Top 5 Classic Cars (GM/Ford/Chrysler/AMC) Not to Buy...And a Few to Buy!

[@TheProgrammerGuy]

My first car was a Vega GT. I bought it new in Sep 1976 when I was 18 and it was my only car for the next 10 years. I still have it, it hasn't rusted, the engine is original with 147K miles, and it still runs and drives, although I've only put a couple thousand miles on it since about 1990. I am currently having it restored to new.

[@craigbenz4835]

I saw a Vega on the road about two years ago, and I was shocked to realize I had forgotten they ever existed.

[@alantrimble2881]

@@TheProgrammerGuy I worked at a gas station in the late 1980s. One older customer had a like-new ‘77 Vega GT. It had a little more than 20k miles on it. While nowhere near attractive as the “small bumper” models, it was still nice looking, and it had been garage kept for its entire life. Teenage me wanted to buy that car and V8 swap it. That didn’t happen. I left that job in ‘89. The original owner died sometime in the ‘90s. I have no idea what became of that car. I hope it’s still around & the current owner appreciates it.

[@sharkinstx]

Yes, if you didn’t live in the Rust Belt, rust wasn’t an issue, especially after the early cars that had the problem where the ELPO primer didn’t reach the inside of the tops of the fenders.

[@fastinradfordable]

So you owned a project car for 50 years. … Never got done. TIL you paid someone else to build it. Hope you don’t teach your kids those values.

[@johna.4334]

@@fastinradfordable Whoa!

[@geralderdek282]

I had an shop teacher in 1974 that once said he'd never buy a car later than 1972 because the egr systems putting exhaust gases back into an engine was so ridiculous since the engineers had always previously done all they could to get them out of the engine!!! I never forgot him saying that and my daily driver since then to this day is my dependable 65 falcon 6 cylinder with over 552.000 miles on it now.

[@johnfrei9057]

I happened to be in an Italian restaurant in Washington DC many years ago when Tim Russert stopped in to pick up some takeout. God bless him, the dude crushed three beers while waiting for his food 😂.

[@kipdiggs1827]

My first car was a '74 Chevy Vega. It was a turd, but it taught me a lot about vehicle maintenance.

[@corvettejohn4507]

LoL. You must have been a master mechanic after owning that car.

[@NorthernChev]

Absolutely buy a Vega. A Chevy Small Block 350 drops right in using all factory original parts from a V8 Monza. No body modifications are necessary whatsoever, so you can easily retain original factory body lines. A completely stock 350 is a pleasure to drive in one of these, and a warmed up one is a hoot. Mine does 12.76@118 in the quarter and retains its factory sleeper look, dead reliable, and a head-turner.

[@corvettejohn4507]

Agree 100%!

[@alaningram515]

TransDapt made a V8 Vega conversion kit in the 1970s .

[@NorthernChev]

@@alaningram515 I made mine from 100% stock GM FACTORY parts salvaged from a 1975 Monza. Everything was a direct bolt-in. Even used the factory exhaust manifolds for the first couple years, then upgraded to the Hooker Header bolt-ins.

[@charlesdalton985]

My wife (when we were dating) had an 81 Honda Civic, she bought it barely used. Holy Hannah - brakes were a known issue, engine mount went out, water pump went out, 2 speed auto that couldn't even shift itself, wheel bearings and an alternator. All within the car being 5 years old, and under 40,000 miles. I gave her my second car and told her to sell the Honda, I was done working on it. I still smile when I think of watching it drive away. Great thoughts and insights as always, thanks for all you do ~ Chuck

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

GM had a lot of great ideas through the years. Unfortunately, the technology wasn't as advanced as the ideas. Sleveless aluminum engine blocks, cylinder deactivation, and so much more. GM also has had a really annoying habit of perfecting a vehicle over time, only to cancel it when they finally got it right.

[@towgod7985]

That's GM!😂

[@tholmes2169]

Yeah I still remember the Fiero was finally awesome and then they killed it.

[@alantrimble2881]

@@tholmes2169 It was reported in either Autoweek or Car and Driver that GM spent $1B on the Fiero redesign, then they killed it off after one model year. That’s $1B in the late ‘80s or roughly $2.9B today.

[@scottyg7284]

If only they had used the Uk gm built 2300 ohc instead.

[@kevinbarry71]

That's the finance guys for you. Wanting to encourage new ideas but never providing the budget to do it properly.

[@robratchford2433]

Really enjoy your porch chats Adam! Well done and I always learn great information from your channel! Well done!

[@atvtheory3151]

I second that. Your porch chats are a more conversational style and it feels like you're just having a chat with your friends.

[@michaelcrumlett187]

I started my career as a mechanic in the late 1980s, and engine replacements on HT4100 Cadillacs were my bread and butter. Around the same time, I had a 1978 Gremlin as my daily driver. That Gremlin was vastly more reliable than the Caddies I was working on, and far easier to service.

[@RareClassicCars]

The Gremlins were a tank. Good cars aside from rust.

[@8avexp]

I had a '78 Gremlin, too, only mine had the VW 2-liter four-cylnder engine. Kept it for almost ten years and traded it in for an '88 Jeep Cherokee, which I kept for 35 years and put over and put a million miles on.

[@al_dente4777]

@@8avexp That same basic engine was dropped into Porsche 924s

[@stacysanders-w3e]

I had a 1971 Vega hatchback. I bought it without an engine. I swapped in a Chevy 2 153 ci 4 cylinder. I loved that car and drove it for years. It died in a crash with a large dump truck. I replaced it with a 1975 Monza V8 4 speed. That one rusted away. I would buy both cars again if I could find a rust free example.

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Man, you aren't kidding about the vacuum lines on the 80s Hondas! My shop also replaced a ton of those electronic carburetors on top of the vacuum nightmares. I had the 4-6-8 engine on my Sedan Deville and Cadillac immediately disconnected it. That engine was a dog, even with all 8 cylinders firing. 85mph was it, going downhill after full throttle for 5 minutes, lol. The Caddy 4100 was the worst of all of the Cadillac engines IMO. It couldn't spin the tires on snow. It was flat out dangerously slow. You are very correct about most of the problem cars. I have to say that you know your stuff! I'm loving these videos you put out. It's fun to look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly!

