Small Cars of the Early 1970s

A look at some of the smaller cars of the early 1970s

[@JoeSmith-pu9hi]

The cars real people could afford.

[@jamesonpace726]

Nah, real people made $2 an hour & were happy for it....

[@seed_drill7135]

A $2000 car then is a $16,000 car today. Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage both start in the sixteens.

[@NickLeeds]

​@@seed_drill7135Not for a 2024 model of either after any options, destination charge, dealer fees and taxes

[@jimlubinski4731]

True, the Mustang was supposed to be for real people, but a new GT Premium convertible is over 60k.

[@enriqueoliva6988]

​@@jimlubinski4731the mustang was advertised as a secretary car.

[@bparksiii6171]

Rode in the back seat in a first year Maverick as the unlucky center passenger on a trip from Austin Tx to Dallas and back felt like I rode on a bareback horse skeleton in that back seat after that trip, all I remember of that Maverick. Thanks for the memories of those cars from my high school days.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Been there.

[@JoeSmith-pu9hi]

My father had a Maverick. Ford got the valve spring stiffness incorrect on the 6 cylinder.

[@enriqueoliva6988]

I remember the hump in the center of the back seat of the maverick.My Dad had a maverick.

[@area51isreal71]

Chrysler Australia had an all new in line to replace the slant six developed and in production by 1970. The story goes that it was to be exported to the US........but Detroit changed their mind at the last moment leaving Chrysler Australia with a limited volume to soak up the development cost. This engine was called the Hemi and was eventually offered in 215, 245 and 265 cubic inches. One version of the 265 was even fitted with triple Webbers and had 302 horsepower. The 265 left other sixes in the shade and embarrassed many V8's with it's performance.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Yes it did.

[@philiprussell3338]

Very usable family cars, at a time when fuel was inexpensive.

[@seed_drill7135]

They were more second cars or cars for singles. Too small for families. Hell, the Gremlin didn't even have a hatchback, just a lift up window.

[@chrisjeffries2322]

Thanks for sharing today.

[@DavidHall-ge6nn]

I had friends with Pintos, Mavericks, and Gremlins, all of which I drove. I liked the Gremlins best believe it or not. Grudgingly.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Of the 3 I think my best experience was with a Pinto.

[@johnd8892]

A correction about the Holden Torana at 16:12. All those shown are the more popular LC model six cylinder versions ranging from around 2250 cc to 3048 cc. The latter version with triple carburettors and 160 hp for the purple Torana GTR XU1 shown. The XU1 would be good for 130 mph. Built mainly to win the annual Bathurst 500 race for production cars for the next LJ model it had an engine upgrade to 3300 cc with even more power and speed. That model driven by Peter Brock won the 1972 race beating the Ford Falcon GTHO phase 3 with its 351 Cleveland 4V engine with unspecified power to not cause an uproar. The smaller four cylinder models you described did exist but sold less than the preferred standard six cylinder cars but were shorter with a far more blunt nose treatment. I recall the four cylinder cars were 96 inch wheelbase as you said, but the six cylinder cars were 100 inch wheelbase.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I will have to take your word for that.

[@johnd8892]

@@thehopelesscarguy the LC and LJ Torana story : kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHfcYpV8isRlba8si=FOn5RFX4OkdocdtP kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2XdY4usopVjZ8Usi=96m2npaBhU7fpzS4 The four cylinder versions could not compete with the four cylinder Toyota corolla, Datsun 1200 and Mazda 1300 in Australia, but the six cylinder cars has nothing like it to compete against.

[@johnd8892]

@@thehopelesscarguy not much coverage of the four cylinder cars on KZbin since not many sold, lasted or cared enough about to restore one. Best I got is an ad from 1970 promoting the choice of a four or a six and showing the different appearance : kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIDPeZaAf9d_ppYsi=FLyyJiQ7d8uF49K3 You can see from this that you showed no Torana four cylinder cars but all sixes.

[@TAVOAu]

I just typed out something very similar, but scrolled down first, to see if anyone had got in first, so I'll delete mine 😂

[@TAVOAu]

@@thehopelesscarguy If you did a bit more personal research, instead of letting AI match words to pictures, you might just get fewer corrections.

[@brianhalliday2384]

What an outstanding video, those American cars were the mainstay of my high school years in the late 70's. In 1979, it was easy to find Ford Mavericks with a 6 cylinder automatic for $300 and they were rock solid dependable. The junkyards were full these cars by the time they were 7 or 8 years old, so parts were cheap and plentiful, like radiators, wiper motors, brake boosters, etc. I bought a color match door for my '73 Pinto for $5.00 in a local junkyard to replace a door I folded up backing into a pine stump. Nice job.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks.

