Curbside Classic -

Marmon Big Trucks: Just Needs A Detroit Diesel V16

– Posted on September 14, 2024

(first posted 10/2/2012) Another branch of Marmon-Herrington’s many activities was the manufacturing of large trucks. It was a low-volume marginal affair, and production ceased in 1963. But the truck brand name was sold to a new entity, which built large over-the-road trucks from 1963 until 1997. Marmon was strictly a low volume built-to-order firm, and thus earned the nick-name “the Rolls Royce of Trucks”. Now if I had a vintage Marmon truck, I’d just have to drop in a DD 16V-71. I googled ferociously on the assumption someone else had thought of it, but no such luck. Is there a shortage of imagination among truckers? But here’s a couple of others to gaze at anyway: Read the rest of this entry »

Curbside Classic: 1963 Ford F100 – Ford Pulls a Studebaker

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on September 14, 2024

(first posted 9/14/2018) This is the most embarrassing F-Series pickup in that long line of fine classic Ford trucks. Maybe to some of you what makes it so embarrassing is not immediately obvious. Let’s just say they resorted to what Studebaker did back in 1961; meaning, in this case the front half of the truck is the cab as used on 1961-1966 trucks, just like my ’66; it’s even the same color. But the rear half, the bed, is from Ford’s old 1957-1960 trucks, and doesn’t match the front half the slightest, starting with lack of that deep character line on the cab which suddenly ends, wheel openings a totally different shape, and as we’ll see from the rear, a primitive tailgate and latching system, as well as other details.

So why would Ford put on old bed on its next generation pickups?

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Vintage Dealer Postcards: Buick Dealers 1960s-1970s

Rich Baron

– Posted on September 14, 2024

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Vintage R&T Review: 1977 Mazda GLC – A Pretty Good Little Car

Rich Baron

– Posted on September 14, 2024

Mazda was engaging in a bit of marketing hyperbole when their new GLC “Great Little Car” showed up in the marketplace in 1977. But when it came to the subcompact/compact segment, true greatness was found elsewhere. Mainly on vehicles like the Civic or Accord, and even the 3-year-old VW Rabbit (Golf). Models that made use of modern space-efficient FWD setups and engaging driving for the class.

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Do You Want Cream With That? – Creamy Color Choices Today

RichP

– Posted on September 14, 2024

I started drinking coffee just after starting my first job out of college. I was working as an estimator/project manager trainee for an electrical contractor in Syracuse. One early morning in January, I found myself on a job site, freezing my tail off and gladly accepting the offer of a cup. Lots of cream and sugar made it possible to drink and I was grateful for the warmth it provided. It’s amazing how fast an addiction can take hold. From that day forward, I was a coffee drinker.

Later, I moved to Boston and took a job with an electrical distributor. Every morning, a catering truck would pull into the warehouse and we would all line up for coffee and donuts. This is where I learned that if you want black coffee in Boston, the correct way to order it is “regular, no cream, no sugar”. And what, you ask, does this have to do with cars? Well, if you haven’t guessed by now, stay with me and I will tell you. Read the rest of this entry »

My 1978 Ford Thunderbird Diamond Jubilee – A Story About Two Classics

Chip Downs

– Posted on September 14, 2024

Back in 2006, I was blessed to have a terrific job as a sales manager. It was a job that allowed me to make a yearly bonus.

Normally, that money was earmarked for home renovations and family things. But my wife Cindy had become interested in classic cars, and together, we decided that we would put this money towards a classic Thunderbird.

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Curbside Classic: 1989 Chrysler’s TC By Maserati – The (Deadly) Sin Of Pretentious Overreaching

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on September 13, 2024

(first posted in 2011) You got to hand it to Lee Iacocca; he was given an utter basket case of a car company and one new K car. And just like a magician, he kept reaching into his hat for a solid decade, pulling out one new variation after another on a theme in the key of K. Would you believe this? Ah,…yeah. This? Maybe. How about this? Umm…And when he reached in one last time and pulled out the TC, everybody laughed. Which is not what Lee had in mind at all. Lee was given the hook, but we’ll always associate the TC with the sin of pretentious overreaching. Read the rest of this entry »

