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Curbside Classics Archives
Automotive Histories Archive
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![The Great American Diesel Boom saw diesels go into a wide variety of cars and trucks, but I’d never heard of one in the Eagle. Sure enough: if you were […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/a-mfhd.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: 1980 Eagle Turbo-Diesel – Seven Were Built, One Still Survives, Not Running")
Automotive History: 1980 Eagle Turbo-Diesel – Seven Were Built, One Still Survives, Not Running
Posted on March 15, 2021 | 48 CommentsThe Great American Diesel Boom saw diesels go into a wide variety of cars and trucks, but I’d never heard of one in the Eagle. Sure enough: if you were […] -
![(first posted 3/8/2015) Recently I brought you an overview of the career of Rolls-Royce stylist John Blatchley. In that article I made mention of his posited involvement with the […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Bentley-Continental.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Who Actually Styled the 1952 Bentley Continental?")
Automotive History: Who Actually Styled the 1952 Bentley Continental?
Posted on March 10, 2021 | 42 Comments(first posted 3/8/2015) Recently I brought you an overview of the career of Rolls-Royce stylist John Blatchley. In that article I made mention of his posited involvement with the […] -
![(updated; first posted in 2011) The evolution of automotive design doesn’t really have that many clearly defined mileposts, especially those with the word “revolutionary” etched into them. It’s a river […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lancia-Florida-II-1957.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Pininfarina’s Revolutionary Florida: The Most Influential Automotive Design Since 1955")
Pininfarina’s Revolutionary Florida: The Most Influential Automotive Design Since 1955
Posted on March 9, 2021 | 78 Comments(updated; first posted in 2011) The evolution of automotive design doesn’t really have that many clearly defined mileposts, especially those with the word “revolutionary” etched into them. It’s a river […] -
![I ran across this ad for the new 1941 Cadillac Series 60, which effectively replaced the LaSalle and lowered the entry price for the brand. It got my wheels spinning: […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/50874801883_a151c9e1ce_k.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: What Was The Cheapest Cadillac Ever? Cheapest Big Chevy? And The Smallest Cadillac Price Premium Over a Chevy?")
Automotive History: What Was The Cheapest Cadillac Ever? Cheapest Big Chevy? And The Smallest Cadillac Price Premium Over a Chevy?
Posted on March 8, 2021 | 24 CommentsI ran across this ad for the new 1941 Cadillac Series 60, which effectively replaced the LaSalle and lowered the entry price for the brand. It got my wheels spinning: […] -
![(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 […] -
![(first posted 2/28/2011) Wow! Leave it to the Australians to outdo anything Madison Avenue ever came up for the Pinto Cruising Wagon. These ads for the Holden Sandman were sent […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/a-hold.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Holden Sandman: The Aussies Blow Away The Pinto Cruising Wagon")
Holden Sandman: The Aussies Blow Away The Pinto Cruising Wagon
Posted on February 28, 2021 | 26 Comments(first posted 2/28/2011) Wow! Leave it to the Australians to outdo anything Madison Avenue ever came up for the Pinto Cruising Wagon. These ads for the Holden Sandman were sent […] -
![(first posted 2/25/2015) In our last installment, we covered the introduction of the Valiant and the subsequent Australian models based on the US Valiant (and Dart), but beginning in 1971, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CM-GLX-towing-race-car.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History – The Valiant in Australia, Part Two")
Automotive History – The Valiant in Australia, Part Two
Posted on February 25, 2021 | 68 Comments(first posted 2/25/2015) In our last installment, we covered the introduction of the Valiant and the subsequent Australian models based on the US Valiant (and Dart), but beginning in 1971, […] -
![(first posted 2/22/2011) From a contemporary and European perspective, the Gremlin (CC here) makes no sense whatsoever, with its large 3.8 L six, mediocre fuel economy (20 mpg, 11.75 L/100 […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Ford-Model-T-coupe-crop-horz.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Trying To Make (Business Coupe) Sense Of The Gremlin")
Automotive History: Trying To Make (Business Coupe) Sense Of The Gremlin
Posted on February 22, 2021 | 40 Comments(first posted 2/22/2011) From a contemporary and European perspective, the Gremlin (CC here) makes no sense whatsoever, with its large 3.8 L six, mediocre fuel economy (20 mpg, 11.75 L/100 […] -
