Your too hard on yourself sometimes. Seriously you do a Great job, growing pains are a thing but in order for natural progression to take place they must exists. The channel is Right, your delivery is Unique and thats what makes it Special ! So from now on just do what you do and we WILL watch ... apologies/excuses aren't necessary Keep em rollin Hawk...love n respect ✌
Spot on!!! Please no more apologies. You don't use AI and you actually narrate with a unique presentation. You're NOT monotone I would say a natural. Keep up the good work, and I will continue to watch every time I get a notification. Thank you
I drove past a 1972 Chevy Nova today and was thinking what a missed opportunity Chevy had by never making a “Supernova” racing edition. The name was right there.
Do you know what the differences would be in a "racing addition"? About four pieces of trim, some adheasive foam tape and possibly 10 more horsepower allowed from the factory tune... It wouldn't he worth $18 dollars more than the base model. Go tour a GM or Ford Assembly plant in Michigan and you'll see. There's no difference in different models that's worth more than $20 dollars. I promise.
They made plenty of super sport novas youngster@@nathanieladams7624
3 месяца назад+17
I recall when my dad bought a brand new 79 Silverado two tone paint job blue and silver. It had all electric locks and windows, a plush cloth interior with an AM/FM cassette player, and a 454 big block. It was awesome.
I remember going with my uncle to the GMC dealer, where he paid cash for a brand new 1980 GMC pickup... It was a blue and silver short bed, had every comfort and convenience option, and had a big Six cylinder engine. I'm pretty sure he only paid around $6,500 for it at the time. Those were the days...
I have a 2021 standard cab long bed 1500WT that was 35,000 with a 2.7ltr turbo 4cyl auto,air,cruise,power windows and door locks. It does have a 110 plug in the cab and bed to charge battery tools
I bought a brand new GMC Envoy XL back in the day. XL meant 7 seater with the elevated 3rd row seating. I loved that machine. The BEST family SUV in the day. My kids fought over the 3rd row seats. Such a great platform and the engine was a great match in my opinion.
Still have my 06 envoy xl Denali. MANY trips to OBX beaches. Comfortable and plenty of power with the 5.3. Rated at 310hp? Rides smooth with the airbag suspension. How about the Chevy sportsman that came with a gun rack and rifle!!!
My dad raced harness horses and, every few years, got a new Chevy truck to pull the horses around the state. From the 60s until the 90s. Grandpa aways had to have "2 GAS TANKS." In his Chevy truck.
The Geo Storm was a rebadged version of the sporty, second generation Isuzu Impulse minus some of that car's more expensive features. Great car. Nice vid again.
Great vid as always Hawk! The whole Eurotrim packages started in the late 70s with Domestics..Even the Pinto had one. Basically it meant more bodycolored or blacked out trim instead of chrome LOL. Those Eurosport Celebrity models had to be rare. I never saw them when new, and only did catch one years later at car shows.
Dude, love this kind of content. Have always been fascinated by these sorts of trim packages ever since I learned about Levi's jeeps and hertz Shelbys. Cheers!
An honorable mention should be the 1984 Buick Summer Olympic Edition Century. I recall seeing a couple at our local dealer. The cars were white with tan interiors and had gold badging, including the Olympic logo.
Had a 85 cutlass supreme that had t-tops never leaked in all the years I had it. Miss that car. Thanks for covering all the vehicles that you do a lot of your videos brings back great memories for me. My father was kind of a collector of unique cars and we had some really cool stuff when I was growing up.
Remember my friend! The speed bumps are not the obstacles...the speed bumps ARE the journey =) I get soooooooo excited when I see a new video from your channel...what you are doing is needed in automotive history so we WILL stop by to watch...do NOT worry for one more second!
I went to a car show at a Chevrolet dealership and there was a 1976 Corvette Bicentennial edition. It was a white car with stars and stripes. Only 200 of those were produced. Also saw a 1976 Chevrolet C-10 truck. One was a Bicentennial edition and a 1976 Montreal Olympics edition.
I really like your videos! Very well put together and informative. We also have similar tastes lol Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the truck video!
I once saw a wrecked Beau James edition truck just in a heap of vehicles back in the day as our rural landfill had a section for abandoned junk cars to be dropped off and piled up. This would have been around 1980 or so, anyways my brother and I went over to check it out and it had Beau James floor Matt’s still in it so we scooped them to put in his ‘77 Sierra. Good times!
Yes T tops (except for the Corvette C3) were prone to leaking, they ruined the looks of the car, and because they were aftermarket (again except for the Corvette C3, which was designed for T Tops) they weakened the structure of the car and made it flex like crazy.
There were many models that had factory designed and built T-tops (and not just GM specific). And you're correct anytime you have a cut roof, the body structure is much weaker than without. That's why they designed the T-bar roof (T-top) to have that structural support center bar, unlike the Targa or Hollywood top. Furthermore that's why convertibles and such all have more chassis and body bracing to aid with rigidity. I've owned many vehicles throughout the years with T-tops, Targa, sunroof/moonroof, and removable hardtops (no soft top full convertibles though) and have loved them. All of my factory ones never leaked. All of the aftermarket ones, all did leak (to some degree). But just like with anything, regular maintenance is needed. Like replacing seals/gaskets, and adjustments when it's time.
@@4by_yotaguy373 I have a 1976 Corvette, and it is almost impossible to drive it with the t tops off. Air comes in through the door windows and over the top of the windshield, where it winds up in the enclosed area behind the seats. It tends to build up pressure back there, and tries to come back out, while more air is coming in from the front. You wind up caught in the middle, in sort of a vortex, which feels like being in a tornado. Apparently they discovered this problems with the first C3 models, and made the rear window removeable, so air could flow cleanly through. The soon quit doing that, probably because of cost, and the lack of a place to put the rear window when it was removed. Other than the Corvette, every single American car I know of had aftermarket T tops. They were made with a full roof on the factory assembly line, then sent to an aftermarket company for the T top conversion.
