Category: By Year

1982 Buick Riviera convertible

On my birthday, here’s a big, comfortable eighties convertible.

“A classic in its own time.”

After being considered by Buick since the early 1960s, the 1982 model year’s most significant news for the Riviera was the advent of the first production convertibles—though the division didn’t deliver the first examples until July 1982. Every Riviera convertible began life as a “normal” Riviera coupe built at GM’s Linden, NJ assembly plant. Cars destined to become convertibles were assembled with neither a rear seat nor a headliner and were finished in either White or Red Firemist paint with maple leather interiors.

Buick then shipped these coupes about 675 miles to American Sunroof Corporation (ASC) in Lansing, MI, where the involved process of changing them to convertibles began. This procedure required cutting the top off, strengthening the body, adding a different rear seat (narrower than the one fitted to the coupe), and installing the white diamond-grain vinyl convertible top and the associated electronics for the power top’s operation. This process took more than 300 parts and required a quoted 10 hours of labor per car—both notable additions.
Once completed, new Riviera convertibles underwent two separate leak tests to ensure the top’s integrity before being shipped to Buick dealers. Buick general manager Lloyd Reuss was quoted as saying, “it’s not a hacksaw job,” perhaps comparing it to contemporary efforts from Chrysler and Ford.

Advertisement for the 1982 Buick Riviera convertible
Advertisement for the 1982 Buick Riviera convertible

Additional standard equipment packaged with the Riviera convertible included contrasting body-side stripes, four-wheel disc brakes, Custom locking wire wheel covers, deluxe trunk trim, 45/45 leather seats, and the aforementioned Firemist paint (if one went with red). Convertible-specific components included a power-operated convertible top, a cloth headliner, power-operated rear quarter windows, and a “special” radio speaker system. It was a good thing that Riviera convertibles came well-equipped because they were really expensive—with a base price of $24,064, 1982’s droptop Riv was about 66% more expensive than its coupe relation’s barrier to entry. In constant dollars, the sixth-generation convertibles are easily the most costly production Rivieras ever built.

Options & Production Numbers

Exterior and mechanical options for the convertible included door edge guards ($15), an 85-amp Delcotron generator ($35), tungsten-halogen high beam headlamps ($10), and Twilight Sentinel headlamp control ($97). Inside, electric seat back recliners for the driver and front passenger ($139 each), Electronic Touch Climate Control air conditioning ($150), and a tilt and telescoping steering column ($150) were available. Buick offered five optional radios for the Riviera, ranging up to a Delco ETR AM-FM stereo radio with a cassette tape player, CB, and Triband power antenna.

For all its expense—a Riviera convertible started at about $80,200 in today’s dollars—the convertible made and continues to make a distinct impression. A friend of mine who has owned his Riviera convertible since new remembers viewing one at a Buick dealership and thinking it was one of the most beautiful cars he had ever seen.

Buick sold 1,248 Riviera convertibles in the 1982 model year, making the droptop 2.8% of overall production. Approximately sixty were part of Buick’s Select 60 program for top dealers.

The View From 2025

There’s robust discussion and support for the sixth-generation Riviera on the AACA’s Buick Riviera page. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1982 Riviera convertible in #1/Concours condition is $40,600, with a far more normal #3/Good condition going for $12,900. Riviera convertibles often come up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, on Bring a Trailer, and at in-person auctions.

Make mine Red Firemist, please.

Other sixth-generation Rivieras I have written about include the 1980 S TYPE and the 1984 T TYPE. I should write about a “civilian” coupe at some point.

Most material in this blog entry was sourced from the unfinished Riviera Project.

Last updated December 2025.

1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan

One of my regular readers and commenters mentioned that he once owned a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan. Longtime followers of this blog know that’s a great way to inspire an article—especially with the knowledge that I had already written about the Buick, Chevrolet, and Pontiac versions of the A-car.

“You always win with a mid-size leader in high style.”

For 1985, Oldsmobile’s Cutlass Ciera received its first facelift, with updates to the front fascia that included a new grille and sleeker headlights. The taillamps were revised, and a high-center mount stop lamp was optional one year before it would be required.

The Ciera’s standard powertrain remained the Iron Duke 92 bhp 2.5-liter/151 ci inline four with fuel injection paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. The LK9 110 bhp 3.0 liter/181 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor added $260, while the LG3 125 bhp 3.8 liter/231 V6 with multi-port fuel injection cost $520. The LT7 85 bhp 4.3 liter/263 ci diesel V6 was $260. A four-speed automatic was $175.

The best case 0-60 time was about 11 seconds with the 3.8 liter V6 and the four-speed automatic. Fuel economy ratings for the same combination were 18 city/25 highway by the day’s standards (16/23 by today’s measures). With a 15.6-gallon gas tank, the owner of the quickest Ciera could expect a range of 275 to 300 miles.

The owner of a Ciera with the base Iron Duke/three-speed automatic powertrain might as well have been driving a different car. Their 0-60 time was more like 16 seconds. Fuel economy ratings were an impressive 23 city/32 highway by 1985 standards (21/29 by 2025 measures). With the same 15.6-gallon gas tank, the owner of that Ciera could expect a range of 355 to 385 miles.

