Here in the U.S. we tend to be a bit myopic when it comes to cars. Of course American muscle is what it’s all about and toss in some well deserving European and Asian models and maybe just maybe you think about the culture down-under (I do, anyway. Love to get a hold of the a Holden!!!). Very little thought is given to the rest of the Globe – especially considering that a few U.S. car manufacturers’ last stands were south of the border – way south!!
Here is one example from Hemmings – chase the link below to see the entire article. Oh, I just ordered Banovsky’s book Weird Cars. It is in the mail from Amazon.
This story starts two weeks ago, as I was driving through my neighborhood headed off to run some errands. As I rounded the a corner I see one of my neighbors with the garage door open and I think, “Wow!!! What a clean garage!!” Then I go…”Whoa…what is that?” My eye had caught a C3 Corvette sitting to one side. It was blue and had chrome headers and side pipes and an awesome set of wheels. Looked like needed some paint.
These were hanging out of it!!!
This wheels!!!
At that moment I planned to stop by on my way back, just to say hi and have some Vette chat!!! As my luck often goes, the garage was closed and there were no cars in the driveway. So I made mental note to check back another day.
Fast forward to the next Friday and I’m pouring through the on-line ads for my next project car and up pops a 1974 Stingray – Blue with a 350 engine, chrome headers and a great looking set of wheels for sale. Asking price…..wait for it…….$2000.00. I immediately text the number on the ad and got some particulars. The car needs some work, the 350 was good but need points/condenser and the side pipes installed. The lady informed me that someone was coming to look at and if they didn’t buy it she’d give me a call.
Fast forward to 4 hours later. My wonderful wife arrives home and says…”Hey remember that Corvette you saw the other day? They are loading it on a trailer.”
Well I thought….nah…can’t be. So I texted the number from the ad, just to check, and sure enough it was the same car I saw the past weekend. I told the lady I was just down the street and hoped it was going to a good home. She said…”If I knew you were a neighbor, I would have given you first chance.”
Although I did not weep openly, I cried like a baby on the inside!!!!
Tommy Johnson of Lake Mary, Florida, and Brian Smith of Woodstock, Georgia took these photos of a black bear in a 1974 Corvette Stingray about a week ago in the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal parking lot. At one point, they said, they saw the bear scoop up a …
1974 Corvette Stingray. Barnstarbob | Wikipedia. 1974 Corvette Stingray. New life with a new Interior. As GM was sliding towards bankruptcy, work on the seventh generation Corvette slowed down. Once the automaker went into bankruptcy, there was a brief …
This 1974 Corvette Stingray was among the 112 cars on display during the Cecil Proffitt’s World of Wheels International Custom Auto Show at Heritage Park in Windsor. The show was held at the park for the first time as a partnership between Proffitt and …
Recently we told you that the fastest car ever produced is up for sale. Now, one of the most interesting looking cars in the world just hit eBay. It’s a Drop Tank Lakester and it’s 100 percent jet-powered.
The Lakester is 16 feet long and was inspired by the world’s first cruise missile, the German V-1. While it looks like it used to set records, it was built to be a show car—a driving work of art—but it can shoot six-foot flames out its tailpipe.
Here are a couple of links to another lakester I wrote about previously:
In the sea of muscle cars and hot rods here at Barrett-Jackson, this streamlined chrome roadster really stood out as being truly unique. Constructed from the wing tip tank of a Lockheed Super Constellation airplane, the “Lockheed Lakester” is built to …
The first time I understood Steve McQueen was a car guy was when I saw an image (poster I think) of him and a Jaguar with fantastic lines.
Steve McQueen’s Jaguar: Steve McQueen bought it twice – and twice had his license suspended for driving it! Jay gets an in-depth tour of the King of Cool’s “Green Rat.”
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Last year, Jaguar brought one of its most legendary models back from the dead with a limited production run of the Lightweight E-Type. These were brand-new cars built to the exact specifications of the 1960s originals by Jaguar Land River’s Special …
Sticking with the Steve McQueen theme (his cars seem to be popping up all over the Internet) here is a video on his 275 GTB/4. Great looking car!!!
This is one of Steve McQueen’s own personal cars which he bought during his time working on BULLITT. Steve absolutely loved his NART spyder until it was totaled only a couple days after purchase. So when there weren’t any more available he bought the hard top version.
The guy great taste in check out his 1956 Jag in the next posting.
