I had to sneak this one in for #ThrowBackThursday.
One of my frequent reader sent over a couple of shots of him with his 1969 Dodge Coronet 440 from back in the day (1980). ‘Wish I kept this one!” Bill says.
Thanks Bill.
Nice Car Mr. Bill!!! Yeah…we all have one we should have kept.
Green 1969 Dodge Coronet 440 Chicago, Illinois Lucky Motors. Click on our link now to view our wide selection of new, used, and preowned cars, trucks and SUV’s.
It was 1969, and the B-bodies from the Dodge Boys were making some big waves. Dodge Charger 500s were tearing up NASCAR’s short tracks. Bewinged Charger Daytonas had broken 200 mph on […]
Wow it’s the end of January already. Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the last week of January 2015.
Jan 26th 1920 – Lincoln Motor Company formed.
Lincoln Motor Company was actually started in 1917 and produced Liberty engines with Ford parts for World War I. After the war they began producing luxury cars. By 1920 the company had financial issues and Ford bought the company in 1922. Ford allowed the company to operate separately until 1940.
1921 Lincoln Model ‘L’
Jan 27th 1974 – Not being able to drive 55 became against the law as President Nixon signed the national speed limit law in response to gas/oil issues.
Jan 28th 1950 – Preston Tucker was acquitted of mail fraud.
The history of the Tucker car is extremely interesting. The Tucker car was an innovation ahead of its time and offered an alternative (rear engine) to the typical cars being produced in that era. The car industry was a powerful and influential business entity generally were not interest in a start-up threatening their share of the industry. The car of the future (called the Tucker Torpedo – while under development) was produced in 1948 against insurmountable odds. Only 51 Tucker 48’s (Model 48) was produced in 1948, 47 still exist.
While dubbed “Tucker Torpedo” during production no ‘Torpedoes’ were produced.
Some Tucker Specs:
– Engine: H-6 (horizontally opposed), OHV, 335 ci (4.50 x 3.50 in. bore x stroke), 7.0:1 compression ratio, 166 bhp, 372 lbs/ft torque.
– Performance: 0-60 in 10 seconds, est. top speed 120 mph
Jan 29th 1886 – Benz developed the first gasoline (internal combustion) automobile.
Carl Benz’s Motorwagon.
The Motorwagon engine was actually built in 1885, 1886 was when Mr. Benz applied for the patent
Some specs on the Motorwagon’s power plant:
– Rear mounted horizontal engine with vertical crankshaft
– Belt primary drive and final transmission to the rear wheels by side chains
– Displaced 984cc and mustered up .9 horsepower
– Top speed was achieved at 8 mph
– Loud
– Smelly
It was a tubular chassis suspended in place by three large wheels.
Jan 30th 1958 – Rambler American debuts
This was the first car created by American Motors Company (AMC). The company was formed by the merger of Nash and Hudson. The American for 1958 was only built in a 2 door with one engine option, the 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) flathead, that producing 90 hp. There were a couple trim options the base or Deluxe and the Super.
The American was produced in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Australia and Iran.
Jan 31st was a big day in automotive history with the debut of Pontiac’s 2 door Custom Safari (1955)
Who doesn’t love a two door wagon?!?!?!?!
Rarer than the Chevy Nomad, the Safari was produced as the Star Chief Custom Safari with 3,760 made and as the Chieftan 860 “Colony” 2 door (two or three seats): 8,618 in 1955.
These sported the 287 V8 engine and were topped with 2 or 4 barrel carb.
Jan 31st Studebaker/Packard debuts the Clipper (1957)
Frankly this car was a mess! Actually it was just a Studebaker with Packard tail lights, bumper and instrument panel, fitted with stamped overlays for body panels. Referred to as Packardbaker, these were not well received. They did use the 289 (4.7 liter) engine from the Golden Hawk, which produced 275 hp. Also came in a wagon version.
