Motor

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

omg that chrysler imprerial. not even fit for a 3rd world dictator.

Aron9000

Oh I know, Chrysler made some of the ugliest cars ever back in the 1980's. The luxury versions of the K-car like that one were the worst offenders. Basically take the el-cheapo K car, lengthen it, add more sound deading, fake wood trip, landau top, more chrome, overstuffed seats, bam luxury car.

mmarshall

The biggest problem was not the looks itself, but the fact that virtually everything Chrysler (and GM) did back in those days either started leaking, squeaking, cracking, rattling, warping, fading, overheating, loosening, malfunctioning, shedding parts, or any and every possible combination of the above, usually within the first couple of months and couple thousand miles. There is a reason why Japanese cars took over the American market in the 1980s.

Aron9000

I wouldn't say that about all GM cars back in the 80's, some of them actually were good IMO. Although they were cars like the Caprice, Camaro, Firebird, Cutlass Supreme, Monte Carlo, pickup trucks, early 80's Riveria, Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham(1986 and later with the 307 V8).

Notice that all of them with the exception of the fbody were holdover 70's designs. Any sort of new GM product in the 80's was a total suck fest, both in terms of the styling and the questionable engineering.

As for Chrysler in the 80's, they must have priced those K-cars cheap and everybody I guess had to have a mini-van. I honestly don't know why anybody would have bought a Chrysler back then, its amazing that they survived the decade.

SW17LS

My dad also had a 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, the K Car with a Landau top and bam luxury car lol.

"Fine Corinthian leather" lol

mmarshall

Yes, that is what I was referring to...the 80s vintage cars. It's a shame, too because the X-Bodies (Citation/Phoenix/Skylark/Omega), perhaps the worst offenders of all, were excellent ideas on paper. The problem was that GM didn't commit the engineering and quality control to go with it.

Not all of the GM 70s designs were reliable, though. The Chevrolet Vega/Pontiac Astre's aluminum engine and body rust were disasters. So was the high failure rate on some late-70s V8 transmissions because GM used transmissions designed for in-line sixes on them to save money. And the 5.7L V8 diesel....that is a legend of its own.

I'll tell you exactly why. Lee Iacocca's smooth-talk. He could sell ice to an Eskimo.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Motor

We'll probably never get something like a Celica All-Trac from Toyota ever again...

Toys4RJill

Pretty cool reviews. Not sure if people have watched, but the MR2 has electric power steering. Thought it was all hydraulic back then.

Aron9000

That is interesting. I know the 1st gen MR2 didn't have power steering, even as an option. Although with small 14" tires and a 2300lb curb weight, IMO it wasn't really needed.

I also know why the 1st gen MR2 didn't have power steering. It was an affordable and somewhat minimalist sports car. Basically it took the FWD transversely mounted Corolla drivetrain and shoved it behind the driver, thus an engine driven hydraulic power steering pump would have been impractical, considering how far the steering rack now was from the engine.

The same design philosophy of taking the drivetrain from this time the Celica and putting it behind the driver was used for the 2nd gen MR2, but the car grew a bit in dimensions, weight, horsepower, price, and luxury. It was a bit more of a GT car, so I'm sure the marketing people demanded power steering. Thus an electrically driven pump was designed, as an engine mounted hydraulic pump would've been impractical