There are so many “special series” trucks from GM. As a kid I was huge into fishing and remember ads for the starcraft series suburban. Starcraft was a boat manufacturer and I think the biggest differences was wood components in the interior, a body kit of sorts, and if i remember correctly a built in cooler. It was strange. I cant imagine many were made. Anyways, thanks for the video. Good job 👍
I owned a 1975 GMC Gentleman Jim that I bought new in ‘75, it had the am/fm-8 track “quadraphonic” stereo sourced from Oldsmobile from the 98 series sedan and it sounded amazing for a stock stereo. Wish I still had that truck!
A guy near me has a Gentleman Jim pickup. I think he's owned it since new and keeps it in immaculate shape! The embroidered seat covers and floor mats on the example you showed were done later. They didn't come like that from the factory.
Gentleman Jim: tho that edition was extra nice, quite a few Chevy/GMC trucks and SUV models of that era were also very lux. My dad had a 1977 K5 Blazer and its interior was still very nice compared to SUVs in the mid 90s when I was a kid. It was full power everything, wood-look trim, soft interior, quiet. It was a dinosaur compared to 90s stuff, but the interior was very nice.
My step dad had a 76 c20 camper special. When I was 16 I found a 76 c10 with an almost matching aluminum camper on it and bought it. Mine has the little slant 6 and a three on the tree. It is a good old truck and lasted me many years. That little slant 6 is still pulling dirt bikes and hunting equipment all over Texas and the south west. Hell the factory optioned 8 track still works.
You really did your homework this week. You pulled out some rare models from GM. I recall them all. The only reason why Buick got the Rainer was because of Oldsmobile's demise in 2004. The took the Bravada and modified it and put a Buick grille on it. You can also see the Oldsmobile Bravada influence on the SAAB 9-7X. Look at the doors and interior. GM milked that platform for cash reasons. I do not know why it had 5 horsepower less than a Trailblazer SS. The fact SAAB was selling an suv and using a V8 was saying something. They did put SAAB touches on the vehicle. GM was really trying hard to integrate SAAB into the GM lineup after the owned it. There is a SAAB based Cadillac that was sold in Europe(BLS) and a SAAB based Subaru SAAB 9-2x as well. I was like he is getting really good at putting these videos together. You pulled up the GMC truck trims, the Chevrolet Celebrity VR and I liked you mentioned how that happened. I saw all the Oldsmobiles in your video too. Well stated about those as well. Great job.
Thank you Olds. People commented and said they were detuned on purpose to not come off as more powerful than the SS. I guess from a business perspective it makes sense. You've been watching from the beginning and I really appreciate the continued support.
@@GreenHawkDrive I can believe that about the SAAB 9-7X. They had the same issue with the Corvette, the GNX and Turbo Trans Am both having more power and speed than the Corvette. They do not want anything to our perform or out power a Chevrolet. That has been going on for years. They have always played favorite with Chevrolet. If yiu are familar with the Brady Bunch tv series, guess who Marsha is and what the other GM brands are. You are most welcome for the support. I enjoy your channel.
My mom bought a basically brand new ( she bought it from a man who only put 5 miles on it) 1975 GMC High Sierra “Heavy Half”, with a 454/T400 setup. In order to save gas, my mom would take the bus across Denver to go to work, and while she was gone, my older brother would take it to the nearby green belt and run it over the motorcycle jumps. I’ve even jumped it a time or two when I was old enough to drive. Great truck, but my uncle got drunk and wrecked it pretty good. We put on a whole new (junkyard) front clip, and then after that, the automotive place she used, ripped her off by stealing the engine and putting a knocking and oil burning 454 engine in it. They then talked her into swapping a 350 into it. It would have been awesome to still have it in original and unwrecked condition.
Hey i wanted to cheer you your content is so interesting even from the perspective of a french guy hope that knowing that however the miles between you and your public you succed to spread interesting facts about the wierd and unique portrait of usa cars Sorry for my english i try to improve
As an owner of a Saab 97x I wasn’t blown away. The thing fell apart. As a boy the Aerosport VR was shocking and later as the owner of 2 stout V6 a bodies a 5 speed 2.8 with the finest suspension that is definitely a gritty car. That VR from a driver experience would definitely pay the bill. Theres no way in hell a Dodge Spirit/Acclaim/Lebaron was a better car than an A body. Those 2.8 a bodies did what you told them to do to be honest an automatic a body would engage reverse at 45 mph I can only imagine a sport engineered suspension with a manual. Honorable mention to the 78 Toronado XS and the only gas powered 350 powered G Body the 80 442. Good video. - Edit EARLY A body pre computer controlled transmission and abs etc
There are a few you forgot.... Sorry, kinda a Pontiac Guy... 1988 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 128 produced. First GM to get the 3.1, not even the Eurosport VR got it. 1989 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 1372 made (and they were completely different than the 1988 models) STE stands for Special Touring Edition. 1990 Pontac 6000 S/E AWD, one of the only cars that no one knows, not even GM, how many were made 1989 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2225 made, also a anniversary edition 1990 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2775 made I owned one of every car I just listed. One you forgot that was a kissing cousin to the Saab 9-7x is the GMC Envoy XUV.. You know, the SUV that turns into a Pickup!
When I worked an auto -parts counter in the late '90s, people were already forgetting that GM had four DIFFERENT 350 V8s in the 70s. When a dude came in wanting parts to rebuild a '350,' we asked him what type it was. He said it didn't matter because 350s were 'all the same.' So we split his order into parts for a Chevy, Buick, Olds and Pontiac 350. For some reason, he never came back to the store.