Ciera LS page from the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass brochure
Ciera LS page from the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass brochure

The 1985 Cutlass Ciera LS sedan was $9,497—about $28,900 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included a front-end panel stand-up ornament, power rack and pinion steering, low drag power front disc brakes, P185/75R14 steel-belted radial-ply all season blackwall tires, and Deluxe wheel discs. Inside, a Custom bench seat with a center armrest in either cloth or vinyl and an AM push-button radio with dual front speakers and a fixed mast fender antenna were included.

Moving up to the $9,998 Brougham added bright rocker panel and wheel opening moldings, a Convenience Group (lamps, visor vanity mirror, and chime tones), knit velour trims, and a divided front seat with individual controls and a center armrest.

One Package, Options, & Production Numbers

Oldsmobile continued to offer a sporty ES package for the Ciera. Built on the LS sedan and adding $895, the ES included a firm ride and handling package, P195/75R14 steel-belted radial-ply blackwall tires on 14-inch wheels with styled wheel discs, reclining bucket seats, and a console with shifter.

Individual options included Soft-Ray tinted glass, a glass panel sunroof ($310), styled aluminum wheels, a four-season air conditioner, and cruise control ($175). Custom leather trim was only available with the Brougham. Three optional radios were offered, with the top-of-the-line being an ETR AM/FM stereo cassette with auto reverse, seek and scan, noise reduction, extended range speakers, and a clock.

August 1983 Fortune magazine cover
August 1983 Fortune magazine cover

Oldsmobile sold 118,575 LS sedans and 112,441 Brougham sedans, making Ciera sedans 21% of total Oldsmobile production. Cieras overall were two out of every seven sales at an average Oldsmobile dealer. Cieras were also relatively reliable and had few, if any, recalls—a significant improvement over the X-cars.

Of course, the Ciera was one of the four poster children for Fortune magazine’s brutal but accurate August 22nd, 1983 cover. Many believe that cover alone changed the future direction of GM styling, but perhaps that course-correction came too late.

The View From 2025

I see these A-body cars as basic and honest, and believe they deserved their sales numbers. Cutlass Cieras sometimes show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors, though this is increasingly unusual. Bring a Trailer has sold four Cieras.

Make mine Light Chestnut Metallic, please.

Other A-bodies I have written about include the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan, the 1985 Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport coupe, the 1986 Buick Century sedan, and the 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan. Blog entries on Oldsmobiles with the Cutlass name include the 1980 Cutlass coupe, the 1981 Cutlass Supreme coupe, and the 1985 Cutlass Supreme coupe.

1983 Honda Accord sedan

“Simply beautiful to own and drive.”

November 1, 1982 was an incredibly important date for Honda. That day, a Charcoal Gray Metallic 1983 Honda Accord sedan rolled off the production line at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio plant. That car is currently on exhibition at the marvelous Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

The only engine available for any 1983 Accord was the EK1 75 bhp 1.8 liter/107 ci inline four with a three-barrel carburetor. A five-speed manual was standard, while a four-speed automatic transmission was newly available. Consumer Guide clocked a 13.0-second 0-60 time with the manual, which they charitably described as “brisk.” Fuel economy ratings were 32 city/45 highway by the day’s standards (25/32 by today’s measures). With a 15.9-gallon gas tank, an Accord driver could expect a range of between 410 and 495 miles.

Cover of 1983 Honda Accord brochure
Cover of 1983 Honda Accord brochure

The 1983 Honda Accord sedan’s base price was $8,345—about $27,500 in today’s dollars, which is almost exactly what a 2025 Honda Accord LX sedan goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included dual halogen headlights, tinted glass, variable-assist power rack and pinion steering, power disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/70R13 steel-belted radial ply tires on 13-inch wheels. Inside, cloth reclining front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, cruise control, two speed plus intermittent wipers, a rear window defroster, a remote-control outside rearview mirror, a remote trunk lid release, a tachometer, and a quartz clock with a sweep hand were standard.

One Package, Dealer Options, & Production Numbers

In the middle of the model year, Honda released the Accord Special Edition. The SE added a power sunroof, aluminum alloy wheels, Michelin steel-belted radial tires, leather seats, air conditioning, dual remote-controlled outside mirrors, power windows, power locks, and an AM/FM digital electronic stereo with a stereo cassette player with Dolby noise reduction, a seven-band graphic equalizer, and a power antenna.

There were no factory options—you chose the transmission and the color, and that was it. All options were dealer-installed, including air conditioning for non SE‘s ($500) and eight different radios.

Honda produced 221,137 Accords for the 1983 model year. Comments on the Accord’s build quality from the automotive press continued to range from admiring to stunned—Consumer Guide commented on their test Accord’s “lustrous” paint and “formidable” quality control.

The View From 2025

Second-generation Accords were once prevalent on American roads, but have virtually disappeared by now. You occasionally see these Accords for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer, but there were no sedans out there as I write this in May 2025.

Make mine Paisley Red Metallic, please.

