1977 Pontiac Phoenix: Regular Car Reviews
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ส.ค. 2018
- The Pontiac Phoenix was a horrible lump of GM garbage for everyone's uncle who called Cinemax "Skinamax."
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They paid me in urinal cakes to video this car.
I wouldnt expect anything less
You're cute dude...
I find them easier to digest than tide pods.
I absolutely love the fact you did this. The convergence of Savage Geese and RCR is pure gold. It simply highlights that DeMuro, for all his fame and great work, doesn't have to put any effort at all into videography.
A fair deal.
This car makes we want to smoke cigarettes and watch something on VHS
or betamax
@@quackman Betamax didn't get the Vacuum Babes 6 release, so VHS it is.
Just remember it has to be either extremely cheap cigarettes like pyramids, or something stupidly expensive like Benson and Hedges.
Don't let me stop you lol
Until some time in grade school, the only video store in my little town was also a liquor store, and it stayed in business at least until sometime after I started high school. It was called The Bootlegger. There was no section closed off with a beaded curtain (though that might’ve just been because the building was too small), but I saw plenty of ‘70s hoopties like this pull up, with drivers who’d come in for booze and cigarettes. Maybe they had the… other stuff… behind the counter. I never saw it happen, but looking back, it was the kind of place that it’d be kind of amazing if they DIDN’T have the kind of tapes that Uncle Pull Tab would be interested in.
"Did it shift?"
*ad plays*
guess i'll find out next time on dragon ball z
My grandfather owned one of these cars, a 2 door version. It would take forever to warm up and would stall out. He didn't believe in having it tuned up because "the mechanics always screw something up and it runs worse. " He ended up selling the thing to a couple of lesbians in the 90's.
Heat riser stuck and pre-heater tube likely missing or detached, also, choke/high idle needed set, probably needed a new thermostat too.
If you never maintain your vehicle, it IS going to be a junk. Sooner than later.
@@ty2010 are you saying this had an auto choke? :o that wasn't common in the UK til much later
@@kaitlyn__L They disappeared here mid 1960s
Manual chokes that is
@@ty2010 that's really interesting.. even cars into the 80s had manual choke here sometimes, the auto was an option and lots of people didn't like them because they let up the choke too early and made the first few miles ride kind of rough. So they didn't option them. In the 80s a lot of base models had auto choke, where the higher end had fuel injection and they didn't want to alter the interior for the choke pulley. But then, the Citroën 2CV and original Beetle were both sold until 89 or 90 or something in the UK... even alongside Golfs and Civics and Escorts... they were just a cheaper option, with completely unchanged engineering up until their final days.
That falling weather stripping defines this car.
Aptly stated.
It's unremarkable, not good at its one job, and hanging on only because someone puts it back in place every now and again.
Duuuude. That's me.
Truth
This was a problem with the car and GM cars of this era. When Mr. Reg started pushing it into the groove, which you can't see from the outside, I had flashbacks. Lucky for him it's 80F and the rubber is not icicle brittle.
The Phoenix looks sad. It's trying its best. It knows it's not good enough. The Phoenix knows it won't be remembered. America in 1976 is just past the 1-2-3 combo of Watergate/Oil crisis/Vietnam and also isn't the proudest place. The 1977 Pontiac Phoenix is America, personified in a car.
Just as US back then, it looks lost.
1976
what a fucking worst year to celebrate the bicentennial
We needed the distraction. Plus at least Vietnam and Watergate were over and the hostage crisis and stagflation hadn't happened yet.
@@seed_drill7135 stagflation did happen in '74 to '76
But got worse in the early 80's
That's... that's the saddest thing I've ever read.
This is the official car of the grandpa who still listens to the AM radio for the news.
AM radio is great. I would rather listen to radio voices than newsman voices.
I still listen to AM radio for traffic reports when I'm coming back into my city from out of town
Better than the moron that relies on the internet with biased news directed by political parties.
I think my grandfather had one
@@joecap2919 ok boomer
"I'm bored. Let's see what's on TH-cam."
*1977 Pontiac*
"Well, I know what I'm doing."
*EDIT*
Maybe I just have a soft spot for Pontiacs or plain cars. I just love the look of this thing. Nothing complicated, just what you see is what you get. It's not trying to be anything it isn't. Almost like my Corolla. This is why regular cars are the best. 10/10
These are the cars that we rode in when we were kids. Every family had one. These land yachts ferried us to The Goonies, Back to the Future, McDonald’s birthday parties, and the local water slide. There were no child seats. We mostly stood, staring over the back seat, using the head rests to fly the Millennium Falcon as we escaped the Death Star, and hoping we would go to Sonic where the drinks had plastic mermaids on the lip of the cups and we got to eat in the car with glovebox doors that folded flat to hold the food and drinks.