[@stephenmoxley3004]

All the remaining Chevy Vegas are now drag race cars, with a V8 in them. Probably a good place for them to end up. Keep up the great work.

[@davidstranz438]

Being high school age in the early ‘70s, Hot Rod and Car Craft were my magazines of choice and both ran advertisements for the Motion Industries V8 installation kits for the early Vegas. My dream car at that time was a 1970 Vega with an LT-1 350, M21 4 speed. One month after graduating I had the opportunity to purchase an LS6, M22 ‘70 Chevelle and that was the end of the Vega dream.

[@vintagemotelguest]

But boy... that otherwise completely stock-looking Vega GT with the factory stock LT-1 and 12-bolt rear looked SO GREAT in that Car Craft article, sitting on those nice tall 14-inch Cragar wheels and Polyglas tires. I also came very close just a few months ago to buying a 350 crate engine and Muncie trans Cosworth Vega because of that article which haunted me since I was nine years old ... a seemingly beautiful installation by a Southern hot-rod builder, but then common sense led me to a modern low-mile Mustang GT convertible for $10,000 after I found out he wanted $25,000 for a car with no tailpipes.

[@artheis1342]

I bought a used 73 Vega GT in 75' for $600. It had 15K miles with the oil consumption problem. GM had a recall in 75 and completely rebuilt the entire engine with 4 steel sleeves and new 4 core radiator. GM paid for everything except $100 for all new hoses. I drove it from Florida to Utah RT for 4 years and put 70K miles without any problems and with the 4speed i got 38 mpg.. I drove it till early 79 and then the AC compressor went, I had graduated and landed a great job in a fortune 500 company. To celebrate I bought a new end of the year1978 Toyota Celica fast back.

[@alantrimble2881]

@@artheis1342 My old Snap On dealer literally paid off his first house doing warranty work on Vegas. Yes, it was an inexpensive row house, but that’s still a real achievement as a 20-something young man.

[@dragonbutt]

So you bought the same car after graduation, just japanese. lol

[@joshuagibson2520]

Traitor! Lol. I'm kidding.

[@fleetwin1]

Just what were the improvements they made to the Vega engine before discontinuing it? I always thought they just put "iron duke" engines in them instead of the original aluminum engines....Guess not.

[@DanEBoyd]

@@fleetwin1 The Pontiac Astre came with the Iron Duke, or had it available. I knew a guy who swapped a Duke into his notch-back Vega back in the 1980s.

[@jetsons101]

A few years back I had a V8 Gremlin, fun car to drive...... Again, great watch...........

[@jwelchon2416]

Yes. I had a Gremlin X with a V8. It was a blast to drive.

[@tshackelton]

My buddy has an early 80's prelude, you are so right about the vacuum line hell that was going on under that hood. Junction boxes, check valves... not a good time.

[@alantrimble2881]

@@tshackelton Adam mentioned head gasket problems with the Hondas from the late ‘70s-late ‘80s cars. I replaced a bunch of head gaskets on those cars. You can do the whole job without touching more than 5 vacuum hoses. The vacuum hoses all lead to a plastic box on the firewall. Remove the head with all hoses attached (other than the brake booster hose and vacuum advance hose) and remove the box at the same time. Easy. 4 hours max, start to finish

[@hughjass1044]

Every Mopar Lean Burn engine equipped car I've ever known got absolutely phenomenal gas mileage..... Usually because it was sitting in a driveway or outside a shop door not running.

[@2006gtobob]

My paternal grandmother had a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba with a non-catalyst 400 and the infamous Lean Burn. She LOVED that car. It was her first brand new car and it was very reliable for her. Eventually, the car was passed down to me in 1996, and it ran fine for me. I should've held on to that car. It had only 56,000 miles.

[@mraudio]

I didn't think Chrysler started installing lean burn until 1976...

[@bradhampton6457]

@@mraudioactually I thought 1977.

[@mraudio]

@@bradhampton6457 My understanding is that it was installed on certain models in '76, and expanded to the entire lineup in '77

[@2006gtobob]

Maybe I am mistaken. It was a long time ago. I remember her car being a 1975. It may have been installed in certain models.

[@ryanosterink7072]

Can’t go wrong with almost any pre emission v8. Even small blocks made good power.

[@fastinradfordable]

Yes you can lol

[@NorthernChev]

I bought an ‘01 Volvo S60 with 230,000 miles and a “bad” AW55 transmission at a dealer auction. It only shifted funny if you floored it from a stop and held it there; otherwise it shifted “OKish”. The transmission finally gave up at 323,000 miles. I only paid $2400 for it and drove it for eight years. I call that a WIN.

[@doctorzaius4084]

I had several 70s-80s Hondas in my life, and miraculously I never had a single problem with vacuum leaks or the carbs themselves - but you're absolutely right. It's a snake nest under those hoods and the hoses don't last forever.

[@thelorax7704]

I agree the big blocks are awesome when thinking about what to buy, but often overlooked are some of the six cylinders from the 60s. You mentioned the American motors sixes, in addition there are many examples of reliable workhorses that powered both cars and trucks from the big three. From Mopar the slant six, from GM the 230, 250, and the 292. From Ford the 170 and 200, and especially the 300. Cars and trucks with six cylinder engines can be had at much lower prices, so it's easier to get into the hobby. I still remember as a teenager I showed my 64 BelAir to my friend's Dad who was a truck driver and a mechanic. He was all excited when I opened the hood to reveal the straight six that I was secretly not happy about. My uncle gave me the car so I wasn't about to complain. I was happy to have it. His reaction to the 230 under the hood changed my attitude. The car was no powerhouse, but produced enough torque to run down the highway just fine... So simple. It had one short belt for the alternator. No timing chain because it was gear to gear. Seven main bearings. So simple and easy to work on. There sure was a lot of room in that engine bay. You could see plenty of pavement on both sides of the block with the hood open... lol Thanks for the videos. I feel like I'm sitting down with a friend and just talking about cars when I watch. I've learned a lot.

