7th Dec 2009, 13:56
"Where does this MYTH about "shoddy workmanship of the 1970's" domestic cars come from?"
It really isn't as much a myth as it is a sign of technology at the time. Cars were built with inferior parts back then and rusted out at two years old unless you washed them every week. I had a '76 Nova for my first car that was 6 years old and it had bungie cords and coat hangers holding the radiator in because it was so rusted out. The doors also didn't work on it and I had another bungie cord holding the passenger door shut. The drivers door was stuck permanently so doing the old Dukes of Hazzard was my way in and out! This all on a 6 year old car. Look at any 2003 car today and it should have little or no rust on it, never mind rotting out anywhere.
I will say that it ran unbelievably well though, other than the 3-speed on the column sticking between gears every once in awhile and the clutch tanking while I owned it. I was young and abusive though, and more than likely burned that one up myself. I did overheat it until it stopped running once though (the radiator swung into the fan!), and I waited until it cooled, poured water in the radiator, and it started right up and ran just as good as before it overheated!
7th Dec 2009, 17:16
I've still seen pre-'85 Honda's around. Plenty of them. In my area anyways.
7th Dec 2009, 13:16
The Japanese imports of the 1970s and until the mid to late 80s were prone to rust, however from the late 80s on Japanese cars held up as well as other vehicles of the same era. You must remember that many, many, domestic makes of the 1970s were also prone to rust. (The Pintos, Vegas, Aspen & Volares for example)