Earlier this week we looked at a 1985 Oldsmobile Toronado. In that article’s discussion, CC reader Lokki commented that if he were at his “current age and station” in 1985, he might have bought such a Toronado. Lokki continued by adding: “I sometimes ponder where in the Sloan hierarchy I would have fallen (in an American-car-only world) at various points in my life.” Good question. Other readers followed up and shared what mid-1980s GM car they would buy if they were suddenly transported back in time. It is, of course, and interesting topic for us to ponder, so let’s have at it: What Mid-1980s GM car would YOU buy?
For our QOTD we’ll look at the mid-1980s – let’s say 1983 through 1987 – and assume that we are at our current age with our current vehicle needs. This period was an interesting time for GM, featuring a wildly diverse range of cars and trucks. Traditional rear-drive cars were still plentiful in the mid-1980s, along with smaller front-drive models. Two-doors, four doors, wagons, sport coupes, trucks, you-name-it. The Sloan hierarchy of GM divisions, while somewhat muddled, was still operational, from bargain-priced Chevrolets to aspirational Cadillacs.
For me, at my current age and vehicle needs, I would choose a Monte Carlo. It might not seem an intuitive choice for someone who is middle-aged and with two kids, so I’ll explain. Part of my affection for Monte Carlos was imprinted at an early age – I grew up in a neighborhood where GM G-Special coupes were very popular, and still roam the streets in fairly high numbers today. Furthermore, since I’m frugal and prefer conservative cars, the Monte fits the bill – it was a good value, conservatively styled, and a traditional RWD, body-on-frame construction. And a two-door car wasn’t all that unusual for family transportation 30 years ago. My ideal Monte Carlo would be a base model with the optional 305 V-8 and sport suspension.
To make this a more interesting exercise, I posed this question to my wife. She unhesitatingly said that her pick would be a conversion van. Vans like these served a great purpose in their day, and made a great family travel vehicle – filling the purpose that our Honda Odyssey serves today, but with more space, living-room-style amenities, and maybe even a swoopy graphics package. My wife’s family owned a 1983 GMC conversion van (conversion by Behlmann in St. Louis) for just this purpose, and that vehicle served them very well for 12 years.
So there you have it – instead of owning a Crown Victoria and a Honda Odyssey as we do today, we would drive a Monte Carlo and a conversion van.
So, back to our Question. Imagine yourself walking into a GM dealership like the one above 30 years ago. With GM offering at least 50 models for sale in any given year, there ought to be something for everyone. Well then: What mid-1980s GM car would you buy?
1987 Cavalier Z24 notchback. Not red, please.
They came with the new Gen II 2.8 V6 with cowl induction + the new Getrag 5-speed.
Mom had an ’85 Type 10 coupe, and it wasn’t horrible, so there’s that.
None.
Well, an Opel Rekord, but I don’t think that was on your mind when you asked that question.
Today I would love to be able to buy a 1985 Chevy Caprice! Sedan or possibly wagon. I’ve been pining after a 6 passenger, full sized, rear wheel drive vehicle, and today’s only choices are 4 door pickups!
That said, at the time, I wanted a Chevy Eurosport/Celebrity Wagon, a Pontiac 6000 STE or a Buick Electra T-Type Coupe! Knowing know that I like cheap cars, I’m sure the Buick would be out!
The Chrysler 300 C not being available in the 80s, so I would get a Caprice. The 300 is 5 passenger, full size, AWD, so checks most of your boxes.
Absolutely, I would love a 300 with the nearly 300hp six and rear wheel drive. My wife is a bit of a snob and is African American and can’t stand the image of the 300. She has veto power;-)
I love mine. Even with the v6 it has plenty of get up and go. In c or above trim, it really makes for a nice near luxury/American luxury car. When I bought mine, I was cross shopping Buick, Lincoln and Cadillac sedans.
Just don’t throw big rims or stick on chrome or candy paint on it and it won’t have an image problem. 😉
Charger?
A 1985 Buick Riviera with the 5.0 litre Olds V8. I’d have preferred an Eldorado, but wouldn’t have wanted to risk the HT4100 “Power System”.
If money were no object, since you included 1987, GNX all the way.
If we’re going with “current age and station” and keeping it to cars we could actually maybe afford, I’d probably go with the GNX’s slightly less hairy (and significantly cheaper) sibling and go with an ’87 Regal Turbo T. Even in “standard” form that was a strong engine and I think the G-special cars were handsome to the end, if a little traditional.
Speaking for my wife, I could see her in an ’87 Pontiac 6000 STE, though the desirable AWD option didn’t come along until ’88 and is therefore out of this discussion’s range.
If we were to switch it up and give her the two-door car and put me in the 4-door, then the choices would be different. ’87 Sunbird GT convertible with the turbo 4cyl for her, ’87 Bonneville SE for me.
Both a an S10 and a SIlverado 1500, a Cavalier just to see how bad it is, and a Monte Carlo for smooth cruising.
Count me in for a Regal Grand National as well. An 87 Corvette and a loaded 4×4 Suburban round out the garage.
I would also be tempted by a loaded 87 Fleetwood Broughan D’Elegance with the iron block 5 liter. A friend had one and I was astounded at the unusual options.A carpet that looked like a Persian cat, swing out footrests and rear seat trays.
Loaded Suburban, yes.
Since I own a 1984 Z28, a 1987 Chevy Astro & a 1988 Fiero Formula, I guess those would be my picks.
Late 80’s A-body wagon would be high on my list since I’ve owned four of those in the past.
I’ve always wanted a 1987 Buick GN too.
If we extend mid 80s to 1988. A dark blue Eldorado with blue velour buckets optional real wood trim, ABS, sunroof, and the alloy wheels. Caddy did the best E body refresh because they added traditional styling cues without going retro like Riviera and adding wasted bulk like the Toronado. The exclusive transverse V8, who else in the world was doing that except Lancia, grew for 88 adding horsepower, durability, and torque. What a distinctive package, and aimed right at a young up and comer, except without the ability to charge what the car deserved
aimed right at a young up and comer
You must be kidding. What was the average age of an Eldorado buyer back then? 65? 63? What universe where you living in in the mid 80s? Under a rock? 🙂
I am actually curious; if you don’t mind, just how old are you?
By skipping traditional styling and in the new international size, that is exactly what it did. The generation ahead of it’s time control set up was also aimed at the young. If eyes were closed to it because GM was dead to them, that is not the car’s fault. 47 years old
Thank you. And that explains a lot. You obviously formed a lot of important and lasting impressions at the time these cars were out, due to your age then. I’ve seen this effect commonly here: folks see the past through the eyes of a child/teenager. It’s quite understandable; I certainly have written about my youthful impressions here too. But they’re almost invariably not very reflective of the reality of the time. Kids are not good judges of the bigger picture. And it’s hard to get a sense of what things were really like, and what really motivated adult buyers when you were a kid, except perhaps your own family and your own inclinations and passions.
