Happy Friday, Autopians! To round out our week of record albums paired with cars from the same year, I’m giving you a two-fer: Joe Jackson’s first two albums, Look Sharp! and I’m The Man, both released in 1979. And we’ve got two unusual and cool ’79 model-year cars to check out, as well.
But first, let’s go back to 1988 – I mean, yesterday – to see how our two automatic coupes did. You all surprised me; I did not expect that Reatta to win. Maybe it’s because you know there are more exciting and fun Z cars out there, whereas the Reatta kind of just is what it is.
I’m glad you generally agreed with me that the hood scoop on the Reatta has got to go, as well. It seems there are some appearance mods you can live with, and others you just can’t. I once sold a Coupe DeVille that I really liked, simply because I just couldn’t stop hating its fake convertible top. I thought I’d get used to it, but I never did. And when I found out how much work was involved in removing it, I gave up.
I was six years old in 1979, and even I could tell that the world outside The Muppet Show and my Matchbox car collection was kind of a mess. Gas was expensive, the President was mopey, and I wasn’t allowed to be in the room while my parents watched the news, because they were always swearing at something. All I knew for sure was that disco sucked and so did my mom’s car. (I have since come around to some disco, but the Dodge Aspen still sucks.)
What I didn’t know was that pop music was rewiring itself from the inside out, changing in ways that would become very important to me in just a few years. People were recording albums that I would grow to love when I got older, fusing punk, reggae, and rock into something called “new wave.” I probably heard some Joe Jackson songs back then, on WLS or WLUP, but it wasn’t until I started delving into the musical past in college that I acquired my love for Look Sharp! and I’m The Man. (Anthrax may have helped a little, too.) From the raw power chords at the beginning of “One More Time” through the frenetic climax of “Friday,” I still can listen to them both just about any time.
Finding cars from 1979 was a bit harder. As you are likely aware, it wasn’t exactly a high-water mark for the auto industry. Eventually, after some digging, I did find two cool old classics, coincidentally for the same price, that I think you’ll appreciate. Here they are.
1979 Ford Ranchero GT – $7,500
Engine/drivetrain: 351 cubic inch overhead valve V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Peoria, AZ
Odometer reading: 105,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, but has been sitting
In 1979, long before the “Information Age,” I’m willing to bet that not a lot of Americans knew that car-based pickup trucks had a name in Australia, or that they were wildly popular there. No one here would have seen a Ranchero and called it a “ute.” 1979 was the end of the road for the Ranchero, after 22 years. This final version was based on the LTD II, and features the same stacked dual rectangular headlights, pointy front fenders, and massive front and rear overhangs.
Under the shockingly long hood of this Ranchero is Ford’s “351M” V8 engine, driving the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic. This big cast-iron brute puts out a whopping – wait for it – 151 net horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, to what is probably a fairly tall rear axle ratio. Spirited driving is likely out of the question, but that’s the case with nearly all American cars of the era.
This Ranchero has only recently been awakened from a twenty-year slumber, and from what the seller says, it isn’t quite awake yet. It runs and drives, but has a little misfire they haven’t tracked down yet. The fuel filter, plugs, and plug wires are new, so it could be crud in the tank, or in the carb. Luckily, cars this age are simple, so it shouldn’t be too hard to track down the issue. It’s in good cosmetic shape inside, but the carpets are sun-bleached and for some reason the center trim/horn button/cruise control buttons are zip-tied on. However, the seller says everything on the dashboard works.
It has been repainted, years ago, and shows evidence of some possible bodywork at the right rear, where it looks like there is a chip in some filler. Bring a magnet along to see how much filler there really is. But it was a California car, and the photos in the ad show a nice clean underside that would make Midwesterners weep.
1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV – $7,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter dual overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Glendale, CA
Odometer reading: 97,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Alfa Romeo, now part of the massive Stellantis empire (or, as I have heard them jokingly called, “Italian Leyland”), has a rocky history in the US. And, if I’m honest, pretty much everywhere else, too. Alfas are often beautiful cars, universally praised for their handling and road manners, with sonorous engines that make you want to stay in a lower gear just a little bit longer to hear them wind out. They are also finicky, rust-prone, and unnecessarily complicated. And while a few select models can be considered collector’s items, a whole lot of 1970s and 80s Alfas are just extra-high-maintenance used cars.