When we got old enough, we drove these to high school. They weren’t cool and no one acted like they were but no one shamed you for driving one. They had bench seats up front and if you rode with your Mom your knees were against the dash. You had to wear your safety belt because like an idiot, you put Amour All on the vinyl seat. No one tried to make these cars into something they were not. No one tried to “make them fast”. Sometimes that one kid would lower his or paint shark teeth on the grill, but everyone pitied them for their cries for attention. These cars were old before their time. And then one day, they were gone and no one missed them.
Damn... I can not express how true that is.
This post just wrapped up my childhood in one go.
Dude, it's a midsize, not a yacht.
My Moms had an OLD Catalina-a 66 which was the year I was born. She was a single mom and I was her only child. She kept that car. She bought it new and had a lot of brothers,Uncles,SHE even could do a little work on it which was unheard of back then. She held on to it because it was her first car,it was pretty quick(it got modded over the years by said Uncle's including attacking rust whenever it reared its head) she knew it well enough that on the rare occasions it threatened to leave us stranded she could get it going. Awesome car. She had it when she died in 84. It was willed to me but I gave it to her brother who had put a lot of work into it for a year old Samurai that I could drive on dealer plates. I didn't want to give it up but it meant a lot to him and he helped us throughout the years. He also hooked me up with decent cars through the years.
@Miss Tiacht They were not fast cars though. The fastest Luxury Liner I've ever driven was either a 70 2 Door Connie Mark-3 maybe? Or a 71 Buick Riviera GS.
What's real sad is. I have a thing for these underpowered gas guzzling unreliable land boats. I find them cool.
They aren't unreliable at all, and you can turn up the power in the 350 easily
Just that the 350 was the largest engine for the 77 Caprice it ran just fine!
Got to love sealed beams and chrome bumpers...
Really sammmmmmme
I absolutely love these cars, I have a 94 Silverado, it's the closest thing to an old car like that, same principal......
I love them too.
Not really unreliable, but the reliability factor seemed to vary on each cars.
I love the malaise era cars..that is all we had when i was a teen
Me too. My first car was a chocolate brown 1973 Olds Delta 88 Royale...what a boat !
True. They were fun to drive compared to Pintos, Citations, a 4 cylinder Celebrities, though, fast by comparison. A 305 Nova left everything new other than an IROC or 5.0 Mustang in the dust in 1987.
We never had these types of cars in Ireland, as they are far too large and the V8s are not fuel efficient enough. I absolutely love American land yachts, they just look beautiful in my eyes.
I saw an old Dodge Monaco police car I think it was on the back of a tow truck and its sheer size baffled me, it was just barely hanging on to the truck. More than half the length of it.
Add to that, junkyards full to the brim with parts to improve and fix them
I’d love to get my hands on something like this Pontiac, even though they’re boring as bricks to many I find them cool to an extent.
I love the design, it’s so.... federal.
I would love driving around in this, sort of pretending i was FBI or CIA, playing Sabotage with the B Boys on my tape deck!
I used to own a New Yorker like that, it makes you feel like a P.I. from a '70's crime drama.
Im 16 and i know your talking about the beastie boys
@@DeathracerXD wow nobody cares! everyone with half a brain would know that he's talking about them, dingus
@@rexjolles By replying, you imply that YOU care. LOL.
@@jamesslick4790 right. I care enough to tell them that they don't need to announce to the world "look at me I like old stuff" because nobody will think any better or any worse than them
GM called them "Turbo"-Hydramatics because they're automatics and as normal the torque converter uses a turbine. Hence, turbo.
Wow. Someone here that actually knows about cars. Nice!
And there was the Super Turbine 300 2 speed. Some had a switch pitch torque converter to give a high / low stall speed. As a side note some 60's TH 400 3 speed had a switch pitch
Hit the nail on the head
My 85 Jaguar XJ-S had a V-12 mated to the Turbo 350. The damn transmission cooler hose broke about every 6 months
I live for this channel.
You might say Phoenix was unremarkable, boring, underpowered. Well, we had Lada's back in 70s USSR
Lada Nivas are awesome.
In Britain we had Lada’s they were shit but simple and lasted forever
тормоз, газ, руль, и все
@RockabillyFox 2103 was a luxury and unaffordable car, don't compare it with a cheap and common Civic.
Phoenix is not too boring. '75 X-body was a base for Cadillac Seville. Good old, soft body-on-frame car for cruising.
Whats funny is I tend to turn my head and gaze at cars like these and mostly ignore the sea of modern plastic crap that drives by.
