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Car Of The Day: August 31, 2009; Ertl '82 Ford EXP
Topic Started: Aug 31 2009, 05:18 AM (654 Views)
Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
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Today's car of the day is Ertl's 1982 Ford EXP.

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Wikipedia
 
First shown at the Chicago Auto Show and introduced in April 1981 as an early 1982 model, the Ford EXP and Mercury LN7 were the first two-seaters that Ford offered in 25 years.

Comparing the EXP to the original Thunderbird, Ford Division General Manager Louis E. Latalf said: "We’re introducing another two-seater with the same flair, but the EXP will be a very affordable, very fuel efficient car matched to the lifestyles of the eighties."

Ford's marketing strategy at the time was based on their perception of American lifestyle in the early 1980s. Ford felt that the growing number of one and two person households, combined with the lifestyle of the younger target audience who desired a small sporty car, led them to the conclusion that Americans wanted a "lively little car that is dependable, efficient, and good-looking".

Ford's feeling was that if a customer wanted room for four or five passengers, they would buy an Escort or a Fairmont. The marketing philosophy for the EXP's seating was rather like that of a European grand tourer; a personal vehicle for two, with a shotgun seat for emergency transport of a third. The designation of EXP reflected this philosophy.


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For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EXP

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Today's car of the day comes courtesy (thank you!) Peter (VelocityArts) who suggested that it would be a perfect car of the day candidate. I agreed, and here it is! The real car never did a whole lot for me back in the 1980s but I have come to appreciate it much more now. I remember passing on this on the pegs at Ben Franklin many times over. Funny how a few years can make such a big difference in perception. As a kid, I hated the headlights. They just looked wierd (this coming from someone who also loved pop-up headlights... hey, I was 5 years old!). The real car was hardly a huge hit for Ford, and examples of the real car are a rare sight on the roads these days. I can't remember the last time I saw one! The casting is accurate, as most of Ertl's were.

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Wikipedia
 
There had been a push by automobile manufacturers around the world to make small, fuel efficient cars. This was precipitated by the O.P.E.C. oil embargo of October 17, 1973-1974. This embargo included a 70% increase in oil prices, causing l-o-n-g lines at gasoline filling stations, and sky-rocketing prices for gasoline. People wanted, demanded more miles for their gasoline dollars. Ultimately this led Detroit, Tokyo and Germany to rethink the adage that “bigger is better”.

The world would respond with smaller cars. Relations with the middle-east did not improve very much during Jimmy Carter’s presidency 1977-1981 and a population wanting fuel efficient automobiles continued. Under the leadership and sometimes pushy manners of Lee Iacocca Ford had previously introduced one of its most successful cars the Mustang. The Mustang [1964 ½] originally was no more than a Falcon with a different, more sports-car like body. With the award winning, dollar generating Mustang in their recent past the hierarchy of FORD [then minus Lee Iacocca] decided to repeat the phenomenon by taking another economy car, the Ford Escort, Mercury Lynx and putting a sporty body on top of it. Thus was conceived the EXP and LN7. According to the March 1981 issue of Car and Driver the EXP with a manual transmission reached 44 MPG on the hi-way which today competes very well with any hybrid on the road!

During this period Chevrolet had introduced the rear-engine Corvair [1959 but later destroyed by Ralph Nader’s safety conscious hearings] Ford had introduced the Falcon [1960], Plymouth introduced the Valiant [1960], later Ford introduced the Maverick [1970] and down-sized the Mustang and Bronco. Volkswagen introduced the Rabbit diesel [1977] with an astounding 50+ MPG. Upon its introduction, the FORD Escort [1981] won the title of best new car. Chevrolet had introduced the Chevette [1976] as well as the Pontiac T-1000 [1981]. GM also introduced in 1981 the: Chevrolet Cavalier, Buick Special and even Cadillac had the compact Cimarron. Then under the leadership of Lee Iacocca Plymouth introduced the Voyager “mini-van” [1986], For “sporty-cars” Honda introduced the CRX [1985] also a 2 seater which according to Automobile magazine July 2009 got better mileage than the current 2010 Honda Insight, VW had the Sirocco [early 1980’s], and Renault introduced the Fuego. Pontiac brought out the Fiero [1984] and Buick the Reatta [1988] both 2 seaters. Smaller cars and better mileage became the theme, at least until oil prices fell again. In fact the average car sold in America during the 1970’s and 1980’s got better mileage than the average car sold in America at the turn of the new century. Once gasoline prices fell, so did the market for fuel efficient small cars. Most of these cars have disappeared from the show-rooms but not from the hearts of the people who owned them.

The EXP's rakish non-boxy body rode on the Escort's 94.2 inch (2393 mm) wheelbase, with that car's front-wheel drive running gear, four-wheel independent suspension, and dashboard. The EXP was longer, lower, and sportier than the Escort.

