Best decade for Aussie cars

[Geez Louise]

Been thinking today about past cars I have owned and it has me wondering...

What was/is the best decade for the Aussie car?

There were some great Aussie cars in the 50's and 60's - the introduction of the FJ, Ford's XP, XM just to name a few.

In the 70's you had your XA, XB, XC, Monaro's, Torana's etc, 80's saw the XD,XE, XF, etc. Now a days you have the new range of Fords, Holdens etc.

Each has there own benefits but for me, the cars produced in the 70's bring back so many good memories.

So which is your favourite decade?

[StrokedXT]

65-75 for me not the sort of decade you were thinking of im sure but a golden era for Aussie and especially Ford muscle.

[Geez Louise]

Well that counts as a decade

[BENT_8]

I guess it depends on how you consider its impact.
The 60's saw the introduction of our first Aussie Falcon, but it was hampered and wasnt rectified until XP, by then the racing scene was becoming popular and the bean counters recognised a marketing angle, some great cars were built in the next decade no doubt.
But thats an enthusiasts angle.

Some would say this last decade, as Ford Aus entered it on the back of huge criticism for the AU styling but despite this it was able to pick up the pieces with BA and punch its way back to where it deserves to be.
Sure kept the bean counters happy.

My vote goes to the 80's, as im a conservative old fart who would rather drive an efficient injected 6 with cruise control set 10k's below the limit from my velour wrapped cabin

[DJR-351]

70's without a doubt, closely followed by the 60's.....

I am extremely biased though, as far as Ford Aus go the tunnel vision cuts in after 79' and none exist from there on....

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au...ord_falcon.htm

[4Vman]

late 60's to mid 70's for me, That was the "Australian Factory Musclecar" era so for me that's when it all started.

[Redrum]

2000 to 2009! Love the BF and especially the FG.

[pottery beige]

I just caught another disease.. I'm living in the 70's...

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

I just caught another disease.. I'm living in the 70's...

Maybe we can trade flares....

[Melz]

Definetly 1970s. Cars had character, charisma and still had chrome! (for most of it!)

[max]

Originally Posted by jeep_by_ford

65-75 for me not the sort of decade you were thinking of im sure but a golden era for Aussie and especially Ford muscle.

Pretty near the mark for me too. Maybe one year earlier in that 1964 saw the EH Holden, essentially the 4th generation Holden make it's place alongside Chrysler Valiant and Ford Falcon as a true Aussie line up of the 'big 3'. Later as you say, along came these same car makers delivering models with a bit of attitude. My all time favourite being the XY GTHO Falcon.

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by jeep_by_ford

65-75 for me not the sort of decade you were thinking of im sure but a golden era for Aussie and especially Ford muscle.

Spot on and not just for Australia either but for world cars , Escort Twin Cam , RS 1600 , RS 1800 , Capri V6 , Capri RS 2600 , Capri RS 3100 , Boss 302 , Boss 427 , 428 CJ , GT40 's , GT 70 , 3 Litre GT , Lotus Elans , GTHO Falcons , Bolwell Nagari etc tec etc and I could list literally hundreds more. Sadly we will never ever see a decade like this again .

[mik]

1967 -1977 would have to be my favourite, v8`s sounded like v8`s ,the v8 1967 xr falcon stunned aussie motoring journalists(how could they build something so fast) it might not be that fast these days but it was the first falcon v8 in oz, (another vote for CHROME bumpers), vinyl roofs, 9"diffs, cars actually looked different from respective companies, not as fast as todays cars ,but full of character, and the pinnacle of the gt`s the XY GTwas born, moffat and bond finish 1/2 in the mighty xc coupe, what`s not to like about this era.

[JimNiki]

Originally Posted by jeep_by_ford

65-75 for me not the sort of decade you were thinking of im sure but a golden era for Aussie and especially Ford muscle.

good call!

I think that decade was full of awakening for many parts of society!

best cars, best music, etc.

The 80's sends shivers up my spine cause I'm picturing duran duran and flock of sea gulls blaring out the window via the cheap equaliser!

definitely not me guys! I'm a head banger from day one!

[calais]

the late 60's to early 70's.

It was a time where the Australian performance car scene came alive. Never before were hot sixes and V8's created that offered so much for so little. The days of chrome bumpers, houndstooth trim, 'four on the floor' and finned drum brakes! The colours of the day available just cant be recreated! Wild Violet, SunGlo Yellow, Lettuce Alone Green, Cyan Blue, Yellow Ochre.......

