One car for life

[MGL]

I watched the new episode of the American Top Gear last night, they each chose one car for life, from the year each one was born, and then did meaningless tests to see which one was the best. Regardless of your feelings toward the show the question is a fun little thought exercise. So if you could only have one car to see you through life, from teenager and school, through early adulthood whether collage, the military, or whatever you do, to starting and raising a family, buying a home, vacations, into retirement, this is the only car you will ever own, made the year you were born, what car would you have? Personally, I think I would go for a 1972 Plymouth Satellite wagon. I would prefer a Cuda but the wagon would be more practical and as my needs change I could just swap engines as needed. When I want to have fun throw a big block in it, when gas gets expensive swap in a slant six. I could haul the family around or pick up full sheets of drywall, its a good looking car, and unless you loosened up the torsion bars and shackled up the rear to fit those N50's under the back it rode nice. I would want that lime green poly so I don't look too much like Mrs. Brady. Maybe some Torq-Thrusts.  So that's my pick, what would you choose?

[Tom Geiger]

Hmmm.. they could've just gone to Cuba and interviewed real life guys in that same predicament. 

[Snake45]

There wasn't really anything made the year I was born (model year) that I'd like to own. Closest would be a Studebaker.

Now if you allow anything built in the year I was born, the '55s are "legal." I'll take a '55 Chev sedan delivery, please, with the "biggest" 265 available.

[slusher]

65 Plymouth Fury or 65 GTO if it's the year i was born if not i would go with a 67 Coronet or 72 Monte Carlo...

Edited May 13, 2016 by slusher

[Jon Haigwood]

Crazy about a Mercury, (1950) Would go with the Woody 

 

Edited May 13, 2016 by Jon Haigwood

[Xingu]

I would also have to go with a wagon. Need to be able to move all of my stuff when needed.

1967 Dodge Coronet. I would need a big block with an automatic transmission and air conditioning. Any other options would be icing on the cake.

There was a brief time when I was known as "Station Wagon Mike". The folks that called me that thought they were putting me down. They were wrong.

[Fat Brian]

I'd love to have an 81 2 door Caprice, we had an 84 4 door right after we were married and it was very comfortable.

[Joe Handley]

XJ Cherokee with the 4.0l I-6, AW4 4 speed auto, and NV/NP 242 full time transer case......preferably a '91 or later so that it won't be as hard to get the Chrysler vs ReNix  engine electronics.......plus MOAR POWER!!!!!!!!!!

[lysleder]

I think I would have to go with the 1970 Volvo 145. 

[Harry Joy]

1965 GTO.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Nineties. Ech.

 

I'd go for a 1998 Buick LeSabre. Nice ride, decent looks, adequate horsepower, comfortable seats, large trunk, solid build quality overall.

[Harry P.]

1967 Plymouth Belvedere. 

[ChrisBcritter]

Black '60 New Yorker convertible - red interior and white top.

[kurth]

One car only? Since I want to be able to drive no matter the weather, especially in the snow, I would say the 1975 Chevrolet Blazer with 4 wheel drive.  It is a great looking truck, just big enough to haul around just about anything I need to haul, but not too big as to be hard to find a place to park.   Probably swap the wheels for white wagon wheels, and upgrade the radio every decade to keep up with technology

[Joe Handley]

Same reasons I suggested the XJ Cherokee Kurt, small enough to fit just about anywhere, capable enough to act like a bigger truck, the 242 Transfercase has AWD, along with all the other typical 4wd functions, and can be flung around like a much more pavement oriented vehicle!

[MGL]

One car only? Since I want to be able to drive no matter the weather, especially in the snow, I would say the 1975 Chevrolet Blazer with 4 wheel drive.  It is a great looking truck, just big enough to haul around just about anything I need to haul, but not too big as to be hard to find a place to park.   Probably swap the wheels for white wagon wheels, and upgrade the radio every decade to keep up with technology

I was stationed at Indian Head, MD and living in Rose Hill off of Telegraph Rd in Fairfax county VA during the blizzard in 2003 and my daily driver was a 90 K-5 blazer, 350 with posi in the rear differential and an eaton locker in the front. I was at the base from the start of the storm and didn't get to leave until after 5 pm the next day and drove home about 40 miles, never even had to put it in 4 wheel drive, just eased on down the road. Re-modeled my house in Mississippi after Katrina in 2005-2006 hauling full sheets of drywall, lumber, fencing, even put a Troy-Built riding mower in the back, with the roof still on. When I got some bad gas it gave me the opportunity to convince my wife I needed a Holly throttle body, knocked the mileage down to about 7 or 8 MPG but would lite up all for tires. Still one of my favorite vehicles and I'm a Mopar guy.

[Sport Suburban]

Wow! I'm almost living this. I was born in 73 and my first car is my avitar. It's a 71 Plymouth Sport Suburban that I grew up in and learned to drive in it. I also still own it and just love it and have no plans to ever sell it.

[Agent G]

1955 Lincoln Capri or a '55 Imperial 4 door sedan.

G

[Petetrucker07]

The 80s weren't very exciting, especially the early 80s. I was born in 82, I think I'd go with a chrome BMX.

I guess if had to choose, it would be a 3/4 ton Suburban, 4 wheel drive.

[unclescott58]

'58 Edsel. Pacer 4-door sedan. Prefer a convertible or 4-door hardtop. But, for practical reasons it would have to be a sedan or wagon. The Edsel wagons were just too ugly. So a sedan it would have to be.

If it had to be a wagon, it proably be a 4-door Chevy wagon. Prefer the Nomad in that case, which became a 4-door that year.

[dshue76]

76 Olds 442 with the 455.

[snacktruck67]

I would go with a 47 Chevy Sedan, 2 tone Beige and Brown.

[mikemodeler]

Let's see, I was born three days before the calendar turned to 1964, so technically I would be looking at '63 models, correct?

A 63 Split Window Corvette would be nice but not practical; a Nova wagon would be more practical and potentially fun; a 4WD Suburban or K20 pickup would not be very comfortable but definitely rugged.  In the end, probably a 409 powered Impala as it would satisfy most requirements.

[gino]

1963 Pontiac grand prix.

[Kit Basher]

My first thought was a pickup truck. In those days you could throw the rug rats in the back and nobody thought anything of it.

But for longer trips it would be nice to be more comfortable, so I'm going with a 1953 Cadillac sedan.

Or maybe a Willys station wagon.  With four wheel drive, that would be perfect. Except didn't they top out at about 50 mph?

Heck, I don't know........