Other Hondas I have written about include the 1982 Prelude Sport Coupe, the 1983 Civic S hatchback coupe, the 1984 Civic DX hatchback coupe, the 1984 Civic CRX hatchback coupe, the 1985 Civic CRX Si hatchback coupe, the 1986 Accord sedan, the 1986 Prelude Si coupe, and the 1988 Civic sedan.

Last updated September 2025.

1984 Pontiac Fiero coupe

“Dramatically innovative. Exclusively Pontiac.”

The Pontiac Fiero came to market in 1984 with ridiculous expectations, partially driven by Pontiac and partly by how the public sees two-seat mid-engine cars. What had initially been proposed in the late seventies as a “small, sporty commuter car” became a significant part of Pontiac’s mid-eighties We Build Excitement strategy.

Soon, the painful fact that the Fiero’s mechanical parts were from the low end of the General Motors parts bin became stunningly obvious. Citation and Chevette suspension parts abounded, and the only available engine was the distinctly uninspiring 2.5 liter/151 ci Iron Duke inline four with fuel injection, featuring all of 92 bhp.

Predictably, handling and acceleration did not meet expectations, with Road & Track clocking an 11.6-second 0-60 time with the standard four-speed manual. On the other hand, fuel economy numbers were impressive—27 city/47 highway by the day’s standards (21/33 by 2025 measures). Only the tiny 8.7-gallon gas tank kept range with a 10% fuel reserve at a mere 215 to 260 miles.

Fiero pages from the 1984 Pontiac prestige brochure
Fiero pages from the 1984 Pontiac prestige brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $7,999 Fiero (about $25,700 in 2025 dollars) included retractable tungsten halogen headlamps, Sport mirrors, rack and pinion steering, 4-wheel vented power disc brakes, and 185/80R13 tires (a size now only available from Michelin) on 13-inch Rally wheels. Inside, reclining cloth bucket seats, a floor console, and a rear window defroster were included.

Three Optional Models

The $8,499 Fiero Sport added an AM radio. Likely the most important feature of the Sport option was that it added the availability of options such as an automatic transmission, 14-inch tires and wheels, air conditioning, and upgraded seats.

The $9,599 Fiero SE added Soft-Ray tinted glass, the Special Performance Package, 195/70R14 tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch Hi Tech Turbo wheels, Custom cloth reclining bucket seats, a Formula steering wheel, and an AM radio with a digital readout.

The Indy Pace Car Edition cost an additional $2,895 over an SE and added a specific exterior treatment with ground effects and a rear spoiler, a pop-up sunroof, and white bucket seats with red inserts. All Indy Pace Car Editions had a White over Medium Gray two-tone—Pontiac made 2,000 of them. At a minimum of $12,494 without additional options, they were about $39,200 in today’s dollars, or almost exactly what a 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring goes for.

Individual Options, Production Numbers, & Period Reception

Individual options included a removable glass sunroof ($300), a tilt steering wheel ($110), air conditioning ($730), an electric rear window defogger ($140), power door locks ($125), and power windows ($185).

Fiero sales overall totaled 136,840 in the 1984 model year, with 49% of those being the top-of-the-line SE. First-year sales accounted for 37% of the total number of Fieros produced over five years.

Reviews from the buff books were decent, though there was disappointment at the Iron Duke-only power—especially since Pontiac was already talking about a V6 (and alleging it would be turbocharged). Reading those early reviews, you can sense that the magazines wanted such an undeniably different domestic product to be good.

Then, of course, the recalls came—four in all for the 1984 Fiero. They were primarily related to the fuel system, and the recalls were driven by many fires (perhaps one for every 300 Fieros made in 1984). Pontiac would eventually acknowledge and fix most of the problems, but the damage had been done.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1984 Fiero Indy Pace Car Edition in #1/Concours condition is $25,000, with a more common #3/Good condition car going for $9,800. An SE is about 44% less, while a base car is 46% off. Fieros have a good club and forum following and a fairly strong presence in Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog entry in December 2025, there’s a White 1984 Fiero Indy Pace Car Edition with 1,676 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $30,000.

Make mine Fiero Red, please.

SaveTwo other Fieros I have written about are the 1986 GT coupe and the 1988 Formula coupe. Other 1984 Pontiacs I have written about include the Firebird Trans Am 15th Anniversary Edition hatchback coupe and the 2000 Sunbird S/E hatchback coupe.

Last updated December 2025.

1980 Ford Fairmont Futura coupe

“Drive your Futura of tomorrow … today.”

1980 model year changes to Ford’s Fairmont Futura coupe included new engine choices and a new Tu-Tone paint treatment. Newly standard were P-metric steel-belted radial ply tires, high-illumination halogen headlamps, and a maintenance-free battery.

The Fairmont was the first of the Fox platforms to make it to market. Initially available for the 1978 model year, it replaced the Maverick as Ford’s compact offering. The Futura coupe’s distinctive wrapover B-pillar design came from a March 1976 Fairmont-based Thunderbird proposal.

Ford had been using the Fairmont name for a while by 1978—Ford of Australia had first used it in 1965. The Futura name was even older, dating back to a Lincoln concept car designed in 1954 and debuting as a higher-trim model of the Falcon in 1961.

