(first posted 4/20/2019) The culling of cars from GM’s lineup has reached its antipodean outpost. One of Holden’s longest-running nameplates, the Barina, has been quietly discontinued after 33 years, leaving Holden without a product in a segment historically popular with young car buyers. Read the rest of this entry »
Oh look, a first year Colonnade coupe! From 1973 to 1977, the Oldsmobile A-Bodies became the dominant nameplate among the B-O-P intermediates, so you might think the 1973 Pontiac line came in third behind Olds. However, as of ’73 Oldsmobile had not yet gained total domination, and this green coupe (along with its brother the Grand Prix) came in second among GM intermediates, behind the Chevelle/Monte Carlo juggernaut.
The world is a funny place.
The older I get, the more I realize how limited our thinking can be. Unless we have travelled or read widely, we can tend to forget the geography we learnt in school, and slip into thinking that all the world is as we see around us. But how different other countries can be, in so many and varied ways.
Photos from the Cohort by Corey Behrens, found in Idaho Springs, CO.
The decade before this ’63 Belvedere came off the assembly line was quite the styling rollercoaster at Chrysler. From the dowdy (but very space efficient!) products of the early ’50s, to the wild swings of the Exner era: the catch up with trends ’55-’56 years, the trendsetting ’57s, the overdone ’58-’59 period, and the otherworldly and bizarre ’60-’62s. Quite a styling party, and like many such events, they had gone from a fun time to out of control.
Of course, no one can withstand such wild swings, whether it is people or corporations. And so, the 1963 line came, ready to leave behind the wild times and return to normalcy. For the most part, that is.
1958 Buick Limited with its Twin-Tower taillights and rear fender trim with four bands of louvers.
When I think of the works that man hath wrought, I say “You can’t give up on the human race!” You just can’t. Especially after you see these fantastic examples of auto side trim designs that stylists have been inspired to create–designed to really “wow” prospects in the new car showroom. And what is the source of this inspiration? How many different artistic variations have been tried? Hundreds, maybe thousands. So here I present some of my favorite examples that I remember throughout the decades . . .
The humble Nissan March has been a favorite target for many retro designs. Over the years Nissan has used the March as the basis for its own retro designs like the BE-1, Pao, Figaro, and S-Cargo as well as the Bolero. The miniature Jaguar inspired Mitsuoka Viewt is probably the most well known non-Nissan conversion but there are others. Those mentioned have been fairly well covered here already so instead we will look at some of the less known conversions, many of which were offered by the aftermarket.
(first posted 4/24/2016) As Triumph descended into British Leyland Hell in the late 1960s, its product development became convoluted to say the least. One result was the oddly named Triumph Stag, a 2+2 V8-powered somewhat open-topped grand tourer envisioned to compete with the Mercedes SL. Road Test Magazine drove the car in England and offered a report in the April 1971 issue, giving a preview of a rather strange car that would soon arrive on U.S. shores.
Back in 2019 I posed a Question Of The Day about what car(s) everyone would like to see in the wild. The top of my list was a fuselage Dodge Coronet from the 1971 to 1974 model years. As always a commenter delivered, Chas in this case, providing a picture of not just any ordinary fuselage Coronet, but this baby blue one-year wonder Coronet of 1974.
But this story quickly evolves.
Text by Patrick Bell.
It’s time to hit the beach again and see how people added some sea salt to the tin worm’s diet. Many of the images are from Daytona Beach, Florida, while the rest I was not able to quickly determine the location. So grab your shades and sun lotion and let’s go!
A gentleman was enjoying his trip to Daytona Beach per a photo search. He was cruising in a ’55 Ford Customline Tudor Sedan with a V8, Fordomatic, and a New Jersey license plate.
By the 1930’s, automobiles were really coming into their own. Cars were faster and more reliable. Moving far beyond simple transportation, status-conscious and well-to-do buyers had a wide selection of cars that could be chosen for their style and speed, and not just utility. Even budget customers could get a certain amount of style and grace in the low-priced brands.
Many enthusiasts consider the late 20’s to mid 30’s period to have produced the most beautiful cars ever made. I’m not sure I’d agree, personally, but we can certainly see why one would feel that way when looking at the lovely and amazing cars here. Read the rest of this entry »
Yes, the SS emblems on this Dark Red 1973 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon are authentic, and yes, if you look closely, that is an equally authentic “454” call-out on the front fender. An SS 454 wagon? Strange but true: In 1973 — and only 1973 — Chevrolet offered both the Z15 SS package and the LS4 454 engine on the Malibu station wagon, although only a handful were built. Which raises a question: Is rarity alone enough to make a car desirable?
(originally posted 4/5/2011. This was one of the first cars I ever shot. This car was still a regular driver around town for years, and it was starting to show some signs of aging. And I haven’t seen it the past couple of years.)
From Led Zeppelin to the Bee Gees; that was the arc of cultural transition the 1970 Dodge Challenger and this 1978 Plymouth Sapporo quite perfectly represent. No wonder coke was suddenly the drug of choice. Read the rest of this entry »
(first posted 3/21/2019) The fourth and final generation Toyota Cressida was by no means an exciting car. Clean and innocuous-looking, it could be confused with just about any late-1980s Japanese sedan. Yet underneath its rather generic sheetmetal lies some interesting stories.
Photos from the CC Cohort by Hyperpack (Slant Six), captured at Len’s Auto Sales Service, Blairsville, PA.
To us who enjoy cars, unexpected sightings such as this American mix of models and years offer curious joys. A chance to glimpse at what was, what one enjoyed, and what one discovers anew. The time jump in this car collection is basically a half century, between the late ’50s models and the 21st century ones. Yes, time traveling in one small street section, something fans of the automotive can enjoy at ease when the opportunity comes. No need for future technology to arrive, just your love for old metal.
