Before 'Longer, Lower and Wider'
1938 Ford Fordor Sedan
Wheelbase: 112 inches
Seats 5
Length: 179.5 inches
Height: 68.6 inches
Ground clearance: 8 inches
Wheels: 16-inch
Weight : 2750 lbs
Engine: 221cu.in V8 (3.6L) 80HP
Transmission:3 speed manual, rear live axle
Drum brakes, mechanical link, non-hydraulic
All Steel Body on Frame construction
MPG 18
$685-$900($12,350-$16,230, adjusted for inflation) Early tube radios cost over$100 to add in, oh, and heaters were still optional, too
2018 Ford Escape
Wheelbase: 105.9 inches
Seats 5
Length: 178 inches
Height: 66.3 inches
Ground clearance: 7.9 inches
Wheels: 18-inch
Weight: 3542 lbs
Engine: 152.6 cu.in. I4 (2.5 L) 168-245HP
Transmission: 6 speed automatic, FWD or AWD, independent.
Disk brakes, power ABS/Traction control
Unibody construction
MPG 24
$16,500 to $26,600
Replying to my own post, to add the Zenith, (or Nadir) of the Great American Land Yacht
1970 Ford LTD
Wheelbase: 121 inches
Seats 6 and 18 cubic feet of Trunk
Length: 216 inches
Height: 53.6 inches
Ground clearance: 5.1 inches
Wheels: 15-inch
Weight : 3953 lbs
Engine: 429cu.in V8 (7.0L) 280-375HP
Transmission:3 speed Auto, RWD live axle
Disk Front rear Drum brakes, hydraulic Power assist
All Steel Body on Frame construction
MPG 7, 11 Highway
$3356-$5025, that's $21,947 to $32,861 in today's money
I had it's close kin, the Mercury Marquis with the Police Interceptor 429, and most of the possible options, real leather sorta-bucket seats, power everything.
Best way to describe the ride, was your living sofa flying over the road, suspended from a cloud, with zero road noise to interfere with your AM/FM Stereo, with 8 track if you didn't like the Radio.
With the Trac-lock diff and that V8 on 102 octane Sunoco Ethyl, that beast of a car was pretty good at street racing too.
Of all the cars I owned, that's the one I miss the most