The 1956-1957 Packard Clipper was the car that was supposed to mark out Clipper as a brand in itself, despite the fact that the manufacturer was going through a really rough spot that, one year later, would spell the end of …
I read a story at the time the Preston Tucker Movie was out that said they used a late 40s Studebaker as a “stand in” for the Tucker in the rollover stunt, modified to look like a Tucker. Dan Lyons says: February 23, 2013 at 8:03 …
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Turbocruiser, world’s first gas turbine bus, introduced GM Desert Proving Ground, Mesa, Ariz., established. 1961—Buick introduced first American V-6 passenger car engine. 1962—GM produced its 75,000,000th U.S.-made vehicle. Number of General Motors’ …
Today Volvo opened a new manufacturing plant and body shop at its production facility in Torslanda, Sweden, exactly 50 years after the original Volvo Torslanda plant opened on April 24, 1964. The new body shop will build the new 2015 Volvo XC90 SUV …
Five years later this car is now spruced up and sits outside the Boot Hill Gift Shop in the “Town too Tough to Die” Tombstone, AZ. !
I don’t know too many car peeps that don’t have a soft spot for abandoned cars. Either they stir up distant memories of years gone by or inspire you to think of all the possibilities for that misused piece of iron. One of my hobbies is to photograph abandoned car when I get the chance. Whether they are just sitting in a junk yard, or field or even being used as advertising they mark the passage of time.
On the outskirts of Tombstone, AZ. is where you’ll find this car. It’s easy to spot as it is the ‘landmark’ advertising car to get you to stop at the Boot Hill gift shop. Clearing abandoned at some point, it was dragged to its current post many years ago and is a bit of a tourist attraction.
Greeting you at the edge of the town “that’s too tough to die” Tombstone, AZ is this 1939 Packard.
As you can tell it purely used as prop now.
This Packard 120 still retains it 288 Straight Eight engine. Look like with a little TLC it will roar to life.
The 288 (sometime called the Super Eight) produced 150 HP. Not a lot for all that American steel. But speed wasn’t a factor when you are headed to the local ‘boot hill’.
It’s a fair piece to bring a body to Tombstone, AZ from Texas.
Although the Arizona heat is tough on car interiors this one still retains all of its details. Has the shift column and I’m betting the new for 1939 Overdrive.
Henny began using the Packard chassis 1937 replacing the stretched Model A chassis.
This old hearse has a ton of character and prominent place at the edge of town.
One by one, the engines of 22 classic cars come alive. Some cough with a wheeze, some need coaxing and some hum with precision. Whatever their personality, they all start. This is the first miracle of the road trip. Gathered in a semi-circle around …
Murphy owns a 1939 Packard Super 8 Henney Hearse and Powers always wanted a ride in it. Murphy was willing, but somehow it never worked out. A funeral has yet to be scheduled at St. John’s Cathedral, but Murphy vows that when it happens, Powers will …
The name Pininfarina is synonymous with expensive and elegant Italian sports cars such as the Maserati GranTurismo, Alfa Romeo Spyder and a log file of Ferraris such as the 365 GTB/4, Enzo, F40 and Testarossa. The global design legend does much more than style beautiful cars though, and ample testimony will appear at auction this week in the form of a little known 1960s concept car. With its four wheels arranged in a diamond shape, the tiny aerodynamic four-seater Pininfarina-X had a drag coefficient of 0.23, indicating that Pininfarina was a long way ahead of the rest of the world in exploring the critical area of aerodynamics, long before it was fashionable.
Pininfarina hatte das Model X ausgiebig getestet und sogar rund 145 km/h erreicht. Damit war der X deutlich schneller, als ein normaler Fiat 110. Trotz des Mißerfolges war Farina von der Aerodynamik in den Bann gezogen und ging abermals auf Professor …
Featured cars include a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS by Pininfarina and a 1932 Packard Deluxe Eight Individual Custom Sport Phaeton by Dietrich. Details: Jan 14-16. Preview runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Auction runs 5-9 …
I don’t know about every car gal and guy, but I don’t enjoy shopping as a rule, clothes, gifts and food shopping is a chore!! To be honest shopping for new or used cars is not a great time for me. At times, even car parts shopping can be annoying. I’m much happier when I get what I need and get back to wrenchin’.
But today was different. Today’s shopping experience was…well…the perfect setting for my kind of shopping.
