It’s the only modern Musclecar that pays tribute to the original. You like what you like I guess but It’s the same car as a Demon. I don’t get it?
...me too, spent most early driving days in wide, low brake pedal Buicks. Now, in old age, helps my arthritic reaction time...
CH. How is RH clearance & access for your passenger work out in that soulless thing. GF & I both have older souless cars also they have doable not very comfortable HR clearance for giving and getting RH., they work for short trips.. When we go on long RT we take the truck.. Bench seat in that old girl..GF enjoys the headroom in the truck.. We have looked at some of the newer souless POJ out there.. Headroom just aint there.. If you you feel you need to get somewhere fast I guess Thats your bag.. We dont really got the need for speed we like the slow ride we take it easy,,, when the rhythm is right..Well, come on
Hellcat has great room fir both passenger and driver especially leg room. Headroom can be iffy if you get the sunroof which I don’t have or want.
The old cars weren't as "cookie cutter" as cars now. Buick's had Buick engines, Pontiac's had Pontiac engines etc. You could order options to suit your taste or needs. Today, most cars have a choice of a tan or gray interior. Most cars are optioned very much the same. Back then, you could tell a Buick from a Chevy or a Pontiac. Today, it's all cheap snap together plastic parts and it's hard to tell a Buick or a Chevy from a Ford or a Kia.
I’ve been thinking about this for a few years with my Buick Electra. Love the old girl, but sometimes get tired of wrenching and fixing this or that on it. Lots of time, effort and energy into it and to me, no new car has the lines and style of a C-Body Buick. Will keep the car and swap the engine in mine over the winter. More power, reliably, parts availability, mpg and not as much wrenching. To me this is the best of both worlds, a good mix of the old school body and new school engine performance. Been thinking about the engine swap for years; made my mind recently. Was driving my buick and I noticed a 57 Chevy with Cali tags and he noticed me. Pulled over and talked and he was driving his car on the Route 66 tour and was heading to Chicago before heading back home. Asked what he had under the hood, a Vortec engine out of the newer trucks. I enjoy mine but want more from it.
If you want ‘more from it’, a lower torque small block isn’t the way to get it (especially in an Electra!). There’s no reason the 455 with qjet can’t be as reliable now as it was in 1972. Patrick
Its funny. We buy these new cars to get away from working on them so in 10 yrs we can go back to working on them because crap is braking or wearing out. Except one problem, most of these new cars are almost impossible to work on. I'd rather work on my Buick doing anything (well cept a heater core) than change the plugs on my LS1.
I have kept 4 of my "Buick's. I sold 2 of my '73's; 1 my yellow racer which now belongs to Tom Quigg, he is using it much more than I ever did as I was busy with my Gold Factory Stock F.A.S.T and SuperCar racer. i had not raced it in years, well once in 3 years. Then I sold my Black Rat Rod Bondo Queen, non matching #'s 4 speed. I just could not take having to redo it again in a few years to look decent again. I knew it would only be a while till it started cracking all over and going south again. It also had roofing tar covering the chassis and trunk to hide the rust along with a $1400 paint job and new vinyl top to hide all the fiberglass and bondo everywhere. P.S. it is for sale again by the current owner and I hope whoever is thinking of buying it takes a good look first. I also parted out my "73 Century 350 car after blowing a head gasket and then gave that one to a friend to use eventually as a swap for his totally rusted 4 speed. car. I then went out 2 years ago and purchased my '75 Black Electra Ltd with 18,500 miles for AACA and Buick touring, it now has 24,000 miles in 2 years and have enjoyed every mile. Then last year I finally bought a sports car again after 15 years of only old Buicks. I bought a 2016 AMG GTS Edition1 with 1,470 miles. It is a blast, and I just hit 5,000 miles today with it. It has a extended and CPO warranty till June of 2022. The AMG is fast, reliable, and has everything one could ask for in a new car. It is an instant classic with only 368 imported to the U.S. I am enjoying it and have been using it with my old sports car and racing friends, and using it for touring and driving everywhere. I am lucky to have the best of both worlds, and have no regrets selling the 2 '73's and parting the other. I kept my '73 Stage1 SunCoupe all original SCO paint 1 of 4, 1 of 45 SunCoupes built, and chassis # 000092. and also my Gold Stage1 1 of 92 built 4 speed totally restored Concours car. Plus the Gold GS 455 F.S. racer, T code 1 of 99. Sorry for the long post.
