A Little Surprised!

[Last American Indian]

I’m just a little surprised! I guess I thought that maybe guys who seemingly loved the GP so much there would be more! You know like the old muscle car guys are! At the very least the “97” - “03” guys. The MS2000 platform was the pinnacle of the FWDs. Those cars, the Grand Prix specifically, had the ability to actually compete with many of the performance RWD cars of the day. It just seems like you guys are holding on by your finger tips.
Maybe I just haven’t read through here enough yet.

Just my two cents anyway!

 

[FordMan77]

The W-body had a long run for sure, but the newer platforms and tech finally caught up would be my guess. Once turbos and tuning software was available and for a more nimble chassis I think that was the end. The M90 was replaced with a turbo setup on a lot of builds I saw here and made great power. Issue is rust on these probably also took a major toll (rear strut towers anyone) and the repair is expensive compared to a BOF car.

Being an owner of many BOF cars and W/H bodies I've been dealing with both of their issues over the years. Heck, my newest car is an 03 CV LX Sport. I have been on the hunt for a newer car that I want but need to thin this herd out first. Just too much to keep up with anymore.

 

[tomsteve]

I’m just a little surprised! I guess I thought that maybe guys who seemingly loved the GP so much there would be more! You know like the old muscle car guys are! !

IMO, one issue is the w bodies I don't think were considered muscle cars. there were a few models that "might" be considered muscle cars but the majority of them were commuter cars

 

[Last American Indian]

The W-body had a long run for sure, but the newer platforms and tech finally caught up would be my guess. Once turbos and tuning software was available and for a more nimble chassis I think that was the end. The M90 was replaced with a turbo setup on a lot of builds I saw here and made great power. Issue is rust on these probably also took a major toll (rear strut towers anyone) and the repair is expensive compared to a BOF car.

Being an owner of many BOF cars and W/H bodies I've been dealing with both of their issues over the years. Heck, my newest car is an 03 CV LX Sport. I have been on the hunt for a newer car that I want but need to thin this herd out first. Just too much to keep up with anymore.

Well from my perspective, I see it more as heart, from one generation to another, no offense intended, after all it became a different world after about 1990’s time frame. FWD’s pushed nearly all except for a few RWD’s out of the markets. This led to a perception that the muscle car era was dead & gone for good & everything became a throwaway.

As far as a platform being nimble, the MS2000 (W-body ll) is still one of the most responsive platforms designed, but justifiably it needs some help to become truly impressive. I will show that when I post in the members ride section.

 

[Last American Indian]

IMO, one issue is the w bodies I don't think were considered muscle cars. there were a few models that "might" be considered muscle cars but the majority of them were commuter cars

I would agree with that. It kind of relates to what I said above. It's perception! Not fact! Yet perception is more effective to most people than fact. Consider this, the stock 1964 Lemans V8 produced 250 HP, but that was gross HP, but by today’s net HP that HP would drop to around 160 to 175 HP. The stock GP na 3800 produced 195 HP. With respect to handling the lemans was not nimble at all. The stock W-body GP was great, but it truly was a substantial level above the lemans.

To your point, yes they were viewed as commuter cars! That’s to be expected, but there should have been a fair portion that survived! Been rebuilt, customized, modified, etc. this is what happened to the Lemans/GTO, the Camaro, the Firebird, Mustang, etc. The generation those were born to had a passion. I was questioning that passion for the W-body’s. Considering all the fervor that always seemed to emanate around the car.