Curbside Classic -

Curbside Classic: 1950 Ford Custom Deluxe Convertible – The Car That Saved Ford the Second Time

– Posted on July 8, 2024

In spite of its heroics producing B-24 bombers, Jeeps, tanks, trucks and lots of other hardware, Ford Motor Company was in tough shape during and after World War II, losing money at a rate of $9 million a month, $1.5 billion a year in today’s value. After the war FoMoCo was in third place behind GM and Chrysler. Something had to be done to save the company. Just as the hit 1928 Model A saved Ford from hanging onto the Model T too long, the all-new 1949-1951 Fords saved the day for a revitalized Ford. This 1950 convertible is a sweet example.

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Curbside Find: 1971 Ford Thunderbird – The Beak ‘bird In Canary Yellow

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 8, 2024

Photos from the Cohort by nifticus392.

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The CC Logo-mobile 1950 Cadillac Is Aging, Like Mike And The Rest Of Us

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on July 8, 2024

How should we treat our automotive soulmates? Nag them about how they’re aging? Tell them to get cosmetic surgery, go to the gym, get Botox and dyed hair? Or embrace the natural aging process and patina of a life lived fully?

Mike, the owner of this 1950 hot-rod Cadillac Series 61 — otherwise known as the CC logo-mobile, as it once graced our logo — is solidly in the second camp. Back in 2009 when I first ran into them and wrote up his car and the unforgettable drive he gave me, the last and most memorable thing he told me was: “If I restored my friends, I wouldn’t want to hang out with them anymore.”

Amen to that. And that’s why I go visit Mike and his Caddy every once in a while, like this past winter, just to hang out and talk cars, bikes and life. Fourteen years later, they’re both showing the inevitable signs of further aging. Aren’t we all?

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CC Photography: Color Photos of San Francisco in the ’60s-’70s by Max Kirkeberg–Eye Candy

Stephen Pellegrino

– Posted on July 8, 2024

1482 Golden Gate Avenue, 1964

I was doing an internet search and found these spectacular photos of San Francisco which I had never seen before. To me, these are really special–different from other vintage photographs: the soft yet vivid pastel colors, the bright but diffuse lighting; and of course the architecture and the cars, so realistically rendered. The houses look like delicate pastries, and some of the cars look like you could just walk up and touch them! Here’s a small sample with a backstory on Professor Max Kirkeberg:

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Curbside Find: 1959 Edsel Corsair Convertible – One Of 1,300 Built – The Coolest Edsel Of ‘Em All?

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 8, 2024

Photos from the Cohort by Slant Six, captured at Rose Enterprise Motors in Greigsville, Piffard, NY.

If you have ever read the least bit about Edsels, you pretty much know all there’s to be said about me. That I was Ford’s biggest fumble and butt-ugly (subjective!) to boot. That I arrived at the worst possible time. And that there wasn’t much reason for my existence. Was I an upscale Ford, or a lowly Mercury? And so on. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

But look, let’s put whatever assumptions you’ve about me aside. Yes, I’m an Edsel, no way around that. But a convertible, and as such, there can be little argument that of all Edsels, I’m the coolest of ’em all.

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Cohort Sighting: 1979 Chrysler 150 GT (C6) – A Rare Survivor From Spain

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on July 7, 2024

(first posted 2/2/2013) coopey shot this in Spain, and has a bit of commentary on the Spanish version of the Simca 1307/1308GT, which in its day was a quite advanced car, very much in the VW Passat idiom, and won Europe’s COTY in 1976. The ones produced in Spain were called Chrysler 150: Read the rest of this entry »

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Car Show Classic: 1970 Chevrolet Camaro – With Turbo Thrift Six-Cylinder Power!

Tom Klockau

– Posted on July 7, 2024

(first posted 2/8/2013) As you might have guessed from my previous posts on the 1957 Packard and 1964 Studebaker Cruiser, the annual car show in Geneseo is one of the best of the year. Even cars that are rarely seen usually show up, including an ex-service station Corvair Rampside, a Sunbeam Alpine roadster with factory hardtop and this original-condition, one-family-owned 1970 Camaro.

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Vintage Snapshots: Mustang People in the ’60s and ’70s

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 7, 2024

I believe this is one of the most varied galleries yet of a car and its owners/admirers. The folks in these are all over; there are young, old, boy racers and glam girls, all happily posing in these images. Something that ultimately isn’t a surprise, since it’s well known that the allure of the Mustang was awfully wide.

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Truck Show Outtake: 2021 Volvo FH16 And 2023 Kraker Moving Floor Semi-Trailer – The Dark Ride

Johannes Dutch

– Posted on July 7, 2024

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!

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The Volvo 240’s U.S. Journey – Chapter Two

Stephen Hansen

– Posted on July 7, 2024

Volvo 244DL 1977 brochure image. Source: oldcarbrochures.com

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.

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My 2000 Buick LeSabre Custom – Black Bart Joins the Fleet!

Carlsberg66

– Posted on July 7, 2024

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.

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Automotive History: The Curious Case Of The 1988 Oldsmobile Firenza

Tom Klockau

– Posted on July 6, 2024

(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 »

Cohort Classic: Moskvitch 2142 Prince Vladimir – If You Think This Is Bad, Wait ‘Til You See The Brougham and SL Versions

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on July 6, 2024

(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 »

Auction Classic: 1966 Studebaker Cruiser – End of the Road

Tom Halter

– Posted on July 6, 2024

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.

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Vintage Snapshots: Station Wagons In The 1950s – Part 2

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 6, 2024

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.

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