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Curbside Classics Archives
Design Archive
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![I’ve been away from CC for a while. One of the things occupying my time has been a piece on the American two-door wagon. In an extract from that piece, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mero3.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "The American Two-Door Wagon 1928-1981: Ponies")
The American Two-Door Wagon 1928-1981: Ponies
Posted on April 9, 2024 | 52 CommentsI’ve been away from CC for a while. One of the things occupying my time has been a piece on the American two-door wagon. In an extract from that piece, […] -
![(first posted 12/4/2017. revised 12/3/2023) The fact that the downsized and unusually-styled 1962 Plymouth and Dodge were a blunder is indisputable, in terms of their failure on the market. But […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/ffffv.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Brilliant Blunder: 1962 Plymouth & Dodge – The Real Reason They Were Downsized")
Brilliant Blunder: 1962 Plymouth & Dodge – The Real Reason They Were Downsized
Posted on December 4, 2023 | 180 Comments(first posted 12/4/2017. revised 12/3/2023) The fact that the downsized and unusually-styled 1962 Plymouth and Dodge were a blunder is indisputable, in terms of their failure on the market. But […] -
![(first posted 7/16/2017) Automotive pundits and experts around the world routinely claim that the minivan (a.k.a the MPV, the people-carrier or whatever you wish to call Puff the […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/plymouth_1984.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: One Box To Rule Them All – An Archeology Of The Minivan")
Automotive History: One Box To Rule Them All – An Archeology Of The Minivan
Posted on July 16, 2023 | 65 Comments(first posted 7/16/2017) Automotive pundits and experts around the world routinely claim that the minivan (a.k.a the MPV, the people-carrier or whatever you wish to call Puff the […] -
![(image composite by atomicsamba. click on images for maximum effect) (first posted 3/13/2017) The 1950s were famous for a number of things. Some of the more memorable ones are […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Cadillac-1954-Park-Avenue.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Mileposts in Design: Cadillac’s “Dagmars” – An Intimate Look At Their Origins, Development and Namesake")
Mileposts in Design: Cadillac’s “Dagmars” – An Intimate Look At Their Origins, Development and Namesake
Posted on March 13, 2023 | 59 Comments(image composite by atomicsamba. click on images for maximum effect) (first posted 3/13/2017) The 1950s were famous for a number of things. Some of the more memorable ones are […] -
CC Literature: Secret Classified Documents Revealed–“The Comet Story” (1960)
Posted on February 15, 2023 | 31 CommentsI classify these documents as “secret” because I have searched the internet for “The Comet Story” several times over the years and have never found any reference to it. -
![(first posted 5/24/2012) Virgil Exner is most often associated with the era of sweeping fins and other spacey design affectations during his tenure at Chrysler. But his most influential and […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ssdty.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Design History: Virgil Exner’s 1963 Stutz Revival – The Drawing (And Toy Cars) That Launched The Whole Neo-Classic-Brougham Era")
Design History: Virgil Exner’s 1963 Stutz Revival – The Drawing (And Toy Cars) That Launched The Whole Neo-Classic-Brougham Era
Posted on August 11, 2022 | 96 Comments(first posted 5/24/2012) Virgil Exner is most often associated with the era of sweeping fins and other spacey design affectations during his tenure at Chrysler. But his most influential and […] -
![Sometime after retirement GM’s Vice President of Design Chuck Jordan took a writing stint at Sports Cars International, a now-gone auto enthusiast oriented magazine. Naturally, for someone who worked at […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Scan-220729-0001.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Commentary: ‘A Design Revolution’ – Chuck Jordan On The Styling Of GM’s Wild 1959 Cars")
Vintage Commentary: ‘A Design Revolution’ – Chuck Jordan On The Styling Of GM’s Wild 1959 Cars
Posted on August 11, 2022 | 16 CommentsSometime after retirement GM’s Vice President of Design Chuck Jordan took a writing stint at Sports Cars International, a now-gone auto enthusiast oriented magazine. Naturally, for someone who worked at […] -
![Duesenberg SJ Rollston “Twenty Grand” Gordon Buehrig designed some of the most brilliant and groundbreaking cars of the 1920s, 1930s, and beyond. Think Cord 810, Duesenberg J/SJs, Auburn Boat tail […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Buehrig-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Road & Track Biography (1966): Gordon Buehrig – Designer of American Classics Such As Duesenberg, Cord, Auburn, and More")
