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Looking For A Couple Of New COALers

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

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Some of our current Cars Of A Lifetime (COAL) series are getting close to the end, which means it’s once again COAL contributor recruitment season. COAL has been a Curbside Classic staple for years, and we know there are plenty of you out there with a lifetime’s worth of car stories just waiting to be told. Family cars, first cars, college beaters, dream cars, questionable purchases, memorable road trips, spectacular breakdowns… if a car played a part in your life, we would like to hear about it.

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1971 (Vauxhall) Firenza – Viva, Canada

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

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(Updated 10/2/2026)    This find, by canadiancatgreen, is quite impressive.  While one might expect to find a rare car like this Firenza (Vauxhall Viva HC) in a context where uncommon, orphaned cars are appreciated, seeing it with rust around its edges and Pep Boys hubcaps indicates unceremonious use as a daily driver.  Replacement parts for a car like this don’t exactly fall into one’s lap and by most measures, it shouldn’t have made it this far.  Yet here it is in all its chartreuse glory; if cars were sentient, I’d want this one to know how lucky it is.

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Car Show Classic: 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham – When A DeVille Isn’t Big Enough

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

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(Updated 10/2/2026)     The 1970s was a decade of some of the biggest shakeups in the automobile industry. Two energy crises, increased federal safety standards, and a flood of imports dramatically changed the automotive landscape over the course of a few years. By decade’s end, cars were smaller, bumpers were larger, and convertibles had all but disappeared. From a stylistic standpoint, vinyl roofs, wire wheels, opera windows, and interiors that resembled your grandparents’ living room had all become mainstream, as the Great Brougham Epoch was in full swing.

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Before the Mall: Mid-Century Department Stores In Vintage Postcards – 1950s, 1960s

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

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During their heyday, there was nothing quite like a large department store. The adult equivalent of staring into a cookie jar—endless treats and possibilities on display, from practical necessities to frivolous but wonderfully tempting things. And there was something for every pocket, from inexpensive generalists to more upscale establishments. Almost invariably located on a main downtown street, a visit to one was a chance to be part of the activity and discover the new and unexpected.

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1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster: A Fun Winter Project With A Pile Of Spare Parts

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

Driver front 3q picture of a white 1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster in a residential driveway

I’m on the fence when it comes to having a winter project. Sure, it’s good to ride out the storm by cozying up in the house and reading a book, watching TV, or sipping on a glass of bourbon, but there’s truly nothing like shaking off the winter blahs by resurrecting an old car that’s been lying dormant for 12 years, such as this 1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster (aka 1600 Sports), which recently sold for $7,000 on Cars & Bids in Tustin, California.

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My 1995 Honda Accord LX Coupe — A Perfectly Executed Mistake

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

1995 Honda Accord LX

Is it ever a bad idea to buy a Honda Accord?

Yes.

It was a bad idea because I still liked the car I had, one that would be paid off in a year.

It was a bad idea because once again I settled for less than what I really wanted.

It was a bad idea because even 30+ years later, I can’t explain why I bought it. Actually, I leased it (another bad idea).

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1955 Buick Special Riviera: This Buick Was As Popular In 1955 As A Camry Is Today — And It Has Only 5,000 Miles

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

Left front 3q view of a two-tone blue 1955 Buick Special two-door hardtop

Buick sold fewer than 200,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2025, but seven decades earlier, they were one of America’s top automotive brands, accounting for more than one in every 10 new cars. This unrestored, startlingly low-mileage 1955 Special two-door Riviera hardtop was the most popular version of Buick’s most popular model in one of the marque’s best years.

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Classic CARmentary: 1999 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro — A Luxury Sedan Worth Bragging About

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

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Back in 1999, showing up at your wife’s high school reunion in an Audi A8 4.2 Quattro was not a bad way to make an entrance. With its aluminum construction, Quattro all-wheel drive, and 300-hp V8, Audi’s flagship had the hardware to go up against the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, while still being something of an outsider in the luxury-sedan crowd. Here’s what I thought of it when I drove one in May 1999.

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1962 Ford Thunderbird SportsWagon Conversion – What’s Not To Like About The Vista-Bird Thunder Cruiser?

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

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Loyal CC follower Big Paws spotted this Thunderbird on holiday in Sonoma, and what a good reason this is for having gone there. He was only able to get one shot, but it’s enough to start some detective work. The Bullet ‘Bird (not just because of the superb name, but that certainly helps) is probably my favourite American car (though sometimes it’s the Corvette Sting Ray, or maybe the 1957 Corvette), and this example would catch anyone’s eye.