Those were times I wish I was alive for.

[dave351cid]

the `70s because of the variety, style , character, charisma, pure unashamed grunt, personality and chrome.

i think that the `00s would be next . there has been some great cars made in the last 10 years that have raised the standard way past anything produced here in the past.
just a shame they have lost the character of the early models.

[Trek]

70's without a doubt!

XA-XC range = best shape/design for a car in any form, ever (bar the P6 LTD, sorry guys! just not my cup of tea...)

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Spot on and not just for Australia either but for world cars , Escort Twin Cam , RS 1600 , RS 1800 , Capri V6 , Capri RS 2600 , Capri RS 3100 , Boss 302 , Boss 427 , 428 CJ , GT40 's , GT 70 , 3 Litre GT , Lotus Elans , GTHO Falcons , Bolwell Nagari etc tec etc and I could list literally hundreds more. Sadly we will never ever see a decade like this again .

That pretty much sums it up for me too.

[GK351]

The early 80's for me
the start of refined handling and brakes

[Streets]

The 1970s was the best decade for any car, anywhere, ever. And I wasn't even around then

Also, thread needs poll!

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by Redrum

2000 to 2009! Love the BF and especially the FG.

+1.... IMO the latest crop of cars from AUII and on wards have been great for Ford Oz, with major improvements all round with release of every model. I'm not a fan of the FG styling but can see the vast improvements made in the vehicles.

[JimNiki]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Spot on and not just for Australia either but for world cars , Escort Twin Cam , RS 1600 , RS 1800 , Capri V6 , Capri RS 2600 , Capri RS 3100 , Boss 302 , Boss 427 , 428 CJ , GT40 's , GT 70 , 3 Litre GT , Lotus Elans , GTHO Falcons , Bolwell Nagari etc tec etc and I could list literally hundreds more. Sadly we will never ever see a decade like this again .

what about the notorious P76! one of a kind!
who's got one of those? any rust issues? hehe

[castellan]

If DR who came and left me behind. i would not wont to go back past 1964 at least they had the XM hardtop with the big 200 motor or a EH with the big 179. or AP6 valiant with a 225 or the big 273 V8.
Disk brakes came in around 1965.
And air con about 1969.
The only thing that stuffed up the 1976 cars was ADR 27A but if you were smart enough that was not a problem.
And about 1987 the main problem was brakes because of no asbestos laws.
So i would say the 1966 to 1976 was the greatest advancement decade ever in history.
I would not swap my 2003 car for one of them old jiggers thou.

[onfire]

Originally Posted by F6 FOON

+1.... IMO the latest crop of cars from AUII and on wards have been great for Ford Oz, with major improvements all round with release of every model. I'm not a fan of the FG styling but can see the vast improvements made in the vehicles.

+2. It may not seem like it, but we have some absolute fantastic cars out there.

T3, GT, GT-P, F6, XR6T, etc. And lets not forget the people's champs, the AU-FG XR6 and XR8.

[xbcool]

as I sit in my bean bag next to my lava lamp ,

I vote for the late 65 thru to 75 era.


but I have a soft spot for some of the modern stuff as well



steve

[gcg2503]

Definitely the 70s

More specifically the 10 year period from 1967 - 1977

[Bearman]

The '70's easily the best decade. Coupes, what can I say?? And the coolest colours to ever be put on cars too!!

Next would be the '60's then the 2000's

The '80's started OK but then very quickly turned to shyte, a horrible decade car wise!!

[T3ts50]

Im torn between the 70's & 90's. As much as I love all the older muscle cars, it the XR's and the HSV's that got me into cars in the first place.

[Eaturbo]

1992 to 2002 for me.Ford brought back the V8, EB XR6, EB GT, EL GT, AU T3, BA XR6T plus rest of B series
Holden too had some unbelievable cars, VN SS Group A, VP GTS, VR GTS 5.7L, VS GTS R, VT GTS 300, V2 Monaro, Also both companies had 2 different V8's in the Windsor and Boss motors and the Holden V8 and the new Chev LS1

[Franco Cozzo]

2008 to 2018!

The FG is awesome, I don't know what the future holds but lets hope it will get even better.