Welcome to Pixel Car Art

[civicfan14]

Like it says, its only for fun, nothing else-don't get offended. Cars are on the list for various reasons, including looks, quality, performance, and even stereotypes. Some are cars that often end up on these lists and some are a little bit surprising.

Lets start with the top 20 worst American cars...

20. Ford Explorer
(IMG:http://www.7passengervehiclesreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/FOrd-Explorer.jpg)
Forget about the Firestone tire controversy-the Explorer launched a huge obsession with oversized SUVs. In the 1990's, Ford placed a station-wagon style body on the F-series truck platform. The Explorer was a instant sellout, causing Detroit to put out more and more large SUVs and Pickups into the market and neglecting the small car market. It worked well until gas prices rose to $4 a gallon...we all know what happened after that.
19. Edsel Corsair
(IMG:http://allencarswell.com/estore/images/1959%20Corsair.jpg)
The Corsair (ok, whatever, all Edsel models) wasn't really a bad car design itself per se, however several factors caused it to be the biggest automotive flop ever. Buyers hated the "horsecollar grille" and the push-button controls on the steering wheel, which meant you ended up shifting gears while honking your horn. Also, all the Edsel models were large cars that arrived right in the middle of a recession...which certainly didn't help.
18. Chevrolet Corvette C6
(IMG:http://images.loqu.com/contents/652/673/image/3/jc/Police%20Cars%2016.jpg)
The Corvette is a excellent track car, but it really isn't a good road car. Huge panel gaps, a interior that is made mostly of plastic, extreme rattling and the thinnest leather ever seen in a car. And why doesn't it have pop-up headlights?
17. Chevrolet Corvette California Edition
(IMG:http://www.rpmgo.com/images2009/Top-50-Worst-Cars-In-All-History-PART-3-10.jpg)
Probably the lowest point of American motoring, the Cali Vette was nothing close to a performer. Sold only in CA during the 1980 model year (thank goodness!), the 350 small-block V8 was mated to a 3-speed slushbox made (barely) 180 hp. This is the Corvette that even most diehard Corvette fans hate.
16. Chevrolet Iron Duke Camaro
(IMG:http://www.gmphotostore.com/images/53219354_pr.jpg)
Back in the 1920's, 90 hp was a lot of power. 60 years later, 90 hp is laughable. So why did GM decide to stick the 90hp 2.5 Iron Duke 4 in the Camaro, the symbol of Chevy performance (ok, the Corvette is, but still...) and the ultimate Mustang fighter? Better yet, just like the CA Vette, the Camaro's engine was connected to a 3-speed slushbox, which made the whole package amazing...ly s**t. 0-60 in 20 seconds must be fun...

To be continued...

This post has been edited by civicfan14: Mar 4 2011, 12:55 AM

[CR454]

um, Explorer = Ranger (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

and i'm keeping my eye on this topic (IMG:style_emoticons/default/iseewud.gif)

[civicfan14]

and i'm keeping my eye on this topic (IMG:style_emoticons/default/iseewud.gif)

Actually please do...note I will try my best to not piss anyone off here.

[Cooper]

I liked the explorer.. Well, I still do.

[uiui]

WHAT IS THIS?Corvette Cal is nice to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/iseewud.gif) and Camaro.

[DMC-12]

The explorer was pretty popular over here too :X

[civicfan14]

WHAT IS THIS?Corvette Cal is nice to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/iseewud.gif) and Camaro.

Well, the folks at Time Magazine agree with me tho...
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/art...1658522,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/art...1658527,00.html

[Mkid]

"the Iron Duke Camaro had 0-60 mph acceleration of around 20 seconds, which left Camaro owners to drum their fingers while school buses rocketed past in a blur of yellow."

LOL!

[DMC-12]

"the Iron Duke Camaro had 0-60 mph acceleration of around 20 seconds"

wow that is shameful...

[Kubason]

wait, how is Corvette a bad ca-
oh it is californian edition

[CR454]

it's a late model C3... of course it's a horrible car (IMG:style_emoticons/default/toung.gif) anything after 72 to late C4 was pertymuch lame...

though they did have V8s... and where there's a chevy smallblock, there's tons of room to work with. especialy since a big block can fit in the same spot without modification WIN!

