Nothing like working hard to make the time seem like it’s flying by, faster than it really is. On July 13, I put up a piece “CC at Six Months“. Hello; that was only five months! And nobody caught it. Goes to show what brilliant historians we are. We got some useful feedback anyway. Now I’m not into celebrating again just because I was off the first time, but I do want to acknowledge the remarkable team that’s developed at CC. Time to party and meet the CC gang that makes it happen. And feel free to tell us something about yourself too.
CC has grown and evolved much faster than even I might have been able to imagine. We now have a core group of writers who bring fresh and unique insights and perspectives to CC. We’re all learning from each other, and are putting out higher quality pieces because of it. All I have to do is go back and read some of my older CCs at TTAC to see how we’ve raised the bar here.
And it’s making an impact: our readership stats are up significantly in the past couple of months. In the previous July post, I mentioned that we had crested 500k cumulative page views. That’s now already over 725k, and the most significant stat, our monthly Absolute Unique Visitors, is up almost 100% from a few months ago. If we can double that again, monetizing the site (and paying our writers) becomes a more tangible reality. Tell a friend, or two.
I’ve updated the CC “About” section with our regular Contributing Editors and their bio-blurbs, but here’s a quick meet and greet of the CC gang:
Jim Cavanaugh – Editor/Writer: Jim was unwittingly drafted into the CC corps, but he’s already an officer. A self-described life-long car nut, Jim hails from Indianapolis where he is a practicing attorney. Jim’s heartland perspective and extensive MoPar experience are a welcome balance. And his history, facts and arguments are always right on the money and compelling. If I ever need an attorney in Indiana…more to the point, if I need someone to mind the store while I take a short break.
Jeff Nelson (picture not submitted) Writer: Jeff’s pieces exhibit a passion for history and palpable warmth that reflects his Southern roots and former career as a radio broadcaster. From his first submission, I knew that here is a “voice”, but it wasn’t until I found out about his radio background that I realized its origins. When Jeff isn’t writing for CC, he’s building homes for Habitat for Humanity, traveling, and spending time in either Florida or North Georgia. CC has unleashed a monster…
Laurence Jones – Writer: Our team is remarkably balanced geographically, which really does affect one’s perspective. Laurence hails from that CC Elysian Fields, the Bay Area, and brings a very artistic approach to both his writing and photography. A self-proclaimed “Oldsmobile Man”, Laurence weaves a family background in the car industry with his perceptive eye to create pieces that I always look forward to.
Michael Freeman – Writer: A native of Oregon, Michael’s life and Cars Of A Lifetime series reflect the all-too common trajectory of so many of us: a near-mania to experience as many cars as possible, in as many ways as possible, including testing (and exceeding) their limits. And like most of us, Michael has grown up, and now is a professional driver and family man, but his wild journey getting there is one that has me addicted.
David Saunders – Writer: And just to really round out our diverse bunch, we need a Canadian. David, who lives in Alberta, has owned over thirty cars including an ultra-rare Reliant Scimitar GTE, Russian SUVs, and built a Lotus 7 clone. He’s found and shared a number of cars not likely to be found south of the border, as well as some more typically Detroit iron. Now we just need a European and Latin/South American writer. All in good time.
The only downside to all this geographic diversity is not meeting our writers in person. Someday.
Mike George, who hails from Portland, I have met, but I know he’s keeping a secret from us (his real name, as well as a picture and bio). He shall remain our man of mystery.
And of course, there’s a raft of Guest Contributors who keep us supplied with a break from the usual, whether it’s a one-time submission for a “My CC”, or more often, like Richard Wayman. My thanks and gratitude to all of you.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ingvar Hallstrom, highly irregular contributor. I’m from Sweden, and I’m mostly into films, cars, and architecture. It’s not a good picture of me, but yes, that’s me, and that’s my Citroen DS, sleeping its beauty sleep in my mothers barn. It’s not even a resto project, more of a parts car. But it’s there anyway. It seems Citroen ownership goes hand in hand with hoarding parts and cars.
I’ve uploaded the picture to the database as well, Paul.
I’m also the only person in American history to hold both a professional BMX racing license and a professional auto racing license.
Jack, you don’t get enough writing time at TTAC????