[@vintagemotelguest]

I purchased a dirt-cheap 80,000 mile 1975 Camaro a few years ago in SoCal with a perfect original interior and beautiful original yellow paint -- a very pretty car. But the otherwise-smooth-running 250 6 cylinder suffered from what I learned was a notorious tendency towards head failure when the integrated intake manifold unit used in the '70s cracked. I believe old cars should be able to be driven and enjoyed - see my post above about GM engines.

[@ratvette6156]

In 1984 I bought a 1974 Vega for $100. It had been parked for using oil. I did hundred dollar rebuild on the 4 cylinder and drove it for a few months until I put a 350 in it. It would mow down almost anything on the street. Cheap fun!

[@corvettejohn4507]

Fun car, fun times. If it could only be 1984 again.

[@allhailinternalcombustion]

Most people buying a Vega, unless it's a Cosworth, aren't worried about the stock engine. You were spot on about everything else....especially the TH200. I've sent dozens of those to the great beyond.

After having Buicks and Caddies for most of their lives, my maternal grandparents bought a brand new 1975 three-door Vega! We lived near Sudbury, Ontario, at the time. One of the worst road salt/rust graveyards of automobiles. We drove that little thing all over Eastern North America for years, often towing a fairly large boat or camper trailer. The only problem, (and MAN, what a day that was!) we ever had was when the in-tank fuel pump died leaving us stranded in Northeastern Ontario, decades before most people had cellular 'phones. That tiny car was a nearly indestructible workhorse. No rust or engine problems, whatsoever.

[@oi32df]

difficile à croire !

[@Alan-lv9rw]

I want a black 1968 Mercury Parklane sedan, then retire to Hawaii and cruise Honolulu.

[@karlmoltzan6196]

I had a 1973 vage gt 4 speed car in 1980 I had it for a few years. it had over 100,000 miles onit when I traded it in for a Buick Skyhawk. The vega GT never gave my any trouble. It had AC and I livrd in Dallas Texas during the record hot year with over 100 degree temps for months. It never over heated on me. I did replace the water pump and gave it a full tuneup in less than 45 minutes. It was a very fun car. The best vegas to have are the 1975 1976 Cosworth vega.

[@sachemrock]

Loved Tim Russert. Thanks for remembering him. RIP Tim

[@Iowa599]

My 85' CRX SI was injected. My 86 CRX (dx) had zero carburetor problems, from ~130k to 180k miles, then I sold it running & driving. In 2002. I saw it on the road in 2014, I am amazed & I have no idea who!

[@robertvance1873]

Most people Remove the Lean Burn system on Chrysler products and they ran great 👍

[@adamtrombino106]

That is the fix. Add the Mopar 71-75 electronic ign kit and rejet the carbs if necessary. Carry a spare resistor in the glove box ;)

[@albertcarello619]

I had a 1972 AMC MATADOR WITH A 360 CUBIC INCH 2 BARREL V8 with 3 speed Torque flight Automatic Transmission. That car is a top performer. It could even screech the rear tires. I've raced Cadillacs from a stoplight stand start. I raced a 69 or 70 Cadillac and we both floored our accelerators from a stand start. We stayed right beside each other up to 45 miles an hour and then the Caddy started to pull away from me when our transmissions shifted from 1st to 2nd doing full throttle.

[@mikestaihr5183]

The best Vega was a 73 with a 350 ci shoehorned in where that little four banger sat....LOL

[@foursquarehomerepair]

Don't buy anything that isn't a Chevrolet, Ford Mustang and whatever the equivalent Mopar is. ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE CANADIAN. And this is coming from a guy who owns a 1971 Buick. Finding parts is a nightmare. Affording parts is a nightmare. Finding expertise is a nightmare. It's like putting classic car ownership on 'HARD MODE'.

[@Cadillac61]

Great video Adam! I have to disagree with the Vega as I grew up around these cars and I would snatch pretty much any one of them in great condition that said,the cosworth is a hit in any book and like you said the 76 and 77 as well honestly I’m partial to the 74’s. And of course I agree with almost any gm full size car.

[@aleewade4162]

Most reliable/still powerful cars to buy: pre-1972 GM/Ford/Chrysler. I completely agree. Most beautiful/most reliable/still powerful cars to buy: 1965-1968 GM/Ford/Chrysler. There have been lots of beautiful cars before and since, but for four years Detroit was completely at the top of its game.

[@Atomwaffen-y3s]

Anything after 1972 is MALAISE. A 1973 -1982 vehicle is NOT a "classic" - it's a "Curiosity."

[@grantman64]

In a better alternate universe than ours, GM built Vegas with proper anti-corrosion measures and an OHC 4 cylinder engine based on Pontiac's OHC 6 cylinder engine.

[@philipfrancis2728]

I absolutely LOVED my 1975 Vega Kammback. It was my first car so that clouds my perceptions. It had the huge, full width radiator and coolant recovery tank. With a 3-speed Hydramatic, it was never revved high. It was doomed to quarter panel and undercarriage rust after only 7 years from sitting outdoors in Chicago winters. I paid $2,400 in ‘75 ($15,000 today) and sold it for $800 in 1982 ($5,000 today.)

[@oi32df]

My mother had a new '73 Vega here in qc and the following year huge holes were already perforating the front fenders, must believe that de-icing salt was not used on your roads.

[@philipfrancis2728]

@@oi32df Chicago salted the roads regularly, but I was a kid and it was my first car so it was washed weekly and rinsed off (at a car wash) much more often. I’m still in that habit, except now my car is 17 years old and it still looks brand new. (2008 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible.) Plus it still sits outside! I’ve never lived anywhere that has had a garage in my 50 years of car ownership!

