Collector Car Corner / Cars We Remember; Ford C-Max question and Let’s put the ‘green’ brakes on a bit and Olds, Mercury, and Pontiac tidbits

By Greg Zyla —

We’re back to the overflowing mailbox again this week. Also in last week’s column I inadvertently listed the 396/375 engines as an L79 code when it is actually an L78 code engine. Sorry, as I was working on some inbox answers about the L79 327/350 small block; my mistake.

Ford C-Max question

Q: Greg, I really appreciated your balanced and informative column today on the state of electric cars and the continued lack of adequate infrastructure to support them. Five years ago, after a short ride in my boss’s Tesla, I was inspired to look at hybrids and I found a 2016 Ford C-Max hybrid and at that time reasoned that the similar plug-in variant wouldn’t be beneficial to me as a renter, with no easy access for charging.

Additionally, I read that the larger battery pack the plug-in took up additional cargo space. A few weeks ago I saw a driver plug in her Ford at a grocery store and inquired how she liked the car. She and her husband were very happy with it and said that the 30-mile electric only range is perfect for short trips around town. I then finally understood the value and logic of PHEV and regretted not opting for one before. I decided to trade my 2016 Kia Soul for the same year Ford because of my calculated gas savings over five or more years, and justified my $5K outlay based on my fuel savings.

Right now I’m averaging about 39 MPG actual mileage (not the almost always car over estimated mileage), which is close to the EPA combined 40 MPG government rating. The one thing I didn’t consider (and I can’t believe I’m the only person who made this error) is that if I need to replace my hybrid battery, I will completely negate any realized saving over my Soul.

So now my car, at over eight years old, is no longer covered by its hybrid system 8-year/100K warranty and I’m looking at $4 to $5K for a dealer replacement. The little Ford has been remarkably reliable, but I’m living in fear that the grim hybrid reaper will show up unannounced one of these days.

In looking ahead to my next vehicle, I’m now of the mindset to just look at a more fuel-efficient non-hybrid that will almost equal my current hybrid fuel economy. Am I not thinking straight here? I’d appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, Greg! Todd Layser, Danville, Pa.

A: Todd, even though I cannot contradict your thinking, just keep driving your Ford C-Max hybrid until it won’t go any further. Although I can’t guarantee it, I’ll bet your 2016 Ford C-Max with the hybrid battery will probably deliver you many more miles of trouble-free driving for years to come. I am a huge fan of hybrid technology, and you have a vehicle that has held up well, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. 

Thanks very much for your kind words, and when you buy again I’ll bet the hybrids will be even more attractive as a great buy.     

Let’s put the ‘green’ brakes on a bit and Olds, Mercury, and Pontiac tidbits

Q: Greg, I really appreciate the work you put in on your column about the lack of infrastructure necessary to make electric vehicles (EV) a more reasonable buy. I feel the “Green Agenda” being rammed down our throats by the current administration has created numerous and major problems with these vehicles, and all grants paid for by consumers and U.S. taxpayers.

First, these vehicles have drivability issues in extremely cold or warm weather, as we noted last winter in the Midwest and other parts of the country (Chicago, the Dakotas). 

Also, dealers have had to reinvest thousands of dollars in new equipment and technology to get up to speed on selling and servicing these EV vehicles.

I know of at least one domestic manufacturer that told their dealers if they did not get on board with this project and reinvest in the upgrades of electric tooling and their stores, that their new vehicle car and truck allocation would be affected up to losing their franchise (Buick).

Meanwhile these overpriced EVs are racking up huge and expensive floor plan charges every month. Interest rates are probably close to 7%, and many dealers still have 2023 models in stock as of the first week of August 2024.

With all the money the federal government (U.S. tax dollars) has wasted on this “pet project” we could have solved and cured a lot more pressing issues and problems that we are currently facing in the United States of America. Seriously, I could make a list.

Now a few comments on your recent classic car articles, which I read every week in the Westerly Sun. Moriarty Brothers Lincoln Mercury, Manchester Conn., had what was called the “Big Red” cars. The first one was a 1966 Mercury Comet GT 390 4-speed, followed by a 1967 Mercury Comet 427 4-speed, and then the 1970 Mercury Cyclone with the 428 at one time was driven by Bob Price, who also drove for Tasca Ford from Rhode Island. As I recall the cars were always competitive and ran on the East Coast and Connecticut Dragway in Colchester, Conn.

Connecticut Dragway ran from 1960 to 1985, originally owned by Frank Maratta, who also ran an indoor car show in Hartford. The property has been owned since 1986 by “Consumer Reports”, and they use the facility as a test track.

You had written about Oldsmobile, one of the hottest selling cars in the 1970’s. The Oldsmobile Cutlass was always a top seller, but unfortunately R&D did not keep up with market trends, especially its advertising promo, “It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile.”

Evidently it did not catch on with younger consumers, as Oldsmobile lost its customer base over time, mostly to the snow top and no top males over 55 years of age.

Pontiac was the hottest selling car line in the early 1960’s. Several huge Pontiac Dealers in our market included Russell Pontiac, West Hartford; Stephen Pontiac, Bristol; and Barberino Pontiac in Wallingford.

Barberino ran an ad in the Hartford Courant around 1972, stating that you could buy a brand-new Pontiac Tempest or Pontiac Lemans for 2,200 bananas. Well, a customer showed up with 2,200 Chiquita bananas and they had to deliver the car! Great advertising and publicity stunt that paid off big time.

In 1983, Cale Yarborough won the Daytona 500 in a Pontiac Lemans, his backup car after he crashed his Monte Carlo in practice trying to be the first to hit 200 MPH average lap time (which he did but it was disallowed as he crashed the car and went to the backup). A few other drivers drove Pontiacs as I recall, Fireball Roberts, Marvin Panch, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, and even Richard Petty, briefly.

Also, there were several changes in the 1956 Ford Fairlane / Crown Victoria and Mercury Montclair. You did mention about the 12 volt electrical system, but I also recall rectangular front parking signal lights, 292 V8 Thunderbird badging on the front fenders, restyled dash board with a straight radio (not a round one like 1955), slightly different rear tail lights, and the first time (I believe) seat belts were offered on the Ford Fairlane models. I feel these ’56 Fords were some of the best-looking automobiles Ford ever built. I loved the Two-Tone red and white or the Two-Tone aqua and white seem to be the most popular. 

Thanks Greg and keep up your interesting columns. — John Hannon, Manchester, Connecticut.

A: John, thanks for all your views on the EV infrastructure needs and information on Olds, Mercury, Ford, and Pontiac memories and mentioning all those dealers in the Rhode Island and Connecticut areas. I appreciate your letters very much.

Those NASCAR Pontiacs of Marvin Panch, who won the 1960 Daytona 500 in a 1959 model and Fireball Roberts in 1962, were both Smokey Yunick owned and prepped Pontiacs.

The 1980s were good years for GM at NASCAR racing events. Specifically, they entered Olds, Pontiac, Buick and Chevy models, much to the appreciation of the brand’s fans. It was sound marketing that GM promoted all its brands and not just one or two during that era. 

Today in NASCAR? GM promotes a car they don’t even produce anymore, the Camaro. Go figure.

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist. He welcomes reader interaction on collector cars, auto nostalgia and motorsports at greg@gregzyla.com.)