VIDEO: 1977 Dodge Colt dealer film is a completely amazing time capsule

1977 Dodge Colt Mileage Maker Coupe - Click above image to watch the video

The year was 1977 and the world wasn't as bright a place as it could have been. The Sixties were officially long dead and buried, the national speed limit had the cruise control set at 55 mph, the Son of Sam was on the loose, Elvis died, and Hay-on-Wye's succession from Britain turned out to be a fake. But things weren't all doom and gloom. Star Wars debuted to much fanfare, the Porsche 928 debuted in Geneva and the Sex Pistols release their first and only album, Never Mind the Bollocks... But there was something else, too. No, not the ever present use of a wah-wah pedal.

That's right, the 1977 Dodge Colt – huzzah! And not only did the Colt exist, but if you went to your friendly neighborhood Dodge dealer, odds are good that they would have had a certain promotional film on display. One that extolled the virtues of said Dodge Colt over the competition. Namely, the Datsun B210, Chevrolet Vega and Chevette and of course, the Ford Pinto. And dude, is this film thorough. Not only does the announcer trash the Pinto's looks (talk about pointing a shotgun at a bucket full of fish!), but its back seat as well. And yeah, man – you're just going to have to see the Colt's backseat for yourself (Spoiler Alert – that dude is totally going to score).

There are a few surprises in the film. We simply have a hard time believing that cigarette lighters weren't standard equipment in 1977, if not federally mandated by our Southern congressmen. Also, if the MPG numbers seem a little insane, there's a reason. First, cars didn't weigh anything back in 1977 – safety was still optional. Second, the EPA formula has been rejiggered considerably since then. Also, yes, "Silent Shaft" does mean Mitsubishi 4G engines. Finally, we're as shocked as you are that the Chevette didn't throw a rod driving into the shot. Enjoy the video after the jump.

The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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