopar A body cars (Dart/Valiant) were way better than the Aspens and Volarés

[@mikesawyer4707]

My mothers first new car in 1983 was a bright red chevette sedan with the hatch back. We live in Michigan so she had it rustporoofed and had it for a good nine years or more of basically trouble free operation. I was with her when she bought it and she paid $7075.00 cash for it and just loved it and was so very proud of it.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

God Bless your mom Happy Mother’s Day. CB

[@MRBUCKY12345]

I have owned 4 AMC Hornets,no problem or issues with any of them. I also bought a 77 pacer wagon very good car only problem was in winter windshield would freeze up when snowing

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

The Greenhouse “ GLASS “effect. Superior outside vision, with that minor fl

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Get it??? CB

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for sharing. AMC was a great company. Just always late in the game.

[@joemazzola7387]

The Cordoba was exactly what people were looking for Chrysler version of the Monte Carlo The v/8 Maverick was not underpowered The Omni,,,/ horizon was very competitive at the time The hornet lived from 1970 to 1984 as the eagle

[@t.b.g.504]

Exactly, the Cordoba was an intermediate, the size of vehicle that many were starting to prefer and move down to size-wise after Oil Crisis I.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@t.b.g.504 Wasn’t at all an “ economy car” They sold well due to the MC,GP,Elite. CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

And Recardo Montobalm “ the new SMALL Chrysler “ tv ad. CB

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thank you for sharing with us. Loved me the 77 Monte! Was never a Chrysler guy but did like the style.

[@19chucki74]

Both my aunt and late uncle owned 1976 Ford Gran Torino Elites, drove them and eventually the 302s blew up in them. The oil crisis hit the auto industry hard in that decade.

[@wescam2958]

Yes the two oil crisis's did hit the U.S. auto industry hard, but it was a blessing to the Japanese auto industry in the U.S.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@wescam2958 TWO OPEC oil embargoes: March/ April 1974 AND Summer 1979. I worked @ a Standard Oil of Ohio ( Sohio ) the first one, family cars were ALWAYS full, I gassed them up Every morning ( the benefits of pumping gas during THAT period, Rode a bicycle to work Summer of 1979, when that “ Dreaded”third blank placard sign went up in front of the first 9 in 99.9. One $ a gallon gas soon, waz THAT ever a shock!CB

[@ljmorris6496]

A bit of defense for the cars. 1 The Maverick replaced the Falcon, not exactly competition with Mercedes, 2. The Pacer was supposed to get a rotory engine from GM (which the styling was supposed to reflect this) GM never release the rotory, screwing over AMC. 3. If wasn't for the Mustang II, they wouldn't been a Mustang today due to it sold 400k copies that year in '74. 5. Personal luxury coupes were the rage, sells of the Cardoba and Elite reflect this back then. 6. AMC never went "out of business" infact they were bouncing back in the '80s with Jeep and Renault when Chrysler bought them out

[@wescam2958]

Actually #6 is incorrect. Renault was the major stock holder of AMC at the end and gave up on the American market thus selling AMC to Chrysler. Renault cars which by then made up nearly the entire line of AMC (except Jeep and the Eagle) just did not hold up to American motorists demands.

[@FullTimeGT]

You're right. 1. Maverick. Yes it replaced the Falcon, and it was a good car. 3. Mustang II were not a bad car at all. They were just under powered. Also, no Mustang II, no Mustang after. It saved the brand. 6. AMC/Jeep were in bad financial situation and Chrysler bought them. They never went out of business.

[@t.b.g.504]

Also, the Ford Grand Torino Elite and the Mercury Cougar shared a platform, nothing unusual as most Ford products outside of Lincoln had a Ford or Mercury variation.

[@rickymack2611]

I always thought that 74 Elite was classy looking

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Same here. That and the 77 Monte Carlo

[@dmandman9]

We had the Ford Torino and Elite and we had the Mercury Montego/Cougar and The Cougar XR7 . Not any different than the Chevy Malibu and Monte Carlo. Many personal near luxury cars were built on the same platform as their lower level Sedans. That wasn’t a bad thing.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

For sure! It joined the M/C, the GP, and the Córdoba, everyone wanted those personal luxury coupes mid 1970’s. My buddy owned a Triple black Ford Elite... a real beauty! CB

[@wdh47211]

Please do a video on the history of the Oldsmobile Cutlass. I've owned several and miss seeing them. Loved those cars.