[@rafaelfiallo4123]

@@philipfrancis2728 Did it have ac? The ac cars had a bigger radiator.

[@philipfrancis2728]

@@rafaelfiallo4123 No AC. It was slow enough bogged down by the automatic! I doubt if the 85 or so horsepower strangled by the new for 1975 catalytic converter running unleaded, low octane fuel could have managed an AC compressor. The significantly enlarged radiator and coolant recovery tank, plus the increased coolant capacity were built into the 1975’s. By that time the Vega had a horrible reputation and GM began correcting the problems.

[@jamesengland7461]

I think there's a different easy to look at these flawed classics now, decades on. If they were prone to rust, and still survive today without significant rust, for example, they're worth keeping. Most engines can be repaired or replaced. Upgrade that TH 200 to a TH 350. Doing what you have to in order to keep a flawed classic functional is the American way!

[@davidlehner6094]

Interesting note about the GM soft cams! I owned a ‘67 Camaro convertible with the 210hp 327. Changed the cam and lifters at about 89,000 miles. The can had at least two lobes that looked as flat as the fuel pump love, and of course, several lifters with huge divots and at least two with holes in them! On a side note, a couple of years after the cam and lifter job, I started working at the GM Diesel Equipment Division plant in Wyoming, MI. as a lifter finish grinder operator. Worked for that plant until 1981, then moved to a sister plant that built throttle body, and “Multec” multi point fuel injectors, later turned into a Rochester Products, AC Rochester, then finally a Delphi plant. I became a Journeyman Electrician in ‘96 and worked until it closed in 2006.

[@vintagemotelguest]

You described my late brother's Bolero Red 1967 Rally Sport 327 convertible - purchased new by him - exactly. He needed the car for work so maintained it constantly but then right around 80,000 miles the cam was shot. He sold it for $400 to a kid who immediately sideswiped a guardrail with it. I admit I DID have one incredible small-block, a 1969 L-48 in a Caprice with the factory four-bolt main block, but it only handled cross-country trips because it was a low-mile rebuild by a Florida drag-racer.

[@Thomas63r2]

The small block fit so nicely in the Vega that is what Chevy should have offered. In the '70's in SoCal there were so many V8 Vegas I saw at all the cruise spots and hangouts - they were fun little rippers! As a GM fan I could not believe how many unforced engineering mistakes GM made in the '70's, it was painful.

[@alantrimble2881]

@@Thomas63r2 “Unforced Errors” is a very nice way of saying “self-inflicted gun shot wounds.” Engineers rarely design garbage. They typically “over-build” everything. Then the bean counters come along & force them to remove cost from the design. Malaise era GM cars are a prime example of this.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Cafe fucked most everything up. It's just a fact.

[@oi32df]

Monza and rwd Sunbird were simply re-skin Vegas and were available with a small block v8 for the Chevrolet and with 3.8 v6 for the Pontiac .

[@brady3474]

That’s what I was thinking, I loved all the vegas with small blocks. I m looking for one now

[@johna.4334]

@@joshuagibson2520 Whoa!

[@MaverickNutron]

A Saturday “porch chat” when I was a youngster coming of age in mid-70’s south central PA often involved Mason jars and assorted stringed instruments being played late into the night/early morning…🪕🎻🎸 Thoroughly enjoy your videos - feels like we’re just hangin’ out and “talkin’ cars”!!!

[@hotpuppy1]

If you can find a MINT Vega, buy it. Especially if it has Cosworth engine. Put sleeves in it. I was a great looking car that the bean counters ruined. Cadillac hasn't made a good engine since they discontinued the 472/500. Lean Burn WAS a crappy system. Take it off for a driver car. The car itself is fine. Early 80's GM computer carb and fuel injected were pretty bad in the beginning. 200R4 ended up being OK once they beefed it up for the Turbo Buick Regal. Stay away from FMX and Warner automatics. Not because they were bad, but because parts are hard to get. The others have aftermarket race parts to beef them up and rebuild. In the end, buy what you like and buy the BEST example you can find.

[@rafaelfiallo4123]

There are several out there, they come up from time to time.

[@rafaelfiallo4123]

The 425s were good. Even the 368 is still ok, they're still related.

[@bentrovato3082]

Adam, I like these porch chats. DO MORE OF THESE THIS FALL. AS IT COOLS, ADD A FIREPIT.

[@willythewave]

The Vega was a beautiful car. It`s a shame they used such bad quality materials. On another note The Pinto was beautiful as well, and a good car mind you. Thank you Adam for all your efforts sharing with us.

[@70stastic]

I didn't know any lean burn Chryslers were still running on the original computer lol. All the ones I've seen around here had been converted to a traditional distributor. My brother's '86 Diplomat got converted decades ago and is still running today. An old time mechanic at the local Dodge dealer did the conversion as he had done many throughout the years.

[@joe6096]

Florida! Florida! Florida! I still remember that night. Loved Tim! Alum of my hometown Cleveland’s Cleveland State and John Carol Universities!

[@ddavidson5]

Hey, if you do get an old Vega you'll probably have the only one at the classic car meet. 🤣 I bought a Vega new back in the day and everything you said about them is right on the mark. I traded mine in on a 225 slant 6 Plymouth Duster after only 1 year due to the problems my Vega had. Unlike the Vega that Duster was so reliable it wouldn't surprise me if it was still running.

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

Hard to find a Vega that has any original engine 😂 They all have small 8s in them . Would love to have one 🥰

[@HAL-dm1eh]

Yenko tried to produce a number of turbo 2.3 versions of the Vega which was much better suited to all around fun. It handled much better than the V8 and the power delivery made for a less squirrely rear end. He tried to get GM to officially produce them but noting expense and the EPA's crap they'd get, they shipped him special pistons and told him to put the turbo's on himself. So as he proceeded the EPA told him to cease and desist. The EPA is an evil entity. Change my mind. 🤣

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

@@HAL-dm1eh There is much evil in the world . I am sure the EPA has their share 😉 A nice little V6 would look nice in one . lots of those around now . Even a modern 4cyl would work nicely . I never see them anymore 😩

[@KYoss68]

My girlfriend in high School had a 76 Vega that her dad had swapped in an Olds v6 and a 4 speed manual. That car was FUN in 1989, it'd peel out in first and chirp the tires into 2nd and 3rd. I had a 69 Chevelle with a 270 hp 350 v8/th 350 trans and it was faster but the manual in the Vega and the size of the car made it a lot more fun to drive in town.