Gentleman Jim and Beau James trcks also had a 3/4 ton frame, with half ton suspension, making for a smoother ride. Hence only being available as long boxes.
I vaguely remember the GMC Gentleman Jim truck being advertised but I never saw one in the wild. I believe T-tops went extinct because of improving crash standards. Cutting out the material for the T-tops hurt the structural integrity too much and as you pointed out, they tended to leak. I had a girlfriend in college who drove a Celebrity. It was a very uninspiring vehicle and unworthy of the effort to tart it up as a "Eurosport." American cars were still working their way out of the Malaise era and European sports cars had a better reputation. BMWs and Porches were popular with the Preppie set in the 80s.
T Tops were cool though! Came to be as a safer convertible option when the U.S. Goverment was contemplating banning them in the 70s. I think they went away in the 90s for reasons you cited plus they are kind of a pain to take out and put in...People preferred just hitting a switch for a sunroof, and convertibles had made a comeback.
I have a 1980 cutlass calais, which is almost the same exact model as the 442 you listed in this video. Has every single add on except for the engine. The calais had a 260 v8 and the 442 had the w30 option engine. Mine has an ls swap now tho
I've seen a Gentleman Jim on the road once, a sad rusty and battered thing. I've also seen the Celebrity Eurosport, but none of the others. Special editions were once truly 'special' and different made in limited numbers. But once the beancounters started running the carmakers they saw it a a marketing ploy and made bunches of them in as big a variety as they could. In doing so, the 'special' aspect was lost and is now mostly meaningless save for a few high-performance packages which can't be had otherwise.
That was fun! I’ve owned a couple of these, like a 79 Cobra turbo 🐶. Traded that pooch for a ‘68 Mustang Fastback 7 liter Cobrajet. It sounded awesome, but my (Fiat 🤮) Gladiator pickup is quicker and probably corners better than the old Cobrajet did. Plus the roof comes off in a minute or two, and the center console will make a “Gentleman” out of anyone.
The horsepower loss on the 9-7x aero is from it having a more muffled exhaust because it was more luxurious. The same goes for the Grand Prix GXP and the Buick LaCrosse Super. The LaCrosse Super had 300 horsepower vs the Grand Prix GXP's 303 out of the same LS for the same reasons.
As someone who grew up when Square body chevy trucks '73-'87" were very common I've seen less than a handful of manuals, and I've never seen one without a radio, factory A/C, power brakes, or power steering. On the previous generation yes certainly but not on the 73-87 trucks. I'm sure there out there but as somone who has been around, drove, and ridden in probably over 100 of these trucks in the Midwest this is my observation.
You know I had a 1987 EuroSport sedan that I Just LOVED but the 2.5 "Iron Duck" was a POS!! Anyway, that EuroSport VR wagon woulda been a Serious chick magnet back in the day!! Looks better than the Dodge Magnums, which were ALL OVER Chicago!!!😮The Dodge Spirit R/T Turbo 224 horses was a Very sick car!! It'd make a Taurus SHO sweat!! But those Spirit turbos are probably all extinct.😢Great background music, btw!!😊
Yes, in the 80s European cars, especially BMW and Volkswagen, were considered sporty, hence the Euro Sport name. The Storm was an imported Isuzu. The hatchback version was very popular in South America. Since it did not cost them any more to import it here, it was offered too.
Geo storm long roof hatch a good callout. Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevy Monte Carlo with the NASCAR big rear closing windows yet short truck deck lid would be another.
From 1960-1998 GM Trucks C= RDW K= 4x4 (There is a couple exceptions I believe from 87-91 they used R in place of C and W in place of K) 10 15 and 1500 = 1/2 Ton (Except for S10 and S15) 20 25 and 2500 = 3/4 Ton 30 35 and 3500 = 1 Ton So for example an 85 K25 is a 3/4 Ton 4x4 GMC. A 92 C3500 is a 2 wheel drive 1 Ton Custom, Custom Deluxe, Cheyenne, Scottsdale and Silverado were essentially all packages for Chevrolet Likewise Sierra, High Sierra and Sierra Grande were GMC packages. I know at least one or two packages names escape me. C Comanche? Maybe. This all applied to the full sized SUV as well. An 80 C10 Suburban is a 2x4 1/2 ton Suburban. One final cheat code that comes to mind is from 73-98 1/2 2x4 had 5 lug wheels while 1/2 4x4 had 6 lug wheels.
My parents had a ( i think) 1970 Chevy Chevelle Heavy Chevy edition. 350 4bbl with a 4speed stick shift. Metallic gold with black rally stripes and air shocks. They bought it brand new.
New guy here again. I just had to stop to say you got this Mr you are going one heck of a job. I guess maybe you are getting flack from the haters f em. I think but I could be wrong but I think alot of viewers simply enjoy the channel and also happy to hear the younger generations taking interest in the topic. You keep doing what you are doing and don't let anyone take you down. This is coming from a guy who would never even consider doing something like this and putting yourself out there. Again "F" em 👍🇨🇦🔧
You have to admit the Saab front end styling sure does look nice. Also another special edition on that platform was The North Face trailblazer. The only thing I could say about the opposed off my head is I was offered on the LT and above and also available on the regular wheelbase and extended wheelbase AKA EXT Model.
@@GreenHawkDrive You're welcome! Also, I never heard of it until I started doing more research of what my '05 trailblazer EXT came with for options if I got the higher trend
Yep, I have a 1975 Gentlemen Jim p/u. Original paint and tires. Been in climate controlled storage since my dad bought it new. It looks and drives like new.
