What GM shoulda built instead of.....

[rkmdogs]

Boy, I was really enthused when I first heard about and saw this vehicle.
I thought it was the cats-pajamas! A truly versatile do-everything kind of ride!
But the execution left a lot to be desired, and it never lived up to the dreams.

Here's what I think they shoulda built instead of the XUV!







:o :rolleyes: B)

[CSpec]

I wonder how much money they blew on the SSR and XUV that could have been spent on useful cars.

[rkmdogs]

And here's another one that GM shoulda built instead of the Silverado SS........







OMG, would this be awesome!!!! :rolleyes:

[91z4me]

I think the XUV was ok but was to expensive of an option. If it had been more like the Avalanche it would have done much better.

[ocnblu]

That B-body El Camino has a manufacturer's plate on it. Damn! Also, the light green Nomad concept is very cool. I would have left the roof fixed for reliability (or lift-off maybe), but the little sliding doors and the general style of it were always a favourite of mine. And who can forget the little sweet baby: Kappa Nomad.

[HarleyEarl]

RKM, here is a front of the bottom, open roof Nomad in your pictures:

[Flybrian]

The XUV and SSr would've been fine if they had versions with manually-operated roofs, cloth seats, 6-cylinder engines, and priced at around $25-30k.

[Northstar]

I doubt they really spent that much on the XUV. I'm guessing they did spend quite a bit on the SSR though. They would have had to have spent quite a bit on the Nomad as well.

[HarleyEarl]

I still contend that the XUV had odd proportions and overpriced...not a good combination. It simply was a goofy looking truck. Edited September 10, 2005 by HarleyEarl

[rkmdogs]

[quote name='HarleyEarl' date='Sep 10 2005, 03:02 PM']
RKM, here is a front of the bottom, open roof Nomad in your pictures:
quote]

Yeah I know Harley, I cheated! I had that pic too, on the Nomad version with the sliding side doors and the sliding roof panel, but I liked the Corvette-toothed
front look from the older concept better than this mesh one. I think the toothed grill has a more aggressive look, while the other one that came on this version looks like somebody who lost their dentures!

I think the slider roof is a great idea if you can get it to seal well, and not be a
wind-noise-maker! The mid-gate I don't think is necessary, even when you want to use it as a pick-up, if the right materials are chosen and the drain concept of the
XUV was used.
The other compromise, the rear door-gate was the big flop on the XUV! As a door
it could only open approx. 70 degrees! This prevented any large heavy loads from being a close-up slide-in operation. AND THEN, the door was hinged on the curb side! If someone parallel parked to pick up a load, on the "normal" side of the
street, you would have to fight roadside traffic to complete loading. Bad news!
I understand that Ford is bringing out a new "station wagon" with the old door-gate
concept one better! It will hinge and open from either side, or drop down as a
conventional tailgate! Now that is having your cake and eating it too!

Oh well, as usual when GM has a better idea, it will get cancelled when they get it right! <_<

[rkmdogs]

Harley Earl, maybe you can help with your magnificent archives! I am looking for a pic that I had of the second generation Reventlow Scarab, the one he built as a racer with the BOP all-aluminum engine. He later converted the last of the four that he built to a street ride for his wife, Jill St.John. I had pics of it, but can't find them since the move! I do have pics of his first generation Scarabs, and the refurbishing that was done subsequently by the current owner, but that second one elludes me! I have a model of it, that I could shot a pic & post if that would help. Do you have anything on this car? Chuck Daigh was also involved in it, before the Cheetahs were created. Ah memories!

[rkmdogs]

O.K. Harley Earl, I may have oops on some of the Scarab details, but I found
an old model instruction sheet, which had some interesting info that I had forgotten,
But it also omitted some that I remembered---- like the car for Jill! She was(is)
a hottie!
I had also seen a picture of TWO cars side-by side, one was a racing model, and
the other was the street conversion job. Monogram says that only one was built,
but I have seen the pic of more than one!






:rolleyes:

[HarleyEarl]

Of course let's not forget the first of these types of vehicles, the Studebaker in the sixties:

[ocnblu]

rkm, that Scarab is one heck of a hot tub. And the dude has his diving goggles on.

[rkmdogs]

rkm, that Scarab is one heck of a hot tub.  And the dude has his diving goggles on.

Yeah, this version was one that I built for slot car racing. Club rules said every
car had to have a driver. We used to race once a week back in the sixties, at a different track each week. I still have 3 cars left from the collection. This is one of them.
http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/AH-HA_wink.gif

[rkmdogs]

Of course let's not forget the first of these types of vehicles, the Studebaker in the sixties:

[post="12602"][/post]

I have a copy of the photos too, Harley with some comments about this style from the Studebaker Club website. They say the roof leaked like a sieve, and that
Studebaker pulled that roof option in the middle of the model year.
Of course they did not have today's technology, and their slider was not a solid panel, but accordian folding cloth --- I guess somewhat like the old Volkswagen
sunroofs used to be.---- and it didn't have a doorgate! But supposedly people
loved the concept. :rolleyes:







Edited September 12, 2005 by rkmdogs

[Flybrian]

I heard the Wagonaire leaked like a bitch, but hey, its still awesome.

[HarleyEarl]

Great pics of the Studebaker rkm!....thanks. I am always amazed at those little companies like Studebaker and AMC and others who came up with innovative ideas.

[Sixty8panther]

I heard the Wagonaire leaked like a bitch, but hey, its still awesome.

[post="12874"][/post]

After the boy scout outing I bet Mom & Dad made a wet spot on the rear seat. :booyah:

Edited September 13, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[rkmdogs]

Found a pic of how Chevy was going to do the slider roof option on the
second generation Nomad. Here's the pic.
Looks as if they copied the cloth concept of the old Wagonaire.

B)

Edited September 15, 2005 by rkmdogs

[HarleyEarl]

rkm you find the neatest pics. I had never seen that folding roof.

[rkmdogs]

rkm you find the neatest pics.  I had never seen that folding roof.

[post="14559"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Dug this one out of an old GM press photo archive, Harley. But, YOU take the cake,
hands down for coming up with the best variety of pics. I just wish that I still had
all my old files, but when we moved South, somethin' had to go, and it was my
second generation collection of car literature. Over 3300 pieces, that I sold to a dealer in N.Y. I had pieces from 1960 thru 2003.
My first generation collection I had to get rid of when it started sagging the attic!
Sold that bunch to a collector in Chicago. That batch went back to 1948! It was almost 1000 pieces, and included Vol1, No.1 of Hot Rod magazine!
I sold that whole bunch for $25.00! Do you know what that one magazine alone
is worth today?
I don't want to even think about it.
Another aside........ I just checked my records. In that second batch of lit., I sold
the 1960 Corvair FSM that I had, which had a whole chapter on the original
South Wind gas heaters.
Most people do not even know that the first year Corvairs even came with a
gas heater standard! Wish I still had that book..................... :(