Dammit, am I doing this rant again? I feel like I’ve written this ninety-thousand times and I’m sure I’ll write it again and again. Today was a day of catching up on items that I needed to read or hear. It might not look like it on the surface, but there has to be some kind of research that goes on to keep some ideas fresh. And today was the kind of day that left me angry, because today was once again all about the greatness of everything pre-1974 and how everything else is worthless, useless, soulless, and how the current generation of young gearheads are pointless and uninspired.
F**k me running. I can’t stand this shit. I’m not wasting my breath on the generational difference, I’m not going to preach how leaving the blinders on screwed over at least an entire generation of gearheads, potential wrenches and kids who could have been inspired. I’m not going to go off on the people older that me by a mile that talk shit about cars they don’t agree with because the only way I’ll ever change their minds is with a couple of well-placed sledgehammer blows to the temple.
Instead, here’s my offering. Three cars feature in this video from WatchJRGo: a Pontiac/ASC McLaren Grand Prix Turbo, a Dodge Rampage that has been given the Shelby treatment, and a Ford EXP. All three of these cars are easy to deride: the W-body Pontiac was trashed because it was the moment that GM punted for front-wheel-drive, the Rampage because tiny front-drive ute, and as far as the EXP? Car magazines trashed that thing when it was new! But here’s the deal…when was the last time you saw a decent one? When was the last time you saw anybody show any inkling of interest in these cars? Hardly anyone, you’d say. But there is a demand, an interest, and people who are interested in trying out a car they haven’t seen. That EXP is about as old as I am…imagine a 12-year-old seeing that parked next to a Ford EcoSport.
I’m gonna go vent my anger and frustration in my garage now. The neighbors will just think I’m under the Imperial again…
I so very much wanted an EXP when I was younger..Salesman said “it sounds like a well tuned Honda 750”..
People who are stuck on a certain era, brand, sport, or type of woman are missing out on a lot. I let them carry on about the 69′ tri-power that got away or the 67 big block, fastback wazoo they are going to have one day. A 91 Cutlass Convert, or a 80′ Magnum may not be my cup of tea but God bless the person who does have one of these in their garage at home. And what about the Rampage? I have seen one land speed racing with a diesel! Run what ya brung and let the shit talkers walk..
“The current generation of young gear heads is pointless and uninspired…”
We like chevelles, roadrunners, and second gen chargers too but since these now cost as much or more than new mustangs and challengers that are faster and better drivers anyways, what do you recommend we do?
Well, the video lost me at 2 minutes. Get the f’n thing out of the box and move on, kid.
But I won’t be working on the ’71 Challenger or the diesel truck around here today, I’ve got some tasks to do on the ’99 Saturn Wagon we are having so much fun with ’cause I want to take it through the mountains to Palm Springs tomorrow. I bet that would get some turned-up noses around here.
Do what we did! Take the vehicles you can afford and build them. Just went thru the local Craigslist and found lots of 80’s , 90’s and newer mustangs, camaros from 1000 to 5000. Try to build something different. Our sport/hobby/obsession is always evolving. My most fun build was a car nobody wanted, rambler. we added a v8, wheels/tires, a backyard paint job and everybody loved it. There are plenty of cheap, buildable vehicles available. This generation of gearheads is just as passionate about cars as I was as a 16 year old in 1972 looking at a Mach 1 and wondering why they were priced so only “old” people could afford them.
Plenty of cheap G body GM cars and Fox Fords out there near wherever you live. Need some ambition though.
I embrace just about everything these days. With all the forces that are against the car hobby, and cars in general, I’m not gonna alienate anybody who is into cars. We need all the numbers we can get.
Bryan, thank you for this. It needs to be said loudly and often.
When I was in high school my then girlfriend (now wife) bought an 86 EXP GT in 1989 with the money she made at Arby’s. It was such a cool little car. I have been looking for one for a couple of years now…haven’t found one.
Ah… the CarWizard, recipient of Hoovie funding. I honestly like most of their stuff. Hoovie kinda has my kind of automotive tastes other than I like older stuff but I get it.
I’ll watch the video tonight but overall I like watching the CarWizard work on Hoovies stuff because I’m a bit more interested in the subject matter. Him on his own stuff or customer stuff leaves me slightly bored but I doubt we’re (maybe PDub excluded) the intended audience.
Preach! My toy of choice is a malaise-a-riffic ’78 Fairmont! Pretty much any car can be made cool, hell, even a Camry, with the right mods!