2 door sedans of '81

[odie]

Classic Car Ads: Coupes of 1981

My dad was a coupe man, though I cannot say he owned coupes on purpose. He was a bargain hunter, and a car’s door count was less important than its price. Nonetheless, my sister, mother and I never…

blog.consumerguide.com

 

[Oillover]

The fuel economy of some of those V6's and V8's would make a newer vehicle blush!

 

[JTK]

They seem pretty odd today, but fit right in, in the era. The first car I had was a 1979 Ford Granda 2dr. It was white with a red half vinyl roof.

Similar to this one:

 

[Spyderman24_7]

The fuel economy of some of those V6's and V8's would make a newer vehicle blush!

Not to mention 0-60 in the 1-2 min range for some...

 

[CKN]

The 80's along with the 70's were two decades of absolute garbage from American auto manufacturers. The examples cited are no exception.

 

[CKN]

Not to mention 0-60 in the 1-2 min range for some...

Yes my 2018 Silverado will get 25mpg at 70mph all day long. And we are not even talking about utility.

 

[PimTac]

I remember all those sagging doors back then.

 

[wings&wheels]

Funny, they do look a bit better through the lens of nostalgia...but the ones my family had were pretty much craptastic. Why i was lusting towards a 320i then...

 

[Andrew1972]

The fuel economy of some of those V6's and V8's would make a newer vehicle blush!

As would the HP and torque compared to a modern DI turbo 4 cylinder.

 

[Andrew1972]

Thankfully most rotted away. Locally there is a 2dr full size Crown Vic or LTD coupe though.

 

[Barkleymut]

my 82 Plymouth Sapporo was AWESOME!

 

[eljefino]

That article begins with the wrong thesis.

Coupes aren't dead because of people whining.

They're dead because of car seats, requirements that kids be in them until they're 4-foot-9, and that baby seats can't be up in front by the passenger air bag.

Who wants to navigate a rear facing car seat in a coupe? Nightmare fuel.

 

[Propflux01]

I had the 1981 Grand prix with the super powerful 90HP 265 V8. It was exactly as this one is pictured. Had it for many years, it was by no means a powerhouse, but it rode and drove good for the era.

 

[meep]

I remember the days. I remember idling plus air conditioner meant overheating all the time. I remember that power windows and locks, something we take for granted, were common failures and repair parts. I remember that if your heater core made it to 100k, that was amazing. Not knocking the era - they could be comfy, quiet, and it’s the best we had at the time - but I’m accustomed to the a reliability and performance in todays vehicles that the 80s just can’t touch. How many folks remember the vibration problems with the first v6s, vacuum lines galore, and stumbles and hiccups we’d just live with back then? I do miss me a good recirc ball steering in a buick though, that felt gooood.

 

[Ignatius]

My first car was a 1984 Thunderbird 5.0L and I LOVED it! I still miss that car to this day and people from my hometown still ask me about it when I go back to visit.

 

[Imp4]

I had the 1981 Grand prix with the super powerful 90HP 265 V8. It was exactly as this one is pictured. Had it for many years, it was by no means a powerhouse, but it rode and drove good for the era.View attachment 104921

Ooh yeah!
Those 265's actually made about 120hp.
I had a '79 Monte Carlo with the 267 V8 with 125hp.
What a pile of junk that thing was.

 

[Chris142]

Not to mention 0-60 in the 1-2 min range for some...

I had a 79 ltd with a 302, c4 and 2.2 axle ratio. Drive in the trans was useless and it would do 60 in first. Took all afternoon to get there

 

[Wolf359]

My first car was a 1984 Thunderbird 5.0L and I LOVED it! I still miss that car to this day and people from my hometown still ask me about it when I go back to visit.

Weren't the Thunderbirds of that era all coupes? A friend of mine had a similar Thunderbird, but it had the 2.3L turbo. Had the 5 button keyless entry keypad on the door and all his friends knew the code so he'd sometime come out to his car and his friends would already be waiting for him inside the car.

 

[CharBaby]

Seems a though this is all we owned back then. My first car was a...
'68 Buick LeSabre 2 door
'69 Chevrolet Biscayne...Ooops, a 4 door
'73 Newport Custom 2 door
'74 Caprice Classic 2 door
'74 Dodge Power Wagon
'74 Camaro Type LT
'77 Camaro Type LT
'79 Firebird FORMULA
'80 Firebird FORMULA
'84 Plymouth Turismo 2.2 H.O. ....yeah right!
Then it's been 4 door since to the present day.

 

[Lubener]

Weren't the Thunderbirds of that era all coupes? A friend of mine had a similar Thunderbird, but it had the 2.3L turbo. Had the 5 button keyless entry keypad on the door and all his friends knew the code so he'd sometime come out to his car and his friends would already be waiting for him inside the car.

I don't recall a T-Bird ever having four doors.