Making assumptions like your hypothetical 28 year old of 1961 and 1969 are examples of that. You’re over-reaching in doing so; there’s no way to encapsulate any given one person/buyer, and make a stereotype out of them. Adults, and the market, are more complex than that.
Your choice of the Eldorado made me guess you were between the ages of 12 and 18 when it came out. There was no other explanation. If you had been a genuine young up-and-comer (30-35) in 1988,there’s no way you’d have been lusting over an Eldorado. Or extremely unlikely, anyway. I was an up-and-comer that age at that time. Take it from me.
You’re projecting your childhood perceptions and their corresponding desires unto situations that were in reality quite different than how they apparently seemed to you at the time.
Count me as another teenager who liked the late 80s Eldo – or at least thought it was a massive improvement. Of course, I also lusted after the BMW 5 series that came out around that time.
If anything your opinion at that age is perhaps more objective, because you aren’t considering the implications of actually purchasing one.
Sorry, man but youre delusional if you think ANY ’80s Eldo would appeal to a ‘typical young up and comer’. Oh sure, theres SOME outliers out there, but that’s an incredibly small minority. I’m 42, so I was a kid in the 80s….and I grew up in West TN were GM could literally do no wrong whatsoever. Any Eldo drivers were solidly WWII generation. Not till the ’90s when the Eldo was sleeker and more contemporary did it have a chance in hell of any kind of mass appeal to the non AARP crowd.
I liked them when I was 19. and I like them now. Never said anyone else had to agree. Sales did go up on the 88 refresh and improved yearly for the rest of the run. The engines also continued to improve.
I think they appealed to more young people than you might think. The guy my Dad worked for bought himself an 85 Biarritz in black and a matching white one for his wife. At the time, his 17 year old son kept telling his father he wanted the black one when his Dad would go to trade it in on a new one in a few years. Of course, they hung onto those 85’s for quite a while because the 86 restyle left them disappointed.
Interesting – in the early 80’s – 83-84 – I was 20-21, a gay vegan punk and into a pretty alternative lifestyle. And the car I wanted more than anything else – a fully loaded Cadillac Eldo or Fleetwood Brougham, with a padded vinyl top and deep button velour upholstery, lots of chrome and woodgrain. Ideally a 70’s one, but I would definitely have been keen on a contemporary one too. Also a full size Buick or Olds wagon, with similar upholstery and the woodgrain exterior trim wwas very much high on the wish list too. And still would be today
Peter, minus the vegan part, I was 30 and lusted after the Chrysler Fifth Avenue as the symbol of my success setting out to open a bookstore in Palm Springs with a tattooed hillbilly and his slave auction “bride”.
Thank the gods everything went bust and I got out of there before I could make any more bad decisions.
H-body Bonneville. Ample space and pace, and a much better dashboard then the Lesabre and 88.
+1
A dark blue 1986 A-body Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser wagon but without the woodgrain. Perfect proportions for me and usable cargo space from an era when station wagons were common.
+1. Make mine silver with the disc style wheel covers and the dark blue interior
My family had an ’84 Cutlass Supreme; I loved that car, so I’d get one myself. Maybe a Canadian Pontiac Parisienne; there were a few around town (1 is still going), I’d consider one. And I did like Suburbans from the ’80s, maybe a nice GMC. Options, options…
I’ll just browse the used lot for German Rabbits, thank you.
Make mine an ’83 GTI please, or a 1st gen Scirocco
monte carlo ss
There’s a vast gap between what I would want and what I would actually buy in my current situation. I’m handicapped by being a skinflint.
So I’d probably make my way to the Buick dealer and waste a salesman’s time test driving a Grand National and an Electra T-Type. Then I’d decide I’m better off just nursing whatever heap I’m driving for another year or two.
The 1987 Bonneville SE was very nice. I owned one. That cool all-red dashboard lighting made you feel like you were in a fighter jet. Power and handling were decent and the styling was a nice compromise between the new aero look cars and it’s angular H-body siblings.
Unfortunately, reliability was not it’s strong suit. But outside of that it was a nice balance of performance, style, and practicality.
Tough question. I was in the market then, but as a 26 year old guy looking for his first new car. I said no to the General then. However, I later owned an 84 Olds 98 Regency coupe and an 85 LeSabre Limited coupe. The second one barely counts, as it was for a total of 3 weeks before I resold it. Both of those are cars I might have chosen.
But with a fresh choice, I would opt for a wagon. One of the A body wagons with a V8 would be nice (Malibu or Cutlass). Maybe the Olds would have the nod for its 307 over the Chevy 305. Or maybe a B body wagon, so again the Olds tops the list.
Last intriguing option is a Suburban, a low trim version with a 350 and a stick, if that combo was still available.
Tough question for me, actually, since GM became such a hot mess so fast in the 1980s. Sure, there were still tried-and-true BOF RWD cars, but they seemed dated and the engines were not as strong as in the late 1970s versions of the same cars. The new FWD stuff was so boxy and undifferentiated, and in some cases like the ’86 E-Bodies, downright awful. So I’ll break my answer into chunks:
1983: Olds Cutlass Supreme. My mother had the sedan with the V8, and it was a good car. I’d pick a Calais coupe and load it up.
1985: Really tough year for GM, as I don’t think any of the choices were especially compelling. That year my Pop had to replace his ’84 Regal sedan which had been submerged in a flood. For 1985, the Regal sedan was no longer offered, and Pop wanted 4-doors. He thought the FWD Century and the new Electra were way too boxy and “cheap feeling.” He wound up in a LeSabre Collector’s Edition (white with red leather) which we nicknamed the “bloody marshmallow.” It wasn’t well built (in spite of the design being in its 9th year of production), and just felt really old-fashioned at that point. Pop did not care for the car, and I thought it was awful. Though great when new, the B-Body was past its prime, which by 1985 was pretty much how all the GM RWD fleet felt, except for the F-Body and Corvette. So that’s what I would have bought–give me a midlife crisis ’85 Corvette.
1987: GM’s domestic fleet had completely lost me at this point… I’d have to move to Europe to buy an Opel Omega. Still RWD and very sleek/contemporary, a nice cut-price Audi.
Omega (as Vauxhall Carlton) for me please. European Car of the Year 1987. Somewhere in the world, the General was getting it right.
