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How Would You Most Egregiously Ruin A Classic Car Design?

Aa Ruined Classics Ts
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I admit this is a very weird Autopian Asks, but weird is pretty much the brand here, so maybe that makes it a perfectly normal question – for The Autopian, at least.

I don’t recall how precisely it came up, but in our last staff meeting, I wondered aloud what the reaction would be if I had a Cord 810 – the 1936 coupe famous for its industry-first pop-up headlights that deployed via crank – and converted them from hand-operated to power pop-ups. Jason was quick to let me know that this was not nearly enough of a defilement to generate a proper paroxysm from the classic-car cognescenti. What I really needed to do, he explained, was remove the pop-ups entirely, Bondo-over the openings from whence the lights once popped, and affix sealed-beam headlights atop the fenders. Now that would ruin a Cord 810.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

Indeed, that would do the trick. And it got me thinking about other classics ripe for ruination. Why not flip the Cord bit, and pop-uppify a car legendary for its prominent peepers? I speak of the Austin-Healey “bugeye” Sprite, seen below as it appears on Bring A Trailer, and thoroughly blasphemed in the graphic above with its bugeyes hidden beneath the hood.

Screenshot 2025 04 04 At 2.18.19 pm
Bring A Trailer

I’m sure you already get the bit, but I couldn’t resist performing a few more Photochops. Feast your eyes on this Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio, unadulterated by the strakes and gee-gaws the Countach would sprout in later years (another Bring A Trailer find, and this one once belonged to Rod Stewart!). The angular “Gandini arch” over the rear wheels is one of its most defining and beautiful features …

Countach Og
Bring A Trailer

… Suppose we get rid of it? Oof, Sorry Marcello. Don’t worry, it’s only pixels. The round-arched Countach can’t hurt you.

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Countach Ruined
Bring A Trailer

One more? Why not. This 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz (Bring A Trailer once more) shows off its legendary tailfins with extra prominence thanks to the absence of a roof, producing maximum kitsch from the jet-age wonder’s maximum-thrust look.

Finned Eldo
Bring A Trailer

Yeah, let’s just Sawzall those fins right off’a there.

Finless Eldo
Bring A Trailer

Wait, did I ruin it, or improve it? Let us know in the comments, and you tell us: How Would You Most Egregiously Ruin A Classic Car Design?

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Manuel Verissimo
Manuel Verissimo
9 hours ago

Add 5mph bumpers to anything.

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
2 hours ago

Given the choice, I’d rather have 5mph bumpers than defenseless body panels and paintwork that costs hundreds to repair anytime someone decides to use your car as a parallel parking limiter.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
9 hours ago

Four door 240z

Manuel Verissimo
Manuel Verissimo
9 hours ago
Reply to  Cheap Bastard

I see what you did there

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
9 hours ago

That pop up bugeye looks like it fell asleep.

Andreas8088
Andreas8088
9 hours ago

Do the interior in piano black and alcantara.

PackardGuy
PackardGuy
10 hours ago

Seeing that the Autopian has become the biggest stronghold of weird car opinions, here’s mine:
An Americanized E-Type. White walls, velour interior and vinyl tops galore.
It’ll be blasphemous, but it’ll also be hilarious.

Space
Space
10 hours ago

You can ruin most great car designs by slapping huge modern rubber band tires on them.

The Dude
The Dude
10 hours ago

So I’m probably in the minority but I think the Countach is an improvement. The Caddy looks better than I’d have expected, but I’ll take my Eldorado convertible in bright pink and with the fins thank you very much.

The classic car I’d ruin is putting an angry face grill on the original Willy’s Jeep. On second thought that might be the stuff of nightmares *shudders*

Andreas8088
Andreas8088
9 hours ago
Reply to  The Dude

I’m actually with you on the Countach being an improvement, and I also don’t mind the eldorado.

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
2 hours ago
Reply to  The Dude

Look at the 1960 Eldorado – The trimmed fins are a great improvement.

QuantumRust
QuantumRust
10 hours ago

It doesn’t matter what car it is, all it takes is a little black plastic cladding.