[@markcollins2666]

As an Army mechanic veteran, my first boss was a Vietnam vet, who bought a Cutlass convertible, as soon as he was discharged from the Marines. We then formed sort of a "Cutlass club", with maybe 12 cars among us. I owned 5, 2 or 3 at a time, at times. It's too bad that shade tree mechanics has gone out of style as a hobby.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

1976/77 waterfall grilled Cutlasses Best selling car in America Until the downsized ‘77 Impala/Caprice took the top spot. CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@markcollins2666 GOD Bless our V.nam vets, We owe you EVERYTHING!😢 CB

[@HowardJrFord]

The kids that made this video probably have zero experience with any of these cars . They probably never changed a spark plug in a lawnmower .

[@christopherkraft1327]

Great list. My sister had a 74 Maverick with the luxury decor option & the 302 V8. It was a good car & she drove it for several years!!! 🎉

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Maverick LDO 1973-74 Pre-cursor to the 1975 Granada/ Monarch

[@danr1920]

Had a '76 Pontiac Astre, aChevy Vega clone. Steel sleeves and better rust proofing solved its most famous problems, but it still was the car from **** when it came to reliability issues. Build quality was awful. The person I bought it from bought a Honda, I replaced it with a Ford. That isn't how entry level cars are supposed to work. I own a Corvair, it's a great car, it actually handle well. If AMC hadn't come out without the Hornet, by 73 or so they would have been out of business, no money for the Jeep Cherokee, no one would have bought the Jeep brand as it hand only slow sellers that were way out of date, No Hornet means Jeep would just be a memory of a WW2 vehicle.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Saw the Pontiac 1974 Astres June ‘74 returning from Ontario Canada vaca.@ Canada Pontiac dealerships: pumpkin Orange, a year later, they were here. CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

1970 Hornet & 1974 Matador “ aero” coupe ( some went to NASCAR ) both stayed AMC’s execution til the 80’s. Such a shame/ memorable cars ( Gremlin X, Pacer X ). CB

[@richarddavis1646]

I had a manuel 1970 Maverick. It drove well and had a reliable six in it. I could work on the car quite easily. It rusted like so many other 70s cars. I wouldn't call it s failure by any means.

[@kevincothron5089]

You guys nailed it. Mustang II was the biggest fail even though a lot of them got sold. Not a Mustang. Nope. AMC Pacer was doomed from the start with the giant windows. It was a greenhouse on wheels. I like the Gremlin. Thought they were cool.

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

I remember the Pacer very well. Their deal with GM for rotary engines fell through and they were forced to do a hamfisted job to shoehorn their straight six under the hood. Just awful for maintenance. IMO, AMC could've saved the Pacer if they had a Plan B on hand i.e. ask GM to buy Buick 231 V6 engines instead. The V6 would've fit perfectly under the hood and the dashboard could've been moved forward a bit. That would've let AMC move the front seat forward which would then enable a full size rear seat to be put in; instead of the clumsy afterthought that the Pacer's rear seat was.

[@8avexp]

My uncle actually had, in that order, a '72 Maverick and a '75 Pacer and a '79 or '80 Bobcat. The Maverick and Bobcat were bought new (he was a Ford guy) while the Pacer was bought used. My cousin had a '74 Vega. I think it lasted two or three years. And we had a '74 Hornet that actually lasted 12 1/2 years before my father sold it to a coworker.

[@charlesb7019]

I owned a 1976 Mustang II. ☹️ what a dog. Have to say that compared to the cars of today the Pacer is a beauty queen!!

[@smellsuperb1]

Hornets were some of the most reliable small cars in the country at that time.

[@madmike2624]

My best friend and I ram the streets in a Gremlin many moons ago, that thing would run just fine on 2 stroke fuel! and never left us stranded..

[@satxser]

The Pacer did come from the factory with a case of Windex.

[@davidkastin4240]

LOFL 😂

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

That's too funny! Thanks for watching everyone!

