(first posted 5/1/2018) CC reader Franco P. sent me this shot of two Nissan Cubes side-by-side. A while back, this might not have been so unusual, but the Cube is quickly slipping into obscurity, at least from a subjective point of view, if not quite truly rare.
Curbside Classic: 1991 Dodge Dynasty – Enter Alexis
(first posted 5/7/2018) Anyone mildly familiar with the 1980s melodramatic primetime soap opera, Dynasty, will know that Alexis Carrington was a force to be reckoned with. Strong, confident, dignified and larger than life, yet brash, manipulative, elitist and self-interested, the character of Alexis Carrington was not unlike that of Chrysler’s CEO during the 1980s, Lee “Lido” Iacocca. In one way or another, both would ultimately try to claw his or her way back into the control of organizations they had been ousted from, though in the case of Alexis, “clawing” could be quite literally-speaking in addition to figuratively.
Vintage Snapshots: Cars In Parks & Camping Grounds – 1950s to 1970s
For today, let’s check out some outdoorsy images of vintage rides in camping action. The images mix camping grounds and parks, with most shots heavily featuring the family ride. There’s a good deal of variety in location and vehicles, all comprising a good deal of fins and open spaces. Some of CC’s favorite themes.
In-Motion Classic: 1972 Toyota Corona Mark II – One In A Million
Sometimes interesting cars appear in unlikely places. My wife snapped these pictures while chaperoning our daughter’s band trip in Salem, Massachusetts. She knew the car was interesting, but wow – this is a car I haven’t seen in decades, and rust-prone New England isn’t where I’d imagine one to be driving down a city street. A one-in-a-million encounter… in more ways than one.
Interestingly, Salem once played a bit part in Toyota’s history. In 1972 – around the time our featured car was new – a Salem Toyota dealer sold a red Corolla wagon to a local couple. What seemed like an ordinary transaction, though, was made more interesting because Toyota declared that car to be the company’s one millionth US sale. The lucky couple were treated to a ceremony, as well as engraved watches and a free London vacation. But Toyota itself was the real winner. The company had made it big. And the Corona Mark II was part of that success.
Curbside Musings: 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis LS – Nobility
I didn’t really know what a “marquis” was until I looked up the definition. Why would or should I know this? There has never been any such title in the U.S., at least to my knowledge. Even though I did okay in subjects like social studies and world history, I’m pretty sure I’d lose all my money on “Final Jeopardy” if the question was on the subject of titles and rankings of nobility. Ask me what a “marquis” is, and I’ll tell you that it’s a title, but little else. If I was feeling smart or flip that day, I’d say a marquis was a big, old Mercury. I might even make reference to a kid in my second-grade class who had that name, though his was pronounced “Mar-KWEES”. (He was cool and I liked him.)
Curbside Classic: 1966 Dodge Coronet 500 – This B-Body Earns an ‘A’
(first posted 4/2/2013) The year 1966 was an exciting time in the American intermediate-car market, with each of the Big Three serving up a fresh, new model. At the time, the Dodge Coronet, although an excellent car, was hampered by its Chrysler parentage–but time is, after all, the great equalizer, and this car has since become a sought-after icon of its era.
Curbside Classic: 1997 Dodge Intrepid ES – This Changes Everything
(first posted 3/29/2013) As a child of the nineties, I feel blessed to have grown up in a decade of so many breathtaking car designs. I naturally feel a small wave of nostalgia every time I see one of my favorites. One of those cars is the Dodge Intrepid. When the LH cars (Chrysler Concorde, Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision (CC here) came along in 1993, they completely changed the automotive landscape, signaling the end of the K-car and the beginning of Chrysler’s newest fad for the next decade: Cab-Forward. Read the rest of this entry »
QOTD: A, M or C?
Richard Teague was responsible for a number of attractive automotive shapes. The best to reach production was the Hornet. Super minimalist, long hood and tight tail, coiled-fist boxy, flares you can see from the moon. It oozes handsomeness and purpose.
There is one thing, however, that irks me. Those short rear doors.
Car Show Classic: 1965 Alvis TE21 – Give Me Aristocracy Or Give Me Death
This week will be dedicated to the last great decade of British cars (i.e. the ‘60s), with a particular focus on luxury – something of a British specialty, at least in automobiles. And what better way to kick things off than with a carmaker that was so traditional and exclusive that they never bodied any of their own chassis?
Automotive History: The AMCs of AMI
Rich Baron’s recent capsule on the Australian Matador X Coupe captured by Peter Wilding struck me with a double-barrelled CC effect.
Buried in the recent past was an Australian AMX I’d caught through the gates of a slightly decrepit mansion compound.
And in the more distant past a story I’d nearly finished and completely forgotten about, compiling the American Motors Corporation vehicles I’ve photographed built by Australian Motor Industries.
Curbside Classic Outtake: 1960/70’s Vanden Plas Princess 1100/1300 – The Real Anglophile
(first posted 5/5/2018) I came across these two on a recent Sunday Tokyo sojourn – one a full-fledged Brit, the other an aspiring impostor. Let’s first take a look at the distinguished UK citizen hiding under the overhang. Read the rest of this entry »
Vintage Snapshots: Van Life During The 60s & 70s
This is the second installment in this series, featuring vans and their owners in the ’60s and ’70s. And today’s collection shows a good range of situations around these lifestyle vehicles; most are at play, and some are at work (sort of). Plus, their strength as a ‘home on wheels’ is heavily featured with a few of these appearing in outstanding locations.
Vintage R&T Review: 1985 Toyota Corolla (AE86) GT-S – The Exciting TwinCam 16 – An Honest High Performance Weapon
There are several ways to start this entry, all in the form of a question. For example; what’s it like to be around when a car legend appears? Particularly one that comes from a place you didn’t expect it to? And also, remember when DOHC engines were rare and had an exotic vibe to them? When 4-valves per cylinder sounded just soooo sexy? And finally, remember when variable intake systems were the new thing? Ready to tame the exotic, and make high-revving engines docile for daily life?
All of these questions are at the center of today’s vintage car review: The legendary 1985 Corolla GT-S.