I’ve had more of the old American iron engines than I can remember. A typical mid-70’s 350 cu in/5.7 liter in stock form gave you maybe 150hp and 18mpg on the highway was optimistic. By 150K it would be ready for a valve job, rear main seal and timing chain if the nylon gear hadn’t already disintegrated. You would have already replaced the water pump at least once, several tune-ups, and a few other engine related repairs.
Today I drive (among others) a 12 year old car with a 3.5 liter engine. 280hp, 25mpg on the highway. At 150K miles it has had oil changes, one spark plug change, fresh coolant, and, uh, well, that’s it.
Yes. Everything that is wrong with the country today can be traced to torque-to-yield bolts and low-vis engine oil.
To add nothing useful to the mix, there is no way we can live in the past. Physics says something about that. In addition, remember the great line from a Steve Martin song about staying away from “the memory of what never was becoming the good old days.”
Tell that to the current CiC. This place is looking more like the ‘50s every week! And not in good ways.
Buut seriously, one can embrace the tech, automotive and otherwise, of decades gone, as long as they know or learn how to take care of it, and leverage the differences between old and current.
@Old-Days-Rick “The 1975 Granada optional (std. on Ghia) 250 (4.2 L) six was rated at 70 net hp, at 2800 rpm, in CA emission configuration, or 28hp per cu.in. The 49 state version made a whopping 72 hp at 2900 rpm.”
I was driving my Caprice daily, but not at this time. Its a treasure that needs to be preserved.
Years ago I was trying to buy a Lincoln Versailles, what a fine automobile, but the guy kept making excuses why he wanted to wait to sell and I lost touch with him. I have a picture somewhere in the archives, oh it was a beautiful car.
Remember even the regular Granada was designed to compete with a Mercedes-Benz, the Lincoln version was arguably even quieter and nicer.
“the sound quality receives mixed feedback, with some praising it while others report low volume. Moreover, connectivity issues are common, with reports of constant connection drops. Additionally, the device’s quality, battery life, and value for money receive mixed reviews”
“The first time I put it in my car, it connected to my phone perfectly well, but then it flipped from the A-side to the B-side, back to the A-side, and then ejected. I was discouraged and frustrated, but was in a hurry and had to start my 40-minute drive”
”As I’m stubborn and didn’t want to give up, I spent the next fifteen minutes, pushing it back in, hoping it would work and it would-- for about five seconds, then flip, flip, flip, eject. Then, it worked for a minute or so. Then flip, eject. Then it worked for almost an entire song. Then flip, eject. By the time I got to my destination, it went about ten minutes without ejecting BUT–”
”Once it actually played, the mechanics inside it made an awful consistent grinding, clicking noise–louder than the music”
“Broke after a total of 10 months of use”
“blue tooth phone has to be 1 inch away from the cassette otherwise unbearable static and interference”
It was more of a recommendation for anyone, such as our resident ‘89 Caprice Classic owner, who if they wanted to be able to play music from, or play phone call audio, over their older style car stereo system, they could use that device.
Yes, some of those adaptors are c r a p, others, better.
They were also very quiet cars. The Granada rode as smoothly and as quietly as a 20k Mercedes! What a feat at less than a quarter of the cost. I cal that an engineering marvel
President Obama drove a Granada and looked back fondly on it. Great cars!
The Granada also was available with 4 wheel disc brakes, which we all love and antilock brakes! The Lincoln version was the first to use Clearcoat paint, integrated garage door opener, standard 4 wheel disc brakes, first to use halogen headlights, it was so advanced. It also had a engine computer.
Now we all no i think some of that stuff is rubbish, but lets give credit where credit is due.
A coworker I worked with in the 2000’s had a 1977 Ford Granada, like new, wife’s transportation.
I don’t have any pictures of it; I didn’t carry a camera to work in those years. Street view captured the garage door open in 2014:
Obama’s remarks about his grandfather’s car varied depending on the audience.
“It rattled and it shook, and I don’t think the girls were particularly impressed when I came to pick them up in a Ford Granada,” Obama said. “But you know what? It moved, and so I have fond memories of the fact that it got me to where I needed to go. That’s about all I can say about the Ford Granada.”
Obama, in the interview, stressed that “Ford is doing great now.”
A free car isn’t likely to be in showroom condition.
I never had respect for his opinion of the automotive industry, he thought American cars were too thin, did he ever drive a 1976 Datsun?
Later he increased fuel economy requirements to 54 mpg, no more Crown Victorias, buy a Prius.
The problem “back in the day” wasn’t thin sheet metal. The manufacturers didn’t use galvanized sheet metal yet. I don’t know if the fed made car makers do it but making car bodies out of galvanized sheet steel really helped the body rust problem in the snow belt.
I remember in the 60’s and 70’s my folks would buy a new car and within 2 years rust holes would start showing up! Rochester, NY.
I did love my 1970 Datsun 510, but boy were they rust buckets!