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@ThisOldCarChannel yeah Funny like a heart attack! LOL! CB

[@dennisclouser3458]

Funny thing.... for all the fires that doomed the Ford Pinto, Teslas are having more fires.

[@rickintexas1584]

This video is a great review of the cars of this time period. I learned to drive in 1979 in my mother’s Mustang II. That car looked nice, but it had absolutely no power. My girlfriend had a Gremlin, which was definitely a funky car. Thankfully I bought a 73 Buick Skylark with a 350 which was my high school car. That car was awesome and definitely does not belong on the list of bad cars.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Luved the 1974-1978 Mustang II’s, but being a GM guy, bought new ‘75&1/2 Triple Firethorn red Monza Towne Coupe with 2 bb. 140 inline 4 with a BW manual 5 speed tranny. CB

[@jacktegel3953]

Great job with this video. In the 70s and 80s, I owned a 1973 Chevy Vega, a 1970s Ford Pinto, a 1978 Mustang II. The worst of the three was the Vega. It developed bad valve stem seals which would leak oil into the cylinders and cause fouling of the spark plugs to the point where they would not fire. I would have included the Plymouth Horizon TC3, which I also owned, and the Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen on the list.

[@nonelost1]

I'm surprised the Volare/Aspen cars were not listed. I still remember the plethora of "for sale" ads in the newspaper classifieds for one year old 1976 models in 1977. A church friend had a 1977 Aspen that she told me went through 4 transmissions.

[@Flies2FLL]

At 2.54 we hear the announcer say that Chevy offered the Vega "with a flat-four beneath the hood"? No, the Vega had a 2.3 liter SOHC aluminum inline four. And this engine was the problem: They installed a WAY TOO SMALL radiator, and the first time the engine at all overheated, the head would warp and the engine needed to be replaced. They also had electrolysis issues, which should not have happened because GM had the same issue 10 years earlier with the Buick 215 CID V8 cars..... Hello?

[@Theospeak1]

Decent list but couldn't disagree more regarding the Cordoba. It was a great car for it's time. By far Chrysler's largest seller of the 70's.

[@2packs4sure]

That was silly,,, the Ford Maverick was a Falcon replacement it was designed to be a cheap affordable car and they sold at least a couple million of them during the production run... My mom had a red 1972 V8 two door ,, it was an excellent car ,, very peppy,, and served well for almost 10 years until it got side swiped by a JCPenney truck.. The only problem it ever had was a bad master cylinder and towards the end the air conditioning had given up..

[@csumme7]

I had three Chevettes. A 77 ,78, and 79. My brother had a Bobcat. All great cars at the time.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

1976: Scotter, Base, Rally & Woody options CB

[@JeffDeWitt]

I got two minutes in and had enough. Just because YOU don't like the way a car looks that doesn't make it a bad car. The Maverick didn't pretend to be anything other than what it was, an inexpensive compact car. The Pacer was a perfectly good car with quality on par with other cars of the era, The Mustang II was the car Ford needed for that era, the Mustang had gotten too big, and the II was taking it back to its roots. The original Mustang was based on the Falcon, just as the II was loosely based on the Pinto. Further, if it hadn't been for the Mustang II the Mustang name likely would have died and there would never have been any Fox bodies or any of the other great Mustangs that have come along since. The 70's were a tough time for the auto industry. Increased competition, regulations, the oil crunches, it's hardly surprising that with all of that going on quality and driveability suffered.

[@pattyeverett2826]

Our family owned three Mavericks and a Comet in the 1970s. All of these were plain, but reliable cars. I purchased and still own a 1978 Mustang II. It is not the best car ever, but is also not the worst. Ford sold over 1 million of these. Quality was not the best, with a bent axle from the factory, but I can also tell you horror stories from my co-workers who bought other US brands. Especially the ones who bought GM products in that era. I can also tell you non-horror stories about the very reliable Toyota Celicas bought in the same era. As to my Mustang II, I bought the v8, but should have bought the 4 cylinder or v6. The v8 makes the car nose heavy, and it has a low mpg rating. Also, Ford did not size the radiator correctly for where I live, Texas, causing overheating issues. At the time, I was concerned about the reliability of the 4-cylinder and v6, but later on I had a Ford Ranger with the same 4-cylinder engine and it went almost 300,000 miles. The engine in the Pinto was not part of it's problems.

