In November of 2019, I was surfing eBay, looking at cars. I do that a lot in the late hours of the night — just looking and admiring. But on that night, I ran across a car that really piqued my interest. It was a 1988 Chevy Caprice with the 9C1 police package.

In the ’70s and ’80s, I was a deputy sheriff with the Greene County (MO) Sheriff’s Department. We drove all manner of patrol cars, most of them bought second-hand from the state highway patrol. Out of all the cars we had, the square-body “box” Caprice was my favorite. I felt like it handled the best and was the smoothest coming out of a corner under full power. It was a sad day for me when car No. 9, our last Caprice, was removed from service.

So, seeing this Caprice on eBay brought back a lot of memories. It was advertised as an all-original car with original paint and only 33,000 miles. I’ve heard two different stories about its history, but the undisputed story is that it never saw police service. That accounted for the pristine condition and low mileage. I contacted the seller and we had a nice conversation. He was the former police chief of a small southern town. He spent considerable time and money outfitting the car with period-correct radios, scanner, lighting and siren. He was also very meticulous with his installation. Ultimately, I made him an offer. He declined the offer and suggested I make a bid on eBay, which I did. My bid was the winning bid. During out subsequent conversation, he said the eBay rules required that he remove the police equipment, but because I was a former deputy sheriff, he would leave the equipment in the car. Everything in the car is fully functional. He offered to deliver the car to me for a very reasonable sum, and I agreed. I was glad to be able to meet him. He brought the car to me and turned out to be a very nice fellow.

Once I received the car, I found it needed very little. The tires were in good condition, but were old, so I replaced them. The wheels had some rust spots in places, so I had them sand blasted and powder coated. The seller had the car decaled with the graphics of his department, so I broke out my heat gun and spent an evening removing the vinyl graphics. He used low-tack vinyl, which made removing them easier. Several years later, en route to a car meet in Texas, both the front and rear bumper fillers blew out at 80 mph. Fortunately, reproductions are available. That, and a new battery, are all I have had to do to the car. It has been extremely reliable.

The push bumper and blue lights were on the car when I received it, along with the blue-and-amber lights in the rear deck. I found a blue dash light and period-correct radar gun and I put those in place for car shows. In Missouri, where I live, it is legal to have the blue lights as long as I don’t turn them on while driving on a public road.

1988 was the last year for the carbureted engine in the Caprice; 1989 saw the advent of fuel injection. The only Caprice available with the 350-cid V-8 engine in 1988 was the 9C1. It was not available in the civilian model. For 1988, the 9C1 police package included more than a dozen upgrades over the civilian model. 

The ’80s were dark years for performance in the domestic car industry, and this car is no exception. Zero-to-sixty mph times are in the 10-second range, and the top speed is only 118 mph. It struggles to get there. For all-out pursuit vehicles, most departments turned to Camaros or Mustangs. Where the Caprice shines is in its room, comfort, huge trunk and handling ability. I would rank its handling as at the top of the scale for a domestic four-door sedan of that year. This car is tight and solid and is a joy to drive. I have driven the car to two car shows out of state and it has performed flawlessly.

For a little bit of trivia, the underhood photo shows green radiator and heater hoses. These are the original silicon hoses that were an option on the police package. The Crown Victoria police package also used these hoses.

I love this car and drive it often. Not only is it a lot of fun to drive, but it brings back a lot of memories.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post Back in the saddle again with a 9C1 Caprice appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

In 2013, I was assigned to cover the Woodward Dream Cruise from Mustang Alley in Ferndale, Mich., where I observed a custom orange-metallic T-top 1988 Mustang GT. According to Bill McClelland, the vehicle’s owner, he personally completed all of its modifications, aside from the bodywork and paint.

A few days later, I invited Bill to have his 1988 Mustang GT photographed at a private airport near Flint for possible magazine publication. We met for the photo shoot on Oct. 12, 2013, and the article later appeared in Mustang Monthly. Afterward, Bill thanked me and mentioned he was looking for another Mustang GT for his son, Blake.

In 2015, Bill contacted me to share his enthusiasm about finding a 1988 Mustang GT convertible locally listed on Craigslist. The vehicle had previously spent much of its life in the southern United States before relocating to Michigan. The 50,000 miles on the odometer indicated it had only been modestly driven — but not babied — during the first 30 years of its life.

Despite moderate wear to the white paint, gray lower two-tone accents, convertible top and leather interior, the car remained structurally sound — ideal for restoration and customization.

Bill and Blake intended to completely transform the Mustang by replacing many factory components with advanced options from the automotive aftermarket sector. Their goal was to create a truly unique vehicle incorporating numerous custom elements designed personally by Bill and Blake.

Earlier this year, their 1988 Mustang GT convertible build was complete and ready for a photo shoot. We met at the same airport near Flint where I had photographed Bill’s 1988 T-top GT years ago. After photographing both cars together, I focused on Blake’s convertible — shooting it with the top up and down. 

Blake’s journey from inspiration to reality had unfolded over nearly a decade, a testament to both the persistence and strength of Blake and Bill’s father-son bond. At our photo shoot, I learned the McClellands’ garage became more than a workspace; it was a crucible for ideas, skills and shared memories. Through late nights, trial and error and countless cups of coffee, the vision for Blake’s Mustang GT convertible slowly took form. Each setback — whether a back-ordered part, a family matter or an unexpected obstacle — was met with new determination.

As months turned to years, Blake said his automotive knowledge grew alongside his ambition. He learned the subtle art of aligning body panels, the patience required for intricate wiring and the satisfaction of overcoming engineering puzzles. The Mustang GT became not just a car, but a canvas — one where creativity, resourcefulness and attention to detail shaped every decision. Even the smallest improvements were celebrated, with Blake and Bill refining their plans as new technologies emerged and tastes evolved.

By the time the project neared completion, the Mustang GT convertible bore little resemblance to its humble beginnings. It had become a rolling chronicle of lessons learned, skills mastered and the unwavering pursuit of a promise made years earlier. 

After completing our photo shoot of Blake’s GT, the pair drove away with the convertible top down, and the stunning Symbiosis Green paint glowing in the evening light. It was a perfect scene for a perfectly completed project.

