I think all of this needs to be put into context.
-In Q3 1969 the average weekly wage was $59. In Q3 2015 it is $1136.
-A $4000 car (like HT GTS 350) in 1969 is the equivalent of a $77,000 car today. As standard there were no power windows, power steering, electric seats, electric mirrors, automatic transmissions, air conditioning or any of the creature comforts you would expect for your $77,000 today.
(EDIT - and definitely no cup holders)
-In 1969 a litre of fuel cost you 9.15c, the equivalent of $1.76 per litre now.
-Holden built around 195,000 HTs, of which arguably about 14,000 were Monaros, and of those less than 1000 were GTS 350, while Ford built around 105,000 XWs, of which less than 3000 were GT and GTHO models.
The point is the production volume of these performance cars was miniscule compared to the total model build, they were very expensive to own and operate and without the bread and butter models would not have existed. GM-H and Ford were in business to make money, after all.
To the vast majority of people putting their money on the line the high end cars were unattainable, hence the low volumes.
Adding a special manifold and carburettor here, a dual exhaust there and any other tweak that might seem obvious now would have made the cars even more unaffordable.
Before bucketing the lesser cars as gutless/rattly/useless/rubbish or any other derogatory adjective you choose, remember that without the "lesser lights" the high end cars would not have existed, and the same situation remains today, at least until local production ends.
Edited by user Friday, 2 October 2015 1:10:42 PM(UTC)
| Reason: Added options