The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (Estimate Available Upon Request) will be offered without reserve. With an approximate 10,000 miles from new, this 275 GTB/4 is an original four-cam model. After being held by one family for more than 40 years, the four-cam …
Yes you read it correct!!! What you see below is a rare sight. An extremely well preserved ProStreet/Drag AMC Matador.
Sure I’ve seen AMX as a drag car and I’ve even seen a Gremblin and a Pacer with V8 shoved between the fenders, but I’ve never seen a Matador with a drag set up. And the condition is amazing.
See for yourself.
This is the Matador X
Also referred to as Matador Series 10
Control Freak Suspension specializes in AMC suspensions (and other makes).
The Matador X was a true sub-model not just a option package.
The Matador X had only a two year run 1974 and 1975.
As best as I can tell this is a 1975 and if the 401 badge on the side is correct, the is one of four cars (two door coupes) that left the factory with those engines that year (rest of the 84 cars with that engine were 4 door…hiss….boo!!!)
I would seriously consider doing up a Matador like this!!!
Got an interesting AMC? Drop me a note, we can get it published.
I realized that the name, Tempo Matador, could be formed from the model names of two other notable cars, the Ford Tempo and the AMC Matador. Realizing this, I screamed like a banshee and flipped over the table at the soft-serve frogurt shop I steal my …
I realized that the name, Tempo Matador, could be formed from the model names of two other notable cars, the Ford Tempo and the AMC Matador. Realizing this, I screamed like a banshee and flipped over the table at the soft-serve frogurt shop I steal my …
Today, however, we’re going back in time and to Detroit — actually, to Kenosha — for a long-out-of-production AMT kit that has us cranking up the Frijid Pink and catching a buzz off the Testors fumes: this AMC Matador Coupe. Yes, the seller hopes to …
May 10, 1923 – GM names Alfred P. Sloan as president.
They didn’t just pick from the streets. He was actually, a draftsman for a bearing company, Hyatt Roller Bearing. That company eventually merged with a few other companies with United Motor Corporation. Sloan became the president of that and shortly after that they were purchased by GM.
He served GM from 1923 to 1956 in some manner including board chairman.
Imagine the innovations he saw during his tenure!!! The corporate mergers, the V8, the Corvette, lucky guy!!
Alfred P. Sloan
May 12, 1969 (or 14th) – The last Chevy Corvair was produced.
Last Corvair build. If you know only a little about automotive history or maybe politics or the consumer safety revolution of the 60’s and 70’s you’ll know the name Ralph Nader. With a little Google’in you’ll find various search results linking him to the demise of the Chevy Corvair (and apple pie and America) – most are not flattering to Mr. Nader. According to most accounts the last Corvair carried 6000 as the last 4 digits of it’s serial number. The car was blanketed by the press when it rolled off the assemble, but then disappeared. There are various stories as to the actual disposition of car #6000 but it remains a mystery. We do know it was a two door, hard top, Monza, Olympic Gold was the color and it likely had a Service 140 replacement engine.
I’m seeing the Corvair but can’t help notice the Nova’s on the rail car.
The last Corvair convertible was #5997 which was a Forest Green Monza that has come up for sale a few times.
If you are a Corvair fan you’ll enjoy this read: 1969 Corvair: Finger Tip Facts by Corvair historian Dave Newell.
As we run through the middle of the 2nd month of the year, here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids). A light week this week. Feb 10, 1942 – Pontiac stops car production for WWII. – As you know WWII took a lot of sacrifice …
It’s a light week for the automotive history. April 5, 1923 Firestone introduces balloon tires. Everything we’ve accomplished with our rides has greatly.
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the last week of April 2015! Light week for Auto Factoids unless you are Lamborghini or Ford fan. Ferruccio Lamborghini was born on April 28, 1916 in Renazzo di Cento, Italy.
Bob and Carol Marsh, of Chesterfield, are the owners of the 1966 Corvair Corsa convertible shown on this page. And, believe it or not, this is the actual car Bob owned when he was in high school. He told me he “hot rodded” the car as a teenager. (Can …
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the first full week in May 2015.
Dateline May 3rd, 1948 – Willys Jeepster Phaeton debuts.
The production was only a 3 year run with a total units produced was 19,132. The engines ranged from a 134.1 cu in (2.2 L) I4 and two I6, a 148.5 cu in (2.4 L) I6 and 161 cu in (2.6 L) I6.