Vintage Road & Track Biography (1966): Gordon Buehrig – Designer of American Classics Such As Duesenberg, Cord, Auburn, and More
Posted on June 19, 2021 | 9 CommentsDuesenberg SJ Rollston “Twenty Grand” Gordon Buehrig designed some of the most brilliant and groundbreaking cars of the 1920s, 1930s, and beyond. Think Cord 810, Duesenberg J/SJs, Auburn Boat tail […] -
![Ideally this would be a 1971 Chevrolet Impala, to make my title truly accurate; but close enough. The ’74 is almost identical except for the 5-mile bumpers and a new […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_6324.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "The Changing Shape Of Cars: The Best Selling Cars 50 Years Ago And Now – 1974 Chevrolet Impala and Toyota RAV4")
The Changing Shape Of Cars: The Best Selling Cars 50 Years Ago And Now – 1974 Chevrolet Impala and Toyota RAV4
Posted on June 11, 2021 | 54 CommentsIdeally this would be a 1971 Chevrolet Impala, to make my title truly accurate; but close enough. The ’74 is almost identical except for the 5-mile bumpers and a new […] -
![(first posted 3/7/2015) For 24 years John Blatchley was responsible for the styling of Rolls-Royce automobiles that were decidedly stately, always proper and sometimes quite beautiful. He brought to the […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/a-j.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Biography/Design: John Blatchley of Rolls-Royce")
CC Biography/Design: John Blatchley of Rolls-Royce
Posted on March 7, 2021 | 56 Comments(first posted 3/7/2015) For 24 years John Blatchley was responsible for the styling of Rolls-Royce automobiles that were decidedly stately, always proper and sometimes quite beautiful. He brought to the […] -
![Chris Cieslak and I had a good time with our first batch of composite overlays, comparing the 2020 Buick Encore with some cars from other vintages. So we’ve decided to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Changes-corvair-encore-comp.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "The Changing Shape Of Cars: Compacts 1938 – 2020 – The Buick Encore Overlaid On Some Older Small Cars")
The Changing Shape Of Cars: Compacts 1938 – 2020 – The Buick Encore Overlaid On Some Older Small Cars
Posted on December 12, 2020 | 33 CommentsChris Cieslak and I had a good time with our first batch of composite overlays, comparing the 2020 Buick Encore with some cars from other vintages. So we’ve decided to […] -
![1954 Special One of the most distinctive and readily-identifiable styling cues of the 1950s was Buick’s full rear-wheel openings. It sure made them easy to ID as a kid in […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Buick-1956-yellow-coupe.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Design History: Buick’s Fully-Open Rear Wheel Wells (1953 – 1957) – The Year-By-Year Opening")
Design History: Buick’s Fully-Open Rear Wheel Wells (1953 – 1957) – The Year-By-Year Opening
Posted on November 25, 2020 | 20 Comments1954 Special One of the most distinctive and readily-identifiable styling cues of the 1950s was Buick’s full rear-wheel openings. It sure made them easy to ID as a kid in […] -
![Paul has already extensively covered the full story of the Continental Mark II, and we all know the broad strokes: In the early 1950s, Lincoln was looking for a follow-up […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1956_Continental_parked_in_front_of_the_Continental_division_building_Ford_Motor_Company_Archives_3.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Forgotten Future: Alternate Designs for the Continental Mark II")
Forgotten Future: Alternate Designs for the Continental Mark II
Posted on November 15, 2020 | 27 CommentsPaul has already extensively covered the full story of the Continental Mark II, and we all know the broad strokes: In the early 1950s, Lincoln was looking for a follow-up […] -
![It seems that every other car you see today is some shade of gray: Either black, gray, silver, or white. How much truth is there to this, and how far […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Harlequin-Golf.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Analysis: Fade to Gray – Where Have All The Car Colors Gone?")
Curbside Analysis: Fade to Gray – Where Have All The Car Colors Gone?
Posted on September 13, 2020 | 120 CommentsIt seems that every other car you see today is some shade of gray: Either black, gray, silver, or white. How much truth is there to this, and how far […] -
![While researching for my recent piece on a 1974 Mercury Marquis, I stumbled upon quite a few pictures of the 1975 to 1978 Mercury Marquis. Other than a nip here […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/1976_Mercury_Marquis-Cougar-Montego-03.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Realization: The Plymouth Marquis and Mercury Valiant")
CC Realization: The Plymouth Marquis and Mercury Valiant
Posted on May 14, 2020 | 75 CommentsWhile researching for my recent piece on a 1974 Mercury Marquis, I stumbled upon quite a few pictures of the 1975 to 1978 Mercury Marquis. Other than a nip here […]
