Toyota Starlet GL 1000 : 1979

1979 Toyota Starlet GL 1000 5-door

The 1979 rear wheel drive Toyota Starlet GL 1000 5-door had a 993 cc, four cylinder engine reaching a minimum speed of 84 MPH and got 48.3 MPG. It was a dream to drive with its rack and pinion steering and looked great with its smooth lines and wind tunnel tested profile giving it a low drag coefficient body.

It was fired with MacPherson strut-type suspension at the front and four-link location coil spring suspension at the back. It even had some pretty high safety standards like collapsible steering column and the body structure was designed to adsorb the maximum amount of energy on impact.

1979 Toyota Starlet GL 1000 5-door

Ford Fiesta S : 1977

1977 Ford Fiesta S

The basics of the 1977 Ford Fiesta S were that it was a three-door hatchback with folding rear seats, a transverse engine and front wheel drive. Nothing new. But Ford’s point of difference was a better engineered car. A car that would work better without making it more complicated. Because the simpler a car is, the less it costs to own. All in one safe handling, lots of space and remarkable economy.  Some of the features that contributed to the Fiesta’s roadholding, handling and stopping power were their Negative Scrub Steering Geometry which helped counteract a car’s natural tendency to swerve one way or the other under heavy braking.  So it helped you stop in a straight line in emergencies. The other was Diagonally Linked Dual Circuit Brakes, which meant that if one circuit should fail you’d still have braking at both ends of the car.

There was more legroom in the back of a Fiesta than any other comparable car, and while it was only a matter of a few inches, Ford made it feel bigger that it really was by, for example, making the rook pillars much slimmer with deep windows. This made the car feel light and airy inside. The total glass area was no less that 25 square feet and this gave it a 390 degree of all-round vision. With the back seats folded down, there was 42.6 cubic feet of luggage space. The back hatch door was assisted by twin gas struts and open to the floor level, eliminating the need to lift a load over a high sill.

Fuel consumption figures were 35.8 MPG for the 1100cc models and 41.5 MPG for the 950cc 40 BHP models. To reduce ownership costs even further, Ford simplified servicing by lowering labour saving tasks, some of which included self-adjusting clutch, self-adjusting brakes, maintenance free wheel bearings and “lube for life” suspension and steering. And, since electrical systems were the single biggest cause of breakdowns, Ford reduced the number of connections to a bare minimum by using a printed circuit instrument cluster.

You would also find a surprising amount of space under the hood which made everything ver accessible for those who like to do their own maintenance… you can get to all the parts without skinning you knuckles.

The same attention went to the body work, which was treated with phosphate that inhibits rust. The entire body was then immersed in primer which was applied electrostatically. Then, after a second primer, it got four coats of tough acrylic paint for a really durable finish.

To quote AutoCar “As a piece of Ford thoroughness the Fiesta is perhaps their most impressive car yet. The Fiesta S had 53 BHP, reached a maximum speed of 90 MPH and had an MSRP of £2,360.

1977 Ford Fiesta S

Vauxhall Chevette E : 1976

1976 Vauxhall Chevette E

Putting an “E” after a Vauxhall model name was the brand’s way of telling you that you were getting a high level of specification at a really down-to-earth Price. The 1976 Vauxhall Chevette E had an MSRP of £1,636 and was equipped with a 1256cc engine, dual circuit, servo-assisted braking system, front disc brakes and self adjusting rear drum brakes. The interior included standard fittings such as loop pile carpeting, reclining front seats, two speed wipers with a single wipe feature, a heater and demister with two-speed booster fan, a deep front parcel shelf, fitted front seat belts and much more. The back gave you 12 cubic feet of luggage space and if you needed more, just fold down the rear seats and that got you up to 35.3 cubic feet of space. It had an 11 stage body protection and full underbody seal with a 12 month unlimited warranty. All that, and it got 45.3 MPG.

 

1976 Vauxhall Chevette E

Mazda Familia : 1977

1977 Mazda Familia

The 1977 Mazda Familia was the first year of the third generation vehicle. It was known as the 323 in most of the world and GLC or Great Little Car in North America. While the image below is a 5-door hatchback, it was also available as a 3-door hatchback, among other body styles.

1977 Mazda Familia

Simca 1204 : 1970

1970 Simca 1204

The 1970 Simca 1204 had 1204cc engine that produced just 59PS and got up to 39MPG. In the US, it had an MSRP of $1,875. Simca was Chrysler’s Europe division. As Motor Trend stated at the time, “The Simca 1204 is really what the Maverick should have been. an inexpensive, quality-built, soundly-engineered, fun-to-drive machine that is relevant to an ever growing metropolitan America”.

1970 Simca 1204

Renault 5 : 1975

1975 Renault 5

The 1975 Renault 5 was an exciting new development in car design. It is only 11 feet, six inches long. Light to handle, with a turning circle of just 32.5 inches. It was very roomy and was fully equipped with most of the goodies of the time. Roomy, comfortable and safe with exceptional stability. The bodywork was all-steel construction which, combined with a rigid floor, gave it an extremely resistant body structure. It was available in two versions, the 5L with an 845cc engine and the 5TL with 956cc.

