An all-black, truly all-black, tractor and semi-trailer combination. You don’t see that everyday. Well, never, actually. Mr. J. Deenen certainly goes against the grain with his fabulous, forage hauling brute.
Working in the agribusiness full-time and keeping this rig spotless, just imagine the dedication that takes!
Welcome to the second installment of my notes covering the long lifecycle of the Volvo 240-series in the U.S. market. (If you’re just catching up, Chapter One can be found here.) Today we’ll cover model years 1977 through 1979. For those not old enough to remember, this was a rather difficult period in U.S. automotive history, as carmakers struggled to contend with emissions, fuel economy, and safety standards (as well as, for some, their very survival, as we will soon see). The quoted sales figures are sourced from Volvo records and Automotive News Data Books covering the relevant years.
With my son Shane’s 2003 Subaru Forester meeting its sad fate in the crusher after his serious accident on March 9th, it was time to think about something else for him to drive for the summer. I was not looking forward to this process or spending any money. Shane didn’t drive for almost 7 weeks after his accident and was just a bit edgy behind the wheel. And it goes without saying that his mother, Mrs. Carlsberg66 was also very nervous about him driving at all as it brought back some bad memories for her (and for me). I was nervous too but more stoic about the fact that he would need to drive on a regular basis at some point.
(first posted 2/6/2013) We had some lively discussion the other day about the J-body Oldsmobile Firenza, thanks to the beige sedan Paul found at a 7-11. Lansing’s version of the J-car may well be the rarest variant. The only one I recall seeing back then was a white ’87 coupe a friend’s mom owned. Perhaps the unusual grilleless nose was a little too ahead of its time; the Taurus was still nearly five years away–along with greater acceptance of smooth-nosed family cars. Oldsmobile did finally address it with the restyled ’88, but it would prove to be the little Olds’ swan song. Read the rest of this entry »
(first posted 2/3/2013) In the history of the Russian automobile industry, there were moments of light that punctuated the years and decades of drab. Clearly, this Moskvitch 2142 Prince Vladmir is not one of its more brilliant moments, especially when you consider that it was built from 1998 – 2002, the year its maker finally went belly-up. Its appearance at the Cohort, posted byDeeTwoAr, is auspicious, since its body was based on the Simca 1307/Chrysler 150 of just a few posts ago (although I would never have guessed so in the case of the notchback 2142). While doing a little research to dig up more history on these cars, I came upon the full-Brougham version, the Ivan Kalita. Are you sitting down? Read the rest of this entry »
As most of you know, 1966 would mark the final year of production for Studebaker (although some younger readers may be surprised to discover that Studebakers were still in production into the mid-60s). If you are not familiar with this particular Studebaker, that is understandable: Studebaker only sold 8,947 models in what would be their final model year. I held few hopes of ever seeing a 1966 Studebaker in person until I spied this one last summer at the auction of renowned Studebaker collector/hoarder Ron Hackenberger.
Let’s revisit the topic of station wagons from the 1950s, a subject that got a good deal of comments a few months ago on its first installment. Once again, we’re taking this tour courtesy of vintage photos from the period.
CC readers know the storied history of Jeep. Born in the lead-up to war by Willys-Overland, bought by Kaiser in 1953, then sold to AMC in 1969, moving to Chrysler in 1987, and the subsequent transforming to Daimler-Chrysler, Chrysler LLC, Chrysler Group LLC, FCA US LLC, and ultimately Stellantis in 2021. During each of these transitions, one thing remained consistent – Jeep’s success in the market and, in turn, profitability. But is Jeep’s reputation as the “last brand standing” coming to an end? Read the rest of this entry »
In my first entry about the 1979 Dodge Aspen Special Editon Station Wagon, I wrote about how I wanted to find one of these seemingly unloved, used, and abused F Body Wagons. Well, in 2002 I found a really good example, and have kept it around for a while. I decided to take it on a few vacations with the family. In this installment, my daughter, wife, and I will travel to Michigan and Canada for one fantastic 2500-mile vacation in a station wagon that was at the time, 36 years old!
(first posted 3/19/2011) It’s no secret I’m a big fan of big old buses. The challenge is what direction to take with them. Given today’s weather, that would be South. You see; it’s already happened, in the third sentence. This 1957 Blue Bird is really quite a find, from a historical perspective. And what comes to mind? A deserted beach in Baja. The never-ending battle between following the call of one’s business or bliss-ness: going to school (on the bus), or playing perpetual hooky (on the bus). And it would be called the All American, no less. So which will it be? Read the rest of this entry »
(Originally posted 7/03/2018) “On a lark” is a phrase that means “just for fun”, for those unfamiliar with it. I can think of few better ways to end a workweek than to drive one’s classic Buick to work and then out for a drive after leaving the office for the day. Last week was bookended by sightings of two vintage Buick Skylarks, with the newer car appearing on Monday and the classic droptop materializing on Friday afternoon. I can’t vouch for the model year of the X-Body, but from the taillamp lenses (if original), it’s either a first-year, front-wheel-drive ’80 or an ’81.
Welcome to part three – the best part, in many ways, because we’re starting with Alfa Romeo. OK, so maybe the Coda Tronca isn’t your favourite model, but it’s the perfect car for a late spring Sunday morning ride.
Chicago, 1958
I’m a fan of Ray Metzker’s photography. It has a strong graphic feel; compositionally tight and driven by contrast. He manages to capture a specific moment of light through the lens, then uses the darkroom to enhance the deep tones of the shadows. He captivates my eye.
The motor vehicle appears in some of his most striking work, serving as a complex shape of its own within his discerning frame.
I spied this Oldsmobile in a well-hidden valley in Watkins Glen, NY. From over 500 feet away and looking at the rear of the car through brush and such, I thought it was a mid to late-seventies Lincoln. Upon closer inspection, it is not a Dearborn-based product, but one from Lansing. This example looks great with current registration and tags, it also seems to be driven in the fair weather.
After turning my E39 BMW 540i back over to my aunt, I still had an itch for another modern BMW, but something smaller, with a stick shift. I turned my attention to the E46, which to my eye is the best-looking of the 3 Series line. The E36’s styling always seemed a little underdeveloped to me, as if BMW was still trying to figure out the transition from boxy to sleek. But the E46 is the perfect modern distillation of the 3-Series. Read the rest of this entry »