Great video! If I could add, I owned a 2007 Cadillac STS-V. Only 2503 produced… Being in Detroit we saw many of them and didn’t think much of it as car culture here is strong but whenever id take it out of town people could believe caddy made a V version of the sts
I’ll correct a little bit of your information just figured I’d help some people out that were a little confused Mustang cobra, and the fox body generation, yes they were 302 it was the Mustang SVO that were four-cylinder turbo
I have a few strange models. One is an 85 Chevy Scottsdale Wrangler. Yes, I said Wrangler, like the Jeeps. Also I have a GMC Envoy XUV. It transforms from an SUV to a pickup truck. The roof slides forward, and the "hatch" glass lowers. It also has what is called a midgate that separates the back seats from the truck bed. The back seats fold forward, the midgate glass lowers, then you can fold the midgate flat to make an even bigger truck bed to haul full sheets of plywood or drywall. I also have a 1983 Camaro that has the F47 package which is basically the suspension from a WS6. It was made for the IROC racing series. It has no power options. 305 v8, 5-speed, no cruise control, no air conditioning, no t-tops. It says light as you can get it and had the biggest motor available in 83.
Also, the Euro models were based off of European styling. Basically the headlights and the ground effects. They also made lumina Z34 with 5 speeds that were Eurosports. They were pretty darn quick. Faster than a mustang 5.0.
I just finished a video that's scheduled to go up this week on the history of heated seats in pickup trucks, I'm not sure when you're releasing your luxury truck video but is that something you talk about extensively or is just like a passing mention?
I've owned a 9-7x and it was a more luxurious version of the GMT360. One thing you didn't mention about it that was strange about it compared to other vehicles except Saab is the center console mounted ignition key. Apparently that was a shout out Saab's fighter jets (they have a key?). I'm surprised that there wasn't a Cadillac version since just about all the other GM divisions had one.
Mate. I love your videos, great channel, and always look forward to your uploads, which are always appreciated as I’m sure you’re busy with other things and studies. The Eurosport VR… wow, what an ugly car 😂😂 the penchant that manufacturers had for sticking a load of plastic panels on cars. Just horrible.
I’m bummed they didn’t show my ‘76 Chevy Silverado with the three tone orange side inserts. Perfect for a Charlie’s Angels cameo. MSRP of $5,400. I even got mine with no Farrah value adjustment.
ive seen a midnight edition trax, & carhart silverado. i like the iszuzu ascender ive seen a few in the last 10yrs. few and far btwn.not too many of the saab badged trailblazers ive seen on the rd. i loved my moms trailblazer, i learned to drive in one. my one aunt had the olds bravada badged one in marron with gold lettering (bought used)
Your too hard on yourself sometimes. Seriously you do a Great job, growing pains are a thing but in order for natural progression to take place they must exists. The channel is Right, your delivery is Unique and thats what makes it Special ! So from now on just do what you do and we WILL watch ... apologies/excuses aren't necessary Keep em rollin Hawk...love n respect ✌
Love and respect for you too man. You’ve been super supportive the whole way. Thank you.
Spot on!!! Please no more apologies. You don't use AI and you actually narrate with a unique presentation. You're NOT monotone I would say a natural. Keep up the good work, and I will continue to watch every time I get a notification. Thank you
@@GreenHawkDrive No ... Thank YOU
You’re good man, there’ll always be haters. I love all your videos!
Agreed 100! Great information and narrating voice. Keep up the good work!
I drove past a 1972 Chevy Nova today and was thinking what a missed opportunity Chevy had by never making a “Supernova” racing edition. The name was right there.
There was yenko nova’s and super sport nova’s
@@Thumper68I know, however there wasn’t a SUPERNOVA.
Do you know what the differences would be in a "racing addition"? About four pieces of trim, some adheasive foam tape and possibly 10 more horsepower allowed from the factory tune... It wouldn't he worth $18 dollars more than the base model. Go tour a GM or Ford Assembly plant in Michigan and you'll see. There's no difference in different models that's worth more than $20 dollars. I promise.
@@nathanieladams7624 So you realize they were called Yenko Super Nova’s right?
They made plenty of super sport novas youngster@@nathanieladams7624
I recall when my dad bought a brand new 79 Silverado two tone paint job blue and silver. It had all electric locks and windows, a plush cloth interior with an AM/FM cassette player, and a 454 big block. It was awesome.
I remember going with my uncle to the GMC dealer, where he paid cash for a brand new 1980 GMC pickup...
It was a blue and silver short bed, had every comfort and convenience option, and had a big Six cylinder engine.
I'm pretty sure he only paid around $6,500 for it at the time.
Those were the days...
There’s nothing I want more at this moment then a Gentleman Jim pickup. Never knew of their existence
I love the Gentleman Jim pick up truck. I'd forgotten all about those things. It's hard to find a long bed C- Series Chevy pick up nowadays, period!
Made a street coupe too a SHORTBED with a 454cid options galore squarebody late 70s
In a W/T, Worktruck only.
The cost of new cars and trucks is absolutly rediculous these days.
it's a shame they don't make an affordable work truck these days. i mean, you don't need a 60k or 80k truck to haul some boards home 😏
I have a 2021 standard cab long bed 1500WT that was 35,000 with a 2.7ltr turbo 4cyl auto,air,cruise,power windows and door locks. It does have a 110 plug in the cab and bed to charge battery tools
That's what Facebook marketplace is for 😅😅😅
The pickup truck center console compartment is intended and sized to easily access your Personal Protection Device.
I bought a brand new GMC Envoy XL back in the day. XL meant 7 seater with the elevated 3rd row seating. I loved that machine. The BEST family SUV in the day. My kids fought over the 3rd row seats. Such a great platform and the engine was a great match in my opinion.
did it have the 5.3
Still have my 06 envoy xl Denali. MANY trips to OBX beaches. Comfortable and plenty of power with the 5.3. Rated at 310hp? Rides smooth with the airbag suspension. How about the Chevy sportsman that came with a gun rack and rifle!!!
