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Curbside Classics Archives
tech Archive
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![Most fans of the Pontiac GTO have heard of the legendary Royal Bobcat tuning kit for Pontiac 389 and 421 engines. In the June 1963 Car Life, automotive writer […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1964-Pontiac-Tempest-GTO-coupe-Royal-Bobcat-decal-Mecum.webp?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: Pontiac Royal Bobcat Kit – “The Screwdriver Tune-Up” For Hot 389s And 421s")
CC Tech: Pontiac Royal Bobcat Kit – “The Screwdriver Tune-Up” For Hot 389s And 421s
Posted on January 22, 2025 | 21 CommentsMost fans of the Pontiac GTO have heard of the legendary Royal Bobcat tuning kit for Pontiac 389 and 421 engines. In the June 1963 Car Life, automotive writer […] -
![Chrysler claimed many advantages for its vaunted 1957 “Torsion-Aire” suspension, which featured torsion bar springs rather than coil springs in front. Over the years, the success of this suspension has […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1957-Plymouth-Torsion-Aire-brochure-excerpt.webp?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: Riding On Torsion-Aire – Chrysler’s Famous 1957 Torsion Bar Suspension")
CC Tech: Riding On Torsion-Aire – Chrysler’s Famous 1957 Torsion Bar Suspension
Posted on January 13, 2025 | 32 CommentsChrysler claimed many advantages for its vaunted 1957 “Torsion-Aire” suspension, which featured torsion bar springs rather than coil springs in front. Over the years, the success of this suspension has […] -
![In the early ’60s, Detroit had a brief flirtation with aluminum engines, but high costs, manufacturing problems, and warranty headaches soon drove automakers back to cast iron, taking advantage of […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1962-02_MT_Iron_Parts_Can_Be_Lighter.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: Thinwall Iron Castings For Engines – Why Detroit Turned Away From Aluminum")
CC Tech: Thinwall Iron Castings For Engines – Why Detroit Turned Away From Aluminum
Posted on January 6, 2025 | 48 CommentsIn the early ’60s, Detroit had a brief flirtation with aluminum engines, but high costs, manufacturing problems, and warranty headaches soon drove automakers back to cast iron, taking advantage of […] -
![I previously talked about how the unusual 1961–1963 Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive automatic went backwards. Here’s the rest of the story of this remarkable, short-lived transmission, including the question […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1961-Buick-Skylark-Dual-Path-Turbine-Drive-AACA-Forums.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: More on the Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive Transmission – Asking “Why” As Well As “How”")
CC Tech: More on the Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive Transmission – Asking “Why” As Well As “How”
Posted on December 23, 2024 | 18 CommentsI previously talked about how the unusual 1961–1963 Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive automatic went backwards. Here’s the rest of the story of this remarkable, short-lived transmission, including the question […] -
![GM’s Y-body “senior compacts” — the Buick Special/Skylark, Oldsmobile F-85/Cutlass, and Pontiac Tempest/Le Mans — boasted many interesting engineering features, from their lightweight aluminum V-8 engines to the Tempest’s flexible […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1961-Buick-Dual-Path-Turbine-Drive-cutaway.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: 1961–1963 Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive Transmission – Forward Thinking About Going Backwards")
CC Tech: 1961–1963 Buick Dual-Path Turbine Drive Transmission – Forward Thinking About Going Backwards
Posted on December 7, 2024 | 21 CommentsGM’s Y-body “senior compacts” — the Buick Special/Skylark, Oldsmobile F-85/Cutlass, and Pontiac Tempest/Le Mans — boasted many interesting engineering features, from their lightweight aluminum V-8 engines to the Tempest’s flexible […] -
![While the illustration above might look a lot like Chevrolet’s ubiquitous aluminum Powerglide, it’s actually a completely different transmission: the Buick-built two-speed Super Turbine 300 automatic transmission, which went into […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Buick-Super-Turbine-300-automatic-transmission-640099-F05.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: The Buick Super Turbine 300 Automatic Transmission — Not a Powerglide")
CC Tech: The Buick Super Turbine 300 Automatic Transmission — Not a Powerglide
Posted on December 3, 2024 | 29 CommentsWhile the illustration above might look a lot like Chevrolet’s ubiquitous aluminum Powerglide, it’s actually a completely different transmission: the Buick-built two-speed Super Turbine 300 automatic transmission, which went into […] -
![(first posted 9/21/2017) I’ve long had a fixation on the lack of four speed transmissions being available on American compacts in the 1960s. The standard three […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Slant-6-4-speed-64-dart-br.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Factory Four Speed Transmission Behind a Slant Six? Yup, For a Couple of Years Anyway")
Automotive History: Factory Four Speed Transmission Behind a Slant Six? Yup, For a Couple of Years Anyway