We’ll leave the details of the Mustang GT’s build to Blake himself:

Building a Mustang GT

From an early age, I was immersed in a family environment that valued classic automobiles and fostered a keen interest in cars from the outset. Unlike my peers, whose preferences leaned toward action figures or sports, I gravitated toward Hot Wheels and LEGO sets — particularly the automotive-themed kits — which quickly became my favored toys. Prior to obtaining my driver’s license, my mother often collected me from school in either my father’s Mustang or her Nissan 300ZX, experiences I greatly anticipated after each school day. Car shows and weekend cruises were always enjoyable opportunities, despite my not yet being able to drive. 

At age 14, I expressed to my father a desire to undertake a car restoration project together, hoping to eventually own and drive my personal vehicle. He welcomed the idea, eager for a collaborative “father and son” endeavor, yet remained careful not to pressure me, understanding that could potentially diminish my enthusiasm. Our search began with considerations between a T-top Mustang and a 300ZX, reflecting my appreciation for both American and Japanese domestic market vehicles. Ultimately, practicality and affordability influenced my decision to pursue a Mustang. After an initial attempt to purchase a T-top model fell through, we located a solid 1988 Mustang convertible for $2,500 on Craigslist — a southern vehicle reportedly showing only 50,000 miles.

Initially hesitant about the convertible’s aesthetics, I proceeded with the acquisition for the sake of owning my own car. In September 2015, we purchased the Mustang GT convertible, at which point I underestimated the scope and complexity of a ground-up restoration. I envisioned using the Mustang as a daily driver following its refurbishment, but soon realized a more practical daily vehicle was necessary; I subsequently acquired a Saturn Aura from relatives in 2016 for that purpose.

That February, my father and I began incremental upgrades, culminating in a manual transmission conversion, suspension enhancement, larger brakes and a five-lug conversion. Our first drive post-conversion occurred in May 2016. Although initially frustrated by the challenge of operating a manual transmission, practice with a pit bike improved my proficiency, which I then applied to smoother car operation. By June 2016, we continued customizations, including the addition of a spoiler, style bar and larger wheels. The car served reliably for events and exhibitions from 2017 to 2019, during which time I came to appreciate the benefits of the convertible configuration.

October 2019 saw the installation of a Cervinis Ram Air hood, aligning with my aesthetic preferences. When the COVID-19 pandemic rendered large gatherings unfeasible in December 2019, I elected to have the Mustang professionally repainted in lieu of a graduation party. This decision initiated a comprehensive tear-down and restoration process. By January 2020, we removed the engine, and upon inspection, confirmed the indicated low mileage. My uncle, Butch Kaznecki, assisted with bodywork, welding new inner fender panels, repairing trunk lid holes and accommodating a side-exit exhaust.

In May 2020, the vehicle was sent to Creative Autosports & Restorations (CAR) for painting, a process extended over 12 months due to workforce challenges, ultimately completed by the shop owner. The Mustang returned from paint in May 2021, and reassembly began. By July 2021, with guidance from my father, I successfully rebuilt the 5.0L V-8 engine. And it was my first. In June 2022, I started the engine independently, marking a significant personal achievement.

Visualizing the final result was aided by digital renderings and a racing simulator I assembled, allowing me to virtually drive the Mustang while physical work progressed from 2022 through 2024. Custom lighting and interior enhancements continued, and in October 2024, the car was roadworthy. Further modifications, including a custom exhaust by BAM (Barry’s Ace Maintenance) concluded in November 2024.

December 2024 brought the profound loss of my grandmother. In her memory, I incorporated her green flashlight into the car with custom trunk trim, ensuring a meaningful connection with her always remains present. By July 2025, all audio system components and trunk trim were installed, and in August 2025, the finished vehicle debuted at the Mustang Alley show during the Woodward Cruise.

This extensive project was only possible with the support of my family, notably my parents and Uncle Butch. The experience provided invaluable technical knowledge and served as a deeply meaningful father-and-son collaboration, one I will always hold in high regard.

The blessing of a ‘father and son’ project

A mother’s perspective

As Blake’s Mom, I couldn’t be more proud of all of his accomplishments, especially finishing his Mustang. Through all the delays and unfortunate family events, he was able to stay the course and get to the finish line. It wasn’t easy, and the struggles with this project were very real. Everything led to this point, and what an honor to be featured in a professional photo shoot for a magazine!

Blake and his dad worked tirelessly to make this build a very unique show stopper. His face lit up with such pride when he brought home a first-place trophy at his first judged car show. I am truly thankful and blessed to be the mom of such a special young man! Congratulations, Blake, and enjoy all your hard work! — Tania McClelland 

A father’s perspective 

The wish for any father is to have his son take interest in his hobbies and to spend quality time together in life with his son. As much as I wanted to have my son join me in the garage to work on cars, I did not want to force him and have him reject it. I knew he loved Hot Wheels and riding in my Mustang, so I knew there was a chance that he may someday get the car bug.

When going to car shows, he started telling the story of my Mustang when people came over to look at it. Once I built my wife, Tania, her Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo convertible, I could see the excitement grow. One wonderful day when my son was 14, he approached me and asked if we could work on a car together. It was amazing to hear the moment that I was waiting for, and I had to hold back my excitement. I asked Blake, ‘What did you have in mind? Are you willing to get your hands dirty?’ He responded, “As long as it’s a car for me.” That is when the journey began to evolve, and I knew the car legacy would continue in our family.

Once we found the 1988 convertible Mustang GT, he was committed. The timeless hours, the stages of completion and the challenges we solved together built a bond that is priceless. My son has become a sponge for knowledge, and the projects became a great learning tool for him mechanically and electrically. Now that he is going to college, I see how he is developing into a tremendous engineer  His degree is in mechatronics, which is a blend of both. I’m extremely proud of Blake and grateful to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience with my son.