[@mikeperry6794]

Pinto,Maverick, Hornet. All very reliable cars.

[@jamesschroeder7928]

Had 3 Omni/Horizons. Got 35 to 48 mpg. Brakes were fine; steering was easy; and we enjoyed them till 125000 mi. You guys are not credible.

[@domv7]

We love you doing these video.Thank You fellows keep up the good work.

[@marklane61]

If you have never driven a pacer you shouldnt be crapping on them. The one I drove was as comfortable as the chrysler new yorker and lincoln continental that I drove. A friend had an elite. Extremely comfortable with plenty of power and decent handling. A friend had a vega. Not comfortable but quick and fun. A friend had an omni 2.2. Fast little car with excellent handling. A friend had a gremlin. Not comfortable but lightning fast with the v8.

[@Brianscoronet]

AMC 6 cylinder engines are some of the best engines made, very reliable and lots of torque.

[@warrenjr527]

How did you miss the horrible Plymouth Volare/ Dodge Aspen Twins. From it's many design flaws prompting recalls to pathetic quality control these cars were atrocious ,and contributed to Chrysler's near bankruptcy in 1980. I owned a 1978 Volare . It was by far the worst car I ever owned. I have not even considered a Chrysler product since. Some parts that failed were of the are you kidding me type. A examples pittman arm attaching the windshield wipers to the motor, doors freezing open refusing to latch, and pinholes developing in multiple radiators. I went through 3 transmissions, 2 alternators and starters, in the first year of ownership. Electrical issues were a constant problem with the vehicle.

[@MrTPF1]

Looking back on these models, they might not be competitive in today's auto market, but in their day, most were all VERY popular and common sights on the road. I owned a Chevette (slow but not a bad car) and a Mustang II (absolute dog of a car) and my girlfriend had a Pinto which she loved.

[@RedRuffinsore]

I bought a brand new Pontiac Le Mans in 1973. It had a 12 month warranty. The paint started flaking off starting month 14. Dealer and Pontiac couldn't have cared less. Less than a year later, I had replaced the alternator, air conditioning and water pump. The shocks and springs were shot soon after. Sold it at 36 months old and 50,000 miles. Good riddance.

[@dmandman9]

Most of the cars on this list were typical of their day. Not exceptional. But not any worse than the rest. Many sold well and still have good reputations. The Vega was trash. The pacer was butt ugly. But the rest were ok for what they were

[@doylemcmillen5073]

The Maverick was a good reliable car. It was discontinued because it was better than the Mustang at that time

[@georgehenderson7783]

You put Maverick in here?! LMAO The Maverick ruled. Stylish, easy on gas, RELIABLE and cheap! It was a big hit the first few years with sales sliding in the final years, it was never meant to be sold for more than 5 years anyway.

[@schadlarry]

My dad let me take his 1970 AMC Hornet, 3 speed on the column for my first ever driving lesson. Didn't look as sporty as the samples in the video. The Gremlin actually looks cool. My mom had a 76 Ford Elite. Wish they still had column shifters. No way a kid, thief could figure that out. I drive a 5 speed which should be good enough but the gears are marked on the shifter so it's possible they could figure it out.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Manual transmissions are now know as Millennials anti-theft device. CB

[@falcon664]

Don't worry, even if they can see the gears they can't figure out the clutch. That stops them every time.

[@oneshot8726]

These may not have been the best cars but I don't remember too many being recalled like so many of the POS's being made today

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

My boss owned a 1973 Vega but was hit by a drunk driver and it was totaled so she bought a 1974. She drove 75 miles each way to work. I used to take her car on company time and sit in gas lines to fill it up for her. Great times.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Not if you worked in 1974 as a Petroleum Dispensing Engineer... Pumps were closed @ noon Service bays ( & us young kids) Faced treats/ harassment from drivers stopping after their work, Fuel gauges almost “E”. Unsafe work environment, kids TODAY would NOT have stood a chance. CB

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

My uncle owned two. The last was totalled. An 18 wheeler passed a red light and it hit the front qtr of the vega. Swung my uncles vega into a ditch. I remember as a teen our family driving to San Antonio from Corpus Christi to visit my cousins for the weekend. Man...he was all bruised up.

