(first posted 4/18/2018) The Curbside Classic Effect was in full effect last week. Just as I was putting the finishing touches to the XA coupe piece, another Ford coupe landed on my phone. I play a regular game of cellphone spotto pingpong convened by fellow CContributor jim, who passed these on from Rolla Matt. It’s a Ford Landau – rare enough, but my first with this front clip.
(first posted 4/18/2018) I suspect that all of us have a car from early in our lives that a parent or relative almost bought but did not. Those cars have a way of becoming a sort of idolized object that often eludes our grasp as we got older. The 1969 Lincoln Continental sedan was mine.
Let’s view some vintage postcards and check out what was available for lunch and dinner across the US in the ’50s and ’60s. Mind you, this is not a comprehensive gallery, not at all. Take it just as a sampler, and appetizer of sorts about the offer back then.
A story first, to set the scene.
After my father recovered from his jukebox business going bust at the end of the fifties, he returned to being a salesman, as he’d done before the war. He teamed up with a small commercial refrigeration manufacturer, and became their roving sales rep, checking out new shops and following up leads, trying to explain why a custom-designed and specced ‘fridge or cool-room was better than a standard model from a big company.
This often involved going to the Queen Victoria Market (‘Queen Vic’ to Melbournites) to meet with the country growers before they got busy with customers. I remember us leaving home at three or four in the morning, driving through dark streets, and stopping at red lights when there was no other car on the road – and asking that typical little kid question: Why?
For people who value space efficiency, there are few cars more alluring than small, tall wagons. Able to haul both people and cargo in ways that defy their physical dimensions, such wagons merge the best of cars, vans and minivans. Honda’s 1984 Civic was among the best of this breed, showing consumers that utilitarianism doesn’t need to be dull and uninspiring. The Civic wagon inherited a legacy of innovation, and through its clever packaging and versatility, became one of the 1980s’ most innovative vehicles.
(first posted 3/31/2013. Updated 4/15/2018) Passing by the Sports Car Shop always requires a brief stop to see what’s currently on display. I’d seen this splendid Allard K2 through the garage windows for months, but when it finally made it out front I had to take a closer look. I knew that Allards had a certain cobbled-together quality, despite their handsome bodies. But when I poked my head into the passenger compartment, I almost couldn’t believe it: Prepare yourself for the world’s most contorted shift stick: Read the rest of this entry »
(first posted 4/17/2018) Unquestionably, Henry Ford was one of the greatest pioneers in automotive history. Henry was able to build highly successful cars for a low price; yet he didn’t have much of an eye for style. It was his son Edsel who saw the importance of automotive styling. Edsel, a man of impeccable taste and style, was able to turn around the well-engineered but stodgy Lincoln into a beautifully designed automobile after Ford took ownership from Henry Leland. After Henry’s Model T was still on the market well past its expiry date, it was Edsel’s classic Model A design that helped turn around the Ford Motor Company.
Edsel had a vision to make Ford a leader in automotive design and searched for the talent to execute his vision. He had noticed the highly talented E.T. “Bob” Gregorie, who at only 22 years old already had experience designing yachts and had briefly worked under Harley Earl at General Motors. Edsel hired him in 1931, and by 1935, when Edsel created a styling department, he named Gregorie its head.
Photos from the Cohort by William Oliver.
It was back in 2000 when a close friend of mine living in LA asked me: “So Ric, what SUV would you like to buy?” This after he purchased a Lexus RX300. He was ecstatic about the vehicle.
I struggled with the question then, and I struggle with it now. What SUV-CUV kind of practical tall car would I purchase? I mean for, real?
When the question comes, my mind always goes blank…
This is a topic that has appeared fairly often at CC and I’m pretty sure it’s always welcomed. I’m talking about the introduction of new year models and the excitement their arrival used to cause back in the day. A different era when new models were the talk of the town, with their arrival providing a buzz one could feel in the air.
I assume we’re all die-hard Silviophiles here. I mean, what’s not to like about a reasonably-sized and beautifully-styled RWD 4-cyl. coupé like the S13? What’s that? You would rather have a convertible? Well, if you had the dough and you were quick enough in placing your order, Nissan’s Autech division could arrange something for you.
I couldn’t believe that HD would build this!
I went from a chopper to a Cafe Racer. It wasn’t that surprising since I had made a few improvements to my earlier chopper to make it more roadworthy.
(first posted 5/21/2013) If you look and listen, you can almost hear the late night television commercial:
“Hey, folks, Honest Abe here at Honest Abe’s Used Car Emporium, Tire Shop, and Pool Supplies! Boy, let me tell you, the inventory is great and the deals are hot! What kind of inventory? you ask. I got stuff here you just won’t find anywhere else for prices that you can’t beat with a billy club!
(first posted 4/16/2018) Most of the cars featured on Curbside Classic are unlikely survivors – the one-in-a-thousand cars that are still intact long after most contemporaries met their demise. One question that we can rarely answer here is just how these cars survived: What set of unique circumstances led to a 50-year-old car still hanging around? Occasionally, though, we can answer this question, such as with this 1966 Valiant I found at an estate sale.
Originally posted 4 December 2020; rewritten 4/2024 with more and better images, and text translations
This is a still from a Japanese animated movie called Shitī Hantā (“City Hunter”). The alarmed-looking character we see here is in the back seat of a…ruh…what is that? It’s got a Pentastar and a “Michigan” badge, and it looks quite a lot like… Read the rest of this entry »
