1977 Chrysler New Yorker - An Award Winner!

 

You may have missed it, but at the inaugural, "Charley Awards", a 1977 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham two-door won the award for coolest, mid-to-late-1970's, domestic, luxury two-door; I wouldn't call these "coupes", as they're really "two-door sedans". General Motors executives were miffed, crying afoul that their 1977 downsized Cadillac Coupe deVille and Buick Electra two-door models didn't win; between us, they weren't even finalists. Ford suits, with nothing more to offer than their oafish, Lincoln Continental Town Coupe, just sat there, stewed on the dollar-a-holler well-liquor. I'm using this 1977 New Yorker I found recently on Facebook Marketplace for illustrative purposes of our award winner. 

Of course, there were no such awards handed out except in my mind, but it would be fun to do something on social media where people got to vote on the best and worst of vehicles categorized in ways never seen before. "Best Looking Station Wagon with Dye-Noc Wood Grain Trim", "Best Captive Import That You Would Be Caught Dead In", "Most Overrated Sports\Muscle or Pony Car that Isn't a third-generation Corvette"...and so on. The category list could be endless. 

As far as these big New Yorker Brougham's go, well, what can I say. As the creator, curator and judging panel of the illustrious "Charley Awards", I'm a sucker for these unapologetically large, pre-downsized brutes. Corn-fed to believe that hunky monsters like this where the trappings of the wealthy (gangsters and mobsters too), although I know better now, any time I see a 1970's luxury land yacht, I'm transporter-beamed back to when I was growing in the somewhat leafy hamlet of Baldwin, Long Island, a stone's throw from, ahem, New York(er) City. 

Cars like this is what rich people, or those wanting to appear as though they "had it" drove. They could drive, essentially, the same car for quite a bit less out of pocket, many times those "lesser" models  better transportation conveyances too, but they didn't have the cache or snob appeal something like this had. No one would say, "damn, check out Charley's new Plymouth Fury. He must be killing it."

For my pre-pubescent money, the luxurious-est of all the domestic luxury barges of the late 1970's was the 1976-1978 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham; all Chrysler New Yorkers from 1972-1978 were "Brougham's". However, by the time my wretched wonder-years were hitting their hormonal peak, the "bigger is better" party was coming to a screeching halt. General Motors had  "downsized" their big rigs and being underwhelmed if not heart broken by them, I found refuge, solace if you will, in the showroom of Conway Motors (above), a long gone Chrysler-Plymouth dealership on Sunrise Highway up the street from where I grew up. 

It was the summer of 1977 and weary of my parents endless harassing haggling of their used car sales manager over a used 1970 Buick Electra they would end up buying, I wandered into the air-conditioned comfort of the new car showroom and snuck behind the wheel of a brand-new Brougham. Sliding around on the cushy and slippery leather thrones, I was in transfixed by the not only the sheer size of the thing, but what I perceived to be it's lap of hedonistic luxury. For certain, it wasn't my father's 1968 Ford Ranch Wagon. Knowing how diminutive the new "big" GM cars were, it was obvious I was stepping back in time to the way things used to be; those heady post-War years when the size of the car in your garage denoted your plight in life. These big-as-a-whale Chrysler's were totally out of step with what Americans needed at the time and I loved them for that in addition to thinking, for the lack of any better term, they were cooler than Fonzie.  

Our award winning '77 here was part of Chrysler's new-for-1974 full-size line that also included new "Imperial" models. From 1955-1975, Imperial was the Chrysler's Corporation's range-topping make akin to GM's Cadillac although, similar to Ford's Lincoln division, it didn't have a dedicated dealership network and was sold and serviced along side Chrysler's and Plymouth's. Imagine plucking down Cadillac money and having to share the service area waiting room with some Duster owner. 