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

@@KYoss68 those were the days 🥰

[@geralderdek282]

I was just starting out as a young mechanic in the late 70s and one of the first cars I tackled was a Chrysler Cordoba with a rough idle stalling problem. That leanburn system did nothing to boost my confidence!😮

[@sergioleone3583]

Agreed that the original chrome bumper Vegas are very attractive little cars. My parents had a 72, I remember sleeping/laying down in the hatchback on the way home from weekend trips to my aunts, and looking up at the stars through the glass. I think they had it for four years and then moved on.

[@matadorman78]

I run a limousine executive car service and I buy only Chrysler products two of our cars are extraordinary 1 1972 Imperial Lebanon Sedan and a 1979 Chrysler Newyorker Fifth Ave edition with the Lean Burn system. It took a few mechanics but we got one that has that New Yorker purring. We pick up Pilots in it and they are amazed by the quiet ride and quality of building in a 40 year old car. My hats off to the Chrysler Engineers that put the first computer in an automobile. I am surprised you never said anything against Ford. The Pinto had far more issues than the Vega.

[@kevinj2412]

The Vega is the first one I am going to buy, I had nothing but good luck with mine, 74 and 76 and no they didn't rust that bad. They used to do 40 MPG on a long trip and I enjoyed that part. How many cars today can match that. I never had any overheating troubles but then I'm a mechanic by trade so I have enough sense to check things over once in a while compared to the average drivers who are mostly idiots and just drive as long as they start.

[@corvettejohn4507]

I'm going to disagree about the Vega, but that's because I would junk the original engine and replace it with a V8. V8 and V6 swaps were very popular in these cars in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Buick V6's, Buick 215 V8's, and any SBC V8 including LS engines will fit great with many kits sold over the years. I'd love to find a rust free '71-'73 Vega GT hatchback for a driveline transplant. IMO, GM did some really dumb things with the Vega engine. The first was going with unproven technologies like the liner-less alum. block. That was Can Am racing technology, but not passenger car proven yet. But the real head scratcher IMO was using a cast iron head on the engine. Not only did this cause head gasket sealing issues on these engines, but also made the engine weigh as much as an all iron 4 cyl Pinto engine. It is pretty dumb to have a liner-less aluminum block engine that weighs as much as a competitor's all iron 4 cyl. One would have thought that GM would have learned its lesson to never use a cast iron head on an aluminum block because of head gasket sealing issues, but no, they repeated the mistake again on the Caddy HT4100 V8. Had I been running the Vega engine program, I would have just taken the Nova's iron 153 cid 4cyl engine and produced a new aluminum OHC head for it based upon DeLorean's OHC 6 cyl heads for the 215, 230, and 250 I6 from '66-'69. Ironically, that's probably what DeLorean would have done as Chevrolet's General Manager, had Ed Cole not taken over the Vega project himself and micromanaged it with GM staff engineering.

[@stevebergman6747]

@RareClassicCars - 2.3 liter 440 CUBIC INCH, Adam? I think you meant to say 140 cubic inches, lol!😜😆😂🤣😁😉😎

[@RareClassicCars]

Oops!

[@Paramount531]

I caught that too.

[@corvettejohn4507]

Who could say no to a 440 ci Vega?

[@tombob671]

About the Vega. GM had the Opel. 1.9 that made 100 up and was a rock solid mill. I had one in a 1969 Opel GT.

[@rafaelfiallo4123]

@@tombob671 A 1969 Opel GT had 88hp and 100lb ft of torque.

[@tombob671]

@@rafaelfiallo4123 Opel GT - Wikipedia GT (1968-1973) The Opel GT was equipped with a base 1.1 L OHV inline-four engine, which produced 67 hp (SAE) at 6,000 rpm. However, most buyers chose an optional 1.9 L camshaft in head engine, which produced 102 hp (SAE) at 5200 to 5400 rpm. en.wikipedia.org › wiki › O... Opel GT - Wikipedia My guess your number is Net HP. Back in the day everyone used SAE Gross still a better engine than the Vega had

[@rafaelfiallo4123]

@@tombob671 The issue with those smaller engines was that they were planning on offering power accessories and auto, ac etc on the Vega and those weren't things most of the Opel engines didn't have, even ac is really rare on an Opel of that vintage and it was only dealer added.

[@tombob671]

@@rafaelfiallo4123 but the Opel was a better engine than the Vega. Pontiac put the iron duke in the Astre ( their version of the Vega). My brother had a new Vega and it started smoking, Chevy replace the engine. He got rid of it. So sad because it was an attractive car.

[@rafaelfiallo4123]

@@tombob671 Pontiac put the Iron Duke in starting 1977, before that the Start had the 2300.

[@glenn6583]

Thanks for reminding me of Tim Russett. He was special! Interesting KZbin! Thanks for that also!

[@thenexthobby]

In the early '90s I found myself with about $3000 and bought a 1984 Prelude. It had higher miles but everything worked. I only owned it a short time but it was the best-handling car I'd driven, even with its 13" wheels. The steering on those was just fantastic. For some reason I briefly installed one of those MSD ignition boxes and it ran even better. But yeah, the maze of vacuum hoses was daunting, and Preludes had twin Keihin carbs. I'd love to find a low mileage '87 with PGM-FI.

