Know what the car biz needs a whole lot more of? Rad graphics. Big, bold factory sticker packages were huge in the 70s and 80s, and the era produced such all-time greats as the screaming-chicken Pontiac Trans-Am, Ford Cruising Wagon and Cruising Van, and soooo many pickup trucks with absolutely killer door-to-tailgate stripes and graphics. Even humble vehicles like the Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon could be had with dynamite decals that totally went for it.
From the grille to the tailgate, yesssss. Jeep Honcho, crushing it. Image: Stellantis
Come on Ford, give us a Cruising Explorer with wrap-over stripes and a bubble window. We promise, it’ll sell. Image: Ford
Spotted this SR-5 wagon on Cars and Bids. What an absolute beast! Image: seller.
We can’t talk over-the-top graphics without including this guy. May the chicken forever scream. Image: GM
Rad graphics are mostly a truck thing these days. Ford gets it! Images: Ford
So tell us, what are your favorite sticker-slathered looks from the go-hard era? Or any era, right up to now–there are still some bangers out there in 2023. Let’s talk about them. To the comments!
1991 MX-5 Let Man’s Edition, which was draped in a full Renown style livery to mimic the 787B.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRzChL9kMdJea6jBTmkigWro5IHVXaFCIW0Ew&usqp=CAU
In the 70s (I’m gonna guess late 74-75), I was working in a Civil Engineering firm in San Jose. A graphic artist there claimed he ”invented” the Cruisin’ Pinto wagon. Now Ford had an assembly plant in the area that (among other things) built Pintos. It is sorta conceivable that an enterprising customizer could have built a cool car and taken it buy or have been seen by some executive who ordered the car be built (after all the story goes that was the genesis of the 94-96 Impala). In any case, either my workmate was either a genius who got it done or delusional and trying to spice up his life.
The 1977 Buick Nighthawk had a neat trick: gold stripes that only showed up at night! https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/buick-skyhawk-nighthawk.jpg
I love so many of the graphic packages from the 70s/80s. One of my favorites is the Plymouth Road Runner stripes from the 1977-1979 Volare based Road Runner:
https://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/flemings/1/5401/83372/1920×1440/w/1977-plymouth-road-runner-pro-touring
I loved that so much that I patterned the stripes on my Magnum SRT8 after it:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Automotive/Automobiles/That-70s-SRT8-Magnum/i-PfFKxWF/0/84ff6fca/L/70SRT8Sept-2138-L.jpg
I am wrong that 1970s through early 1980s VW Rabbits used to have a decal of the running rabbit on them? I cannot seem to find images of them anywhere.
My very own ’77 Chevy Monza Spyder!. Standard (for the time) stripes/graphics and stylised ‘Spyder’ along the sides and hatch, along with a massive, vinyl Arachnid on the bonnet/hood, complete with pinstriped fangs.
1969 American Motors SC/Rambler. Not only is most of the car covered in graphics, from the dorsal and roof stripes to the giant bodyside graphics, the hood gets a giant blue arrow pointing straight into the scoop that says “390 CU.IN.” and “AIR” emblazoned in huge letters on the scoop itself. TWICE.
No other stripe package goes harder.
Loved the crazy Isuzu Amigo stripes along with bright interior, with a great blue base.
I recall the very rad “AMIGO” decals prominently high on the sides, seemingly always in teal b/c ’90s!
Wood (both real and fake) paneling > Graphics
Obligatory Tim Wilson comedy bit: “Hot-Ass Station Wagons”
https://youtu.be/gXyyJj8qLOQ
Thanks for the chuckle.
Y’all. C’mon. The 1978 Mustang King Cobra. Massive hood decal? Check. Pinstripes? Triple check. Name decal on the side? Of course. T-Top pinstripes? The Trans-Am only wishes it could have as many.
The BUMPERS had pinstripes.
The 1978 King Cobra is the car that all other factory jobs look to and say “Yeah, you can in fact go too far, please back up.”
Winner, with the gulf between performance and flamboyance being the true “crowning” “achievement”
Bring back 2.7 RS/997.1 RS/Cayenne Transsyberia-style script, Porsche!