My dad raced harness horses and, every few years, got a new Chevy truck to pull the horses around the state. From the 60s until the 90s.
Grandpa aways had to have "2 GAS TANKS." In his Chevy truck.
Unfortunately, you usually had to turn it around to fill them both!
My parents first new car was an 84 Olds Cutlass Ciera.
The Geo Storm was a rebadged version of the sporty, second generation Isuzu Impulse minus some of that car's more expensive features. Great car.
Nice vid again.
The Jim and James in the GMC Special Editions also came from a derivative of the nickname GMC trucks had which was"Jimmy".
There was also a special edition of the GMC pickup in 1977 called “Sarge”
Damn, the eurosport vr wagon musta been super rare
Right! Would be cool to see
I was about to comment that id actually rock a VR wagon 😂😂
Has an 87 eurosport. Loved it. Would've REALLY loved a 5 speed vr!
Love the wildly inconsistent typeface choices used on the Gentleman Jim. Lends the real air of class that GM was aiming for, mission accomplished.
Great vid as always Hawk! The whole Eurotrim packages started in the late 70s with Domestics..Even the Pinto had one. Basically it meant more bodycolored or blacked out trim instead of chrome LOL. Those Eurosport Celebrity models had to be rare. I never saw them when new, and only did catch one years later at car shows.
Thank you as always man! I appreciate the answer. Yeah, I’ve never seen one ever😂
@@GreenHawkDrive I didn't realize they added a third to the price, so I'm not surprised I didn't see any.
@@autochatter LOVE your channel too Chatter! Always Good Stuff✌
I really don't remember seeing many "Euro" GMs until.the Lumina came out.
@@averyparticularsetofskills Thank you!
I never could understand why GMC didn't use a very obvious special name: "Diamond Jim". Seems like a no-brainer.
I think Gentleman Jim what's Gentleman Jim Reeves record 1950's and 1960's Country and Western. Maybe not.
too gay sounding for the seventies
no one would buy it
Gmc was the Cadillac of pickup trucks. Fancier and tough.
GM dressed up the outside, but did not realize people wanted some beef with that bun
Jammed a 454cid in squarebody and called it a street coupe
Love your videos man thanks for all the work you must put in.
I appreciate that man, thank you
I had a friend back in the mid 80's that had a Eurosport Celebrity and it was actually the very 1st 4 door that I found attractive.
Dude, love this kind of content. Have always been fascinated by these sorts of trim packages ever since I learned about Levi's jeeps and hertz Shelbys. Cheers!
Thanks brother!
An honorable mention should be the 1984 Buick Summer Olympic Edition Century. I recall seeing a couple at our local dealer. The cars were white with tan interiors and had gold badging, including the Olympic logo.
We had a celebrity eurosport when I was a kid. Looked cool at the time. Dark slate blue metallic. Basically just a 4cyl celebrity though.
Had a 85 cutlass supreme that had t-tops never leaked in all the years I had it. Miss that car. Thanks for covering all the vehicles that you do a lot of your videos brings back great memories for me. My father was kind of a collector of unique cars and we had some really cool stuff when I was growing up.
Great video, and very informative a lot of these models I was unaware of
Remember my friend! The speed bumps are not the obstacles...the speed bumps ARE the journey =) I get soooooooo excited when I see a new video from your channel...what you are doing is needed in automotive history so we WILL stop by to watch...do NOT worry for one more second!
I went to a car show at a Chevrolet dealership and there was a 1976 Corvette Bicentennial edition. It was a white car with stars and stripes. Only 200 of those were produced. Also saw a 1976 Chevrolet C-10 truck. One was a Bicentennial edition and a 1976 Montreal Olympics edition.
@2:35 I recall the same center console in my father's 1967. It was before the Gentlemen, but with A/C, all the upgrades of the Camper Special.
The Celebrity VR, the Celebrity AMG.😅
GMC Gentleman Jim was a pretty cool truck. Saw a lot of these in Texas ! Rich ranch owners daily driver.
Special editions aren't as unique now because consumers aren't as unique now
I really like your videos! Very well put together and informative. We also have similar tastes lol Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the truck video!
That means a lot man. Thank you
I once saw a wrecked Beau James edition truck just in a heap of vehicles back in the day as our rural landfill had a section for abandoned junk cars to be dropped off and piled up. This would have been around 1980 or so, anyways my brother and I went over to check it out and it had Beau James floor Matt’s still in it so we scooped them to put in his ‘77 Sierra. Good times!
Yes T tops (except for the Corvette C3) were prone to leaking, they ruined the looks of the car, and because they were aftermarket (again except for the Corvette C3, which was designed for T Tops) they weakened the structure of the car and made it flex like crazy.
C3 T tops leaked too, and there were factory assembly line T tops put in some cars, but yes most models were farmed out.
There were many models that had factory designed and built T-tops (and not just GM specific). And you're correct anytime you have a cut roof, the body structure is much weaker than without. That's why they designed the T-bar roof (T-top) to have that structural support center bar, unlike the Targa or Hollywood top. Furthermore that's why convertibles and such all have more chassis and body bracing to aid with rigidity.
I've owned many vehicles throughout the years with T-tops, Targa, sunroof/moonroof, and removable hardtops (no soft top full convertibles though) and have loved them. All of my factory ones never leaked. All of the aftermarket ones, all did leak (to some degree). But just like with anything, regular maintenance is needed. Like replacing seals/gaskets, and adjustments when it's time.
@@4by_yotaguy373 I have a 1976 Corvette, and it is almost impossible to drive it with the t tops off. Air comes in through the door windows and over the top of the windshield, where it winds up in the enclosed area behind the seats. It tends to build up pressure back there, and tries to come back out, while more air is coming in from the front. You wind up caught in the middle, in sort of a vortex, which feels like being in a tornado. Apparently they discovered this problems with the first C3 models, and made the rear window removeable, so air could flow cleanly through. The soon quit doing that, probably because of cost, and the lack of a place to put the rear window when it was removed.
