The 1970s was a period of sweeping changes in the automobile sector, especially in the American market. More overseas imports were showing up to compete with home-grown models. The oil crisis compelled carmakers to start downsizing their models as oil prices sky-rocketed. This was also the era that witnessed some of the most radical car designs and revolutionary technologies.
Among the carmakers, there were some winners that emerged from this period smelling like roses. They found a winning formula with their designs and produced cars that continue to command significant values even today, decades after.
However, there were other 1970-era cars that did not fare so well; vehicles that failed to take the changing automobile landscape into account. Some of them still exist today – a sad reminder of what might have been but never was.
Truly, it was an interesting time, and here, you will read about some of those cars that still hold their heads up high and others whose values have been almost completely eroded.
15 Worth a Fortune: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 – $135,000
The 1970 Mustang Boss 302 was a racing variant of the regular models and was mainly produced for the Trans Am racing series. The car would go on to achieve success in the 1970 Championship race and seal its place as one of the Mustang greats. In 2012, Ford decided to revive that name for a limited production run.
14 Cheap: 1979 Mazda RX7 – Average Value, $9,000
The Mazda RX7 was a little rear-wheel-drive sports car that had a 22-year production run; with over 800,000 units manufactured in that period. The first generation RX7 was great, but it was not a stand-out performer and the mass production did nothing to help its value down the road.
13 Cheap: 1976 Chevrolet Corvette C3 – Average Value, $9,000
The third-generation Corvette was a little nose-heavy but it did go on to become a hit with consumers. The 1975 – 77 models were less powerful than the early generation models and this reflects in the market value today.
Also, it is hard to find a C3 today that does not require some form of restoration – and those costs can run into an excess of $10,000. That’s probably why the cars are quite cheap to purchase in the market.
12 Worth a Fortune: 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM SD 455 – Average Value, $111,000
The 1974 Firebird Trans AM was among the last high-performance vehicles that were built in the 1970s. A total of 943 units were built for that model year and only a fraction of that number was powered by the race-oriented 455 super duty engines. This has helped it retain most of its value on the market today.
11 Cheap: 1977 Ford Pinto Hatchback – Average Value, $4,000
The Ford Pinto had the unwholesome reputation of being one of the ugliest cars in its time. Then there was also the propensity to explode with a rear-collision impact. It is a mystery that you can still find them for sale today. Even more puzzling is the fact that anyone would want to buy one.
10 Cheap: 1978 Mercury Zephyr – Average Value, $4,000
In 2019, a well-maintained Mercury Zephyr, complete with service records and clean title from a single owner still sold for $4,000. It’s not hard to see why this car only attracts such a mediocre resale value. To be fair, this entry-level luxury sedan wasn’t awful but it was not great either; it just plodded along as one of the more unremarkable models of the ‘70s era.
9 Cheap: 1972 AMC Gremlin – Average Price, $7,000
Well, the car was named ‘Gremlin’ for good reason. It was just downright ugly. AMC knew this in any case and actually used the car’s reputation as a marketing tactic. The car was the butt of many jokes when it debuted and should you buy one today, be prepared to ask for a thick skin as an extra.
8 Worth a Fortune: 1979 Lamborghini Countach - Average Price, $600,000
The Lamborghini Countach is one of the most iconic Lamborghini models today and one that set standards for supercars of its era. It was the first Lamborghini to have that distinctive wedge shape – and then there were those wickedly cool scissor-doors. The Countach was made to stand-out and that still reflects in its value. In most cases, it will cost north of $500,000 to acquire one today.
7 Cheap: 1976 Plymouth Arrow - Average Price, $3,500
The Arrow was a result of a collaboration between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. The car actually fared quite well in an already saturated coupe market and was able to sell more than 140,000units in America. Getting one today shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. A quick search online will reveal a number of well-maintained examples at giveaway prices.
6 Cheap: 1977 Lincoln Town Car - Average Price, $5,000
The Town Car was massive, ungainly and looked like it would struggle at any speed above a crawl. It was introduced at a time when other American carmakers were downsizing the sizes of their sedans and the car never really fared well. If you feel a twinge of nostalgia, you can go right ahead and pick one off the second-hand market. It will hardly pinch your wallet.
5 Cheap: 1971 Triumph Stag – Average Price, $2,500
The Stag was the least popular model in a lineup that included the best-selling TR and Spitfire models. It was produced between 1970 and 1977 but only 2,900 units were sold in the U.S market in that time. The early model cars were inexpensive back then and are worth even less today if you can find one, that is.
4 Worth a Fortune: 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Spyder - Average Price, $650,000
The late-model Maserati models have a reputation for heavy depreciation; a fact that will puzzle the designers of this 1970 Maserati beauty. The Ghibli was the first of the V8 Maserati GT cars and had the performance to back it up too. It is still highly desirable today and regularly fetches significant sums of money at auctions.
3 Cheap: 1977 Ford LTD II – Average Price, $2,400
The Ford LTD II is often regarded as the ‘unsuccessful brother’ to the hugely popular Thunderbird models. The LTD II was essentially a remodeled 1976 Ford Gran Torino and offered a luxurious riding style. It was not enough to save it though and Ford pulled the plug on the model after 2 years.
2 Cheap: 1978 Toyota Cressida – Average Price, $4,000
The Cressida first came to the North American shores in 1978 and was intended to add some luxury to the existing Toyota lineup. Consequently, the car was equipped with comfort features like power steering, premium sound system and loads of sound deadening material. It was very expensive though and sales were below expectations. It is a tempting buy today if you want to experience what old-school luxury feels like.
1 Worth a Fortune: 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS - Average Price, $900,000
A few years ago, the Discovery Channel carried out a research that established the 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS as the fastest-appreciating vehicle. Its value had grown by over 700% within a 10-year period, from 2004 to 2014. The 1973 Porsche 911 is considered to be one of the purest expressions of the 911 lineage and is highly sought after by wealthy car enthusiasts.