There is nothing like a 50 degree day here in Southern Arizona and a junkyard where the newest cars there is 1970. The weather was perfect for climbing over cars, that would normally be like walking on a 150 degree griddle in the summer time, wading through a sea of 1930, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s hub cabs and trailblazing through the tall weeds in search of my next project car.
Yes the 1970 Mustang is gone – living a life of leisure in a collection in the mid west and the 1984 C4 is in the hands of a Corvette lover – south of the border. And after clearing the purchase of a new project car with the she who has to put up with the mess and I am on the hunt.
Today I met up with my brother-in-law and my nephew and we did execute a perfect car guy’s shopping excursion.
This was a good sign!!!!
The salvage yard has been in place for 60 years or more, I’ve known the owner for nearly 30 years and recently the place was damaged by some huge flooding issues. The owner isn’t in great health is clearing out some of the desirable cars.
The car gods were shining some light for this shopping trip.
He was mainly a Ford car, restoring and collecting Model T’s (including a Model T doing duty as a tow truck) so there are a lot of Fords – Comets, Fairlanes, Falcons, Ford Customs, Thunderbirds and on and on. There are a few MOPARs there as well, including a 1971 Charger and a Satellite with a 400 under the hood. There’s a few Chevys as well and Covairs, Impalas and 50’s Caddies and some very cool military Kaiser Jeeps.
We covered a lot of ground and I’m look for a complete car – mostly. Here in Arizona the heat is not kind to the interiors, so they is little doubt that an interior will be a necessity. I need to it to have the basics – good frame – engine, front and rear ends in-tack and depending on the car good glass.
So what caught my eye (beside everything I mentioned above)?
1961 Comet – Nice little 2 door car with 6 cylinder under the good (oh yes there’s room in there for something bigger for sure!!!).
Nice straight body – got to love those tail lights!!!
Interior is mostly there!
There was also this Mercury Cougar, clearly used for a race car based on the stickers on the side and the tires.
Cougar!!!!
I also found a car I’ve been interested in getting my hands on for a few years and that’s a 1970 Thunderbird.
Here are a few more shots from the yard.
While I’m waiting for the owner to give an idea what he wants for the cars I’m interested in, the hunt continues!!! This was a great day!!!!
Racing game enthusiasts may have been dismayed when Bandai Namco delayed Project Cars from its holiday release. To ease fans’ wait, the publisher has released a set of screens showing off the racer’s new tracks. Project Cars‘ new tracks are the Mazda …
We’ve all seen optimistic “project cars” listed for sale online–worthless run-down husks whose owners still believe there’s value hidden somewhere between the rust and the missing parts. That’s why you need to read this eBay listing for a BMW Isetta …
Here is the line up of Auto Factoids for the first week in December!!!
Nov 30 1960 De Soto ceases production. The last De Soto produced were really the Chrysler Windsor, most did not sale, even though dealerships continued to received cars after the brand was terminated.
1961 Windsor
1961 DeSoto
Way before that on Nov 30, 1900 Germany patented an automobile front wheel drive. Although this is a common historic fact, there is some evidence that the first production car with front wheel drive was a French car. There exists a French Patent around 1898 or 1899. The manufacturer was Société Parisienne and the car was the Victoria Combination.
It was a lightweight two-seater trailer,known as a ‘Victoria’, combined with the back axle and mechanical components of a motor tricycle, but this axle was placed in front of the trailer and steered by a long tiller on which the controls were located. The first examples were powered by 1.75 or 2.5 horsepower De Dion Bouton engines geared directly to the differential, but larger engines of this make were fitted as they became available.
1900 Victoria Combination
December 1, 1925 GM purchased Vauxhall. Vauxhall started out as engine manufacturer mainly for pumps and marine use (1857 – Alex Wilson). They began making cars in 1903. Here is a video of a 1903 Vauxhall. They are still producing cars using the Opel name under GM.
One more of it on a road test.
Back 1913 (just over 100 years ago) on Dec 1, Ford fired up the first continuous assembly line.
Ford’s Production Line
And just one day and 14 years later (Dec 2, 1927) Ford began selling Models A off this assembly line.
1927 Model A
Dec 3, 1951 is Rick Mears birthday – one of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 3 times.
