- Description
- Car nut with a soft spot for classic Lincolns and early automotive air conditioning.
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Curbside Classics Archives
About Author: Tom Halter
Posts by Tom Halter
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![It may seem difficult to believe, but some American full-size cars were available with a manual transmission as late as 1973. After the decline of full-sized muscle cars in the […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/shift-pattern2.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Unicorn Hunt: 1970+ Full-Sized Cars With Manual Transmission, Part 1 – GM Edition")
Curbside Unicorn Hunt: 1970+ Full-Sized Cars With Manual Transmission, Part 1 – GM Edition
Posted on January 5, 2023 | 129 CommentsIt may seem difficult to believe, but some American full-size cars were available with a manual transmission as late as 1973. After the decline of full-sized muscle cars in the […] -
![The 1963 Corvette Split Window Coupe (SWC) has become an icon, and one of the most expensive and sought-after of all classic Corvettes. But that wasn’t always the case. […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1963-Vette-SWC.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Unicorn Hunt: 1963 Corvette Without a Split Rear Window")
Curbside Unicorn Hunt: 1963 Corvette Without a Split Rear Window
Posted on October 28, 2022 | 27 CommentsThe 1963 Corvette Split Window Coupe (SWC) has become an icon, and one of the most expensive and sought-after of all classic Corvettes. But that wasn’t always the case. […] -
![I’m back with another round of AI-generated cars that never were (but should have been). As before, the images are exactly as generated by the DifusionBee (a port of Stable […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1957-Chevrolet-Thunderbird-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "What If: More AI Generated Cars That Never Were (But Should Have Been)")
What If: More AI Generated Cars That Never Were (But Should Have Been)
Posted on October 5, 2022 | 40 CommentsI’m back with another round of AI-generated cars that never were (but should have been). As before, the images are exactly as generated by the DifusionBee (a port of Stable […] -
![Images generated via artificial intelligence “Text to Image” programs are making a lot of noise in machine learning circles, and are starting to hit the mainstream. The latest buzz-generating program […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1940-Chevrolet-Corvette.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "What If: AI Generated Cars That Never Were")
What If: AI Generated Cars That Never Were
Posted on September 22, 2022 | 62 CommentsImages generated via artificial intelligence “Text to Image” programs are making a lot of noise in machine learning circles, and are starting to hit the mainstream. The latest buzz-generating program […] -
![It is no secret that I like convertibles a lot. It is also no secret that convertibles (like their sedan counterparts) are rapidly disappearing from the automotive landscape (at least […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1967_lincoln_continental_convertible.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Which Brand has Gone the Longest Without a Convertible in the US?")
Automotive History: Which Brand has Gone the Longest Without a Convertible in the US?
Posted on September 14, 2022 | 24 CommentsIt is no secret that I like convertibles a lot. It is also no secret that convertibles (like their sedan counterparts) are rapidly disappearing from the automotive landscape (at least […] -
![While the 1970s may have been the golden age of the Personal Luxury Coupe, their inspiration came from the Executive Luxury Coupes of the late 1960s. The prototypical ELC is […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/images_ford_thunderbird_1967_2.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: 1967 Ford Thunderbird Apollo – One Small Step For A Car, One Giant Leap for Thunderbirds")
Automotive History: 1967 Ford Thunderbird Apollo – One Small Step For A Car, One Giant Leap for Thunderbirds
Posted on July 26, 2022 | 31 CommentsWhile the 1970s may have been the golden age of the Personal Luxury Coupe, their inspiration came from the Executive Luxury Coupes of the late 1960s. The prototypical ELC is […] -
![So I’ve had a BP gas credit card in my wallet for most of my adult life – 30 years to be exact. So it came as somewhat of a […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/IMG_3097.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Credit Card of a Lifetime: Parting Ways With BP After 30 Years – A Brief History of Gas Station Credit Cards")
Credit Card of a Lifetime: Parting Ways With BP After 30 Years – A Brief History of Gas Station Credit Cards
Posted on June 14, 2022 | 84 CommentsSo I’ve had a BP gas credit card in my wallet for most of my adult life – 30 years to be exact. So it came as somewhat of a […] -
![I thought I’d seen all the vintage Ford promotional videos, but YouTube served up this gem to me the other day. What is interesting about this video is that […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Keyhole1.gif?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Cinema: 1961 Ford Motor Company “The Secret Door”")
Curbside Cinema: 1961 Ford Motor Company “The Secret Door”
Posted on January 18, 2022 | 7 CommentsI thought I’d seen all the vintage Ford promotional videos, but YouTube served up this gem to me the other day. What is interesting about this video is that […] -
![The 1950s was the beginning of the end of the golden age of independent automakers in the US. At the beginning of the decade there were eight independent brands (Crosley, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/1953-kaiser-dragon.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: 1951-53 Kaiser Dragon – Altered Beast")
Automotive History: 1951-53 Kaiser Dragon – Altered Beast
Posted on November 24, 2021 | 19 CommentsThe 1950s was the beginning of the end of the golden age of independent automakers in the US. At the beginning of the decade there were eight independent brands (Crosley, […] -
![I saw this 1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer on an auction site not too long ago, and what caught my attention was the hang-on style factory air conditioning system. I thought […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/1991JGW.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Cold Comfort: 1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer – Last Mass-Produced Vehicle Without Integrated Air Conditioning?")
