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I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today!

29612 messages,  Last post on May 21, 2013 at 6:24 AM

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Messages Page 2747 of 2962

#27457 of 29612 Re: Valiant [ab348] by andre1969

Jan 06, 2013 (9:24 am)

Replying to: ab348 (Jan 06, 2013 8:32 am)
My '69 Dart GT had a locking glovebox. It had a pushbutton, and the lock was built into it. I can't remember if my'68 Dart 270 did, though.
 
As for the a/c vents, they were always just stuck under the dash, with the three narrow vents in a row. For 1968, it seems like they went crazy with dash padding. My '68 had padding around the a/c ducts, and also thin padded shelf that ran across the whole bottom of the dashboard.
 
For '69, they took that extra padding off, and at some point after that, the a/c ducts were made out of black plastic rather than chrome metal, but they were always mounted under the dash.

#27458 of 29612 Re: Valiant [andre1969] by ab348

Jan 06, 2013 (12:17 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 06, 2013 9:24 am)
I was referring to the kick panel fresh-air vents.

#27459 of 29612 Re: Valiant [uplanderguy] by ab348

Jan 06, 2013 (12:27 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Jan 06, 2013 8:59 am)
We owned a Hornet (Sportabout) and a Maverick (LDO) simultaneously for a few years in the mid-70s, so I think I can offer an informed opinion on the two.
 
Both cars had 6-cylinder engines (Ford's 250 and AMC's 258) and automatic transmissions. Both had power steering. The Maverick had non-power drum brakes all around while the Hornet had power front discs. Each had radial tires.
 
The only respect in which the Maverick was superior was in seat comfort, and that is only due to the LDO option with its Euro Capri-like seats. The Hornet had the standard knit vinyl upholstery on a bench seat and it was what you might expect for the times.
 
Driving dynamics were far better in the Hornet. I actually liked driving it. The steering had a semblance of road feel, and the car felt like it could handle far better than the Ford. The 258, while not a powerhouse, felt more stout than Ford's 250. The Maverick felt squirrelly on the highway above 50mph, while the Hornet was pretty stable. And although the AMC interior was pretty lousy in design, the car was built far better than the Ford, which was really a sloppily-made car with all sorts of rattles, wind and water leaks, and which rusted with a vengeance.

#27460 of 29612 Re: Valiant [ab348] by uplanderguy

Jan 06, 2013 (4:14 pm)

Replying to: ab348 (Jan 06, 2013 12:27 pm)
Geez, I am sincerely sorry for slamming two of your family's cars back then!!
 
Hey, I'd have said I loved Maverick LDO's if it would have got me in the car with the red-headed cheerleader back then!

#27461 of 29612 Re: Valiant [uplanderguy] by andre1969

Jan 06, 2013 (4:23 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Jan 06, 2013 4:14 pm)
The only experience I really have with a Maverick was about 12 years ago, if not more. I had driven my '89 Gran Fury to work, I remember that much, because a Maverick was parked next to it when I got off work and went out to the parking lot. I had seen it before, but this time, its owner was there. We struck up a conversation, and I asked if I could sit in it, to see how it felt.
 
I don't remember too much, but do remember that it didn't totally suck. Not nearly as roomy and comfy as a Dart/Valiant or my Gran Fury (which dated back to the '76 Aspen/Volare so, in a roundabout way, was still a peer), but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
 
My biggest beef with many Ford products of that era, and the 80's, is that the driveshaft/transmission hump seems overly large, and severely compromises the center position, both front and rear.

#27462 of 29612 . by fintail

Jan 06, 2013 (6:03 pm)

Saw a ~68-70 or so Eldo today, has to be the same one I saw a few weeks ago, not many of those on the road.

#27463 of 29612 Re: Valiant [andre1969] by berri

Jan 06, 2013 (7:51 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 06, 2013 4:23 pm)
What I remember most about Mavericks (and their sister Comet) was no glove box - just a very chintzy car. I think they had decent reliability for their time though.

#27464 of 29612 Re: Valiant [berri] by andre1969

Jan 06, 2013 (8:08 pm)

Replying to: berri (Jan 06, 2013 7:51 pm)
Didn't early Hornets come without a glovebox door as well? Or was that the Gremlin?
 
And yeah, IIRC, Consumer Reports tended to rate the Maverick pretty high for reliability. In fact, I think it often placed higher than the Dart/Valiant.

#27465 of 29612 Re: Valiant [andre1969] by ab348

Jan 07, 2013 (4:33 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 06, 2013 8:08 pm)
Ours was very cold-blooded. Did not like to start or even crank when it got cold in the winter. It also had chronic front-end problems.
 
At some point Ford got rid of the under-dash shelf and added a glove box - our '74 had one. I think it was the early Gremlins that had no glove box door or even a back seat.

#27466 of 29612 Re: Valiant [ab348] by uplanderguy

Jan 07, 2013 (5:38 am)

Replying to: ab348 (Jan 07, 2013 4:33 am)
I seem to remember that Gremlins always had a glovebox door and early-on, you could get one with no back seat, but what I think you're thinking of is the Chevette Scooter. It definitely had no glovebox door and no back seat!
 
Gremlins and Hornets, at least early-on, had an open shelf under the dash also.

Messages Page 2747 of 2962

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