From the Henry Ford Museum:
“Toyota Corona” was a good name in 1966. Could it be considered a great name for the 2022 model year? The trim levels can be “Wild type” (or “Not Chinese”?), “Delta”, and “Lambda”.
Too morbid? Consider that the car in which JFK was assassinated was patched up and used by succeeding presidents for another 14 years.
The biggest tragedy for light aircraft is that Chrysler gave up on mass-producing turbine engines:
In 1930, Americans were sufficiently fond of each other that a family could live together in a 1,017-square-foot house:
Fun fact, Corona is Greek for “crown”. Toyota is still selling Camrys and according to wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Camry) it’s still the same name:
Etymology
The name “Camry” derives from the Japanese word kanmuri (ja:冠, かんむり), meaning “crown”.[2] This follows Toyota’s naming tradition of using the crown name for primary models starting with the Toyota Crown (1955), continuing with the Toyota Corona (1957) and Corolla (1966); the Latin words for “crown” and “small crown”, respectively.
I had forgotten about the Corona until now! [BOOM]
GM Research built first of its three turbine-powered Firebird concept cars in 1953. Don’t tell me the Firebird III didn’t inspire the Batmobile – I won’t believe you even if I’m wrong – but those Chryslers were actually driven by real Americans in the real world, and that means a lot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Firebird#Firebird_III
Dymaxion House discussion for a different day but I’d probably think seriously about living in one today (modernized a bit) if I could.
Sorry while I was joking around I didn’t read all of the text in the Corona exhibit photo: 3.5 months at the 1966 average wage to own one. 90 horsepower, four doors and a trunk, 2100 pounds, *3 speed automatic transmission*. MSRP $1,745.
Here is a 2022 Chevrolet Spark LS (the base car) a 98 horsepower. 5-door hatch, *5-speed manual transmission*, 2246 pounds – MSRP : $14,595.
$1,745 in 1966 dollars is ~$14,703.40 in today’s dollars. If you can drive a stick, it looks to me like Chevy is trying to hold up its end of the bargain, hasn’t added a lot of bloat despite all the safety features, and you can get a CVT automatic for about $1,100 more. More detailed comments of course will be forthcoming.
https://www.caranddriver.com/chevrolet/spark/specs/2022/chevrolet_spark_chevrolet-spark-hatchback_2022/420652
I’m working on a deeper look into the Corona vs. Spark but for compare/contrast with today’s automotive journalism:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/vintage-review-1966-1970-toyota-corona-bullseye/
Corona = Rust bucket. I’m sure a 2022 Spark is worlds better. My family owned a ’78. Rust all around and the 3 spd borg-warner automatic was an unreliable mess but the 20R engine block was bulletproof. My 1980s cheapo Ford Escort was much better.
@demetri: I’m sure they were bucket list after bucket list of rust despite the glowing reviews of their other build quality characteristics. That may explain why the west coast California “buff books” (to use the vernacular from one of the articles) were initially much bigger fans than the east coast publications like Car and Driver. Galvanization came to different makes & models at different times over several decades, and there weren’t many cars with it 1966 that sold for < $1800 IIRC.
Even German cars were not immune as late as the 1980s. I owned an early-80s SCCA-prepped Volkswagen Scirocco with a driver's side floor you could stick your feet throguh and push like Fred Flintstone for a few extra "foot-pounds" at one point just before I crushed it. Even "modern" cars and truck can have serious problems unless they're undercoated (be careful!) including my 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid, which is why I pay extra to have the undercarriage washed during the winter months. Little breaches get bad fast. The link below digresses a little, but that poor guy just purchased his used F-150 and FTM handed him all the bad news that was fit to print. If used, get an independent inspection, and do your homework even with newer cars!
I'm pretty sure you're correct about the Spark. I know that the 2014 models were full-body galvanized and I'll bet the 2022s are as well.
Watch this tale of woe:
@demitri: Sorry I know even in ’78 not just the late ’60s. Here’s an interesting site, I don’t know how complete it is, but they do not list the Corona in *any* year. They also say the ’80 Escort was not galvanized but had “applying conventional anti-corrosion layer” which may mean primer+paint+undercoating of some kind, still much better than bare steel.
At one point my father owned an 1981 Chevy Chevette DIESEL (!!) with an indestructible Isuzu inline 4 diesel engine, but the rest of the car rusted to a pile of chips and dust all around it!
https://galvanicar.com/toyota/
@Alex: thanks for the list. Looks like the first year was 1979. Lucky us in 78. The corona disappears since it morphed into an early 80s Camry. My late 80s escort had no rust problems in fact its still used by my folks when they go back to the homeland on vacation.
The Panic trim level: Windows do not open, a keyboard replaces the door lock (you must type in why you are leaving the house).
Anybody know if RVs are more popular for isolation while on vacation in the Age of the ‘Rona?
Resort pools and amusement parks remain most popular while on vacation, just tested.
Never live in a round house. The acoustics are maddening.
Square footage of a round house; nice irony and makes you think about filling a circle with increasingly small rectangular items.