I thank my wife for her patience and time that she has given up for the hours we spent in the garage. This was a gift in our lives that brought us together, and I can only hope for others to experience this. I now realize how rare this opportunity was and know it was a blessing. — Bill McClelland

Love ‘Stangs? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week-1966-shelby-mustang-g-t-350-h

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week-1970-ford-mustang-boss-429

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1981-mclaren-m81-mclarens-first-mustang

SHOW US YOUR WHEELS!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post Car of theWeek: 1988 Mustang GT convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

My 16th birthday was getting close, just two short months from being able to get my driver’s license. It was May of 1989, and the time had come to start shopping for my first car. A family vacation to California the previous winter had set my sights on finding a Volkswagen Bug. By the late ’80s, the old VWs had just about disappeared from the roads back home in Wisconsin. But in southern California, they seemed to be everywhere. I was drawn to their small size, their simplicity and their very dated but unashamed styling.

The problem came when I told my dad, a devout Chevy man, that I wanted a VW Bug. A very strong “Buy American” man, in addition to his Chevrolet loyalty, he would have none of it. I still remember his simple counter offer to me: “How ’bout a Chevette?” Now, I didn’t know a whole lot about Chevettes at that time. I knew they were small, and I knew that there were lots of them around (this was the late ’80s, after all), but that was about it. Despite my lack of knowledge, I agreed to look for a Chevette as my first car. It seemed like a fair compromise.

A few weeks later, Dad pulled into the driveway with a little brown two-door Chevette. As chance would have it, a co-worker of his was selling a 1984 Chevette and let my dad take it home for the day. That not only allowed us to see if I’d like the car, but more importantly, if I could drive the car. You see, this Chevette had a five-speed manual transmission and I had never driven a stick shift before.

Out to some seldom-used country roads we went. Dad demonstrated to me how the clutch and shifting worked and then it was my turn to give it a try. Well, what transpired was a sort of lurching and bucking that professional bull riders must feel, followed by the stalling of the engine — over and over again. But with never-before-seen patience, my dad just kept telling me: “try it again.” Countless attempts later, I was getting the hang of it and my launches became fairly smooth. Feeling good about myself didn’t last long, though, as my next lesson was starting off on an incline without rolling backwards. More bucking, lurching and stalling ensued, but eventually I gained that skill as well.

That little Chevette took a lot of abuse during my “training.” And as strange as it sounds, I felt as if my dad wasn’t the only one exhibiting patience with me that day. The Chevette seemed eager for me to learn to drive it, firing back up immediately after each stall, taking the punishment and willing to take more. A bond was being formed, a bond between a young car guy and his first car. Obviously, once I learned how to proficiently drive the Chevette, I bought it.

The next month or so was nearly torture for me. I owned a car, but didn’t have my license yet. Hours were spent in, around and underneath my Chevette getting to know everything I could. I read the owner’s manual cover to cover, bought a Hayne’s manual to learn about the inner workings of the car’s systems, and with my dad’s help, I learned to change the oil, spark plugs, filters and other maintenance.

With some research I discovered that despite there being a million Chevettes on the road, my particular car was somewhat a rarity. Only a very small percentage of Chevette’s had the five-speed manual as most were automatics or four-speed manuals. Mine also had the Exterior Sport Décor (Chevy option code Z13). Not very common on Chevettes, this was strictly an appearance option which added Chevette “S” decals and eliminated nearly all the chrome/bright work, replacing it with blacked-out trim with red/orange accents. This was a common styling trick with U.S. carmakers during the ’80s to give vehicles a sportier, perhaps more European look.

The day came when I finally received my license and the newfound freedom that I felt was unlike anything I had experienced before. I had many memorable times with that Chevette; My first date, my high school graduation, heading off to college for the first time with the car packed to the gills and countless road trips with my buddies.

Throughout my ownership, the Chevette was an incredibly reliable machine, never once breaking down or leaving me stranded. It always started, even on those Wisconsin winter mornings when the temperature was 20 degrees below zero. I absolutely loved my faithful Chevette, no matter what others thought about it. Admittedly, being a Chevette owner required having a bit of a thick skin; I took my share of ridicule and there was no shortage of jokes. Nicknames like “Poor Man’s ’Vette” and the “Shove-It” were just the beginning. I remember some friends making a spoof of the song “Little Red Corvette” by Prince that went something like “Little Brown Chevette….Baby you’re just too slow….Yes you are…”

After three plus years and more than 40,000 miles I (regrettably) traded in my Chevette. Now, nearly 30 years have passed since the day my dad pulled in the driveway with that little car, and I still miss it. Since then I’ve owned more than 80 cars and I could probably tell a story about each one of them. Nearly all of them were faster, more valuable and considered “cooler” than my Chevette. But if there’s one car I could have back again, it would no doubt be my very first car, my little brown 1984 Chevette. I keep hoping that by some miracle, it has survived all these years, perhaps stashed away in a barn somewhere. And someday I’ll see it for sale alongside the road or on the internet. I would no doubt buy it and bring my first car back home with me where it belongs. Certainly there are those who’ll wonder “What’s the big deal…it’s just a Chevette?” but it was my Chevette, and I will forever have an attachment to it.

The story of my first car proves that any car can turn someone into a “Car Guy” (or Gal). It doesn’t have to be a GTO, Mustang, Camaro, Bel Air or Challenger. A car that is seen as “cheap”, “dorky” and “ugly” by most car enthusiasts can cause another to fall in love. They say that love is blind and I would agree with that, with one small change: I’d say that “First Love is Blind.”

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post Chevy Chevette longing appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Chris Strasburg

Editor’s note: Upon seeing an image of his 1980 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 in Old Cars, owner Chris Strasburg submitted the accompanying photos and further details on the rare car.

It all started in the winter of 1980. On a boring Saturday afternoon, I accompanied my mom to the grocery store in the nearby city of Fort Atkinson, Wis. Luckily, next to the grocery store was Pfafflin Motors that sold Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac. I went to look at the cars and on the showroom floor there was a brand-new, leftover 1979 Hurst/Olds in white and gold. I instantly fell in love with that car. I really wanted to own it, but I was 15 and a sophomore in high school with a paper route. The car certainly was way out of my budget, but it left an impression on me and I knew someday I wanted one.

About two weeks later, as I was leaving school for the day, that same 1979 Hurst/Olds was sitting in our high school parking lot! I learned some lucky kid who was a junior in our high school got it.

