Where have all the 80s gone?

When the Detroit Three tried to think small to meet mileage regulations, the results were mostly forgettable

January 14, 2012|By Paul Duchene, Special to Tribune Newspapers

There's a missing generation in American car collecting, people who came of age between 1974-1990. Collectors of cars from that period are conspicuously absent. Hot-rod shows are divided between V-8-powered gray panthers in 1930-1960s muscle and 20-somethings with Asian pocket rockets from 1990 to the present.

When you look at the American cars built in the 1980s, you can see why they're missing. When Federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations passed in 1974 American cars had to become lighter and smaller, to double the average fuel mileage to 27.5 mpg by 1985. This was a bitter pill for Detroit as the Big Three had their own ideas about how big cars should be. If you wanted something small, you either bought an import, or something so cheap that it could blow up (Chevrolet Vega), or might catch fire (Ford Pinto). Alternatively, you'd buy a Honda Accord, and never look back.

So the 1980s was, on the whole, a ghastly time to buy a new American car. They succumbed to rust and bad solid-state electronics; they were miserably built, wretched to drive and barely passed emissions when new. To be fair, 20-30 years have passed, so the good ones — and there were some — went 150,000 miles and were scrapped, a number in the "cash for clunkers" program.

It seems unlikely that people will ever collect 1980s American cars, short of a National Auto Losers Museum, but there are few left anyway. Let's classify them as Extinct, Endangered Species and Survivors, and identify a few from major manufacturers.

Extinct cars were wretched when new, with fragile motors, bad electrics, questionable handling and reliability issues. They are 99 percent gone.

Endangered species cars may still be found in small towns, parked outside seniors' homes, or at estate sales. You may find a little old lady car that you can bond with (as a contrarian), and find parts in wrecking yards.

Survivors had special merit — the 1984-89 Corvette C4 is still a marvelous car, and the turbocharged Buick Grand National was collectible from day one. Some plush-o-matic cruisers were bought by folks with white belts and plaid pants. Think Cadillac Eldorado, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. Other survivors were so numerous and inexpensive — like Chrysler's K cars — that they haven't all been used up yet.

Here's a roundup of '80s cars you might have forgotten. Recommended prices (if you must have one) are for tired runners.

AMC (American Motors Corp.)


1983-89 Alliance/Encore/GTA/convertible

An ill-considered attempt to build the flimsy Renault R9 in the U.S. and sell it under another name. If ever a car needed a strong dealer network, this was it. GTA was the higher performance version. $500 tops. Collectibility grade: F

Endangered Species

1981 Eagle SX/4 liftback 4WD

Interesting effort to a make an Americanized Audi AWD coupe, but many were handicapped by feeble 82 horsepower "Iron Duke" four-cylinder tractor engines bought from Pontiac. $1,000-$1,500. Collectibility grade: D


1980-87 Eagle 4WD station wagon

Surprisingly durable version of the old Hornet Sportabout wagon, with a very complicated (23 u-joints) but smart 4WD setup. Still, 22 mpg was respectable and survivors soldier on in mountain areas, especially in the west. A few nice ones remain. $1,500-$2,500.

Collectibility grade: C



1978-90 Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni

Volkswagen-powered, Chrysler-built Golf competitor was plagued with quality control issues and nearly all are gone. $500 tops (even the Premium with wood sides).

Collectibility grade: F

Endangered species

1981-83 Imperial Coupe

Revived Imperial was based on the Cordoba platform, with fuel-injected V-8 and Seville-type bustle-back Even Frank Sinatra's endorsement of the car didn't help. Electronics were disastrous, and digital dash could be exchanged for analog one — free to original owners, $3,000 otherwise. Desperate owners very proud. $1,500-$2,500.

Collectibility grade: C-


1982-89 Plymouth Reliant/Dodge Aries

Boring front-wheel drive workhorse saved Chrysler, with many variations. Insurance records showed that in one year during the '80s no Reliant wagons were reported stolen anywhere in the U.S. Most went 100,000 miles and were scrapped. Absolutely no collector value. $500-$800.

Collectibility grade: F



1981-89 Escort

No corner went uncut in this extensive range of square Pinto replacements. Two- and four-door hatchbacks, wagons, even a turbo GT. By 100,000 miles, they were all used up and only a few GTs remain. $500-$750.

Collectibility grade: D

Endangered species

1983-88 Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar

Rather handsome aero T-bird was a huge improvement over its boxy forerunner, and sold well, but almost all are gone now — a combination of flimsy construction, time and miles. Nice ones are worth a look, especially turbo models and the oddly-formal Cougar. $750-$1,500.

Collectibility grade: C-