                                                                  1974 Imperial LeBaron                   

Visibly, the only tangible difference between a 1974 Imperial and Chrysler New York Brougham was the front and rear ends; the Imperial had enclosed headlights, a chrome, waterfall grill and a derivatively styled rear facia; it had more than its fair share of GM-ethos in it. The NYB shared the same front and back ends with the "entry-level" Newport and the Town and Country wagon. Just as well as Chrysler Corporation never intended their Chrysler division to go tire-to-tire with Cadillac anyway. 

1974 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham

Through no fault of their own, Chrysler's timing to introduce new full size cars that were even bigger than what they replaced couldn't have been worse with the OPEC Oil Embargo taking effect all but at the literal start of the 1974 model year. These new hunky dreadnaughts replaced the dread-full 1970-1973 Chrysler "fuselage" models that sold like frozen turkeys the day after Thanksgiving. Only Chrysler could manage to roll out new models that would sell even worse. Things were so bad Chrysler shuttered their "Imperial" division after 1975. 

So, with Imperial swimming with the fishes, Chrysler bolted the Imperial's front end onto the New Yorker and, voila, for 1976 through 1978, Chrysler had themselves an award winner. Liberace and Elvis were salivating. Obviously, the headlight doors on our '77, which are actuated by an electric motor behind the grill, aren't working. 

Of course, in the face of General Motors shrink-rayed Cadillac, Buick and even Oldsmobile's, our big and beautiful New Yorker didn't stand a chance at the box office. Chrysler replaced it in 1979 with the decidedly non-award winning, "R-body" based sedan (above) that was, perhaps, the oddest 'down-sized' luxury car of the era. 

Not surprisingly, they sold even worse than the 1976-1978 New Yorker's and Chrysler pulled the plug on them during the 1981 model year. With the "R-body" being an upsized "B-body", meaning it was an upsized intermediate, it means our award winning, 1976-1978 New Yorker Broughams was the Chrysler Corporation's last rear-wheel-drive, traditionally full-size luxury cars. 

1986 Buick Regal - Bridging The Gap

Towards the end of this generation of the Buick Regal's 1978-1987 production run, Buick ramped up the horsepower and torque so much on its high-performance versions that it was faster zero-to-sixty than Chevrolet's lordly Corvette. To bridge the performance gulf of performance between the 3.8-liter V-6 powered base models and the big dogs, for 1986 and 1987, Buick made Oldsmobile's 307-cubic inch V-8 optional. Sorry, V-8 lovers, it was the lower performing of its two versions.  

It was a bit of novelty if not a throwback of sorts since Pontiac (4.9-liter) and Chevrolet (5.0-liter) V-8's were available on Buick Regals from 1978-1980; from 1981 through 1985, the only V-8 available was the Oldsmobile, 5.7-liter diesel. 

Making all of 140-horsepower, it's not like the 307 transforms car this into a poor man's Grand National. Hardly. Contemporary road test of similarly powered GM G-bodies with the "LV2" Olds engine pegged it zero-to-sixty in roughly 13-seconds. 

Compared to the Grand National's approximate 5-second blast from zero-to-sixty, this car might as well have been standing still. The added oomph of the 307 barely negating its additional bulk over the 110-horse, Buick V-6. 

I've driven these cars with LV2 and Chevrolet's LG4, 305-CID engine and they are sah-low. Wide-ratio "Metric" transmissions and super tall rear axles doing the added poke of the V-8 absolutely no favors whatsoever too. I wonder why they even bothered. Did make for smoother running automobile, though. 

If you wanted automatic overdrive, you had to step up to the haughty T-Type or Grand National; the almighty GNX was 1987 only. For 1987, buyers could have also order the turbocharged V-6 in the Regal "Limited" but those are almost as rare as the GNX. 

1986 advertising literature claims the 5.7-liter, Oldsmobile diesel was available in 1986 on these cars but there's little real-world evidence any of these were built with that engine. If they were, they came backed with the "AOD" (automatic overdrive). Fuel economy of the Olds diesels in these cars was negligibly better than the V-6 models. Olds 307 powered Regals too. 

