It’s time (once again) to step back from the helm and bring in some fresh blood. Effective immediately, Daniel Stern (left) and Rich Baron (right) are the Co-Executive Editors of CC. I couldn’t be happier about these two taking the wheel, as they both have proven their exceptional talents here, in their respective COAL series and many other posts. They are sharp, knowledgeable, experienced and creative. I’m looking forward to watching this latest chapter of CC unfold.
I will still be around, working on some behind-the-scenes projects as well contributing. But after three and a half years in the driver’s seat since my last retirement, it’s high time to give it a break. CC is a 24/7 operation, and I’ve figured out how to do that while still keeping up with my other interests and responsibilities, but I haven’t been able to devote myself as deeply to either CC or the other parts of my life.
As always, a huge thanks to all the contributors, subscribers, editors and most of all you, dear readers. None of this would be happening without your support on so many different levels. It’s much appreciated. I know you’ll continue to support Daniel and Rich in their endeavor to keep CC fresh and compelling.
You go have a good rest then Paul.
Thank you for your excellent contributions through the years, Paul. Hopefully we’ll still get to enjoy your enlightening contributions to the comment section!
Enjoy your “retirement.” I have a strong feeling that you’ll be as active as ever, just not on CC. 😁
Paul, Thank you for Curbside Classics and all your work over the years. It is my favorite car site. I love the stories of the cars, COALs, and stories of the CC effect when people see cars suddenly featured on CC. Best wishes and look forward to your continued contributions. Could you maybe sometime do a post on the relationship of the Chevy 153 when it was used in South America and the Pontiac 151 4 cylinders? Again thanks for all your work! Look forward to CC daily! :)!
There is no relation. Two completely different engines.
this has been examined in detail. The Chevy was used and extensively revised for the South American market. Then Pontiac took the same engine and extensively revised it again to create the iron Duke
This was discussed at length in the comments of this article:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/the-little-engines-that-could-part-4a-it-was-in-another-chevy-too/
If I’m not mistaken, such a post already exists for the USA versions of the 151 vs 153 on Curbside Classic. (??) Not sure how to quickly find it, though.
Paul, thank you for making CC one of the best car sites on the net.
You’ve been a grear read…re-energize and relax…
Thank you Paul for all you have done and continue with. It is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to more CCs and not-Niedermeyer stories from you.
Keeping you and yours in my thoughts, Mr. N. I hope that life is getting better, however slowly.
Thank you very much for the site and everything(one) that has grown with it. She’s a patch of “intriguing and cool” in what can seem like a dry interweb environment.
It’ll be in good hands. Thank you for that, too
Best wishes, sir
Congratulations on your well deserved retirement Paul. Enjoy your time away after your many years of dedication to this wonderful site. Daniel and Rich, I look forward to working with you and hoping to continue to be a part of CC.
Hi Paul, even if I was to meet you in person, buy a meal and talk your ear off for an hour I still wouldn’t have enough time to thank you for all you have done with creating and running CC. So I just want you know that CC has been my daily respite for many years. That said I do have one request. The EXBRO series was so enjoyable that perhaps your son Andrew or one of our great cohorts could cover the next event.
Peace Out
Thanks. Unfortunately there won’t be an EXBRO this year.
Hope you maximize your well-earned rest. Your site will be in excellent hands with Daniel and Rich.
That didn’t age well.
I’ve never done a post on that subject specifically, but it was in one or more posts.
The essence:
The Chevy II 153 four was sent to Brazil, where they changed they increased the bore to 4″ and decreased the stroke to 3″, resulting in the “151” engine. This was done to reduce its vibrations.
When Pontiac was tasked to build a conventional four as an alternative to the ill-fated Vega 2300, they used the Brazilian 151 as a starting point, then made changes, mostly to the combustion chamber to reduce emissions as well as to allow it to share some internal components with their 301 V8, which also had the same bore and stroke.
The Iron Duke was both old and new. It used many of the same basic block architecture, allowing Chevy II 153 crankshafts to be swapped in. But it also had a number of changes, to make it more production-friendly with the Pontiac V8. It’s an evolution of the Chevy II engine. But it’s not exactly the same thing either.
