David,

Yet another one that has your name written all over it:

https://rochester.craigslist.org/cto/6020440553.html

Tom

 

It's amazing the kind of iron that's laying around in garages out there! There was a '76 LeSabre (2-door) on eBay a few months ago that was an absolutely gorgeous car -- metallic red with a white vinyl landau top and only 4000 actual miles on it. I think it sold for around $19,000 or so -- kind of surprises me how the value of the 70's era cars are starting to inch up.

While I love most older American cars, I have to say I am drawn to the "oddities" -- the off-the-radar cars with low mileage that you just never see anymore. If I lived out in the country and had a big storage barn where I could park these things it would be "Annie bar the door!"

Maybe in retrospect it's a good thing I married a city girl......

 

And the funny thing about most 70's vintage cars is that in reality, they were pieces of crap. All of the early smog equipment didn't play well with drivability at all. And the corrosion resistance was abysmal. At least they were put together terribly!

 

That's why Japanese cars became very popular. Other than corrosion resistance, they were worlds ahead of Detroit iron in reliability and build quality.

 

Funny you should mention that. My first Toyota was a 1976 Toyota Corolla Liftback SR-5. Drove it for 17 years.

 

Yep - how many Vegas or Pintos lasted 17 years?

 

The first car (1975 Vega) I ever owned that wasn't a hand-me-down from my parents -- cool looking car but I swear to God I could still change the water pump in one with my eyes closed in the dark! Most of the ones that survived the '70's had SBC's dropped into them during high school shop class in the '80's and we're summarily driven into oblivion.....

 

much like an ex - girlfriend - after a few days you would remember real quick why you don't have it anymore.

 

My older brother had a 1972 Chevy Vega back in the day. If we didn't have anything else better to do on a Saturday night, we'd go out in the garage, drink beer and listen to it rust. First the front fenders went, then the doors, then the engine - all before it was 3 years old! I always thought they were great looking cars though.