CARINI ON CARS Wayne Carini
One of the easiest questions I’ve ever been asked is: “What’s
your favorite year?” There’s no ques- tion that when it comes to cars, 1967 was the best.
In 1967, I turned 16, got my driver’s license and became a full-blown car junkie. For a kid, it doesn’t get much bet- ter than driving around and chasing girls.
The cars were great, even if my first car — a 1966 MG 1100 — wasn’t. But my rides soon got better, beginning with a 1959 Beetle. For many cars, 1967 saw the ultimate development of both styling and power, before bumper and headlamp height requirements hit and smog controls were introduced.
Take the Jaguar E-Type. That car was at its peak. Power and torque were as high as they’d get, and the looks were still perfect, with those delicate bumpers and covered headlights.
As humble as it may have been, to me the 1967 VW Beetle was one of the best cars ever built. The design was super simple, and the 1967 model had the most horsepower per pound for any air- cooled VW. It still had the early chrome bumpers, and thanks to the 12-volt electrics, it started easily and had good headlamps. I’ve had one for years.
Another car from 1967 that blew me away was the Z28 Camaro with that in- credible high-revving 302 small-block. I’d been exposed to Ferraris and other high-revving engines, but I wasn’t used to an American pushrod engine that
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MY FAVORITE YEAR
was good for something like 8,000 rpm. I’m still waiting for the right Z28.
Although the Olds Toronado came along in 1966, its Eldorado cousin fol- lowed for 1967, and they were real feats of engineering. Imagine, a front-wheel- drive car with a big, heavy V-8! Both have styling to die for, even down to the hubcaps. And if you look at the wheels, grille and hood profile of the Toronado, that car channels the Cord 810.
But of all the cars built in 1967, if I could have just one it would be a Ferrari 275 GTB/4. It’s incredibly beautiful, and that four-cam engine is amazing. It was the ultimate in dream cars, but at the time you could barely give them away.
Hindsight is great, but these cars were so good in 1967 that even a girl-crazed 16-year-old could see they were special. And I still see it years later.
The author with another gem from ’67, a Zagato-bodied Lancia Flaminia Super Sport.
’67
PHOTO: VAUGHN IMAGES
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