1975 Renault 5

Vauxhall Viva HC : 1972

1972 Vauxhall Viva HC

The 1972 Vauxhall Viva HC had two engine options, a 1256cc and a 1600cc. It got 35.2 MPG with a top speed of 85 MPH. It offered five feet of luggage space with the back seats down. Deep-sprung body-contoured seats, through-flow heating and ventilation, face-level adjustable fresh-air vents and a two speed heater and demister. Its body was 28% thicker than its major rivals and had a heat sealed acrylic paint finish. Safety came from its tandem master cylinder braking system, safety steering column and included front seat belts. The price included factory-applied underbody seal and multi-stage phosphate rust-proofing treatment.  The Viva 1256cc had an MSRP of £996 and the Viva 1600cc of £1.071.

1972 Vauxhall Viva HC

Buick Apollo : 1973

1973 Buick Apollo

In 1973, Buick entered the compact field with the Apollo. a 3-door hatchback “coupe”. The rear deck and the rear window was a one-piece tailgate that lifts to an inside cargo carrying space of more than 27 cubic feet. However, with its rear seat in its regular position there’s comfortable seating for three people and no evidence of a tailgate. This newest vehicle of the Buick line offered many of the brand’s regular features, including an optional combination of the 350 cubic inch V8 engine and three speed Turbo-Hydra-matic transmission used in Buick’s intermediate and full-sized cars. Styling was also in keeping with the 1973 Buick line, even including the smart ventiports.

1973 Buick Apollo

 

Honda Civic : 1976

1976 Honda Civic

This 1976 Honda Civic, powered by a 1.4 liter inline four engine showcases the variety of options available at the time. Some of which included two kinds of roof racks. One for luggage and one for skis. For the bottom, there were color cordinated side protective molding, decal striping and mag style wheels. And for in-between, air cinditioning, custom FM 8-track or FM cassette stereo players, optional speakers, tachometer instrument grouping, outside sports style mirrors, bumper overriders, everything from rear deck tonneau covers to special gearshift knobs.

1976 Honda Civic

Mitsubishi Celeste : 1976

1976 Mitsubishi Celeste

The Mitsubishi Celeste (sold in Japan) was almost an identical copy of the Plymouth Arrow. its square headlights and rear view mirrors on the hood were the quickest way to visually separate them. It came in four models, the 1400 ST, 1600 GT, 2000 GSR and the 2000 GSR-A/T. (image source: John Lloyd)

 

1976 Mitsubishi Celeste

Peugeot 104 ZS : 1979

1979 Peugeot 104 ZS

The 1979 Peugeot 104 ZS 3-door hatchback had a 1124 cc engine that produced a top speed of 97 MPH with a 0-60 time of around 15 seconds. For smoother and more effortless braking, the dual circuit brakes were power assisted. Peugeot’s claimed luxurious interior included super-soft checked cloth upholstery, head restraints on the front seats, carpet in the front, comprehensive instruments, with electronic rev counter, padded sports steering wheel, heated rear window and an electric clock.

1979 Peugeot 104 ZS

Toyota Starlet 1.2 GL : 1979

1979 Toyota Starlet 1.2 GL

1979 Toyota Starlet 1.2 1200 GL 5-door hatchback came with a 5-speed manual transmission (the 1000 GL had a -speed) and courtesy lights on al five does as standard. Another feature to note is the bi-level heater which could allow cold air to come in from the dashboard vents, and warm air to emerge at feet level. There was also a special air-mix mechanism which lets you adjust the temperature freely and had side window dimisters and was somewhat quiet since it was “soundproofed”. Outside, it had a distinctive look with its sport wheels, matte black bumpers which were as practical as they were attractive and all-around protective side moldings. Other features fitted as standard included a door mirror, lockable petrol flap, matt-black windshield wipers to cut down on glare plus a heated rear window with washer/wiper. The hatchback door could either be opened from the outside with a key or from a lever in the driver’s compartment. Even the both the back seats up, there’s still 6.0 cubic feet of space for luggage. They fold independently, but when they are both folded down, your space grows to 21.2 cubic feet.

1979 Toyota Starlet 1.2 GL

Peugeot 104 ZL : 1979

1979 Peugeot 104 ZL

The 1979 Peugeot 104 ZL was just 11 feet long but was very versatile. Fold down the rear seats and you get 15.4 cubic feet of storage space. With the 954cc engine, there’s plenty of power with a top speed of 84 MPH and because the engine is mounted transversely driving the front wheels, there is alot of room inside. With all around independent suspension to keep the ride smooth and give roadholding to match the ZL was ideal for long distance motoring as well as being great for cruising around town.

1979 Peugeot 104 ZL

Mazda GLC : 1977

1977 Mazda GLC

In 1977, the Mazda GLC 5-door hatchback had a $3,694 MSRP. GLC stood for “Great Little Car” and was capable of 46 MPG highway and 35 City. It had split rear seats, a standard four speed manual but also had an option of a five speed manual and an automatic transmission.

1977 Mazda GLC

 

Fiat Strada : 1979

1979 Fiat Strada

The 1979 Fiat Strada was one of seventy designs considered. It was available with a 1300cc or 1500cc engine, a four or five speed or automatic transmission and even a three door version. Even the most basic model came with an FM Stereo, front and rear seats belts, rear wash and wipe and wrap-around bumpers. Prices ranged from £3,044 to £3,742 and got up to 56 MPG.

1979 Fiat Strada