[civicfan14]

Ok, the next 5....
15. Plymouth Prowler
(IMG:http://www.carbuyersnotebook.com/PlymouthProwler1.jpg)
There's a reason automakers shouldn't make their own mass-produced hotrods, and this is an excellent example of why. Inspired by a roadster design by Chip Foose, the car had all the looks of a early 50's SoCal dry lakebed speedster. Too bad the power didn't match the looks; the Prowler got the standard issue 250hp V6, which wasn't very inspiring. To make matters worse, they forgot to add a manual transmission, making tire-burning on the drag strip impossible. It was a light car so handling was generally good, but really, the Prowler adds new meaning to "all show, no go."
14. Lincoln Blackwood
(IMG:http://www.autos-concept-review.info/images/lincoln-blackwood.jpg)
A luxury truck, that must be good, right? The Blackwood was built to give Lincoln a piece of the luxury truck market. Too bad the Blackwood was useless for hauling anything that trucks are known to haul. Lack of a 4WD option meant it wasn't capable for any construction work, and the truck bed had a (quite troublesome) heater of all things-useful for carrying the latest fashions from Neiman Marcus, and really not much else.
13. Chrysler K-Cars
(IMG:http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/2861/1601/32150800001_large.jpg)
In the 1980's, Chrysler was broke. Chrysler was so close to collpase that even GM and Ford didn't really see them as much. The solution? Enter the K-car. The most overused platform in automotive history, Chrysler used the platform on everything from sedans to minivans. They all looked boring as hell, they all were poorly put together and the car belched black smoke wherever it went. Apparently terrible cars do sell...well...
12. General Motors/Saturn EV1
(IMG:http://www.aa1car.com/library/ev1.jpg)
The EV1 was the result of a CARB (California Air Resources Board) zero-emissions mandate that required each major automaker that sold cars in California to make a certain amount of zero-emissions cars; Ford responded with the Ranger EV, Toyota came up with the RAV4 EV, Honda came up with the EV plus and GM came up with the most famous with them all-the EV1. The EV1 was the best electric car of its time; too bad that isn't saying much. Problem was, battery technology was nowhere near ready to become a viable power source; the first generation had a range of 60 miles per charge on a good day, and charging took 3 hours. Good for city driving, but useless for almost anything else. The second gen got a 100 miles per charge, and each charge took 8 hours...wait, that's worse. GM sued CARB, and CARB then changed the mandate to building at least 250 zero-emissions cars by 2008. As no EV1s were ever sold and only leased, GM then took back the EV1s and then...crushed nearly all of them. That would soon prove to be a terrible decision, as environmentalists and EV lovers deemed GM to be the brand that "killed the electric car." At least Toyota sold its RAV4 EVs to customers that wanted to keep them after lease period was over; GM just forced its customers to surrender their cars.
11. Toyota Cavalier
(IMG:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/2512977332_749b4d7cac.jpg)
The second-generation Caddy Cimarron exists, but under a different name in a different country. As part of a Toyota-GM partnership that brought you the boring but always reliable Toyota Corolla/Geo Prizm, this is what the lucky folks in Japan got; the Toyota Cavalier. Yeah, it was only sold in Japan, but other than trim pieces and a Toyota badge, it was the same crapbox sold in the US. (And yes, it was built in Lordstown, Ohio-same plant where all the Chevy Cavaliers were built.) This sad "luxury car" was sold with the same quality control that Cavaliers are known for; in other words, the worst reliability of any compact on Earth, huge panel gaps and interiors made of plastic and put together by super glue. Extras that we didn't get include...leather shift knobs?!! Best of all, the whole package cost as much as a Audi 80...which sold like crap, err, hotcakes. Oh well, at least there's that TRO bodykit, which made your Cavalier look like a drift car. Oh wait, nevermind, the Cavalier is FWD so you can't drift and it still looked like a piece of s**t that someone tried to tune up. No wonder why visiting a J-Body meet is not very different from visiting the scrapyard.

This post has been edited by civicfan14: Mar 5 2011, 01:09 AM

[Cooper]

Roadster is cool, I loved that car in Midtown Madness.

[Andrew.]

the ev1 is the best american car ever
no discussion
watch this program
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=FV2IA3I4
they did have the technology to make it an incredibly good car, but petrol and motor indutries would broke if it became popular and goverment preffers people angry rather than a huge company that can destroy the economy

This post has been edited by AndrewGMC: Mar 4 2011, 07:37 AM

[civicfan14]

the ev1 is the best american car ever
no discussion
watch this program
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=FV2IA3I4
they did have the technology to make it an incredibly good car, but petrol and motor indutries would broke if it became popular and goverment preffers people angry rather than a huge company that can destroy the economy

To be honest, the EV1 was a pretty decent performer for it's kind; 140hp and super-light...it could make a nice lightweight racer.