“Modern plastic crap” is better and safer
And frankly with the curves they have and actual design, they’re better to look at
@@Shawn_Babcock My dad had a fairmont station wagon that got hit in 2016 and he turned out fine with barely any injuries. The car got hit hard but barely got a dent. He was able to start the car and drive it home. The plastic BMW that hit the Fairmont looked like it hit a freakin brick wall and certainly wasn't able to drive the woman home. You are somewhat right because the 90s to mid 2000s is as new as I would go. Screw the crap today and after the mid 2000s.
@@ironinquisitor3656 I said SAFE. In a head on collision, the compete metal body will get pushed right into the driver killing them. The newer “plastic crap” with crumple and protect the driver. They’re meant to look like that after an accident because it’s safer. Don’t be such a boomer
@@Shawn_Babcock The car got hit in the side where the engine was and there was no complete metal body getting pushed onto my dad.
I saw a old two door suburban and it reminded me that you haven’t really driven any of the hillbilly trucks and SUVs. You could really document how the truck went from being a appliance to becoming luxury monster trucks. Big tires and leather seats basically
Hey, you said "aesthetic" without going all b r o w n .
93OakTrees lol cause it's b l u e
Orange is just neon brown
93OakTrees You're my boy bbblllllluuuuuueeeee.
Fudgeman
UNCLE PULL-TAAAAAB...
Cracks me up every time
It feels like we're getting back to original, weirdo RCR, and I love it. (Not that the recent stuff was bad, just less weird and random than the original "seasons".)
In the closing shot, a PT Cruiser is seen. Funny how the worse or more hated cars inspire the most interesting commentary.
I think nowadays the original shittyness of these cars is what makes them cool today. If you don't have a ton of money to spend they're the way to still have something that today is fun, cool and different. They all look like something from a car chase in the movies I grew up watching, and they're all easily modified into something fun to drive. I love this car. And with the ridiculous prices old muscle cars are getting & that new muscle cars cost I just feel like it takes a lot of the fun out of them. That kind of dumb fun is still there with this car.
I wish I could find something like this on the cheap in my area. I would love to keep some old forgotten shit on the road, turning heads.
@@Jrez I feel ya! It's the whole reason I bought my Fifth Avenue. My brother-in-law, my mom, and a friend all said it looks like an old gangster car. It wasn't the extravagant car that they made it out to be, but it's never had really major issues, and it just stands out from every recent normal car everyone gets from or purchased by their parents.
I love the simplicity of 70’s cars. They were styled to excess but are really quite simple and charming. I have an AMC Eagle, and that thing makes me smile in ways my W205 Mercedes could never
Why does Mr. Regular look like he’s dressed to start his shift at Big Lots after shooting this video?
Savagegeese and RCR collaboration? Dream come true
This vehicle changed me.
It was bound to happen. Mark has always been a fanboy of RCR and are one of the inspirations to start his channel. Though it is great he has is own style without needing to copy other people. I think he is also strongly inspired by the Top Gear cinematography which can be seen in his professional car reviews. He could make a lot of money working as a Cinematographer.
a 70's gm from Wisconsin? I am surprised it isn't rusted to oblivion
'Welcome to the malaise era's heart of darkness.'
The most perceptive piece of automotive prose ever written.
The tranquil sound of the headlining flapping in the wind
Christ man. I saw what you were wearing. You dressed exactly like my dad does sometimes. He's 68.
Mr. Regular looked great in the video, very handsome.
His choice of clothes is that of a baby boomer going on vacation.
I don't know what you mean, man. Just looks pretty functional to me
Your dad and Mr. Regular both have fine taste.
People in glass houses ...
Mr Regular gives us all the bird, once again showing us a prime example of a Malaise-era gem.
You definitely need to watch these videos multiple times to appreciate the writing. Genius.
When I was a little kid, this was the car my mom drove. My parents were Pontiac loyalists as I grew up.
@3:47 I just realised that you filmed this not far from where I grew up!
The beginning kind of sounds like Patrick from “Sponge Bob”
NorthAmerican Auto YELELELELELELELELELELELELLELELELLELELELE
You said it as if no one would know what SpongeBob is lol. If you just said “it sounds like Patrick Star” everyone would know what you meant.
Bobsponge.
I had noticed something was different about the cinematography. I was like wow, Reg's stepping it up. But then SG was outed and I was like AAAHHHHH yes that makes much more sense.
The shots of the interior are worth more than the car itself.
Great to see Mark out there collaborating with other auto channels!
I feel like that car actually does belong in Phoenix Arizona!
Gotta have that Trucoat, you don't want problems with oxidation! - Jerry Lundgaard
I had a pantywhack one time, but I couldn't adopt the Uncle Pull-Tab fursona and had to sell the old thing
RomeoAndRandom 99 😂
Don't you mean persona?
Kosan Rio The world may never know.
when talking in the context of rcr, definitely fursona lmaooooo
F U R S O N A!
