About Mitchell Gildea

Big-Block Horse Hauler: 1970 Ford Ranchero GT

Though I am a dyed-in-the-wool GM and Mopar guy, I’ve always had a soft spot for Rancheros, especially 1970 and 1971 models. With Mustang prices reaching record prices (especially in big-block form) and Ford Torinos, Mercury Cougars and Mercury… more»

Holiest Of Grails: 1936 Auburn 852 Supercharged Speedster

There are certain cars that serious car enthusiasts want to find and own; the Auburn 852 Speedster is one of them. One of the most replicated cars in automotive history, finding a real Auburn 852 Speedster is like finding… more»

Rough Droptop: 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible

Out of all of the luxury car brands out there, hands down one of my favorites is Cadillac. My dad bought a 1967 De Ville convertible back in 1989 for $100 (which he still own today and is, almost ironically,… more»

All Original: 1972 Ford LTD Convertible

A few weeks ago, I sat down and watched the second film from the “Dirty Harry” franchise, Magnum Force. In the movie, Harry Callahan (played by Clint Eastwood) drives a 1972 Ford LTD convertible in blue. As soon as I… more»

Twin Boom Wrecker: 1976 International Harvester Loadstar 1600

As I delve further into the collector car and truck market, I find that there are a lot of unusual and unique cars and trucks out there. Though I usually use the eBay or craigslist to find my next… more»

Shop Truck Candidate: 1987 Dodge Ram D-150 Shortbed

When I was a kid, my dad used to drive Dodge pickup trucks as a part of his fleet (he’s a general contractor that works in southeastern Pennsylvania). From when I was four to thirteen years old, my dad… more»

Teutonic Sports Wagon: 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Lakewood

While out on a walk one day up on the outskirts of Lock Haven University, I spotted an old car sitting in a driveway underneath a tarp. As I approached the car, I discovered that it was a Corvair;… more»

Obscure Muscle Car: 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT

As soon as I have a nice, steady career with a nice, steady paycheck, one of the first collector cars I am going to buy is a 1966-1970 Oldsmobile Toronado. I’ve always admired the technological prowess it had during… more»

Tow Rig Candidate: 1982 Chevrolet C30 Silverado

Though summer is nearly over, as an automotive archaeologist, I realize that as the days go by, winter is coming. As the year draws to a close, pretty soon the leaves will fall off of the trees, and with that… more»

Three-Pedal Fintail: 1968 Mercedes-Benz 230S

I’ve never understood why four-doors are usually not as desirable as coupe and convertible cars in the classic car market; more doors means more space for you and your friends, and four-doors still typically have plenty of trunk space…. more»

Flared Fox-Body: 1982 Ford Mustang GT IMSA

Though I usually prefer GM’s F-bodies and Mopar’s E-bodies, I do have a soft spot for Fox-body pony cars. Usually I look more at the 1987 to 1993 Fox-body Mustangs, but more recently the 1979 to 1986 Mustangs have… more»

Eddie “Bauwer” Edition: 1984 Ford Bronco II

Spelling errors always crack me up, especially when they are so close to the correct spelling. When I was a kid, my family used to make fun of my brother for his poor spelling (it was all in good… more»

Manual Equipped G-Body: 1980 Chevrolet Malibu Wagon

After deciding that my brother’s 1979 El Camino was too rusty to save, my dad and brother set out to find a replacement car to build up as a hot rod. While perusing through local junkyards in upper Bucks… more»

Rollin’ Coal: 1984 GMC Caballero Amarillo

For those who are old enough, remember the OPEC oil embargoes that happened back in the 1970s? After two oil embargoes (first in 1974, and then in 1979) rocked the United States, fuel-efficient engines and downsized cars replaced the… more»

Hurst Hauler: 1966 Pontiac Bonneville Station Wagon

In terms of 1960s and 1970s American car culture, it seems that muscle cars and Hurst go hand-in-hand pretty well. Famous for its shifters and other high-performance parts, Hurst worked very closely with the Big Three of Detroit (GM,… more»

Turbocharged Unicorn: 1986 Toyota Hilux Xtra Cab 4X4

Though previously I preferred full-size pickup trucks, more recently I have gotten into mid-size pickup trucks, especially ones from the 1970s and the 1980s. One of the mid-size pickups that has caught my eye more recently is the Toyota… more»

Barn Finds