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Manual Classic: 1970 Gulf Safety “Car-Chek” Guide – A Relic From When Service Stations Sold Tires Instead Of Twinkies

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– Posted on October 3, 2026

(Updated 10/3/2026) The Gulf Oil logo ranks among the most recognizable in the petroleum industry, especially among gearheads. The Gulf colors of powder blue and orange adorned the flanks of such heady machinery as the Ford GT-40 and Porsche 917, but few know that the standard Gulf service station colors were dark blue and orange; these are the colors that grace the cover of my 1970 Gulf Safety “Car-Chek” Guide. Owners of Gulf service stations were expected to provide more than gas and snacks; many of them were full-service garages, performing minor and major repairs for their patrons’ cars. This book was their guide.

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23

Vintage R&T Review: Opel Diplomat V8 – “Something That GM Could, And Should, Build In The US”

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Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on October 3, 2026

(Updated 10/3/2026) Now that’s an interesting line, as this Diplomat was actually seriously considered as the basis of the 1976 Cadillac Seville. As the story goes, the big Opel’s body tolerances were too tight for GM to build in NA, although I suspect that may well not be the full story. But the even more interesting line in this short review is the last one:

“Why doesn’t GM import the Diplomat? Simple. It would meet head-on with upper Olds, Buick and Pontiac models and could no more achieve the prestige of a small Mercedes than it does in Europe. But if they gave the Chevy Nova sedan its brakes and rear suspension, hmmm…”

This was in February of 1972, well before GM had committed to build the Seville using the Nova as its basis. And no, they didn’t give it the Diplomat’s DeDion rear suspension and brakes. And although it tried to take Mercedes head on, it never made the slightest dent in Mercedes continued growth in the US.

Now if they had done that ten years earlier, it might have been a different story.

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5

Mercedes-Benz Actros 3358 – A Triple Of Three-Pointed Stars

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– Posted on October 3, 2026

A trio of identical Mercedes-Benz Actros 6×4 tractors, neatly arranged at a September 2026 truck show in the east of the Netherlands. The one on the right was first registered in February 2019, the other two in October 2018. They’re obviously quite exceptional.

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2

Classic Cars And Family Pets In Vintage Photos — 1950s-1970s

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– Posted on October 3, 2026

Text by Patrick Bell.

Pets are part of the family for most people, and that is what we are featuring today along with their cars. Take a look and see if you can relate to any of these vintage photos of a day in the life of a pet, their owners, and their cars.

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6

My 1991 Nissan Maxima: 4 Door Sports Car? Give Me a Brake

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Eric Trowbridge

– Posted on October 3, 2026

1991 Nissan Maxima Large — A symphony in beige

After about three years in New York City, initially in Astoria, Queens and then Roosevelt Island, cabin fever was setting in. I found New York an exhilarating place to work but an exhausting place to live. I needed to get away from it more than I was able to without a car.

My wife and I did travel a fair bit outside the city, but almost always by plane on long-distance trips. We took occasional weekend excursions in the New York area – the Hudson Valley was a favorite destination – but were at the mercy of public transportation and then taxis (always an iffy proposition in small towns). I rented a car a few times, but doing so was almost more inconvenience than it was worth.

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10

1994 Ford Thunderbird LX: As Teal As You Remember It, But A Little Rustier

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– Posted on October 3, 2026

Do you remember when these big MN12 Thunderbirds were all over the road, many of them painted the same Teal Clearcoat Metallic as this 1994 model? You weren’t imagining it. While the popularity of big personal-luxury coupes was winding down in the 1990s, Ford still managed to sell 120,000-plus of these newly restyled T-Birds in 1994 alone, and that’s nothing to scoff at, even today. Hyperpack found this well-used example and posted it on the CC Cohort.

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0

Looking For A Couple Of New COALers

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

Some of our current Cars Of A Lifetime (COAL) series are getting close to the end, which means it’s once again COAL contributor recruitment season. COAL has been a Curbside Classic staple for years, and we know there are plenty of you out there with a lifetime’s worth of car stories just waiting to be told. Family cars, first cars, college beaters, dream cars, questionable purchases, memorable road trips, spectacular breakdowns… if a car played a part in your life, we would like to hear about it.