⬇️
UNCLE PULL-TAB!
I mean, it looks like a standard 70s American car. That big block of metal in the middle of the grill is really the only kinda unique thing about the design, but it doesn't attract attention because it's cool and unique, it draws your eyes in and you try to avoid it. It doesn't look awful from the side, but straight on, wow, that grill is bad.
Negil Leufeln that part was fiberglass like a corvette.
@@vector6977 That makes more sense, but still doesn't make it look good imo
It's a poor homage to the Pontiac "Beak" that was so prominent in the 60s, (See the Bonneville, Catalina, Tempest, GTO, etc.)
My dad's boss owns a Burgundy 1965 Bonneville. Nice cars and they aren't as big as you think but they do have a lots of rear overhang.
Negil Leufeln I think you've missed the entire point he was making. There was nothing wrong with the styling that Pontiac did. The problem was it was based on a 15 year old car..
Back when a car drove without infotainment distractions, comfortable seats and springs, light steering, and a nice non descript look. So normal
I mean the TurboHydromatic is called that because it's basically a fancy way to say Torque converter automatic. a torque converter is a turbine using liquid and thats where they get turbohyrdomatic
I love you Mr. Regular but it’s uncanny how much you dress like my nearly 70 year old dad
Just dressing for the "occasion"
Today's Review: A Generic 70's Car.
h it’s like a classic episode
Regular 70's car
Someone needs a chill pill and not just run around calling people names. Generic and regular don't mean exactly the same thing, something can be regular without being generic.
Nah, that was the Dodge Aspen.
What did you expect from a channel called "Regular car reviews".
Pontiac Phoenix, Chevy Nova, Olds Cutlass, Buick Century, Ford Fairmont, Mercury Zephyr, Dodge Aspen, Plymouth Volare. ALL these cars from this time period are the same, and they are one thing, and will only ever be one thing...transportation...period...that's it. No character, no soul, no style, cheaply made. You explained the same much more elegantly than I ever could, which is why I subscribe. However, even those these cars are faceless artifacts of the late seventies-early eighties, if I had the opportunity to find a good solid, low mileage example of any of these to use as daily transportation, I would jump at it. Why? Plain, out of date, low tech engineering means a car that one can service at home, unlike many new cars that will become unfix-able after they drop out of warranty simply because of the basic cost of service. I have a 2012 Dodge Caravan with a stuck A/C vent flap, the dealer wants almost $500 to fix it, and at every oil change, they try to sell me at lease $400 worth of "recommended maintenance". Because of all this, I encourage you to continue searching out all these forgotten workhorses for us to observe, because even if they were plain and UN-impressive examples of American automotive history, they got the job done. Thanks for the vids as always.
USPS has those god awful vans and goddamnit not a single one of them has a/c vents that work they close when you turn it off and when you turn it on they always BLOW FUCKING DEFROST
Shoutout to Savagegeese for the camera work
I think that Chevrolet cheapened during the malaise era. I think that’s why the ‘76 ‘77 Oldsmobile cutlass was the best selling car in America 2 years in a row with over 1 million units because it reminded Americans of the quality and pride of American automobiles. While still a malaise era car. The olds was much higher quality then it’s other GM counterparts.
It was the best selling car since 74 to 76 I think in the 77 the downsized Caprice took over
garrett koetter I have a 77 caprice wagon I’m in the process of rusto-modding. The 77 year is the last time old GM tried to be good. It’s this perfect storm of being too obtuse to pick up what needs to change and not being able to respond to legitimate challenge. This gen of refresh launch was their attempt at a moonshot and turned to moonshit immediately. They cost cut all of these cars from 1978 and on and GM was done and never really recovered. The drop off in build quality is savage from 77 to 78/9
Savagegeese is one of the best channels out there in terms of quality content and high definition video. Man I'd love to see "In the shop with Mr Regular".
Christian Augustin can we make this a thing......please?
He does amazing video, but I can't stand him as a reviewer.
Anthony P
Why?
Akil Hodge Not to answer for him but I kinda agree. He's got the personality of a wet rag. But the quality is as good as it gets.
IIRC Savagegeese does a lot of review work for OEMs, who don't necessarily need the strong personality that other youtubers need to get their following.
'77 Pontiac Phoenix : The official car of when that Pontiac Excitement needs a couple Viagra.