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

@@EmmyPierz-ek7hi Started work at 7 00 am. And yes I did do as I said. I am now 70 years old.

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

@@EmmyPierz-ek7hi Did you read the comment, I went to the pumps in the morning on company time yes pumps were open. remember when you went to get gas according to your plate odd and even number days, I was there.

[@jimowens381]

I had a '64 Corvair convertible, first car, and a '78 Pinto. They both ran very well. The rap on the Corvair was nothing more than a money making stunt by a guy who wanted attention. I wish I had the Corvair back.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

agree

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Ralph NAILer.... first of the Obiden liberals.CB

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

I completely disagree. I think that all of those cars were super nice and very well made. Sure the Vega and the Pinto weren’t very well made, but in my opinion, I love those '60s and '70s cars.

[@theconciergerecommends3981]

The Cordoba was actually a downsized personal car and actually sold well. By '77 there was a big market for 2 door luxury coupes...

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@hardlife8122]

. I had in nineteen, seventy nine, a nineteen, seventy two, four door, grey Hornet . I brought it, to get back, and fourth too work, and back . It had a straight six, with small carburetor, rear wheel drive . It was an excellent, dependable, impressive, little car . gb* ~ hard life (MULDEW)

[@jamesmyers9285]

Regardless of how you try to downgrade the Cordoba, there was a waiting list for the car and they sold 150,105 the first year.

[@jamesmcintire3800]

I disagree with most of your list. Some of the cars you say were some of the worst ever such as the Maverick and Hornet were actually very good cars for their time. As well as the Ford Pinto and Mercury Bobcat. The fuel tank issue was blown way out of proportion by an overzealous press out for blood. The Dodge Omni may have had some issues early on but those problems were remedied by about the mid-80’s and it eventually became a decent little car and made a lot of money for Chrysler. And you pick on the Chrysler Cordoba as if that were the only large American car left on the market. That’s not true. American drivers had not lost their desire for big cars and they still haven’t. In fact the personal luxury coupe segment to which the Cordoba belonged was the hottest selling market segment in the 70’s and 80’s. The best selling car in the 70’s was the Oldsmobile Cutlass, which was every bit as big and plush as the Cordoba.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and opinion. That's that the channel is all about!

[@honestone490]

@@ThisOldCarChannel A better response is "Thanks man this helps me to make even better videos in the future."

[@tommythomason6187]

The later Dodge Omnis of the late 1980s were actually pretty good with the Chrysler 2.2-litre engine. Consumer Report stated it had excellent braking and strong acceleration. I had one. It ran 13 years in stop and go traffic. Good looking little car, too, w/burgandy interior, bucket seats, and rally wheels. I put bigger, white-letter tires on - gave it a racy look., and I kept it up, mechanically and cosmetically. I never had reliability issues with it until it got old.

[@billyclub9733]

Those 2.2L were actually a horror show! Chrysler, at one point, was putting them in most of their fwd products... Omni/Horizon, K cars, Caravan/Voyager, and even the LeBaron. They were SERIOUSLY notorious for their blown head gaskets. I worked in a garage in the 80s and I could tell you first hand how many of these came through with this issue

[@tommythomason6187]

@@billyclub9733 Sorry to hear that. I never had that problem.

[@billyclub9733]

@Tommy Thomason guess you were one of the lucky ones. I've seen at least a dozen+ with that problem

[@mikesawyer4707]

We purchased a dodge omni from my dad. We had it for about three years it was great in gas but the three speed shifter broke on us and could not find replacement part. So we traded for a used olds cutlass.

[@bl4558]

Mustang II is the THIRD gen Mustang. The "II" didn't designate what series it was ... it was to differentiate it as a re-imagining. Like the "LTD II"

[@cowtowncustoms2110]

I bought a new Chevy Monza 2+2 in 1977 because it was good on gas and sporty looking. I was a Grumpy Jenkins fan and wanted to race mine after I paid it off. It didn't last that long! I was putting water in the radiater every day. After several trips to the service dept I waited to be first in one day. I was 6'4", 215lbs and mad, he threatend to call the police if I did not leave. After a call to Chevy zone office I got a letter from the dealer owner and Chevy. After some failed attempts to fix it they replaced the motor. I got rid of it it not long after that.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and sharing your past with us!

