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Cheap Thrills: Cars of The ’70s That Packed an Unseen Punch

Cameron Eittreim September 4, 2024

Diving into the automotive past, the 1970s were a time of disco, bell-bottoms, and some surprisingly gutsy cars that didn’t necessarily scream ‘power’ at first glance. These undercover speedsters of the ’70s might have looked unassuming parked next to the flashier models of the day, but under the hood, they packed a punch that could leave many unsuspecting admirers in the dust. From sleepers to family sedans with an unexpected kick, these vehicles offered thrills without the frills, proving that looks can indeed be deceiving.

Join us as we rev the engines of the past and uncover the hidden gems that brought excitement to the everyday drive, without breaking the bank. Whether it was a car like the AMC Gremlin or something a bit more forward, the seventies were a unique time of transition for the automotive industry. These cars were able to blend new technology with a smaller curb weight to combat rising fuel costs. The results were some of the most unique cars that we’ve ever seen, many of which are still classics today.

AMC Gremlin

The Gremlin was introduced on April 1, 1970, by American Motors Corporation and it was something completely different. The fact that it was a hatchback wasn’t lost on consumers, but it was a hatchback that packed a V8 engine. The car was advertised as being larger than life, and part of this appeal was the fact that the large V8 engine was crammed under the hood of it (via Motor Trend).

The Gremlin was by far one of the most under-estimated cars of its period. The unique styling and the one-of-a-kind performance that was under the hood of it separated the Gremlin from the pack. The seventies were a time of trying designs and performance and the Gremlin seemed to do everything right, and it was the car that temporarily saved AMC.

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Chevrolet Vega

The seventies were a tough time for domestic automakers, and GM had to adapt to growing Japanese competition. The Chevrolet Vega was one of the first new cars to come out and compete with the likes of Honda and Toyota. The Vega had a 2.3-liter inline-four engine that was surprisingly fun to drive, and the Camaro mini styling proved to be popular with buyers (via Auto Blog).

The Vega won quite a few awards in its time as well including the coveted Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 1971. Although the design was panned and the quality of the car wasn’t the best, the Vega proved to be a decent investment for GM. The Vega had an interesting design and it was a notable way for GM to try and penetrate the new compact segment of the seventies.

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Photo Credit: Edmunds

Ford Pinto

The Ford Pinto was both revolutionary and cautionary for domestic automakers. The compact car proved to be one of the best-selling Ford’s of all time, but the build ended up being questioned. The optional power and performance that the Pinto offered were one of the best selling points of the car. The Pinto was quite fast and it proved to be one of the first sleeper cars on the market (via Car Gurus).

Unfortunately, a faulty rear fuel tank design caused the car to be engulfed in controversy, and Ford ended up losing billions of dollars. Nevertheless, the Pinto is one of the most notable sleeper cars on the market from this era. The unique design was unlike anything else at the time, and Ford caused a stir and gave the Japanese automakers a run for their money.

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AMC Pacer

AMC had a tough time in the sixties and seventies as more competition arose in the market. With the rise of fuel prices, automakers needed to offer a comparable value, and the Pacer was a short-lived success. One of the most notable things about the car was the fishbowl-style design, which gave the interior of the compact car a large feel to it (via Go Motors).

Before the fishbowl design of the Pacer compact cars were undersized and very small feeling inside. The optional V8 engine was also a massive performance improvement when you compared it to the Japanese competition. Every inch of the Pacer was an American design and for the most part, consumers rallied around the car until it became outdated.

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Ford Mustang Cobra II

The Pinto was a success and a disaster for Ford Motor Company, but what it did do was introduce a few other models on the platform. One of the most notable cars to come from the Pinto platform was the Mustang Cobra II. This generation of the Mustang was considerably smaller than other models that were on the market at the time, and the performance was largely questioned by the community (via Motor Trend).

The Cobra II was a unique model though, with a decent amount of power considering the small stature of the car. This was one of the least popular generations of the Mustang and thus the Cobra II is seemingly rare. It’s safe to say that when you see a Cobra II on the road it’s quite a rare and unique sight to see, and a unique piece of Ford history.

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Plymouth Sapporo

The Plymouth Sapporo was a unique and fun-to-drive little car that was sold by Plymouth from 1978 to 1983. Perhaps the most unique attribute of the Sapporo was the fact that it was built in partnership with Mitsubishi. This was one of the first partnerships between a domestic automaker and a Japanese one, and it proved to be a successful one for Mitsubishi (via Hemmings).

The Sapporo is generally panned by people who lived through this era of cars, but looking back it was a unique offering. Considering that Chrysler was in a transition period the Sapporo was a decent entry, to say the least. It had a reasonable amount of interior volume and the performance wasn’t bad either. This is one of the most forgotten Plymouth models on the road and it was one of the most surprising.

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Chevy Chevette

The Chevette isn’t the first car that comes to mind when you think of fun-to-drive performance, but it had a few special models. The Rally Sport is one such model that comes to mind, adorning the usual Chevy red and black paint scheme. Surprisingly the Chevette was also quite successful on the rally car circuit around the world. The small size of the car was fuel efficient and it proved to be successful for the brand (via The Truth About Cars).

The R/S models are a lot harder to come by, as most of the Chevette models have been rusted away for decades now. Nevertheless, you still find them in decent condition from time to time. Getting a piece of GM compact car history is something special, and the Chevette was an important piece of this. Even though the car seems insignificant now there was a time when it was very important.