Pontiac Phoenix: the official car of ironic naming
@@chiefkeef74 rite. This shit will never rise from the ashes
I don't know why people are so eager to call the 70's "the worst of the worst" I would rather give that recognition to the 80's. Most cars from the 70's had bones from cars made in the 60's and were reliable and strong. In the other hand the 80's were a mishmash of bad quality plastics, down sized uncomfortable cars, and underdeveloped engines that were incapable of lasting 40k miles
When you talk of the malaise era, think of a Chevy citation or celebrity, not this thing that was proven design since 1962
Great point. It's strange how this insightful paragraph (like mine was, LOL) only gets a handful of likes, but some inane comment of 8 words gets 144 likes???? People must be "liking" their own comments. Anyhow, back to the topic; this car, when purchased new, an owner could reasonably expect it to go 100,000 miles without much trouble (it could surpass an import in longevity, by not needing an engine rebuild and rusting less). Sure, a few small repairs, usually minor, and not catastrophically expensive. Fast forward just a few years to the Celebrity, Citation, etc.; JUNK. Major repairs, major heartbreak, major stress, major trying to blame someone for their incredibly bad luck of being stranded...it just didn't make sense...it couldn't be that all of a sudden they were putting out junk...except that yes, they were. Not many people accepted this new reality. Some that did switched to Japanese cars. Thankfully the "quality gap" closed up a lot (sometimes completely) after some years, but it was huge in the early 80s.
True. BOF RWD V8's keep on going because they are indeed derivatives of the 30's-60's. But legislation, imports and the oil crisis of the early 70's forced a lot of changes upon mostly small cars: Unibodies, front wheel drive, small transverse engines, more lightweight plastics and electronics.
These growing pains brought us another era of great cars: 90's to early 00's. Strong, rustproof unibody's, improved safety and less pollution. Durable plastics; no more "vinyl over foam". Their quality up to par with the olden days, but requiring far less maintenance.
However, governments are pushing electric and hybrid drivetrains ever more, forcing another transition upon the industry.
Which in itself is also to blame by hijacking consumers; forcing them to service their cars at the dealership. Cutting corners on quality and lying about the specs.
Electronics, plastics and computer aided development having matured, they CAN build excellent cars now, but often prefer to milk us. At a point they will scare us into leasing, instead of buying. (A modern trend, I guess.)
With quality declining again, and the uncertainty of choosing a future proof car that won't be banned from city centers in the next decade, I am very glad I can manage everything with my bicycle :)
Ive had nothing but FWD A cars and they are awesome. They drive really good in the snow too......cant say that with a nova. BTW i have a 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE with 53,000 original miles and yes it has its problems but still very reliable.
I've had all kind of cars, and I have the same experience: RWD's tend to wag their tails in rain or snow. My present '86 is Grand Marquis is a well designed vehicle. Apart from lock motors and window regulators it doesn't need anything. Maybe the AOD's are a bit weak.
Although I think the 6000 is STE is cool, that doesn't removes the fact the A body had many glaring flaws upon introduction
I think the styling on them is pretty nice and make a good conversation piece
but F and '80 X bodies... stay away
You put the camera in that car and I could almost smell it. A smell of foam, cloth, fake wood and cheap plastic, mixed with hints of all the odors they've absorbed. Honest old man smell, grandma's Avon perfume, road trip fast food, and a vague mustiness it had even when it was new all rising to greet you when you open the door on a hot day.
The first part of this comment describes all new cars
Ours smelled like stale beer and cigarettes. It was our HS party car.😅
Imagine a world in which the Japanese never entered the American auto market. Detroit would have continued with their "good enough" attitude and we'd probably be driving garbage like this to this very day.
Just as the us debt started to pile up.
I'd rather drive this than a 1977 Japanese equivalent. My experience with old Japanese cars is that they're crampt, uncomfertable and slow. Old Swedish and German cars, That's perfection.
@@VcrThunder I agree. Japanese cars of this era were not great. I guess the point that I was trying to make is that Japanese manufacturers realized that they needed to do a lot of work to win over the American consumer and followed up on it, while the big three seemed focused on just restricting existing engines and faux woodgrain.
Thanks is that so? Asians fear V8s but all three American manufacturers are making great V8s.
are you sure asians fear v8's ? check out the toyota uz engine's for an example
I love the listening to your interpretation of the psychology behind the vehicles you review. It's the emotional connection to our need for travel in modern life that allows us to personify machines in this way.
You truly have a way of capturing the mood behind not only the drivers', but also the engineers' way of thinking when the cars were used and designed.
Plus, your references to pop culture tell me that we must be similar in age.
This and your Tesla Model 3 reviews have been two of my favorite videos! What I always loved about your channel was its "intertextuality," I just never really had the right word to describe it. I've been watching your videos for 4 years now, and I tell anyone who will listen how funny and clever your work is.
This is a survivor car.