1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Custom Cruiser. Of course with the fake wood, as it would befit my social and economic status and fill my needs, or maybe the full size Custom Cruiser. Either one would fit my needs and of course the prestige of the Oldsmobile name.
A CCCC for CC. Good choice.
Monte Carlo SS or Regal T-Type
I’ve always kind of liked the 1987 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Touring Sedan.
J-Body station wagon: cheap, practical, and despite its lack of refinement and various cut corners it will end up clinging to curbside life for decades to come.
the usual answer is prob grand national…. but they haven’t really skyrocketed in value… too many collectors bought them thinking they would go up…. so supply is high. the GNX is another story. but for now, imo the fiero GT might be a good one. only the last two years GT. —- bump up a few years and the trans am 4.3 turbo might be interesting…. but they also went up in price,,,, cyclone and typhoon.
+1 I agree with you and Ed – GNX or the Fiero GT. No tacky replica body kits on the Fiero unless it’s the actual Mera.
The one I *did* buy was a used ’82 Cavalier Type 10 hatch. If “today’s me” could go back in time, I’d lean heavily toward the ’87 GNX. EDIT – saw ricks post after I did mine, and would agree on the Fiero GT (last year) as a runner-up.
Pre-downsized Riviera or Regal, please.
If I were looking for economy it would be a 1985 Pontiac Firefly. LOL, just kidding. I would first go with a 1985 Pontiac 600STE for some fun if limited to GM. Full size would be the 1985 Parisienne over the 1985 Caprice with 350 as I like the looks of the Pontiac better. Those would be for mid-80’s between 1984-86.
I didn’t know the Pontiac had a 350! Only a 305 in Chevy right? I’d have to take the Pontiac then, as long as I could get one without fender skirts and with a painted roof!
I don’t think you could get the Parisienne with a 350, though I could be wrong. Maybe the wagon, but not the sedan. And I think the Caprice sedans only got the 350 in police-spec 9C1 trim.
The fender skirts were standard on the ’85-’86 Parisienne, but if you take them off, the only tell is lack of chrome lip molding. We owned an ’86 for 5 years, and no one ever mentioned it except me (the previous owner had removed them). Non-vinyl roof was standard on the base model, and might have been a delete option on the Brougham.
Looks like I relied on Wiki a little too much as I was checking out the different 85’s. The engine list shows the 350 V8 but really doesn’t say what years. Might alter my view given the engine as no big car should have less than a 350 minimum. Nonetheless, I still like the looks of the car.
I was only thinking of the gas engines–that’d be the diesel 350 you were seeing on the options list. It was available, but you wouldn’t want it. 🙂
Actually, in 1987 I bought a new Mustang after a bum experience with a Chevy Monza. At my age now I’d pick a Thunderbird instead.
I totally forgot! I would love to buy a Mustang! V-8 Stick shift!
Wait, GM only, that’s why I forgot
Well… not a US GM car but… either an Opel Omega CD, a Corsa GSi… or a Kadett GT/E
Caprice Classic Estate (station wagon) – the small block Chevy was more eager to rev and made more horsepower than the 307 Oldsmobile engine that was in all the other B-body wagons by then.
The only real options I’d want would be power windows, power seat (the manual version was too low to the floor), AC, enough of a stereo upgrade that I could adjust the balance front to back and side to side. I’d need the towing package as well.
That would be a beautiful family cruiser.
That’s tough. Asking me which Mid-80s GM car I want is like asking what sort of venereal disease I’d like to have.
I would go with the obvious answer of a Grand National, but I couldn’t afford one of those. I like the Pontiac Trans Am GTA, but there’s no way I could live with the body structure and cheap plastic interior. The Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds edition is pretty nice, but it’s all show and very little go, and the cool paint job and extra goodies don’t justify the near 20k asking price for a full loaded model.
Tough to say, but if I had to choose. 1987 Chevy Caprice Classic Brougham. It may’ve been outdated and tacky, but those rock solid mechanicals are too good to pass up. Plus these big RWD BOF sleds were one of the few halfway decent things the General could build during that time, so there you go.
“That’s tough. Asking me which Mid-80s GM car I want is like asking what sort of venereal disease I’d like to have.”
that’s the quote of the day!
Asking me which Mid-80s GM car I want is like asking what sort of venereal disease I’d like to have
lol!
The F-Body body structure’s notoriety comes heavily from experiences with the ones with T-Tops, the closed coupes feel about the same as anything else from the era. No excusing the interiors though, they’d make my short list otherwise, I always liked the looks of the Firebird.
+1 To me an F body, say 1987, still looks better than any camaro of today.
Make mine a Pontiac Formula 350, as Im frugal, but still like power. And subframe connectors stiffened up these bodies immensely , been there done that.
Gonna have to disagree on the F bodies. Yes the T tops were definitely MUCH worse, but I spent a LOT of time in these back in the day. The F bodies looked great, but the whole body structure is a flimsy, poorly assembled POS. A contemporary GM G body, Mustang, Daytona, Celica/Supra or Z car would have been a FAR better choice.
They’re poor build quality and materials amplifies the structural flex, but in reality they aren’t much worse than the Fox and definitely not as bad as the Daytona – I had a friend with one of those and the doors couldn’t be opened if it was sitting on two jackstands!!! – I agree though, third gens rank below most of those cars on my list, I’d pick a 5.0 Mustang(and a slew of other 80s Fords) outside of the GM constraints of this question.
How could I have forgotten to mention the 1989 TransAm Pace Car edition with the GNX motor. Not easy to find one today.
87 K5 Blazer/Jimmy. Manual everything, please.
Solid choice, but Id want a first gen ‘bullnose’ model. A ’74/’75 would be acceptable since it still had the full removable top. By ’76 the appeal of that rig was shattered…at least for me. But then, ever since it became a bloated 4 door mom mobile, ANY K-5 is a godsend by comparison…
I’m not a Ford guy by any means, but I do applaud them in soldering on with the removable top well into the 90’s.
There’s a reason GMT400 2 door Tahoe/Yukon trucks still command a premium over their 4 door counterparts.
Based on what I drive now, the basic 1987 K5 is very comparable.
Agreed. The REAL disappointment is my favorite of the big 2 door sports utilities (Ramcharger) was the first to go integrated roof and then disappear entirely. In my head Ive built a full open top RC based on the 2nd gen Ram and it would be AMAZING.
make one for me too!
very nice no frills truck (well, I also love Broncos and Ramchargers )
I will stick to what the baptist priest in River Forest told me, when I was 19 in 1980.
“If you are ever going to buy a second hand car, buy a Cadillac!”
