Most Iconic Cars of All Time......

[Axxe55]

To me, Iconic means that almost anyone, anywhere would be able to identify it. Like a 63 Corvette, a 55 T-bird, a 57 Chevy BelAir, a VW beetle, an early 60's Lincoln Continental convertible, an AlfaRomeo spyder, an early Mercedes Benz SL , those sort of cars. Now I love, i mean LOVE an original Ford GT40 MkII, but I seriously doubt that 90% of the population would know what it was. I can name the early Toyota Coronas and Celicas, and from the point of view of influencing the auto industry, they're icons, but find me a kid under 50 that could id a 67 Toyota Corona! I'll bet 98 out of 100 wouldn't know an original Honda Civic if it ran over their toes. The Jeep CJ, obviously an Icon! Early XKE, 911, and I'm torn over the Miata, yea or nay?

I don't totally disagree with your viewpoint, but I think "iconic" can be a very subjective term, and have different opinions from various people depending on different perspectives.

If I asked quite a few hundred people in the 30's what would be the best rock band of all time, I would suspect the answers would be much different than a group of people in their 60's.

I think age, or environment, or other factors can influence such answers as well.

 

[satx78247]

I am a Chippendale dancer.

Coop45,

I would SERIOUSLY doubt that as you are NOT "a certain peculiar sort of overly elegant fellow".

CHUCKLE, satx

 

[benenglish]

I'll bet 98 out of 100 wouldn't know an original Honda Civic if it ran over their toes.

Would they even notice?

 

[benenglish]

I have owned at least twenty five of the second generation Trans Ams and Formulas, from 1975 to 1981 models over the last thirty odd years!

Ever own a four-cylinder? For some perverse reason, I've always been interested.

 

[Axxe55]

Ever own a four-cylinder? For some perverse reason, I've always been interested.

Four cylinder, or six cylinder?

 

[satx78247]

I don't totally disagree with your viewpoint, but I think "iconic" can be a very subjective term, and have different opinions from various people depending on different perspectives.

If I asked quite a few hundred people in the 30's what would be the best rock band of all time, I would suspect the answers would be much different than a group of people in their 60's.

I think age, or environment, or other factors can influence such answers as well.

Axxe55,

For those of us who are over 70YY, the band might not be rock of any sort & likely in TX could well be THE TEXAS PLAYBOYS.
(I'd guess that I've danced, since the 1960s, at least 100 miles to SAN ANTONIO ROSE & to FADED LOVE.)

Of course, I'm just an NETX hillbilly, who once patronized THE RIO PALM ISLE BALLROOM in Longview & was known to go to THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE on dates.

yours, satx

 

[Axxe55]

Exclusivity and rarity can also, IMO lead to a car being iconic as well. Many Ferrari's reach such status because they are produced in very small numbers and command astronomical prices to own one. And many Ferrari's, years later still bring extremely high prices when sold.

Case in point. The 1957 Jaguar XKSS, which were essentially a D-Series race car, made road worthy from unused chassis from the racing cars. There was suppose to be 25 of them, but a fire broke out in the plant, 9 were supposedly ruined. Those are being rebuilt starting 2016. Expected to sell for more than $1.3 million!

Pontiac, made over 11K 1969 Firebird convertibles, but they only made eight Trans Am convertibles in 1969. It wasn't until 1991, or 1992 that you could get a factory offered convertible on the Firebird or Trans Am.

 

[satx78247]

Exclusivity and rarity can also, IMO lead to a car being iconic as well. Many Ferrari's reach such status because they are produced in very small numbers and command astronomical prices to own one. And many Ferrari's, years later still bring extremely high prices when sold.

Case in point. The 1957 Jaguar XKSS, which were essentially a D-Series race car, made road worthy from unused chassis from the racing cars. There was suppose to be 25 of them, but a fire broke out in the plant, 9 were supposedly ruined. Those are being rebuilt starting 2016. Expected to sell for more than $1.3 million!

Pontiac, made over 11K 1969 Firebird convertibles, but they only made eight Trans Am convertibles in 1969. It wasn't until 1991, or 1992 that you could get a factory offered convertible on the Firebird or Trans Am.

Axxe55,

IF memory serves me, there was a company for a while in CA that converted some Firebirds into dropheads. - Is my memory correct??
(I've slept since then.)

yours, satx

 

[Axxe55]

Also a car can reach iconic or mythical status just from those who own them, regardless of the vehicle itself sometimes.

Case in point. A 1968 Ford Mustang, was and is a great car, but add in that Steve McQueen drove one rather well in the movie Bullitt, and it has reached a point in movie car history. One of the original movie cars, recently sold in the millions!

