While early sedan delivery vehicles provided a template for future vans, it was the Volkswagen Transporter – launched in 1950 – that popularized the body style. It still took ten years for the first US-made vans to hit the… more»
• For Sale • 24 Comments
Americana Incarnate: 1915 Republic Two-Ton Truck
This truck is from the most prolific manufacturer you’ve never heard of: Republic Motor, with roots reaching back to 1913. Search the internet for “first truck made in the US”, and you might turn up Autocar, but more likely… more»
• For Sale • 3 Comments
One Owner: 1981 BMW 320i
Like a dog paddling in a pond, BMW’s three-series was steady on top, with a lot going on underneath. The sporty sedan theme perfected by the 2002 persisted, but the car’s entire demeanor was refined. The styling remained boxy,… more»
• For Sale • 6 Comments
Grandma’s Special: 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS
The Grand Marquis was launched as the top trim level of Mercury’s Marquis nameplate in 1975. And “grand” it was, with a choice of big V8s paired to a three-speed automatic, “Twin Comfort Lounge Seats”, deep pile carpet extending… more»
• For Sale • 19 Comments
Rhode Island Find: 1964 Greyhound Glide-A-Ride
What do you do when you have to haul a lot of sightseers around the 700-acre 1964 World’s Fair? You don’t want diesel smoke, you can’t drive anything very large, it has to motor slowly, visibility outward must be… more»
• For Sale • 9 Comments
Low Mileage Survivor: 1974 Toyota HiLux Pickup
Here’s a compact pickup that managed to dodge the 25% “chicken tax” to find itself in the good ole US of A. The chicken tax was a retaliatory measure taken against Europe in 1964, which had tariffed imports of… more»
• For Sale • 13 Comments
Survivor 1941 Cadillac Sedanette
The Bill Mitchell/Harley Earl team modernized most of GM’s designs starting in the late 1930s. The changes at Cadillac jettisoned old-fashioned running boards, incorporated headlamps into fenders, and relocated the spare into the car’s interior. In 1941, Cadillac introduced… more»
• For Sale • 15 Comments
Convertible Collaboration: 1989 Chrysler TC by Maserati
You know those lists of “worst cars ever made”? Deserving or not, the Chrysler TC by Maserati is a permanent resident on many. More Chrysler than Maserati, the car was the fruit of a relationship between Lee Iacocca and… more»
• For Sale • 11 Comments
Complete Restoration and No Reserve! 1965 Datsun 1500 Roadster
Have you ever seen a car so compelling you couldn’t resist putting in a bid or two? Here’s a contender: this nicely renovated 1965 Datsun 1500 roadster is listed on eBay in a no-reserve auction. The bidding has reached… more»
• For Sale • 17 Comments
Long Term Owner! 1965 AMC Rambler Marlin
Wait a second, wasn’t I just talking about AMC’s oddities? The Marlin managed to take the popular fastback body style to such an extreme that buyers balked. Also in the category of “trying too hard”, AMC advertised its big… more»
• For Sale • 5 Comments
Wide Load: 1978 AMC Pacer
American Motors – the only independent manufacturer remaining after Studebaker closed in 1966 – occasionally took a quirky path to distinguish itself from the Big Three. The Marlin was odd, then the Gremlin came along, launched in 1970 to… more»
• For Sale • 26 Comments
Chevy Transplant: 1946 Hudson Super Six Pickup
Like many auto manufacturers, Hudson’s first trucks were more of a pickup bed appended to a car. But the company began mass-producing purpose-built trucks in 1929, under a separate division called Dover. These were situated on the Essex car… more»
• For Sale • 13 Comments
Two-Owners, Low Miles! 1985 GMC Caballero, Amarillo Trim
Here’s a rare beast: it’s the GMC version of Chevy’s El Camino coupe utility, rare as a hen’s tooth thanks to limited distribution versus its sibling. Only about 30,200 Caballeros saw the light of day over the entire production… more»
• For Sale • 15 Comments
How To Duck A Tax: 1979 Subaru DL BRAT
Tariffs aren’t new; in fact, the Subaru BRAT owes its existence to a tariff, namely the “chicken tax.” The 25% chicken tax was passed in 1964 by the Johnson administration as retaliation against Europe’s imposition of a tax on… more»
• For Sale • 16 Comments
Crew Cab! 1978 Ford F250 Ranger XLT 4WD
Annnnd, another truck comes rolling our way. This rare crew-cab ’78 F250 Ranger XLT, located in Hayward, Wisconsin, is listed on eBay with bidding at a beefy $38,100. Even at that price, a reserve is still in play. This… more»
• For Sale • 12 Comments
Must Sell: 1972 International 1210 Pickup
I can’t go more than a couple days without finding a truck I like, it seems. This 1972 International pickup reminds me of that line from the Rolling Stones’ Far Away Eyes, “… she’s a little bleary, a little… more»
