Can You Ace This Quiz About Cars Pre-1989?

AUTO

12 PLAYS

By: Monica Lee

7 Min Quiz

Image: By Sicnag, via Wikimedia Commons /// Hagerty via youtube /// By Sicnag, via Wikimedia Commons /// By FotoSleuth, via Wikimedia Commons

About This Quiz

When a generation has more than 76 million people in it, they have HUGE purchasing power and influence on almost every consumer product available, including automotive vehicles. To attract buyers, the car industry had to capture the hearts of those raised on "The Jetsons" TV show, NASA space exploration, and keep the promise of a brighter future alive. Think of the Porsche and Lamborghini and how inspired and forward-thinking they looked. The industry also reflected the individuality of the '60s and the cars were successful, including the Volkswagen Beetles and Microbuses. In the ‘80s, when boomers had families, station wagons and minivans had appeal, like the Volvo 240 GLT, and the Dodge Caravan Turbos. Yes, you may recall a time before SUVs were the only cars on the road. 

And let's not forget the cars that Boomers dreamed of driving. Some of you may even have had posters in your bedroom along with Farrah Fawcett. For instance, just looking at the Jaguar XJ220, the Ferrari 250 GTO or the Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette, could give you chills and thrills. Go ahead, test yourself on recognizing these cars from the past. You'll get instant memories that will put a smile on your face. Get ready for a road trip back in time!

Love those muscle cars. What's the name of this one?

Still looks great. From 1964 to 1980 model year, the Oldsmobile 442 offered this elegant and expensive muscle car. It's interesting that the "4-4-2" name refers to the original car's four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhausts.

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Does just seeing this car bring back some good car-ride memories? What's its name?

A Volvo station wagon that's quicker than a Porsche? In the late 1980s, it was true! It's because Volvo packed it with a turbocharged and inter-cooled four-cylinder engine. It made for a nice ride.

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Did your mom drive one of these? What's its name?

The Nash Metropolitan was targeted to the female population as a sensible second car. Sold from 1953 to 1961, the Metropolitan was marketed as an economical premium car, even though it was a compact car.

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Love those coupes. Can you name this one?

Many will agree that 1969 was the most desirable model year for the infamous Chevy Camaro. Those commanding Camaros on the race tracks were an inspiration for both parts and design. If you drove the Z/28, your car symbolized power, speed and success.

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It came with plush carpeting -- what's the name of this car?

In 1962, Dodge entered the compact car category with the Dodge Lancer. Stylish and well-equipped, this car had thick-pile carpeting, bucket seats, leather-grain vinyl upholstery, luxurious wood-grain instrument panel, and more.

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This one is so famous, a song was written about it. What's its name?

Some considered this GTO the first modern muscle car. Introduced in 1964, the GTO was even immortalized in song by Ronny and the Daytonas.

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The most '70s of the 1970s' cars is shown. What's its name?

Iconic. Thrilling. A car to dream about. It says a lot about a car designed in the 1970s that remained perfect poster material well into the 1990s. Although most Baby Boomers couldn't afford a Lamborghini Countach, one could always dream.

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Back in the day, this was a popular car. What is its name?

The first generation of this 2-door car manufactured by Plymouth from the 1964 to 1974 model year, had the cool wrap-around back glass -- an​ innovation at that time. Whereas the redesigned, second generation was available in fastback, hardtop coupe, and convertible versions -- another way to make a cool car, even cooler!

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If you were into European cars, then this one got you attention. What's its name?

The 1967 Jaguar XKE Series 1 4.2 Liter Roadster pictured would be a dream for anyone to own. It's sleek, fast and sexy. Who wouldn't like one of the most visually appealing roadsters ever to come out of Europe?

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How hip were you? What's the make and model of this car?

Far out, man! How many people could you load into a VW? And let's not forget this car was the anthropomorphic star of six Hollywood movies beginning with "The Love Bug" in 1968. The VW has been making the scene from 1945 to 2003.

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Add to your Boomer dream list of cars with this one. What's its name?

An oldie but goodie. The Austin-Healey 3000 is a British sports car built from 1959 to 1967. Although production stopped in 1972, demand for refurbished Austin-Healeys continues to grow as they are fun to drive and easier to acquire than a classic Jaguar or Aston Martin.

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It was marketed in the '50s. Do you recall the name of this car?

It was a first. A compact car for the North American market. But it stood out because of its​ European styling. The Nash Rambler was marketed to American buyers between 1950 and 1957 as a handsome alternative to larger, flashy Detroit competitor cars.

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You went on road trips in it. But which station wagon is the one pictured?

Although the Dodge Coronet is no longer in production (and hasn't been for 40 years), it was a useful and distinctive vehicle that remained on the market from 1945 to 1976 for an impressive seven generations.

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OK, one more station wagon question. What is the name of this one?

If it wasn't for the launch of the SUV, the Mercury Colony Park would have lasted for more than its six generations. This full-size station wagon that was marketed between 1957 and 1991, was known for its simulated wood-grain paneling and roomy interior.

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This could have been your parents' car. What is its name?

The 1950 Studebaker Champion Custom 2-Door Sedan pictured here sported a new automatic transmission considered superior to many other transmissions of this time. Its features also included a "hill-holder" (preventing the car from rolling downhill) as well as a wrap-around​ rear window for better sight lines.

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You may have never owned it, but you stopped on the street when you saw it drive by. What's this car's make and model?

You heard it before you saw it. It had the rumble of a real HEMI motor inside its handsome 'Cuda body. Yes, this car was the power car of the performance car era.

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You were just a kid, but its name might ring a bell. Which car is it?

A mechanically-advanced automobile for the time, the Hudson Hornet had a streamlined body with a low center of gravity. For 1953, you could purchase the Jet, Wasp or Hornet. The Hudson name, having merged with American Motors (AMC), was discontinued after the 1957 model year.

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Popular in the '70's, what car is in this picture?

Do you recall you could get a bird painted on the hood of this car? The 1977 Pontiac Trans Am was made popular by Burt Reynolds in the movie, “Smokey and the Bandit.”

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This car got some bad publicity. What's its name?

The Pinto turned into a public relations disaster for Ford when a fuel filler neck snapped off in rear-end collisions, causing the back end to erupt in flames. We hope you did not have one of those cars growing up.

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This model didn't get too much applause when it hit the sales floor. What was its​ name?

You may have seen it in the movie, "Wayne's World," where it was called the "Mirth Mobile." It was easy to laugh at since the Pacer's wraparound windows gave it the look of a rolling fishbowl. AMC spent millions promoting the car, but it was a sales flop.

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Boomers had graduated college and were looking for an affordable car. Which one is pictured?

The sub-compact Chevy Chevette was Chevrolet's knee-jerk reaction to the OPEC oil embargo that created a market for small cars. This sub-compact endured from 1975 to 1987 and about three years into the Chevette’s production run, almost half a million had been sold.

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As Boomers had children, they needed more room for stuff. Which vehicle is shown?

When the Ford Motor Company affixed an over-sized, station-wagon style body onto an F-series pickup truck chassis, the Ford Explorer had arrived. The result was an instant hit that sold North Americans on the SUV concept. It also kept the Explorer on the SUV scene for 25 years.

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Did you learn to drive hoping to one day drive this car? Either way, do you recall its name?

The GT350 was born when the Ford Motor Company asked former racer and team owner Carroll Shelby to turn its Mustang into a race car winner. We hope you learned to drive on a less powerful car!

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Here's another beauty. What's its name?

Designed in the late 1960s, the Lamborghini Miura owned the early '70s as the unofficial car of the Rat Pack, not to mention as the car of choice for guys like Rod Stewart and Miles Davis. And, of course, it was the star of one of the greatest openings in film history for "The Italian Job" (1969 version).

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OK, it wasn't made in America, but it turned American heads when it drove by. What's the name of this car?

The BMW 02 Series is a range of compact executive cars produced by German automaker BMW between 1966 and 1977. Its styling and design turned heads on and off the road.

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It was Japan’s first global sports sedan. What was it's name?

In the 1960s, Datsuns certainly weren't as common as other cars. So the company built the 510 Sedan, at least in part, to be the breakthrough car for Datsun in the U.S. And it was a hit. They were known as "the poor man's BMW" due to strut front and arm suspension.

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You may have seen this car parked in a lot of driveways. What's the make and model?

It was tricky. Coming up with a car to take on the Corvette. In 1989, Dodge unveiled the Viper. Its look and style were​ so popular that it was produced from 1992 through 2017, having taken a brief hiatus from 2010 to 2013. This 1992 Viper looks like a modern-day Cobra and drove like one, too.

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Remember this one? What's the make and model name?

This handsome sports car hit the road in 1953. The 427/435 Corvette was one of the premier Corvettes produced in the 1960s. It still thrills the heart and soul.

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You can do. What's the name of the make and model of this car?

Buick decided to build a special car in 1982. The original Buick Grand National wasn't quite the fire-breather of later cars, but it had more power than the Ford Mustang at that time.

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What's the name of this car where seat belts weren't standard?

The Studebaker Lark was an economically-priced, compact car produced by Studebaker from 1959 to 1966. This was an important car to the Studebaker Company as it saved the company from financial disaster. Unfortunately, not for long, as they closed their doors in 1966.

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Hippies will immediately name this car. What's the make and model?

VW produced the VW Micro bus in 1950. But by the '60s it became a symbol of the Hippie movement. The VW Microbus had various nicknames throughout the world, including Bully, Hippie-Van, and Kleinbus (Germany), Rugbrod, meaning Rye Bread (Denmark), Vee-Dub (America), and Camping-Car (France).

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It's still super recognizable after all these years. What is the name of this car?

This sports car with gull-wing doors that opened upward is none other than the DeLorean DMC-12 . Built in the early 1980s, the company went bankrupt by 1982. Now, as a collectors' car, it is worth between $85,000 and $100,000, according to a 2016 estimate.

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Did you drive this one? What is its make and model?

The Toyota Supra is a sports car developed by Toyota Motor Corporation from 1978 to 2002. This car has been was part of Baby Boomers' lives as they entered the working world and starting raising a family. The styling was based upon the popular Celica liftback, but it had a more powerful engine.

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Today, you'd just see SUVs. What's the make and model of this vehicle?

Family Road Trip! That's what the 1976 AMC Matador may remind you of. Whether you were the driver or passenger, this car was a dependable way to see the U.S. Although the Matador coupe has made a small resurgence amongst collectors' circles, it has not been super popular.

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It would be a dream for most baby boomers to own. What is the name of this beauty?

If you're a wealthy Baby Boomer, you may be collecting race cars like the Ferrari of Aston Martins. But the 1963 Shelby Cobra Roadster, is one of the most sought-after race cars, especially since it captured America’s first FIA sports car racing championship.

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Then there were lemons. Do you know the make and model of this car?

If you remember the Chevy Vega, it may be because of all the problems it had. Sections of the body weren't perfectly coated and began to rust. The Vega was also prone to overheating and sometimes engine fires were reported.

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You'll name this beauty right away. What is it?

The Ford Mustang ruled the road from 1964 to the present day. Yes, it's a classic that has been around for 54 years and is here to stay. From the 1968 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet that turned the car into a street-legal drag racer to today's Roush Jackhammer Ford Mustang, it's a Boomer favorite.

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If you got your hands on one of these, you knew quality. What's the make and model of this vehicle?

Yes, they started out as the most expensive station wagons on the market in 1978, but they were bulletproof. The Mercedes-Benz 300TD was one of the best built station wagons on the road. These vehicles were both practical and relatively luxurious.

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Did you pick up one of these during your career? What was the name of this vehicle?

Nearly 60 years ago, Toyota sold its first car in the United States, and by 1977, the company had produced its 1 millionth truck in the U.S., making a name for itself in the compact truck segment.

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This was a popular car in the '80s. Do you recall the make and model?

Honda Civic Si earned the golden calipers as the 1988 Motor Trend Import Car of the Year. The Si name is an abbreviation for "sport injection," which is Honda's extra-cool term for fuel injection. This fuel injection ended up giving the Si cars the extra power needed to set them apart.

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