Smaller Cars of the Late 1970s

[@rogergoodman8665]

In the late 80s, my best friend got a Silver 2 door Chevette that his grandma gave him because she couldn't drive stickshift anymore. At first, he was just gonna sell it, but after he drove it for a couple of days, he decided it was great after all and kept it. It was a good cruiser, got great milage for teens with little cash, and put up with the SEVERE abuse we gave it daily. Some will surely laugh, but that Chevette was great overall and did things routinely that should have destroyed it. He replaced it with a 1991 Mercury Capri that was almost new in 1993.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I used to abuse my mother-in-laws and it held up surprisingly well.

[@FordPinto973]

My daily driver is my beloved 1973 Ford Pinto 2-door sedan, bought her from jersey in '07 was/is my First car, still drive her to this day.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Then you may find this interesting; kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGGnq5qBgqimrc0

[@Primus54]

Thanks, HCG, for my Friday morning automotive history lesson. One thing about “small” cars of that era, there sure were some very strange looking designs. Cheers! 👍👍👍

[@thehopelesscarguy]

It was quite the transition period.

[@Murray-hy6gw]

In 1976 my Dad bought a new Chevy chevette 4 speed manual transmission am radio and a heater had a hatchback I did the maintenance on the car had to replace the timing belt at around 60,000 miles just changed the oil and filter every 3 months wiper blades new tires,brakes had an oil leak and fixed it by replacing the oil pressure sending unit installed a new clutch at around 90,000 miles your right about top speed all I could get out of it was 93mph my dad would let me drive it and we kind of shared the car anyway we put over 200,000 miles on that car

[@commandertopgun]

Very few of these I would have looked at 40 years ago, lol, but, now, I will buy most,I love this nostalgic video, wow, memories, Thank you.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@tonywestvirginia]

Love your old car videos. Thanks!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thank you.

[@andregonsalvez9244]

My Parents owned a 76 Dodge Aspen after the Aspen they then bought a 84 Pontiac Parisienne wagon . Today's crossovers are now what we have to contend with .

[@OLDS98]

Thank you once again for another interesting and informative video. The interesting thing here is these compacts/ small cars are midsized and full-sized by today's definition. It is interesting how much has changed and we do not really have any cars in the United States anymore except for imports. Thank you for covering the world as well. GM and Ford used to have the world covered. Not anymore. Quite comprehensive. Excellent effort.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

A very different time.

[@OLDS98]

@@thehopelesscarguy Yes indeed.. I hope they can someone gain globally again and not be known as North American truck and suv brands. And yes, it was indeed a different time.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@OLDS98 Here's to hope.

[@seed_drill7135]

Where was the Monza/Sunbird?

[@kennethswain6313]

My neighbor had a Vega that rusted so badly that he put duc take over the holes to keep rain water out. Shame on GM

[@josephpiskac2781]

My wife had a Chevtte it was great durable a great value.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

And can be relatively fun with a clutch.

[@kiprandom7208]

These hp numbers are insane. I'm guessing fm radio was optional. I do like the little euro and Japanese hatchbacks.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Fm was starting to become fairly common by this point, hp perhaps a bit less common.

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

Does anyone remember the Ford Cortina? My neighbor had a Cortina Station Wagon. The only one I ever saw during its time.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I've only ever seen one, but they were quite popular elsewhere.

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

3:37 I wanted that car if I was 16

[@jeffking4176]

DID I MISS ONE❓ HILLMAN Avenger/Plymouth Cricket 🚗🙂

[@thehopelesscarguy]

The Avenger/Cricket was in the Early 70s video, but I didn't include it in this one.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

Oldsmobile Omega comes to mind ran for 3 generations over 12 model years 1973-1984 replaced by Calais in 1985 and the other X platform cars were transitioned to the N Body or replaced for ex the Chevrolet Citation was replaced by the Corsica and Beretta then those were replaced by the 5th Gen Malibu for the 97 model year and 2025 is the last year of the Malibu after 9 generations

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I don't think the Omega often comes to mind for most people. An often forgotten model.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

@@thehopelesscarguy it only does to me because its in the same X Platform group with the Citation Phoenix and 75-85 Skylark my late maternal grandmother drove an 84 Skylark limited for 2 yrs. when I was a little kid

[@petertornabeni602]

The engine - starting at the beginning of the video. Is it a GM - FORD .. we know it’s not a Chrysler.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

It is in fact my 59 Plymouth.

[@unclebob7937]

Swing! And a miss...

[@raymond_sycamore]

Hello Hopeless I hope you find some more hope for yourself and the future.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks.

[@arnesahlen2704]

First CLAUSE is wrong! Car designs take years to bring to market. Ford had lucky timing with small Mustang II, but bloated compacts & midsize cars *were not in spite,* just badly timed against history.