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Curbside Classics Archives
Automotive Histories Archive
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![image source: National Park Service (first posted 5/14/2014) May 8th is President Truman’s birthday. Earlier this year, I wrote an article (here) chronicling the various Chrysler products President Truman […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/truman-72-chrysler.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History Follow-Up: President Harry S Truman And His 1972 Chrysler Newport")
Automotive History Follow-Up: President Harry S Truman And His 1972 Chrysler Newport
Posted on May 8, 2020 | 62 Commentsimage source: National Park Service (first posted 5/14/2014) May 8th is President Truman’s birthday. Earlier this year, I wrote an article (here) chronicling the various Chrysler products President Truman […] -
![(updated 12/31/2020) Independent front suspension, air-suspension all-round, an ultra-light forward-set alloy cab only 48″ long, power steering, a complex fabricated frame that was 50% lighter, and the lightest diesel engine: […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GMC-1959-tiltcab-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Truckstop Classic: 1959-1961 GMC DLR/DFR 8000 “Cracker Box” – GM’s Deadly Sin #32 – Turns Out the Most Advanced Semi Truck In the World Wasn’t What Truckers Really Wanted")
Truckstop Classic: 1959-1961 GMC DLR/DFR 8000 “Cracker Box” – GM’s Deadly Sin #32 – Turns Out the Most Advanced Semi Truck In the World Wasn’t What Truckers Really Wanted
Posted on April 22, 2020 | 77 Comments(updated 12/31/2020) Independent front suspension, air-suspension all-round, an ultra-light forward-set alloy cab only 48″ long, power steering, a complex fabricated frame that was 50% lighter, and the lightest diesel engine: […] -
![(first posted 5/17/2014) When we think of 1971 Challengers, it tends to be the wild ones with 440 Six Packs or Hemis. Of course there was a base Challenger hardtop […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Dodge-Challenger-1971-coupe.png?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History Oddity: 1971 Dodge Challenger “Coupe” With 198 Cubic Inch Slant Six")
Automotive History Oddity: 1971 Dodge Challenger “Coupe” With 198 Cubic Inch Slant Six
Posted on April 20, 2020 | 136 Comments(first posted 5/17/2014) When we think of 1971 Challengers, it tends to be the wild ones with 440 Six Packs or Hemis. Of course there was a base Challenger hardtop […] -
![VE Holden Commodores celebrate the Commodore’s 1978-2008 anniversary. (first posted 4/25/2014) Greetings Curbside Classicists, today, April 25th, is Anzac Day downunder, the official Australian and New Zealand day of remembrance […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/holden-commodore-30th-anniversary1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Australian Auto Family Trees – The Holden Commodore From <strike>A-Z</strike> VB-VF.")
Automotive History: Australian Auto Family Trees – The Holden Commodore From
A-ZVB-VF.Posted on March 30, 2020 | 145 CommentsVE Holden Commodores celebrate the Commodore’s 1978-2008 anniversary. (first posted 4/25/2014) Greetings Curbside Classicists, today, April 25th, is Anzac Day downunder, the official Australian and New Zealand day of remembrance […] -
![(updated 11/9/2023) In 1951, plucky little Studebaker introduced its new ohv V8 engine, only two years behind the groundbreaking 1949 Cadillac and Oldsmobile V8s, and several years ahead of other […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Studebaker-V8-image.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Studebaker V8 Engine – Punching Below Its Weight")
Automotive History: The Studebaker V8 Engine – Punching Below Its Weight
Posted on March 30, 2020 | 110 Comments(updated 11/9/2023) In 1951, plucky little Studebaker introduced its new ohv V8 engine, only two years behind the groundbreaking 1949 Cadillac and Oldsmobile V8s, and several years ahead of other […] -
![(Dave Skinner contributed key technical info to this post) At Dave Skinner’s recent 1964 Olds Jetstar 88 post, eagle-eye Jim Cavanaugh once again raised the question that had been […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/a-Parallell-wipers.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Mystery of GM’s Two Wiper Systems (The Answer Was Pretty Obvious) – And More Wiper History")
Automotive History: The Mystery of GM’s Two Wiper Systems (The Answer Was Pretty Obvious) – And More Wiper History
Posted on March 19, 2020 | 132 Comments(Dave Skinner contributed key technical info to this post) At Dave Skinner’s recent 1964 Olds Jetstar 88 post, eagle-eye Jim Cavanaugh once again raised the question that had been […] -
![Recently Paul posted a vintage Road and Track article on the early Corvettes which asked if the Corvette was really a sports car. Much discussion ensued in the commentary about […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1957-Corvette-interior.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: From Powerglide to 4-speed – The History of Transmissions on Early Corvettes")
Automotive History: From Powerglide to 4-speed – The History of Transmissions on Early Corvettes
Posted on March 11, 2020 | 30 CommentsRecently Paul posted a vintage Road and Track article on the early Corvettes which asked if the Corvette was really a sports car. Much discussion ensued in the commentary about […] -