I would pick a low milage Fleetwood Brougham with possibly large engine.
I am a great fan of Lincoln Mercury cars, but the 1980’s is a decade to leave out.
Yes, they are comfortable and smooth, but also truly boxes on wheels with no potential for a long lasting love affair.
I’ll take the Buick in the lower right (NO VINYL though)…. if GM was the only choice. Then again a Firebird with no graphics, etc. would be okay.
Had an ’87 Caddy Brougham as a winter beater way back when, rather liked that car. So let’s go with one of those, shall we?
Well, since I had an ’82 Z28, how about one newer with more than a boat anchor under the hood and a Chevette transmission. Maybe an ’87 Z28, with TPI and a 700R4. Yes, the stripes were rather gaudy by then, but for some reason I like the look more than an IROC. Contrary to most people, I liked the basic car. If only it had been made to Toyota standards for durability.
I would be interested in a Fiero as well. And for some reason, I liked the Cutlass Ciera sedan, too.
1985 B body Buick LeSabre in dark gray with a V6, loaded. I’m in no rush to the grave.
A mid-80s Cutlass Supreme coupe with T-tops, V8, rally wheels, and bucket seats.
’83 Buick Regal T-type, or any mid-80’s Chevy Caprice classic.
Well let’s see, 0n LaborDay weekend, 1985, I walked into Amity Chevrolet in Amityville, NY., and ordered a 1986 El Camino with every option but positraction. It arrived two days before Thanksgiving. I still own it all these years later and, it’s only traveled 6,600 mikes and been garaged all its life. Since I’ve also owned an 84 Caprice Landau Coupe and currently own an 80, as well as an 80 Monte Carlo Landau, those would still be my alternative choices for mid decade as well.. actually, they were on my list back then but, the El Camino, fully loaded was within my budget, whereas the Other two were a bit more than a 26 year old me was able to afford.
Why no posi? That was best option on my 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
I knew this car would never see any kind of weather for posi to be of use, and my Dad insisted I not order it as he said they were more trouble than they were worth. As a mechanic, he had worked on numerous ones and he knew my driving style so it did t take much to talk me out of it.
is it cheating to pick an american built toyota?
chevy nova 5 door hatchback with a 5 speed manual transmission.
I’ll “cheat” and go for a Corolla-based Nova. Hatchback, manual everything, no a/c but I’m willing to consider the CL trim if the deal’s right (yep, another skinflint). Oil undercoating on day one and every November thereafter.
If I’m being a total skinflint, a manual Chevette (preferably 5 speeds rather than 4) would also be doable. Especially since safe as milk had the Nova idea while I was typing but typed faster!
Love seeing the number of tightwads, pennypinchers and skinflints posting today. Financial prudence and thrift are not a disease !!! Pinch on !!!
Either a Sunbird Turbo or a Z24 Cavalier.
A Pontiac 6000 STE or a Bonneville SSE.
Well, I did buy a used ’84 Chevette in 1986. It gave good service. If my station in life were the same as then, I’d probably buy another one.
If my finances then were comparable to today, a GM car that caught my eye in the mid 80’s that nobody else has mentioned is a Buick Somerset Regal. The full width taillights looked cool at night and I also thought the digital dash looked cool.
CC effect? Someone down our street has been driving one.
I’ll go with a B-body Caprice/Impala/Parisienne/LeSabre/Delta 88 and there was still a 2-door Caprice made until 1986 or 1987. Or the G-body Cutlass Supreme (2 and 4-door)/Regal/Grand Prix/Monte Carlo/El Camino and off-course the F-body.
For FWD, I’ll go with a Cavalier Z24, Celebrity Eurosport, Cutlass Ciera or a Pontiac 6000STE.
And for a foreign oddity, a Brazilian Chevrolet Opala. 😉
’86 Cutlass 442, ’87 GNX, or maybe a GMC General with an 8V92TTA. Then again, I always liked the GP60.
’83 Hurst Olds, with T-roof.
And a close second for this. Every El Camino should have looked like this, I can’t fathom why the standard look was that dumpy Malibu face. Sorry, Jim!
Gosh, I can’t stop. Really, I’m not a GM fanboy. I’ve never owned one. Maybe that’s why I like them! But my dad had one of these, an ’86. Much crisper handling than later models, roomy inside but lean outside, close to 30 mpg in rural driving, single year sealed beams.
I love that LeSabre coupe roofline!!!
No offense taken, Scott. Funny that many of my friends at the time asked why I didn’t order mine this way. Then, as now, I prefer the chrome grille and bumper as well as the front air dam on mine. It always reminded me of a Caprice. I never cared for body colored bumpers, and still don’t. Interestingly, mine is an SS also, though the SS nameplate appears nowhere on the car. It does appear on the build sheet, factory invoice, and order form, all of which I still have. There were two different SS models available. The Choo Choo Customs version, and the SS Sport Decor option, which is what mine is.
I suspect the Choo Choo SS was a fair chunk of change pricier too?
I’m sure there was an upcharge. I’m not sure by how much, because I never considered ordering the Choo Choo SS
This generation of El Camino is one of my favorites…only a ’68 or ’69 SS with the sharknose/4 eye style grabs me more!
I was a college student in 1986, and flirted with actually buying a new vehicle. An accredited state university and a part time job had a much better cash-flow relationship back then. The Mercury Cougar, Ford Ranger, and Chevy S-10 were all test driven. I came closest to pulling the trigger on the Ranger. The S-10 was what started the venture, it was advertised at a great price in the paper as a clearance model. What the black & white picture did not reveal was it’s baby blue and white paint, and awkward proportions as a rare long bed. The most similarly priced Ford had a few less options, but was not embarrassing to look at.
I kind of regret not getting a little truck back then. With biking and rafting hobbies, it would have been fun.
But, my debt adversity led me to buy a few more old classic sleds that had escaped time by being housed in the garages of the elderly. They were easy to work on and could be bought for cash – not such a bad deal.
Getting back to the question: An S-10.
In my current station in life, a ‘Burb would be about the only vehicle to come into consideration. Everything else in the GM line was either dated stuff, or their usually awful FWD replacements.
The Suburban was vintage 1973, the B-body wagons were five years newer. Just sayin’
It’s an oddity, but old designs like the ’73 Suburban and the ’63! Grand Wagoneer were trendy in ’86, and had received many updates to keep them relevant.
GM’s ham-fisted efforts to update the B bodies after 1979 were mostly focused on making them CAFE compliant, while the rest of the vehicle was allowed to remain stuck in 1977.
