Curbside Classic Archives
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American Brands: GM 
American Brands: Ford 
American Brands: Chrysler 
American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others 
Automotive Histories and Misc. 
Asian Brands 
UK Brands 
Australian Brands 
European Brands 
Cars Of A Lifetime & Auto-Biography 
Buses 
Trucks, Pickups and Vans 
Design 
Trains, Planes & Ships 
Motorcycles, Trikes, Bicycles 
Engines, Transmissions and other Tech 
Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment 
RVs, Motorhomes, Trailers, Campers Privacy
About Author: Chip Downs
Posts by Chip Downs
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My 2001 Ford Ranger XLT – It Gave Its All
Posted on July 27, 2025 | 13 Comments2009 was a very rough time for many people. For myself, it marked the end of my 10 years with Lowe’s. The send off was wonderful, with a gold […] -
My 1993 Plymouth Grand Voyager – Enjoying Chrysler’s Best-Seller
Posted on June 7, 2025 | 7 CommentsCindy and I had never owned a Chrysler product before, but I was a fan of Lee Iacocca just from watching him fix Chrysler. And by the early 2000s, I […] -
My 1999 GMC Sierra – Closing The GM Chapter Of My Life (For Now)
Posted on May 7, 2025 | 3 CommentsGMC Sierra image from bidcars.com. As I told in an earlier chapter, I had replaced my Lemon Law ’98 Chevy Cheyenne with a ’99 GMC Sierra. Staying within GM was […] -
Buying A 1989 Civic – Steering a Friend Away From a Bad Car Deal to a Great Car Deal
Posted on April 20, 2025 | 15 Comments1989 Civic image from the brochure. I have an unusual gift of telling a good vehicle from a bad one by “the seat of my pants.” Seriously, I can’t tell […] -
My 1999 GMC Sierra – One Lemon Later, Yet Back Into The GM Fold
Posted on April 6, 2025 | 11 CommentsGMC Sierra image from bidcars.com. After returning my ‘98 Cheyenne pickup to the dealer after a short and troublesome ownership (my Lemon Law chapter), I now needed to replace it. […] -
My 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis: My Kindness Comes In Different Forms
Posted on March 25, 2025 | 23 CommentsMom always told me to be kind to others. And the obligatory: “If you can’t say something nice, then say nothing at all.” With God’s help and practicing kindness, I […] -
My 1998 Chevrolet Cheyenne – Learning The Lemon Law
Posted on February 26, 2025 | 18 CommentsLike a Rock? — C/K truck image from the 1998 Buyer’s Guide. To bring you up to speed, by 1997 we were driving a ’97 Blazer, and my beloved ‘80 […] -
My 1997 Chevrolet Blazer – When The Need For A New Vehicle Comes At Unexpected Times
Posted on February 7, 2025 | 18 Comments’97 Blazer image from period advertising. I’m proud of my driving. I’ve honed my skills and driven some just under 3 million miles with only one chargeable accident and two […] -
A Sprinkling Of Short Owned Cars
Posted on January 26, 2025 | 15 Comments1979 Caprice Classic image from the Cohort by Foden Alpha. I decided to count the total number of vehicles I’ve owned in my life and was not too surprised that […] -
My 1985 Mercury Marquis – A Gift With The Best Intentions (And When Best Intentions Go Wrong)
Posted on January 19, 2025 | 21 CommentsA little while back, I wrote about a wonderful ’81 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham that Cindy and I had received from her grandparents; Louis and Molly. Cindy’s grandparents were such wonderful […] -
My Dad’s ’83 Corolla & ’85 Camry – Falling Into The Toyota World, And Liking It
Posted on January 8, 2025 | 38 Comments’86 Camry photo from the Cohort by nifticus392. Author’s referred model was a white over blue. As New Year’s came this year, I realized that my dad had been […] -
My Rental Truck Nightmare – Only Me!
