Edit: Wow thanks for all of the great responses, I was watching Goodfellas and was looking at the cars bouncing all over the place and thinking why was that. I’d love to drive in one to experience it someday.
In: 3156
Most of the basics touched on here in other answers, maybe too into the weeds about bias ply tires and what not. Maybe I can tie it up with a high level overview.
60s and 70s cars were bouncy and loose not just on film!. Suspension and chassis technology has come a long way since then, arguably further than combustion engine technology in the same time, if we’re including anti lock brakes, stability control etc. also the customer tastes tended toward comfortable riding cars, particularly in the American market. It was a sort of feedback loop, since the the technology didn’t really allow creating cars that handled well and also rode pretty well, the customers just preferred the smooth floaty ride.
For many other reasons, technology moved on, safe and secure handling was possible with good comfort, customer tastes changed slowly and those old days are left behind, those old floaty boats are wierd if you’re looking backwards. Some folks used to drive 2 door cars, can you believe that?
One thing the average joes here are wrong about is weight. We’ve surpassed those old cars now with our “dense” modern autos. My first car was one of the last of the old boats, a 1983 Buick Park Avenue. The longest car made in ‘83, just slightly edging out the longest Cadillac. With an iron V8 engine! It weighed 2 tons. Now I drive a Volvo S60. a premium compact car you might call it, the smallest sedan that Volvo makes. It has an all aluminum 4 cylinder engine. It weighs…2 tons. Handles a whole lot better than that old Buick and no bounce;-)
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