Whats your favorite car from the year you were born?

[JJT*90]

1992 Dodge Viper GTS w/ blue paint, and white racing stripes.

[Frosty]

I think Detroit should bring back tail fins!!!

Styling like that is no longer allowed - due to more stringent CAFE and tree-hugger rules. Nope, jelly bean designs rule. Something to do with aerodynamics, I think.

However, I agree wtih you. Cadillac had fins on the their Deville cars (such as they were) into the mid-90s.

[Ringo64]

Styling like that is no longer allowed - due to more stringent CAFE and tree-hugger rules. Nope, jelly bean designs rule. Something to do with aerodynamics, I think.

However, I agree wtih you. Cadillac had fins on the their Deville cars (such as they were) into the mid-90s.

I don't see a whole lot of drag coming from these fins (I could be wrong) but I see some stock spoilers that will cause more drag and make you less aerodynamic.

When you think about the drag coefficient with a fin, it's a attached to the body and steady rising. This gives a place for the air to follow and go along, rather than a spoiler which cuts the air. The thing that both of these disrupt is the air coming off your roof, which now could cause an issue.

Overall I don't think I would want to see these back, no matter how cool and good looking they are, because I don't think anyone now-a-days would make a car look good with them or the non-car oriented public that's about my age will be like WTF? The styles today just are too different for it to work very well IMO.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

The styles of the 50's, 60's and 70's just simply won't work.

Besides, 90% of those behemoths had the aerodynamics of a brick, built mainly of ridgid steel, heavy, guzzled gas, body roll like a mofo, and just plain unsafe in an accident.

The design of cars comes from both aero R&D and crumple zones. Also, cars have less front and rear overhang, with the wheels pushed out as much as possible for stability, and less overhang for obvious reasons.

Cars continue to evolve in style, performance and saftey. Be happy that modern cars absorb so much from an impact, and away from you and whatever occupants you have with you.

[havoc1482]

I like my brick shaped, rigid steel, heavy, gas guzzling behemoth

[notallthere]

I like my brick shaped, rigid steel, heavy, gas guzzling behemoth

Same here.

[Ringo64]

Same here.

I would like one if I had one

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Not me. They're nice to collect, but just don't stand a chance in an impact. ESPECIALLY with a newer car involved:

LeMans:

Lexus:

Newer cars tear right through older models.

[Ringo64]

I think a newer car would have been just as screwed in that situation if not worse.

[notallthere]

I heard about that accident over on Team Chevelle. Apparently, she lost control and hit the island. From what once guy said the car's front end was off the ground when it hit the Pontiac.

[havoc1482]

uhm if the situation was reversed it would be the same. If the Le Mans t-boned the lexus it would mess it up while the front end of the Le Mans would be relatively normal. Steel frame? Big block V8?

And remember that Le Mans is a coupe, that means there is no frame piece between the passenger and would be rear door. (I cant remember what it is called) so the Lexus just tore strait into the door.

I mean look at this Nissan that was t-boned. The damage has pretty much reached the threshold of the passenger seriously injured even with that frame section there.

I've seen newer cars today get t-boned and get fucked up and those were at speeds of 30-40MPH.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Key difference with these two...impact absorption and airbags. That Sentra has airbags in the A-pillars, seat side bolsters and roofline, and the frame was designed to keep the shock of the impact away from the passengers by giving away in certain areas, even a side hit. You're more than likely able to walk away from a nasty wreck like that in that Sentra, versus a 60's or 70's large vehicle.

[havoc1482]

oh yeah, I know that newer cars are designed to be shock absorbers. What I saying is that in a reversed situation the Le Mans would have messed the Lexus up. All-in-all I agree that newer cars a safer. Its the truth, but saying that you wouldn't own a classic because you are that scared of the lesser safety is asinine IMHO. People walk away from classic car wreaks too.

[Jedi3]

Tell me that doesent work! (ps by me)

call me crazy but I kinda like it................

[havoc1482]

Tell me that doesent work! (ps by me)

call me crazy but I kinda like it................

you should have done it on a caddy.

Speaking of Cadillacs, have you guys noticed that caddys new tail lights look like fins?

[Jedi3]

Tell me that doesent work! (ps by me)

call me crazy but I kinda like it................

you should have done it on a caddy.

Speaking of Cadillacs, have you guys noticed that caddys new tail lights look like fins?

yea I have noticed that the caddys tails mimic that.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

oh yeah, I know that newer cars are designed to be shock absorbers. What I saying is that in a reversed situation the Le Mans would have messed the Lexus up. All-in-all I agree that newer cars a safer. Its the truth, but saying that you wouldn't own a classic because you are that scared of the lesser safety is asinine IMHO. People walk away from classic car wreaks too.

No, the Lexus would have faired better. This was a +35mph collision, this LeMans had no B-pillar, as did pretty much all cars from that era. Any t-bone, and it pretty much is sliced through. The Lexus has a B-pillar, and the majority of the car's ridgidity comes from the unibody itself, the doors and frame would have absorbed the impact, and not cave in like the Poncho.

[Ringo64]

At this point it's really comparing Apples to Oranges. Like other stuff cars have gotten better with time and technology growth. There are some collisions I am glad technology has gotten better than there are some fender benders with this crumple zone stuff that you have to get a new bumper and everything around it in a new car that if you were in an old car you would just bang the dent out a bit and buff it out.

[Jedi3]

enouff said

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g

[LN7_NUT]

If you look close at that video there are some issues, like all the dirt and rust coming out of the rockers of the 59 which means it has a compromised structure to begine with, and I have seen many that have been in bad accidents over the years, the top of the roof post never bends like that, it actually looks like it has a ct in it to make it fold. (the roof normally mushrooms up, not a good thing either mind you but it still does not deform that much)

Another issues with crashing a 59 Chev into an 09 is that the 59 has an X frame with no perimeter rails, making it very very weak, and this is a known issue and that was why it only existed a few years in GM.

Also unicorns.

[valid]

Back on topic, my favorite car from my birth year is a given.

1988 Pontiac Fiero. Mine.

[LN7_NUT]

There is a cute little silver 85 Fiero abandoned in my front yard right now...