Friday Car

[Majorman]

Same model and year as my first car, a 1934 Hillman Minx. Mine was blue and black, 4 door, back passenger doors opened forward. Mine had curtains and tassels in the back. 6 volt system that was never powerful enough to start the 8 hp, side valve engine, it was a hand start every morning which warmed you up on cold mornings but also gave you blisters on the palms of your hands. No heater and a plain steel steering wheel that froze you hands if you did not wear gloves. Memories of driving in the 1960's, still, it was better than cycling to work, at least you were dry. (Until it rained and the canvas sun roof leaked). ;0)
Friday Car

 

[bradley martin]

8 HP!?! How did it go on the flat, let alone uphill?

 

[Majorman]

Back then, speed was not important, she would get up to around 60 mph eventually, normal cruise would have been 35 to 40 mph. But then, most cars were the same, an Austin 7 managed around the 30 mph at cruise with a steady 2 psi oil pressure. The Hillman had a 4 speed box and, fully laden with four of us, two adults and two children, when my father had her, on one particular hill it was a case of run at the bottom in top gear and you were down to first when you got to the top. It was quite an achievement when, I could get to the top without changing down in my Austin Westminster with a six cylinder engine. Today, I hardly notice the same hill in my Freelander.

 

[johnlobb]

Did it have Lucas, the prince of darkness electrical system?

 

[showcrop]

Is the red car beside it an MGB GT?

 

[dhermesc]

Speed is relative.

The early Lamborghini Countach (1976 the one with wings front and back), has the same 0 to 60 time as a 2014 Toyota Camry V6 and is slower than the Camry in the quarter mile. A car I love - the 1979 Pontiac Trans Am with the 6.6 engine is slower 0 to 60 and in the quarter mile than my wife's Kia Sorento minivan.

 

[Dean]

The 79 Trans Am with rather rare TA 6.6 (Pontiac, rather than Oldsmobile) engine and required 4 speed transmission was the quickest car offered by Detroit in 79, albeit in an anemic era.

Quick for its time but hardly a muscle car of either 60s or modernn vintage.

 

[37 chief]

I had a 1934 chevy that looked very similar. Stan

 

[EFV]

The Trans Am was the fastest car in '79 but wasn't the Little Red Express Dodge pickup quicker ?
A 360 with W2 heads on it for power ?

 

[the tractor vet]

Never drove a little red express . last CAR i owned was a 1971 Duster 340 ,ya want fast it was like Burger King as it took to hands to handle it . 0-70 in 4 seconds run the quarter in a 13.23 and over 107 mph , if you were not of sound mind and had the stones to keep it flat footed in around 3/4 of a mile she would plant the needle to the bottom past 150 . Of the line it was faster then any hemi till about half track then ya know what went on by. But for us outlaw kids that did the light to light street thing it put the whippen on all commers . I had a friend who early in life was climbing the corporate ladder and bought himself a brand new vett with the 427 tri power . Market st . Friday evening around 10:30 he happens to pull up next to me i did not it was him Marvin was setting there reving his engine and i looked over and it was Oh i know this guy wow how did he come up with enough money to buy that . Marv looks over and see's me and Points , OK lets get it and the light turned green he side steps his clutch and i just plant my foot on the floor and i left him . Next light he wants to go again SOO we did it again with the same results . Went on down Market St and turned on 224 and went to the Red barn , here comes Marv fumeing mad HOW could a 3500 dollar car stomp on his over 6 k car with a 427 tri power . 71 was the last year for performance cars or i should say engines . when the 72 models arrived but let down across the board . At that time in life i was working as a parts manager for this area's largest Chrysler Plymouth dealership as a manager i got a demo and as a stocking performance parts dealer i always had a performance car , some hemi's some 440-6 pac's lots of 383 -440 had a aar cuda . with our first shipment of 72's i snagged a GTX off the first load and the service manager and i did the predelivery on it as soon as detail was done cleaning it up and had to take it for a test drive , It was a DOG i mean a dead DOG would not even light the tire up . Grandma could drive it in the snow. Dead.

 

[504]

To lazy to look up the article, but I believe it was Car Craft Magazine that did the road test. 1979 the fastest car was the Red Dodge truck(they did not say that the 1978 truck was faster than the 79.) but it was. My brother has the 1979 Little Red Express he bought new, and the 1970 Duster that came with a 318.Now with a 340 turbo with a 5 speed. (he bought it in 77.)

 

[Dean]

According to MT and, I believe, HR the WS6/TA6.6 Trans Am was the quickest car produced by Detroit in 79.

The 400 CI Pontiac engine, all 10,000 of which were built in 78, was significantly more powerful than the 403 Oldsmobile and was available only with 4 speed transmission.

IIRC, it was rated at 220 SAE Net HP vis a vis 185 for the Oldsmobile, which was available with automatic.

Quick for their era but the low compression certainly took it's toll.

I had two 79 Trans Ams with WS6 and TA 6.6.

 

[Dingo3]

Austin 7, kind of like the British version of the model T.
Cheap everyday transportation that anyone could afford.
Mine is a little quicker but still not very expensive to build or work on.

 

[Dingo3]

Nice looking ride.