My Facebook Marketplace find here is for sale not far from my triple-wide here west of Cleveland, Ohio. Only 43,000 or so clicks on it's 37- going on 38-year old analog odometer. Asking price is a "you've got to be kidding me" $10,000. This is well bought at around half that amount. 

1963 Dodge 880 Custom - Look, Ma! No Tailfins!

Standing maybe five-feet, nine inches tall, I take issue with the age-old adage that "size matters". Yes, I'll never play center for the Knicks or middle linebacker for the Jets but that has (or had) more to do with my lack of elite athletic ability than how tall I am. Yes, that's puckish, 13-year old me. Hapless center and linebacker for the Baldwin Bombers (Long Island, New York) back in 1977 and 1978. 

If you're familiar with the story of Dodge's 1962-1965 880's, it seemed as though "size" was the impetus for its very existence in the first place. However, in my humblest of opines, it had less to do with size but with the styling of the car it technically replaced in the Dodge lineup. Our Facebook Marketplace find here is a 1963 Dodge Custom 880. 

Legend has it that at a cocktail party at the Gross Pointe Country Club (above) in Detroit in late spring or early summer of 1960, then Chrysler President William Newburg overheard Chevrolet General Manager Ed Cole say that they were downsizing their lineup for 1962. Intel in hand and not to be outdone, Newburg ordered that 1962 Dodge and Plymouth full-size models, direct competitors to Chevrolet, be downsized. Immediately. 

Engineers and designers worked around the clock and in record time whipped up smaller designs (above) that were more or less "upsized" versions of their, being kind, progressively styled 1960 compact models. And...they went over with a thud. In the blink of an eye, sales of Dodge and Plymouth's "big cars" dropped some 25-percent year over model year. And 1961 was not a banner year for Dodge and Plymouth sales either. 

My blog, my opinion, that drop in sales had more to do with what was perceived as bizarre styling rather than how big the cars were. Case in point, although domestic cars were, in general, elephantine at the time, sales of far smaller imports were making inroads, American Motors' line of far smaller vehicles were selling well and Ford's compact Falcon, introduced in 1960, was, ahem, flying out of showrooms. America was ready, it seemed, for smaller cars. For the record, the smaller 1962 Plymouth and Dodge models (last two photos, above) were some seven-inches shorter than their 1961 counterparts. Some 500-pounds less heavy too. Taste being like armpits, I think they're fabulous looking. Especially, naturally, the two-door versions. 

Akin to throwing a speeding car into reverse and then back into drive, to fill the, again, perceived void in Dodge's lineup, halfway through the 1962 model year, Chrysler repurposed a Chrysler Newport as the Dodge "Custom 880". Just like that, Dodge was back in the "big" car business. Oddly enough, Plymouth soldiered on with their smaller "full-size" cars through 1964. Then again, Plymouth was never really it's own, quasi-independent division like Dodge was. 

The Dodge Custom 880 was somewhat different from a Chrysler Newport in that it had an updated front end from the 1961 Dodge Polara although it did have the newly "de-finned" rear from the '62 Newport. Look, ma! No tail fins! Sales were unimpressive as well for these cars with Dodge moving all of 18,000 of them for the second half of '62, approximately 28,000 for 1963 making our subject here quasi-rare. 

For 1963, Dodge redesigned the front end and as the Big Three did back then in the era of "planned obsolescence", with almost annual substantive model updates, Dodge did a total redesign of the 880's body for 1964 with yet another significant reboot for 1965. Dodge dropped the "880" moniker for 1966 replacing it with "Monaco" which was built on Chrysler's updated-for-1965, traditionally full-sized or "standard sized" C-body platform. 

