I don't get along with rice boys (girls)

Wow what a great debate going on here. Time for my 2 cents.

Dan, That Toyota Camery you saw was built in Kentucky, USA not Japan. That old 1.9 ltr Escort was a Mazda in Ford clothing. Some Hondas are also built here (Accord). Saturn VUE Red Line SUV's have Honda V6's, Isuzu's Pick-ups & SUV's have been built in Indiana, USA since '89 & 1991 respectfully (Same plant as Subaru) and some had Chevy engines then and now are just rebadged GMC Envoys built in OKlahoma. I can go on with this stuff. Forget the brand name there are to many alliances between OEM's.

I've raced (drags and autocross) both domestic and imports. Nothin feels better to me at the drags then an American V8, but turn me loose on some turns and I'll take a rear wheel drive import any day. Took an overall championship one year over a built Z28 with my 1.5 ltr Datsun sedan. It ran 17's in the qtr as well (M/Stock, AHRA), but I got spanked by a Road Runner (B/SA) in the 2nd rd (17.7 dial Vs a 10.30).

This Ricer Vs American argument is not new. In the 50's early 60's it was the British Vs the American, then the German then the Aisian. I'm biased to anything on four wheels. Heck, here I am on a Maverick message board cause I have this great Grabber my sons hate and I work for Generous Motors. My wife drives a PT Cruiser and a Crossfire, My older son (25) has a '64 Malibu SS and my youger son (16) has a '29 Ford. I also have a '63 Ranchero (hot 6 banger) and a '48 Plymouth (Chevy V8). Hotrodding knows not where the car was built.

Kids will buy what is in style for the times and their peer group. They will modify what they have. Some choose Detroit iron and some will choose imports. The part of the USA you live in will also dictate your taste in cars. Don't like Hondas, Ok that's your choice. No different when ya get right down to it when a MOPAR or Chevy guy dislikes our Mavericks. Heck, there are even Ford guys that don't like Mavericks.

Basically, a built import can and will run with a built domestic and the other way around. If you set them up right and focus on what you want to achieve you can do it.

By the way, my 250 cu. in Maverick runs 20's in the qtr at LACR and with large front and rear sway bars, gas shocks and good tires I'll hold my own at an autocross.

Remember, the Ford GT40, Shelby's Tiger and Cobra were just imports too!

 

I don't think this thread was ever really about bashing imports, but rather the stupid "wannabees" with wings, body-kits, stickers, fart-pipe exhaust tips, and no real performance to speak of. Everyone likes something diferent. Personally, I'd drive an import back & forth to work, but would only build a classic American car for a "hot-rod". That's just me (and most of us Maverick/Comet people here), and to each his/her own. I have always said that anything can be made fast, so I believe that the appeal of a car must go beyond just speed...

 

My Daily driver is a silverado 4.8 V8 and it gets me 20 mph. Next may be a Canyon 4 door. A small engine may get me better MPG. I am also lookin at the new Saabaru 92x. Ya see, its a Subaru with a SAAB front end. Built in Indiania, does this make it a domestic ricer? GM will sell these little beauties with awd for less the $25000. 30+ MPG and enough horse power to cruise with a lot of god ol american muscel cars. It has 225-275 turbo HP and all wheel drive.

 

Isn't that what the Mustang/Torino/Etc people call Mavericks/Comets?

 

I guess it boils down to this:

If you are going to brag about your car and make it out to be something powerfully awesome, your car better back up your words or you'll look foolish - regardless what you are driving. Real humiliation is going from braggard to crybaby.

Oh, it helps to know what the other person has before you put both feet in your mouth.

 

You can go back to the 60's, 70's & 80's domestic cars for this too!

Firebirds with spoilers, skirts a screamin chicken on the hood and 2?? HP under it. AMC Gremlin X with stripes and a 232 cu.in. 6 banger + Levi geans interiors. It even had a wing option for the rear of the roof. How bout a host of Red White & Blue small engined Chevy's and Fords in 1976. Nova 307 (145 hp) V8 based GTO's, 442's, SS's. Now there were the Monza Mirages. Box flares, frt/rr spoilers, graphics and a 4 cyl (90 hp) or V6 (110hp).