Powertrains, Performance, & Standard Equipment

The Fairmont Futura’s standard engine was the Lima 88 bhp 2.3 liter/140 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor. The Thriftpower 91 bhp 3.3 liter/200 ci inline six with a one-barrel carburetor ($169) was available, and had 36% more torque than the four. A Windsor 119 bhp 4.2 liter/255 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor ($288) was also available—a substantial downgrade from the 139 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci engine that had been available in 1978 and 1979.

There was once some argument, but it now seems reasonably clear that some Futuras were built with the heavily advertised turbocharged four ($481). This engine was rated at 120 bhp and included a prominent hood bulge with Turbo insignia. Reliability must not have met Ford’s expectations, because the turbocharged four didn’t make it to the 1981 model year.

A four-speed manual was standard with the base 2.3 liter inline four, while a four-speed manual with overdrive was standard with the 3.3 liter inline six. A SelectShift three-speed automatic ($340) was required with the turbocharged four and the V8, and optional for the two other engines.

Performance wasn’t great, but few domestic competitors were much better. Road & Track clocked a 15.8-second 0-60 time with the base powertrain. Best-case times with either the turbo four or the V8 were probably about two seconds better, but a Futura driver wasn’t looking to go racing.

Fuel economy ratings with the base powertrain were impressive: 28 city/38 highway by the day’s standards. The far more common 3.3 liter six/automatic combination was 20/27, with the V8 getting 18/26. The turbo came in at 19/26. With a 14-gallon fuel tank, Fairmont buyers with the 3.3 liter six and the automatic could expect a range of 270 to 295 miles.

Cover of the 1980 Ford Fairmont Futura brochure
Cover of the 1980 Ford Fairmont Futura brochure

The Fairmont Futura coupe’s base price was $5,531—$23,500 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included dual rectangular halogen headlamps, wraparound taillamps, rack and pinion steering, front disc/rear drum brakes, and P-metric 14-inch black sidewall radial-ply radial tires on 14-inch wheels with Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, accent vinyl low-back front bucket seats and a Deluxe steering wheel hub were included.

Some of the Futura‘s standard interiors depended on the engine and transmission chosen. Buyers of the base 2.3 liter four with the four-speed manual and the turbocharged four with the automatic got low-back front bucket seats in pebble-grain vinyl. Buyers of the 3.3 liter six with the manual and the V8 with the automatic got a bench seat.

Packages, Options, & Production Numbers

The Ghia package ($193) included dual remote-control mirrors, a Ghia badge, plush cut-pile carpeting, a carpeted trunk, a Luxury steering wheel, a glove box lock, sun visors, and a right hand visor vanity mirror. Ghia buyers got a Flight Bench seat in either Luxury velour cloth or pebble-grain vinyl if they chose an automatic transmission, or bucket seats with the four-speed manual.

The Sports group ($114) included an over-the-roof tape stripe, color-keyed turbine wheel covers, and a charcoal/argent grille.

Individual exterior and mechanical options included power front disc brakes ($78) and power steering ($165). Inside, air conditioning ($671), a tilt steering wheel ($78), fingertip speed control ($116), power side windows ($135), and power door locks ($88) were available.

Ford produced 51,878 Futura coupes in 1980, making up 16% of overall Fairmont production in a year where overall Ford sales were down. 1,158 Fairmonts were turbos.

The View From 2025

It is striking both how many Fairmont versions there were and how much effort Ford put into marketing the Futura. Ford presented six versions of the Fairmont:

  • a 2-door sedan, which had a normal roofline and looked much plainer than the Futura
  • a 4-door sedan
  • the Futura coupe
  • the Futura sedan, which joined mid-year and had the same grille and many of the same features as the Futura coupe
  • a 4-door wagon
  • a Squire-branded 4-door wagon with woodgrain vinyl

Though the Futura got two full pages in the Fairmont brochure, Ford also made an eight-page Futura-specific brochure available.

Fairmont Futuras are not often seen for sale in any venue. AutoTrader Classic has an occasional Fairmont, while Bring a Trailer has sold a grand total of one Fairmont overall—a wagon. The word Fairmont appears in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds more as a component (of Model A replicas, for example) than a vehicle. One exception to this lack of sales visibility came in January 2024, when Barrett-Jackson auctioned a 1978 Ford Futura coupe for a $34,000 hammer price—it was the 100,000,000 U.S.-built Ford vehicle.

Make mine Candyapple Red, please.

Other 1980 Fords I have written about include the F-150 pickup truck, the Fiesta hatchback coupe, the Mustang Cobra hatchback coupe, and the Thunderbird coupe. I evidently do not write about a lot of Ford sedans.

1987 Pontiac Firebird Formula hatchback coupe

“The thrill of pure, uncluttered driving excitement is back.”

For 1987, the Formula returned to Pontiac’s offerings after a six-year pause. The general messaging of the Formula was all the performance of the Trans Am, but with few of the Trans Am’s exterior add-ons and little of the interior comfort of the Trans Am GTA. At $12,413—about $36,600 in today’s dollars—the Formula was 14% less expensive than a Trans Am.

