For car guys in my general age group.

[CG]

Lots to click on ... Before the cars of our youth turned in to unobtainable collectibles

https://70sstreetmachines.tumblr.com/

[CG]

....

[richard2717]

Wish you had posted a picture of a van

[CG]

Makes me want a set of big and little Cragars with either some Pro Trac or Mickey Thompson N50 15's for the rear and some skinnys for the front. Not sure what I would put them on though ... My Corvair? haha!

[Grumpy old man]

in the 70's I bought a 67 Camaro for $150.00 a 69 Camaro convertible for $300 a 71 Dodge Demon 340 for $300.00 a 71 Challanger for $800.00 a 76 K1500 for $1500.00 a 74 c 20 for $700.00 . Can't afford to buy any of them now !

[LONGHAIR]

Same here. I have no idea how many cars I bought/sold back then for a couple of hundred bucks.
The '69 Camaro SS/RS cost me $600, but it was pretty darn nice. In that exact condition today that is probably a 30K gem.

[Louisvillekytruck]

Great pics thanks for posting

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

in the 70's I bought a 67 Camaro for $150.00 a 69 Camaro convertible for $300 a 71 Dodge Demon 340 for $300.00 a 71 Challanger for $800.00 a 76 K1500 for $1500.00 a 74 c 20 for $700.00 . Can't afford to buy any of them now !

These were all running driving shiny paint cars , Now I'm looking for rusty rollers .

[Accelo]

I bought a 1963 Corvette for $4000.
80% of new price and it was 15 years old.

[Richard]

Thanks for the post! Enjoyed looking, I am late 70's early 80's in my youth. In my 20"s had an acquaintance wanting to trade my first truck a 72 K20 straight across for a 69 Z28 RS option Camaro. I was poor and my truck fit my needs more than a car. Regret the decision to this day. 69 Camaro is my dream car to this day. My current 72 was obtained 20+ years ago for less than 10% of what it goes for now, so I am grateful.

[special-K]

I remember when messing with older vehicles was left as a common working man's pastime. Being a young guy with a job and the desire was all it took. I enjoyed my life with my vehicles back then like those who would gasp at my modifications now could ever imagine. Every vehicle shown has been driven up and down the East Coast and some coast to coast. And driving them was only part of the fun

[A1971Blazer]

My favorite car from my past....'69 GTO black on black...400, 4 speed, factory air...
had the tach on the hood....I paid $1000.00 for it...

[special-K]

Back then my helper had a '71 Harley Sportster, a '72 GMC pickup, and a '70 GTO convertible 4spd with a bad 455 custom-built by a world class shop. All were nice vehicles. And you know I never paid my help all that well

[FleetsidePaul]

Thanks for the pictures Mark. Reminds me of my youth. I remember when Hot Wheels came out. I was just a kid and had Matchbox cars. I remember Mr. Terry at Terry's Toys shop showing me the 1967 Camaro Hot Wheels. I couldn't believe it. It was custom. It had mag wheels. It wasn't the boring old Matchbox anymore. I had to cash in a lot of deposit bottles to pay the $1.00 price tag.

These were the cars that shaped our minds. To look at a car and not see what it is but what it could be. I still do it.

[72c20customcamper]

Sold a few off over the years Firebirds Camaros impala’s had a purple plum with white interior 440 6 pack Challenger convertible for about a month bought it and sold it summer of 77. The AMX I got from my uncle he took it in as a trade in . Late 70s these two I will never sell

[Ironhorse]

Mark, Thanks for the post and a brief "blast from the past" reminder. As the song says....."those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end".....
Cool street machines, leaded gas and big blocks, air shocks and jacked up rear ends, bigs and littles in the tire department. Could buy a really decent running car for under a grand and a driver for $5-600 easily.

Anyone from those days remember seeing cars with small lights tucked up under the front fender wheel wells. Pull thru the local burger joint with H/L off and just the park lights on with fender well lights. Maybe pull one plug wire so sounded like you had more engine and cam than you really did,

Had a few cars I should have kept from back then but then we all did, didn't we? Too smart, too late. The one that comes to mind the most was a '65 Impala SS......300 hp/327, 4 BBL, 4 spd, console, buckets, factory tach, 12 bolt posi. If only one knew back then, huh?

[Warrens69GMC]

I tried to buy a 1973 Roadrunner in 1985 for $900, looked just like this.

