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Odd-Ball 1970s Cars You’ve Probably Never Heard Of!

Cameron Eittreim January 21, 2025

The 1970s were a transformative time for the automotive industry. There were a lot of unique cars that hit the market and attained massive popularity. But there were also a lot of forgotten cars as well. Technology was improving quite a bit during this era so the cars were becoming more and more technologically advanced. We looked back at some of the hidden gems from this era that collectors should keep an eye out for.

Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation Dale

In 1974, Liz Carmichael launched the Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation, promising a groundbreaking three-wheeled car called the Dale. It claimed 70 MPG and cutting-edge materials, but it turned out to be a scam. The prototypes didn’t work, the claims were false, and Carmichael eventually faced conviction for fraud.

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Alfa Romeo Montreal

The Alfa Romeo Montreal was a sports car from the 1970s. It had a sleek design with pop-up headlights and a powerful V8 engine. The car was fast and fun to drive with a lightweight body. Today, it’s a rare classic that collectors admire. Since Alfa Romeo has returned to the US Market there is more appeal to classics like this one.

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GMC Caballero

The GMC Caballero was a unique car-truck combo made from the late 1970s to the 1980s. It had the style of a car with the practicality of a truck, fif it looked familiar it’s because it shared a body with the El Camino. The Caballero was not as popular as the El Camino and has become a collectors item.

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Checker Model A12

The Checker Model A12 was a classic taxi cab produced from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Known for its boxy design it became an iconic part of city streets. There was a time before the Crown Victoria that the Checker was the only taxi cab that you’d see on the road. Nowadays it has become quite the collectors car.

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Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9

Long before the S-Class was the top of the line in the Mercedes lineup it was the 450SEL. It had a big 6.9-liter V8 engine and a special suspension for a smooth ride. With its comfortable leather seats and elegant design it was the pinnacle of luxury. Finding a 450SEL in clean condition is not an easy task.

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Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II

The Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II was a fast car made in 1969 for NASCAR racing. It had a long, smooth shape to help it go quicker. Mercury wasn’t the most popular in terms of a muscle car, but the Cyclone gave it credibility. Although muscle cars like the Chevelle and GTO get all the praise the lesser-known Cyclone shouldn’t be overlooked.

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Manic GT

The Manic GT was a sleek Canadian sports car made in the early 1970s. It featured a lightweight fiberglass body and a Renault engine. You don’t hear a lot about Canadian sports cars and thus the Manic GT was quite unique. With the stellar handling and performance, the Manic GT shouldn’t be overlooked either.

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Mercury Bobcat

The Mercury Bobcat was a small car made in the 1970s and what was funny was that it shared a body with the Ford Pinto. The car wasn’t particularly fast or reliable, but the fact that it was a Mercury was unique. From a collectors perspective the Bobcat is a unique hatchback from the bygone era.

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AC Frua

The AC Frua was a sporty car made in the 1960s and 1970s. It was built by AC Cars in Britain and had a beautiful design by Italian designer Pietro Frua. It shared the same American Cobra Jet V8 that was under the hood of the AC Cobra. A lot of people don’t realize that fact making the AC Frua an underappreciated ride.

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Bond Bug

The Bond Bug was a small three-wheeled car from the 1970s in the UK. It had a cool, wedge shape and a roof that lifted up instead of doors. Who says weird isn’t fun? This wasn’t as mainstream of a car as the Volkswagen Beetle, but it did amass a few followers who are fond of the car to this day.

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Bricklin SV-1

The Bricklin SV-1 was another Canadian sports car from the 1970s that really stands out. It had gull-wing doors that made it look futuristic, long before Marty McFly did. It also had a powerful V8 engine that coupled with the lightweight design gave it quite a bit of pep. This car isn’t the most well-known car on the road so it’s quite unique.

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Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar

The Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar was a small electric car made in the 1970s during the gas crisis. What was essentially the first production electric car built way back in the 70s was also quite unique looking. In a lot of ways, the shape resembled the Bond Car. The CitiCar didn’t sell very well, but it was groundbreaking in a lot of ways.