The Formula’s standard powertrain was the LG4 170 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor paired with a five-speed manual. The LB9 185 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with tuned port injection ($745) and the big dog B2L 210 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with tuned port injection ($1,045) were available options. The 5.7-liter engine required the four-speed automatic ($490).

Performance had improved steadily since 1982, yielding a zero to sixty times of about seven seconds. Mileage with arguably the sportiest combination (5.0 liter tuned port injection and five-speed) was 16 city/26 highway by the day’s standards (15/24 by 2025 measures), with the 5.7 liter/automatic transmission combination only slightly worse. With a smallish (approximately 16.0-gallon) fuel tank, a Formula owner with the base powertrain could expect a range of between 280 and 300 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Firebird Formula pages from the 1987 Pontiac brochure
Firebird Formula pages from the 1987 Pontiac brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the 1987 Firebird Formula included a front air dam, a dome hood, a body color aero deck rear spoiler, a special performance suspension, power brakes, and P245/50VR16 Goodyear Eagle tires on Hi-Tech 16″ x 8″ aluminum wheels. Inside, reclining cloth front bucket seats, cloth rear folding seats, a Formula three-spoke steering wheel, a full-length console with instrument panel, complete analog instrumentation, side window defoggers, and a Delco AM radio were included.

Packages, Individual Options, & Production Numbers

By 1987, General Motors was finally figuring out the build complexity costs of tens or hundreds of individual options. Thus, packages came into play.

  • The Formula Package I ($1,273) included body side moldings, air conditioning with Soft Ray tinted glass, a tilt steering wheel, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo with seek, scan, and clock.
  • The Formula Package II ($1,842) included everything in Formula Package I plus cruise control, controlled-cycle windshield wipers, power windows, power door locks, and a deck lid release.

Individual options not included in either of the packages included a removable glass hatch roof ($920), a limited slip differential ($100), an electric rear window defogger ($145), and a series of radios ranging up to the “Touch Control” ETR AM stereo/FM stereo with seek-scan, search-replay/auto reverse cassette, graphic equalizer, and clock ($529).

Pontiac sold 13,164 Formulas in the 1987 model year, accounting for about 16% of overall Firebird sales (the base Firebird coupe was the best seller with approximately 47% of sales). Third-generation Formula sales would peak at 16,670 in 1989, and would never approach that total again.

The View From 2025

I believe the Formula‘s somewhat restrained looks (compared to the Trans Am) have aged well, and their comparative rarity makes them special.

According to Hagerty‘s valuation tools, a 1987 Firebird Formula with the base 5.0 liter V8 and the manual in #1/Concours condition is $25,600, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $9,800. Late-1980s Formulas are sometimes available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Flame Red Metallic, please.

Other eighties Firebirds I have written about include the 1981 Trans Am coupe, the 1982 Trans Am hatchback coupe, the 1985 Trans Am hatchback coupe, the 1986 SE hatchback coupe, and the 1989 Turbo Trans Am hatchback coupe. Someday, I’ll get to a base Firebird—I guess the question is what year.

Last updated November 2025.

1986 Porsche 911 Turbo coupe

“There is nothing else like it. Nothing.”

After a six-year pause, Porsche brought the 911 Turbo back to the United States market in 1986. The difference compared to other 911s was, of course, the engine, a Bosch fuel-injected 282 bhp 3.3 liter/201 ci flat six with a turbocharger.

With the standard four-speed manual transmission (the Porsche five-speed could not reliably handle the Turbo‘s power), you could expect to hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, with a top speed of 157 mph in the 3,000-pound Turbo (the 2025 911 Turbo coupe is about 3,700 pounds). Fuel mileage was an unimpressive 16 city/22 highway by the day’s standards (15/20 by today’s measures) with premium gas, which meant you were paying a $500 gas guzzler tax. A 22.5-gallon gas tank meant a range of 355 to 380 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1986 Porsche 930 Turbo print advertisement
1986 Porsche 930 Turbo print advertisement

The 911 Turbo‘s base price was $53,475—about $157,000 in 2025 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included tinted glass all around, a front and rear spoiler, heatable and electrically adjustable outside mirrors, heatable windshield washer nozzles, integrated fog lights, four-wheel vented disc brakes (but no ABS), and an engine oil cooler. Tires were 225/50VR-16 in the front and 245/45VR-16 for the rear, both mounted to 16-inch forged alloy wheels (both tire sizes are still readily available). Inside, a leather interior, a 4-spoke leather-covered steering wheel, an air conditioner, a central locking system, power windows, and Blaupunkt’s Monterey AM/FM stereo cassette with four speakers were all standard.

Production & Period Reviews

Porsche sold 1,424 Turbos in the United States during the 1986 model year, with many of the eager buyers happy to avoid the vicissitudes of gray market imports.

Like many turbocharged Porsches in the 1980s, the 911 Turbo was somewhat of a poster child for turbo lag. The immortal quote from Car and Driver:

“A cheerleader in a clapped-out Mustang II will have no trouble beating you across an intersection while checking her makeup. As a matter of fact, one did exactly that to us.”

