Vehicles

Here is what I remember of the significant cars on Eight is Enough....

In the first season, the Bradford family had 2 cars. Tom drove a yellow, 1971 Ford LTD and there was also a 1969 Chrysler Town & Country station wagon, green with woodgrain, that I always assumed was Joan’s car, though I don’t remember them ever showing her driving. Later, the kids would seem to fight over who would get to use the wagon, which is what the kids were usually shown driving. I can only remember a couple of times when one of the kids drove the LTD, and both times is was Joannie. David’s VW Van was also around from the first episode, though in the pilot they only showed the Town & Country and not the LTD.

Starting with the second season, the LTD was replaced and Tom had a 1977 Mercury Cougar 4dr sedan, that he drove for the next couple of seasons. The Town & Country Wagon was still around, as was David’s VW Bus.

In the 4th season, the original Bradford cars were both replaced. The episode dealt with the Gas Crisis, and Tom ended up trading in both cars. The Cougar was replaced with a small brown Mazda, and the Chrysler Town and Country was replaced by a red Pinto station wagon, which after a short time was replaced by a red either Dodge Aspen or Plymouth Volare station wagon. No mention was ever made about this switch.

Abbys car was always the sporty british green MG. I think it was from the 40s or 50s.

Eventually, the VW Microbus was passed on to Tommy and David then had a white Ford Bronco, and after that a Dodge pickup (maroon, I think?).

Susan's husband, Merle drove an Orange Chevy Stepside Pickup, early 70s model.

Dr. Maxwell drove either a Ford Granada or Mercury Monarch

Auntie V always had a Rolls Royce convertible, when she came to visit.

There was a whole episode featuring Tom trading in the big Mercury Cougar for the little brown Mazda. Tom was trying to decide which of the "gas guzzlers" to trade in, and decided to trade in the Cougar and keep the Town & Country for the "famous Bradford outings". At the very end of the episode, he drove up in the Pinto, having traded in the big Chrysler wagon too, making a clean break from the big cars and stating that the "famous Bradford outings" would now need to be by "caravan". In syndication, for years, they often cut out this last scene, but when Eight is Enough was on ION some years ago, the last scene was back in. It is also shown on the DVD’s.