In February 1980, about the same time I was dreaming about the ’79 Hurst/Olds, the 1980 Olds 4-4-2 I now own was rolling down the assembly line in Lansing, Mich. From there, it made its way to Lokey Oldsmobile in Clearwater, Fla., where Mr. Max Hopewell was waiting to take delivery. Max, an Oldsmobile salesman for more than 30 years, ordered the car as his personal demo when, as he put it, “we heard it would be the last of the 350-powered Cutlasses.” He used the car as his personal demo, then bought the car outright when it was taken out of demonstrative service. He said he had planned to keep the car forever, but, of course, life got in Max’s way and his wife eventually wanted a different car. So, Max sold the 1980 4-4-2 in the late ’90s with 9,000 miles on the odometer.

A smaller Olds 4-4-2

A new, downsized Oldsmobile Cutlass was introduced in 1978 as General Motors started a new life for its midsize models, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Malibu, Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Regal and Oldsmobile Cutlass. The Hurst/Olds, a beefed-up version of the Cutlass, had been out of production since the end of the 1975 model year. In 1979, the Hurst/Olds made a brief return for one model year, then vanished until the 1983 model year. However, the like-natured 4-4-2 version of the Olds Cutlass soldiered on through the 1970s. As such, the 4-4-2 option package was offered on the newly downsized ’78 and ’79 Cutlasses, but was only offered on the fastback Cutlass Salon models rather than the formal-roofed Cutlass Calais (as on the 1979 Hurst/Olds), and the Salon-based 4-4-2s of 1978 and 1979 never used the Oldsmobile 350-cid V-8 engine.

The 1980 Olds 4-4-2 is very similar to the ’79 Hurst/Olds; both were based on the Cutlass Calais, both were available in the white-and-gold or black-and-gold color schemes, and both offered the four-barrel 350 Oldsmobile V-8. Unfortunately the Hurst His/Hers shifter was not carried over on the ’80 442.

A total of just 886 of the 4-4-2s were built in 1980, and if my information is correct, they were not certified to sell in California. In my years of tracking these 1980 4-4-2s, I’ve found a majority of them were sold new in Canada.

Finding and reviving a 4-4-2

In the fall of 2003, while searching for a ’79 Hurst/Olds like the one I remembered from high school, I came across Max’s original 1980 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 at the car corral of the Fall Jefferson (Wis.) car show and swap. When I saw the car, its body was in pretty good shape, but it had an engine knock. I checked the VIN and found it to be a legitimate ’80 4-4-2. When I had gone looking for a ’79 Hurst/Olds, I never dreamed I’d find a rarer 1980 4-4-2. I had to own it.

In the glove compartment of my new acquisition was a copy of the window sticker, the build sheet and the warranty booklet that had the original owner’s name on it. Those documents led me to Max, whom I wrote to shortly after I bought the car. It was from communicating with him that I learned the first 20 years of the car’s history.

Max said that when he sold the car in the late 1990s, “you could eat off the engine, it was so clean.” He lost track of the car until I contacted him shortly after I bought it in 2003.

During that brief period from the time Max sold the car to when I bought it in 2003, the 1980 Olds 4-4-2 had led a hard life. The front header panel had been replaced, probably following a minor accident, with an incorrect header panel from a ’80 Cutlass Supreme, which uses a waterfall-type grille. The damage was minor in that there was no structural damage to any metal or the frame. The car’s biggest problem was a lower-end engine knock. I bought the car at Fall Jefferson 2003. The gentleman I bought it from had bought it off eBay and had it shipped from Florida to Wisconsin. When it arrived, the person who sold it to him neglected to tell him it had a lower-end engine knock. So he decided to sell it and that is when I bought it.

The first thing I did that fall was pull the engine and have it rebuilt over winter. I wanted the engine rebuilt to the specs of a 1970 Olds W31. Paul at Weaver Auto Parts in Madison, Wis., did all the work. He bored it .030 over and installed 10-to-1 pistons and larger valves in the heads. I had the original Quadra-Jet carburetor re-jetted to handle the bigger cam, along with other work. I also installed true dual exhaust all the way back, but had the tail pipes exit in the factory location. I also had the Turbo HydraMatic 350 automatic transmission rebuilt by my friend, Mark Walker, who was a tech at Thorstad Chevrolet. He put a shift kit in the transmission along with a higher stall converter.

Then came the body. Since the car spent most of its life in Florida, the paint was pretty thin from the sun. At first I was just going to repaint the top of the body, but the body shop I worked with talked me into repainting the entire car. The body was stripped down to bare metal and we found the metal was very solid except for some rust at the inner part of the deck lid. I found a different deck lid in a salvage yard in western Nebraska.

I also had the task of finding the original-type Calais header panel, which I finally found in a salvage yard in Florida. The grilles, wheel opening mouldings and other chrome pieces currently on the car are NOS units I found. I had the wheels refurbished, the bumpers re-chromed, and sourced a stripe kit from Stencils and Stripes.

When I originally contacted Max, he was gracious enough to send me pictures of the 1980 Olds 4-4-2. At the conclusion of the letter he had written to accompany the photos, he wrote, “Have fun with my/our car and take care of it.” Thanks, Max—I did just that.

Love Oldsmobiles? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

Ever wonder what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars Price Guide is now online! Check it out and join to get the unbiased and real-world pricing on classic cars. You get pricing anytime, anyplace on your phone, tablet or computer.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

The post From Hurst/Olds to 4-4-2 appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Back in 1979, when I was engaged to my wife, Bobbi, she was looking to get rid of her 1966 Thunderbird that was giving her trouble. We were going to be moving away from her parents, and she wanted a reliable and economical car to drive when we visited them. I tried to convince Bobbi to buy a midsize Ford Futura, but she wanted a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. I was driving a 1974 Valiant Scamp and liked the rectilinear style of the Fairmont-based Futura, but she bought the Monte Carlo. We were still driving that Monte Carlo 16 years later when I drove it to work one day and the left front wheel fell off.

The ‘Futura’ of Ford’s Ranchero

In addition to myself, the Futura’s “basket handle” B-pillar caught the attention of Jim Stephenson. He thought the Futura would make a great downsized Ford Ranchero. The plus-size LTD-II based Ranchero was gone by the end of 1979, and Ford had no plan to replace it. At this time, Ford Motor Co. had to shrink all of its automobiles to the tune of billions of dollars to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, and tooling up to produce a new, low-volume Ranchero wasn’t in the cards.