Performance wasn't the car's strong suit however, since the EXP weighed about 200 pounds more than Escort but carried the same small 1.6 L CVH I4 engine rated at 70 hp (52 kW) and a standard 4-speed IB4 manual transaxle.

Both the Ford EXP and the Mercury LN7 had a sharply-sloped windshield, wheel arches with prominent lips, and wide body side moldings not far below the top of the wheel well. The biggest difference was the rear fascia.

The EXP was a notchback with a lift-up hatch, while the LN7 used a big “bubbleback” back window. The EXP's minimalist grille consisted merely of twin horizontal slats on the sloped front panel (the LN7 had ten).

Priced considerably higher than the Escort, the EXP carried an ample list of standard equipment. It included power brakes, tachometer, engine gauges, full carpeting, electric back window defroster, power hatchback release, a digital clock, and a cargo area security shade. Models with a manual transmission had a sport-tuned exhaust. Automatic models had a wide-open throttle cutout switch for the optional air conditioning compressor clutch.

As the full 1982 model year began, Ford offered an optional (at no extra cost) 4.05:1 final drive for better performance. Later came a close-ratio transmission with 3.59:1 final drive ratio intended for the same purpose.

Finally, in March 1982, an 80 hp (59 kW) version of the CVH engine became available. It had higher (9.0:1) compression, a larger air cleaner intake, lower-restriction exhaust, a dual-outlet exhaust manifold, larger carburetor venturis, and a higher-lift camshaft.

The two-seater LN7 never had found enough customers and dropped out after 1983 due to sluggish sales. Many of the LN7's distinct styling characteristics, such as the "bubbleback" window, were later adopted to the EXP's design.


EXP Turbo Coupe
By 1984, Ford was trying hard to conquer the youth market, especially the affluent young motorist with offerings such as the Mustang SVO, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, and the new EXP Turbo Coupe.

The turbocharged 1.6 L CVH engine, available for the Escort and EXP, featured a high-lift camshaft and EEC-IV electronic controls. It delivered boost up to 8 psi, raising power to 120 hp (89 kW), a gain of some 35 percent over the naturally-aspirated models.

The Turbo Coupe had a unique front air dam and rear decklid spoiler, with a taped "Turbo" badge on the rear bumper. It also had two-tone paint with a black lower section, a unique C-pillar appliqué featuring the EXP lettering, black wheel flares, and black rocker panel moldings.



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jedimario
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RAWR
I don't think I've ever seen a 1:1 before.
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james_autos
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Minivan
Looks similar to a Mustang, but what were ERTL playing at with those back lights?
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Sak
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Ezekiel 25:17
There were far better Ertl examples than this one, James. The detail on this one's rather poor in front and back. I've never actually come across this one.

They were common back in the '80s, Rob. To me, it was merely a Ford version of an Omni 024, I mean, a fit and finish that would be unthinkable today.
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craftymore
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Support your local demo derby.

The casting perhaps by todays standards isn't up to par but look again when these were made, circa 1983 or so.

I found a bunch of these at a local Ford/New Holland implement dealer for $3 a piece. Swifty, didn't I send you one of these still new on the card last year?
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Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
craftymore
Aug 31 2009, 06:47 PM
Swifty, didn't I send you one of these still new on the card last year?
Nope- I have one I got at the Hershey Matchbox show a decade ago. I also informed Peter of this but he insisted I take it anyway. On a side note, if your store still has these sitting as new old stock I'm sure a few folks from the board might be interested!
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diecastdingo
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Minivan
Funny - I was reading an article about the EXP last week and thought "Shame no one's ever made one". Wrong again!! :P
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JustDavid
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SUV
I love this casting! Great choice for CoTD.
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ivantt
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New casting? Quick! Take it apart!
JustDavid
Sep 1 2009, 08:32 PM
I love this casting! Great choice for CoTD.
Yes--this also has caught my attention as being different and worthwhile!
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diecastdingo
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Minivan
Swifty
Sep 1 2009, 04:24 AM
craftymore
Aug 31 2009, 06:47 PM
On a side note, if your store still has these sitting as new old stock I'm sure a few folks from the board might be interested!
Me, for one - yes? :wave:
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james_autos
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Minivan
Me too :D
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craftymore
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Support your local demo derby.

I can try to make it over to the Implement dealer on Thursday perhaps. I still have one on the card here at home of the EXP. Hopefully they still have one or two left. They also had other old ERTL castings like a '57 Thunderbird and some '30s Hot Rods too if you guys are interested in those.

I've already sent copies to JustDavid and to Ernest. These EXP castings aren't exactly easy finds other wise from my experience.
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JustDavid
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SUV
PM sent.
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