Greatest American Cars

krt917 · 17 Oct 2007, 10:16 (Ref:2042502)

Thought I'd add AOL's top 20 American cars as well as the British list (on a separate thread), for comparison purposes (I admit it: I like lists!). Again, anything that you really disagree/agree with?

1. Ford Model T
2. Oldsmobile Toronado
3. Chevrolet Corvette (1963-67)
4. Chrysler 300C
5. Ford Mustang (1964-66)
6. Jeep Cherokee
7. Dodge Charger
8. 1958 Cadillac
9. Willys Jeep
10. Jeep Wagoneer
11. Chevrolet Camaro Z28
12. Chrysler Voyager (1984-90)
13. Dodge Viper
14. Ford Taurus (1986-91)
15. Studebaker Avanti
16. Cadillac Model K (1907)
17. La Salle (1927-33)
18. Ford GT
19. Cord 810
20. Chrysler Airflow

I've always quite liked the Tucker Torpedo, but it's good to see the Avanti and the Cord in there. No Ford Thunderbird though.

btcckid · 17 Oct 2007, 17:32 (Ref:2042873)

68 mercury cougar
69 charger
any mustang
any corvette!

all american cars are fantastic-the power and the noise and the looks

garcon · 17 Oct 2007, 20:58 (Ref:2043086)

I presume the 300C is an earlier incarnation and not the current abomination (which is actually half German).

Charger should be higher! (in orange/'fed flag colours obviously

)

Original Hummer H1 should arguably on there ... though techinically it ain't a car!

DAVID PATERSON · 19 Oct 2007, 03:23 (Ref:2044150)

I love American Muscle cars from the late '60s.

johnh875 · 19 Oct 2007, 03:41 (Ref:2044159)

Quote:

Originally Posted by btcckid

any mustang

Really? Even a 1974 which only came with a pathetic 2.3L 4cyl or 3.8L V6? http://www.dpo.uab.edu/~bmclean/pics/77ghia.jpg Ok this is a 1977 but the 1974 is much the same, although the nose is more stumpy.

Garcon, I looked and they do mean the current one. According to the commentary the styling is inspired by the Rover P5 - I bet that is a surprise to the designers!

Amusingly, they also cite the 1958 Cadillac for being the "high-point (literally)" of tailfin design... some of the other comments you might excuse as taking the p... but that exposes them as idiots. (ps compare the 1959 Cadillac with fins approx 3 times the size of the 1958 model for those who weren't aware) For what its worth they also have a 1969 Camaro pictured against 1968 in the description (another silly mistake, but all American cars are alike aren't they?) and also talk about the normal 5.3/327 engine having the high-revving qualities of the short-stroke 5.0/302 special engine that "made" the Z28 option. It would be like talking about the 3.0L 6cyl in the new BMW M3...

There would be a few cars I would add to that list, the original 1955 Chrysler C-300, Stutz Bearcat (or Mercer Raceabout or a few others, but I've actually seen a Stutz), Deusenberg and Cadillac V16, oh and also the 1959 Cadillac to replace the 1958! These would replace the new Chrysler 300C, Jeep Cherokee, Cadillac Model k and La Salle on that list.

fieldodreams79 · 19 Oct 2007, 04:23 (Ref:2044176)

Quote:

Originally Posted by garcon

Charger should be higher! (in orange/'fed flag colours obviously

)

...with a CB and the doors welded shut too.

fieldodreams79 · 19 Oct 2007, 04:31 (Ref:2044178)

i think the first GTO (67?) should be there and maybe the Saleen S7 (or is that considered a British car). would the Shelby Cobra be an American car or British??? AC Cobra is a Brit but when Shelby put the Ford motor in it, did that mean it was American? i guess us colonists stole that one, didn't we?

where's the original T-bird???

all in all a descent list...i have too many favs for a list of 20.

johnh875 · 23 Oct 2007, 07:06 (Ref:2048684)

fieldodreams - yes easy to say what should be there, but the trick is what would be left out?