Cold Comfort: 1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer – Last Mass-Produced Vehicle Without Integrated Air Conditioning?
Posted on November 16, 2021 | 25 CommentsI saw this 1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer on an auction site not too long ago, and what caught my attention was the hang-on style factory air conditioning system. I thought […] -
![In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we traced the origins and peak of the American vinyl roof. Like all fads, what goes up must come down, and the […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hero4.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The History of the Vinyl Roof, Part 3 – Topping Things Off")
Automotive History: The History of the Vinyl Roof, Part 3 – Topping Things Off
Posted on October 23, 2021 | 56 CommentsIn parts 1 and 2 of this series, we traced the origins and peak of the American vinyl roof. Like all fads, what goes up must come down, and the […] -
![As we saw in part 1 of this series, the vinyl top rapidly transitioned from curiosity to commodity between 1962 and 1966. By the late 1960s, vinyl tops had lost […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hero3.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The History of the Vinyl Roof, Part 2 – Peak Vinyl")
Automotive History: The History of the Vinyl Roof, Part 2 – Peak Vinyl
Posted on October 22, 2021 | 60 CommentsAs we saw in part 1 of this series, the vinyl top rapidly transitioned from curiosity to commodity between 1962 and 1966. By the late 1960s, vinyl tops had lost […] -
![We curbivores have a love-hate relationship with vinyl roofs – based on article comments, it seems to be mostly hate because as they invariable tear and age, water can get […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hero1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The History of the Vinyl Roof, Part 1 – Origins")
Automotive History: The History of the Vinyl Roof, Part 1 – Origins
Posted on October 21, 2021 | 53 CommentsWe curbivores have a love-hate relationship with vinyl roofs – based on article comments, it seems to be mostly hate because as they invariable tear and age, water can get […] -
![In Part One, we covered the early Pytchley and Golde sunroofs. Neither of these looks exactly like what you get when you order a sunroof in a car today. For […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1969-Thunderbird-ad.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Tech: History of the Sliding Sunroof and Moonroof, Part 2 – A New Moon(roof)")
Curbside Tech: History of the Sliding Sunroof and Moonroof, Part 2 – A New Moon(roof)
Posted on September 7, 2021 | 24 CommentsIn Part One, we covered the early Pytchley and Golde sunroofs. Neither of these looks exactly like what you get when you order a sunroof in a car today. For […] -
![The sliding sunroof/moonroof was a seldom-seen feature on cars when I was growing up in the 70s, and second only to air conditioning in terms of the amount of awe […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1959-porsche-356a-1600-super-sunroof-coupe.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Tech: History of the Sliding Sunroof and Moonroof, Part 1 – Rise and Shine")
Curbside Tech: History of the Sliding Sunroof and Moonroof, Part 1 – Rise and Shine
Posted on September 6, 2021 | 58 CommentsThe sliding sunroof/moonroof was a seldom-seen feature on cars when I was growing up in the 70s, and second only to air conditioning in terms of the amount of awe […]