Ive seen that statement before at a site not a million miles removed
To Paul and the team: my congratulations and heartfelt thanks. CC is among the first sites I visit daily to indulge a common interest among “strangers”.
The writing, knowlege, and photo’s exhibited each day are superb, a real education.
Every car indeed has a story!
I followed you at TTAC, a place I no longer visit, and was happy when you stuck out on your own…I wish you continued success.
Btw, what does “absolute unique visitors” mean?
No duplication; how many different folks check in at least once in a given period of time (some 20k/month here). Page Views tell you how many pages all those visitors read, but it might be just one, or several per day.
Advertisers are particularly interested in Absolute Uniques, because they don’t want to keep hitting the same people over and over.
We’re not big (yet) but we’re not really small anymore either. It’s not easy to break out of the crowded pack of millions of sites.
At a guess absolute unique visitors would be new site visitors not like some of us who click on here several times a day. Paul must be able to record hits some how and who it is if registered?OK Paul beat me with the right answer CC has already broken out of the crowd easily a good length in front
Let me chime in and tell you a bit about myself.
You already know I play keyboards in the Honky Tonk Heroes here in Southern Utah. I am also an officer and a 25 year member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and I am a computer technician by trade. In my previous life (1970s through 1992) I was a radio personality in the Western United States.
I’ve owned many cars in my 35 years of driving. You have known about some of them. I have recently discovered the joy of writing a good column. I not only write for CC, I also write a computer column for http://www.stgnews.com a local online news source. And in my spare time I am a moderator of two message boards and an administrator of 2 others.
I have enjoyed virtually meeting you all and look forward to much more in the future. Best regards from St. George, Utah.
Richard Wayman
A friend and I spent 8 days driving through and camping in Southern Utah, and passed through St. George on our way to Nevada and points beyond. Even looking at some of the pictures we took still gives me goose bumps. You are in sacred geological territory, and I’m a bit jealous.
tl;dr: Go to southern Utah!
Richard, Thanks for joining the party!
You do NOT play with the Honky Tonk Heroes in Southern Utah! And funny that your search profile shows less than a year each at 2 different radio stations.
You do NOT play with the Honky Tonk Heroes in Southern Utah!
Thanks Lads,
I”m having a blast reading you and learning about our (and not ‘our’) automobile historyi Thanks and may the momentum continue!
Pleased to meet yall aint the interweb a fantastic place, I too found Curbside classics at TTAC and followed Paul here.This is by far the best old car site on the net and its true every car good or bad has a story and the writers on CC have the knack of telling them I got my licence at 15 long time ago now and have owned some 80 cars some good some bad and as a travelling itinerant in Australia for many years certainly gave em a good road test often just buying running junk just to get somewhere Michaels cars of a lifetime strikes a familiar chord.. Great work guys its been an interesting education especially in the dowfall of the US car industry you guys really did put up with some terrible vehicles that luckily we did not see down here.
I too followed Paul from TTAC, which I don’t look at anymore, not being terribly interested in what’s the 6th-selling small car this month.
I am totally addicted, you’re really touching my old-car happy nerves.
My mother says she knew I could read when I was three, because walking down the street I’d call off car makes from their hubcaps. (That shows my generation, well before the age of international wordless logos.) The point being, my brain is deeply wired for this stuff. A hearty thanks to all of you!
PS: I’m a computer chip engineer in Portland of a similar generation to most of you, having grown up in the ’50s and ’60s when the curbs were filled with colorful faces, each one with a story. Drew cars obsessively as a kid, lifetime motorhead. EV enthusiast (well, duh) and eleven-year Prius driver, who adores anything with character or technology on three or four wheels. Looking forward to how wild and wonderful cars will get when they outgrow all these gasoline and pollution problems.
Oh, come on! If it weren’t for TTAC, CC may never have come about! Don’t be a stranger over there! I view them as “Sister sites”.
True that.
I think the relationship between TTAC and CC is more of a parental one (i.e. father-son), though it’s the reverse of the site owner’s.
My heartfelt congratulations, Paul. You not only bring your knowledge of old and not-so-old cars to the fore, but you do it in such a way as a commenter said last week about it being likened to a classroom, hence my honorary title I bestow on you as “Professor”!
