I thought it would be interesting to see if anyone could come up with examples of older cars with design features that carried over to our Crossfires. I owned a 1961 Corvette back in 1962 and as you notice the side detail with the 3 chrome fins are almost identical to ours on the Crossfire. The second expample is from a 1939 Cadillac of which I built a model, and it also has the 3 chrome fins.

Can anyone else come up with other photo examples?

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN


http://www.automaniaphotos.com/image...1961%20(2).JPG

 

One of the only cars I regret not keeping was a 1973 Triump GT6 Mark III, the coupe-hatchback design is very similar....small 2.0L 6 cylinder, 4 speed manual. The Crossfire is everything I wished that GT6 would have been...but wasn't....quality-power, etc.!!!

 

I agree Chris L, back in the late 1950's and early 1960's I managed a Shell service station that specialized in foreign cars and saw many MG's, Triumph's TR2,TR3, & TR4's, Jaguar's Austin Healey's,etc. I still admire those automobiles but they weren't very reliable. The USA cars from that era weren't that great either. Anyone care to return to the era of 1,000 mile oil changes, 10,000 mile at best tune ups (points plugs and condenser). Wheel bearing packs, changing the anti-freeze every season. How about the rust issues in that era. I had a 1956 Chevy and it was rusted out by 1959.
(I live in the Toledo Ohio area and they use salt on the road in the winter for you guys in warmer climates to understand our rust issues.)

 

Once I drove that GT6, life was never the same, that goes back so far that I use it as proof that the purchase of the Xfire does not represent a mid-life crisis for me...I've been having this crisis ever since 1973!

 

Not a mid-life crisis at all, at this point it's a late life indulgence.
And well earned I might add. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

 

From the 60's the Marlin has a strong resemblance........

 

Try a late 60s model American Motors AMX and you might see where the XFire idea originated (or so I suspect).

A link - http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...amc-amx-1a.jpg

The AMX was a cool looking car during the day. If it had been built by one of the Big 3 U.S. automakers it liklely would have been a lights out smash with the public...but the American Motors tag really put the damper on in my mind.

 

'42 Chevy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/318200930/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr38/1546634567/

 

Great examples guys, just what I'm looking for, although it makes me cringe to compare the build quality and engineering with AMC.

 

73 Buick Gran Sport Riviera

http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...iera-1973a.jpg

 

Same here, I had a 69 GT6+ that I wish I'd kept. That started my love affair with hatches that continued with an MGBGT, 64 Cuda(looks like a hatch), Saab 900 Turbo, and currently an 89 Conquest TSi that is heavily modded. I'm about to purchase an SRT in the very near future...I'll post when it's mine. Here's a link to my Conquest.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/698823

 

Light years apart...

 

And here's another one. Classic Car Tach from Pebble Beach Concours with Deco style design like our crossfire speedometer.

http://web-cars.com/pbeach/photo.php...IMG_3661_a.jpg

 

Speaking as an AMC enthusiast for over 40 years, it make me "cringe" every time I hear remarks like Chuck 65 made about AMC products, implying that they were some how inferior to other cars of that era.
But it's really not that unusual for people from my generation (& older) to have those very same prejudicial, and misguided attitudes.
In actuality, AMC products of the late 60's and early 70's were engineered, and quality controlled just as well as any cars offered by the "BIG 3".
Every manufacturer had their own problems, and they showed up in one area or another. AMC products had no more, or less. But simply because AMC had an "Under Dog" persona, it was an easy target for those who felt the need to belittle somebody else's car.
It goes without saying that the technology of any American car built 33 years before the first Crossfire would be light years apart. Which makes it even more remarkable that the AMX duplicates the performance (acceleration/braking) of a Limited Crossfire.
Since I'm probably the only one on the forum who owns an AMX, I'm also the only one who knows how well these cars handle on a twisty road. Given comparable tires (along with shock/struts) even with a rigid axle, an AMX would only be marginally behind an Limited XF on a road course.
You can take my word for it, or you can dismiss everything I just said as B.S. Either way, all I can say is that I feel most at home in the Crossfire simply because it reminds me more of the AMX than any other car I've owned, and that's why I'm the most comfortable in it.
Even though an AMX and a Crossfire would never be confused, they do share a few similar "styling" cues. But as much as the Crossfire's roofline matches another AMC offering "the Marlin" that wasn't the designer "Eric Stoddard's" intent.
Listed below is where the Crossfire and the AMX's similarities are the most obvious.

_______________________AMX____vs____Crossfire_____ ______________

Seating capacity__________2______________2________________ _______
Wheel Base_____________97.0"___________94.5"____________ _________
Fr Track________________59.7"__________58.3"_________ _____________
R. Tack_________________57.0"__________58.2"_________ ____________
Length_________________177.2"_________159.8"______ _______________
Hight___________________51.7"__________51.4"______ _______________
Ground clearance_________5.29"__________4.9"_____________ _________
Curb weight____________3035lbs.________3084lbs.________ ___________
Weight distributionF/R%__57/43___________54/46____________________
Trunk space cu.ft.________9.6_____________7.6_________________ ____
Turns lock to lock_________3.8_____________3.1__________________ ___
Turning circle____________33.5'____________32.9'__________ __________
Compression ratio________10.2:1___________10.0:1______________ _____
SAE H.P.________________225_____________215___________ __________
Frontal area sq.ft._________20.6_____________20.6______________ _____
Final drive ratio___________3.15:1___________3.27:1___________ _______
Body construction________unitized__________unitized____ _____________
Braking 60 to 0____________115'_____________114'________________ ___
Automatic trans performance
0 to 30mph________________2.9sec._________2.5sec.______ __________
0 to 60mph________________6.9sec._________7.1sec.______ __________
Manual trans performance
0 to 30mph________________1.9sec._________2.1sec.______ __________
0 to 40mph________________3.1sec._________3.5sec.______ __________
0 to 50mph________________4.5sec._________4.7sec.______ __________
0 to 60mph________________6.6sec._________6.5sec.______ __________
0 to 70mph________________8.5sec._________8.2sec.______ __________
0 to 80mph_______________10.7sec._________10.2sec._____ __________
0 to 90mph._______________13.5sec._________13.1sec.____ ___________
0 to 100mph_______________16.3sec._________16.1sec.____ __________

1/4mile times and speed__14.8sec-98mph____14.8sec-96mph___________

 

fireamx,

Here's my Rambler. For a '65 is sure hold's it own. Very smooth, comfortable running car. Doors still don't hang and closes like a modern day german built car. I was surprised one went for over $25k at Barrett-Jackson last year, but they are rare. I'm a chevy man all the way with a few exceptions. The crossfire and rambler are some of them.
Cruzinquick

 

That's a stretch!

 

Unless you own one and can go outside and close the doors on both, you don't have a clue.
Cruzinquick

 

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/c...irearrow_3.jpg

 

Here are a few more similarities between the Crossfire and AMX that I've posted in the past.

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...?t=9100&page=3 post #26

 

http://es.motorfull.com/wp-content/u...-1600x1200.jpg