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77

1971 (Vauxhall) Firenza – Viva, Canada

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

(Updated 10/2/2026) This find, by canadiancatgreen, is quite impressive. While one might expect to find a rare car like this Firenza (Vauxhall Viva HC) in a context where uncommon, orphaned cars are appreciated, seeing it with rust around its edges and Pep Boys hubcaps indicates unceremonious use as a daily driver. Replacement parts for a car like this don’t exactly fall into one’s lap and by most measures, it shouldn’t have made it this far. Yet here it is in all its chartreuse glory; if cars were sentient, I’d want this one to know how lucky it is.

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159

Car Show Classic: 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham – When A DeVille Isn’t Big Enough

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

(Updated 10/2/2026) The 1970s was a decade of some of the biggest shakeups in the automobile industry. Two energy crises, increased federal safety standards, and a flood of imports dramatically changed the automotive landscape over the course of a few years. By decade’s end, cars were smaller, bumpers were larger, and convertibles had all but disappeared. From a stylistic standpoint, vinyl roofs, wire wheels, opera windows, and interiors that resembled your grandparents’ living room had all become mainstream, as the Great Brougham Epoch was in full swing.

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18

Before the Mall: Mid-Century Department Stores In Vintage Postcards – 1950s, 1960s

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

During their heyday, there was nothing quite like a large department store. The adult equivalent of staring into a cookie jar—endless treats and possibilities on display, from practical necessities to frivolous but wonderfully tempting things. And there was something for every pocket, from inexpensive generalists to more upscale establishments. Almost invariably located on a main downtown street, a visit to one was a chance to be part of the activity and discover the new and unexpected.

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13

1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster: A Fun Winter Project With A Pile Of Spare Parts

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

I’m on the fence when it comes to having a winter project. Sure, it’s good to ride out the storm by cozying up in the house and reading a book, watching TV, or sipping on a glass of bourbon, but there’s truly nothing like shaking off the winter blahs by resurrecting an old car that’s been lying dormant for 12 years, such as this 1969 Datsun 1600 Roadster (aka 1600 Sports), which recently sold for $7,000 on Cars & Bids in Tustin, California.

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15

My 1995 Honda Accord LX Coupe — A Perfectly Executed Mistake

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

Is it ever a bad idea to buy a Honda Accord?

Yes.

It was a bad idea because I still liked the car I had, one that would be paid off in a year.

It was a bad idea because once again I settled for less than what I really wanted.

It was a bad idea because even 30+ years later, I can’t explain why I bought it. Actually, I leased it (another bad idea).

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17

1955 Buick Special Riviera: This Buick Was As Popular In 1955 As A Camry Is Today — And It Has Only 5,000 Miles

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– Posted on October 2, 2026

Buick sold fewer than 200,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2025, but seven decades earlier, they were one of America’s top automotive brands, accounting for more than one in every 10 new cars. This unrestored, startlingly low-mileage 1955 Special two-door Riviera hardtop was the most popular version of Buick’s most popular model in one of the marque’s best years.

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13

Classic CARmentary: 1999 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro — A Luxury Sedan Worth Bragging About

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

Back in 1999, showing up at your wife’s high school reunion in an Audi A8 4.2 Quattro was not a bad way to make an entrance. With its aluminum construction, Quattro all-wheel drive, and 300-hp V8, Audi’s flagship had the hardware to go up against the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, while still being something of an outsider in the luxury-sedan crowd. Here’s what I thought of it when I drove one in May 1999.

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14

1962 Ford Thunderbird SportsWagon Conversion – What’s Not To Like About The Vista-Bird Thunder Cruiser?

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– Posted on October 1, 2026

Loyal CC follower Big Paws spotted this Thunderbird on holiday in Sonoma, and what a good reason this is for having gone there. He was only able to get one shot, but it’s enough to start some detective work. The Bullet ‘Bird (not just because of the superb name, but that certainly helps) is probably my favourite American car (though sometimes it’s the Corvette Sting Ray, or maybe the 1957 Corvette), and this example would catch anyone’s eye.

From my vantage point in England, this looks very much like a Ford Thunderbird Sportback or a Chevrolet Nomad-type derivative. Given just this photo, I was initially thinking “I’m not aware of it as a Thunderbird variant but maybe Ford built such a version”. After all, a Thunderbird in the UK is a bit of an event, and not seeing all the variants, especially low volume ones, the notion seems quite plausible.

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