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Vector W2

The Vector W2 was a supercar from the 1970s and 1980s that looked like a fighter jet. It had a sharp design and a twin-turbo V8 engine that rivaled anything Ferrari was putting out. In a lot of ways, the W2 resembled the Lamborghini Countach, although it beat it to the market by quite a few years.

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International Harvester Scout II Terra

The International Harvester Scout II Terra was a rugged pickup-style SUV made in the 1970s and early 1980s. It had a tough build, four-wheel drive, and a removable roof. You probably forgot that International ever made trucks and SUV’s. The company was highly regarded in this arena, although they exited the business in the eighties.

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AMC Concord

The AMC Concord was a small car made from 1978 to 1983. It came as a sedan, coupe, or wagon and was built to be comfortable and affordable. The AMC models that always get all the attention from this era are the Gremlin and Pacer hatchbacks, but the Concord was an equally unique ride that wasn’t appreciated.

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Mini Marcos

The Mini Marcos was a small, lightweight sports car first made in the 1960s. Built using Mini parts, it had a unique fiberglass body that made it fast and fun to drive. Although it had a quirky design the Marcos had some luck in the racing world. You don’t generally think of mini as a sports car company but the Marcos changed all that.

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Stutz Black Hawk

The Stutz Blackhawk was a luxury car made from the 1970s to the 1980s. It combined flashy styling with powerful V8 engines. Every inch of the Black Hawk was hand-built and it was meant to be unique looking. The Stutz was a car that most people never even knew existed.

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Ranger B GTS

The Ranger B GTS was a sporty and compact car built in South Africa during the 1970s. Based on Ford’s designs, it features a sleek look. Very few of these coupes were put into production. Due to the limited production run of the car, most enthusiasts don’t remember this one.

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Piper GT P2

The Piper GT P2 was a sleek sports car from the late 1960s, built in the UK. It featured a lightweight fiberglass body and was powered by a Ford engine. The Piper GT P2 isn’t well known by most enthusiasts but this was a great sports car.

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Panther DeVille

The Panther DeVille was a luxury car produced from 1974 to 1985 by Panther Westwinds in the UK. It combined retro styling inspired by 1930s cars with modern performance and comfort. The engine was provided by Jaguar which gave the Panther a stellar amount of performance.

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Dodge Magnum

The 1970s Dodge Magnum was a cool and powerful car that came out in 1978. The Magnum was set to replace the Charger in the Dodge lineup, and it had a V8 engine as well. The Magnum never became a sales success and thus many enthusiasts don’t remember this car.

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Cadillac Calais

The Cadillac Calais was a luxury car made from 1965 to 1976. It was known for its cheap price tag compared to other models. For a short period of time this was the cheapest Cadillac model that you could buy. You almost never see the name of the Calais mentioned in the media.

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Buick Apollo

The Buick Apollo was a compact car made from 1973 to 1975. It was Buick’s version of the GM X-body platform. You seldom see a compact Buick from this era so it’s quite the sight to see. The Apollo wasn’t particularly popular but it had enough unique features to make it a collector’s item.

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Isuzu Gemini

Most people remember Isuzu for the automakers run in the 1990s and 2000s selling SUV models. But an often forgotten fact about Isuzu was the fact that they sold cars here too. The Gemini was a popular compact car sold in the seventies. It never reached the heights of the Corolla or Civic but it was still noteworthy.

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Odd-Ball 1970s Cars You’ve Probably Never Heard Of!

Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation Dale

Alfa Romeo Montreal

GMC Caballero

Checker Model A12

Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9

Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II

Manic GT

Mercury Bobcat

AC Frua

Bond Bug

Bricklin SV-1

Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar

Vector W2

International Harvester Scout II Terra

AMC Concord

Mini Marcos

Stutz Black Hawk

Ranger B GTS

Piper GT P2

Panther DeVille

Dodge Magnum

Cadillac Calais

Buick Apollo

Isuzu Gemini

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