Turned out, though, the intel that Newburg got regarding GM's downsizing was either wrong or mis-interpreted. GM wasn't downsizing their full-size line but was to introduce a new line of intermediate sized cars for 1964. What's more, for 1962, GM's full-size models were actually larger than they were in 1961. Whoops. 

Newburg quickly left the company - although it was for improprieties and unethical business practices rather than being held accountable for ordering the haphazard redesigns. Haphazard redeigns that, again, my blog, my opine, were some of the best-looking cars Chrysler pushed out in the '60's. Your opinion may vary, see dealer for details. 

Our Facebook Marketplace find here is for sale down in Ansted, West Virginia with a $4,750 asking price. And that's reduced from an initial ask of some $5,500. Poster claims it's been "in the family" for the better part of thirty years and we'd be hard pressed to find a better example of a car from this time period in the shape it's in for the money. I concur but only to a point. If this was a two-door, I'd whole heartedly agree. As this is, it's just some big, old car; albeit one with a fairly unique origin story. An origin story, mind you, I wouldn't pay a premium for. This is a $1,500-$2,500 car if you ask me. 

1970 1/2 Ford Falcon - Moniker Anarchy

From my, "that's not what it looks like", file, today's soliloquy is about one of the more curious cars the Ford  Motor Company came out with in the 1970's. Nope, it's not an early 1970's Ford Torino or Fairlane, although no one would blame for thinking it was. but a 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon. I know, you're thinking, "wait, wasn't the Ford Falcon a compact car?"  Well, yes, it was. From 1960 through halfway through the 1970 model year it was a compact but for the latter half of 1970 it was an intermediate or mid-sized car. 

The story goes that Ford's 1970 compact Falcon, above, wasn't compliant with new, federally mandated safety standards that went into effect, somewhat oddly on January 1, 1970. Rather than update it, seeing the Falcon's replacement was already in showrooms, Ford discontinued production by December 31, 1969. 

Real or imagined, seeing that the Maverick (above) was launched only as a two-door sedan in April of 1969 and was designated a 1969 1/2, it left a hole in Ford's "entry-level" sedan lineup. Ford had a thing for half model-year releases back then. For more information, please google, "original Ford Mustang". 

Rather than roll out a Maverick four-door in mid-year 1970, Ford continued to use the "Falcon" nameplate as their entry level sedan on a bone-stripped, rental grade Torino\Fairlane 500. Voila, the 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon was, err, hatched. What makes things even more confusing is Ford offered the '70 1/2 Falcon not only as a four-door sedan but as a wagon and a two-door sedan like my Facebook Marketplace find here. 

Come 1971, though, Ford introduced a four-door Maverick replacing the Falcon as Ford's entry-level four-door sedan. Ford then sunset the Falcon nameplate here in the United States although in Australia, they used the "Falcon" moniker on a number of different models through 2016. Some of them quite interesting. 

Begs the question, though, if the Ford Motor Company felt they needed a four-door, entry level sedan after they discontinued production of the compact Falcon at the end of 1969, why didn't they come with a four-door Maverick when they introduced the nameplate in April of that year?  Or at least at the start of the 1970 model year in September of 1969? I find it hard to believe that the four-door, 1971 Maverick wasn't ready for sale by the start of the 1970 model-year. 

The marketing wonk in me would like to know Ford's rationale in branding the "new", intermediate sized Falcon as such. Giving their marketing and product planning departments the benefit of the doubt that there was clear, concise and succinct thinking if not logic behind that decision, hopefully, I'll uncover something that makes me go, "oh, ok. That's why". As it was, though, from a marketing and branding standpoint, it makes no sense. 

Ironies of ironies, during a truncated "half" model year, the Falcon outsold the Torino and its mid-level model the Fairlane 500. Then again, America loves a bargain. Especially when it's a stylish one like the 1970 1/2 Falcon was. Especially these swoopy two-doors; what teenage me would have done to have one of these even with the pokey six-cylinder. The four-door sedan, again, the alleged impetus for the the moniker anarchy, I have no use for. Same for the clumsy wagons. 