1948 Jeepster Phatheon
Same day one year later (May 3rd, 1949 ) – Packard has its 50th Anniversary and to commemorate it they offered up 2,000 Gold Packard’s from Utica Proving Grounds. Yes that did happen. They were painted in a special paint code of Gold. Each were powered with 327 c.i.d., 150 hp engine. Only 600 were convertibles.
This isn’t, of course, Gold, but only 600 Gold Convertibles were made with that special paint code.
Packard’s Utica Proving Grounds.
May 4th 1923 – The first Le Mans 24 Hour race was held just outside Le Mans, France. Initial the race was limited to ‘production’ cars and two drivers, now they require 3 drivers per car and the of course these cars aren’t in your dealers show rooms. The race was won by one of the French teams – André Lagache and Léonard driving a Chenard et Walcker with 3.0L I4 engine.
This is an awesome looking car!!!
May 6th and 7th, 1928– Chrysler debuts the De Soto for the 1929 model year and completes the purchase of Dodge, in part for its dealerships to sell the new De Soto. In the course of the marque’s run (1929-1961) it set several sales records for Chrysler and the auto industry. It’s first year (1929) saw 81,065 unit sold and it held the record unit 1960 when Ford beat it with the Falcon.
1928-29 Chrysler De Soto
Thanks for reading.
Tim
(#AutoFactoids)
Auto Factoids for Week of April 26, 2015 – Lamborghini and Willys http://t.co/WYzhUBDaxE #AutoFactoids http://t.co/ajOpYWuAdW
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the last week of April 2015! Light week for Auto Factoids unless you are Lamborghini or Ford fan. Ferruccio Lamborghini was born on April 28, 1916 in Renazzo di Cento, Italy.
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for last full week of April 2015.
April 22, 1954 – Nash and Hudson merge to from AMC
When does this:
Nash Rambler
PLUS THIS:
’53 Hudson Hornet
EQUAL THIS? :
Javlin
Well that’s the equation formed when Nash merged with Hudson and produced AMC. AMC (American Motor Corp) produced some of the most memorable cars of the ’60’s-’70’s. Although they often used components from other makers, they did have some unique sheet metal.
Gremlin X
1975 Pacer
April 23, 1987 – Chrysler buys Lamborghini.
Lamborghini was founded in 1963 and sold in 1974. It changed hands in 1980, 1984, 1987, 1994 and 1998 and now sits under Volkswagen Group ownership and managed by their Audi division.
Interesting how once buying Italian car companies, Chrysler is now owned by one!!! I guess you need to be careful who you buy, some day they might help you out by returning the favor!!! Chrysler is now owned by Fiat and Lamborghini is now owned by the Volkswagen Group via Audi.
April 25, 1970 – Mazda began importing cars to the U.S. for the first time.
1970 Cosmo
They’ve come a long ways in the eyes of the American buyer. Not sure if it was the “zoom..zoom” commercials or the cute little “girls” car Miata or dominating a lot of local SCCA racing meets – drat!!!
On this week’s episode of Ignition, we celebrate the 45th anniversary of an iconic piece of American automotive history, the AMC Gremlin. Despite its peculiar design and strange proportions, owners of the Gremlin seemed to really love this car, and …
The Chrysler 413 is an interesting engine because it lived a long life in multiple roles and a very wide range of equipment. Hot rodders like to think about the hot rodded Max Wedge 413 (that gave way to the Max Wedge 426) and luxury car people like to think of the powerful and smooth Imperials and other cars that were shoved along by it, and finally truck guys will tell you that the 413 was a stalwart gas power plant offered in big trucks until 1979. That is a heck of a run for a mill that showed up on the scene in 1959 and was used in cars until 1965.
The videos below aren’t about floating Imperials or sneaky big Polaras. Nope, the videos below celebrate the most BangShifty application of the engine in the form of the 420hp Max Wedge 413 as offered in a small number of Plymouth and Dodge models in 1962. Combating the Pontiacs and Chevrolets, the “Super Stock Dodges” were quickly recognized in songs and popular culture. The Beach Boys talked about the cars in their song “Shut Down” while Jan and Dean were singing about the “Little Old Lady From Pasadena” who happened to also be driving a Max Wedge powered Chrysler. Rated at 420hp at 5,000 RPM this engine was a harbinger of things to come from Chrysler who really took the gloves off the next year when they expanded the engine to 426ci and later when the Hemi was introduced.