[@Brianscoronet]

A scamp is a dodge dart with duster front sheet metal. A dodge demon is a duster with dart front sheet metal with a different tail panel and taillights. Great video as usual, love your videos.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Glad you enjoyed. I do like my A-body Mopars.

[@michaelwitas9482]

My 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Cabrera, had a new 1970 Maverick with the Grabber package. It was yellow with black stripes. Early Grabbers like hers did not say "Grabber" anywhere on the car. One you may wish to add. . . Ford sold the MKII Cortina in the USA during the 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970 model years.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

A friend of mine had a black on yellow Grabber.

[@jeffking4176]

Fantastic. In my neighborhood, these were the more popular cars, especially after the Fuel Crisis. Cars for “average “ Americans. 🚗🙂

[@matthewclark1674]

I was subjected to a 71 Maverick as a child. I'm still in therapy.

[@andrewinaustintx]

In retrospect it could have been worse. The Pinto and Vega had a back seat that required you to be a contortionist to get in and out of.

[@paulne1514]

I married into a 1973 Pinto, with a 2 liter motor. The only way this car could do 90 mph was over a cliff. At 60 mph, the motor was screaming. On interstates, I would coast on the downgrades. On flat roads, I’d start in second and jump to fourth. Was a great city car. Back then, you could buy a used car for &300, and it would last 10 years with minor maintenance.

[@Rico_G]

Beautifully exhaustive. Thank you.

[@BobGeogeo]

The S - curve of the Maverick's room line always looks good.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I would say the Maverick had unusual lines.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the video. I got behind watching videos. It was interesting the AMC Hornet lived into the early 1980's and the Marverick returned years later as a small truck in 2024. The Dodge Dart returned briefly. The other interesting thing is the length of some of these models are midsized cars in 2024. Omega! The Oldsmobile of small cars. Thank you for going global as well. The Mini Cooper still lives today under BMW ownership. The Datsun Sunny is Nissan Sentra today and The Toyota Corolla is still thriving all over the world.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Perhaps it is time for the Nova to make another return.

[@OLDS98]

@@thehopelesscarguy Chevrolet Cavalier did in Mexico: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHPamZyKhc-ijKM As long as we are a truck and suv and crossover heavy in the United States, it is not happening any time soon.

[@dmandman9]

It’s amazing that 25 mpg from a subcompact car was considered great fuel economy at that time. Today we expect that mpg from a mid sized car. Even a full sized car can achieve that on the highway.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Not so much when you consider a modern full size car has similar dimensions and a smaller engine than a compact of the 70s.

[@dmandman9]

@@thehopelesscarguy I think it’s even more amazing! I drove a 1974 pinto that got about 25-26 mpg when driven at around 60-65 mph. It had a 2.3L engine that had around 88 HP. Today I drive a 2011 Focus (the spiritual successor) that gets 32-35 MPG when driven at 75-80 it has a 2.0 with 140 hp. The Focus weighs slightly more. It’s no race car by any means. But it will run circles around the Pinto. Likewise with the 1974 Maverick vs the 2017 Fusion. Similar weight , more power from a smaller engine , but greater fuel economy, and acceleration. People complain about new cars. But pound for pound m they more fuel efficient especially considering the greater speeds vs the 55 speed limit

[@johngettins794]

I noticed you didn't do the UK's Hillman Imp , is that because it started production in 1963?

[@johnd8892]

And yet the Mini although starting in 1959 got covered.

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

not many left did like the Vega and dodge colt

[@samueldeandrade9058]

❤ Maverick clássico aqui no Brasil 😊

[@seankirby1327]

forgot the corona mk2

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I believe I included that in the medium sized cars video.

[@samueldeandrade9058]

❤Hilmann aqui no Brasil Dodge Polara

[@enriqueoliva6988]

Why do Japanese JDM cars put the side view mirrors way up front.

[@petertornabeni602]

You guys look at the Dodge cult, tell me that you don’t see a smooshed Mustang the original one … look closely

[@neilstern7108]

My pinto that was given to me i wouldn't have bought one. Drove to florida from Chicago like a breeze. Mechanic's didnt understand them or like them liked tripping and driving in the snow to pick up my sisterfrom dance class. It was like a space capsule with its wierd humming sound. And the small trucks for dirt cheap.wake up you auto builder's i as a kid would walk out of a car place no money down with my traid in. A kid now think about it, that was selling cars.