Id take it
My grandpa's 1976 Buick Skylark was one of these cookie-cutter Novas, save for the front fascia, minor changes in the rear, and some Buick badges. It even had the same blue interior as this Phoenix. His car had Buick's venerable 231ci odd-fire 3.8L V6 under the hood. No wonder they kept that engine around for decades - decent power & torque, and as reliable as Chrysler's Slant Six. That Buick clocked more than 323,000 miles before we retired it. The body was full of rust holes, but that engine would fire right up with a quick turn of the worn-down key.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Mr. Regular!
valiant1968 The 231 was produced up to around 2005... in a 256" form, by Ford.
Essex. That is all.
Ellenor Malik
Actually, Buick produced the engine from 1961-2008. GM had sold it to AMC, only to buy it back in the mid 1970’s during the energy crisis. The last one was produced in August 2008.
So unless Ford had an engine of their own, with the same displacement - what are you on about?
“That is all”.
The aluminum oil pump in the Buick V6's wore out every 50K miles... you must have replaced a lot of them...
I own a 78 Phoenix LJ with a 305. It was my first car back in 2010. I'm currently working on getting her road worthy again. Mr. Regular is spot on here, its a car that just existed and nothing more. When people asked me "what kinda car is a Phoenix?" I would just respond with "Back in the 70s/80s it was just grandma's grocery-getter". The Phoenix is actually a pretty reliable car. I mean, knock the 70's malaise era design all you want, but its still just a simple car. With the parts availability for 1st gen x-body platform cars (because people like Novas), they're not bad for an amateur car mechanic to get his/her hands dirty with.
Do I get an English degree at the end of this series?
I had a 1976 Pontiac Ventura. Which was a 2 door hatchback version of this car. That interior brings back some memories. Great car, still runs, sold it to my in-laws a long time ago.
Instantly when I think of Phonenix I think about the Firebird looking thing from GTA VC, SA and V for some reason.Oh god I'm that guy!
Kyle Soler the tail lights remind me of Romans taxis in GTA IV
lol. the 'Imponte Phoenix'
Yep lol funny how gta has basically its own car community. Also I think certain cars in gta could stand alone as actual cars these days
Dude..you really make these videos fun and educational! You are the type of guy who can make calculus and statistics fun! keep up the good work!
this is everything I love about regularcars in one video. so excellent
As a Brit, the car does look impressive. Beats some of the uglier-looking Leylands and other regular cars of the day from 1977.
British-Leyland makes old GM look like Mercedes.
aaron frost nothing better than a car called a princess.
And unlike the cars from British Leyland, the cars from the Big 3 from this era would ACTUALLY START; sure they would run like absolute garbage from the oppressive emissions systems, but they were a lot more reliable than British Leyland cars of the era.
aaron frost
Well many of the cars from Europe during the 70s looked better than American cars. Triumphs, Alfas, Rover SD1 etc.
@digitalrailroader They *ran* great, just no power. Not even enough to hurt themselves. My 85 regal had the 110hp 231 Buick v6 (non turbo) in it with a Th200c transmission (light duty th350, still 3 forward speeds). I would go from R to 1st gear at like 30mph and vice versa, J turns, dukes of hazzard shit. Never broke a sweat. what got it, was a blown headgasket from age. car sat for 10 years before i bought it, had 84000 miles. Still have it, now has a 315hp 350 Buick from a '70 Skylark and a Th350 with a shift kit, both rebuilt and installed by moi. They may be slow, and awkward and sloshy, but they are by far the best platform for modification, 73-88 rwd gm cars. If you look at the GM A Body (intermediate/midsize platform, GTO/Le Mans, Chevelle/Malibu, Buick Skylark, Olds Cutlass) from 1972, then look at it from 1973, you can tell when the malaise era truly got it's brown loafers in the door. The 80s cars on the outside were all modern and angular, if they could've made wheels with corners they would have, but the interior and ride quality were very much the same.
Anyone else love malaise era cars? I want this car.
I have a *ahem* soft spot for malaise era cars, especially the late 70's. I've had a '79 impala since before I got my driver's license.
I love these cars. My baby was a 1980 Malibu Classic 2-door, that I slapped dual exhaust on, and just cruised in. Loved it to bits. ☺
I own a few myself. 78 Dodge Monaco and a 73 Plymouth Satellite...both 4 doors.
I think they're fascinating but I wouldn't own a 4 door. I actually Want a 2 door phoenix hatchback formula. So I can drop in a 301 Turbo with a 4 speed.
You can have em.
This video is innertextual to the Chrysler PT Cruiser video you made. They are both more than entertainment. Thank you for another fantastic work of writing.
videos like this are what made me love regular car reviews.
It’s almost like it’s lack of charm is the charm of these cars
So generic, yet oddly satisfying
We had a 1981 Pontiac LeMans at one point when I was a child (to replace the Ford Maverick that had rusted away to Swiss cheese, and later was replaced by a Ford Tempo bc the LeMans frame had rusted and cracked) and it was not much different than this. Ours I think was a V6 that had about as much power as a fart in the wind, but as far as I can recall was reliable...ish.
