Retro Rides: Part DEUX

A Further Examination Into Some Classic Vintage Rides.

By: vkimo

]]]]]n=center]RETRO RIDES

Just the other day I was watching the 80's classic Liscence to Drive Starring Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. (2 of the best kid actors of that era) While watching the movie I couldn't help but notice all the retro vehichles in the film. The styling was truly unique. From the dad's Audi to the DMV Escort. I did an article before on this topic, but I failed to include a number of classics. Thanks to the comments left from the previous article I decided to do a Follow Up.I will again cover some basic categories of my favorite cars. So here it is. Fasten your Seatbelts and hang on....first we look at "Every Day Cars"

1984 Dodge Caravan

Interesting Fact Introduced in November 1983 for the 1984 model year along with sister models, the Chrysler Town and Country, and the Plymouth Voyager (later Chrysler Voyager). The first modern minivans, the Chrysler company minivans are credited with creating the entire market segment for these vehicles

Your looking at
the grandaddy of all mini vans. I still to this day see Dodge Caravans similar to the one pictured above driving the streets. The styling was pretty basic. The Wood looking paneling along the doors was a trademark of family vehichles. In some ways I prefer it to todays minivans. It was more of a "Can Do" van than today's fancy-smancy people movers. So anytime you see a Caravan, Don't quickly dismiss the Founding Father of the Mini Van.

1971 Ford Pinto

Interesting Fact Ford rushed its newest car the Pinto into production in much less time than is usually required to develop a car. The regular time to produce an automobile is 43 months Ford took 25.

Ahhh....The humble Pinto. This car has made several list as one of the worst production cars ever. It was released by Ford as an entry into the small car market, which was dominated by Volkswagon and japanese automakers. There still around, some people just can't let them go. They were notorious for their poorly designed gas tanks. Which would turn a light rear end "Bump" into a smouldering explosion of metal and glass. Not the nicest design Ford has ever produced but the Pinto left its name on pop culture none the less. Come on? you wish you could drive around in a modded out Pinto...

1996 Buick Road Master Station Wagon

Interesting Fact GM discontinued both the Roadmaster sedan and the Roadmaster Estate Wagon in 1996. This was blamed on the smaller but more expensive and luxurious Park Avenue growing in size; the Roadmaster trim levels never exceeded that of the smaller but still full-sized Buick LeSabre. Another reason was largely a response to the SUV craze

To me, This was the last of the great American station wagons The Buick Road Master Station Wagon originally debuted in 1991. Where I am at Buick's are considered an "Old Man's" car. However The Road Master exudes "Family car" I could just imagine a cross country road trip with the family in one of these beauties. In the Movie National Lampoon's Vacation The Griswolds go on a long and exhausting ride to Walley World in a "Family Truckster" which was a custom Ford Station Wagon. Sadly real Station wagons are gone due to Suv and Crossovers. But there will always be a place in my driveway for the original family car.

1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Interesting FactThe final 1,560 SJ Grand Wagoneers were produced in the 1991 model year. Each had a "Final Edition" badge on the dashboard. A number of vehicles may have been produced as 1992 models to fulfill existing orders

A Station Wagon on Steroids That's what I think of when I see the Grand Wagoneer. The 4 wheel beasts have become a collectors item where I'm at. I like these because they have that classic styling with the wood trim earthy paint tones. Nothing says "Lets go camping" quite like the Wagoneer, there was the 80's Toyota Land Cruisers which were similar but I liked the Jeep better. With 4 wheel drive and good ground clearence this would have made a great terrain vehichle. And to think that the MSRP was only 10,500 Brand New!

1990 Pontiac Transport

Interesting FactFirst shown to the public in 1986, the Pontiac Trans Sport concept car was extremely well received. It featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a gull-wing rear passenger door and extensive use of glass including a glass-paneled roof as well as many other "dream car" features.

Comments

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My folks had a light blue 88 Plymouth Voyager from 1996 until it broke down in 2000. We named it Old Gussie. The General Lee is my favorite TV car of all time since I am obsessed with the Dukes of Hazzard TV series.

I appreciate the follow up to the first article. Keep up the good work. Brings back some great memories!! Wheres the Honda CRX?!?! lol

Great Article! I'm glad that you included the RX-7 as it's my favorite Japanese car. I actually did get to sit in KITT one time at Universal Studios Hollywood back in the early 90s, they had KITT on display and when you sat in it (him?) it would talk to you, I remember saying "KITT, drive!" and it said "I'm sorry, you do not appear to be of age to operate a motor vehicle" to me

KITT owns all others.

As someone who grew up in Michigan and has always had a love for all cars, I loved your article. It's really interesting to look at the old ads and pictures of these cars brand new. I sometimes do Google image searches for these just for nostalgia. I remember when the Tran Sport came out. It looked so wildly futuristic. Like a big wedge shaped car that they had always made for sci-fi movies. As time went on though, they looked kind of dated and ugly to me. But for their time they were pretty cool. Kind of the same deal with the Probe. I remember really liking them when they did the first major redesign to the body in about 94/95-ish. I wanted one! My English teacher in high school had a brand new one that was this metallic pearl pink color. It was so unique and so cool for a nice 60's age woman. My buddy in late high school also had the same model in a teal color. He took the governor off and that baby flew! Too bad he was way too hard on it and ruin it. Great article!

bro those were some classic! i have a book called the 80's ads and it has car ads and they all look so corny but back then, it was the bomb!

Yeah, I remember those cars too. I'm glad to see the 1984-87 Buick (Regal) Grand National make it. I graduated high school in 1985 and the Grand National was high on the list of the most desirable dream cars. The Chevy version, the Monte Carlo SS wasn't bad either. The Jeep Waggoneer, I think that body style goes back to the mid 1960's at least, Jeep just tweaked things where the front might be different. I've seen a 1980 model and it looks almost the same as the 1988 you have posted here. General Lee knockoffs, well, I can take or leave them but one time I saw a 1982 Subaru painted up like the General Lee, it was different to say the least.

The new Knightrider, well, since it was brought up, it really isn't off topic. it just isn't the same without KITT being a 1982 Firebird (or Trans Am) and also, I miss David Hasselhoff. To me, the new Michael Knight is kind of dumb at times and the car has the personality of a cold fish. Would be nice to see KARR come back from the old series and kck the new KITT's butt.

Awesome article. I'm so glad you put the 87 Grand National in there. I just bought one in June and it's an amazing ride! Keep them coming!

Good times, just like part 1. The caravan with the wood panelling always reminds me of my old lady neighbor, Rose. Hers was powder blue with brown wood panelling and I could always count on that thing being parked in her driveway when I walked home from school.

My family had a 1990 Pontiac Transport for like 13 years, then we got in an accident...