Rick Mears in his Formula 1 car
That round out the week. Thanks for reading Auto Factoids.
Tim
If you’d like to sponsor a week of Auto Factoids contact me directly.
There is something about abandon cars that creates a visceral response in a car guy/gal’s heart. For me it started as a little kid. As some of my readers know I grew up with an Auto Body professional, my Dad. Cars were always being worked on at home and at my Dad’s various shops. It was at those shops that I studied (really I did) the auto body repair books he used for finding and ordering parts, to memorize the front and rear of every car from the 50’s and 60’s and early 70’s. I could tell you coming or going the make model and year of every car I spotted.
Even before that I recall being captivated by the 1930’s pickup that we drove around my grandfather’s farm. It was not much more than two seats on a frame with a rusted front end, lift up sides hood covering the engine, no headlights or bumper. We called it the ‘Doodle Bug’ – don’t know why. Of course that 30’s pickup was well cared for, therefore not technically abandoned, so my first abandon car was 4 door Plymouth Fury 1958, yeah the Christine car. It sat across the road from our house in a patch of tall grass, like an island in the field that my grandfather would mow with the Doodle Bug. I recall asking if we could move the car to our driveway, but by Dad said “It needs a carburetor.” Not to be deterred, I talked my younger brother into helping me to make a carburetor. Our plan was to take a tin can and pieces of metal from an old fashion ice-cube maker (for the choke plate) and get it running. I don’t know what happened to that car (except that tin can just didn’t work) wish it was around now.
So that’s when it started. Now every time I see a abandon car, I feel the urge to bring it home and make it run. Actually, it’s more than that, I instantly can picture what it use to look like new and see the potential of what it could be again.
There’s the impetus for the this series. I’ve spent the last few years spotting and photographing these special vehicles during my wife and my many road trips, even touring around Europe.
This first is from our trip to Italy. You don’t see too many abandon cars sitting round Europe, there are some. For instance just outside of Florence, Italy we stopped at a petrol station and saw this abandon van.
Van outside of Florence, Italy.
This van about to reclaimed by Mother Earth! Best guess is that it’s VW made van. The only markings is the Autotre on the front fender, which is a use car dealership/ franchise I kept want to take a look at the engine and wonder if it would start. I then took a look around back and realized it was being used for storage of CO2 tanks.
Sometimes, the stories that lead to cars turning up at auction are as interesting as the vehicles themselves. That’s absolutely the case with the Peter Max (pictured above) collection of vintage Chevrolet Corvette models that are scheduled to cross the …
, after sitting for nearly twenty-five years in a series of New York parking garages, has finally come to a close. According to a report in the New York Times, the thirty-six-car collection, which began as a grand prize in a television contest before finding its way into the hands of psychedelic graphic designer Peter Max, was recently purchased by a group of investors with the intent of returning the cars to their pre-infamy status.
Of course I can’t show you all the cars but here are a few that caught my eye.
This was a very nicely done ’72 Karmann Ghia
I’d vote this one “BEST INTERIOR” it was so well done!!!!
Maybe my favorite Mustang at this show.
Engine compartment was fantastic
I loved this Stang with its “come as you are” attitude.
Paint job is priceless.
Can’t beat an original 289 HP engine.
The sign says “Please Touch”
British cars were well represented with these two well maintained specimens.
This is a well restored and maintained Spitfire 1500.
Check out all that wood!!!
Sharp little car.
This TR6 was a highlight.
More wood!!!!
I’ve always said that sometime there’s even a mini-car show in the parking lot of any car show. Often folks will drive their classic to a car show, thinking theirs is good enough to enter (Dude, just check out the Mustang above!!!) so they keep it out side. So don’t forget to looking around after you park, you might even find a good deal. Check these two:
This Firebird was there and parked outside.
Needs some work but….!!!
Here’s the number.
You can’t see it from this shot but it a Covair Wagon
Thanks for reading. Coming up the main attraction for this car show – 1911 Pierce Arrow Touring Car!!
This weekend I attended the 8th Annual Tucson Classic Car Show put on by the Rotary Club of Tucson. I’ve attend the last 5 of these shows, twice as a participant (once.
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