[DMC-12]

Roadster is cool, I loved that car in Midtown Madness.

That was the Panoz roadster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/toung.gif)


And how can you say that about the J body? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/xd.gif) It was great!.. Well the european version was anyway. We stopped using that in Europe in 1988, but america used it till 2005... wtf, no wonder 90s american cars were s**t, using ancient technology (IMG:style_emoticons/default/toung.gif)

[CR454]

um toyota Cavalier by technicality is a JDM car and shoudln't be on the american car list (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) use the real cavalier if you must but the toyota version should be on the japanese car list.

and DMC the Vauxhaul was a generation befor the Toyota cavalier (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) my parents had a chevy version, great millage. looked perty good was just way to small.

[CR454]

though for future referance.

Aztek usualy number 1 on the list isn't a bad vehicle, owners love them, and they really did have great versitility and useability.

Vega, sure the new aluminum engine was junk but you would be amazed at what a well tuned Vega with a smallblock chevy could do on a drag strip (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Ford Ranger, usualy put down for it's ancient design it's still the most effecient and probably the most reliable compact pickup.

Ford Crown Victoria see above.

Chevrolet Impala "2006-2013" simmiler to above. they're really not that bad of a car. the V8 model could match a Charger R/T (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) and I hear they'll be getting a 3.6L V6 befor they finaly go away.

Dodge neon, they really arn't very bad, and the R/T and SRT4 are perty impressive little preformance cars.

Chevrolet Cobalt, the cavalier replacement often put down for it's lame interior and old looking exterior but the SS model can hold it's own with the Camaro and Mustang.

Geo Tracker, they where perty nice and cool little SUVs though they did have the rollover issue.

late model Jeep Wagoneers sure it was just a Cherokee with a voyagers headligths, but hey it was just a Cherokee with voyage headlights, Cherokees are awesome little SUVs.

AMC Pacer, sure it was kind of ugly but it was mearly ahead of it's time. the doors the aerodynamics the big glass. all become standard features a generation or 2 behind it.

[Faяaп.]

Roadster is cool, I loved that car in Midtown Madness.

Midtown madness 2 ( if thts wht u mean) didnt have a phymouth prowlerrr
the one in mm2 was a Panoz raodster

[cudas426]

pretty sure the chrysler minivan, based on the k-car platform was the first minivan ever built and is still one of the best selling. don't really see the k-car as being a bad car when it saved the entire company from extinction.

I would say the first gen barracuda could be on the list though. It was thrown together from a valiant with a giant back glass just to beat the mustang to market by two weeks and in its first year alone the mustang out sold it 9 to 1.

[J.red]

Vega, sure the new aluminum engine was junk but you would be amazed at what a well tuned Vega with a smallblock chevy could do on a drag strip (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

My friend has a vega.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5P6zVSD8O4

[CR454]

the Renault based AMCs could probably be considered.

[Cooper]

That was the Panoz roadster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/toung.gif)

Oh it was too, meh, they both have cool shape

[J.red]

Too bad the power didn't match the looks; the Prowler got the standard issue 250hp V6, which wasn't very inspiring.

250hp isn't too bad for a completely stock 2700lb car in the 90's. Buy an aftermarket supercharger and you're looking at a pretty fast street car.

To make matters worse, they forgot to add a manual transmission, making tire-burning on the drag strip impossible.

For drag racing, automatic transmissions are actually preferred. My camaro has a 3 speed automatic and it lights the tires up no problem.

[civicfan14]