Other than the Corvette, every single American car I know of had aftermarket T tops. They were made with a full roof on the factory assembly line, then sent to an aftermarket company for the T top conversion.
RIP SAAB.. my parents had various SAAB’s, I loved them.
There are so many “special series” trucks from GM.
As a kid I was huge into fishing and remember ads for the starcraft series suburban. Starcraft was a boat manufacturer and I think the biggest differences was wood components in the interior, a body kit of sorts, and if i remember correctly a built in cooler. It was strange. I cant imagine many were made.
Anyways, thanks for the video. Good job 👍
GMC had a Longhorn package on their Sierra Grande pickups in the early early 70's
I would love the vr station wagon especially with the 5 speed
I'm excited for the video about luxury trucks!
I can't lie that wagon is pretty sick tho......🤷🏽♂️😂😂. Those Saabs were cool but the Trailblazer SS was really cool too
I love the inclusion of the original ads. But video in print
I owned a 1975 GMC Gentleman Jim that I bought new in ‘75, it had the am/fm-8 track “quadraphonic” stereo sourced from Oldsmobile from the 98 series sedan and it sounded amazing for a stock stereo. Wish I still had that truck!
A guy near me has a Gentleman Jim pickup. I think he's owned it since new and keeps it in immaculate shape! The embroidered seat covers and floor mats on the example you showed were done later. They didn't come like that from the factory.
Gentleman Jim: tho that edition was extra nice, quite a few Chevy/GMC trucks and SUV models of that era were also very lux.
My dad had a 1977 K5 Blazer and its interior was still very nice compared to SUVs in the mid 90s when I was a kid. It was full power everything, wood-look trim, soft interior, quiet. It was a dinosaur compared to 90s stuff, but the interior was very nice.
My step dad had a 76 c20 camper special. When I was 16 I found a 76 c10 with an almost matching aluminum camper on it and bought it. Mine has the little slant 6 and a three on the tree. It is a good old truck and lasted me many years. That little slant 6 is still pulling dirt bikes and hunting equipment all over Texas and the south west. Hell the factory optioned 8 track still works.
You really did your homework this week. You pulled out some rare models from GM. I recall them all. The only reason why Buick got the Rainer was because of Oldsmobile's demise in 2004. The took the Bravada and modified it and put a Buick grille on it. You can also see the Oldsmobile Bravada influence on the SAAB 9-7X. Look at the doors and interior. GM milked that platform for cash reasons. I do not know why it had 5 horsepower less than a Trailblazer SS. The fact SAAB was selling an suv and using a V8 was saying something. They did put SAAB touches on the vehicle. GM was really trying hard to integrate SAAB into the GM lineup after the owned it. There is a SAAB based Cadillac that was sold in Europe(BLS) and a SAAB based Subaru SAAB 9-2x as well. I was like he is getting really good at putting these videos together. You pulled up the GMC truck trims, the Chevrolet Celebrity VR and I liked you mentioned how that happened. I saw all the Oldsmobiles in your video too. Well stated about those as well. Great job.
Thank you Olds. People commented and said they were detuned on purpose to not come off as more powerful than the SS. I guess from a business perspective it makes sense. You've been watching from the beginning and I really appreciate the continued support.
@@GreenHawkDrive I can believe that about the SAAB 9-7X. They had the same issue with the Corvette, the GNX and Turbo Trans Am both having more power and speed than the Corvette. They do not want anything to our perform or out power a Chevrolet. That has been going on for years. They have always played favorite with Chevrolet. If yiu are familar with the Brady Bunch tv series, guess who Marsha is and what the other GM brands are. You are most welcome for the support. I enjoy your channel.
I have the fastest 0-60 "Saab" on Dragy... it's a supercharged 9-7X Aero. Love it!
That’s sick
My mom bought a basically brand new ( she bought it from a man who only put 5 miles on it) 1975 GMC High Sierra “Heavy Half”, with a 454/T400 setup. In order to save gas, my mom would take the bus across Denver to go to work, and while she was gone, my older brother would take it to the nearby green belt and run it over the motorcycle jumps. I’ve even jumped it a time or two when I was old enough to drive. Great truck, but my uncle got drunk and wrecked it pretty good. We put on a whole new (junkyard) front clip, and then after that, the automotive place she used, ripped her off by stealing the engine and putting a knocking and oil burning 454 engine in it. They then talked her into swapping a 350 into it. It would have been awesome to still have it in original and unwrecked condition.
Hey i wanted to cheer you your content is so interesting even from the perspective of a french guy hope that knowing that however the miles between you and your public you succed to spread interesting facts about the wierd and unique portrait of usa cars
Sorry for my english i try to improve
Don’t apologize man! I really appreciate your comment. Vive la France!
As an owner of a Saab 97x I wasn’t blown away. The thing fell apart. As a boy the Aerosport VR was shocking and later as the owner of 2 stout V6 a bodies a 5 speed 2.8 with the finest suspension that is definitely a gritty car. That VR from a driver experience would definitely pay the bill. Theres no way in hell a Dodge Spirit/Acclaim/Lebaron was a better car than an A body. Those 2.8 a bodies did what you told them to do to be honest an automatic a body would engage reverse at 45 mph I can only imagine a sport engineered suspension with a manual. Honorable mention to the 78 Toronado XS and the only gas powered 350 powered G Body the 80 442. Good video. - Edit EARLY A body pre computer controlled transmission and abs etc
There are a few you forgot.... Sorry, kinda a Pontiac Guy...