Curbside Classic: 1994 Ford Escort – Success And Shame

Perry Shoar

– Posted on September 13, 2024

(first posted 4/2/2014) When is a world car not a world car? When it’s Japanese. I can hear our readers’ responses already: Ford didn’t call the 1991 Escort a world car because it wasn’t engineered by its European subsidiary, making it the product of a different company. But this only makes limited sense. Dearborn exerted a very great deal of control over Mazda, strong arming it into using Ford powertrain components, while shaping its US lineup and installing executive personnel, effectively treating it as a Japanese subsidiary. And whether or not this assessment of the relationship between the two companies is one you agree with, there’s little denying that the products it created had far more global appeal than the distinctly American 1981 Escort.

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Vintage Snaphots: Chevrolet People In The ’60s-’70s

Rich Baron

– Posted on September 13, 2024

It’s bow tie time again today; thanks to these shots showcasing Chevrolet products and Chevy people in the ’60s and ’70s. The models and people featured here vary widely but are quite representative nonetheless. From the sporty offerings to the full-sizers; with many views of daily life of the time.

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Curbside Classic: 1980 Citroën Visa Club – Ugliness Does Sell

Tatra87

– Posted on September 13, 2024

Let’s end this flawed Froggish four-door foursome with – in my opinion – one of the most horrid cars ever committed by Citroën, the indescribable Visa. The problem is that, although most contemporary critics lambasted the car for its questionable appearance, the buying public did not seem to mind it so much. Something’s not adding up. Was it the critics, the people or the car?

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In-Motion Find: 1986-98 Ford F-1000 – Brazil’s F-Series In Dual Cab Garb

Rich Baron

– Posted on September 13, 2024

Photos from the Cohort by riveranotario.

Time to check out some Ford truck variants, this time courtesy of Ford do Brasil with the added creative impulses of local customizing houses. The latter –whoever it was– responsible for this F-1000’s fiberglass customized double cab. Not that it was a rare modification in that market, from what I gather.

Want to see the stock F-1000? Here is one, also uploaded by riveranotario at the Cohort:

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Curbside Classic: 1996 Subaru Impreza Coupe – The Acorn And The Oak

SophieN

– Posted on September 13, 2024

Subaru is a powerhouse today. And particularly, it’s a powerhouse in the American market. In 2023, Subaru sold just shy of 1 million cars worldwide; of which 632,000 found homes in the US. Subaru has built its modern brand image on the pillars of all-wheel drive, boxer engines, practical wagon/SUV body styles, and outdoorsy ‘adventure-ready’ styling. Our featured car, a first-gen Impreza from 1996, has two of those things. But nonetheless, it’s a fascinating relic of another era, when Subaru was still finding itself and trying to nail down exactly what kind of car company it wanted to be. Mighty oak, meet acorn.

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Curbside Classic: 1967 Camaro Convertible – Perfect Patina

Dave Skinner

– Posted on September 12, 2024

(first posted 4/3/2014) I’ve seen this Camaro running around town for a couple of months, and last week I caught up with it in the parking lot of a local community service organization (Kiwanis as I recall). Based on my earlier sightings, I wanted to get a better look at this pony car. As you can see, it carries a working man’s patina, with a clean body and original parts. Read the rest of this entry »

CC Outtake: 1982 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham – The Great Brougham Extinction Is In Its Late Stages

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on September 12, 2024

(first posted 9/13/2018) CC used to be crawling with post’77 B-Bodies, Broughams, and both together. Not so much anymore. Has Brougham Fever abated? Are B-Bodies passé? Well, they’re getting to be a bit scarce on the ground, and now I make a point to document each one. Like this ’82 Delta 88 Royale Brougham, which is actually something of an imposter since it’s missing both the requisite padded vinyl top and the fake wire wheel covers. Brougham? In name only. Is the Great Brougham Era at CC coming to an end?

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Curbside Hooptie: Geo Metro Convertible – Dreams in the Bin

Gray Walters

– Posted on September 12, 2024

I find tons of survivors stuck in the wide gulf between classic and just plain old still plodding along. Why not turn some attention to some proper jalopies? The cars that survive out of spite rather than their owners’ dedication to maintenance?

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