Moving into the top 10...
10. Pontiac Aztek
(IMG:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3J2fmvQYYHI/S88EqcIiSeI/AAAAAAAAALA/RkpFASJz0ns/s1600/aztek.jpg)
The Pontiac Aztek was launched in 2001 with the tagline "Quite possibly the most versatile vehicle on the planet." Too bad, because most of the world population thought it was the ugliest vehicle on the planet. The 1999 Pontiac Aztek was acceptable by most standards-it wasn't pretty by any means, but hey, it looked rugged and tough. Unfortunately GM chose its minivan platform for the Aztek, which gave the car weird proportions. Then designers fiddled, played, and cost-shaved the design until the rugged concept was turned into a laughing stock of epic proportions. The Aztek created more ridicule for GM and Pontiac at a time when GM was already a laughing stock worldwide, and sales were way below expectations-GM had high expectations to sell 70,000 cars a year, but only 27,000 moved out the door every year. Too bad really-under that ugly shell was a pretty competent crossover, and people that bought it loved it-but the looks kept most customers out of showrooms.
9. Ford Mustang II
(IMG:http://www.chooseyouritem.com/classics/photos/1109000/1109109.1976.Ford.Mustang.II.Ghia.2-Door.Coupe.jpg)
The first Mustang was a American legend-it was fast, it was hot, and it handled well (well, for American cars of its time.) So, in reaction to the oil crisis, Ford gave us the "wonderful" (chuckle) Mustang II. Apparently Ford decided to slap a new body on a Pinto platform was a great idea. Engine choices began with a 88hp inline-4 to the Cologne V6, which made 105hp. Ford gave us a V8 in 1975, which made 122hp...impressive, isn't it (insert sarcasm here.) This rolling turd was powerless, ugly, and poorly built-the structure of the car was ludicrously fragile and fell apart when the car approached anything near speed-but no worries really, unless 25mph is "fast" for you. Those really were sad, sad times.
8. Chevy Citation
(IMG:http://www.popularmechanics.com/cm/popularmechanics/images/xb/xcars-470-1108.jpg)
The FWD X-Body cars (Chevy Citation, Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega and Pontiac Phoenix) were launched in April of 1979, replacing GM's old RWD compacts (Chevy Nova anyone?) and promised a revolution in GM's lineup. Yeah, it was revolutionary all right, when you consider that GM's whole lineup was complete s**t back then. The car suffered horrible torque steer due to its FWD design-in fact, press cars were modified from stock to hide that fact. The rear wheels locked after braking, and the car had classic 70's build quality-in other words, if the car fell apart after you drove it off the lot, don't be surprised. A press car was badged as both a "Super Sedan" and a "Super Coupe"-seriously, do GM factory workers ever inspect the cars before they come off the line? The Citation was also probably the car with the most recalls ever, some even issued after the car was completely forgotten. But buyers saw none of that coming-GM moved a few million of these pieces of crap out the door.
7. Caddy Cimarron
(IMG:http://www.usaraud.ee/ajuvant/cadillac/1984_cimarron.jpg)
There's nothing wrong with a smaller, sportier Caddy-in fact, I would say Cadillac needed a smaller and sportier model back then. Not much wrong with badge engineering either, as long as it's done right. Like, uh, actually trying to make a luxury car. The Cimarron wasn't a smaller and sportier Caddy, it was a super-overpriced Chevy Cavalier with Caddy badges and some leather. Heck, for the most part you won't be able to tell the difference. The Cimarron had the same 88hp I4 that the Cavalier had mated to a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic with a slightly modded interior. The whole thing cost $13,500 (if you need an idea, the Cavalier was $4,500.) Fortunately, this rolling embarrassment to Caddy owners was succeeded by the Catera (umm, Opel Omega to you Europeans), which wasn't a good car by any means, but still a lot better than the Cimarron. The Catera was succeeded by the CTS, which was a excellent performer and proof that Cadillac finally got it right.
6. Caddy Fleetwood V-8-6-4
(IMG:http://www.popularmechanics.com/cm/popularmechanics/images/fc/caddy-v864-1108.jpg)
There's nothing wrong with shutting down cylinders to save fuel-in fact, many modern cars shut down cylinders when full power is not needed. In other words, the V-8-6-4 was a V8 on the highway, became a V6 when it reached speed and became a V4 when cruising. Sounds great, right? The problem was that the technology to do so wasn't near ready back then. The system worked by altering the rocker-arm fulcrum so that valves were kept shut by springs. Too bad the electronic system that made this work was broken most of the time, so in reality these cars spent most of their time in the shop instead of on the road. Even when the V8 was running on full power, it made a mediocre 140hp. Most customers asked the dealer to disconnect the entire system so the engine became just a regular V8. And that was the last time many of them ever entered a Caddy showroom.

This post has been edited by civicfan14: Mar 6 2011, 05:57 AM

[Cooper]

Aztek looks like a ssangyong

[CR454]

Ssangyong copied it.

and you know if the Aztek was releaced today with bigger wheels "it kind of has BMW X6, Acura ZDX Honda Crosstour, Gen 2 and on Prius, etc etc" people would have loved it

[Daniel.]

You can't compare the Aztek to the X6, the X6 is way nicer.

[CR454]

they are both 5 door fastback crossover utility vehicles (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[civicfan14]

Next up...a diesel engine and 4 odd hatchbacks.

Not hard to figure out...

[Daniel.]

I wouldn't really call the X6 an utility vehicle, nor would I call the Aztek a fastback.

