From: John Lieberman <johnlee@softdisk.com>
>Were those Subarus the little 1970 model with the 360cc oil-injected
>rear motor, VW-type fenders, 10-inch wheels, and suicide doors?
Subaru should never have let any American SEE that car. Set their marketing
in the USA back quite a bit.
>I HAD
>one of them that I bought used for $800 in '73,
White Bear Dodge was selling them for $800 dollars NEW. A review in the
newspaper here said that you would be hard-pressed to find a worse used car
at that price.
>It was an absolute hoot
When I drove it, it was the scariest little rat-trap I had ever been in.
The handling was awful. The front end did not dip when I touched the
brakes: It dropped like a rock. The steering gear looked like it was made
from old curtain rods.
Lotus freaks in the USA may have another reason to dislike this car. When
the Feds stopped letting you have whatever car you want on January 1, 1968,
they did leave one nice loophole. Cars weighing less than 1000 pounds were
exempt. We all had visions of the Seven America making a comeback. The
Seven Series 4 would not make the cut, but a lighter car like the 7A would.
Was not to be. Even if ACBC could be persuaded to make and import the 7A,
the Subaru came along and closed the loophole. Congress decided that if a
Subaru 360 was what you could expect, the loophole must be closed.
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
Lotus Europa, VW Quantum Syncro (FOR SALE), Saturn SL2, Chev Suburban
LOON, TCVWC, MAC
pethier@isd.net http://www.visi.com/mac/
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