All the buff books agreed that the wider rear wheels and tires substantially improved the handling over 1970s Turbos. However, there was a feeling that the mid-eighties Turbo was not as differentiating as the seventies version had been, perhaps because many other performance cars (including others from Porsche) had closed the gap by 1986.

The View From 2025

After all that has been written about them, I don’t feel I have anything startlingly new to say about the 911 Turbo—perhaps the reason it has taken me so long to generate a blog post about it.

Porsche 911 Turbos have (of course) excellent club support from many sources and are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. 911 Turbos from the 1980s have held their values very well. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo coupe in #1/Concours condition is $275,000, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $175,000. As I write this blog entry in April 2025, there’s a Black 1986 911 Turbo with black leather seats and 16,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $182,500.

Make mine Silver Metallic, please.

Other eighties Porsches I have written about include the 1980 924 hatchback coupe, the 1982 924 Turbo hatchback coupe, the 1982 928 hatchback coupe, the 1985 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the 1986 944 Turbo hatchback coupe, the 1987 911 Carrera coupe, and the 1988 944 hatchback coupe.

1981 Chrysler New Yorker sedan

“So many reasons for superiority.”

For 1981, Chrysler’s full-size New Yorker sedan got few changes. The 5.9 liter/360 ci V8 was no longer available, but the optional four-barrel version of the 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 received a horsepower bump. There was a new grille, but otherwise, changes between a 1980 and a 1981 New Yorker are tricky to spot.

The standard powertrain for the New Yorker was the 130 bhp LA 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor mated to a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. New Yorker buyers could choose a four-barrel version of the same engine ($68) that was rated at a respectable for 1981 165 bhp.

No matter which engine, performance was unimpressive in a car with a 3,900-pound curb weight. The 0-60 time was likely a little over 14 seconds with the base engine, with the optional mill dropping that number by about two seconds. Fuel economy was 17 city/26 highway by the day’s standards with the base engine and 16 highway/23 with the uprated one. With a 20.9-gallon gas tank, a New Yorker owner could expect a range of 330 to 405 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

New Yorker page from the 1981 full-size Chrysler brochure
New Yorker page from the 1981 full-size Chrysler brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $10,463 1981 New Yorker (about $39,500 in today’s dollars) included tinted glass on all windows, a Landau padded vinyl roof, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P205/75R15 steel-belted wide white sidewall tires on 15-inch wheels with Premier wheel covers. Inside, cloth and vinyl 60/40 individually adjustable seats with folding center armrest and passenger seat recliner, a Luxury steering wheel, manual control air conditioning, power windows, and an AM/FM stereo radio were included. Standard on the New Yorker, the Light Package included a trunk light, a glove box light, an ash receiver light, a rear door courtesy light, and an under hood light.

Packages, Options, & Production Numbers

Chrysler’s marketers seem to have reacted to challenging market conditions by giving buyers many choices of packages and options. Package choices for the New Yorker included:

  • The Basic package ($156) included a vinyl body-side molding, a right remote control convex mirror, deluxe windshield wipers, and undercoating.
  • The Premium Speaker System ($95) included two front and two piezo electric two-way coaxial rear speakers, along with a 15 watt per channel rear amplifier.
  • The Heavy-Duty package included a heavy-duty suspension, a 3.2 axle ratio, an auxiliary transmission oil cooler, a power steering oil cooler, and a 500-amp Long Life Maintenance Free battery. It required the optional four-barrel carburetted V8 and P225/70R15 steel belted radial tires.
  • The Open Road Handling package ($180) included a Firm Feel suspension (front and rear heavy-duty sway bars, heavy-duty shock absorbers, heavy-duty front torsion bars, heavy-duty rear springs), special Firm Feel power steering, and P225/70R15 steel belted wider white sidewall radial tires.
  • The Fifth Avenue Edition package ($1,822) included halogen headlights, cornering lamps, front fender louvers, special lighted quarter windows, wire wheel covers, a conventional spare tire, and a 500-amp Long Life Maintenance Free battery. Inside, Fifth Avenue buyers got a left power seat, deep pile carpets, front and rear floor mats, a Luxury steering with leather-wrapped rim, a tilt steering column, semi automatic temperature control air conditioning, semi-automatic speed control, power door locks, and a power deck lid. They also got the Premium Speaker System and a choice of four stereos, along with a power antenna (except with the CB choice).
  • The Carriage Roof package ($854) was only available with the Fifth Avenue Edition. It included a brushed stainless steel forward half roof cap and a padded Landau top with a small frenched backlight, bright surround moldings, and a forward bright transverse molding with integral electro luminescent lights.

Individual exterior and mechanical options included special paint ($68), a halogen headlamp system ($41), a power operated glass sun roof ($934), and styled aluminum road wheels ($321, $70 with the Fifth Avenue Edition). Inside, a leather 60/40 bench seat ($676), a tilt steering wheel ($84), and an electrically heated rear window defroster ($112 and required in New York State) were available. Three stereos were optional for the New Yorker, with the most pricey being the AM/FM stereo with a CB transceiver and a fixed tri band antenna ($261 and included with the Fifth Avenue Edition). A well-equipped New Yorker could easily run to about $13,300—real money in 1981 and about $50,100 in today’s dollars.