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
11 hours ago

1. Eliminate Option Code W77 from the 1973 Trans Am options list.

2. Complicate, then add weight to Lotus cars.

3. Remove the “beak” from the front of the original VW bus

Naterator
Naterator
11 hours ago

This. This is how you would ruin an iconic car design-

https://delorean.com/

Joe Average
Joe Average
12 hours ago

Electric drive line. Kills it for me as part of my fascination of all old cars in their old drive lines. Of course newer engines are better and more advanced. That’s not the point. I want that carburetor! I’m not against period correct upgrades though – especially bolt on upgrades. And keep those old original parts in case I, the next car owner wants to change back to original.

One upgrade I do support is better brakes as I had a couple episodes with single circuit hydraulic drum (front drum) brakes that failed on mtn roads leaving me nothing to stop the car with. The parking brake was marginal and the three speed manual really didn’t offer enough capability for downshifts.

Yung
Yung
13 hours ago

Give legendary supercars to Mansory and let them do their work

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
13 hours ago

At the last minute, Ford chickens out with the ’85 Taurus, replacing the soft curves with straight creases.

Just imagine what the 90s would have looked like…

Gerontius Garland
Gerontius Garland
13 hours ago

Take an old Saab and. . . move the ignition to the dash.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
13 hours ago

Or move the 911’s to the right side maybe.

Alan Christensen
Alan Christensen
11 hours ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

I’m left-handed, so I was cool with it.

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
11 hours ago

Aaaaaagh!

Paul E
Paul E
13 hours ago

Lift kit.

Nlpnt
Nlpnt
13 hours ago

One Cord was built with freestanding headlights in pods as a special order, it still exists and is in the A-C-D Museum.
439336962_8297751983584695_1829550758181967939_n.jpg (2048×1536)

Last edited 13 hours ago by Nlpnt
StillNotATony
StillNotATony
14 hours ago

Start with a ’57 Chevy Bel Air. Replace the round headlights with square sealed beam units. Then use those to remake all the body lines. Just square it all off.

Or just remove the jump seats from a BRAT.

Nlpnt
Nlpnt
14 hours ago

Black it out, completely. Strip away all the emblems and anything else that could be considered a period detail. This works on anything.

CSRoad
CSRoad
14 hours ago

The Austin Healey Sprite concept had hidden lights, the budget didn’t stretch that far for production. Surprised strange became normal.

Lotsofchops
Lotsofchops
14 hours ago
Viking Longcar
Viking Longcar
14 hours ago
Reply to  Lotsofchops

I mean yeah- I was about to say rear-engine E-Type.

Alan Christensen
Alan Christensen
15 hours ago

I think Porsche already did a terrible butcher job when they created the 911 Targa, defiling the gorgeous fluid sweep of the roof, c-pillar, windows, and fenders.

Factoryhack
Factoryhack
15 hours ago

If you want to ruin the lines of any classic, tack on old school 5 mph bumpers. Of course, we already did that in 1973 and ruined the aesthetics of a whole host of cars.

If we really want to get seriously heinous, picture one of my favorites, a ’66 Toronado with big fat square 5 mph bumpers.

Worse yet, throw them on the beak of a ’69 Charger Daytona. Eww.

Last edited 15 hours ago by Factoryhack
Weston
Weston
15 hours ago

Take a BMW and replace the kidney grill with a baboon ass….
Oh wait…

I don't hate manual transmissions
I don't hate manual transmissions
15 hours ago
Reply to  Weston

I think I’ve seen that somewhere.

Óscar Morales Vivó
Óscar Morales Vivó
15 hours ago

I feel like that finless Eldorado would work if it got painted a different color above the chrome line.

Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
13 hours ago

Raymond Loewy did remove the fins from a 59 Cadillac, and being talented designer it worked https://www.trussty.com/2021/04/loewys-cadillac-coupe-de-ville-of-1959.html?m=0

Gubbin
Gubbin
15 hours ago
Nlpnt
Nlpnt
15 hours ago
Reply to  Gubbin

If they had kepf the stock wheelbase, maybe starting with a Chevelle wagon and cutting the roof off behind the back doors.

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