6 cyl full size trivia!

[Robert Hall]

When did Chevy, Buick, Olds, and Pontiac each LAST offer a full-size (RWD B-body) model with a 6-cylinder, prior to the 1977 downsizing?

When did Ford and Mercury each LAST offer a full-size (RWD) model with a 6-cylinder?

When did Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth each LAST offer a full-size (RWD) model with a 6-cylinder ?

[Sixty8panther]

GM: 1973

Ford: 1969

Mopar: 1978

[balthazar]

Pontiac : 1954

Olds : 1950

Buick : 1976

Chevy : 1976

Ford : 1971

Merc : 1962

Chrysler : 1954

Dodge : 1981

Plymouth : 1981

[Robert Hall]

Pontiac : 1954

Olds : 1950

Buick : 1976

Chevy : 1976

Ford : 1971

Merc : 1962

Chrysler : 1954

Dodge : 1981

Plymouth : 1981

I forgot Buick did bring the V6 to the LeSabre in the mid '70s. The Dodge and Plymouth would be the R-body St Regis and Grand Fury. Before the R-bodies, though, it must have been in the '60s..I couldn't imagine that the battleship C-bodies of '69-73 and '74-78 had 6-cyl versions.. the Ford and Merc years sound right...hard to believe, but that means that the full-size Mercury has now been V8 only for over 40 years.

[balthazar]

What's even more interesting: '62 was the ONLY year Merc had a 6-banger available in the full-size line.

Dodge began offering the Slant Six in the Polara beginning in '70: 145 (gross) HP against circa 4000 lbs; fun. Plymouth and Dodge were in lockstep after circa '60; they must've offered the same.

Looks like Buick optionally offered the 6 beginning in '76; prior to that Buick only had the hoary 250 I-6 in the intermediates. Now we're talking circa 4400 lbs with a 105 HP 3.8; Dear God.

[Camino LS6]

The 4.3 injected V6 was offered in the Caprice all the way through the last of the boxy cars, 1990 I think.

[Sixty8panther]

Yeah I was shooting from the hip & I was WAAAAAYYYY off.

Balthazar is not one you want to mess with when is comes to this stuff.

GREAT QUESTION BTW.

[Camino LS6]

I'm willing to bet that Balthazar's dates are correct for inline sixes, but way off for many with V6 engines. Pontiac, Buick, and Olds for examples.

[balthazar]

I don't believe so, Camino, tho I do get dizzy when thinking about post'-76es. I tried to keep to the parameters of the question: pre-'77 for GM and full-size RWD for all 3.

Pontiac put V-6s in some f/s-ers after '77, but not earlier. '81 Catalina 3.8 is one example.

I could not find a reference for the 3.8 in a big Buick before '76... IIRC correctly that's when the re-purchased V-6 tooling was releasing production; for the '76MY.

Olds had the tiny 260 V-8, but even that wasn't offered in the f/s '75s...

Lots of V-6 usage in intermediates and less-than-full-sizers...

[Camino LS6]

Yup I'm thinking of post-'77 forgetable cars like the Parisienne, LeSabre coupes, and Caprices - all of which I have seen with V6 engines.