Porsche 550 Spyder. Only 90 of these cars were built, and were essentially street legal race cars. That in itself could make them iconic, but add in that the very first one sold in the United States was to none other than James Dean, who was also an avid race car driver and was on his way to race the car when his fatal accident happened in the 550.

 

[Axxe55]

Axxe55,

IF memory serves me, there was a company for a while in CA that converted some Firebirds into dropheads. - Is my memory correct??
(I've slept since then.)

yours, satx

Drophead? I haven't a clue what you are talking about.

 

[satx78247]

Drophead? I haven't a clue what you are talking about.

Axxe55,

A drophead is a convertible that the top rests on the rear of the body (rather than drop down inside the body), al la ROLLS ROYCE & BENTLEY OR even the "old-school" VW Bug convertible..

yours, satx

 

[Axxe55]

Axxe55,

IF memory serves me, there was a company for a while in CA that converted some Firebirds into dropheads. - Is my memory correct??
(I've slept since then.)

yours, satx

Axxe55,

A drophead is a convertible that the top rests on the rear of the body (rather than drop down inside the body), al la ROLLS ROYCE & BENTLEY OR even the "old-school" VW Bug convertible..

yours, satx

Then why not just say convertible in the first place?

Pretty sure there were. But I said "factory" convertibles. Enough money in California could get you just about anything you want done to a vehicle. Over the years, I have seen all manners of custom things done to and with vehicles. Some from hideous to some very well done and tasteful.

 

[satx78247]

Then why not just say convertible in the first place?

Axxe55,

Mainly because a drophead coupe or sedan is NOT the same as a regular convertible. = Check out "drophead coupe" on a WWW search engine.

yours, satx

 

[Vaquero]

Sigh

 

[Axxe55]

Axxe55,

Mainly because a drophead coupe or sedan is NOT the same as a regular convertible. = Check out "drophead coupe" on a WWW search engine.

yours, satx

IMO. if the top isn't a permanent fixed part of the vehicle, and can be removed, lowered or taken down, it's a convertible. I know that there are some rather fancy names for various styles of convertibles, and that's all fine and dandy. Not my concern, since I have no desire to own one ever again in my lifetime. I have owned several convertibles over the years, and I wouldn't give ten cents on the dollar to own another one.

Plus, like I said, enough money, you can just about whatever your heart desires done to a vehicle.

 

[satx78247]

Sigh

Vaquero,

WOW. - I had wondered WHO that "LOONY JOE" Biden was talking about, when he called someone a "dog face pony soldier".

CHUCKLE, satx

 

[satx78247]

IMO. if the top isn't a permanent fixed part of the vehicle, and can be removed, lowered or taken down, it's a convertible. I know that there are some rather fancy names for various styles of convertibles, and that's all fine and dandy. Not my concern, since I have no desire to own one ever again in my lifetime. I have owned several convertibles over the years, and I wouldn't give ten cents on the dollar to own another one.

Plus, like I said, enough money, you can just about whatever your heart desires done to a vehicle.

Axxe55,

I guess that I haven't grown up enough YET to NOT like roadsters & other soft topped cars. = It's never too late for a 2nd childhood.
(I have a real case of "THE HOTS" for a 560SEC, converted into a drophead coupe in Germany or Belgium. = There were less than 100 made. In fact THE STAR magazine says perhaps LESS than 50 total. = I know where TWO of them are for sale & I cannot afford either one.)

yours, satx

 

[Axxe55]

Axxe55,

I guess that I haven't grown up enough YET to NOT like roadsters & other soft topped cars. = It's never too late for a 2nd childhood.
(I have a real case of "THE HOTS" for a 560SEC, converted into a drophead coupe in Germany or Belgium. = There were less than 100 made. In fact THE STAR magazine says perhaps LESS than 50 total. = I know where TWO of them are for sale & I cannot afford either one.)

yours, satx

I didn't say I don't like convertibles, I said I have no desire to ever own another one personally. For the most part, I consider them to be very impractical vehicles. They are much more demanding in maintenance and really need to be garaged or stored inside out of the elements. Parts are quite expensive if you have to have one repaired, even the more common mass produced cars with convertible tops. They are also not a type of car I would own ever as my daily or primary driver either.

If I were an extremely wealthy man with a huge garage or shop to keep them in out of the weather, I might own another couple of them. But I'm not wealthy.

 

[benenglish]

Four cylinder, or six cylinder?

4.

And I got it wrong. Obviously, you knew that. The 4-cylinders didn't come along until the next gen, starting in 1982.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I must confess that I can't remember the 4 cylinder offering in them.