Ben, I agree completely, that's why i added the link and this isn't the only one like it. Your detail makes perfect sense. It's like apples and bananas . We are also comparing cars 48+ years apart as well so...I also second copperheadgs1 as well.
I had a 1969 Chevelle at one point that just got to be too much, for where I was in life at the time. I sold it, and bought a 2011 Camaro RS/SS convertible. It was fun for a while. You never have to worry about is it going to start, or is it going to strand you. I think at some point most old cars go through that. The thing is it wasnt a car show car. I enjoy that culture, I enjoy . It was just another car basically. Yes, it was very fast, probably faster than my Chevelle. Yes, it had better manners, and was reliable. Would I do it again? No. I sold that car when the ex wife and I split, and went without a toy for a few years. I got back into the game, went with my Stage 1. I bought a nicer car, one which was mostly stock and I didn't mess with it. Its been great. Would I buy a modern car again? Maybe, but only in addition to an old car.
Yes a Hellcat sounds real good to me but my wife just won't let go of my 70 GSX , had a lot of muscle cars over the years Mopars Olds, many Buicks but that Hellcat sure is nice maybe in the near future.
CopperheadGS1...Respectfully, I wouldn't be surprised if it was revealed that you just might be missing your GSX!? You could paint that Hellcat Saturn yellow with black stripes and put a hood tach on it. The old iron takes us back instantly to a time that was oh so enjoyable for most of us. And... likely will never be duplicated again. Thumbs up!
many of the new cars and trucks may be faster on paper than most old muscle cars but usually the younger idiots behind the wheel don't know how to drive.
As with our Buicks, I like driving something everyone else doesn't have. But I still have my Buicks............
New is not more reliable. Been driving since 1967 and never been stranded in a points car but have had to have many electronic cars towed. That said newer, 90's and later, will go tens of thousands of mile further before major engine/transmission repairs are necessary if they are maintained. Alternators and water pumps last longer now too. Older is far easier, faster and cheaper to diagnose and maintain. I don't need or want a "NANNY" for a vehicle. Friggen bells/dinging is incessant and drives me nuts. Mikey
I think a case could be made for the superiority of a classic car with a 10 year old drive train. You get the style of the old car with easy parts availability. The electronics can be whatever you want, or minimal if you do a carb conversion (never did understand the appeal of a carburetor, but whatever floats your boat). Either way, you can strip all of the emissions crap off the newer motor and keep the improved motor underneath, benefiting from upgrades like better oiling, heavy cross-bolted mains, roller cam, etc. Either that, or overbuild a classic motor and retrofit all of that and EFI. A TA block, roller cam, and EFI would probably run forever in a moderate driver motor, but it's not affordable for everyone.
Apple and orange comparisons here.. Old muscle cars are about image, plain and simple. Head turners... if that is your thing, then that is what you need. New cars do everything better than old ones, no argument there. If your looking for a hot daily driver, then new is for you.. I went thru my phase of needing a hot street car, when I was in my 20's... now I would just get into too much trouble with one. New or old... I know that from the occasional customer's hot rod I drive... I have a hard time keeping the loud pedal off the floor at times, and I don't feel like giving the man more money than I have to. I am finally enjoying cheap car insurance, after years of paying way too much, due to the trouble I got into when I was younger, and had a hot car. Now were I to build a new hot rod for myself, it would be one of my 70 GS's, and it would certainly be set up to run on E-85, to make the economics work better. And it would have a pro-charger, and the trans and suspension to suck up any new car out there.. I can imagine the trouble I could get into with that thing, so I am best off to get my thrills at the strip. But to each his own, there is no real "right" answer here. JW
You rarely would race your fast car or take your capable SUV off road. You drive it to work or run errands with it. To be the devil's advocate, why wouldn't you just buy something that fits your needs? I had some crazy tickets back years ago. 133/45. Now I'm just the slowest fast car on the road.
I've herd it all my life. ...I SHOULD OF NEVER SOLD THAT CAR... Sure would be nice if you can keep the Buick and get what you want. I plan to never sell my car. I want my daughter to have it. But if it was a family emergency and needed every dime I could get, sure I would. Sell it.
I still believe you need to keep the old car if you need a new one. If at all possible, have both. They both serve different purposes.
I'm lucky enough to have the garage space, so the old iron and the Kawasakis stay for the time being. Of course there are the modern advantages of newer vehicles, but my Mom's 2017 Lacrosse just went back to the dealer for the 3rd time this year for: software upgrades.
I did not ditch my old muscle when I picked up my new muscle but I can tell you that the new muscle put the old to shame…. My SRT put down 780+ RWHP on street tune and 1100 RWHP on race gas & NOS.. Had every option available, was easy and a blast to drive. Way easy to get into trouble with. I sold it because it was a 6 spd and cost way too much to change to an automatic. I am going to sell a couple of my old cars. If it was not so difficult to get paint done I think I would build a 70 GSX convertible clone. I would use the 70 front with 71 rear N25 rear bumper. I would do an Art Morrison coil over chassis with an AME multilink IRS rear suspension. LS3 with pro charger and Art Carr overdrive trans. Mostly stock interior with custom front buckets and loaded with options. I think this would be one fun car that would ride, handle great and be fast.
Didn't ditch it but sure lost interest in the resto mod. Land rover RR sport V8 supercharged Dynamic. 510 hp AWD 8 speed tiptronic air ride. what a jewel. so much fun to drive. love to hear that V8 sound out of my daily. my wife drives the Camaro SS 426 HP. Both are a lot of fun. Now I had to build my 455 and add the 4l80e and change to a posi and, and, and, just to get close to the camaro not to mention there will be a ton of suspension work. However, to get a 67 A body Buick the way you want it, needs to be build not bought...Priceless
Why does it have to be an "Either - Or"?! Not the most popular for purists on this forum but taking a beautiful old Buick and bringing it up to modern day high performance is the best of both worlds. Pro-Touring may not be for everyone (and surely not for rare numbers matching high option cars) but driving a faded original paint '71 GS with 500 HP, 6-speed, coil-over suspension with big sway bars, 12" wide tires on 18" wheels, and big disk brakes is a blast! It handles as well or better than most new performance cars and I get way more oohs, ahhhs, "Hey my buddy had one just like that when we were in high school", and questions about my car than brand new cars will ever get. Someone at every gas station comes to me with a question or a comment. I love it! My favorite: "Too bad that thing doesn't have a 455... then it would be fast". To which I answered... "yep"