Posted on December 21, 2024 | 26 CommentsFor today, I’d like to take you on a journey in the move of a lifetime that turned out to be sort of a train wreck. I’ve read articles here […] -
My 1982 Chevrolet Caprice V6 Coupe – Resurrected From The Dead, And Deadly Slow
Posted on December 7, 2024 | 48 Commentsnot our actual car; found this at autotraders Between the Mercury Tracer, which was gone by this time, and the Sable which was leaving, Cindy and I decided it was […] -
My 1974 Chevrolet Caprice – The Rusty Old Caprice
Posted on December 1, 2024 | 20 CommentsPhoto from the Cohort by Colin. This story will be about a man and his car. The man was Cliff, he was a remarkable man to me as we had […] -
My 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham – Finally, I Get To Experience Cadillac Style
Posted on November 2, 2024 | 35 CommentsThis article is dedicated to Doctor Myron Porter. He served his country in the Naval Reserve. He was stationed in Southeast Asia for two years and then spent another 20 […]
![My 2001 Ford Ranger XLT – It Gave Its All 2009 was a very rough time for many people. For myself, it marked the end of my 10 years with Lowe’s. The send off was wonderful, with a gold […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-07-25-14.38.33.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1993 Plymouth Grand Voyager – Enjoying Chrysler’s Best-Seller Cindy and I had never owned a Chrysler product before, but I was a fan of Lee Iacocca just from watching him fix Chrysler. And by the early 2000s, I […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/unnamed.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1999 GMC Sierra – Closing The GM Chapter Of My Life (For Now) GMC Sierra image from bidcars.com. As I told in an earlier chapter, I had replaced my Lemon Law ’98 Chevy Cheyenne with a ’99 GMC Sierra. Staying within GM was […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-04-03-17.45.42.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![Buying A 1989 Civic – Steering a Friend Away From a Bad Car Deal to a Great Car Deal 1989 Civic image from the brochure. I have an unusual gift of telling a good vehicle from a bad one by “the seat of my pants.” Seriously, I can’t tell […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-04-18-16.04.55.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1999 GMC Sierra – One Lemon Later, Yet Back Into The GM Fold GMC Sierra image from bidcars.com. After returning my ‘98 Cheyenne pickup to the dealer after a short and troublesome ownership (my Lemon Law chapter), I now needed to replace it. […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-04-03-17.45.17.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis: My Kindness Comes In Different Forms Mom always told me to be kind to others. And the obligatory: “If you can’t say something nice, then say nothing at all.” With God’s help and practicing kindness, I […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/unnamed.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1998 Chevrolet Cheyenne – Learning The Lemon Law Like a Rock? — C/K truck image from the 1998 Buyer’s Guide. To bring you up to speed, by 1997 we were driving a ’97 Blazer, and my beloved ‘80 […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-02-24-00.05.49.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1997 Chevrolet Blazer – When The Need For A New Vehicle Comes At Unexpected Times ’97 Blazer image from period advertising. I’m proud of my driving. I’ve honed my skills and driven some just under 3 million miles with only one chargeable accident and two […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-02-06-19.35.44.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![A Sprinkling Of Short Owned Cars 1979 Caprice Classic image from the Cohort by Foden Alpha. I decided to count the total number of vehicles I’ve owned in my life and was not too surprised that […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-01-25-00.35.29.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1985 Mercury Marquis – A Gift With The Best Intentions (And When Best Intentions Go Wrong) A little while back, I wrote about a wonderful ’81 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham that Cindy and I had received from her grandparents; Louis and Molly. Cindy’s grandparents were such wonderful […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/5102266412_23b911e871_k.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My Dad’s ’83 Corolla & ’85 Camry – Falling Into The Toyota World, And Liking It ’86 Camry photo from the Cohort by nifticus392. Author’s referred model was a white over blue. As New Year’s came this year, I realized that my dad had been […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20919962724_147878f2de_k.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My Rental Truck Nightmare – Only Me! For today, I’d like to take you on a journey in the move of a lifetime that turned out to be sort of a train wreck. I’ve read articles here […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/rental-4.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1982 Chevrolet Caprice V6 Coupe – Resurrected From The Dead, And Deadly Slow not our actual car; found this at autotraders Between the Mercury Tracer, which was gone by this time, and the Sable which was leaving, Cindy and I decided it was […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/capala.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1974 Chevrolet Caprice – The Rusty Old Caprice Photo from the Cohort by Colin. This story will be about a man and his car. The man was Cliff, he was a remarkable man to me as we had […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/14062043848_eacaff0143_k.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)
![My 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham – Finally, I Get To Experience Cadillac Style This article is dedicated to Doctor Myron Porter. He served his country in the Naval Reserve. He was stationed in Southeast Asia for two years and then spent another 20 […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/unnamed-8.jpg?resize=115%2C115&quality=75&ssl=1)