This Facebook Marketplace find is no "bargain", though. Asking price is $10,000 and for that princely sum you get a mostly original, the engine was rebuilt in 1988, and all but unrestored 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon with no power brakes, no power steering and Ford's 250-cubic inch, inline six rated generously at 155-gross rated horsepower. I find it amazing the sixer wasn't tossed sometime over the last 53-years for a V-8, don't you? From the looks of things this car has been generally pampered it's entire life. Originally a Florida car, it came to western New York in 1996 and has been a garage queen ever since. 

1994 Chevrolet Lumina Euro - Please Don't Call it A Eurosport

Few things bring back memories like an old car. Especially one in great shape like this 1994 Chevrolet Lumina "Euro" coupe is. Back in late December of 1989, I had gotten fed up with my 1982 Buick Riviera constantly breaking down, so I ditched it, grabbed my checkbook and bought the only brand new car I've ever owned -  a black, 1990 Chevrolet Lumina "Euro" coupe just like this handsome dark red one. 

Chevrolet built the Lumina Euro on General Motors new-for-1988, "GM10" chassis or platform that also underpinned the Pontiac Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Buick Regal. Cadillac never got a GM10. Reviled as much as adored, when P-O-B debuted their GM10's as 1988 models, curiously, they only came as coupes. What's more, the first Chevrolet Lumina didn't leave the factory until the summer of 1989 as 1990 models. Why the delay? Who knows. Alexa can't answer that one. 

P-O-B finally got sedan GM10 for 1990. To underscore how family-centric Chevrolet wanted the buying public to believe their four-door Lumina was, they pulled the sheet off of it at Disneyworld in the spring of 1989. So effective was that marketing ploy that when I'd tell people I bought a brand new Lumina, they'd say, "you bought a family car?" What's more, I'd have to correct them when they'd call it a "Eurosport". Their faux pas somewhat understandable given that from 1984-1989, Chevrolet called a sporty-ish version of their venerable Celebrity, "Eurosport". 

The Lumina replaced the Celebrity in the Chevrolet lineup although Chevrolet continued to offer the Celebrity wagon through 1990. Technically, there was a Lumina wagon but it was the Chevrolet version of the GM plastic-paneled "dustbuster" minivan they called "Lumina APV" (all-purpose vehicle). The only thing it had in common with the Lumina coupe and sedan was its name. Had to be a reason for the overlap; perhaps they had a gaggle of unsold '89's lying around? Alexa? 

For an "over-the-curb" price of $16,600, I thought I had a lot of car on my hands. In addition to what I thought was quite handsome styling, I had a nimble although fairly harsh riding, sized-just-right car that was spacious, comfortable, good on gas for the times (25-27 mpg) and came with nifty seat belts that you could leave buckled if you chose; I did it once, felt I was getting clotheslined when I got in and never did it again. I missed the dual power seats and leather lined interior of my Riviera, but I fathomed that it was fine to take a step or two backwards accoutrement-wise in the interest of my moving forward. 

Only issues I had en masse with my "Euro" was the jarring ride and while adequately powered by its 3.1-liter V-6, I felt it somewhat pokey. I surmised its decent gas mileage made up for the lack of real beans, though. Yes, there was more than a fair share of rationalization going on in my mind but in the end, my "Euro" did exactly what I needed it to: get me from point A to B with not so much a single hiccup. Its stalwart reliability is all but commonplace today, but even in 1990, it was hardly a given. Especially on anything GM if not any domestic. 

I find it interesting how ambivalent I am towards this well preserved 1994. It's for sale on Facebook Marketplace with a fair asking price of $4,500, not bad for anything in this kind of condition these days with, bonus(?), all of 40,000-miles on its 29-year old analog ticker. Having nothing but pleasant memories of my '90, you'd think like some middle-age guy in the late 1980's or early 1990's longing for his long lost '57 Chevy I'd jump at it. Meh. As handsome as I thought this car was back then and I still do, this is no '57 Chevy.  