1988 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 128 produced. First GM to get the 3.1, not even the Eurosport VR got it.
1989 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD, only 1372 made (and they were completely different than the 1988 models)
STE stands for Special Touring Edition.
1990 Pontac 6000 S/E AWD, one of the only cars that no one knows, not even GM, how many were made
1989 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2225 made, also a anniversary edition
1990 Pontiac ASC McLaren Turbo Grand Prix, only 2775 made
I owned one of every car I just listed.
One you forgot that was a kissing cousin to the Saab 9-7x is the GMC Envoy XUV.. You know, the SUV that turns into a Pickup!
When I worked an auto -parts counter in the late '90s, people were already forgetting that GM had four DIFFERENT 350 V8s in the 70s. When a dude came in wanting parts to rebuild a '350,' we asked him what type it was. He said it didn't matter because 350s were 'all the same.' So we split his order into parts for a Chevy, Buick, Olds and Pontiac 350. For some reason, he never came back to the store.
Gentleman Jim and Beau James trcks also had a 3/4 ton frame, with half ton suspension, making for a smoother ride. Hence only being available as long boxes.
The nissan pulsar nx hatch was cool
Yeah they are
I vaguely remember the GMC Gentleman Jim truck being advertised but I never saw one in the wild. I believe T-tops went extinct because of improving crash standards. Cutting out the material for the T-tops hurt the structural integrity too much and as you pointed out, they tended to leak. I had a girlfriend in college who drove a Celebrity. It was a very uninspiring vehicle and unworthy of the effort to tart it up as a "Eurosport." American cars were still working their way out of the Malaise era and European sports cars had a better reputation. BMWs and Porches were popular with the Preppie set in the 80s.
T Tops were cool though! Came to be as a safer convertible option when the U.S. Goverment was contemplating banning them in the 70s. I think they went away in the 90s for reasons you cited plus they are kind of a pain to take out and put in...People preferred just hitting a switch for a sunroof, and convertibles had made a comeback.
I what I kid, Cuba, Missouri, guy had a Gentleman Jim truck (think a barber shop).
Don’t be so hard on yourself man! You’re doing fantastic
I have a 1980 cutlass calais, which is almost the same exact model as the 442 you listed in this video. Has every single add on except for the engine. The calais had a 260 v8 and the 442 had the w30 option engine. Mine has an ls swap now tho
I've seen a Gentleman Jim on the road once, a sad rusty and battered thing. I've also seen the Celebrity Eurosport, but none of the others. Special editions were once truly 'special' and different made in limited numbers. But once the beancounters started running the carmakers they saw it a a marketing ploy and made bunches of them in as big a variety as they could. In doing so, the 'special' aspect was lost and is now mostly meaningless save for a few high-performance packages which can't be had otherwise.
That was fun! I’ve owned a couple of these, like a 79 Cobra turbo 🐶. Traded that pooch for a ‘68 Mustang Fastback 7 liter Cobrajet. It sounded awesome, but my (Fiat 🤮) Gladiator pickup is quicker and probably corners better than the old Cobrajet did. Plus the roof comes off in a minute or two, and the center console will make a “Gentleman” out of anyone.
The horsepower loss on the 9-7x aero is from it having a more muffled exhaust because it was more luxurious. The same goes for the Grand Prix GXP and the Buick LaCrosse Super. The LaCrosse Super had 300 horsepower vs the Grand Prix GXP's 303 out of the same LS for the same reasons.
As someone who grew up when Square body chevy trucks '73-'87" were very common I've seen less than a handful of manuals, and I've never seen one without a radio, factory A/C, power brakes, or power steering. On the previous generation yes certainly but not on the 73-87 trucks. I'm sure there out there but as somone who has been around, drove, and ridden in probably over 100 of these trucks in the Midwest this is my observation.
You forgot one of my favorite ones
the ever so famous
MACHO TRANS AM 🤣🤣
Great throwback video. Well done.
Thank you!
Great content, as always! Keep up the good work!
Thank you man!
You know I had a 1987 EuroSport sedan that I Just LOVED but the 2.5 "Iron Duck" was a POS!! Anyway, that EuroSport VR wagon woulda been a Serious chick magnet back in the day!! Looks better than the Dodge Magnums, which were ALL OVER Chicago!!!😮The Dodge Spirit R/T Turbo 224 horses was a Very sick car!! It'd make a Taurus SHO sweat!! But those Spirit turbos are probably all extinct.😢Great background music, btw!!😊
Yes, in the 80s European cars, especially BMW and Volkswagen, were considered sporty, hence the Euro Sport name. The Storm was an imported Isuzu. The hatchback version was very popular in South America. Since it did not cost them any more to import it here, it was offered too.
That Storm wagon is kind of cool looking.
Geo storm long roof hatch a good callout.
Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevy Monte Carlo with the NASCAR big rear closing windows yet short truck deck lid would be another.
Those were the ones they made just enough of to allow them to race those bodystyles a NASCAR.
From 1960-1998 GM Trucks
C= RDW
K= 4x4
(There is a couple exceptions I believe from 87-91 they used R in place of C and W in place of K)
10 15 and 1500 = 1/2 Ton
(Except for S10 and S15)
20 25 and 2500 = 3/4 Ton
30 35 and 3500 = 1 Ton
So for example an 85 K25 is a 3/4 Ton 4x4 GMC. A 92 C3500 is a 2 wheel drive 1 Ton
Custom, Custom Deluxe, Cheyenne, Scottsdale and Silverado were essentially all packages for Chevrolet
Likewise Sierra, High Sierra and Sierra Grande were GMC packages.
I know at least one or two packages names escape me. C Comanche? Maybe.
This all applied to the full sized SUV as well. An 80 C10 Suburban is a 2x4 1/2 ton Suburban.