But yes, they are crossovers, true.

[civicfan14]

Ok, #4 and #5 are here, then the top 3 will be announced...

OK, whatever, just #5 because I am too lazy today.
5. Chrysler Concorde 2.7L V6
(IMG:http://yakmee.com/images/main/sample/chrysler/concorde/1997_sedan_4d/chrysler_concorde_1997_sedan_4d_255b.jpg)
These things were pretty mediocre really-along with lousy fit and lousy finish, these cars had some of the worst mechanical parts ever used in a Chrysler vehicle (even the K-car was better than this, and I should know-I drove both before, tho only for 5 minutes in the K-car/Caravan.) But the worst part was the engine. Sure, if you have one of those 3-liter V6s then you should be fine, but if you have the 2.7L, then good luck, because your engine is either dying or already dead due to oil sludge. Oil sludge usually only happens when you don't change your oil, but a serious design defect in the crankcase ventilation system caused complete engine failure in many Concordes and Intrepids. Better yet, leaking oil pressure sensors will just help speed up the destruction of your engine. And according to mechanics, the water pump is located under the timing chain cover and in an oil bath, pump changing requires draining of the engine oil and removal of the timing chain cover, chain, and tensioner...seriously? If you have a old Concorde/Intrepid with a dead engine, swap out the 2.7L for one of the 3 liter blocks. And if you are shopping for a good midsize used car, please, and I mean PLEASE avoid this hunk of junk and go for a Taurus, Accord, Camry or even previous gen (pre-1998) Concorde/Intrepid instead. Or if you live in the UK, a Ford Mondeo.

This post has been edited by civicfan14: Mar 8 2011, 05:51 AM

[civicfan14]

Time to bring back this thread...
4. Olds Delta Royale 88 350 Diesel
(IMG:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/2525582584_7da14d9362.jpg)
If you want to know why diesels aren't very popular in America, well here it is! The Olds Diesel engines were some of the worst engines ever in automotive history and eventually caused the downfall of GM. Where to begin?
Well, first of all, instead of designing a new engine, GM thought it was a good idea to simply modify a gasoline engine in order to save tooling costs. GM used "torque to yield"(or "angle torque") head bolts which allowed the bolt pattern to remain the same as the gas powered counterpart with an increase in clamping load when compared to standard head bolts. Problem? The severe conditions these engines were subjected to quickly destroyed head gasket seals and in some cases, the head bolts themselves. But most of the problem could have been easily avoided by adding a simple water-separating fuel filter, which the Olds Diesel V8 lacked. Water causes rust in the fuel system, which damage the precision parts in diesel fuel injection pumps and high pressure diesel injectors causing erratic operation. The consumers still get some blame tho; adding alcohol to combat water accelerated wear of the governor flex ring in the injection pumps, which caused erratic ignition timing. The dealerships also usually had no experience with diesel engines, which combined with poor design and consumer ignorance, destroyed the reputation of diesels in the US.

[Dj-san]

is #1 the Geo Metro?

[civicfan14]

is #1 the Geo Metro?

No, since the Metro is really Japanese...think earlier 70's stuff.

God, I need to update this soon...

[pinkie]

u srs civicfan?? that olds delta is sexy!

[Dj-san]

didja notice most are GM vehicles

p.s. it looks like a mopar
(IMG:http://www.pdfun.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/2002-Pontiac-Aztek-Service-Manual-560x420.jpg)

[DMC-12]

um toyota Cavalier by technicality is a JDM car and shoudln't be on the american car list (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) use the real cavalier if you must but the toyota version should be on the japanese car list.

and DMC the Vauxhaul was a generation befor the Toyota cavalier (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) my parents had a chevy version, great millage. looked perty good was just way to small.

It was the same chassis (IMG:style_emoticons/default/toung.gif) It's just amazing that it was replaced in 1988 in europe but only replaced in like 2005 in america (IMG:style_emoticons/default/xd.gif)

[civicfan14]

3. AMC Gremlin
(IMG:http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/1970-1978-amc-gremlin-5.jpg)
Richard Teague designed the AMC AMX, one of the coolest muscle cars ever. He also designed the Gremlin, one of the...I don't know what it is. AMC was in poor financial shape and they wanted to beat Ford and GM to the subcompact punch. The result was a poorly chopped AMC Hornet on steroids with awkward proportions. Everything on this car was cheap, from the poor suspension to the vacuum-operated windshield wipers. The car didn't handle well at all, with a giant heavy straight 6 in the front and loss of suspension travel in the back. And the little subcompact guzzled the same amount of fuel required to run a full-size car. The filp-up back window broke in your hands, and the engine was choked by emissions equipment. At least it didn't rust on the assembly line like a Vega or burst into flames like a Pinto. But at least GM and Ford had backup cars in their lineup.