Stephenson ran an auto body and paint shop with his partner, George Price, in Pacoima, Calif. He convinced Price that he could build a car-truck hybrid Futura. As a result, Price bought a new Z-7­ — the badge-engineered Mercury counterpart to the Futura — and Stephenson did sheet metal surgery.

The end result was spectacular. The prototype’s wide “wrap over roof pillar,” as it was described in a Futura brochure, became a flying-buttress sail panel that extended beyond an upright rear window. A one-piece fiberglass pickup bed that would not rust or become scratched was installed where the trunk once was. The sloped tail section of the Futura became the tailgate for the pickup truck.

Stephenson and Price showed photos of the prototype to Holmes-Tuttle Lincoln-Mercury in Van Nuys to generate interest in marketing this new Ranchero. The dealership was intrigued and showed the photos to Ford honchos in Detroit. Ford became involved and there was talk of Stephenson setting up a conversion facility near Kansas City, where the Futura was assembled. Ford even gave him engineering specifications of the Futura. Before it could go farther, Stephenson became seriously ill with a collapsed kidney and plans were halted.

As Stephenson’s health somewhat improved, he contacted Bill Feldhorn, president of National Coach Products in Gardena, to produce the pickup as the company was already converting vans. Since Ford would not let Stephenson use the Ranchero name, Feldhorn named his car-truck hybrid “Durango” long before Dodge used the name on its Dakota-based SUV.

Stephenson still had medical issues, so instead of a hands-on position, he acted as a consultant. Thus, unlike the prototype that had reflectors in both ends of the bed box when the tailgate was down, later Durangos only had reflectors and taillamps in the tailgate. There also was no hinged license plate holder when the tailgate was down. A disclaimer warned drivers not to drive the Durango with the tailgate down.

Futuras could come with an overhead-cam four of 140 cubic inches good for 88 hp, a 200-cid overhead-valve inline six that produced 86 hp or a 225-cid V-8 with 115 hp. The four bangers could come with a four-speed manual or an automatic while the six and V-8 only came with an automatic transmission. The estimated 212 Durangos produced in ’81 and ’82 were all equipped with the six-cylinder.

The base Futura cost $4,223 and $2,000 was added for the pickup conversion. In contrast, a base El Camino was $6,988­—some $700 more.

A barn find Durango

At 32 years young, old car enthusiast Chandler Yates, of Lehi, Utah, owns the featured 1981 Ford Durango. He owns, drives, restores and maintains vintage vehicles.

“I became aware of the Durango when I was out purchasing a Ford LTD from an estate sale,” he recalls. “I was wandering around and found this in one of the barns. I knew instantly I had found something very special. It was something I had never seen before.”

The “Rip Van Winkle” Durango had been hibernating for 20 years. According to Chandler, it had electrical issues. He realized this pickup was a vehicle one would not often see on the road, but so did others.

“It was a tough negotiation,” Chandler said. “There were people aware of this pickup and trying to purchase it from different states. I was able to secure the deal and the game began. It took almost six months for the family to locate and reissue a title.”

Chandler used his skills to quickly put the Durango back on the road.

“I was able to pick it up and get it home; we had it running the same day. I spent some time with the electrical and was able to sort out the underlying issues. I wasn’t done there, though. I wanted a reliable and fuel-efficient vehicle that I could use in the high elevation of Utah, and also combat the heat of the desert. I went to the drawing board and designed an adapter plate and built a custom Sniper electronic fuel-injection system for the Durango, bringing the vehicle into the new age of reliability. Being a true survivor, the intention is to restore and repair what is there and keep things as original as possible from when it left National Coach Works facility.”

Chandler had help from his best friend, Nicholas Day, on the Durango and other restorations, like his ’65 Mustang convertible. But unlike the Mustang, Chandler doesn’t plan to restore his Durango.

“I find the patina and age of this pickup to be really beautiful, and I don’t want to take away from the history it shows. The future of the Durango is to become mechanically sound first, and do suspension upgrades, such as disc brakes and air shock suspension. I’ll continue to add some creature comforts like a Bluetooth radio and hands-free calling.

“I can’t help but call it a ‘Foxchero,’ being the only pickup truck built on the Fox-body platform. I intend to keep the pickup and start showing it next summer. Maybe one day my kids will have this vehicle that is rare and was close to their dad’s heart.” 

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post The original Durango appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Fox-bodies are cool! That’s a fact of life. We saw this sweet ‘Stang from the ’80s this summer at the 2024 Iola Car Show and had to check it out.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post Old Cars Out and About: 1988 Ford Mustang GT convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

The post 1988 Ford Mustang GT convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Leon Dixon has the Allante that he always wanted. It took a bit of patience and work to get it just how he wanted it. The end result was a killer Caddy that looks great and is just how he wanted it.

In the end, cars are meant to be enjoyed by owners, and this one has done its job in spades. It is safe to say, this is a one-of-a-kind Caddy!

“I thought I would share a photo of my Stage II Cadillac Allante. I originally ordered a new 1988 Stage I Allante for my company car. It was a pearlescent white color with a black soft top and tan interior. While I loved that car, the top was a nightmare and leaked like a sieve. I quickly tired of all the problems and turned it in for something else. In the meantime, a friend who lived not far from me ordered a 1991 Stage II Allante in black with a tan interior. The folding top and leakage issues were all resolved for the Stage II and I loved it. I told my friend that if he ever decided to sell it to give me a call.

A short time later, he indeed called and delivered the car to me at home in Newport Beach, California. It came with the original window sticker and all papers. And I still had all of the souvenir items from the 1988. Another friend at Cadillac public relations (I was still on their list) contributed several more items and press kits– all of which I still have.