Replying in the present time of what would I pick was partially based on towing considerations. The last B body wagon I would have considered was the ’78 Custom Cruiser with the 403. An ’86 with the 307 and fragile AOD transmission would be a non-starter for me.
I drive an ’84 Delta 88 coupe every day that I absolutely love, but I desperately want an ’86-87 Grand National and a K5 Blazer. Notice that they are all ’70s leftovers.
’85 or older Riv, IROC/GTA, GN, Monte Carlo SS, a Chevy C10 (’87 and back), boxy Z24 hatchback…I think these have all been mentioned already (probably for a reason).
I think a Bonneville would be my first choice, or a 6000 STE. I liked the look of the LeSabre T-Type but I’m a sedan man.
The G-Bodies looked great but were dated by this point. Still, a Regal T would be appealing. I imagine if I had been around then, I would have been excited for the GM-10 cars (and then probably disappointed).
If I was feeling cheap, a Cavalier V6 with a lot of incentives on the hood. Or a Nova if I was being especially sensible.
Buick Grand National, Period. If you had a gun to my head and asked me to choose something else I’d say “make it quick”
{gun to your head}
“will ya take a 1984 Hurst/Olds or do ya still want that bullet instead?”
Bullet.
bang
In 1986 I bought a new Chrysler LeBaron GTS. One of the best cars I have ever owned. I traded in a 1980 Chevy Citation. It was a top of the line Citation 4-door with evert option. The worst cars I have ever owned. No GM dealer for me since then.
So easy! The highest trim level Buick Electra they made!
I owned 3 GM cars in the mid-eighties. My ’83 Cavalier 4 door was actually a decent, reliable car. My ’86 Monte Carlo was smooth and cushy and got my daughter through high school graduation in 1999 before rust started taking the car from the ground up. My ’87 S-10 was my beater truck. A true base model (NO optionsz), but dependable ’til the bitter end in 2002. I also owned a 1980 Chevette (great car), 1980 Malibu Classic (inherited from my mother-in-law) and a 1981 Malibu coupe (bought new and, hands down, the WORST car I’ve ever purchased new. Sold it in 7 months).
If I could take my 68 year-old body back in time I’d go with a Celebrity Euro Sport wagon. To me, great looks, and adaquate room made for a sound combination.
Caprice with the gauge package, and F-41 suspension. Or a Z-28 or the Euro Sport wagon. I still like their looks.
Buick Riviera convertible white body white velor seats white top with v8 and any performance options. Also continental kit and Eldorado grill.
I honestly don’t know what kind of car I would buy now if the van or the G6 were to be erased from the earth. However, to replace said vehicles with something from the 1980’s, I would probably look at a Pontiac STE to replace my G6 with and something like the A-body Olds Ciera Cruiser to replace the Silhouette.
There were so many cars to choose from back then, now we have a dearth of makes to choose from. I would like to get a little runabout just for me to enjoy so that would lead me to looking into something I should have looked at back then: A V6 J-body.
Growing up in the shadow of Lordstown, I was inundated with Cavaliers and Sunbirds. Back then, I imagined myself a bit more sophisticated than many of my contemporaries (life disabused me of that notion before long). With that in mind, a nice V6 powered Oldsmobile Firenza GT would be a great runabout…
1985 Woodgrain B wagon. Buick would be my favorite, black with tan leather. I think 1985 was the final year of the RWD Ninety Eight? Or maybe 1984? So one of those too.
1984 Hurst Olds. There are some cherry ones for sale on EBay.
Isn’t this question more like…”how hard would you like to be hit in the head with a sledgehammer?”
OK…there are a couple, three I can think of, all Chevies (so predictable of me…)
1) ’87 C-10 with 4.3 V6/stick.
2) ’86 S-10 Blazer with 2.8 V6/5-speed.
3) ’87 Caprice Classic wagon. 350/TH700R4.
I actually owned an ’85 S-10 pickup with the 2.8/4-speed, other than lack of power it was a good truck for us.
Nine years later, I owned a ’85 C-10 with the 4.3 and stick on the floor w/OD. No complaints. Great truck.
Just curious…why no that same S10 blazer a year or two newer with the 4.3/5spd? The engine alone is the difference between a turd or a rockstar.
Here’s the one I actually did buy in 2007: A Pontiac Grand Prix in black just like the one in Square #16 of the picture. Mint interior, nice exterior. Beautiful, classic, and cool. Trouble was: too many mechanical maladies to keep up with, and a ride that was super smooth on flat pavement, but stiff, jiggly or harsh on anything else.
Were it not for these problems, it would have been a long-term keeper. Sold it on eBay to someone who lived 650 miles from me. Amazing…
Personally, Ive never been a GM fan. And Ive spent a LOT of time trashing Buicks as old geezer mobiles…mostly because there WAS a time when Buicks offered some really sweet rides that tugged at my heart strings. My dad’s first new car was a Marina Blue ’67 Grand Sport…as awesome a car as any back then. When I was in high school in the early 90s a LOT of G bodies were in the parking lot. If you had a Regal or Cutlass with a V8, it was as good as anything. So for me, disappointment breeds that disgust. That said…
The obvious choice would be a GNX, but lets get real here. A Regal T type would make a solid home for a warmed up SBC…to hell with the smog choked factory crap. I like the T type for the buckets, floor shift and lack of chrome trim…Id want to keep it that way, and in the interest of authenticity, Id want a color that if not a factory color from then, something at least PLAUSIBLE, like a nice copper gold, deep candy apple red, silver, or a midnight blue. No greys, beiges, cranberries, and no stupid tutones. I could stick to any number of factory GM alloys from that time period but the proper turbine wheels would suit the car just fine. Its shocking how the devil is in the details with G bodies. These could look like Aunt Edna’s go to church roadsofa, or it could be an 80s interpretation of the muscle car with a bit of class. OR anything in between.
This one checks the boxes pretty nicely:
’87 Buick GNX, for sure.
Think it actually shared some lineage (front suspension and / or brakes) with the ’83 S10 that carried me through the first 3 years of GA Tech. Was replaced by an ’87 Jeep Cherokee, which I seriously wish I had back.
Since I own 10 cars, all from or styled in the 80’s:
81 Toyota Corolla DX 2dr sedan
81 Chevy Malibu Classic Sport 2dr coupe
81 Datsun 280ZX 2+2
83 Toyota Corolla DX 2dr sedan
85 Buick Regal coupe
86 Chevy Monte Carlo SS
87 Nissan Datsun 200SX XE notchback
88 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 notchback
89 Honda Prelude Si 4WS
91 Alfa Romeo 164S
I would pick an 87 Buick GNX, but two others would be…
An 86-87 Chevy Cavalier Z24, preferably the notchback coupe…
My other choice would be an 87 Pontiac Bonneville SSE…
Uh, Darth Vader, your other car is ready!