Additionally, all the contributors to Curbside Classic that add their knowledge and experiences just add to the fun.
“CC” and “TTAC” are the ONLY auto websites I visit, as all others pale by comparison and hence, not worth my time or trouble.
Thank you, “Professor” Paul, for starting something that has truly taken on a life all its own!
Congratulations!
You’ve made my father, Professor Niedermeyer, proud. Thanks!
So don’t call Paul “Professor Niedermeyer”, he’ll simply said, but my dad died a while ago…
I am Len Peters and I have had the pleasure of contributing one piece here. I really would like to have done more but work and family leave me with little time to do as much writing as I would like.
My parents owned a Firestone franchise and also a taxi company so I grew up around cars. My dad was a total car nut himself and he passed that on to me. I have had a life long interest in cars but as middle age has come and gone, I find my interest in paying for cars much less, so my interest is mostly from afar.
I am a self employed businessman from Vancouver, British Columbia. My wife, Annie, and I had the great pleasure of spending some time with Paul and Stephanie this spring. We had a wonderful time and we look forward to doing it again. Perhaps we can have a little CC get together at some future date. Of course, our wives won’t understand but at least we are staying out of trouble.
I have really been enjoying CC and I hope the fun lasts!
Congratulations Paul. This is a great site, and contributing an article was fun.
This site is great. Also found it at TTAC. Tracked down Murilee after he left jalopnik and found both sites. At 68 your old cars oftenbring me back to my youth. As a retired sailor who was usually at sea or overseas, I see little here that I have not ran across before. However, I have never seen commentary at this level anywhere. Paul (and contributors) give historical perspective that I don’t see anywhere else. Plus, it’s nice that commenters are allowed without some sort of club membership like at Jalopnik. I wish you were also interested in old bikes. Nobody gives them this type of treatment so far as I know.
Just keep up the good work.
“I wish you were also interested in old bikes.”
They’ll get my Yamaha Virago when they pry my cold,dead fingers from around it.
We’ve done a few old bike Outtakes, but one of these days I’ll take on one of my favorites for a proper CC.
Gonna do any lawn mowers?
I too came over from TTAC. I do still check it out now and then, especially Jack Baruth’s writing. I for one, feel honored to be listed among the list here of excellent writers. I may not comment much but I read CC several times a day. I only wish I could be as knowledgeable and insightful as my fellow writers. Thank you Paul for giving us this gift to Auto-mania!
I also have to chime in that Curbside Classic is a gift to the Auto Nut. It gives voice to anyone with experience, appreciation and time to have a voice on something many truly love. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on how much cars were as much members of the family as actual humans and pets in my family (and given the vibrant commentary everyone receives on pieces a good number of readers too).
The sincere belief that “every car has a story” and embracing the people who tell us those stories is what lifts Curbside Classic above the others. No Voice (and no car) is too big or too trivial not to get attention here. I feel truly humbled to be a part of it.
It`s great to witness this anniversary. Frankly, it’s great for me to witness anything right now. I was part of the initial building of the site — I worked on the Facebook connection and still serve as one of the FB admins. I’ve been silent these last couple of months because I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in June that hit the local news – details here:
News link
I go by the nickname StromBlogger – but it seems my Suzuki V-Strom blogging days are over (the bike was a terminal write-off, as, unfortunately, was the deer). I`m 99 per cent recovered now and it appears I will have no longstanding or lingering physical effects. This is directly attributable to the proper motorcycle gear I was wearing. I see folks riding around on bikes wearing only t-shirts or tank tops now and the sight makes me cringe.
Curbside Classic has been a great site for me to follow, educate, and entertain me during my recovery. The stable of writers and contributors assembled is top-notch. I`m back to work now and I need to manage my time more closely, but I`d like to work on a couple of submissions over the next few weeks. I need to change my nickname, though. Any suggestions on a new name for me?
StromBlogger (Bill)
I’m (we’re) glad you’ll be O.K.
On my new 100-mile-a-day commute on I-275 around Cincinnati, I always worry about my Impala and a deer becoming “blood brothers”, too, especially when the mornings and evenings get darker.
Thanks for the positive thoughts and wishes.