This car, a 1979 Alfetta GTV, is such a car. It’s not the earlier and better-looking Giulia Sprint GTV, nor the later and faster GTV6; it’s the one no one remembers. It’s got all the good stuff, though: a fuel-injected twin-cam engine, a rear-mounted five-speed transaxle, four-wheel disc brakes, and a racy DeDion rear suspension. The fuel injection system on these cars can be fussy, but the seller says this one runs great, and is “such a pleasure to drive.”
These cars have a really weird dashboard configuration: the tachometer is front-and-center in its own little binnacle, with a wider binnacle in the middle of the dash for the speedometer, warning lights, and other gauges. All the better to wind out that sweet twin-cam engine, while your passengers panic over the speeds you’re hitting. Actually, come to think of it, this is a 1979 model, which means the speedometer only goes to 85. What a dumb law that was.
This Alfetta looks mighty clean and straight, and it looks good in black. I like the Panasport wheels on it, too. The seller says a lot of things have been replaced, and they have service records to prove it. The only thing that doesn’t work is the driver’s side power window.
So there you have it: two great albums and two cool cars from what was at best a difficult year in American history. Give Joe Jackson a listen while you look over the cars; there’s a little something in there for everyone. I can’t believe I got away with a whole week of talking about music almost as much as cars, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Maybe we’ll do it again sometime. Have a great weekend!
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Would it be wrong if I bought the Ranchero and actually used it for hauling stuff? This one looks nice, but not too nice to throw some lumber back there.
I normally like Alfas, and I like the body of this one, but why does it look like it has a lift on it. I thought it was going to be some “safari edition” when I first saw the pic.
I was wondering that, too. It does have torsion bars in the front; maybe someone just has them cranked up too high.
Probably a factory fix to get the bumpers up high enough to satisfy US law. Many English cars for the era looked up on stilts for that reason.
It was indeed a fix to get its bumper tall enough for US standards. They look much better with the European springs. It’s a common swap. Those tires also appear to be too big.
Would it be wrong if I bought the Ranchero and actually used it for hauling stuff? This one looks nice, but not too nice to throw some lumber back there.
I normally like Alfas, and I like the body of this one, but why does it look like it has a lift on it. I thought it was going to be some “safari edition” when I first saw the pic.
I was wondering that, too. It does have torsion bars in the front; maybe someone just has them cranked up too high.
Probably a factory fix to get the bumpers up high enough to satisfy US law. Many English cars for the era looked up on stilts for that reason.
It was indeed a fix to get its bumper tall enough for US standards. They look much better with the European springs. It’s a common swap. Those tires also appear to be too big.
I’ll take the Ranchero. The front end styling of this generation is a bit awkward, but they are otherwise nice looking vehicles. Utes are inherently awesome.
Also, this might be a controversial opinion, but I think Alfas are ugly. I don’t understand the fascination with these vehicles.
Not all of them are ugly, but this one is. Something just looks ungainly about it.
I do like the styling of the Spider and 4C. I don’t see the appeal of other Alfas, though.
I’ll take the Ranchero. The front end styling of this generation is a bit awkward, but they are otherwise nice looking vehicles. Utes are inherently awesome.
Also, this might be a controversial opinion, but I think Alfas are ugly. I don’t understand the fascination with these vehicles.
Not all of them are ugly, but this one is. Something just looks ungainly about it.
I do like the styling of the Spider and 4C. I don’t see the appeal of other Alfas, though.
Two excellent albums. I’ll take both.
Two excellent albums. I’ll take both.
You marry the Ranchero for its practicality, but secretly go out with the Alfa for the thrills. Until the Ranchero finds out and burns your garage to a crisp.
Nah, I think the Alfa goes all Fatal Attraction and tries to burn you to a crisp. It’s Italian, after all.
And you kill Mark’s mom’s Aspen. Makes sense.
Ha!
You marry the Ranchero for its practicality, but secretly go out with the Alfa for the thrills. Until the Ranchero finds out and burns your garage to a crisp.
Nah, I think the Alfa goes all Fatal Attraction and tries to burn you to a crisp. It’s Italian, after all.
And you kill Mark’s mom’s Aspen. Makes sense.
Ha!