Really enjoyed this video
Idk man but i love this look
The answer to the question at 4:30 is (3/b)+3.
supergub1 I kept trying to get it in terms of C like Uncle Pull Tab
That's what i got too, but is that even a answer on the test?
The closest one is b over 3 +3. But that is (b/3)+3. Unless I read that wrong.
Stop using words in math, just use symbols like a fucking normal person lol.
I stil dont get what "in terms of b" means
LM_DCCXL Since we know that bc=3 then c=b/3, we then replace the c in c+3 with something it's equivalent to that uses b, in this case b/3, putting c+3 into terms of b.
It seems like it's designed to be more of a reading comprehension question than an algebra question, but does a piss poor job at being either of those things. I'm sure that whoever wrote it thought that they were hot shit, though.
i rewatch all of these videos and they are awesome every time
I just came across this channel and i already love it
this thing looks so bland the only colour it should have come in should have been beige.
No, that would be the Chevy Nova
Muted green too
cars like this is the reason Toyota and Honda are doing great today and in past 35 years
japanese cars from that era were shit with 40-50hp lawn mower reliable engines
but fun to drive around without consuming too much gas
As another has stated, Japanese cars were nothing back then. Tin cans (not even steel!) powered by a weedwacker. It’s easy for younger people to think of Toyota and Lexus in a certain way, a position they have earned, but it’s only within the last couple decades that either have become what they are today. I’m not even old, but I’m old enough to remember when the Camry, while being dependable and good MPG, looked like a cheap, plastic POS; light years away from what they are today.
mtb416 buuut in the 80’s & 90’s they were, and still are incredible
Exactly right. This car came with a whole 12,000mi 1 year warranty! A whole year! As someone who owned a '78 Nova, yes these type of junk cars are exactly why the Asian cars were able to slide into the market.
i love the collab between these channels, please more :)
That intertextual talk about Elvis and music and then comparing with the Phoenix and past cars literally blew my mind. Love it!
Trent sounds like a lucky guy..
Im watching 3 minutes after the video was uploaded, staying up till 4am payed off :)
i still have to come back to this video at least once a year because i love uncle pull tab
As someone who is getting a Master's in English and whose first car was a 1978 Buick Skylark (another Nova knock-off at that time), this review spoke to me at a level I wasn't ready for. Absolutely gorgeous. I just found this channel and I am hooked.
First RCR I fell asleep watching.
Thanks GM
nagasako7 this is how a RCR episode should be. Good jokes and good, regular cars with a healthy dab of literary analysis
Dafuq you probably woke up at like 3am like everyone else
Much like GM...look at the Volvo 240. I had a '77, and other than the headlights, tail lights, and added airbag, my 1990 looked EXACTLY the same.
I swear that 1970s cars are all just a mass hallucination.
Much like the Ford Aspire.
GM was at its worst during the 70s, 80s, and even early 90s. Parts from cars in the 80s and even 90s can date back to 60s models.
My friend had a blue aspire. Learned to drive stick in it. tinest lil clutch pedal ive ever seen.
This car didn't come in a 4 cylinder or a v-6. Only the 250 straight 6 the 305 and the 350 V8.
The 2.5 liter 151CID motor was launched in 1977 and was an option. You also could get a 105 bhp Buick 3.8 liter 231 CID V-6 in 1977 on this model.
Thank you for reminding me of Peter Cetera, I haven't heard that song in close to 40yrs and now it will be in my head all day...
Reminds me of my old 1984 K-Car. If I still had it it would be perfect for you. It smelled like old woman.
My cup of tea ig generally old Lada Nivas, Corollas, Geminis and Datsuns but I have driven bricks like Gallants, Statesmans and some old US import late 60s dodge pickup.
What is it, the appeal of driving obsolescence, decay and sometimes reliability?
I now drive a close to immaculate '08 Nissan Micra and sure the grandma seats are good for my knees and the luxurius cabin space and cabim height spoil me but most of me apart from my wallet still would rather drive an Escort, Kingswood or non nom nom Lada.
well thats cuz you don't live in america...if you did you would understand the concept of driving old american barges
My dad had 71 Nova and it's amazing how much of this 77 car has parts that were the same 6 years before. Dash, ashtray, glovebox, door handles, door locks, seat adjusters... the list goes on and on.
Discussing Intertextuality in the discussion of a POS 70’s showroom filler car... AND “Uncle Pull Tab”... all in the same review. That’s why I love this channel.
the perfect car for a devout conformist, and/or someone who does not want to draw any attention to themself. I picture a slightly overweight librarian buying this car. This is the kind of person who would absolutely refuse the bucket seats and floor shifter option (that I think some Novas, etc. offered). This person also only wears dull, drab, colors, and rarely smiles. I have had teachers like that in the 70s, and I think they were trying to spread their boringness to the rest of us. On the other hand, these cars were very dependable; you really could count on them to get you there, and undoubtedly saved money in the repair department. So if you had one of these you were either poor or boring...but possibly sometimes both.