As noted above, the post in question is this one:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/the-little-engines-that-could-part-4a-it-was-in-another-chevy-too/
Anyone who is really curious about this should look at the links Schurkey posted in the comments, in particular the 1977 SAE paper about the development of the Iron Duke (also at https://doi.org/10.4271/770819).
Paul, thank you! Again enjoy your retirement. Looking forward to your continued contributions! A great site! Appreciate all your work over the years! :)!
THANK YOU PAUL!!!! CC has become a central part of my life…. I come back several times a day to read the latest story. When I’ve read all the new additions, I go back to archives to read old posts on whatever topic I’m interested in at the moment.
I’m proud to be a COAL contributor. I want to pay back with content that others might want to read.
Steve
You’re doing that very successfully.
Paul, thank you for developing and building this site into the colossus that it is Today! Best wishes in any future endeavors. Daniel and Rich, congratulations and also best wishes, I’m sure that the readership and commentariat will be supportive. This is my favorite automotive site.
Thank you so much Paul for starting and maintaining this wonderful site. I know you’ve reached a milestone age, and it’s time for retirement from CC.
This is my Number 1 automotive site on the web, and I’m sure Daniel and Rich will continue the fine work along with all of the other contributors. Also looking forward to future posts and comments from you.
I’ll join the others in thanking you, Paul, for building this wonderful site that amuses and educates us all.
Daniel and Rich, whose contributions have always made for great reading, will make excellent stewards of CC…
Enjoy yourself – I’ll bet you will be keeping busy with your many and varied interests!
Mach’s gut!
Best wishes and congradulations on a job well done! Will miss you, but the site is definitely in good hands.
Paul, I suspect you’re a dozen or so years older than me and I couldn’t do half of what you can accomplish in a day or week. I hope you take some time to relax.
Furthermore, I think you’ve left the site in some extremely competent hands.
If you’re going to retire… Why not get the car of your dreams? I was at the local drug store today and as always, I stopped by the toy section. When I saw this red Peugeot 404, I said to myself, “The only thing missing is a little tiny Paul Niedermeyer figurine behind the wheel.”
Paul, thank you for your work here, I’ve enjoyed it.
May your retirement last exactly as long as you wish it to (perhaps forever) and not a moment longer.
As one now in retirement, going back to work after retirement is fun, in short stints. Hope to see you back at least in comments.
Enjoy your well earned retirement, but don’t say “this time for sure”.
Enjoy! Welcome Dan and Rich! Thank you Paul!
Again Paul, I have a feeling you’ll be back its been a great ride and its still the best old car site around, have a good break.
Thanks Paul for making this the best, favorite car site. Retirement means more time, yes? Hope this gives you time in the future to submit an article now and then.
Enjoy your second retirement Paul; you’ve more than earned it. Congratulations to Daniel and Rich too. Here’s to the future.
Paul – you have done such a great job with this site, and I thank you. Enjoy this next chapter or three.
I am sure Daniel and Rich will continue that mantle of leadership and content.
Thank you to Paul for coordinating this site that I so enjoy. Being able to distinguish mid-80s GM cars isn’t much use in Australia but a while back my brother posted photo of a weird looking car to our group chat and I was able to identify it as a Bricklin SV-1, so the value from this site is real.
Thanks also to Daniel and Rich for taking over.
We’re in good hands. 👐 Enjoy, Paul.
Enjoying the ride, as always, and looking forward to what comes next!
Thanks Paul! Looking forward to your future contributions as well as ‘cabin’ and road trip updates!
Thank you Paul for creating this wonderful corner of the Internet! Enjoy a well deserved break, CC is in good hands.
Congratulations Daniel and Rich! Looking forward to working with you whenever possible.
Thanks for all the fish.
Looking forward to you coming back occasionally Paul .
I too think you left the site in good hands .