[@j.r.wildermuth3365]

I enjoy the videos. I'm definitely of that vintage. My great grandfather retired from general motors as a head engineer on both the synchromesh and Turbo Hydromatic transmission. in the late fifties....I was always told by my grandfather. That pre 1972 GM motors were the best. His best vehicle was a 71 Buick with a 455 My mother owned all kinds of general motors vehicles through the 80s, and they were less reliable. my grandfather drove his 1971 vehicle until 1992 with over 300 K miles with little or no hitch.. I have owned 60 plus vehicles and 3 of my present stable, are 455 or 500 cubic inch V8 of and I totally agree with you. On the pre 72 V8 and 6 cylinder motors on All American brands. The government killed everything after that leaving the American car Maker to catch up to the strangulating emissions and government red tape.. And it did not get any better until the early 90s with the big 3.. Keep up the good work.! And if you decide to sell anything, please call me LOL. J.R.

[@gracelandone]

74 Vega had a built in a sensor to kill the engine when the oil burned off so much that it was inadequate. My mom carried around a case of Quaker State in the back of hers. With a 40 mile round trip commute, oil had to be added daily. You’re right, the styling was ok, but the engine was crap.

[@alantrimble2881]

@@gracelandone That “sensor” was the oil pressure switch. It would turn off the electric fuel pump if oil pressure fell below X lbs. PSI. This caused some confusion among older technicians who remembered the Vega oil pressure switch when Chevy went to TBI and TPI. On those cars and trucks, the oil pressure switch would turn ON the fuel pump once it saw a pressure of X lbs. PSI, even if the fuel pump relay had failed. The result was that a bunch of customers spent a LOT of money because the technicians didn’t understand how the system worked.

[@sharkinstx]

@@alantrimble2881The oil pressure sender was a good idea, along with the low coolant level sensor and light that was added starting with the ‘75 models.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

The Vega is such a great looking car. It's very unfortunate that a bad engine and rust has made them nearly impossible to find. Especially in any condition that would be worth investing any time and money into. The mid-70s big bumper cars can be made to look better with some modifications. Putting the early style bumpers on helps a lot with the appearance

[@oi32df]

Upper front clips are completely different after '73

[@thebigpicture2032]

Cosworth Vega exists if you don’t like the base engine.

[@suespony]

I had 2 Chevy Vegas back in the 70's when I was a teenager. Drove them like a teenager, loved them. I do not actually remember what became of either of them, was a long time ago. I probably drove them till they died, but I remember I liked them

[@Primus54]

Glad to hear you give AMC engines some love. AMC had their of & on build quality issues but their engines were consistently reliable. Our ‘65 Ambassador 990H had a 327 4-bbl that was very quick and torquey off the line. Would get a little out of breath at around 80 mph but my parents never had any issues with it. We lived in Michigan at the time, and like pretty much all cars of the era, would start rusting after a couple of winters.

[@mpetersen6]

The 327 AMC actually had two different block castings. The 2 Barrel engines have windows cast into the main bearing webs. The 4 Barrel engines don't.

[@Primus54]

@@mpetersen6 Interesting information. Thanks!

[@mpetersen6]

@@Primus54 There's somebody that is building an AMC 327 into a 430ish cubic inch V-8. All AMC blocks have a 4.750" bore spread. That's more than a Pontiac, Olds, Ford FE. The bottom end of the Gen1 AMC 327 has enough mass in the casting to actually put 4 or 6 bolt bearing caps in. The AMC V-8 s in many ways were big blocks.

[@fastinradfordable]

The 4.0 Jeep lives on

[@SummitHill79]

In college (early ‘80s) had a ‘67 Olds Delta 88 with the 425 4bbl. My best friend had a Triumph Spitfire. I used to tow him home from all over town, as one does when their friend owns a British ‘70’s sports car…It wrecked the transmission. I remember having to pay $425 to have it rebuilt. ❤

My first car was a '66! Beautiful boat!

[@ricardofierro7041]

$425 , is that how much a transmission rebuilt cost in the mid 80s , Basically WOW. Thanks

[@SummitHill79]

@@ricardofierro7041 I know. I thought it was a lot of money. What a bargain!

[@BullRunRoad30]

This reminds me of a call-in radio show I used to listen to back in the 80s. The host would never recommend to his listeners what to buy, but he would always say there were two cars to be avoided at all costs: One was the Vega and the other was the Audi 100 LS (early 70s version).

[@darmstrong66]

Adam, great content as always. I would personally add the Fiero to this list. Many issues/recalls. They were perpetually under repair at the dealer I worked for. Absolute nightmares!!

[@vintagemotelguest]

Adam you continue to be very entertaining but I'd like to make one comment about your assertion on what GM engines/transmissions one SHOULD buy at the end. I have already mentioned that I believe vintage cars should be driven to be enjoyed and am willing to admit that I can head out around this central California region and find dozens of original Buicks, Cadillacs and even a Pontiac or two that have unmolested, strong-running big V-8s in them that have never been opened up for repair, but consider also that none of these cars have likely made it to even 80,000 miles and likely will never see those numbers register on their odometers in our lifetimes by their finicky, nervous little owners who are perfectly happy just staring at their vehicles ( and don't even bring up 50-year-old Chevrolet small blocks that may well run but will start tapping or rapping a quarter of a mile down the road). I have owned one Pontiac 350 that I squeezed 130,000 miles out of but that was forty years ago and the engine was all done by that point (I currently have another in an original 1975 Firebird with just 45,000 miles that I don't expect to eek another 20,000 out of despite all the maintenance a man can provide). In the meantime: five rear-drive 18, 20, and 22R Celicas, all $500 cars, driven HARD for work and play ramping up 300,000 miles each on original engines without even so much as a carburetor opened or replaced. My attitude is fed by the recent head-gasket failure of my 90,000 mile 1995 LT-1 Firebird convertible after multiple cross-country trips and constant, loving maintenance by myself and its former original owners. General Motors simply wasn't interested in building 100,000 mile engines and only now that it is too late has designed more-durable motors since the LS-series V-8s were introduced --- but its buyers have moved on. Would I like to bury the right-hand peddle in my neighbor's near-500 ft./pound 455 boattail Riviera ...???? Absolutely. But better have a flatbed ready.

