Domestic Automakers stopping making cars.

[LarryK]

NutmegCT, I have a 64 Valiant 225-6 push button auto. Welding in floorboards now, then seats need covering, already did the lower end, hopefully start by spring. Was on barn find with seller saying hardly any rust and 25K miles. Bought off craigslist and pulled out of a funeral home heated garage, been tuned, tired in 1999 and sat inside since. Car has been in a Mississippi flood and service tags show 125K. Trusting people. Harder to weld than the old MK1 Jag, metal thinner. $500, not complaining, but it was built here in St. Louis and parts harder to find than the British cars.

 

[NutmegCT]

Larry - T O R Q U E F L I T E !

Tom M.

 

[LarryK]

Yep, torqueflite, rebuilt the trunnion too. Took 3 rubber boots to get it right. Thanks to Old Mopar site on youtube.

 

[glemon]

The slant six and torqueflite will probably outlast all of us, we had an early 70s Valiant with the same slant six, despite my best efforts as a teen, I just couldn't kill it.

 

[Popeye]

And what was the last "station wagon" domestically made? I've no clue.

Buick makes a very nice one - although I thought Buick was stopping production? https://www.buick.com/crossovers/regal/tourx

 

[JPSmit]

Buick makes a very nice one - although I thought Buick was stopping production? https://www.buick.com/crossovers/regal/tourx

when we were in Florida at the beginning of the month I saw one for the first time - very pretty - I have never seen one in Canada making me think they might not have come here or that they are priced out of the Canadian market.

 

[LarryK]

From what I understand, Buick SUV is made in China. Especially the one smaller than the Enclave.

 

[mikephillips]

The slant six and torqueflite will probably outlast all of us, we had an early 70s Valiant with the same slant six, despite my best efforts as a teen, I just couldn't kill it.

Had dad's old Dodge with the slant 6, car rusted away around the engine, no oil change for 100k miles and yet still ran fine. Ended up being sold to a guy who wanted a "low mileage" to replace his 300k one...

 

[glemon]

The Tourx, not a bad looking wagon, is made in Germany, an Opel.

 

[DrEntropy]

A friend of 45 years was driving a white '65 Valiant with a slant six when we first met. Called it "Cloud". We floated it across flooded streets, drove it from Hampton VA to Road Atlanta once, it made multiple trips to Maine and back. Hearty engines, indeed. At 200K+ miles, the poor thing rusted to ruin. Thought about pulling the drivetrain but too many Porsche projects got in the way.

 

[TR3driver]

And what was the last "station wagon" domestically made? I've no clue.

AFAIK, 1996 Buick Roadmaster was the last one. I owned a 95 for a long time, wish I had it back (with all it's issues repaired, of course).

Been looking for a 96 with a good body, but so far the only one I've seen refused to answer when I asked if the paint job was from Earl Scheib

 

[TR3driver]

Buick makes a very nice one - although I thought Buick was stopping production? https://www.buick.com/crossovers/regal/tourx

Not domestic. Made in Germany
Also not really a "station wagon", IMO. Even Buick calls it a "sport wagon". Looks more like a chopped small SUV.

 

[LarryK]

Dodge made the magnum. The 5.7 was a bullet. Have a return in 2020, equal to the Hellcat.

 

[Popeye]

Not domestic. Made in Germany
Also not really a "station wagon", IMO. Even Buick calls it a "sport wagon". Looks more like a chopped small SUV.

You are right; made by Opel - not domestic like I thought. But I think it is still a “proper” car-type wagon. Considerably shorter than an Outback. https://jalopnik.com/the-2018-buick-regal-tourx-is-a-return-of-the-classic-a-1823422262; towards the bottom of the article is a photo of the two side by side.

Nonetheless, going out of production end of 2020...

 

[pdplot]

The first time we moved from a one-car family was 1956 when Dad bought Mom a Plymouth wagon. In 1960, Dad bought a Valiant wagon. Slant six engine but built so poorly that they actually used dumdum on the seams. I had two slant sixes - a 1969 Dodge Dart hardtop that got wrecked New Years Eve 1972 when parked on the street and a 1973 Plymouth Gold Duster, lizard-skin roof and all. It rusted fairly quickly and blew a head gasket that I actually replaced myself out in the street in front of my house with the help of my next-door neighbor who helped me lift the head off and on the car. Worked good too, until I sold the car because the front fenders were rusted through. The guy who hit the Dart rang the doorbell and admitted what he did - it was a foggy night. After exchanging information, we shook hands, had a drink to celebrate and that was that.

 

[vette]

I drove a ‘72 or ‘73 Plymouth valiant as a company car for a few years. You couldn’t beat that slant 6 to death. The car might have rusted later on but while I had it i beat the crap out of that engine and vehicle and it just kept on going. I had a large rural meter route for the electric co. Some days I had as much as 300 stops on one route. Can you imagine slamming the column shifter from park to drive 300 times a day almost every work day all yr long. Yet it never broke. We had our own co service garage where I took it for repairs an maintenance checks. One day it was up on the lift an I was just standing near it. I looked up under the front end and noticed that a brace under radiator was broken. I mentioned it to the mechanic. He said yeh, that thing is broken every time you bring it in here. I use to catch air a few times in the route. That way I got home earlier. Fantastic car. Just a side note: one time they had another route guy switch from his valiant to an AWD AMC Eagle. Near the end of the first week he came into the repair garage with the front driveshaft Latin in the back seat.

 

[John Turney]

Had a '63 Valiant with the slant 6. Two door Signet, push-button auto. Not enough power to get out of the way of semi's when entering the freeway, so bought a '70 Duster 340. Fast in a straight line, too fast for the tires.

 

[gonzo]

Jalopnik comments on trucks, or rather the "brodozers", sighted much too often on our roads. https://jalopnik.com/a-big-ass-truck-does-not-make-you-tough-1836882824

 

[NutmegCT]

Jalopnik comments on trucks, or rather the "brodozers", sighted much too often on our roads. https://jalopnik.com/a-big-ass-truck-does-not-make-you-tough-1836882824

Amen! Thanks for posting that. My sentiments exactly.

Bro-dozers - good description. Sometimes it seems we buy things in order to make up for something we think we're missing.

Tom M.

 

[DrEntropy]

Saw one of Ford's Raptors on my trip to Miami on Christmas eve. I took Diesela for the trip, doin' 75~80 most of the time. The truck came up in the mirrors VERY quickly, passed me as if I were a traffic cone. Had to be doin' at lest a buck-and-a-quarter. Nutso.