Gold Plated 50 Millionth Tribute: 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

In the Fall of 1954, General Motors was preparing to celebrate its 50 millionth vehicle to roll off the assembly line. The honor went to a new 1955 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe that was gold-plated from head to… more»

Barn Find 1967 Ford Galaxie 500

Throughout the 1960s, the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Galaxie dueled for the top spot in full-size new car sales. And, the Impala usually came out on top, although the Galaxie narrowed the gap a bit in 1967 to “only”… more»

Ready To Cruise: 1959 Chevrolet Impala

In 1959, the Impala officially took over the top spot at Chevrolet (having been an upgrade on the Bel Air the year before). Styling was new and highly futuristic and General Motors was playing catch up with Chrysler’s “Forward… more»

Well-Baked 1 of 142 Project: 1978 Avanti II

The original Studebaker Avanti had no real chance to succeed. A little more than a year after it hit the market, the company ceased U.S. auto production. A few models continued to be briefly built in Canada, but the… more»

Rotisserie Restoration: 1967 Dodge Dart GTS 383

Chrysler redesigned its two compact cars in 1967, the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant. While functional, they weren’t necessarily lively – until the Dart GTS came along mid-way in the new year. By adding the Sport designation to the… more»

Baby Bentley: 1937 Austin 7 Nippy Roadster

The Nippy was a 2-seat roadster based on the Austin 7 (or Seven), built in England between 1934/35 and 1937. Production numbers were low, so the quantity of survivors today can’t be large. Due to their low weight and… more»

Lotus Twin Cam: 1973 Jensen-Healey Roadster

The Jensen-Healey was a collaborative effort between Jensen Motors and Donald Healey after production of the Austin-Healey 3000 had ended. Healey provided the bodies, and Jensen assembled them. These luxury sports cars were on the market from 1972 to… more»

Wrecked and Bent: 1969 Plymouth Road Runner

Plymouth introduced its budget mid-size muscle car, the Road Runner, in 1968. It was an instant hit but was only available at first as a coupe (pillared or hardtop). When 1969 rolled around, they added a convertible which saw… more»

Ambitious Project: 1959 Triumph TR3

The TR3 successfully replaced the TR2, resulting in nearly 75,000 assemblies between 1955 and 1962. The cars were changed little over time and the TR3A and TR3B were unofficial variants of the evolving design. This 1959 edition is said… more»

Assembly Required: 1970 Dodge Charger 500

To better compete in NASCAR, Dodge developed the Charger 500 in 1969. It was more aerodynamic than the rest of the series, with a flat front end with exposed headlights and no tunnel back for the roof. That didn’t… more»

It’s Not a Jeep! 1953 Willys Aero

When you think you the Willys brand, you likely have visions of the venerable Jeep that was built in huge numbers during and after World War II. But they were also in the automobile business for a time, including… more»

454 V8 Roller: 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

The Monte Carlo was Chevrolet’s personal luxury car and was in its third year in 1972. The cars were little changed and the emphasis on luxury was increased with the discontinuance of the SS 454 package. Yet, the engine… more»

6,500-Mile Survivor: 1954 Hudson Jet

Attempting to remain competitive in the automobile business, Hudson Motor Car Co. developed and launched the compact Jet in 1953. However, the cost of bringing the little car to market left minimal capital for much else, so Hudson merged… more»

Just Out of the Barn: 1955 Packard Clipper

The Clipper enjoyed a sporadic run at Packard in the 1940s and 1950s. In later years, it was the entry-level product for a car company that had touted luxury. But the Clipper was seen internally as a sales draw… more»

Bubble Car: 1958 BMW Isetta Moto Coupé Deluxe

The Isetta was an unusual microcar built mostly by BMW in the 1950s. Designed in Italy, the egg-shaped automobile was produced under license in a variety of countries, including Germany. It became known as the “bubble car” for its… more»

Richard Petty Tribute: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda

After NASCAR put a moratorium on the Chrysler Hemi in 1964, driver Richard Petty took a year off from stock cars and tried his hand at drag racing. It was a one-year detour and by 1966, NASCAR relented and… more»

Barn Finds