[@ilovecats748]

I love 60s-70s Japanese cars but man they are very hard to own in America. To even get the slightest chance of finding parts you had to get lucky on Japanese auction websites for simple maintenance and body parts. In the US they were thought disposable when new and are long gone for the most part

[@3beltwesty]

Hello Adam. 16:41 the Adam Shaaf player piano built in 1921 here has more vaccum lines. Ha Ha.. my folks bought it in Indiana in 1966..it originally had Lead hollow vacuum tubing. So oddly the 1921 beast with lead vacuum tubing got rubber tubing in 1966 and they dry rot quicker. The century old beast has a close loop pneumatic vacuum servo system to keep the player roll centered on the vacuum key sense bar.

[@325xitgrocgetter]

"THERMOQUAD! It’s the only carburetor that punishes you for going to wide-open throttle" - David Freiburger/Mike Finnegan....Roadkill episode when driving a 440 V8 equipped motorhome.....The first year Dakota has a similar setup to the lean burn system....but with a 2bll Holley 6280 feedback carb and a computer mounted on the right fender apron. Challenging to tune as well..and for some reason they changed to TBI for the 1988 model year.

[@SabinRestorationAuburn]

Great video! We restore the cars the other guys wont for a reason.

[@jetsons101]

I hate to disagree with you (sorry) on the Vega, throw in a SBC with a stick or auto, update the suspension a bit and it's a fun car to drive around Palos Verdes Hills. Small bumpers only....... lol

[@Olds_Pwr]

I believe he is saying stock only.

[@paulforester6996]

​@@Olds_Pwr What fun in a stock Vega. 😔 Really?

[@justinweidenbach3699]

You just stated everything that Chevy should have done in the first place. It would still rust, though. 😜

[@jetsons101]

@@justinweidenbach3699 We used "Eastwood Internal Frame Coating" YEARS back for the doors, rockers, tailgate and anywhere else we could spray. The stuff works great.....

[@alantrimble2881]

@@jetsons101 Did you mean to say 5.3 LS? A stock truck 5.3 from 1999 will beat virtually any stock 327. Nostalgia is one thing, reality is something else. Go watch some of Richard Holdener’s dyno videos. Lots of people believe that the 327 is a magical engine. The dyno proves otherwise.

[@ryanomalley430]

I’m a mopar guy. All of the mopar guys I know have long since removed their lean burn setups and installed the pre-lean burn electronic ignition system and a regular 2 or 4 barrel carb, maybe an MSD box, etc. you’re also correct about mopar small and big blocks being reliable. I have 2 cars with 318’s and they always fire right up.

[@buckshot6481]

Driving an engine nonstop for countless miles proves nothing. Drive it like a housewife. Get in on a cold morning, crank it then floor it, then stop n go traffic etc...

[@drfalcon4102]

Had a 1976 Vega,, drove it for 10 years, and 140K,, was a great car,, traded it for a New Hyundai Excell,,, yea, the vega was way better..

[@howebrad4601]

Along with my x car, fiero, and fwd cadillacs I have several hondas, 83 civic, 85 accord, 87crx, etc and you are so correct on the carbureted hondas. When it all works they drive nice but even one small vacuum leak in that labyrinth of hoses and Katie bar the door. Two of my carb'd still work but I can see a future with webers in it. Also watch for rust. Late 70s to late 80s hondas rust very very badly so inspect them super close before buying one. I have had head gasket issues with some of them too. Open deck block design

[@hutchcraftcp]

I've always heard stories about the lean burn system but I owned a 81 Dodge Miranda from 81 to 87. I had zero issues. I totally agree with the T200 recommendation. I had a 76 Buick Century 4 door with the 231 V6 and T200. Horrible drive train

[@DaveNorton-yi5ix]

My first car was a 72 AMC Hornet with the 304 ... it was given to me as a barn car in 1979 with two blown freeze plugs. I had a buddy who was a budding mechanic (and still owns his own garage today) and we got it in running order, and I drove it 40k more miles until a teenager ran a stop sign in front of me and it got totaled. Its still my third favorite car after all these years. It was a tank.

[@jeffmoore1286]

I sold AMC in the late 70's the 258 6 cylinder was bulletproof. 7 main bearings!

[@guylr7390]

The Lean Burn Mopars are problematic but not really that hard to de-Lean Burn with a standard air cleaner, carburetor and distributor from the salvage yard. The base engines themselves were just fine so picking one up for small money with a nice body but running problems isn’t so bad.

[@pieroramacciato9434]

Circa 1990. My friend’s 75 Vega cracked in middle of car on the freeway. He was looking up at the sky. Luckily he got it over safely.

[@krazmokramer]

My first car was a 1973 Millionth Vega GT like in your opening screen that I bought new from the Chevrolet dealership. In the 18 months I owned that car, it had THREE engines! Everything about that car was great (for me) except the engine. And the lack of a bash plate for the low hanging oil pan. Going over a speed bump was enough to scrape a hole in the oil pan.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I had a mid 80s Civic hatchback in the late 90s, early 2000s. When I bought it, the carburetor was bad, so I bought a new one and installed it myself at 18 years old. Surprisingly it worked perfectly and I never had any problems with it afterwards

[@fastinradfordable]

Ya know Every day mechanics replace parts and fix cars. Incredible Isn’t it?😂

[@ChristopherKneisel]

I had 78 Cordoba, 38,000 miles, 4th Tran rebuild. Anyway, I was in state with emissions testing. My mechanic said at st. Insp. I can make it pass, or I can make it run good. So I had him make it pass, and then,... make it rungood.

[@adamtrombino106]

The early 727s with the new lock up converters ran very hot, and they would fail prematurely. The fix was to add a giant RV style aux cooler, or switch back to a regular non lock up converter. As for emissions, I briefly worked for a place in town that did exactly what you stated, and customers were very pleased. However in the mid 90s, somebody squealed to the state EPA and they shut our shop down...