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Volvo 262C

The Volvo 262C was another rare car from the seventies that packed a surprising punch. The car was designed for speed and luxury, and it proved to be a departure from the usual Volvo formula. The V6 engine, known as the PRV engine, was a result of a joint venture between Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo. It’s not often that you found Volvo partnering with rival automotive brands but the 262C was a rare sight (via Hemmings).

The 262C was positioned as a luxury coupe, going head-to-head with the best that Mercedes and BMW had to offer at the time. The 262C was one of the most powerful Volvo cars from the period and it was featured in a dozen movies and TV shows. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to compete with Mercedes or BMW, but it’s one of the best sleepers to come out of the decade.

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Mercury Bobcat

Mercury had a couple of rare rides during the 1970s as the brand evolved into something more unique. The interesting thing about the Bobcat was the fact that it was based on the Ford Pinto. The Bobcat wasn’t the fastest car on the block but it had a lot of upmarket features when compared to the Pinto models. The unique styling and the upmarket appeal of the car made it a unique sleeper (via Motorcities).

Nowadays it’s not uncommon to see these cars fitted with a healthy V8 engine, and that’s proved to be one of the most popular modifications. The Bobcat will go down in history as a unique piece of Ford advertising and marketing. The company took the basic Pinto and made it into something rapidly unique and upmarket. When it comes to rare cars from this period the Bobcat was quite rare.

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Stutz Blackhawk

Stutz was a rare automaker that specialized in coach-built cars and the Blackhawk was a very upscale model. The Blackhawk wasn’t some slow cruiser, it was a car that packed a serious punch. When you factored in the unique rims and the one-of-a-kind styling it wasn’t like anything else on the road. The Blackhawk managed to become quite a talked about model in the automotive press (via Below The Radar).

The car was marketed to the ultra-wealthy which is why you’ll seldom see one on the road. But, when you do see these cars they are quite a sight to see thanks to the one-of-a-kind styling. You won’t see any other car like this on the road, and all of the unique features came from the factory. The Blackhawk had stellar performance and styling that wasn’t like anything else on the road.

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Chrysler Cordoba

Chrysler had a lot of unique cars in the seventies but it was also a struggling brand during this period. The Cordoba was a competion for the likes of the Chevy Monte Carlo and it was a big ride. It was marketed for having Corinthian leather seating and a host of other luxury features. The V8 engine under the hood was panned for being underpowered back then, but nowadays it’s quite an affordable sleeper (via Medium).

The Cordoba has the type of styling that you’d want a car from this decade to have, but it also has the V8 power under the hood. Because the car wasn’t widely accepted as a collector’s item the prices for a used one are pretty cheap. Every once in a while you can find a clean example of a Cordoba on the road today and the unique styling is every bit the 1970s.

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AMC Hornet 360

Another AMC sleeper from this decade was the Hornet 360. The compact car packed a punch thanks to a V8 engine that was under the hood, and the compact size of the car was not to be ignored. The Hornet 360 was meant to appeal to consumers who wanted a fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient car. Although AMC didn’t have a lot of success during this decade the company was able to salvage parts from other models to build the Hornet 360 (via Curbside Classic).

AMC Hornet SC/360 — Photo Credit: Car Domain

The unique styling of the Hornet 360 and the two-tone paint job made the car stand out, not to mention the fact that it was quite small. AMC was attempting to push fun and unique rides during this decade and the Hornet 360 fit the bill. Although you’ll seldom see one of these on the road the Hornet 360 was one of the few sleepers from the seventies that’s still worth getting.

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1970 Dodge Dart Swinger

The Dodge Dart was a well-known nameplate by the seventies, but the Swinger was a last-ditch attempt to reinvigorate the brand. Unfortunately, during this period the Dart was lacking popularity due to the fuel crisis of the seventies. The Swinger did have a modest run thanks to the performance from the V8 engine, and the 340 V8 had a four-barrel carburetor and a reasonable amount of performance (via Barn Finds).

The car had features like a long sloping hood and a large interior, slotting it above other cars in this class. The Dart Swinger was one of the last cars from this decade to have a powerful V8 under the hood. If you got this in the bright yellow paint job you were in for something special. There are very few cars from the era that managed to be as much of a sleeper as the Dart Swinger.

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Volkswagen Type 181

Let’s be honest, by the 1970s Volkswagen was at the height of popularity. The Type 181 was a fun-to-drive and interesting-looking car that was marketed toward young people who loved to ride with the top open. The car was called the “Thing” and the “Safari”, and it was rather unique in the marketplace. The powertrain and the platform were based on the Beetle, lending to a compact design (via Hagerty).

The Volkswagen Thing was not only fun to drive but it also looked different than just about anything else on the market. These cars weren’t very popular when it came to sales numbers which is why they are rare today. Nevertheless, you can still find a decent one on the market for a little bit of nothing and you’ll have a fun to drive and unique ride.

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Subaru Brat

Contrary to popular belief Subaru did sell a truck in the U.S. for a short period. The Brat was a compact truck that had a potent 1.6-liter flat-four engine under the hood. The capable truck was compact and very good on gas, which was important during the seventies. The Brat had a car-based design so it appealed to the person who didn’t need a full-sized truck (via Subaru Car Blog).

The Brat is largely considered a legend in the automotive community, and its popularity has continued to rise. These cars used to be rather affordable but now you can expect to pay a pretty penny to get your hands on one. Few cars are as fun to drive and provide the sleeper value as the Brat was. This was a seriously fun and unique compact truck that anyone could toy around with.

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