Truly gorgeous. Say what you will about black people’s automotive tastes, but the Donk movement saved an entire generation of American Iron from annihilation at the derby
Although the other day, I saw an unmolested-looking mid-‘80s Monte Carlo driving in downtown Toledo (actual shiny Light Briar Brown Metallic paint to boot), without the sludge known to some as “music” vibrating the car, and every building in a five-block radius, to bits!
Years ago we had a handful of Donks in Germany with domestic drivers actually. But it never became popular and theguys from the safety inspection authority wern't fond of those cars either.
How do you make a 454 look small? Apparently put it under the hood of a 73 Caprice! Even the 440 in my Town and Country does a better job of filling the engine bay. I absolutely love this car, just not the price. And the 454 would be my motor of choice.
Dad had a worn out green 72 Impala sedan. He'd park at the end of his long driveway and have me drive it up to the house. I was maybe 11 or 12 years old. It once broke a tie rod on the highway and my stepmom was able to get it off on the shoulder. With it fixed, there wound up being three cars but two adults on scene. I got to drive several miles on some hilly Oklahoma country roads with dad in the lead in his truck and grandpa following behind in his. That's left a soft spot in my heart for land barges in general and this generation of GMs in particular.
The navy blue with white vinyl top Impala 2d HT in Live and Let Die was gorgeous. This red Caprice is equally so. 454 even. What a sweet spot of GM design during this time (along the several decade reign they had). It reminds me of the same-year Olds Delta 98s. I'm such a sucker for expertly skirted fenders and graceful, hard top sedans.
The very first Chevrolet four door hardtop in 1956 was dubbed Sport Sedan, to differentiate it from the standard sedan with B-pillar. Chevy stuck with the designation for years.
I'm sure there are plenty around as cherished low riders, donks have rightfully largely gone out of style except for the odd one that's beat to hell and is now some hoopty ride for a full on looser .
I don't like driving big cars (why I gave my hearse away) but these are (IMO) still good looking and nice driving automobiles .
-Nate
(still marveling about working AC in a _51_ year old car)
I was walking into the store a few nights ago and heard that signature, bass-heavy big block V8 sound followed by...turbo spool. It was an old square body C10 or C20 driving to an access road to get out of the large parking lot. It's one thing to hear big-bore V8s. That will get a guy's attention. When it's followed up by spooling, you know that thing is built to lay waste to anyone and everyone. I've watched enough YouTube videos to know.
The driver took a left onto the access road and laid into it again. Burly rumble, then turbo spool, then full V8 rage. Sign me up, please.
everyone wants a turbo ls but i think people forget just how much exhaust gas you can get out of a stroked big block which can spool some pretty huge turbos
Live and Let Die had all those old police cruisers in it. The Man with the Golden Gun had two AMCs chasing each other... through Thailand (and also one of the greatest car stunts of all time).
From the opening photo, I had a pretty good idea this beauty was here in AZ and not in Klockauville. The Idaho plate tells the tale - this thing would've been sun rotted 30 years ago here on the surface of Hades.
These cars were everywhere in my childhood in the '70s and '80s. I recall specifically that the parents of the girl I had the hots for in early elementary school had one. I was very excited because we got to ride to church with her one snowy night in Ohio during the Ford administration. The studded snow tires were a revelation as well - I was shocked how fast her Dad drove in the snow and we didn't slide off the road!
My grandmother had a '73 Caprice sport sedan identical to this one except it was black on black and was "only" a 350. Great memories. Thanks for posting this.
I'm a much bigger fan of the '77-'90. The "little big Chevy" provided a much better driving experience without giving up much in terms of ride or interior space.
Truly gorgeous. Say what you will about black people’s automotive tastes, but the Donk movement saved an entire generation of American Iron from annihilation at the derby
getting molested is better than getting killed i guess
I mean, overtly racist overtones (or at least painting with an incredibly broad brush) be damned, you've got a point.
how is that racist
i mean i dont recall ever seeing a white dude drive one
Correct!
It is what it is!
Although the other day, I saw an unmolested-looking mid-‘80s Monte Carlo driving in downtown Toledo (actual shiny Light Briar Brown Metallic paint to boot), without the sludge known to some as “music” vibrating the car, and every building in a five-block radius, to bits!