[@allenkranawetter9482]

What's the best series I bought was an 87 celebrity wagon with a 2.8 V6. Paid $600 for it . The clear coat was completely gone. But mechanically it was perfect

[@richgaffney4455]

Have owned 64 dodge dart 273 small block with 4 speed.61 Plymouth Valiant with 235 slant six (bullet proof) 68 charger with 383 4bbl. 68 dodge 100 pickup with 383, 70 dodge colt with a hemi four, strong running little car.

[@stephengoodwin6403]

not mentioned on your list,but I just picked up a '73 Pontaic Le Mans.It's out of character for me because I am an LTD/Mercury Marquis man,but it was so clean,and with 36k original miles,hard to pass up.Unique body style as well.Love your videos

[@vintagemotelguest]

I have seen a couple of really pretty low-mile LeMans cars for sale here in CA -- one a four-door so showroom-original that I actually considered buying it. All the best with it!

[@stephengoodwin6403]

@@vintagemotelguest ,thank you,the 4 doors are rare,that would be a good one

[@sf-dn8rh]

The 350 v8 built in California, are pretty tough engines, the later 70s (77 to 79) pretty reliable engine even with the smog equipment. Got a 79 areo coupe Caprice Classic, 225 HP automatic, it moves.

[@Ian-of9oi]

I have a 87 Fleetwood with a 4100. Smoothest running car I ever had. Drove it for 4 years. Topped off the rad. Forgot to put the cap back on. 😢. Overheated it on the highway. Poured water in until it quit boiling out. I drove it to work after that for a few weeks but I think I burnt a valve. Runs rough. No white smoke. I think the head gasket problem was solved by 87.

[@gene978]

Adam, Can I just say I WANT YOUR HAIR. Thank You 😅

[@stevebergman6747]

@RareClassicCars - Adam, Regarding the GM Turbo200 tranny, I bought a 1979 Olds Cutlass Cruiser from my parent's next door neighbors when it was about 4 or 5 years old. It was equipped with an Olds 260 V8 and what I presume was a turbo 200 in it. The first thing I did was to stick a trailer hitch on it and used it on occasion to pull my parent's 3,000 lb motorboat. I was hard on the car, and constantly had it on the floorboards to get up to speed, as the 260 was not very powerful. I owned the car for 5 or 6 years and replaced it in 1990 with my first brand new car - a Mazda MX6 5-speed (loved that car!). I guess I was lucky, but I never had any problems whatsoever with that transmission, or the engine for that matter. I always wished it had the larger 307 Olds V8 in it, but it served me well.😉😎

[@Dick_Weapon]

The Olds 260 V-8 was, from what I've heard old school mechanics say, super reliable. My mechanic brother had 2 cars with that drivetrain and never had problems.

[@m.j.mateyka7350]

I had a 318 in a Dodge Cornet. It was a 2-door hardtop in British Racing Green with white leather interior. A beautiful car. I loved it. It had more than adequate acceleration. The only problem I had with it is the headlights would go out. I would open the hood and let it cool off and the lights would work. This was the mid-seventies before the internet so it took me a while to find out those Dodges had problems with a rheostat that was on the firewall and overheat. I replaced that and never had another problem. I sold it for $100 when it had a 100,000 miles on it. My dad, who was a mechanic, knew those Dodges were great cars at that time when he bought it for me. He also loved the slat 6s.

[@fastinradfordable]

318 is one of best engines of all time

[@allenkranawetter9482]

I've also owned the 1972 Chevy Caprice. With the 402 big block

[@thomass3769]

Like your videos! Vega original motor also had leaking valve stem seals . Nothing putting in a 305 V8 wouldn’t fix. But could you also put the Porsche 911 on your bad list so I can afford to buy a used one?

[@craigbenz4835]

I always love porch chat. I never had any of your no-gos, but the list makes sense. Your go to list is good, but I'd cut it off at '71.

[@user-pgchargerse71]

Great video! One engine i would avoid is the Chevrolet 400ci small block. Not to be confused with the excellent big block 402, which Chevy sometimes called a 400. The 400 sb had siamesed cylinder bores which cause thermal issues. My grandfather had a GMC with this engine and it lasted about 80,000 miles.

[@craigbenz4835]

I never liked the siamesed cylinder bores. I think the Mopar 400 had them also.

[@adamtrombino106]

400s were hit and miss. My uncle had 1 in a 75 Impala wagon that he beat snot out of, and got 250k before the chain let go. BUT when I lived in AZ, the neighbor had a 74 and 75 Caprice convertibles both with 400s. He got 76k out of the 75 before it started burning oil like a mosquito fogger, and the other did the same thing at 90k. He kept the 74 but put in a GM remanned 350 with a factory type 4bbl set up on it and last I saw it was 1994 when I moved. It was still going strong.

[@user-pgchargerse71]

​@@craigbenz4835mopar 400 wasn't siamesed, it had the same bore as the 440

[@craigbenz4835]

@@user-pgchargerse71 440 bore 4.32", 400 bore 4.34"

[@corvettejohn4507]

Please send me all your 400 SBC engines. I've owned several, and it's so easy to modify them to be 500 hp daily driver engines it's like stealing candy from a baby.

[@dennishaas4745]

My coworker had a white Vega with a flag on the back quarter panels and it did have a rust problem. But a friend of mine in high school had a 1976 Datsun pickup truck and it was like a tuna fish can with 4 wheels !

[@psychowarkiller]

the minute you said 1980"s carbureted Honda, I knew exactly where it was headed.

[@theprinceofsnj]

LOL I had a 1987 Chevette With the automatic. I burned the trans fluid towing a 1958 Edsel. Yes I towed a Edsel with a Chevette.

[@wilco3588]

When I was a late teenager I remember seeing a Honda Civic that was pretty decent shape in the junkyard opened the hood and it had a slight engine fire and all the hoses were toast and it was basically run away!

[@James-hd4ms]

I liked the small block Fords, Chevys, AMC, and of course Chrysler’s. The big block GMs and Fords and Chryslers were outstanding.