My accident occurred at 7:30 PM (dusk) on a Canadian freeway. I was travelling at least 100 km/h (60 mph). I suffered a concussion and therefore have no recollection of the event. I think this is a good thing because I don’t think I could have changed the outcome in any way, and the bizarre incident doesn’t continue to rewind in my head.
Bill; So sorry to hear about that; but extremely glad you survived as well as you did. Your gear: every bit to improve the odds does just that.
New handle: Deerslayer? Maybe a bit too close to home?
Paul, I likely would have considered your suggested handle too close to home a few weeks back. I spent most days putting the pieces in place, finding my way through it all and recuperating. I was more of a reader than a writer; a ponderer rather than a commenter. That being said, we cannot deny “ding-dong the deer is dead“, so your suggestion is apt.
Are there any other names I can mull over from the cohorts?
Glad to hear your ok Ive never hit a deer lots of roos and things but always in a car. Night driving in rural OZ can be scary theres a reason bullbars were invented.
Roadkill Stew may suit
One Lucky Man! Bad enough hitting a deer with a car but with a motorcycle at speed… Yikes! Thank God your gear did it’s job.
Your new name should probably contain the word survivor or lucky somewhere. All of us bikers who live come to the point when they must consider a future where they are no longer bulletproof. Mine time came just four months ago and did not contain a motorcycle. I had a ladder collapse that gave me a spiral fracture of the right fib and plenty of stretched/torn ligaments. With a big plate and several screws installed I’m just waiting on the ligaments to heal. Told my wife though that if I couldn’t handle a collapsing stepladder I probably should leave the bikes alone. She was relieved but the 72, XS650 which was patiently waiting in my yard for an overhaul that won’t happen now has stopped whispering to me when I pass. Adulthood reeks but I am resolute. I think…….
And then there is me…
I hail from East Tawas, MI, or as I call it, “The Corner of Nowhere”
I too was one of those kids that knew cars before I could talk. When I was eight I started collecting brochures from various car dealers, and today, well, let’s just say I have quite a few!
I am a banker by trade, a teen Sunday School teacher on the weekend, and am passionate about all cars. However, as much as I love cars, people mean even more to me, which is why I love it here so much. I mean, I can’t help but feel like we are becoming a bit of a family here, and I can’t wait to check it out every day and see who has shared what.
Granted I have only shared two pieces here thus far, but I have a lot of cars photographed and ready to be written up. Unfortunately my father is dying from Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and a lot of my time is spent with him and my mother these days.
But I am looking forward to contributing more and watching this little corner of the web become the premier place to visit for all things Automotive.
Richard Bennett
A year ago, I was doing research on Volvo 142s before going to look at one I found on Craigslist. I didn’t know much about the model, so I Googled the year (1971) and type and stumbled on Paul’s CC on the 142 at TTAC. It was that beautifully written paean to a a car that convinced me that I should buy the one I was looking at, provided it checked out.
It did, and I bought it. Thank you, Paul!
It’s been my daily driver here in Washington, DC for the last year. And on a sunny day when I’m on a twisty road in the wilds of Maryland or Virginia, I remember what you wrote about the car’s motor and think that a more accurate description of a Volvo 142 never had been written. “Roarty.” That’s what you so very aptly called it.
That 142 replaced my first car, a 1974 VW I owned for 19 years — or 15 years too long. Stumbling on CCs made me realize there’s a whole world of people out there who buy cars that may not make a lot of sense and hold onto them longer than could ever be considered reasonable.
Congratulations on the semi-year anniversary! Congratulations especially on using first-rate prose to describe these machines we all for some reason love. I look forward to reading his site for years to come.
— Madhu Unnikrishnan
Thanks, and congratulations on the 142. Rarely a more honest machine made. Enjoy!
I have three passions, other than God and my family: cars, baseball and writing.
I’m a journalist by trade — business editor of a daily paper and a regular high-volume reporter for an agriculture trade newspaper. I’ve also been an English/writing/journalism teacher everywhere from middle school to university.
I’ve been married to a beautiful woman for 20 years, and she surprised me with her knowledge of cars (can tell a mid-50s Chevy from a late-50s Chevy and knows the difference between an El Camino and a Ranchero. As I have stated before, she has wholeheartedly endorsed my self-indulgence in convertibles — she picked out the last two I bought, and they were both solid choices. But, I’ve owned a fleet of other cars in my nearly 54 years, and I can name them all. To echo Laurence, each one has its own story, and perhaps I’ll get a chance to share some of them here.
