Same here. I think the older cars have more sculpture and character. One reason I like my 20+ year old cars rather than the newer stuff. Not only are they cheaper and easier to maintain, they just plain look better.
We all have a sense of whats ugly. I like what I like and you like what you like. But why is it that the Mustang II, AMC Gremilin, and most compact cars from the 70s are ugly? I mean, Detroit had to downsize..fast. After building huge gas hogs and land yachts for years I think they did pretty dang good.
I see your ugly Volvo... ...and raise you a Pontiac Aztek. I will protect everyone's eyes by NOT posting any pictures...
Haha! The Aztec was hilarious! Looks like someone put a grand am on top of a transporter! Or vice versa.. And for another controversial discussion.. GM vs Ford vs Mopar.. I found a mercury-something wagon yesterday on a backyard while i enviromental training the shep.. Year about -84ish with wood, cool turbine alu wheels and all that stuff you want on a wagon.. I thougt that i found a backyard kind of forgotten GM wagon at first, really happy with the chance of me finding a cheap estate, next door to home. But as i approached it i saw that the proportions was all wrong, for a GM wagon that is and i didnt even bother to write down the number to get to the owner of the car.. The design of FoMoco, and Mopars just dont attract me, but still ; the gm wagons of -77 up to -90 something i really like.. Is the difference really that big, or is it just a prejudge? Not to be provocative, i would really like to hear your input on this subject. The other week, i got to hear about a man and a woman in our neighbourhood that had discussed the new neighbours (The lowlows) and said something like: They who drive that hiddiously ugly big black car.. Not in a provocative way, but expressing their taste of design..
I kinda like the Aztec because it's so ugly. But I would want the camper kit to go with it. The Aztec with the body colored bumpers are best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpmA9jomrXk I think different wheels around 18" would make a great difference.
I liked it too! I have never seen one before, but i think it looks better than most of the "Nisch cars" we have here in europe.. Found a pic of my own AMC hornet.. Chopped roof, and with a volvo B230 tic drivetrain.. Pretty fast, but not that beautiful... The 745 behind it looks kind of high, and short
While I don't mind Gremilins, Pacers just make me go eewww.... As I looked for a photo I found this link to the 50 worst cars of all time: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1658545,00.html
Who you callin Ugly? I don't believe anyone has mentioned the Edsel yet. And actually I thought they looked nice, along with the cute lil Gremlin. But, ugly.....not to be confused with butt ugly....truely is in the eye of the beholder. I was told many times that many people who automatically traded every year or two canceled their orders for the new 1957 Chevy because they thought it was too ugly! Some of my favorite cars are the 55-57 Chevrolets. But, I also considered the 57 model as sort of ugly with way too much bright work and those big ugly fins. The 1955 was the cleanest nicest looking of those 55-57's. Yes, later I had a 1957 Chevy two-door hardtop and would almost kill for a convertible or Nomad. My how our ideas of ugly change as we get older and uglier ourselves. I just spotted that Pacer.........Eeeewww! That is butt ugly!
None of these cars are really ugly, just results of the design elements of the times. Some people liked'em, some didn't, mostly they were not pretty or hot, but not really ugly. Now, I have seen some special designer cars out of Europe that are pretty frightening. One with a Datsun B210 hatch rear window turned over and installed as a front window. Another was a recent Mercedes 2 door on huge rims with a foam rebody performed on it. From someplace in the old Eastern Block.
I think this is exactly why the manufacturers used to have such different styles and design. Alot of people, back in the late 50's early 60's loved fins, but 1/2 the reason my Dad bought a '59 Ranch Wagon was because it was one of the only '59's without them. He didn't buy it so much because it was a Ford; he bought it because he liked the way it looked. In other words, "one man's trash is another man's treasure".
It was the 70's, man. A lot of stuff in the 70's was ugly.....clothes, politics, polution, cars, etc....