DAVID PATERSON · 23 Oct 2007, 11:08 (Ref:2048894)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

...with a CB and the doors welded shut too.

Yeeeee-hah! That was my favourite TV show when i was a kid.

StuiE · 23 Oct 2007, 15:37 (Ref:2049278)

Was the Toronado seen as a good car back in it's day?

they are quite an interesting thing, FWD longitudinal V8, I was watching something on Discovery channel about Jay Leno's one that he converted to RWD and had a twin turbo LSx, they did a hell of a lot of work to it.

btcckid · 23 Oct 2007, 16:07 (Ref:2049307)

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnh875

Really? Even a 1974 which only came with a pathetic 2.3L 4cyl or 3.8L V6? http://www.dpo.uab.edu/~bmclean/pics/77ghia.jpg Ok this is a 1977 but the 1974 is much the same, although the nose is more stumpy

thats actually quite ugly!!!-most of the famous mustangs then 60's and 00's!

MikeH · 29 Oct 2007, 16:39 (Ref:2054170)

I can't see far past the Ford GT and Shelby Mustang....

James_1 · 17 Nov 2007, 22:48 (Ref:2069840)

Plymouth Fury. According to the Bible that's what God drove/drives!

duke_toaster · 27 Nov 2007, 20:14 (Ref:2076767)

Wot no Ford GT40?

DAVID PATERSON · 28 Nov 2007, 03:30 (Ref:2077015)

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Wot no Ford GT40?

According to GT4 it's American, though i always thought it was English, though built with US$, under orders from Detroit.

AU N EGL · 5 Dec 2007, 19:55 (Ref:2082346)

I thought it was a Ford GT or the Hollyman-Moody GT40 ( Fords Racing partner) ?

d-b · 9 Dec 2007, 16:03 (Ref:2084894)

i'd put the step down Hudson Commadore in that list

**BertMk2** · 18 Dec 2007, 14:30 (Ref:2091302)

Quote:

Originally Posted by garcon

Charger should be higher! (in orange/'fed flag colours obviously

)

Another vote for the General Lee

There was a Charger done up as the General Lee in our local Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler dealership recently - I did a huge double take when I saw that!

krt917 · 1 Jan 2008, 18:16 (Ref:2097670)

Quote:

Originally Posted by garcon

I presume the 300C is an earlier incarnation and not the current abomination (which is actually half German).

Sorry about the delay is replying Garcon. They did mean the modern one. Not sure why - it does seem to have made more of an impact in Europe than any other American saloon for some time. Chunky I think is the word!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

According to GT4 it's American, though i always thought it was English, though built with US$, under orders from Detroit.

Well, the GT40 does appear on the British list. Please see the 'Greatest British Cars' thread for a more detailed discussion on the nationality of the car!

johnh875 · 2 Jan 2008, 01:44 (Ref:2097840)

Quote:

Originally Posted by krt917

They did mean the modern one. Not sure why - it does seem to have made more of an impact in Europe than any other American saloon for some time. Chunky I think is the word!

It is the same out here, the only American sedan that people have actually bought in many a year - not that there have been that many others sold here which probably says the same thing. In fact I think it has made the biggest impact for a while in the US also.

400waytooslow · 20 Jan 2008, 22:18 (Ref:2110159)

huh no 'cuda or challenger? they road raced and drag raced

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Greatest British Cars	krt917	Classic Cars	51	1 May 2009 04:36
Touring Cars the greatest era?	Speedy norm	Motorsport History	56	23 Aug 2007 15:27
Film and TV's Greatest Cars	Craig	Road Car Forum	24	24 Jan 2005 16:30
Which nation builds the greatest performance cars?	garcon	Road Car Forum	57	4 Jun 2003 15:46
The worlds greatest cars	woodyracing	Road Car Forum	23	25 Nov 2002 09:25