I’m not a big fan of alterations and customizing, but I did change six things on my Allante:

1.) I quickly tired of replacing the painted-on silver Cadillac wreath and crest on the red CHMSL brake light lens. It wore off after only a few months! After a couple of expensive replacements and the same result, I went to a buddy who worked in the parts department at the local Cadillac dealer. I asked to see a Fleetwood gold-plated roof ornament. It turned out the the gold metal wreath and crest were exactly the same size as the painted-on silver graphic. I bought an ornament set which came with adhesive backing. The Fleetwood roof wreath and crest were expensive, but no more expensive than repeatedly buying new CHMSLs. Problem solved and looks infinitely better. Over the years, people have asked about my CHMSL graphic ornamentation. Sometimes I’ll tease and say, “What? Yours didn’t come that way?” As if they all did.

2.) I was not a big fan of the rather dull-looking factory-installed aluminum wheels. So I specially ordered a set of Masitaly five-spoke aluminum wheels. I had the dealer send them out to be chrome plated. Wow. I have been quite happy with the result and the wheels remained on my Allante to this day. I fabricated small center wheel medallions– again using the same gold-plated Fleetwood wreath-and-crest sets. A lot of people seeing these wheels have asked me why they didn’t see these when they bought their Allante! LOL.

3.) In my OEM automotive work, I assisted Philips Electronics in developing their CARIN GPS navigation system. I installed one in my Allante. Except that mine has a futuristic one-off visored monitor screen I designed back then. The system works perfectly and I installed it in such a way as to look OEM for the car.

4.) I did NOT like the hard-wired-in antiquated, brick-sized Cadillac cell phone offered at the time. I had helped to develop the first hand-held dockable cell phone (it was a Motorola “flip-phone”) for Mazda’s ill-fated Amati division). So no way did I want a hard-wired huge brick. I had a friend who was a V.P. at Audiovox Electronics get me a docking cradle and I wired up a remote antenna and fully hand-held tiny (by the standards of the day) “Minivox” cell phone. That prototype system is still on my Allante and looks OEM. And yes, it worked very, very well– including hands-free capability long before most had such a possibility.

5.) I hated the Allante keylock entry system and thus added a “Key-Smart” keyless remote entry system developed by someone in an Allante group.

6.) I added a full security system with tracking capability that I helped to develop. It had all of the features of what became GM’s “On-Star”… but a lot more. The system was linked to a 24/7 monitor center and even had remote stop and start. It would even call the owner if the vehicle was being stolen and state the exact location– moving or parked. This system, which I called the Mazda Secure & Safe Sentinel was originally intended to go in Mazda vehicles. Unfortunately, it never got approved for production. I made three of these systems– one for a special Mazda 626. Another for a special Mazda 929 driven by the president of Mazda R&D. The third was the only one seen by the general public. It was installed on a concept car shown and demonstrated in New York City. This vehicle was known as the “New Woman Mazda Protege.” Done in cooperation with “New Woman” magazine. When the concept car was eventually brought back to California and scrapped, I saved my system out of the vehicle and installed it in my Allante.

Cadillac division provided me with a new Cadillac XLR to drive when that car debuted. While I liked the looks of the XLR, it was far too cramped and claustrophobic for me at over six feet in height. I would get back into my Allante and it felt room. While I stopped driving the Allante nearly twenty years ago, it remains in dry storage in mint condition. 

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

Ever wonder what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars Price Guide is now online! Check it out and join to get the unbiased and real-world pricing on classic cars. You get pricing anytime, anyplace on your phone, tablet or computer.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1988 Cadillac Phase II Allante appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Marketing Corporation built a single M81 McLaren Mustang in white. With only 863 miles, Kendal Coker is the caretaker of this unique Mustang that had a historic role in reigniting the Mustang’s performance image during the 1980s.

After 10 bleak years of a Ford racing ban, leaving the company without any high-performance engines, a glimmer of hope peeked out from behind the dark clouds in 1980 with the emergence of the Ford Motorsports program. Brainstormed and spearheaded by Gary Kohs’ Marketing Corporation, its first high-profile project was the M81 McLaren Mustang. Ford bought into Kohs’ idea, because it served several purposes: to showcase the 2.3-liter turbo engine, to go racing in IMSA and to create renewed enthusiasm in the youth market for Mustang, which had been revamped in 1979 when it was newly based on Ford’s one-year-old Fox-body platform.

In the spring of 1980, Marketing Corporation built a Mustang 3-Door (hatchback)-based M81 McLaren prototype that appeared on the car-show circuit. Along with the prototype came the prospect of expanding the M81 McLaren into a limited-production offering in the high-performance niche vehicle segment. With wide-body fenders, widened and restructured quarter panels, a front air dam taken from the 1979 Indy Pace Car Mustang, brake ducting and a functional heat-extracting hood fabricated from metal, the M81 McLaren Mustang concept caught Ford brass off-guard when the finished model delighted and thrilled Ford fans who missed the Total Performance days of the 1960s. Encouraged by feedback, Kohs hoped to build 249 fiberglass-paneled McLaren Mustangs for the 1981 model year, thus the “M81” abbreviated from “McLaren 1981.” However, the combination of a projected $25,000 price tag and internal Ford politics ended the program before it got off the ground. Including the prototype, only 10 M81s were produced in McLaren Orange (one was repainted black and the feature car was repainted white), making the M81 McLarens among the rarest Mustangs ever produced.

Due to the high cost and internal politics, M81 McLaren Mustang production abruptly ended. As the 1980 M81s were being assembled, Ford was busy creating its own in-house Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, which became the Special Vehicles Team (SVT) in 1993. Shortly after its founding in 1981, SVO began further developing Ford’s turbo-four-cylinder vehicle, the result being the Mustang SVO from 1984-’86. The Mustang SVO was powered by an intercooled turbo 2.3-liter four-cylinder.

Creating the M81 McLaren

The M81 McLaren Mustang was cutting edge for 1980. Ford had introduced the Fox-body platform to the automotive world on the Fairmont in 1978 and expanded its use to the Mustang in 1979, and the industry was taking in the reborn Mustang. Among those who saw the Fox-body Mustang’s potential were Bob Fehan, Rob Fournier and Gary Kohs of Marketing Corporation. Under the leadership of Kohs, who turned his vision for a racy-looking Mustang into reality with the help of Fehan and Fournier, the visionary team of craftsmen seized the opportunity to create what many consider the first specialized custom version of the Fox-body Mustang with the M81.