Easy. The 1987 version of the truck I’m driving now, a 2000.
3/4 ton 4×4 regular cab eight foot bed pickup
fleet model with crank windows, cloth bench seat and vinyl floors, but give me A/C
350ci gas V-8 (EFI in ’87) and HD Hydramatic
Buick Estate Wagon with alloy wheels!
Probably one of the A-body wagons, most likely a Buick or Old version, with a full load of options and the nicest cloth interior available. My Dad had an ’84 Pontiac 6000 wagon in the mid ’90s and it was ok to drive with a tired 6-cylinder. It had high mileage but ran and ran and was very versatile. But it had really scratchy cloth seats and the red instrument lighting actually hurt my eyes at night. That’s why I’d go for the other versions.
Second choice would probably be a big Caprice sedan, again with a full load and nice seats. I want comfort, I was never a boy-racer type.
G Body, probably Cutlass, with the 307 and column shift. Suburban works for me, also.
Chevy B body. Other GM’s? Hahahahahahahahahaha – you’ve got to be kidding!
Eric, if your wife is fond of conversion vans, she and I need to talk. Somehow, sadly, I think she’ll be wise to me.
For my current station in life, it would most likely be a Buick Regal sedan or an Olds Cutlass sedan – the Seville roofed ones.
My preference of the entire bunch would be a G-body Regal with a G-body Cutlass Supreme next.
If going with a biggie, make mine a LeSabre with the 307 and four-speed automatic.
She’d probably catch on pretty quick!
Now, don’t get me wrong… I like your conversion van, but despite its many appeals, we currently have 2 too many vehicles with 100,000+ miles.
1986 or 87 Buick Regal T Type. This would have to be ordered: 3.73 posi, buckets, no console, column shift, tilt, cruise, solid roof, in dark green over charcoal cloth.
For a commuter: 3-door Chevette. 5 speed, manual brakes and steering, no options except AC and passenger mirror.
I had that commuter car except it was an automatic and no passenger side mirror
Funny, I had an 83 Chevette 3 door 5 speed no power steering or power brakes, no AC but had the body colored Sport mirrors on both sides. It was my commuter scooter(as I called it) for 9 years and 189,000 very reliable miles.
I had an 83 3 door Scooter also. It was the same white color as yours except it had only the driver’s mirror and had blacked out bumpers.
Mine was an automatic with A/C but no radio (there was a delete plate on the radio hole and a cap where the antenna would have gone)
So I guess GM was not consistent in regards to items in the Chevette
Assuming my life is just like it is now, I’d have gone the skinflint route and picked an ’83 Chevette 2 door Diesel 5 speed. It would have been what I could afford at the time. I wouldn’t have been alone at the time, Chevrolet sold 233,000 Chevettes in 1982. EPA mileage was 43/60 with a 12 gallon tank.
I got out of college and got my first “real” job in 1982. Coming from a GM family I looked at the Chevette. Every one I saw had frayed carpet and the tape stripes were peeling off as they were sitting on the dealer’s lot. Just on a whim I stopped at a Ford dealership and looked at the Escorts. The fit and finish put the Chevette to shame, and had painted stripes. I bought it the next day and it gave me 3 years of flawless service until I stupidly traded it in.
Probably an 84 to 86 Monte Carlo or 85-86 Sedan Deville ( I’m one of the few that loved the look of those), although the only ones that I see often are the 85-89 ish Chevy Astro Vans here in Southern Cal. G.M must have built them much better than the 84-89 ish Dodge Caravan as you rarely see those, and the original Astro’s just look more modern than the Caravan from the same era!
While I’ve lusted after an 80s Trans-Am since getting into cars, knowing what their build quality was like, I’d probably opt for something more practical, like a Caprice with most of the fixin’s, probably the sedan. That Monte Carlo due looks nice though…without kids, aside from the four legged kind, rear seat access is not an issue. If I’m going to go wagon, I like a hearse. Rather than buying new, we’d realistically have bought a used boat, pre-B body, with all the fuel economy of a Sherman tank.
I did buy a 1986 Buick Electra T-type, fire mist red with a red interior.
I did have an 86 Corvette too.
Hmm, an ’86 or ’87 Corvette is another possibility.
There’s something to be said for a 20th Anniversary Trans Am, which isn’t technically mid-80s, but could easily have been.
My first car was an 87 Caprice Estate which was a nice ride and if I get another B-Body it will be a Pontiac Safari!
We were raising a family in the eighties. Had two wagons later in the decade both used. A Fairmont with the 6 cylinder and minimal options and a nice basic Taurus wagon. Liked them both, each was bought used and served us well. The Taurus was a great family hauler.
Hard to pick just one car as there were a few I liked back then.
Well since you did say 1987…. I would choose a nice 1988 Chevy C/K pickup (the GMT-400) as they arrived for sale in April 1987
The castration of the full-size GMC pickup. 🙁
Not seeing any totally endearing GM iron in that time frame, but if I must, then…
Any A-body wagon with a 3300 or 3800 as a roundabout and
a K20 single cab fleetside 8′ bed truck that I’d customize into something with a stick and full-time 4WD.
Or… A K20 Suburban with a big block, to hell with emissions gear (this is Alberta, after all!), a TBI, discreet lift and mud tires, a chandelier on the roof, welded bumpers and all that jazz – to make it an absolute outdoors assault vehicle.
But really for the domestic passenger car in the mid 80-s I’d probably go to Ford for a Taurus or Sable Wagon with some suspension enhancements…
In that era, given my age then, an Opel Kadett E GSi.
And now, at age 50:
1987: Opel Senator B (below) with a fuel injected 3.0 liter inline-6.
Pre-1987: Opel Senator A with a fuel injected 3.0 liter inline-6.
Reading your comment, realized I’ve written the name of the Kadett wrong (wrote GT/E instead of GSi)…
The Corsa would also be a lot of fun, and while I disliked the Omega/Senator, now looking closer I see how well designed they are. THAT deserved to be a Caddy… more than the Omega B.
Yes, the GT/E was the Kadett C, the GTE was the Kadett D (below). On German cars the letter E meant “Einspritzung” (injection), and the Kadett E was the 5th generation.
So it really should have been the VW Golf GTE and Opel Kadett E GSe…
Kadett GSI 16V, seconded. I was born in ’86, so I wouldn’t be driving anything, but my parents had Kadetts until I was 8. They were always LS versions, which was the *base* model here. My personal pick would have been a speedier version. At the same time my grandparents had a 78 Chevrolet Malibu Classic, a relatively popular model here back then. Although VW was the brand I really grew up with consciously, a bit of GM was always there, to this day.