Despite the hopeful brochure slogans, it was clear in 1981 that the era of the big Chrysler was ending—New Yorker sales were off 36% to 6,548. The situation with the less-expensive Newport was even worse, with a decline of 67%. By the 1982 model year, full-size Chryslers would be gone, with the M-body New Yorker mid-size being Chrysler’s new top-of-the-line sedan. The R-bodies had only lasted three model years.

There were many reasons for this failure. Probably made worse by frightening build complexity, Chrysler’s quality was at perhaps its absolute nadir, and the word had gotten out. Overall automotive market conditions were also not great, with the early eighties being tough for many marques. Finally, there was legitimate and realistic concern that Chrysler might go out of business.

The View From 2025

There are not a lot of these handsome cars left. Hagerty doesn’t track New Yorkers built after 1970, so it’s hard to get a feel for values. They occasionally appear in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. In March 2025, a 1980 New Yorker Fifth Avenue Edition hammered for $11,000 at Mecum Glendale.

Make mine the extra-cost Mahogany Starmist, please.

Other eighties Chryslers I have written about include the 1980 Cordoba coupe, the 1982 LeBaron convertible, the 1983 Imperial coupe, the 1984 Laser hatchback coupe, the 1986 Town & Country convertible, and the 1987 Fifth Avenue sedan.

1987 Chevrolet El Camino pickup truck

In the decade plus since I started this blog I have worked on three separate El Camino posts. I’m finally publishing one today.

“There’s nothing quite like it.”

In its final year, the Chevrolet El Camino received few changes. The standard engine remained the LB4 145 bhp 4.3 liter/262 ci V6 with electronic fuel injection. The LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor was a $440 option, but it’s unclear whether it made much of a performance difference—0-60 likely came in about 11 seconds. Both engines were paired with a three-speed automatic transmission, with an available four-speed automatic ($175).

Period fuel economy ratings for the four power combinations tell an interesting story:

4.3 liter V65.0 liter V8
Three-speed automatic18 city/22 highway15 city/17 highway
Four-speed automatic18 city/23 highway16 city/22 highway

The short form seems to be that, if you had to have the V8 and you wanted to do some highway driving, you should really get the four-speed automatic. With a 17.7-gallon gas tank, the best-case range was about 305 to 325 miles with a 10% reserve—the V8/three-speed combination was more like 230 to 255 miles.

Pages from the 1987 Chevrolet El Camino brochure
Pages from the 1987 Chevrolet El Camino brochure

The 1987 El Camino’s base price was $10,013—about $29,400 in today’s dollars, which is almost what a base 2025 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included power steering, power front disk/rear drum brakes, and P205/75R14 black sidewall all-season steel-belted radial tires (a size still available) on painted wheels with bright full wheel covers. Inside, a full-width cloth front bench seat with a pull-down center armrest, cut-pile carpeting, and a lighted glove box were standard.

Considered a separate model, the $10,344 El Camino SS Sport Decor added a choice of eight lower body accent colors emphasized by a pin-striping decal, a large front air dam, matching dual aero-type mirrors with a left-hand remote, black quarter window moldings, and painted Rally wheels.

Packages, Options, & Production Numbers

The $238 Conquista package included two-tone paint separated with bright moldings, along with a Conquista decal on the tailgate.

The SS Choo Choo package was available. Choo Choo Customs started with regular El Caminos fitted with Rally wheels and sport mirrors and replaced the stock El Camino fascia with a polyurethane nose similar to the one found on Chevrolet’s Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe. Decals were placed on the tailgate, doors, and nose, and a specific plaque was added to the dash.

Exterior and mechanical options include Soft-Ray tinted glass ($120), halogen headlamps ($25), a limited slip differential ($100), a sport suspension ($16), and a 22-gallon fuel tank ($29). Inside, reclining front cloth bucket seats ($147 and available with a $110 console), a Comfortilt steering wheel ($125), electronic speed control ($175), air conditioning ($775), power door locks ($145), and power windows ($210) were available. Six different radios were available, ranging from an AM radio ($122) up to an AM stereo/FM stereo with cassette, seek and scan, search and repeat, graphic equalizer, and clock ($579). A well-equipped El Camino could easily get to $12,900 or so—about $37,900 in today’s dollars.

With 15,589 sold, the El Camino was a mere 1.3% of Chevrolet’s production in 1987. This wasn’t actually far off from 1986’s numbers, but was a pronounced decline from the halcyon days of the early 1980s—Chevrolet had sold 40,932 El Caminos in 1980.

The View From 2025

I’ve liked this El Caminos since they debuted. El Caminos have always been attractive to collectors, and the eighties versions are no exception. These trucks often appear for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. According to Hagerty‘s valuation tools, a 1987 El Camino Conquista with the V8 in #1/Concours condition is $29,400, with a more normal #3/Good condition truck going for $10,200. The SS and SS Choo-Choo versions are worth more, but not much more.

Make mine Silver Metallic over Dark Maroon Metallic, please. That makes it a Conquista.

