1985 Review Throwback

[ck80]

Isn't that a thing these days, throwback Thursday? I don't know.

Anyways, 69hurstolds should appreciate this, and, many of the rest of you as well. Just entertainment value:

View Photos of the 1985 Muscle Car Comparison

1985 Buick Regal Grand National, 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, and 1985 Oldsmobile 442 exterior and interior photos.

www.caranddriver.com

And a longer original article here:

1980s Muscle Car Comparo: Buick Regal Grand National, Chevy Monte Carlo SS, Olds 442

Grab your Frankie Valli cassettes and we'll see you at the beach.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[69hurstolds]

Funny how the "expert" commenters in the comment section don't know sh*t about the cars, even when claiming to have one back in the day.

Sadly, I remember the day I saw the C&D magazine sitting on the magazine shelf at the local 7-11. I think I wasted money buying it but I still have that rag somewhere in a file cabinet or maybe in the shop somewhere.

I can say this. On the street back then, the 85 GN wasn't to be feared that much. I used to mess with Montes and GN's stop light to stop light back then and it ended up pretty much a wash depending on driver quality I believe. Camaros were more of a problem but could be had if you caught them napping. I do admit, after the intercooler was added to the GNs, look the f*k out though. Those things came alive! Still rode over bumps like crap, though.

The main antagonist in 85, IMO, was that danged Mustang LX 5.0. Those m-fers were bottle rockets on wheels. Never could catch those bastages. YMMV. I do know they got enough under my skin I went and test drove an 85 LX 5.0 manual transmission car just to see what the hubub was about with those things. Jesus that thing was quick for a new car. No weight and much cheesier interior than the Olds, but if you wanted to terrorize, that was the car with some attitude. Even a bunch of the SC State Troopers drove them.

It's kinda sad, looking back at it. While MCSS and GN actually got better as they neared the end, and especially the Firebird T/A and Camaro Z28 versions started to come to life, the 442 got worse. They detuned the transmission and with the roller cam, they were a little torquier down low, but lost their breath on the upper end, not the that H/Os and 85 442 had much lungs to lose anyway.

I used to b*tch about my car's name being R. Zimmerman from "The Wedding Album" (look that up if you're too young to remember). Very good down low, but then on top end, it wheezed. But I've never loved a G-body more.

 

[ck80]

Funny how the "expert" commenters in the comment section don't know sh*t about the cars, even when claiming to have one back in the day.

Then again, everything was a monte ss to people back then. And, lots of people had grandma's car and think it's equal... oh, I had that v8, same car man....

I can say this. On the street back then, the 85 GN wasn't to be feared that much. I used to mess with Montes and GN's stop light to stop light back then and it ended up pretty much a wash depending on driver quality I believe. Camaros were more of a problem but could be had if you caught them napping. I do admit, after the intercooler was added to the GNs, look the f*k out though. Those things came alive! Still rode over bumps like crap, though.

Back in 1984, 1985, NOBODY knew what a grand national was. Sure, even years after they stopped making them a bunch of people didn't know, but, mostly it was thought of as a slow grandma Buick, maybe with that 'crappy turbo' they used since '78. Even in the later years people downplayed the LC2 cars because of everything early hot air that was slower looked close to the same. Odd side note, still have my 85 Firebird 305/700/borg warner 9 bolt 3.23, but id like a white or metallic red laint, bright red interior, GTA fully loaded with tpi 350....

The main antagonist in 85, IMO, was that danged Mustang LX 5.0. Those m-fers were bottle rockets on wheels. Never could catch those bastages. YMMV. I do know they got enough under my skin I went and test drove an 85 LX 5.0 manual transmission car just to see what the hubub was about with those things. Jesus that thing was quick for a new car. No weight and much cheesier interior than the Olds, but if you wanted to terrorize, that was the car with some attitude. Even a bunch of the SC State Troopers drove them.

Agreed. But it was the early years they were fastest and lightest. I remember them having some for the staties on the highway up north too. But even the 5.0s porked up as the years went by and lost some of that edge, it was those early ones that would rip.

It's kinda sad, looking back at it. While MCSS and GN actually got better as they neared the end, and especially the Firebird T/A and Camaro Z28 versions started to come to life, the 442 got worse. They detuned the transmission and with the roller cam, they were a little torquier down low, but lost their breath on the upper end, not the that H/Os and 85 442 had much lungs to lose anyway.

But every time you think about what the Hurst/Olds and then 442 morphed into, look at the GP 2+2 which was all the Prix ever got... then you can feel a bit better