What you see now on compact cars is nothing new. It's just been updated. Just wait till your kids are driving!

 

sweet some one likes my car here!:bananaman

 

Horsepower ratings from 72 up, from Ford, were done very differently than the way us in the hobby would do them.
Before 72 they rated the engine only, so the numbers were higher.
After 72, they rated 'net', which was a very hot engine, all accessories running that were available on that engine, full exhaust with cats, restrictive air cleaner, etc...
How often would you put your car on a dyno with the A/C running? Even if it was bone stock?
Just changing the muffler, air cleaner, dumping the cat (if equipped), and leaving off accessories has to be worth 30 hp.

Just thought I would throw out that tid-bit...
Dave

 

man i'm gonna have to agree with you on that one! i was watching speed channel tonight on the muscle car thanksgiving special thingy.. it really made me realize that man they did some funky things bad then too!

man all i have to say is what about the superbird?! man if that aint a shopping wing i don't know what isn't... i don't care if that thing is worth 100k! what about the wings on boss 302's or judge gto's to be honest do you really thing the lines on those cars fit the wings they had? i think not. or the funky hood scoops on the 442s and firebirds... looks like a body kit mod to me. not to meantion stickers like super bee, yanko and judge on the side of these cars. like bob said the same thing just a new verson!

btw bob why don't you tell them where you work...

 

Ok Maverick Man I'll come out of the closet, but I did mention it in an eariler post. Ok guys here is the deal. For 20 years ('77-'97) I worked at L.A.C.R. in Palmdale Calif as the announcer. Wrote an automotive column for the Valley Press there and was an auto shop teacher for L.A. County Juvinal Probation. In 1979 I went on to work for BMW of North America(4 yrs), NISSAN (8yrs), ISUZU and now General Motors/Isuzu Commercial truck (11 years) all at the corp offices. Currently I manage trade shows for the medium duty truck division. In my off time, I'm the announcer for Goodguys west coast events and writer for the Goodguys Gazett. In addition for the last 5 yeras I have had the honor to announce the NHRA Cal. Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield.

As I said in a past post, I Race 'em as well as talk about them. A few that I have built hit the magizines and a book, Nifty Fifties Fords and a bunch of Petersen specialty books in the mid 70's. All of these cars were FORDS with Ford Engines too!

My oldest son is the black sheep as he has a '64 Malibu SS, My yougest son has a '29 Ford Roadster. I have my Maverick. a '63 Ranchero and forgivr me, but I have a '48 Plymouth coupe w/chevy SBC. There is also no reasoning with my wife as she has a PT Cruiser woody and a Crossfire. Oh, then there is my company assisted car, well its a truck a Chevy 1500. Forgive me members for I have sinned, but a guys gotta eat ya know. If Ford made me an offer I'd really think about it.I do want one of those new Mustangs.Bad!!

 

That '48 Plymouth is a very cool car, but couldn't you have put a MOPAR engine in it instead?...

 

MOPAR engines will fit with more work and will cost about 35% more to build. To satify my MOPAR friends I did modify a set of MOPAR Direct Connection valve covers to fit and added a air cleaner pie tin from a Road Runner. The chevy engine and trans rebuilds caost me $1000 total. If I had gone MOPAR then that would have only covered the engine. The Mopar was also too wide (318-340).

 

If I did this right here is my coupe.I've had it about 20 years mostly MOPAR

 

im with that guy ^^^^^

 

O.k. I would even guess that these gimmicks were very common in the 50's as well. (giant fins, gun sites, rocket style back bumpers and tailpipes) In addittion the the Mav. I have a basket case 57 chevy 2dr ht (sorry guys) since I wanted one before I know what a Maverick was. That being said, my Mav is going to be my "performance" car while the 57 will be the ice cream getter, since its getting a lot harder to to fit 3 kids back there.(unfortunately I'll be dead or in a retirement home by the time I get that one done).

And as stated earlier, Honda vs. Comet... Comet by a few lengths.