None, not with an eleven-foot pole.
Throughout my life, I have always been told that I have “older tastes” for my age. This includes cars. I always appreciated the design cues of the “classic / luxury” and “brougham”-style vehicles (you all know that about me by now I’m sure!) During this time, I was fond of G.M.’s daring and bold redesigned FWD C-body luxury cars. In particular, the late 1980’s Buick Electra and Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coupés, which were very rare when new. Oh – and of course Cadillac’s Coupe de Ville and Fleetwood. Here is a pic of the 1985-1987 Buick Electra Park Avenue coupé, which were the only years that they offered a 2-door version.
Would have to be the ones I actually bought: 84 Citation II Club Coupe Iron Duke and auto and 86 Olds Calais, same set up. The Calais is still in the family and I wish I’d never gotten rid of the Citation.
My father’s Oldsmobile [84 Ciera with Iron Duke and auto], piqued my interest about GM cars. It was roomy, had a great ride, the right size, good fuel economy and was so quiet. I’d have one of those on the list too.
The 80s was not the best era for GM, but they did send out som pretty good cars even then. For me a 87 Cadillac Brougham with the 307 would be a nice ride. Same with the Riviera 83-85 with the same engine. I like the new FWD C/H-body, but 87 is a little to eraly to get a good one. A Chevrolet Caprice is also a safe choice, but before TBi was standard on the 305 (89) the electronic carburator could cause trouble.
If none of them, anyone of the G-body 2 doors was nice, especially the Buick Regal. The Camaro/Firebird also is nice looking, same with the Corvette.
If hindsight is truly 20/20 , I would avoid all of them. A decade of honest to goodness scrap.
It’s kind of ironic that over 140 comments later, noone has even mentioned the super ultra luxury Cadillac Allante. We are playing with Monopoly money here and still no one wants one. Just another kick that didn’t go between the goal posts.
It has wrong wheel drive. I’d rather have a Chevette.
Not a big fan of most 1980’s vehicles but I would go with either a Pontiac Trans Am or a Chevy Camaro Z28 or Iroc-Z, I do admit I liked the Chevy/GMC conversion vans with the 4 windows on each side (not counting the door windows).
The interesting thing to me is that while a lot consider this a low period for GM, there’s a lot of cars from that era that appeal to me. Much more so than the number of today’s cars appeal to me (including looking beyond GM).
There’s a lot of great choices, but I would probably end up gravitating towards an Oldsmobile given how I tend to like conservatively styled cars. Without going to a dealer and sitting in a few, I’m not sure what I would buy. I could see driving off the lot in a G-Body Cutlass given that it was proven platform, though my guess the practical side of me would like the right-sized (to me) FWD 88’s if I was driving in a snowy climate like I am now. The Toronado would also be appealing, but in the end I would probably end up deciding the 3rd generation was too large and thirsty for me, but if money wasn’t an object I could see driving off the lot in the one of the final generation Toronados as I’ve always liked them.
Now, me in 1987 was 5 years old, but if you asked me at the time I might have pointed to a Buick Somerset as I remember that being one of the very first cars I ever noticed out in traffic that I didn’t have any first-hand experience with, mostly due to the distinctive taillights. I also remember seeing pictures of the digital dash all lit up and I thought that was also so cool.
That is an easy one, I would buy a replacement for my 1986 Grand National. A GNX would be really nice but too pricey these days so I’ll settle for a 1987 GN.
Second on that list would be a bustle back Seville Elegante. Though it would have to be an early one with either the Diesel engine or the 368ci V8 since it would be a recipient of a Cadillac 500 ci engine in a 1970 state of tune. Varooom!
If I had to, I’d pick an 1987 Caddy Allante. Surprised no one else has mentioned it. Pininfarina.
I’m probably in the minority here but design wise General Motors products of the 1980’s were, and still are, my favourite cars to roll off the GM assembly lines. If were driving to the local GM dealership in late 1984 with the intent of purchasing a new car I’d probably drive out in a brand new 1985 Buick Skylark Custom sedan in white with a red interior sporting the 2.8L V6 and 3-speed automatic transmission. However if I had deeper pockets I would’ve driven off in a shiny overpriced Cadillac Cimarron. In 1984 I was still years away from being born, but these cars would’ve appealed to the theoretical young 1984 me because of their affordability, practicality, maneuverability, high fuel economy ratings, and their styling.
I have an odd obsession for these kind of cars…
If the quality and reliability had been sorted, the X-Bodies would have been appealing options. In particular, I liked the Phoenix hatchback.
The ’82 A-Bodies fixed a lot of the issues but they were a lot more conservative. Still not bad choices though.
At my current age and station? Being a 21 year old college student too swamped by engineering classes and RA duties to have a job, I’d be with whatever circa-1970 gas guzzler my parents may have given me.
If I’m generous and say I’m 25 and have a halfway decent engineering job that affords me a 12k car loan? Well, I wouldn’t want any of GM’s FWD messes, couldn’t justify the price of a full size car, and would likely not be able to insure (or trust in an accident) a Fiero or Camaro/Firebird. So that leaves the G bodies. Of those, I think the Cutlass Supreme sedan had the best lines and details (obviously cribbed from the first gen Seville), so I’d get that – naturally with a 3 speed auto and a 305 Chevy V8.
Let’s be honest-I’m a sucker for a lot of GM metal of the 1980s, although I preferred the later 1980s stuff myself.
But, if we’re confining ourselves to 1983-’87, I’d probably go with a Pontiac 6000 (STE if I could swing it) or a Bonneville. Alas, I changed careers a few years ago, so even in my 30s I’m not in Buick or Oldsmobile money. I, to this day, love the look of the 6000s, especially after they got composite headlights (which sadly for this question I think was in ’87). I had an ’89 Bonneville as an undergrad in the early 2000s, and to this day that was one of my favorite cars.
If I could swing it, I’d definitely consider a Delta 88, too. Or a LeSabre. Really, I think the H body was about the best thing to come out of GM from that era.
I’d go in and drool over the Riviera and Toronado and yes the Eldorado, especially after the 1986 downsizing. The Toronado from 1986 was one of the best looking cars ever to come out of GM, period, and the Riviera would appeal to my love of technology (as did the 1989 I had after I graduated college). Then the sticker shock would bring me back into the atmosphere.
