Burnin rubber 3 panther v8
Actually, I’m a bit confused at what we are looking at. I’m almost disappointed that we’re not looking at plush velour seats in bordello red. They were obviously working overtime then. Except for Ford’s Department of Pretense. Difficult times or times made even more difficult for not trying just a wee bit harder. How did Ford manage that, given the 43% greater displacement? Another parlor trick.īut the 5.0 L V8 was optional, sporting all of 130 hp. And the 200 inch (3.3L) six was also on tap, even though it was rated at the same 88hp. But by 1981, there was no more pretense: the Pinto 2.3 L four was now standard, rated at 88 hp. But it didn’t feel like it, since the standard 115 hp 255 cubic inch (4.2 L) version was as dishonest as a V8 engine has ever been: six cylinder (barely) performance, and not all that economical too boot. They must be why else did I pull in to shoot this Cougar on a grey drizzly day?Īt least in its first year’s incarnation, the Foxy Cougar was actually V8 powered. My apologies on second thought, they are sharp, and that padded top is very tasty indeed. Why am I such a carmudgeon? I should be telling you how sharp this car’s “ gracefully styled luxury half-vinyl roof with intriguing quarter-window treatment” are and how tasty this some-kind-of-animal-skin-like-texture-and-patterned-padded-vinyl top is. No harm or rudeness intended to you lovers of this fine car, but when you take a simple box of a car and tart it up like this to be a personal luxury car wearing a name that once really mean something in terms of design and performance, it is more than a wee bit dishonest, in the way we all-too often allowed ourselves to be suckered by Detroit’s latest parlor trick. That means I get to title this “That Very Common Dishonest Car”. I even titled my Fairmont CC “That Very Rare Honest Car” And I rather liked the Fairmont and Zephyr for what they were: simple, honest cars in the mold of Volvos. This “Cougar” was just a tarted up Mercury Zephyr, the Ford Fairmont’s kissing cousin. But it was out of proportion to the rest of the car. Where to start? Its monkey-assed trunk? That was just a start, and I suppose not all that egregious of a sin.
I positively hated it when it came out the only question was whether I disliked it more than its big, fat predecessor. Since all too many of you here have a habit of taking my words too seriously way too often, I just lied. But the queen of the lot deserves its own special moment, since it’s one of my all-time favorite cars.
#Burnin rubber 3 panther v8 full#
This used car lot on Main Street was surprisingly chock-full of CCs, and I’ll give you a full tour later, so don’t go off about the Stude in the background. The other day, I stopped in at two car dealers Springfield Buick, and Dan’s Automotive. (first posted ) If I ever run out of cars to shoot in Eugene (not likely), I’ll just start hanging out in our sister city to the east, Springfield.