10 automobiles that should have never been built

[Ripsnort]

i still like and want my hot rods.

i'm 46
BTW

48 here. I could never afford any fancy hotrods in the 70's, but I had my share of small blocks that I played around with as a teen growing up.   

[CAP1]

48 here. I could never afford any fancy hotrods in the 70's, but I had my share of small blocks that I played around with as a teen growing up.   

neither could i.....still can't really, but smallblocks are fun.
remember i have a 12 second fairmont...5.0L. and i know there's guys running 5.0L stangs into the 8's(although their not street cars)

[Roundeye]

I've had 6 buses, 63 -72
7 Karman Ghias 59 - 74
1 Fastbak and 1 Squareback
and I don't know how many bugs... probably 15 or so.
I chopped the rear apron off of a few.  One in particular I could pull the engine out in 5 minutes, by myself, outside, on a hill.  Back in took 10 minutes.  The 1600 was such a tight squeeze that I'd pull the engine out just to change spark plugs or many other basic jobs.

I've read about contests where two guys pulled stock motors in less than a minute; back in in less than three total.

Awsome.  Years ago there was at least one person in every town with a pile of vintage VWs in their yard.  It was good to know that I was not the only one with that "problem".

Yea, the Baja (with no cage) was a 5 min. pull.  Done that.  Bring it inside to adjust valves in the A/C.

[Masherbrum]

Before my senior year of HS in the summer of 1990, my family drove from Michigan, to as far as Villhermosa, Mexico. 

While in Poza Rica eyeballing the "then recently discovered Mayan ruins", I happened to become fixated on one VW Bug, of the more than "at least 10,000 VW Bugs I came across in the month spent there."    This particular Bug was a metallic purple in color, but, I was immediately drawn to a red circle on the rear quarter panel.   

I thought to myself:  "No way in hell."    I then laughed as I saw the Cheez-Wiz cap being used for a gas cap.   I laughed at the simplicity of the "remedy".   The owner walked up to me and we chatted for about 10 minutes as for a 1961 Bug, this thing was restored nicely.   By this point my old man walks over and knew barely any Spanish.   So the three of us pretty much blow off the ruins, as we chat with a person who restored 25 or so Bugs as a hobby.   

[Ripsnort]

Cheese whiz lid for a gas cap    Why, that is as bad as my duct tape fixes! 

Anyone remember traveling across the US with siblings and playing "Bug Slug"?  My sisters were slow.

[Masherbrum]

Cheese whiz lid for a gas cap    Why, that is as bad as my duct tape fixes! 

Anyone remember traveling across the US with siblings and playing "Bug Slug"?  My sisters were slow.

My brother and I gave up around 500 each, in Mexico.   

[68Wooley]

I'm not sure why the focus made the list.  I have one now and love it.  Most focus owners....again MOST love them.

I agree - the Focus was a good car let down only by a bargain basement interior. It was easily the best driving small car of its time. The MK2 on sale in Europe for several years is even better. The re-hashsed MK1 Ford introduced in the US this year is smurfy though. Ford screwed up there - they decided the cost of bringing the Mk2 model to the US wasn't worth it, just as the US wakes up to small cars.

Pity - I'd happily go out and buy a Mk2 Focus ST.

[Hangtime]

Before my senior year of HS in the summer of 1990, my family drove from Michigan, to as far as Villhermosa, Mexico. 

While in Poza Rica eyeballing the "then recently discovered Mayan ruins", I happened to become fixated on one VW Bug, of the more than "at least 10,000 VW Bugs I came across in the month spent there."    This particular Bug was a metallic purple in color, but, I was immediately drawn to a red circle on the rear quarter panel.   

I thought to myself:  "No way in hell."    I then laughed as I saw the Cheez-Wiz cap being used for a gas cap.   I laughed at the simplicity of the "remedy".   The owner walked up to me and we chatted for about 10 minutes as for a 1961 Bug, this thing was restored nicely.   By this point my old man walks over and knew barely any Spanish.   So the three of us pretty much blow off the ruins, as we chat with a person who restored 25 or so Bugs as a hobby.   

...on my old bugs the gas fill was under the front hood.  I often wondered if this was a form of german birth control; fueltank first to the scene of the crash, with the fuseblock mounted directly above and behind the tank.

[eskimo2]

...on my old bugs the gas fill was under the front hood.  I often wondered if this was a form of german birth control; fueltank first to the scene of the crash, with the fuseblock mounted directly above and behind the tank.

The bus was nice and safe too.  In front of your knees you had 1/16" steel (including paint) AND a bit of colored vinyl upholstery glued over a good 1/8 inch of solid cardboard.

[Roundeye]

The bus was nice and safe too.  In front of your knees you had 1/16" steel (including paint) AND a bit of colored vinyl upholstery glued over a good 1/8 inch of solid cardboard.

Don't forget the windshield washer fluid tank that was there to help cushion things too.

I always said that if I ever got in a wreck with one of my buses I would be the first one to the scene of the accident.

[eskimo2]

I've had one of those buggers up to 85 mph.  I got one airborne once with 7 people aboard. 

This one was my favorite:

I've spent over 500 nights sleeping in that thing.

[DiabloTX]

[Fulmar]

My wife and I drive Focus's.  We've had fairly good experiences with them.  The new design is a big improvement over the 05-07 models.

Otherwise I agree with much of the list.  Perhaps replace the Focus with the Toyota Echo.

[panzerr]

AMC Gremlin had a great power train...I believe it was a 4.0 liter straight six.
If you closed the hatch glass to hard, it would explode!!

The Focus had a rough start but now they are very good cars and rate high in
consumer critics books!

The Cadillac Cimeron was a Cavalier with leather and some fancy appearance
features. Tacky car to say the least.

Aztek...Intake gaskets went bad big job to repair them.

Deloran...had to wax them with WD-40...the V-8 had no balls...the car was stainless steal, but all
the screws that it was put together with were not...so the screws would rust.

Yugo and lecar.....if something went wrong with them(which usually did) couldn't get parts for them!!

Vega should be on this list for sure!!

Oh, and Volkswagen's, All Volkswagen's to this day, are an electrical nightmares!!

ABSOLUTELY!!  I had a brand new 71 Vega, and it was dead 2 years later.  Of course, I was 18 and maybe beat on it a little too much.....but still..

[RTHolmes]

dont understand the Focus either, ive driven the MkI 1.8? zetec and its probably the best allround FWD chassis out there (except maybe grey import integras which i havent driven.) interior is pretty good too, reliability up there with the best. makes me wonder if the US built models were completely different?