I was a 6-year-old kid who, sent to his room for one unfair reason or another, would lie in bed and stare at the cracked stucco ceiling and see outlines of cars.
I love cars but unlike many, or perhaps most, around here, I don’t know much about what makes them work (righty-tighty, lefty-loosey is about as far as my expertise goes under the hood). I do my own oil changes, but that’s about it. A lot of the technical descriptions of engines and concepts like torque — even the fascination with 0-60 — are way above my level of understanding.
I followed Mr. Niedermeyer to this site because his features on TTAC — a site I still read, though not as often — reached out and throttled my real passion about cars as machines that were built as statements, not as appliances. They seemed a reflection of a solidity and pride — and a striving for uniqueness — that seems lost today.
I mouth off a fair amount in the comments, and it’s mainly through sheer old-retired-guy laziness that I haven’t gotten together a piece on one of my old cars – God knows I’ve had enough of them. I came here from TTAC too, still visit both sites daily. I’m 71, and my first car was a 1947 Chevy that my father bought me in the summer of 1956. I thought that was an old car, but now my 1984 RX7 doesn’t really seem old at all.
In case anyone wonders, my avatar is an old shot of me at the funky old piano that used to live just inside the entrance to the ex-gym at Marymount, one of Harold LeMay’s car exhibit venues.
Yeah…I have to work to keep my mouth in check, too…or my fingers, anyway. I’m a crotchety old cuss myself…don’t mean to be full of…whatever…but in this sort of medium, one’s personality comes through.
But a youth wasted perusing junkyards for parts, towing jalopies, dreaming of the day I’d be able to buy something really cool…brings me, and my observations, and my comments, to this place.
I still enjoy, on occasion, TTAC – but they’re overloading it with information, as they overload the site with graphics. My computer chokes when I load it; and my reading cannot keep up with the posts. Not time enough to sift through the chaff to find the wheat.
Congratulations on the half, Paul. And thanks for putting up with some of us well-meaning cusses.
I have been hanging back here, just reading and enjoying the comments. I cannot tell all of you how much I enjoy 1) all of the other writers’ submissions and 2) the wonderful comments from everyone. And I am having an absolute blast finding cool cars and sharing them with everyone.
What an enjoyable group of people. Smart, experienced, kindhearted and funny. Who wouldn’t want to spend time with people like all of you?
Finally, I echo all of the shoutouts for Paul Niedermeyer, who got this whole thing up and rolling and who sets the warm tone and high standards that keep us all coming back for more.
I love this site (and TTAC). They are a daily pleasure. Thank you Paul and the whole team for making this such a beloved site for those of us that see the good in the average “normal” cars that have passed through our lives.
Hi, I’m” Mikey”…that is my real name, 57 years and counting, and they still call me Mikey.
I trace my “car guy” roots to my Dad bringing home a 1960 Pontiac Strato Chief. I thought ,at the time the big Poncho was the pinacle of automotive enginering.
Cars have been my passion for my whole life. A high school drop out {I’m not proud of it} I worked in gas stations,used car lots, and for 36 + years as an hourly worker at GM Oshawa.. I took a package and retired three years ago.
I think I’m pretty close to being one of the first TTAC ers. I’m still there…..However……Hmmmmm?…never mind I won’t go there.
Anyway, I fit better here. You folks are doing a great job….carry on.
A
All the great people is why I come here. The people make the articles and the site.
I blame my father for my car addiction he worked at a GM dealership and took me to work with him on saturdays to keep me out of mums hair while he did what ever was needed I explored, the place had been in business since the 20s and the stuff laying around was fascinating I found the sales brochure room and read what I could reach some literature dating back to the first 6 cylinder Chevs and before to the exposed pushrod 4bangers They still carried parts for all those old models and there were still many prewar Chevs in daily use in the 60s in NZ , new cars were hard to get and people my dads age and older lived during the depression and never threw anything away untill it was thouroughly worn out , cars included. A similar car culture to Cuba evolved and old well worn bombs still plied the roads well into the 80s.