Forgotten Gems: 10 Quirky American Cars From the 1970s Collectors Skip

The 1970s forced American automakers to rethink everything. With an energy crisis, stricter emissions rules, and nimble Japanese imports shaking up the market, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and AMC scrambled to adapt. The results ranged from clever to questionable, and some models never earned a spot on collectors' wish lists.

Here's a look at ten of those overlooked cars, as highlighted by CarBuzz. The 1970 Ford Maverick was meant to be a smaller, cheaper Mustang alternative, but it lacked sporty handling and lived in the Mustang's shadow. It got a modest sales boost during the 1973 oil crisis but was gone by 1975.

The 1975 AMC Pacer, dubbed the "hatch of the future," had quirky styling and lots of glass, but its straight-six engine was just adequate. Fewer than 300,000 were built over five years, with the wagon and V8 versions being the more collectible today.

Pontiac's 1975 Astre Li'l Wide Body was a rebadged Chevrolet Vega with a body kit and special decals. Only about 3,000 of these were made, and the base engine produced just 87 hp.

The 1976 Plymouth Volare and its cousin, the 1977 Dodge Aspen, started promising but quickly gained a reputation for rust, poor build quality, and reliability issues. Sales never recovered.

Ford's Mustang II King Cobra from 1978 was all show and no go. The 302 V8 made only 122 hp, and the car was heavier than its predecessor, making it a forgettable performance model.

The Mercury Bobcat, essentially a rebadged Pinto sold from 1974 to 1980, suffered from the same safety and quality concerns as its sibling, limiting its appeal.

The 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna was a big, thirsty car at a time when buyers wanted smaller options. The NASCAR-inspired S3 version sold well, but the standard models didn't, making the S3 with swiveling seats the one to hunt for.

Buick's 1979 Century Turbo Coupe was a rare bright spot. With a turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 producing 175 hp, it offered decent performance with better fuel economy than a V8. Only around 2,700 were built over two years.

Finally, the 1979 Dodge Magnum XE was meant to replace the Charger but failed. It was heavy, handled poorly, and even Richard Petty's race team found it uncontrollable at high speeds. After about 70,000 units and just two model years, Dodge dropped it.