![When the Taurus development team started to solidify plans for the car that was supposed to save Ford, it was smaller than the production model that would arrive at dealerships […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Screenshot_2020-02-07-ford-vulcan-3-liter-v6-history-Google-Search-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Ford 3.0 Liter “Vulcan” V6")
Automotive History: The Ford 3.0 Liter “Vulcan” V6
Posted on February 12, 2020 | 72 CommentsWhen the Taurus development team started to solidify plans for the car that was supposed to save Ford, it was smaller than the production model that would arrive at dealerships […] -
![Last week Paul posted an article about the Chevrolet Nova and the Ford Granada. The article focused on how the hot selling Granada handily beat the Nova in the luxury […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/LASD-Nova-9C1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: Chevrolet Nova 9C1 – “Super Nova”")
Vintage Review: Chevrolet Nova 9C1 – “Super Nova”
Posted on February 7, 2020 | 34 CommentsLast week Paul posted an article about the Chevrolet Nova and the Ford Granada. The article focused on how the hot selling Granada handily beat the Nova in the luxury […] -
![(note: Australian-based online classic cars magazine, Retroautos, conducted the original groundbreaking research about the Solaris and, with GM’s copyright permission, was able to access rare and previously unpublished images of […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Solaris-11.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Design History: Solaris (1961) – One Of The Most Influential GM Advance Design Studio Concepts Ever")
Design History: Solaris (1961) – One Of The Most Influential GM Advance Design Studio Concepts Ever
Posted on February 5, 2020 | 37 Comments(note: Australian-based online classic cars magazine, Retroautos, conducted the original groundbreaking research about the Solaris and, with GM’s copyright permission, was able to access rare and previously unpublished images of […] -
![Legend has it, “Let there be catalytic converters!” said GM’s Ed Cole, and »poof« the catalytic converter sprang into existence and evolved into the kind we now use. How it […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/monolithic_converter.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Dawn of the Catalytic Converter – Who Put the Cat Out?")
Automotive History: The Dawn of the Catalytic Converter – Who Put the Cat Out?
Posted on February 3, 2020 | 67 CommentsLegend has it, “Let there be catalytic converters!” said GM’s Ed Cole, and »poof« the catalytic converter sprang into existence and evolved into the kind we now use. How it […] -
![Like most failing car lines, DeSoto went out with a whimper, and not a bang. Unlike some other defunct brands that promptly sent their final vehicle straight to a museum […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Last_1961_DeSoto_assembly_line_Chrysler_Corporation_7.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Unicorn Hunt: The Search for the Last DeSoto")
Curbside Unicorn Hunt: The Search for the Last DeSoto
Posted on January 27, 2020 | 81 CommentsLike most failing car lines, DeSoto went out with a whimper, and not a bang. Unlike some other defunct brands that promptly sent their final vehicle straight to a museum […] -
![1920 Essex Coach and 2010 Ford Focus There are two once-common automotive body styles that have become extinct: the two door sedan and the two door station wagon. We covered […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Essex-1920-2-door-large.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Two Door Sedan (1920-2010) – Its Origins and the Last 2-Door Sedan For Each American Brand and Model")
Automotive History: The Two Door Sedan (1920-2010) – Its Origins and the Last 2-Door Sedan For Each American Brand and Model
Posted on January 24, 2020 | 129 Comments1920 Essex Coach and 2010 Ford Focus There are two once-common automotive body styles that have become extinct: the two door sedan and the two door station wagon. We covered […] -
![(More from David Halberstam’s “The Reckoning”) Having excoriated Ford’s finance guys for skimping out on E-Coat, today we turn the tables and find a very unlikely hero in the battle […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ford-taurus-1986-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: The Ford Taurus Almost Had Rear Wheel Drive")
Automotive History: The Ford Taurus Almost Had Rear Wheel Drive
Posted on January 13, 2020 | 37 Comments(More from David Halberstam’s “The Reckoning”) Having excoriated Ford’s finance guys for skimping out on E-Coat, today we turn the tables and find a very unlikely hero in the battle […] -
![not the best picture, but the best that Google could find It’s always very satisfying to get a proper explanation to phenomena that has been described repeatedly. The endless stream […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ford-Bronco-1978-rusty.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: Why Fords Were the Worst Rusters in the Mid-Late ’60s and the ’70s")
Automotive History: Why Fords Were the Worst Rusters in the Mid-Late ’60s and the ’70s
Posted on January 12, 2020 | 114 Commentsnot the best picture, but the best that Google could find It’s always very satisfying to get a proper explanation to phenomena that has been described repeatedly. The endless stream […]