One final cheat code that comes to mind is from 73-98 1/2 2x4 had 5 lug wheels while 1/2 4x4 had 6 lug wheels.
Crazy looking red wheels on the Celebrity Eurosport VR
I agree😂
My parents had a ( i think) 1970 Chevy Chevelle Heavy Chevy edition. 350 4bbl with a 4speed stick shift. Metallic gold with black rally stripes and air shocks. They bought it brand new.
The Gentleman Jim is the supers truck. Don’t worry he will use it for “work”😂
My brother had a 74 Cheyenne super 10 heavy half. It had air conditioning, wood grain in the interior, and all the chrome available on a square body
I think T-tops are also easy to break into......👍
New guy here again. I just had to stop to say you got this Mr you are going one heck of a job. I guess maybe you are getting flack from the haters f em. I think but I could be wrong but I think alot of viewers simply enjoy the channel and also happy to hear the younger generations taking interest in the topic. You keep doing what you are doing and don't let anyone take you down. This is coming from a guy who would never even consider doing something like this and putting yourself out there. Again "F" em 👍🇨🇦🔧
I really appreciate this man, thank you.
@@GreenHawkDrive I appreciate your response. Keep up the amazing work 👍🇨🇦
First!
And allow me to say that this is an excellent automotive vehicle review channel! Please keep up the superb work!
I really appreciate that man thank you!
I enjoyed your video, never heard of these options.
You have to admit the Saab front end styling sure does look nice. Also another special edition on that platform was The North Face trailblazer. The only thing I could say about the opposed off my head is I was offered on the LT and above and also available on the regular wheelbase and extended wheelbase AKA EXT Model.
Never heard of that edition. Thank you
@@GreenHawkDrive You're welcome! Also, I never heard of it until I started doing more research of what my '05 trailblazer EXT came with for options if I got the higher trend
Yep, I have a 1975 Gentlemen Jim p/u. Original paint and tires. Been in climate controlled storage since my dad bought it new. It looks and drives like new.
Right on man, that’s awesome!
Well we all know the Saab was over engineered. In terms of safety, the difference is even more astounding.
I’m not sure if it even exists but I heard that in 1964 the 442 could be had as a 4-door option. It could be so rare that there are no examples today.
Great video! If I could add, I owned a 2007 Cadillac STS-V. Only 2503 produced… Being in Detroit we saw many of them and didn’t think much of it as car culture here is strong but whenever id take it out of town people could believe caddy made a V version of the sts
Thank you! Man, that’s a sweet ride. Amazing cars
I’ll correct a little bit of your information just figured I’d help some people out that were a little confused Mustang cobra, and the fox body generation, yes they were 302 it was the Mustang SVO that were four-cylinder turbo
I have a few strange models. One is an 85 Chevy Scottsdale Wrangler. Yes, I said Wrangler, like the Jeeps. Also I have a GMC Envoy XUV. It transforms from an SUV to a pickup truck. The roof slides forward, and the "hatch" glass lowers. It also has what is called a midgate that separates the back seats from the truck bed. The back seats fold forward, the midgate glass lowers, then you can fold the midgate flat to make an even bigger truck bed to haul full sheets of plywood or drywall. I also have a 1983 Camaro that has the F47 package which is basically the suspension from a WS6. It was made for the IROC racing series. It has no power options. 305 v8, 5-speed, no cruise control, no air conditioning, no t-tops. It says light as you can get it and had the biggest motor available in 83.
Also, the Euro models were based off of European styling. Basically the headlights and the ground effects. They also made lumina Z34 with 5 speeds that were Eurosports. They were pretty darn quick. Faster than a mustang 5.0.
I just finished a video that's scheduled to go up this week on the history of heated seats in pickup trucks, I'm not sure when you're releasing your luxury truck video but is that something you talk about extensively or is just like a passing mention?
Cool video, glad RUclips recommended.
Right on man!
The Buick T-Types - across its entire lineup - were pretty neat but not particularly strange.
sign me up for one of those Euro Sport VR wagons
@1:55 WAIT, SO A 70S SQUARE BODY TRUCK COULD MOVE 187 TONS? SO HOW IS TOW COMPACITY FOR FULL SIZED TRUCKS NOW BARLEY 3 TONS ON AVERAGE?
I've owned a 9-7x and it was a more luxurious version of the GMT360. One thing you didn't mention about it that was strange about it compared to other vehicles except Saab is the center console mounted ignition key. Apparently that was a shout out Saab's fighter jets (they have a key?). I'm surprised that there wasn't a Cadillac version since just about all the other GM divisions had one.
I real loved my 1976 silverado .
My 1969 gmc has factory AC
The euro style is generally blacked out trim instead of the chrome most americans used to like.
Mate. I love your videos, great channel, and always look forward to your uploads, which are always appreciated as I’m sure you’re busy with other things and studies. The Eurosport VR… wow, what an ugly car 😂😂 the penchant that manufacturers had for sticking a load of plastic panels on cars. Just horrible.
Thank you, Aled. I appreciate your comments every week!
I’m bummed they didn’t show my ‘76 Chevy Silverado with the three tone orange side inserts. Perfect for a Charlie’s Angels cameo. MSRP of $5,400. I even got mine with no Farrah value adjustment.
I absolutely love your channel
I really appreciate that man. Thank you
ive seen a midnight edition trax, & carhart silverado. i like the iszuzu ascender ive seen a few in the last 10yrs. few and far btwn.not too many of the saab badged trailblazers ive seen on the rd. i loved my moms trailblazer, i learned to drive in one. my one aunt had the olds bravada badged one in marron with gold lettering (bought used)
Great stuff! Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Wow...Your views on this Hawk are probably passing up some individual Primetime shows on CNN! Is Doug Demiro reaching out to you yet?
😂😂😂 Thank you!