Also, then as now, please, don't call it a "Eurosport". 

 

1984 Dodge Omni GLH - Goes Like Hell

For those of us "into" history and automobiles, it doesn't get any better when they both come together like it did for me the other day when this 1984 Dodge Omni GLH popped up for sale on Facebook Marketplace out in Findlay, Ohio, roughly halfway between Cleveland and Toledo. This hardly looks like a historically significant automobile but, trust me, it played an important role in the advancement of the American automobile. And a good one at that. 

Prior to the mid-1970's, most cars made and sold in the United States were rear-wheel drive with their engines mounted longitudinally in front of driver with torque diverted to a differential via a shaft running under the car. The only front-wheel-drive cars made and sold here at the time were General Motors' Oldsmobile Toronado, since 1966, and Cadillac Eldroado since 1967. Long defunct Auburn Cord had manufactured and sold FWD cars in the 1930's as well. The only other American car deviation from a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration had been General Motors' 1960-1969 Chevrolet Corvair. 

Beginning in 1978, the Dodge Omni and it's corporate clone Plymouth Horizon, were the first front-wheel-drive compacts assembled in North America. What's more, their engines and transmissions were transversely mounted whereas the GM luxury cars and even the Cord's had engines and transmissions that were longitudinal.

The interior packaging efficiency of an automobile the size of the Omni\Horizon afforded by its powertrain alignment was unlike anything ever made in this country before. That is... except for Volkswagen and their FWD Rabbit that went on sale here in 1974. 

Appearances being everything, when these came it appeared obvious that Chrysler had their eyes all over the Rabbit. However, it was VW who had their eyes on the front-wheel-drive, compact sedan manufactured and sold in Europe by Chrysler subsidiary Simca since 1967, that was known as the 1100. The Simca 1100, and subsequent models, were remarkable for their combination of what are now construed as modern automobile engineering; transverse-mounted powertrains, unit-body construction, and independent suspensions. All in a compact economy car too. 

Therefore, when Chrysler (America) went looking for a suitable platform for a compact, front-wheel-drive sedan, they didn't have to look too hard to find one. You'll also find much Simca 1100\1200 and Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon DNA in the famous Chrysler K-cars that all but saved Chrysler from bankruptcy in the 1980's. 

By 1984, though, compact, front-wheel-drive economy cars were all but the norm, particularly from Japanese manufacturers who had engineered out much of it's quirks and foibles. To infuse some much needed pizzaz into the aging Dodge Omni, Chrysler fitted it with a high-performance version of their 2.2-liter, inline four-cylinder engine, bolted on the suspension baubles, bits and tuning from their Dodge Shelby Charger, which was based on the Omni 024 coupe, and, voila, America's first "hot-hatch" or "pocket rocket" was born. They called it the Dodge Omni "Goes Like Hell", or "GLH".  

As far as our $1,400 Facebook Marketplace find here, it's seen seen better days. Poster of the ad claims it had sat for 16-years prior to their purchasing it from the original owner. It's currently not running and they patched the rusted out floor boards themselves. Lovely. Worst is, apparently there's structural rust (decay) on the driver's side rear where the axle attaches and they say that will need to be fixed. Good luck with that. He, or she, waxes on as well how they're tired of answering questions about wheel sizes, engine swaps and negotiating the price by text. Sounds like a swell person to deal with. You've been warned. 

One of these days I'll blog about the right and wrong ways to sell a car on social media; I've sold five cars on FB Marketplace and bought at least two on Craigslist so I think I know a thing or two about it. Rest assured, coming across as anything less than hospitable is most certainly not the way to get things sold. Even for a car as historically significant as this one is. Don't get me wrong, though, at the end of the day, we're talking about a Dodge Omni here.