Why would someone uninterested in the sporty option be buying a Pontiac? Pontiac built excitement and was the brand of the GTOs and Trans Ams that are still coveted today.
That said, this Pontiac doesn't really fit in. The column-mounted shifter and front bench seat are the opposite of sporty. While these attributes make seating for 6 possible, that's NOT supposed to be a Pontiac selling point.
This Pontiac Phoenix featured here could just as easily have been a Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, or Buick. This was the height of GM's Lookalike Car Era. For some odd reason, GM was selling the same car at similar prices through 4 different brands. As far as I can tell, the primary beneficiary of this practice was a buyer who wanted to drive a hard bargain by leveraging the negotiating advantage of having 4 times as many dealerships to choose from.
I remember cars like this from when I was a kid. I didn't know you could get this with the Iron Duke. I would've guessed the 250 Chevy 6 as the base engine.
Mark does the BEST car camerawork of all the youtube car channels. No contest.
I never could have imagined a car review quoting Roland Barthes, this channel only gets better with each video
Sounds like the intro song is based off Chicago’s If You Leave Me Now
EDIT: Yay I was right
*That was a really fair assessment. the funny thing is that this phoenix has pretty much the same interior that the sunbird that was supposed to be my first car had in it (sunbird being Pontiac's version of the Vega which just further illustrates your point i believe about them all borrowing bits and pieces from each other and calling them new, different and innovative cars, they weren't at all actually all mid to late70's era cars and even a lot of the early 80's era cars ended up being the yugo's of the American car market the absolute worst example of this being the Ford Mustang II what a completely craptastic gutless wonder that was. my Aunt bought one new in Clarion PA against my Grandfathers better Judgement. and hers lasted 2 years before it rotted to pieces in her drivewaywhere it actually stayed parked more than it was driven. Quality obviously was right out the window during that era*
Two of my favourite TH-cam channels combine forces!!
Your videos describing the muscle car era to the malaise era are some of my favorites.
Seeing a lot of 2nd gen camaro parts on there lol
7:17 YUP hahaha
So this three speed replaced a two speed? This is before my time how would that even would would it just rev super high and then shift into the only other gear and nearly stall?
Usually a two speed transmission has a really long first gear that covers a considerable portion of the speed the vehicle can even get up to.
In summary, it didn't stall, but it was either lacking in acceleration or top speed.
Zac L ohhhh I understand now thanks
3 speeds and 2 speeds both have the same 1.00 top gear, but the 2 speed had a much weaker first gear. A powerglide would have a first gear of 1.76 or 1.82....compared to the TH350 which is listed as 2.52 first and 1.52 second.
@@Pershingtank precisely
A lot of street racers preferred the Powerglide. Low gears in the differential and mash it. Made it easier to daily drive too because you could put it 2nd anytime and cruise. A lot of early Hot Rod guys used to piss people off because on their way to work or the store they'd leave it in second but if someone went to cut them off they could put it in first and take off. If you've never driven a powerglide with a fast motor try it if you have the chance. They're outdated but for their time they were great. A lot of guys seriously thought long and hard-manual or powerglide.
This car is being described as "bad" in the sense that it's tired, dated, and unimaginative. I'm relatively young (28) but I was "raised" on GM. This car's successor was the 1980 FWD X-body Phoenix aka the Chevrolet Citation. If you have any appreciation for GM cars the ones ridiculed for being dated are often the ones that are sound cars. A Chevy II/Nova in an ugly wrapper is still at least still a RWD Nova. The 1980 car was virtually the same malaise aesthetic applied to an all-new FWD platform riddled with defects. If someone has the talent and patience the GM parts bin could make this '77 a good car. So this is hardly the worst GM could (or did) do.
man i just love these 70s and early 80s cars
YES WE GET IT YOU HAVE A FALCON🙄
I think we've found a car that's too straight for Mr Regular.
I just watched the Dodge Aspen again and now watching this, I can’t stop seeing the similarities of the exterior body. It’s impressive
My parents had the Nova itself from this era. It was severely falling apart by the end, but it always started on the first try, which is more than could be said for the used '87 Civic we replaced it with or the '84 Ford LTD we also had at the time. It's weird to think that there was a time, in my lifetime, when not all cars started on the first try. When I'm old and telling the youngsters about what life was like Back in the Day™, I think that's what I'm going to lead with. Not trying to explain analog TV or lack of Internet, but making the sound of a car failing to turn over.