Everything built under the McLaren name was done so at Marketing Corporation on Delemere Street in Royal Oak, Mich., including the McLaren M81 Mustangs. The facility had a full fabrication shop, body and paint department with spray booths, and other state-of-the-art equipment.

In addition to the McLaren M81 street cars, two Cosworth-powered McLaren Mustang race cars were built and competed at both the Daytona 24-Hour and Sebring 12-Hour races, one car finishing first in the GTP races.

The efforts of Fehan, Fournier and Kohs with the McLaren M81 street cars proved the Fox-body Mustang was capable of great things with its design, handling characteristics and four-cylinder turbocharged power-train. The McLaren M81 Mustangs had a vital role in expanding the capabilities of the new Fox-body Mustang and in promoting its potential.

Fournier and Kohs have since passed away, but Fehan’s work continues through his Bob Fehan Motorsports, which builds award-winning concept automobiles. Following his work on the M81 McLaren, Fehan built several Ford concepts and show vehicles, including the Cosworth Capri, GE Lexan Mustang and the Motorcraft Mustangs. Later, in the 1980s, Fehan competed as a driver in SCCA and IMSA, including a ride in the Mac Tools Trans-Am Mustang. In 1986, he formed Bob Fehan Motorsports, which has produced many specialty vehicles and award-winning show cars for the SEMA Show. Among his many accolades is a prestigious SEMA Design of Excellence award for the Chrysler PT Cruiser Woodie in 2000.

An M81 survivor

This one-of-one white McLaren M81 Mustang survives today as a low-mileage and very original example in the hands of Kendal Coker, who has amassed an impressive collection of turbo-four Fords, including SVO and early McLaren Mustangs (not to be confused with the two-seater ASC McLaren convertibles from 1987-’90). Coker’s white M81 McLaren was originally sold to Pete DeSilva through John Glass Ford in Massachusetts. It passed through several other owners before Coker bought it nearly 20 years ago after chasing it down through a classified ad.

With only 863 miles, Coker’s white M81 McLaren Mustang, No. 9 of 10, remains as originally built right down to the paint, BBS wheels and even the Firestone tires. Like all M81 McLarens, Coker’s 1980 Mustang was assembled at the Dearborn Assembly Plant with the 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbo engine and Bright Caramel paint for delivery to the fabrication shop at Marketing Corporation in Royal Oak, Mich., where hot rodder Bob Fehan and fabrication whiz Rob Fournier built the cars to specs very similar to the first prototype. However, while the prototype was constructed with a custom one-of-a-kind front clip, the other nine cars were equipped with a one-piece front clip, and the heat extractor hood was made from fiberglass instead of metal. Air flow passing through the radiator was pushed out the hood openings through aluminum ducting behind the radiator.

Like most of the McLaren M81s, Coker’s white M81 doesn’t have a turbo boost controller. He notes that the four-cylinder in his car appears to be factory stock, other than a chrome valve cover, leading him to theorize that cars without the turbo boost controller came with untouched engines.

“My McLaren doesn’t feel any faster than my other turbo-four Mustangs,” Coker notes.

Although horsepower remains tame at 135 units, Coker’s white Mustang, like other McLarens, is an able handler thanks to adjustable Koni struts and shocks, higher-rate springs, Ford Fairmont police package sway bars and 255/55R15 Firestone HPR tires on BBS wheels. The interior utilizes Recaro LS bucket seats, a Racemark steering wheel, an SCCA-approved bolt-in roll bar and a Stewart-Warner instrument panel integrated into the factory dash.

According to a contemporary story in Motor Trend, Ford intended to offer the M81 McLaren parts, including the fiberglass body panels and instrument panel, through a dealer DSO (dealer special order) program.

As confirmed by this car’s deluxe Marti Report, the McLaren Mustangs were painted Bright Caramel at the Ford Dearborn Assembly plant, then delivered to Marketing Corporation. After installation of the fiberglass body components, the cars were custom painted by hand in McLaren’s Papaya Orange. Coker notes that there is orange paint underneath his car’s white finish and, upon inspection, there’s orange paint also hiding on the black car.

An everlasting impact

Today, nearly 45 years after its introduction, the Fox-body Mustang continues to thrive with collectors. It’s become a desirable Mustang with values on the rise. They’re highly sought after for their cutting-edge design, place within the Mustang story, overall value and nostalgic value.

Kendal Coker’s rare, original and low-mileage M81 McLaren takes us back to when the Ford Mustang was getting a fresh start in what would become a new performance era, one that continues to this day.

Author’s Note

I met Kendal Coker at one of the Mustang Club of America (MCA) Grand National Shows where he was showing an SVO Mustang. We talked about his SVO collection, then exchanged contact information. Soon after, an assignment came my way from a publisher who wanted to publish an SVO Mustang generational story and asked if I wanted to take the lead. I agreed to take it on and told him about an SVO Mustang collector I’d recently met and who’d be the right person to help. I made a call to Kendal and soon made trip to his home in Alabama where I photographed a few of his SVO Mustangs. It was during this visit that he showed me his original 1980 M81 McLaren parked separately from the rest of his car collection. I told him I’d be returning to shoot it and his Red Varsity Ford Mustang race car later in the year. As promised, I returned a few months later and Kendal transported the Mustangs to and from a private airport for our photo shoot.  — Al Rogers

Love Fox-Body Mustangs? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

SHOW US YOUR WHEELS!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

The post Car of the Week: 1981 McLaren M81 ‘McLaren’s first Mustang’ appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

_{– Originally ran in January 1, 2024 issue of Old Cars}

Recently, I visited Chrysler’s webpage and found that its lineup is comprised of just three vehicles: The Pacifica minivan, the hybrid Pacifica and the 300 sedan. It would seem that Chrysler, a proud name with a long and interesting history, has become merely a minor star in the Stellantis constellation.

I won’t pretend to guess what the future may hold for the company that Walter P. Chrysler founded nearly a century ago. The “Malaise Machines” column is more of a rose-tinted rearview mirror than a crystal ball. And peering into it back to the mid 1980s, I see a reinvigorated Chrysler Corp. that, under the leadership of cigar-chomping, limelight-loving Lee Iacocca, had narrowly escaped death and was thriving. The government-guaranteed private capital loans that had buoyed the company through its darkest moments had been repaid with interest by 1983. Chrysler was doing so well that, in 1987, it bought AMC.