Years ago we had a handful of Donks in Germany with domestic drivers actually. But it never became popular and theguys from the safety inspection authority wern't fond of those cars either.
How do you make a 454 look small? Apparently put it under the hood of a 73 Caprice! Even the 440 in my Town and Country does a better job of filling the engine bay. I absolutely love this car, just not the price. And the 454 would be my motor of choice.
Dad had a worn out green 72 Impala sedan. He'd park at the end of his long driveway and have me drive it up to the house. I was maybe 11 or 12 years old. It once broke a tie rod on the highway and my stepmom was able to get it off on the shoulder. With it fixed, there wound up being three cars but two adults on scene. I got to drive several miles on some hilly Oklahoma country roads with dad in the lead in his truck and grandpa following behind in his. That's left a soft spot in my heart for land barges in general and this generation of GMs in particular.
The navy blue with white vinyl top Impala 2d HT in Live and Let Die was gorgeous. This red Caprice is equally so. 454 even. What a sweet spot of GM design during this time (along the several decade reign they had). It reminds me of the same-year Olds Delta 98s. I'm such a sucker for expertly skirted fenders and graceful, hard top sedans.
The roofline and the fender skirts are gorgeous.
The idea that a trim level of this car could be called "Sport" in any sense tells us how useless that descriptor is.
The very first Chevrolet four door hardtop in 1956 was dubbed Sport Sedan, to differentiate it from the standard sedan with B-pillar. Chevy stuck with the designation for years.
I had a ‘74 Centurion it was much more luxe ha ha
When better Broughams are built, Buick will build them...
SWEET ! .
I don't see these anymore and that's a shame .
Even working A/C makes this beauty a dream boat .
-Nate
I know! Functioning AC, a happy carb (or just a Holley Sniper 2..), and the right width white wall tires and I'm good.
I’d think that Southern California would still have a few left around, donked or not.
I'm sure there are plenty around as cherished low riders, donks have rightfully largely gone out of style except for the odd one that's beat to hell and is now some hoopty ride for a full on looser .
I don't like driving big cars (why I gave my hearse away) but these are (IMO) still good looking and nice driving automobiles .
-Nate
(still marveling about working AC in a _51_ year old car)
kinda shocked it has a 454
imagine a brodix top end kit on that thing
deathtrap
I was walking into the store a few nights ago and heard that signature, bass-heavy big block V8 sound followed by...turbo spool. It was an old square body C10 or C20 driving to an access road to get out of the large parking lot. It's one thing to hear big-bore V8s. That will get a guy's attention. When it's followed up by spooling, you know that thing is built to lay waste to anyone and everyone. I've watched enough YouTube videos to know.
The driver took a left onto the access road and laid into it again. Burly rumble, then turbo spool, then full V8 rage. Sign me up, please.
everyone wants a turbo ls but i think people forget just how much exhaust gas you can get out of a stroked big block which can spool some pretty huge turbos
all the torque you could ever want
Everest levels of torque.
Many different ways to make it go faster .
I only have *one* turbocharged vehicle left, it has this tiny K.K.K. turbo that spools up really quickly .
It scares the cra out of my sweet .
-Nate
Live and Let Die had all those old police cruisers in it. The Man with the Golden Gun had two AMCs chasing each other... through Thailand (and also one of the greatest car stunts of all time).
As Jesus said, the most prosaic and ubiquitous shall become the rarest, or something like that.
From the opening photo, I had a pretty good idea this beauty was here in AZ and not in Klockauville. The Idaho plate tells the tale - this thing would've been sun rotted 30 years ago here on the surface of Hades.
These cars were everywhere in my childhood in the '70s and '80s. I recall specifically that the parents of the girl I had the hots for in early elementary school had one. I was very excited because we got to ride to church with her one snowy night in Ohio during the Ford administration. The studded snow tires were a revelation as well - I was shocked how fast her Dad drove in the snow and we didn't slide off the road!
My grandmother had a '73 Caprice sport sedan identical to this one except it was black on black and was "only" a 350. Great memories. Thanks for posting this.
I'm a much bigger fan of the '77-'90. The "little big Chevy" provided a much better driving experience without giving up much in terms of ride or interior space.
I’d get an “Assman” plate.
The other nice one is ‘67 Impala with of course a black vinyl top 327 v8 saw more than a few back in the day