![Daewoo marketed cars in the United States for only about 1,300 days, but its story was as interesting as its cars were bland. The narrative of the company’s rapid home-market […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Daewoo-Leganza-2001-RF2.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Tangled Story Of Daewoo In The United States")
Automotive History: The Tangled Story Of Daewoo In The United States
Posted on February 16, 2021 | 102 CommentsDaewoo marketed cars in the United States for only about 1,300 days, but its story was as interesting as its cars were bland. The narrative of the company’s rapid home-market […] -
![My recent tome on how Rambler survived the 50s focused on the cars, statistics and some commonly accepted snippets of Nash/Rambler/AMC history. It didn’t adequately delve into the key player […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Romney-1959-ramblers.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: George Romney At Nash/Rambler/AMC (1947-1962) – Unflinching Vision and Determination To Take On The Big Three Dinosaurs With Compacts")
Automotive History: George Romney At Nash/Rambler/AMC (1947-1962) – Unflinching Vision and Determination To Take On The Big Three Dinosaurs With Compacts
Posted on February 5, 2021 | 57 CommentsMy recent tome on how Rambler survived the 50s focused on the cars, statistics and some commonly accepted snippets of Nash/Rambler/AMC history. It didn’t adequately delve into the key player […] -
![(first posted 12/19/2011) The utter dominance of the Volkswagen made life very difficult for anyone else vaguely close to it in price and size, such as Lloyd. Although the Lloyds […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lloyd.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Lloyd LP 300, 400, 600, Alexander – Steamrollered By VW")
Automotive History: Lloyd LP 300, 400, 600, Alexander – Steamrollered By VW
Posted on February 3, 2021 | 89 Comments(first posted 12/19/2011) The utter dominance of the Volkswagen made life very difficult for anyone else vaguely close to it in price and size, such as Lloyd. Although the Lloyds […] -
![(first posted 1/26/2015) This simple car is the definition of the Chrysler Corporation in 1980s North America. From 1981 to 1995, this basic architecture was molded, shaped, stretched, shrunken, and […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/a-K.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Curbside Classic Comprehensive Chronology of the Chrysler K-Car Family Tree")
Automotive History: The Curbside Classic Comprehensive Chronology of the Chrysler K-Car Family Tree
Posted on January 26, 2021 | 156 Comments(first posted 1/26/2015) This simple car is the definition of the Chrysler Corporation in 1980s North America. From 1981 to 1995, this basic architecture was molded, shaped, stretched, shrunken, and […] -
![Recently, I wrote about the gradual incorporation of various creature comforts into full-sized pickups. While a vinyl covered roof doesn’t directly lend itself to creature comfort, it would have helped […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1971_Dodge_Light_Duty_Trucks-01.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Dude, Your Dodge Has A Toupee")
Automotive History: Dude, Your Dodge Has A Toupee
Posted on January 25, 2021 | 43 CommentsRecently, I wrote about the gradual incorporation of various creature comforts into full-sized pickups. While a vinyl covered roof doesn’t directly lend itself to creature comfort, it would have helped […] -
![original junkyard photos by Jim Klein Automotive history of the 1950s is commonly reduced to an orgy of fins, chrome, V8 engines and the inexorable influence of the longer, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/IMG_3918.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Junkyard Classic/Automotive History: 1955 Rambler Cross Country – How Rambler Won The Compact And Price Wars Of The 1950’s And Saved AMC")
Junkyard Classic/Automotive History: 1955 Rambler Cross Country – How Rambler Won The Compact And Price Wars Of The 1950’s And Saved AMC
Posted on January 25, 2021 | 65 Commentsoriginal junkyard photos by Jim Klein Automotive history of the 1950s is commonly reduced to an orgy of fins, chrome, V8 engines and the inexorable influence of the longer, […] -
![(first posted 5/11/2011) Necessity really is the mother of all invention. And the history of this peculiar kind of truck was born during wartime shortage. In Sweden before and […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/en-pv-epa.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Regional Car Culture Explained: The History Of The Swedish A-Traktor")
Regional Car Culture Explained: The History Of The Swedish A-Traktor
Posted on January 22, 2021 | 32 Comments(first posted 5/11/2011) Necessity really is the mother of all invention. And the history of this peculiar kind of truck was born during wartime shortage. In Sweden before and […]