The owner's manual of most new cars show VERY little maintenance until 100K miles. I did put a washer pump on our last car for $20. I think ultimately, few people care what you drive.
Why give up the old iron? It absolutely has soul. It also has my blood sweat and tears throughout and has been said I also took a junkyard dog and lovingly rebuilt every square inch of it till it was what I wanted. Give it up? Hell no. BUT that said my 87 GN is another animal altogether better manners better comforts AC fun cruiser. Wouldent part with this one either. Fast forward to my son in laws 2018 mustang shelby 350 gt. Holy Moses. Race ready even has factory exhaust dump tubes. 500 plus hp computer everything. Sounds bad ass. Handles incredible. All have their strong points all have their own very different distinct soul. I couldn't give up any of the buicks to buy something new. After 35 years driving a 70 buick gs I still love it's simplicity its rawness its sounds its handling. Nope nothing against New muscle but not giving up my old iron.
I own modern and old. The old is a chore...the main reason I keep the old is for the hobby. In terms of driving enjoyment...modern all the way. If you don’t think modern cars have soul then I seriously doubt you’ve owned one. And I’m not talking about 90s or 10 year old cars. 2015+ American performance cars are nuts! Not bashing our old cars....but if I had to choose between the two...I’d choose the one I enjoy driving...not the car that gets me the most thumbs up.
I'm in the same boat a Bennyk81 I love my not so perfect Riv so do my girls. We go everywhere in it and I park it wherever. If it gets a ding or scratch well that sucks and I'll add it to the to do list but it doesn't stop me from taking it out and enjoying it. I would love a new Hellcat in the worst way and I would drive and park it anywhere also. To me a car is a car they're meant to be driven, enjoyed and inevitably fixed. I have a 2013 Nissan Titan SL4x4 the wife's 2014 Kia sorento and they too need things here and there. My 2cents is drive what makes you happy and sell what doesn't. I love new plastic just as much as my old iron,they both fill certain personal desires.
THIS or THIS... My pendulum is swinging more and more towards the side of less technology every day. So whats that weird looking gray car thing about 5 posts up^^^? The red brake things are neat. Red rustoleum or some platinum nitrided palladium based space shuttle baked in a microwave shat thats gonna look like crap in 5 years?? Wow. 0-60 in 5 seconds and 60-0 in 5 seconds. For those who know, no explanation is necessary; for those who dont, no explanation is possible. ws
Like you I had Buick GS cars for decades and like you I felt one toy car was enough. There is something I'm going to run by you that may sound odd, but I'll say it anyway even at the risk of someone pulling my man card. Some cars being built today are without question out of place on the street and far beyond reason. The performance is, unless you've owned one, almost unimaginable. My suggestion to you would be a 392 Challenger or Mustang GT. Those cars can provide ample attitude with less complexity, money, and risk than say a Hellcat or GT500. Scratch your itch but don't go overboard. My 2 cents FWIW.
I went through a lot to get my 67 looking & running the way it is, and I'm still upgrading things. Having a sweet 2-door hardtop with this level of power & handling, smog-exempt in CA? No way I'd ditch it. I plan to keep it until I'm too old & my vision/motor skills are too shot to pilot anything but a wheelchair. My folk's 2017 LaCrosse just had to go to the dealer for erratic engine performance. Apparently it needed a software upgrade (?!?!?) .
Mabel... This is Barney. Get me the sheriff's office quick... My pal has one with a dialer, but it wont do anything but talk and listen. Neat concept eh? Cant dial without that digital TONE! Notice that ledge with the groove? That must be for the ipod and the plastic stick (stylus !!!) to write with. Of course you cant play Turbo Tank Commanders of the Intergalactic Smegma Masters of Uranus part 7 on that phone either. This world has gone to the 4 year olds, "graduating" from pre K-3 with a friggin' cap and gown. JEEZUS CHRISTOPHER! I feel like stickin' my fat head in the microwave. Im gonna go start painting the kitchen... Hope I dont get cancer from the plastic handle on the paint roller... ws
...buying "modern" gets me safety, economy, performance, and conveniences...just what I want/need in a DD. For me, "old muscle" is a hobby with different criteria. I can't reconcile the two. When I ditch old, it won't be for modern performance...