[@wescam2958]

The Monza was just a rebadged Vega.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

My new 1975&1/2 Monza Town Coupe 140 C. I. 4 cylinder was equipped with a coolant overflow thank, an irritating orange buzzing LowCoolant warning lite on dash, which came on upon a cold start, and a 5 year/ 60,000 additional warranty on the engine. Never a problem with engine NOR overheating. One should get into a ( good) habit of checking ones fluid levers, at least, every other fuel fill up. Just common sense. CB

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

LEVELS not levers

[@marknease1631]

I always thought the 2-door AMC Matador Barcelona hatchback looked awful.

[@henryturnerjr3857]

I know some guys that kept those cars going for years though. I knew an older guy that bought a Hornet from a junkyard for $100 drove it through the 90s. He seldom drove over 35 mph though.

[@sf-dn8rh]

The worst car I ever owned, Datsun 210, early 1980. Car got horrible gas mileage, averaging 16 to 24 mpg on an a 14 engine, electrical and brake issues. Traded it in on a merc that got 28 mpg.

[@markdonnelly3277]

I have a '79 Versailles and bought it in 2009 from a famous adult movie actress from southern California...

[@t.b.g.504]

Regarding the Chevy Chevette advert @ 4:59, there was a long-running joke that 'Drive you Happy' meant that it would drive you mad, or crazy!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Lol.....I forgot about that.

[@markbanash921]

The Maverick also lacked any rust proofing. My wife's Dad had one, and she tells me of watching the road past underneath her feet through the rust holes in the floor pan of the passenger seat.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Rumor Ford had used recycled Japanese steel in their 1970- cars/ trucks. Shame that most rusted away/ beautiful body Styles:69-70&71-72 LTD/Galaxy’s/500’s, 1972 GranTorino GT fastback( my cousin had a new brown ‘72, with yellow (front) to dark brown ( rear ) “ Strobe” stripe. CB

[@user-cy1ek2tn2q]

Just out of college I bought a Chevy Chevette scooter . It had cardboard like inner door panels and no frills . I liked it with no major issues . It was an improvement from the ‘77 automatic anemic Pinto I had been driving .

[@alpine1600s]

Lesson: Consumer Reports is completely biased.

[@jrussellcase]

THANK YOU. People get mad and quite defensive when I tell them the Mustang II was merely a glossed up Pinto and a laughable car. You guys made my day. 😁

[@whoami7721]

So many of these cars were very popular and sold like hotcakes. The Vega, Hornet, and Pinto in particular were ubiquitous on America's roads in the 1970s. It was only after they'd been on the market that problems in their design or fit and finish began to come to light. The Chevrolet Vega has to be the one of the worst built vehicles in American automotive history. It's cast-iron engine block was prone to failure and it's body tended to rust in wet climates. The Ford Pinto's problems are well known. Many of these cars were rushed into production to combat rising gas prices and competition from Japanese automakers and they just weren't that well-made. My first car was a 1975 AMC Gremlin that my dad had owned. I got it in 1999 and it had about 110,000 miles on it. Any car made recently is expected to make it 200,000 miles with regular maintenance, but this car had had it. It sat in the driveway more than it ran. The engine stalled, it burned oil, the radiator was cracked, and all of the wheels locked up once. It was hell trying to get it towed. Cars weren't made to last back then!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Yes...they sold very well. Thank you for sharing your opinion and your past with us.

[@whoami7721]

@@ThisOldCarChannel your welcome, and I love the channel.

[@billwillis134]

Maybe you should start calling yourselves the “Karen brothers “

[@MillerMeteor74]

Regarding the Pacer, being quirky or ugly doesn't make it a terrible or "awful" car. 4:51- "The Cordoba was a massive coupe..." It was not massive by any stretch of the imagination. It was much smaller than all other Chrysler Division models. It was considered a mid-size car. As stated in some of its first TV commercials it was "The new small Chrysler". Also I never heard of the Corvair being referred to as one of the worst cars of its time. From what I remember hearing, they were not as bad as Ralph Nader made them out to be. On a different note, back in the day my parents owned 3 station wagons, all bought new. The first was a Volvo, I believe a 1970 model. On the way home from the dealership the driveshaft dropped out onto the highway. Sometime later the carburetors developed severe leaks, which ultimately caused an underhood fire. Their third wagon was a new 1975 Chrysler Town and Country (3-seat). Almost from the get-go it had carburetion issues. It would buck and hesitate when pulling out of the driveway, and sometimes stall out. They had to take it in for adjustments many, many times. After 2 or 3 years it started rusting behind the wheels. They got rid of it in `79. Also my grandparents bought a new Plymouth Volare after their `66 Chrysler Newport got wrecked. That Volare had issues with brakes unexpectedly locking up, and one time that caused a minor fire.