340/ pistol grip 4-speed, 3.31 ? geared 8.75. I had $3XX, i need my dad to co-sign or lend me the other $$$, and he wouldn't. "You will kill yourself"

[Steeveedee]

'64 Malibu SS. '69 Camaro RS (NOT a Z/28 or SS). '64 Impala convertible, 300 HP 327/M20 Muncie/3.90 Posi. It absolutely amazes me what these cars get sold for, anymore. I sold the Impala for $2k back in '82, with everything rebuilt. Now, they are $82k in crap condition.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Warrens69GMC

I tried to buy a 1973 Roadrunner in 1985 for $900, looked just like this.

340/ pistol grip 4-speed, 3.31 ? geared 8.75. I had $3XX, i need my dad to co-sign or lend me the other $$$, and he wouldn't. "You will kill yourself"

Sounds like my dad. About 1980 maybe 1981 I was making some pretty good money and wanted to lose my beat up Datsun. I found an immaculate 1968 Porsche 911 for $5000. It was black with burgundy interior. It was flawless.

My dad wouldn't sign because he said it was an "old' car.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by CG

Lots to click on ... Before the cars of our youth turned in to unobtainable collectibles

https://70sstreetmachines.tumblr.com/

If I had as much money as I do ideas I would have long ago built a custom shortbed street machine with psychedelic custom paint, including metalflake, fat Cragar SSs, custom upholstery, and etched glass. Probably a huffer peaking out the hood.

Another more subtle custom, would be a classier custom to emulate car VIP styling of the era.. Nice dark green or brown metallic paint with black vinyl top and black lacey cloth bucket seats and full console. Chrome true spokes and black tonneau cover. Can't leave the Monte Carlo hood ornament off the list.

[CG]

I was watching My Classic Car with Dennis Gage the other day and he asked the owner of the car they were showcasing if he drives the car much (neat ol euro convertible coupe). The owner said ... Oh I used to drive it all of the time, its such a great car. But over the years its gotten more and more valuable so I seldom drive it anymore.

Kind of hit me in a weird way. You love cars (or trucks) and would love to drive a lot more, but now its worth too much to risk damaging it. Nice that your car (or truck) is worth more, but now you mostly just look at it?

Look at all the pictures in the link, we had a blast with our cars, no matter what our skill levels were. Same cars today, too valuable to drive?

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by CG

I was watching My Classic Car with Dennis Gage the other day and he asked the owner of the car they were showcasing if he drives the car much (neat ol euro convertible coupe). The owner said ... Oh I used to drive it all of the time, its such a great car. But over the years its gotten more and more valuable so I seldom drive it anymore.

Kind of hit me in a weird way. You love cars (or trucks) and would love to drive a lot more, but now its worth too much to risk damaging it. Nice that your car (or truck) is worth more, but now you mostly just look at it?

Look at all the pictures in the link, we had a blast with our cars, no matter what our skill levels were. Same cars today, too valuable to drive?

No point in owning it then. The way I look at it my Chevelle is insured for 60k a new Camaro nicely equipped would be mid 50s and people drive them everyday. My uncle had a 1929 Packard 640 complete ground up restoration and was a Grand Concours winner. He would throw a dealer plate on it and drive it around and to shows . Was like this one

[dieseldawg142]

'70's style? now we're talking!
love rake, big and littles and wide rear tires that stick out....
really liking that orange chevelle-perfection...


for sale near me. if i had the money, i'd be all over it like ugly on a ape.
1 owner, in storage for 35 yrs, comes with factory grille (big plus...square lights look nicer on squares)

[davischevy]

A friend of mine bought this Chevelle new. I bought it in 1988 for $5,500. Of course, I have restored it, but it was a very nice car before the retoration. LS5 454, auto, 3.31 posi, AC, AM/FM stereo, tilt, cowl induction, gauge pkg. buckets and console.

My wife and I got in it and drove to Cruisin' the Coast a few years ago.

I wouldn't pay what they are bringing now. This one is in my trust.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by dieseldawg142

'70's style? now we're talking!
love rake, big and littles and wide rear tires that stick out....
really liking that orange chevelle-perfection...
Attachment 2237853

for sale near me. if i had the money, i'd be all over it like ugly on a ape.
1 owner, in storage for 35 yrs, comes with factory grille (big plus...square lights look nicer on squares)
Attachment 2237849Attachment 2237850Attachment 2237851Attachment 2237852

Everyone asks me why I don’t lower mine and put 18” rims on it. I like it old school just like me . In 84 I paid $374 for the car I had towed the car one night off the parkway left rear axle snapped and trashed the quarter. Two weeks went by and the owner never showed. Went to the house find out the guys father owned the car since new and was tired of his son getting tickets and breaking the car . He asked if I wanted the car . He signed over the car on the spot . Car had 74k miles on it with the original drivetrain . Was Aztec gold at the time I thought it was terrible -still do that’s why its House of Color Brandywine pearl ,