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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1976-09-30, Page 24featuring/a 5 year or 50,000 mile WARRANTY For an Appointment call' 527-0588 Brussels and Seaforth Goderich St.. E. 2A. IS THERE A CAR IN YOUR FUTURE ? YOUR NEW. CAR the ContTerce has the fmandng you need. Let's face it, rou don't need a bank to tell you how to plan your future. That's your business. And we respect it. But let's say you've got your plans all sorted out. And your plans arc going to need money, come to us. We'd like to help you. We're the Bank of Commerce. We can custom tailor an entire credit package specifically for your farru„The package includes short term credit to cover your month co month and season to season operations and longer range financing of items such as machin- ery, grain storage or additional land. Ni'e can lend you the money you need now. • And the nice thing is that you can arrange repayment specifically to suit your cash flow, if you wish we can also arrange low-cost credit life insurance. Whatever your credit needs, the person to talk this your local Commerce manager. So if you're a farmer who has future plans that include money, come talk to u,s. 4(P CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE Energy crisis sports changes in 1977 new car introductions It's that time of year again, when all car buffs make their way to the show rooms and lots to check out what "the Big Three" are offering for the coming year. The coming year will be the start of a great change in direction for the North American auto industry. Since the "Energy Crisis" of a few years ago the auto industry has begun building and promoting smaller cars and last year for the first time a "midsized car" replaced the full size as top , seller. 1977 will see some familiar nameplates dropped, some added but many shortened and narrowed. Gone are the days when the car models were changed completely and made bigger each year. The companies are now concentrating on handling linterior room, compacting size , and most of all encouraging miles per gallon and low emmissions. Chrysler Corporation Chrysler's lineup remains pretty much unchanged for 1977. The biggest alteration is the deletion of the Dart-Dust er-Valiant line in favour of the Aspen - Volare line introduced last year. Consisting of a 2 door coupe, 4 door sedan and 4 door wagon, this line received much praise upon its introduction last year. The option list is extensive, all ' three Aspen models are available in standard, custom and special edition (S.E.) trim with the coupe only offering the R.T:trim and package. From here up there is n othing changed for 1977 except trim. Charger and Cordoba share' the same body styling as they had last year. Cordoba is of course more luxurious and was a good seller in '76 as a personal luxury car. The full size Chrysler is again available in Newport,,New Yorker. Brougham and Town and Country trim. Most options remain the same with the list including everything from soup to nuts. Chrysler engine lineup includes the slant six with one and 2 barrel carbs. The small block engines, the 318, 360 & 400 cu. in. es and the 440 big block. The 225 cu in s 's' available in the compacts and midsized sedans. The 318 & 360 available in the compacts mid size and personal cars, the 400 in the mid personal and full size cars and the big 440 only. in the full size' units. All models get automatics except the mid size sedans where you can chose •a 3 speed standard' and the compactsa where you can chose from an auto, 3 speed manual or 4 speed overdrive manual. Chryslers big newest inovation is the Lean Burn System which was introduced during '76 or 400 engines. It is available on 360, 400 & 440 V8's. now,and 318's after Jan. 1, 1977. Basically the system is an electronic spark control computer which adjusts the spark plug firing time to, achieve the best combustion efficiency. Despite rumours, the Continental did not get smaller for '77. The Ford ultimates are slightly redesigned but not smaller. The big change is in Thunderbird It is much smaller and has lost some exclusivity because there's a sister look alike at Mercury. The Cougar XR 7 The Bird has been cut by 600 lb. in weight and 10 in, in overall length. It's also been cut drastically in price and Ford expects it to meet headon in the market place with the Monte Carlo, Cordoba and Grand Prix. The new Thunderbird is definitely a Ford. The nose is long, the headlights hidden (LTD style) and the grill large and familiar.The distinctive feature is the Targa-type bar across the roof. Standard engine is the 302 cu. in !Optional are the 3512 bbl., 4002 bbl. and 4004 bbl. Although the standard feature list is down on the New Bird, to help cut the cost, the option list can be, applied to fully deck - the car to, anyones The ,new Thunderbird shares its body style with the Cougar. Some people think this' will detract from sales. But that name is still magic „and now the car is within economic reach of more people.,This looks like the better idea for '77. The Cougar nameplate is attached to a full line of cars - 2 door hardtops, 4 door sedans and 4 door Wagons. All Cougar, sedans come standard with 302 engines and optional 351 & 400's. The wagons get a standard 351. Wheelbase' for, hardtops is 114" with 118!' for the 4 doors & 1/8" fot wagons. These figures are dittoed in the Bird. The LTD 11 replaces the Torino as an all new intermediate. Coming in 2 door hardtops, 4 door sedans and wagons, the cars will be offered in 2 trim levels. LTD IIS & LTD II. The rest of the Ford lineup is exactly the • same save some cosmetic changes here and there. , Trucks & Vans In the past 2 years light truck sales have climbed to a point' Where all companies regard them as near their top sellers. Many people view a light truck. as a good alternative to a second car or even a first vehicle and a ,small car foi• town. consequently the option list has climbed to where it looks like are for a high priced car. Chrysler will hit the, '77 market with a customized pickup called the Warlock. Based on a short bed 1.1.niline (step side , ), the truck will sport factory steel spoke wheels off road tires and stakes and rails about a foot high around the pickup bed. Included in the package are bucket seats and the truck is available in black, red and • dark green. • • • The styling remains the same in all trucks except for a new grill in pickups ramchar ,gers and trail dusters. The engine line up is the same as 1975. Ford The word front' Fords light truck division is extensive changes under the .skin, ,engine, ignition and rear axle are the targets with emphasis on Fuel economy. New to the pickup line are two V8's, the 351M and 400M putting out 161 & 170 H.P. respectively. These engines are passenger car Cleveland, reworked to deliver better performance and fuel economy. The 300 cu. in six, 302 V8 and 460 V8 remain. All engines will get a new ignition system. Dura spark deli vers a high voltage ' to the spark plugs. Its an improved form of brakeless ignition that will improve fuel economy and emissions. A new optional axle ratio will also help at the gas pumps. General Motors trucks will remain pretty much the same as in 1976. Trim changes and a few options will be the only differences. GM will also emphasize economy and creature comfort. Next size up is,.the Monaco-Fury mid size Ford Motor Co. replacing the Coronet 8r. Sattelite available Wh lie G.M. has ordered down sizing of in two door hardtop, 4 door sedan and its big cars, Ford has opted to keep the traditional wheel bases fort at least one station wagon. Both Plymouth and Dodge more year, Ford figures they'll win, a lot of offer three different trim levels and a large' option list. Cosmetically the only change is groud from QM by offering full size cars - grill' and headlight (rectangular) and tail We'lln s eel lights. The 1977 LTD & Marquis are relatively The full size Dodge and Plymouth line is unchanged. However things are different in the intermediates: The LTDII and the virtually unchanged from last year, being Cougar. LTDII replaces the Torino; w hile offered 2 door hardtop, 4 door sedan and wagon models. the Cougar line replaces the Montego.