I’d pass right by the trucks, as the Chevies to 1986 were so very dated looking inside and out. I did like the 1987 body, and the faux-digital gauges looked really neat, but at any rate I don’t know I’d be looking for a new truck. I’d probably pass by the S-10 and the Blazer.
So yeah, if I were actually buying as my mid-30s self in 198x, I’d probably end up with a Pontiac STE or a Pontiac Bonneville (if it’s 1987).
Of the ’86 E-Bodies, the Toronado was far and away the best-looking one. And that was both inside and out. The revised ’90 Toro may have added more presence but it was all rather slab-sided and ill-proportioned.
The ’88 Eldorado was nice too.
I agree with your selections and I imagine I would have been a Pontiac man in the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, if I was buying new. ’90 Grand Prix sedan, ’92 Bonneville, Trans Sport…
I agree that the Toro was the best looking of the initial 86 style. There was once a picture in c/d of a prototype Trofeo with a 215hp turbo Quad 4 engine with a manual. Did not say whether it was balance shafted, but the turbo itself would have smoothed it out somewhat.
Would have been great to see each of the three E body options have their own engines from their own divisions. Between a high horsepower Olds, a Buick V6 in the Riviera, and the torque filled V8 in the Eldo; each offering would have been so distinctive.
B-Body. Have owned two Caprice wagons, so this time I probably would change it up and go with a Delta 88 Sedan or an Impala Sedan. Blue or grey, minimal power options aside from rear window defrost and AM-FM Radio. Not sure if I would spring for A/C or Cruise. 307 or 305 powered with the 200-4R
A b body or c body with v8 307 or 305 would be best bet for getting a halfway decent car an Electra park ave coupe in that weird pinkish salmon color Rear wheel drive would be my choice. Best looking big car, best dash, best drive train.
Still it would be only purchased if town car, grand marquis, crown Vic and Chrysler 5th ave didn’t exist., unlike gm cars these improved over the years.
Without much hesitation, I’d choose the 1985 Holden Commodore VK SS Group A.
Wait a minute here, I assume that’s essentially the same car as the Opel Senator A mentioned above ? Good choice sir !
Actually a Rekord with a Senator front clip, then converted to six window in Australia in a different way…
Thanks Johannes! Yes, as Swedishbrick said, it’s based on the Rekord E with the Senator front end required to fit the standard 6 cylinder engine. Speaking of engines, the Commodore had an entirely Australian drivetrain, which, in the case of the SS Group A, included a 5.0 litre Holden V8 putting down close to 200 kW by some accounts (although about 170 kW is probably more realistic). Not bad for a mid-80’s mid-size sedan! And certainly a far cry from its origins. The best of them could apparently run with a contemporary 911, at least in a straight line. Seeing these cars thundering around Mount Panorama on TV made a lasting impression on me as a kid! ?
Image borrowed from autopics.com.au
Thanks for the info, guys. The Senator A was basically a lengthened and upscaled Rekord E. Just like the Senator B was based on the Omega A.
The Senator B power-sedan was the 4.0i by Irmscher with a 272 hp 4.0-24v inline-6.
Some nice pictures here: http://www.senatorman.de/tb_irmscher_senator_b.htm
+1
My guess is that as a 7th year associate in a Manhattan law firm in the mid 1980s I might actually be doing somewhat better than I am now, because there were fewer lawyers and the amounts one has to take in law school loans today vs. then have vastly outpaced any increases in salary since that time. In fact, I might have been able to get through college and law school back then with minimal or no loans.
My tastes still would have run older, but if I were buying new, I’d probably be well below Cadillac territory, and might be a little uncomfortable buying one anyway unless I had made partner. I would probably have as nicely optioned of a RWD Buick LeSabre or Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale as I could afford, unless a RWD Buick Park Avenue was within reach. I could see getting the LeSabre in a coupe, triple navy blue perhaps. The 88 just seems right as a 4 door.
During this time period (85-9) I owned an ’82 Toronado that had started its life as a diesel and after the “Badwrench” replacement failed had been “gasoline-ized” with an older Olds 350 4bbl. I had traded my ’78 Toro XS for this thing because I thought it looked out of place in the brave new world of downsized cars. While the newer edition was pleasant enough it didn’t have the ride or overall quality feel of the older car. I had this car when I went into the service and (fool that I was) replaced it with an ’87 Riv. While I was totally impressed with the gee-whiz tech of the touchscreen dash and was tickled to get some actual MPG for a change, in the end I found this generation to have been shrunk just a little too much. The car was competent but in the end, kind of lackluster and I only kept it for 2 years, trading to a Lincoln Continental. If I were back to this era now with what I know, etc I would opt for a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham; the closest thing one could get to a traditional American luxo-barge.
1985 to 1986 Pontiac Parisienne (base model-no vinyl top),LG4 305, F41 (or is it FE2?) suspension, gauge (“gage” in GMspeak), Rally II wheels. Of course the fender skirts would be tossed after purchase (and maybe some wheel lip moldings appropriated from an 80-81 Catalina)), some Goodyear Eagle GT’s would replace the whitewalls, and a somewhat steeper ring & pinion set would substitute for the factory tall (dare I day “Bonneville”?)gears…
A few days ago a young commenter who likes Cadillacs said if he was around back then he would have bought one. There was some discussion along the lines that a young person would not have wanted a Cadillac in the 70s or 80s. True to a point, but not for everyone. I for example would have loved a ’76 Seville even though I wasn’t old enough to drive. Asking us what we would have bought at our current age also doesn’t work very well because we know too much. Who would pick a Cadillac RWD Coupe deVille with the HT4100, which was all of them in the mid-80s?
I can never choose just one favorite from the 70s or 80s so I usually make a list which is pretty lame.
I think right now, if I had to spend my own money, needed an extra car and couldn’t make a speculative purchase like a Buick GNX I would buy a loaded last year El Camino.
My current car buying tastes/situation. Dual Income, no kids. If I were shopping for a car, it would probably keep very close to some of my previous car purchases. I love wagons. I love performance cars. I love rare cars, limited production.
1st choice: 1987 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe with T-Tops. The Aerocoupe was a limited production model that was sold to homogate the fast back window for NASCAR. 200 produced in 1986, just over 6,000 built in 1987. I prefer the styling tweaks of the 1987 model (smoother taillights and rear bumper). The T-Top option would give me a “sort of” convertible effect. I would take mine in white, just like the car pictured here.
2nd choice: 1987 Celebrity Eurosport VR station wagon. The top of the line Eurosport wagon with a highly revised interior, ground effects, larger wheels and upgraded suspension. Around 1000 made in 1987. I’ll take mine in white monochromatic.
And here is the Eurosport VR. This, but in wagon form.