Other 1987 Chevrolets I have written about include the Caprice Classic coupe and the Chevette CS hatchback sedan. Other Chevrolet trucks and SUVs covered in Eighties Cars include the 1983 S-10 Blazer SUV, the 1985 C20 Suburban Silverado SUV, the 1985 K5 Blazer SUV, and the 1985 S-10 pickup truck.

Last updated October 2025.

1980 Ford F-150 pickup truck

“First new truck of the 80’s …”

For 1980, Ford’s pickup truck was nearly all-new, with a more aerodynamic body that reduced drag at highway speeds by up to 13%. There was also an increased emphasis on comfort, with increased legroom over 1979. Ford sold four versions of the full-size truck—the light-duty F-100, the F-150, the 3/4 ton F-250, and the 1-ton F-350. For this blog post, we’ll concentrate on the F-150, which was the best-selling of the four versions, and pick the more popular rear-wheel-drive example over the four-wheel-drive.

The standard engine was the 101 bhp Big Six 4.9 liter/300 ci six. A 130 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 ($315) and a 156 bhp 5.8 liter/351 ci V8 ($477) were optional. A three-speed manual transmission was standard on rear-wheel-drive F-150s, but many buyers chose the four-speed manual ($175), the four-speed manual with overdrive ($208), or the Select-Shift three-speed automatic ($408).

Pages from the 1980 Ford Pickup brochure
Pages from the 1980 Ford Pickup brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the base $5,314 Custom F-150 short bed included a bright grille surround, an independent front suspension, power front disc/rear drum brakes, P215/75R15SL black sidewall tires (a size still readily available), and 15-inch wheels with argent hub caps. Inside, all vinyl seat trim, a coat hook, a dome light, and a glove box with a latch were included.

Packages

The 1980 Ford F-150 was replete with packages that ranged from making it a little nicer to reasonably luxurious.

  • The $339 Ranger package added a brushed aluminum lower bodyside molding and bright hub caps on the exterior. Inside, all-vinyl or cloth and vinyl seat trim, color keyed seat belts, and a cigarette lighter were included.
  • Exterior features of the $472 Ranger XLT package depended on whether the truck was Flareside or Styleside. Flareside pickups had tailgate trim with raised FORD letters in a contrasting color with a dual-colored tape stripe setting off the letters. Styleside pickups included a brushed aluminum tailgate applique with bright letters. Inside, all Ranger XLTs included grained vinyl seat trim with cloth inserts, carpeted lower door trim panels, bright aluminum door scuff plates, and color-keyed cut-pile carpeting.
  • Exterior features of the top-of-the-line Ranger Lariat package ($760) included a brushed aluminum lower bodyside molding with a black vinyl insert and (of course) three Lariat plaques. Inside, all Ranger Lariats included a unique seat trim sew style in cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl, thick cut-pile carpeting, a Luxury-type steering wheel, and an instrument panel with a polished woodtone applique and a bright Ranger Lariat script.
  • Free Wheeling package “A” ($407) included pinstriping, blackout grille, blackout headlamp doors, and Sport wheel covers.
  • Free Wheeling package “B” ($1,266) included everything in package “A” plus foglamps, bumper guards, the Handling Package, and 10-hole aluminum wheels. Flareside pickups received a bright channel bumper, while Styleside pickups got a bright rear contour bumper. Inside, a simulated leather-wrapped steering wheel and the Sports Instrumentation Package with tachometer, trip odometer, ammeter, and oil pressure gauge.

Options & Production Numbers

Individual options were many and included tinted glass on all windows ($36), a sliding rear window ($102), variable-ratio power steering ($215), white styled steel wheels ($161), and forged aluminum wheels available either with a brushed finish ($311) or a polished finish ($361). Inside, a tilt steering wheel ($83), air conditioning ($611), and Speed Control ($160) were available. A choice of five radios ranged up to an AM/FM stereo with cassette tape ($324). Despite the luxury emphasis, power door locks and power windows were not available—they wouldn’t be offered until 1982.

Ford sold 173,050 F-150s in the 1980 model year. That number sounds like a lot, but 1980 was a bad year for the automotive industry overall and an awful year for Ford, whose US market share dropped from 23.8% in 1979 to 20.5% in 1980. Of Ford trucks, only the imported Courier compact pickup would hold the line on sales volume.

The View From 2025

Folks are collecting these seventh-generation Ford pickup trucks. F-150s often appear for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. According to Hagerty‘s valuation tools, a 1980 Ford F-150 Styleside short bed with the 302 ci V8 in #1/Concours condition is $44,300, with a more normal #3/Good condition truck going for $13,000. A long bed subtracts around 2%, while the 351 ci V8 adds about 5%. Four-wheel-drive is worth an additional 14% or so.

Make mine Candyapple Red, please. I’m unsure if I want any of the four two-tone options.

Other Ford products from 1980 that I have written about include the Ford Fiesta hatchback coupe, the Ford Mustang Cobra hatchback coupe, the Ford Thunderbird coupe, and the Lincoln Continental Mark VI coupe. I’ve also written about the 1985 Eddie Bauer Bronco SUV.