-Nate
I was thinking “Is this really a retirement, or just another extended sabbatical?” In either case it is a well-deserved break so you can attend to the PO property project among other things. In the meantime I can just peruse again your opus Deadly Sins series because I spotted earlier this week a 1966 Olds Toronado in the metal and on the road behind me, and at the stoplight could see it still had its finned drum brakes. (I hadn’t seen one in decades! Have to admire that monocoque styling!)
I agree with the sentiments above. Hail to our new Benevolent Despots, (er, Editors in Chief) Dr. Stern and Mr. Baron! Enjoy your emeritus status, Paul
A well-deserved rest for an exceptionally talented and productive person. As I have previously commented, my blood pressure always declines when I turn to this site. We all owe Paul much for creating and maintaining this diversion from our daily cares.
Paul, enjoy the well earned rest and know it’s in good hands. Thank you for all of your work on this site, you’ve created an exceptional community here.
Paul, thanks for bringing all the memories of cars gone by to this old retiree. Have a healthy and fulfilled retirement.
Thank you for one of the most important websites in my little world and enjoy your retirement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E9ftsaHtWw
Hopefully this isn’t prescient for Daniel and Rich. 😉
Good luck to all – to Daniel and Rich in keeping CC to the standard we have become accustomed (no pressure, guys!) and to Paul for you to do more of what you want to do rather than admin in the site.
And huge thanks and respect to Paul for your efforts and commitment over the last 12 (?) years. Maybe you’ll have more time to prepare posts if you’re not doing the admin 🙂
Congrats Paul, you’ve created something good here. Thank you Daniel and Rich for taking the helm and keeping it pointed down the road.
Thanks Paul, I don’t even know how many years I’ve been reading your stuff now, from the old TTAC days. Have a good rest. While I’m not a frequent commentator anymore, I do still check in most days, and I’m sure that Daniel and Rich will do a great job, as they already have done with their existing work.
Cheers, and I look forward to any contributions that you do make, I know that you’ll still be dropping bits here and there!
Thank you for all the amazing content, Paul. Enjoy you retirement, although I am sure we will be seeing you around pretty often.
Daniel and Rich will be equally excellent!
Thank you for this wonderful reprieve from the rest of the internet! It has been a great/crochety pleasure to offer up whatever shows up on CC to the telemarketer trying to sell me an extended car warranty. They are the one’s that hang up when you tell them you’d like to insure a Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. Cheers!
I hope Paul actually retires this time, life is fleeting, take the time to sniff the Hydrocarbons occasionally .
I’m busier than I ever was before I retired, I wonder how I ever got anything done .
Watching Paul make his little empire has been interesting and educational .
-Nate
Paul, after your years and effort creating the magnificent CC and ensuring it remains the best car website I know, I’m sure you (& Stephanie!) more than deserve retirement! .
Daniel & Rich, glad you’re now sharing the keys to the car, love both your works (and I know so much more about lighting now Daniel!) and I know that CC’s in great hands.
Looking forward to everyone’s contributions as always!
Retirement – What a fabulous idea! (At least it has been for me, at least in real life). First, thanks PN for all you have done here for such a long time. This includes running the place, giving so many of us an outlet for our desire to write about fascinating (and not-so-fascinating) cars and some first rate automotive content that rivals any that can be found online.
Second, a hearty congratulations to the new editorial team. The Stern-Baron team (or is it Baron-Stern) looks to be a winner and I look forward to continuing to consume great content and to be a part of this community.
Mazeltov, time to smell the roses Paul. The new guys will do just fine.
Enjoy your much deserved time off.
CC is a remarkable resource, with top-shelf research on a wide variety of topics. Has been and always will be my favorite bookmark.
Cheers!
Heck, this is only retirement #2. Still in single digits!
In the meantime, I hope retirement doesn’t mean you won’t post occasionally. We’ll continue to look forward to the occasional thought-provoking perspective on stuff we thought we knew all about already.
Congrats guys! I’ve met Daniel and know he will do a Valiant job!
Paul, thank you so much for establishing this site, and keeping up the quality for so many years. You have provided much good reading for so many of us for so long. (That sounds rather Churchillian, doesn’t it?)
In any case, enjoy this next phase of your life, and thank you again.