There was something about cars in the 1970s — they weren’t just something you drove to get from here to there, you were the car. Before everything started to blur together, style- and design-wise, your car said exactly who you were because it served a purpose, not who you wanted to be. The guy with the Boattail Riviera? Well, he wasn’t the same as the woman in the wood-paneled wagon. Those vehicles had different purposes.
How ’70s Cars Stood Apart Before the ’80s Changed Everything
1970s cars in San Francisco in 1978.
At the time, the “Big Three” dominated the backroads and Main Streets of the country, but there were still plenty of models and trims to go around—and in fact, I found the sheer number to be surprising while researching this article. Much like the fashion at the time, car companies weren’t interested in trying to fit into a single mold. Vehicles were heavy, bold, oversized, and even at times impractical. The sound of a heavy door on a Chevy Impala was unparalleled.
MORE ’70s CARS: 14 Classic ’70s Car Ads From Magazines
Families on road trip in the 1970s.
Then the ’80s happened, and you started to see a real shift. Streamlined became the defining factor, and as gas prices rose, things were becoming more efficient—and with that came more cars that, beyond models and companies, started to look… the same. (Though there are still plenty of features from that era we’d gladly bring back—like the ones we rounded up in our look at car features we miss from the ’80s.)
Back When Cars Had Stories — and So Did the People Driving Them
Were the ’70s the last decade where you could glance at a car and instantly know when it came from? Even if you grew up in the ’70s, you’ll find yourself seeing a car from that period at a show and thinking “vintage”—but you probably aren’t saying that about ’80s cars.
To go along with the “cars with personality” theme, we’ve compiled a list of ’70s cars that have exactly that—and had a little fun describing exactly who we think might have driven them. To the Garys, Lindas, Rons, Debbies, and Steves out there—this one is for you.
LOOK: These Photos Show Why ’70s Cars Were Something Special (and Obviously Better)
Big, bold, and built different — these ’70s cars looked and felt like nothing on the road today. Take a ride back and see them in their prime. [And we did our best to identify the models and dates, so if we got it wrong, gearheads, don’t come after us!]
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
LOOK: Here’s What Daily Life Looked Like in the 1970s, One Photo at a Time
From neighborhood bike rides to washing the car, these photos capture daily life in the 1970s in all its comfortable, lived-in charm.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz