BostonF4$ said:
Quick question/response for all you Aussies on this forum. I lived in QLD/NSW for about 8 months and saw a whole bunch of cars I wished were in the US (how I became interested in the GTO/Monaro) are you familiar with a nssan 240 type car that has a screaming engine (maybe turbo)? Not a 300 or 350z and definately not a regular 240sx or whatever it was. Also....the toyota soarer...great F'n car. Alot like the old sc400 but with a SC V6. I was also a fan of the Utes..in fact I drove one around for a while and manage to crash it. You could possibly sell that in the US w/ some styling tweaks (more sharp edges and a lower profile)...you'd have to trump up the engine a bit and riff off the old el camino in some way too...but I could see it selling. Look at that weird subara baja thing which is basically the same concept...it sells over here.
I think that many of the cars you are refering to, in the main were "grey imports", meaning that they were not sold and supported by manufacturers or licenced resellers, but were imported into the country by private importers. This means, that with asian sourced vehicles, many do not meet Australian compliance laws, particulalry with frontal and side impact protection.
Nissan sold both the 240k and 260k in the 70's, perhaps you are refering to the Nissan 200sx, which was aturbo charged thing, highly regarded, and also sold in other markets as the Silvia.
The Toyota Soarer is popular with the early 20's set. All of these vehicles are grey imports as Toyota Australia never sold them here, although they did sell the slug, the Supra, which I think is the same body shell.
Many of the iconic Factory built Australian cars, were US V8 powered, but not all. Here is my list of great gutsy Aussie Vehicles, and in no particular order;
Holden
HK - HG Monaro (327, 350 Chev, and 253 & 308 V8 Holden)
LC - LJ Torana GTR-XU1 (Holden 186 6 cyl with tripple carbies)
VC Commodore HDT (308 Holden V8)
VL Wikanshaw Group A Commodore (308 V8)
All V8 powered Vt to VZ Commodores, Monaro's and HSV equivalents
Chrysler Australia
VH Valiant Charger E49 (265 6cyl Australian Hemi)
VJ Valiant Charger E55 (340 US V8)
Ford
Have never made a gutsy car!!
Oh well the XW & XY 351 GTHO's were mean, but not as quick an an E49 Charger.