Just one problem - it's not an F-body! That was really my favorite in the race. I mean, the Firebird has pop-up headlights! That makes it scientifically superior.

The Camaro being beaten by the 924 really bothers me as well. Not only is it better as a beater than a 924, it's superior to the Fox as well. #f-bodytrollin'

Close, but no cigar. That's an MG Midget, which is even smaller than a Spitfire, if only slightly.

I'm gonna be melodramatic here and say that "close enough" is all most working people have been getting to their dreams come retirement age ever since that time.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say his hate boner for anything related to social justice led him to jump to the conclusion.

Ooh, look at that spin! Too bad all the educated judges give it only a 3/10.

That was basically the progressive viewpoint at the time. Instead of relentlessly and shamelessly exploiting the working class, without a care as to their health, education and quality of life, as had been the usual way of doing things in industry up to that point, the new idea was to improve the life of the working…

The hair and ties on those designers working on the model are fantastic. Leave it to the Japanese to make 70s style classy.

Why limit yourself to one size up? Unless you live in a big city, why even consider a small car? Today's trucks beat cars in any relevant category except mileage. If you can't afford them new, buy used. Get a body on frame truck with a non-interference engine and never worry about anything again.

I always liked the Paris chase from Ronin not just for its A-plus no-fakery stunt driving, but also for the fact that the actors believably portray driving a car in a high-speed chase through dense traffic. Both De Niro and Natasha McElhone manage to act both very concentrated and utterly horrified at the same time.

I imagine it was he basically ground away her teeth? Like, so she couldn't bite him when he raped her?

The iron will of the people. Revolutionary fervor was out sick that day.

It's definitely a masterpiece of understated design. Still, imagine if they'd done a fastback - that would have been something. Right in the face of BMW.

The design department at Mercedes in the 70s and 80s (the Stilistikabteilung) were much more adventurous than the cars that were actually built suggest. I've read that they developed designs for a hatch/fastback version of the W123, similar to what Audi did on the first-gen 100 (I'll be damned if I can find a design…

They did in fact never offer the Toploader - I was just generally comparing. You're right the Super T-10 is probably the best for all-around driving, great shifts and sturdy as hell without being a noisy rock crusher.

The way I see it, this should be a driver. If it were a 390, Go-pack, all-options car I'd say keep it stock and do a grade-A resto. But this, just make sure it's mechanically sound, fix up that interior, paint it the color of your choice and go have fun.

I guess the Toploader and the Muncie M22 were closer to a real racing-type transmission... but the T-10 is definitely better than Mopars 4-speed offerings, and with a decent shift linkage - like the good ole Hurst - it's by all accounts precise and positive and doesn't require an arm wrestler's biceps either.

The center gauges were optional, and rarely ordered. If you didn't order them, there were vents in their place, which this car actually has - look close, and you'll see it's not solid plastic inside those recesses but two closed flaps that fit snugly. Same goes for the fake wood - optional, all in the name of a low…

The dash, while faded, is original. (They used a different one - arguably better-looking - in the '70 model). This is what it looks like in primo condition - not sure if the hood over the instruments was optional since not all seem to have it:

It's a sports car! AMC were very insistent about that in their period ads. Make of that what you will... wickedly awesome machine either way.