A potential car buyer visiting a Chrysler showroom in the mid-to-late 1980s would find a vehicle to suit their needs, unless it was a truck or minivan. Dodge and Plymouth covered the utility vehicle market, and posh Chrysler Town & Country minivans wouldn’t hit showrooms until 1989 as 1990 models. Luxury cars such as the LeBaron and New Yorker were front and center, but Chrysler had edged into a more youthful market segment with cars such as the sporty LeBaron GTS sedan and Laser sports coupe.

The Laser is especially interesting in retrospect. With the Laser, Chrysler was fielding what amounted to a pony car. Chrysler was a “senior” nameplate, and as such, its products tended to skew toward the mature customer. Even the high-performance “Letter Cars” of the ’50s and ’60s were banker’s expresses — big and expensive. The Laser, by contrast, might appeal to the banker’s kid. Perhaps it’s not so surprising when considered in light of Iacocca’s involvement in bringing the original Ford Mustang to market.

The Chrysler Laser debuted in 1984, as did its sister car, the Dodge Daytona. Yes, they were K-car derivatives. No, they were not K-cars. To build the sporty duo, Chrysler took the versatile K platform and deducted 3 inches from the wheelbase to arrive at a stubby 97 inches between the axle centerlines. The firm’s solvency may have seemed stable by this point, but the economies of developing the new models from an existing platform couldn’t be overlooked. Still, the new, so-called “G-24” coupes had their own glass and sheet metal. Pure K-cars shared everything from the A-pillar forward and much else besides.

The Daytona and Laser are a master class in 1980s sporty coupe styling. The rectangular quad headlamps and chiseled droop-snoot front-end recall Camaros of the era, while the glasshouse and sharply raked B-pillar evoke various front-engined Porsches. Some might call it pastiche, but I think it works very well from an aesthetic standpoint. It was also functional; the cars had a 0.35 drag coefficient.

Chrysler turned up the wick as high as it could on the MacPherson strut front and flex-beam rear suspension systems inherited from the K-car. Engineers significantly stiffened the springs, and grippier tires were bolted on along with a fast-ratio steering rack that gave 2.5 turns lock-to-lock. Motive power was courtesy of the corporate 2.2-liter OHC four-cylinder, either with or without turbocharging. The naturally aspirated 2.2-liter mill was good for 97 hp; the turbo gave a respectable-for-the-period 146 hp, along with a useful 170 lb.-ft. of torque. A 100-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine was available later in the production run. Five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transaxles sent power to the front wheels.

Interior ambiance was perfectly in tune with the car’s sports coupe design brief. Deep, well-bolstered, low-mounted bucket seats helped locate front seat occupants during aggressive cornering, while a pair of “plus two” perches, better suited to a briefcase or small dog, catered to tagalongs. The dashboard and center stack were replete with a high-tech graph-paper-grid motif meant to suggest digital sophistication. A digital instrument cluster could be had, and it was one of the better ones. Another option so redolent of the early digital age was Electronic Voice Alert (EVA), a digitally synthesized voice that kept drivers informed about important information, such as engine temperature and fuel level.

A one-owner Laser

Chrysler’s youthful offering caught the eye of a Maryland MoPar enthusiast. He ordered this 1986 Laser from Fred Frederick Chrysler in Laurel, Md.

“I was about 30 and thought we needed something sporty to drive beside the minivan we had,” he says. “I didn’t want a digital dash and I didn’t want my car to talk to me, so I ordered a base model and added all the options,” he explains. This is why the black car has turbo power, leather seats and alloy wheels while technically being a base model.”

After nearly 40 years in the same hands, the car has mellowed nicely. The black paint has worn thin in spots after repeated polishing, and the black leather upholstery has acquired a few dignified creases, but there’s not a speck of rust to be seen. Its custodian explains that he often drove minivans in preference to the Laser, keeping it preserved. To date, it has covered less than 34,000 miles.

“It’s been very reliable,” he says, “I only had to replace a few ignition components early on, but other than that, nothing,” he says. “People told me I’d have trouble with the turbo.”

The engine was one of the first on the market with water-cooled turbo bearings, which no doubt contributed to its reliability. This particular car also has a slightly larger oil filter than standard.

“The threads are the same as a [Chrysler] V-8, but the filter is bigger, so I get a little more oil capacity,” the owner says. The grille on the hood is functional, directing air downward toward the turbocharger. However, this version of the engine doesn’t have the intercooler that would be used on later Chrysler turbo fours.”

When the Laser does get driven, it’s the car’s road manners that captivate. “I like the way it handles; it really grips the road,” the owner enthuses. But, he laments that he “can’t see anything in traffic,” a consequence of the Laser’s low build and roads that are, today, populated with overly tall station wagons called SUVs.

Today’s Perspective

It’s very easy, in retrospect, to sniff at a four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive pony car. But, to dismiss the Laser and its Dodge Daytona counterpart as merely a compromise forced on Chrysler by the economy of relying on a K platform derivative isn’t giving them their due.

Gas shortages were still fresh in public memory and the days of V-8-powered passenger cars were seen as numbered. The Camaro and Mustang had been offered with four-cylinder engines (turbocharged in the Mustang), and most Japanese sports coupes were four-cylinder-powered. While it’s true that many sports coupes remained rear-wheel drive, it was understood that front-drive models would probably replace them in time. The G-24 coupes were perfectly in tune with their time.

In speaking of the virtues of front-wheel drive and turbo fours, Ricardo Montalban summed it up best in advertisements when he mellifluously intoned: “Once you drive it, you’ll never go back to a V-8 again.” As an example of the breed, the Chrysler Laser remains a convincing argument to enjoy performance and style — efficiently. 

Ever wonder what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars Price Guide is now online! Check it out and join to get the unbiased and real-world pricing on classic cars. You get pricing anytime, anyplace on your phone, tablet or computer.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post A look back at when Chrysler went sporty with the fastback Laser appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.