It predates rad era, but goshdarnit, it’s a classy one.
I saw a Boxster the other day with the more sedate rocker panel striping of the ’60s variety (aka the Mustang-looking ones) and was impressed with how good it looked.
There’s a lot of newer Porsches with the subtle Porsche block script in the line going down the side, and that’s a good look, too. I just like the big script the most, heh.
Agreed..the in/out Carrera is beautiful to my eyes. It’s the juxtaposition of the free flowing, non-Teutonic look with the rest of the machine that just makes it.
I always liked that script. I wanted to something in that style for the GR86, but I think the upsweep in the sill design would clash.
It might not go as hard as some of the ones already posted in the comments, but I have to mention my favorite appearance package for the M300 Chevy Spark: the Swiss-market-only Summer Edition.
Good grief, those wheels are poorly Photoshopped on. They don’t even have the correct number of lugs!
I managed to find images of the real car, though, and I dig it.
I owned me one of these bad boys…
https://www.legendleasing.com/imagetag/662/2/l/Used-1989-Jeep-Comanche-SporTruck-4×4-I6-Shortbed.jpg
How about Renaut’s “Le Car”… it proudly told the world what it was. (Ironically, one English translation of Le Car is “The Bus”)
Honorable mention to the Toyota Truck and Van of the 80s/90s.
Early 80’s Oldsmobile Omega Sport had some pretty impressive yellow and orange side stripes with big ol “Sport Omega” callouts on the doors
Subaru Impreza Gravel Express has *all* the words:
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d1e8fd5ae54880001b2a946/1633211674800-WSB30RAAYSB00OJN143E/subaru-gravel-express-graphics.jpg?format=1500w
When you pay your marketing team by wordcount.
I liked the late 70s early 80s multi colored z28s.
The firechicken is a good example of other top/
A van from this era without a wizard, rainbow, and unicorn looks wrong.
I agree the various 70’s-80’s stripes were fantaskic, but the firechicken rules them all. In the end there can be only one.
Yup!
1972 Chevrolet Blazer Feathers
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=181826&stc=1&d=1139244641
OMG!
Whoa
I have always liked the 78 Dodge Macho Power Wagon! They are very 70s without being too overdone.
Rick Simon agrees; AJ however is more a Camaro kinda guy.
Count me in for overdone, the 79s are a bit much more (personal preference)
For a newer, cheap car, the Mazda 2 Yozora makes sure you know what kind of car it is. There’s also one near my kid’s daycare, so it might just be top of mind because I see it frequently enough.
https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/11/2010/04/33214455.jpeg1.jpg?fit=around%7C875:492
98 Corvette pace car is probably the wildest but my favorite has to be the 77 Wrangler Golden Eagles. I still have fond memories of Daisy Duke rockin that white and gold one…
Ugh: 1975 Buick pace car https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1975-BUICK-REGAL-PACE-CAR-REPLICA-184263
I prefer the ’76 Buick Indy pace car myself.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4369706314_9cdbe2d6c2_b.jpg
OH! my eyes!
Hard to say what “went hardest” since a lot that is subjective, but if we’re not giving the Trans Am the Go Hardest Lifetime Achievement Award, then I don’t understand the question. I mean the T/A basically originated the category, with a screaming chicken in ’73 that Bill Mitchell didn’t even want.
Top of that heap has to be the 10th Anniversary Trans Am of ’79, although the black and gold Special Editions are more iconic thanks to a certain Hal Needham movie.
A vote for the AMC Scrambler. The hood has an arrow telling the air where to go in
https://blog.1aauto.com/69-amc-scrambler/
The screaming chicken is hard to beat. I hate fake badges (ie putting SS on normal cars), but I would be lying if I said I would not probably put one of the decals on a non-se TA.
It doesn’t have to be an SE Trans Am to get the chicken – it was an option on all T/As.
On the other hand, putting the chicken on a base Firebird? That’s been a lame move for five decades. See also: fake TRD badges, fake M3 badges, etc.