[@markbanash921]

Also, the poor quality of the Omni saved my life. It would horribly hesitate in the time between when you pressed the pedal and it actually moved. A truck ran a red light and if my Omni hadn't paused the truck would have struck the driver's side door instead of the front wheel.

[@georgehenderson7783]

That was pure luck. You want something that moves the instant you press the pedal, not hesitates. Glad it worked out for you though! 🥲

[@SCRAMBLER390]

Parents bought a brand new 1977 Toyota Corolla, and for second vehicle they bought a 1978 chevette. It spent more time at dealership with transmission issues. They ended up trading it in 1980. What a POS

[@bryanaisenbrey7188]

I think you should widen your scope to include some of the imports that were equally lacking in power, styling and dependability. There were plenty of imports from Japan and Europe that lacked refinement and rusted away as fast as the Chevy Vega.

[@davidpancerev9658]

Enter Plymouth Cricket.

[@johnreitz5676]

Plus ANY French cars...

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Early Honda Civics in northern states. CB

[@nonelost1]

I had two Mavericks, a '75 4 door and a '77 2 door. They were good cars, except for lousy gas mileage. Though to be fair, I used them on stop and go newspaper delivery. Also, I remember a coworker's wife said their '72 Maverick was a good car, though she emphasized it had lousy gas mileage. They used theirs for average driving, not stop and go delivery. So I take it that Mavericks were not good on gas compared to other compact cars.

[@tedholvey2271]

I think you guys are right on!! I grew up in the 60's & we didn't have any of these cars. We had pontiacs, & ford & chevrolets trucks.

[@michaelmichniak7287]

I always thought the 65-69 Corvair convertible was one of the best looking cars of the 60's!

[@stevedeleon8775]

THE PINTO/MUSTANG II..My brother has a So Called COBRA MUSTANG II what saved his 'Stang is that he put a High Output 302 V8 out of a wrecked FOX BODY ..It Hauls Ass Now

[@thelorax7704]

Me and Jay Leno totally disagree on the Corvair. That car was ahead of it's time, and their was misinformation on it's safety. I remember in the 70's when Detroit had all these small car failures, and the Japanese were building reliable cars. My brother had a Chevette. That car was junk compared to my Dad's Honda Civic. The Cordoba was a good car. Just a marketing failure. The Maverick was a good car too. Also, the Gremlin and Hornet were good cars too.... although it had some unique styling : ). Overall though. Some of these cars like the Pinto, Vega, Chevette, etc. allowed the Japanese to really get a strong foothold and takeoff in the USA.

[@KDoyle4]

The big and powerful 1973 Mustang sold only 134,867 units, and the little 1974 Mustang II sold 385,993 units. How can you call that a "total miss"?

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thank you for the feedback! Exactly what we want to see. We have a video on the Mustang II and how it saved the stang. A lady is selling a nice original (green) Mustang II. I'm tempted.

[@kaysguy]

I had a Vega...after I patched the rust, the AC clutch burned out, followed by the engine going, so I replaced it by buying a new Dodge Omni, which wasn't so bad.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

haha!

[@DennisArndt-px6kr]

Had a 76 Vega , loved it no problems

[@michaelc9287]

But the Cordoba had rich, Corinthian leather!

[@markcollins2666]

You are such a kidder! The "fine Corinthian leather" was a synthetic plastic from New Jersey, My good buddies' sister's fiancee had one, and you could tell that right away. No odor of leather, and searing hot in the sun.

[@michaelmurphy6869]

Didn't Chrysler buy AMC or at least controlling interest back in 1988? Mainly for the Jeep line and discontinued all the other model lines?