Posted on September 21, 2023 | 81 Comments(first posted 9/21/2017) I’ve long had a fixation on the lack of four speed transmissions being available on American compacts in the 1960s. The standard three […] -
![To me, this is a new car. My parents have owned it since 1990, and they even permitted me to drive it to school once a week when I turned […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PXL_20230814_182220683a.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Tech: 1988 Ford Mustang GT – Plastic, A Better Idea In Quarter Windows")
CC Tech: 1988 Ford Mustang GT – Plastic, A Better Idea In Quarter Windows
Posted on August 17, 2023 | 40 CommentsTo me, this is a new car. My parents have owned it since 1990, and they even permitted me to drive it to school once a week when I turned […] -
![(first posted 6/14/2017) A ten cylinder Corvair engine installed in a FWD ’62 Impala? How’s that to get the juices of a hard-core Corvair air-head going? One of […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/CC-328-033.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Engine Prototype: The Stillborn Corvair Gen2 Modular Engine – From Two to Twelve Cylinders")
Engine Prototype: The Stillborn Corvair Gen2 Modular Engine – From Two to Twelve Cylinders
Posted on June 23, 2023 | 57 Comments(first posted 6/14/2017) A ten cylinder Corvair engine installed in a FWD ’62 Impala? How’s that to get the juices of a hard-core Corvair air-head going? One of […] -
![(first posted 6/3/2017) After seeing the explosion of the aftermarket air conditioning sales in the early 1950’s, Detroit decided to get back into the factory air conditioning business […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/1007-01-automotive-air-conditioning-chevrolet.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Cold Comfort: History of Automotive Air Conditioning, Part 3 – Post-World War II")
Cold Comfort: History of Automotive Air Conditioning, Part 3 – Post-World War II
Posted on June 3, 2023 | 108 Comments(first posted 6/3/2017) After seeing the explosion of the aftermarket air conditioning sales in the early 1950’s, Detroit decided to get back into the factory air conditioning business […] -
![(first posted 6/2/2017, updated 6/2/2023) As I detailed in Part 1 of this series, Packard, Cadillac, and Chrysler all dabbled in automotive air conditioning between 1940 and 1942. […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/1007_02-automotive_air_conditioning-vintage_car_interior.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Cold Comfort: History of Automotive Air Conditioning, Part 2 – The Aftermarket")
Cold Comfort: History of Automotive Air Conditioning, Part 2 – The Aftermarket
Posted on June 2, 2023 | 111 Comments(first posted 6/2/2017, updated 6/2/2023) As I detailed in Part 1 of this series, Packard, Cadillac, and Chrysler all dabbled in automotive air conditioning between 1940 and 1942. […] -
![(first posted 6/1/2017) I’ve never really seen a good, comprehensive history of Automotive Air Conditioning, so I decided to take it upon myself to write one, being somewhat […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/3604083691_bef5fcfaa1_b.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Cold Comfort: History of Automotive Air Conditioning, Part 1 – Pre-World War II")
Cold Comfort: History of Automotive Air Conditioning, Part 1 – Pre-World War II
Posted on June 1, 2023 | 94 Comments(first posted 6/1/2017) I’ve never really seen a good, comprehensive history of Automotive Air Conditioning, so I decided to take it upon myself to write one, being somewhat […] -
![Yes, I know that we do mostly old cars here, but I have built up a respect for the brain trust of CC readers, so maybe some of you can […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BMW-Hybrid-01.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "QOTD/CC Tech – What’s The Best Way To Store A Plug-In Hybrid Car?")
QOTD/CC Tech – What’s The Best Way To Store A Plug-In Hybrid Car?
Posted on March 7, 2023 | 17 CommentsYes, I know that we do mostly old cars here, but I have built up a respect for the brain trust of CC readers, so maybe some of you can […] -
![In addition to road tests, Car Life also had a regular tech column, written by Roger Huntington, who really knew of what he said and wrote. This article, from March […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/air-10.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Car Life Tech: “Air Cooling For Cars?” – There Was One Benefit That I’d Not Considered Before")
Vintage Car Life Tech: “Air Cooling For Cars?” – There Was One Benefit That I’d Not Considered Before
Posted on February 23, 2023 | 22 CommentsIn addition to road tests, Car Life also had a regular tech column, written by Roger Huntington, who really knew of what he said and wrote. This article, from March […] -
![On a snowy Sunday of late, my dad and I made our annual sojourn to a local Model A Restorers Club swap meet, which was unfortunately less well-attended by vendors […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Image-2.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Literature: 1977 Ford <em>Noise And Vibration Diagnosis</em> – Never Has A Dollar Been So Useful")
CC Literature: 1977 Ford Noise And Vibration Diagnosis – Never Has A Dollar Been So Useful
Posted on February 1, 2023 | 35 CommentsOn a snowy Sunday of late, my dad and I made our annual sojourn to a local Model A Restorers Club swap meet, which was unfortunately less well-attended by vendors […]