This post has been edited by civicfan14: Apr 12 2011, 01:05 AM

[Dj-san]

EAT IT!
(IMG:http://image.carcraft.com/f/9351116/116_0703_09_z%201974_amc_gremlin%20wheelstand.JPG.jpg)
dude everyone loves an AMC weither it had problems or not

This post has been edited by Dj-san: Apr 11 2011, 08:34 PM

[civicfan14]

Time to update this again...
2. Ford Pinto
(IMG:http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/50_cars/ford_pinto.jpg)
The Pinto wasn't too bad of a car, but the business decisions behind it caused the Pinto to become a prime candidate for the "worst cars ever" list. The car was small, cute, and fuel efficient...just what commuters needed. Too bad that it had a fatal flaw that Ford knew about but didn't bother to fix. Because of the car's configuration, the Pinto's fuel tank was pushed forward when rear-ended-which meant the Pinto was prone to fire easily. Ford was aware of the flaw, but the cost would be $121 million while the estimated payout for lawsuits from the fires would be close $50 million. Solution? Leave it as it is, since money is worth more than human lives (aka the Ford Pinto memo). Too bad, since the lawsuits cost more than estimated and they also destroyed Ford's reputation as a brand for many years.

[Andrew.]

money> people every day

[civicfan14]

1. Chevrolet Vega
(IMG:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/71_Chevy_Vega_Hatchback.jpg)
When Chevrolet Division Manager John DeLorean went and took a look at the Vega prototype, legends has it that the entire front end fell onto the ground. That didn't stop the car from going to production, however. To defend Chevrolet against the surge of import compacts that were selling better and better every year, GM rushed the new H-Body cars (Chevy Vega and Pontiac Astre.) They were pretty conventional, with the car's 4 cylinder block sending power to the rear wheels. However the Vega's aluminum engine was pretty innovative at the time. And at $2000.00, the car was pretty cheap.

Too bad the car was a total disaster.

The Elpo rustproofing process was considered to be perfect in theory. The assembled Vega body was dipped in a vat containing reddish-brown paint-primer particles in 65,000 gallons of water. The body had a positive charge and the primer particles had a negative charge, and by leaving the car in the vat for 2 minutes, every part of the car would have been covered in theory. The car was then dried, wet-sanded, sealer-coated and finally sprayed with acrylic lacquer and baked at 300 degrees. However, the front end design caused air to be trapped in the fenders, and since there were no fender liners for most cars sold until late 1974, the fenders quickly rusted. Rust damage also affected the rocker panels, the door bottoms, the area beneath the windshield, and the primary body structure above the rockers. If the horrible rust wasn't enough, then the engine was even worse. The two-barrel carburetor backfired, causing a recall early on in the Vega's life. The engine mounts easily broke and the engine then shook hard. The top cover would then jump up and down, which activated the accelerator pump, which shot raw gasoline through the cylinders and into the exhaust system. The Vega's cooling system was barely adequate, and since most owners didn't have time to check the coolant as often as it required, the engines easily overheated. Antifreeze to seep past the head gasket, causing piston scuffing inside the cylinders. Damaged cylinder walls were common, caused by brittle valve stem seals and thin piston plating. The Vega engine was improved in 1975 to solve overheating problems, but by then it was too little, too late. In the 80's, Vega owners junked their cars so aggressively that many scrapyards were no longer accepting them. Many of them moved onto the Japanese makes, never even looking at an American product again, leaving the Big Three to the horrible financial condition that they are in today.

However, the Vega did have some benefits-it was light, small, RWD and the engine bay accepted a much more reliable and powerful engine-the Chevy Small-Block. The car also outhandled most American cars of the time-in fact its handling was on par to more expensive sports cars. Due to this, Vegas were and still are common for drag and circuit racing, and thanks to the growing Vega hot-rodding scene, the little car is now gaining respect from people that once hated it. Just don't expect to find one with the original aluminum block anytime soon.

This post has been edited by civicfan14: Jun 5 2011, 01:47 AM

[J.red]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5P6zVSD8O4

They can fit more than a small block. This one I know personally, and it's got a fully build big block sitting in it.

And blaming the vega for the "big three financial condition of today" is bull.