[Big Dave]

It was a three-part disaster.

Before the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, environmental regs ruined car performance. Without question, 1973 & 1974 cars were the worst ever built.

After the war Saudi Arabia played the oil card and prices went up 200%. From 27 cents a gallon to 80 cents.

Then Nixon imposed price controls. Shortages as gas lines appeared overnight.

I was a junior in college and didn't drive much so it didn't much affect me. My father tried some goofy little fan thingy under the carb of his 65 Chevy. It didn't help mileage but the car ran nicely until my brother floored it and the enguine sucked the thingy into the cylinder head. I remember how easy it was to pull a head off those simple old cars.