From my vantage point in England, this looks very much like a Ford Thunderbird Sportback or a Chevrolet Nomad-type derivative. Given just this photo, I was initially thinking “I’m not aware of it as a Thunderbird variant but maybe Ford built such a version”.  After all, a Thunderbird in the UK is a bit of an event, and not seeing all the variants, especially low volume ones, the notion seems quite plausible.

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T87 Singles Collection, Summer 2026 Edition – Part 3: French, Italian & Other Cars

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

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Naturally, given that I travelled around southern and western Europe in August, the Italian and French contingent was always going to be a bit better represented than usual, especially the latter. So we kick things off with something a little unusual in the boxy shape of a 1981-91 Peugeot J9 van, a mildly facelifted version of the J7 (1965-80).

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1970 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible: A One-Owner E-Body With A Slant Six

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

Passenger front 3q picture of red 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible parked in the street

The 1970 Plymouth Barracuda is one of Mopar’s most cherished pony/muscle cars, and also one of its greatest mistakes; just when the pony car market began to deflate, here came a full-bore redesign from the Pentastar that was several years too late. But even though the Barracuda didn’t sell well when new, people are more than willing to pay for them now, even when they’re powered by the base Slant Six as this example is. It’s a one-owner car with an interesting option or two that’s for sale on Hemmings Auctions in Jacksonville, Florida.

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How I “Relaxed” at the Spa Six Hours: 300 Historic Racing Cars and Two Deafening Days at Spa-Francorchamps

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

Spa Six Hours 2026 JD 82 scaled

Text and photos submitted by J. Dullaart / Rotterdammert Car Spots

“What did you get up to this weekend?” they ask on a sleepy Monday morning by the office coffee machine. “I spent the weekend at Spa,” I reply, prompting a chorus of envious sighs from my colleagues. “Oh, that sounds wonderful! Did you manage to unwind a bit?”

And there I am, still carrying the ringing ears and sensory overload of a weekend at Spa.

“Unwind? For two straight days, I watched more than 300 historic racing cars being hurled around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. I’m not entirely sure that aligns with your definition of relaxation…” My colleagues exchange puzzled glances before looking back at me. “Well, to each their own, I suppose.”

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My 2011 Ford Fiesta: From In-Town Car to Yukon Road Trip Vehicle

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

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Note: My daughter’s drive to Yellowknife last month with a friend reminded me of a scenic trip I took two years ago, and I started typing it into a post. It took me so long to finish the story that the Fiesta is now approaching Curbside Classic status itself. So, let’s travel back to 2024, when I first started typing this.

One of my favourite children was lucky enough to get herself a summer co-op engineering position in Whitehorse Yukon.   A bit of a family tradition to go work in the land of the midnight sun as I had done and my parents before me.  We keep a spare car for such events so the old 2011 Fiesta was set for a big adventure.  It spent so much of its life in 2-10 km intervals as our in-town car that a 2500 km trip would be good for it. And it had been a reliable little thing all its life as it did not have the dreaded PowerShift, just a normal 5 speed with a clutch and a gear lever.

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Zimmer Quicksilver – The Fiero Brougham

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– Posted on September 30, 2026

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(Updated 9/30/2026)    I’ve been wondering when one of these would show up at the Cohort, and thanks to LeSabretoothTiger, it finally has. And now that it’s here, I’m a bit unsure as to what to say about it. All I can come up with is: Why?  Read the rest of this entry »

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Curbside Classic/Vintage Review: 1984 Honda CRX – “Mind-Boggling. Simply Mind-Boggling”

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– Posted on September 30, 2026

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(Updated 9/30/2026)         In the fall of 1983, Honda dropped a bombshell. The new generation of Civics were not only all-new and highly advanced, but there were four completely unique and distinct bodies. Nobody had ever done something like this before. It was an automotive milestone. And one of those four was something utterly unique and unexpected: a two seat sports coupe; essentially a fixed-roof sports car, at a highly affordable price. It was simply the best combination of performance, handling, quality, economy and price then and perhaps ever.

Having just found this CRX survivor on the street as well as having Road and Track’s review at hand, I’ll combine the two together for a combination CC/Vintage Review. This car deserves all the accolades that both I and R&T can muster. Starting with the first words in their review: “Mind-boggling. Simply mind-boggling”.

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