My boss had a Ranchero of this vintage, sadly Hurricane Katrina made a submarine out of it. I loved driving that ridiculous car and would happily drive one again.
My boss had a Ranchero of this vintage, sadly Hurricane Katrina made a submarine out of it. I loved driving that ridiculous car and would happily drive one again.
I would call and take that Alfa for a test drive just for the experience but long term I would buy the Ranchero.
I would call and take that Alfa for a test drive just for the experience but long term I would buy the Ranchero.
The Alfa would make better lawn art than the working Ranchero, since we all know that Alfa won’t be able to run or drive a short time after money has been exchanged.
The Alfa would make better lawn art than the working Ranchero, since we all know that Alfa won’t be able to run or drive a short time after money has been exchanged.
Definitely a “why not both?” choice today. The Alfa will be so much more fun to drive for the 2-3 weeks a year it is fully functional while the Ranchero is perfect for the weekly trips to the Alfa specialist to pick up parts.
The Ranchero can even haul the Alfa’s engine and transaxle to the shop.
Win – Win.
Definitely a “why not both?” choice today. The Alfa will be so much more fun to drive for the 2-3 weeks a year it is fully functional while the Ranchero is perfect for the weekly trips to the Alfa specialist to pick up parts.
The Ranchero can even haul the Alfa’s engine and transaxle to the shop.
Win – Win.
I’ve never owned an Alfa, and I know everyone is supposed to own an Alfa at some point, so I’ll take the Alfa.
I guess I’ve never owned a Ford either, but I don’t think anyone ever says you must own a Ford.
It has been my experience that you don’t set out to own a Ford, but somehow it occasionally happens anyway.
This actually happened to my grandfather. He always drove Chevy trucks, and had a Mitsubishi Mighty Max as his farm truck. As those trucks wore out he replaced them one by one…and now has two F-150s and two (I think) Ford Rangers. He just happened to get good deals on all of them.
Took an Alfa Spyder for a test drive last weekend. What a disappointing experience. I showed up with cash in hand, and went home in the same condition.
I’ve never owned an Alfa, and I know everyone is supposed to own an Alfa at some point, so I’ll take the Alfa.
I guess I’ve never owned a Ford either, but I don’t think anyone ever says you must own a Ford.
It has been my experience that you don’t set out to own a Ford, but somehow it occasionally happens anyway.
This actually happened to my grandfather. He always drove Chevy trucks, and had a Mitsubishi Mighty Max as his farm truck. As those trucks wore out he replaced them one by one…and now has two F-150s and two (I think) Ford Rangers. He just happened to get good deals on all of them.
Took an Alfa Spyder for a test drive last weekend. What a disappointing experience. I showed up with cash in hand, and went home in the same condition.
Pretty sure if you made the ranchero mid engine and turned the front section into a bed, it would be longer than the actual bed. Seriously this thing is oddly proportioned with seemingly equal length front and rear and just a small cockpit shoved in the middle. Alfa all the way.
By that I of course mean all the way to the repair shop where it will spend the majority of its time, but man on that second Wednesday of every other month when it runs right, it will be a blast!
Pretty sure if you made the ranchero mid engine and turned the front section into a bed, it would be longer than the actual bed. Seriously this thing is oddly proportioned with seemingly equal length front and rear and just a small cockpit shoved in the middle. Alfa all the way.
By that I of course mean all the way to the repair shop where it will spend the majority of its time, but man on that second Wednesday of every other month when it runs right, it will be a blast!
I know it’s an egregious mistake, but I voted for the Alfa.
I know it’s an egregious mistake, but I voted for the Alfa.
That Alfa seems like a decent deal. It’s far more interesting, much prettier and would be much more fun to own/operate. I was never a fan of the wannabe El Camino.
If either car is a wannabe, it’s the El Camino as the Ranchero came out first in 1956. The Elco followed in ‘59.
That Alfa seems like a decent deal. It’s far more interesting, much prettier and would be much more fun to own/operate. I was never a fan of the wannabe El Camino.
If either car is a wannabe, it’s the El Camino as the Ranchero came out first in 1956. The Elco followed in ‘59.
That Alfetta is just gorgeous, but today I’m voting for Sleeping Ute-y. Love these things and it has a V8, which is good because I like my Rancheros with huevos.