Plymouth hit pay dirt in 1970 when they introduced the sporty Duster, a fastback derivative of the Valiant compact. Dodge lobbied for a carbon copy to sell in 1971 and designated it the Demon (Dart). That moniker created a… more»
• For Sale • 6 Comments
The Other Chrysler: 1959 DeSoto Firesweep
In 1959, Ford and Chrysler were learning the same lesson – that there was no market for four or five separate divisions of full-sized cars. With Ford, it was with the Edsel, which had debuted with poor sales the… more»
• For Sale • 16 Comments
Swan Song Project: 1979 Chevrolet Nova
The popular Chevy Nova compact wound down in 1979 after 18 years. The successful rear-wheel-drive car was scheduled to be replaced in 1980 by the front-wheel-drive Citation (which turned out not to be a huge step forward). The seller… more»
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Running Project: 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Oldsmobile introduced the Cutlass Supreme in 1966 as a personal luxury car based on the existing mid-size platform. Over the next 20 years, it would become one of Olds’ best-selling cars and a leader in its market niche. We’re… more»
• For Sale • 41 Comments
One-of-a-Kind Custom: 1973 Volkswagen Beetle
During the second half of the 20th Century, you couldn’t go a mile without seeing a Volkswagen Type 1 (aka Beetle). That’s because 21.5 million copies of the quirky “Bug” were built and sold between 1945 and 2003. But,… more»
• For Sale • 10 Comments
Twofer Projects: Pair of 1970s Datsun 240Z
Known as the Fairlady Z in Japan, the Datsun 240Z (and its successors) became a popular alternative to British sports cars. Powered by a 2.4-liter 6-banger, the 240Z helped put Nissan on the map in the U.S. from 1970… more»
• For Sale • 7 Comments
Back Yard Find: 1979 Pontiac Firebird Formula
The second generation of the Pontiac Firebird enjoyed a 12-year run from 1970 to 1981. Four models were offered, including the “base” Firebird, Esprit, Formula, and Trans Am. The Formula was a performance edition, overshadowed by the glitzier Trans… more»
• For Sale • 38 Comments
Mechanic’s Special: 1965 Chevrolet Corvair
The Corvair was Chevrolet’s first foray into the compact car space. They took an unorthodox path in emulating the VW Beetle by designing a vehicle with an air-cooled, rear-mounted engine. The auto was in production from 1960 to 1969,… more»
• For Sale • 6 Comments
Modernized Wagon: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Chevrolet redesigned its cars in 1955 and had an instant hit on its hands. Besides buyer-approved styling, Chevy brought back the V8 engine for the first time since 1918. Nearly five million units left the factory in three years,… more»
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Stored For Decades: 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger
Dodge redesigned its compact Dart in 1967. Though it sold well enough, “boring” might have been a word used by young people to describe the car. So, to draw in the youth market, the Swinger was born in 1969… more»
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Parked 43 Years: 1970 Ford Mustang Project
By 1970, the Ford Mustang continued its dominance as the country’s best-selling “pony car,” but the gap had closed considerably with #2 (Chevrolet Camaro). Sales barely reached 200,000 units compared to 607,000 in 1966, when the Mustang had the… more»
• For Sale • 5 Comments
Two-Owner Barn Find: 1972 Chevrolet Nova
This 1972 Chevy Nova has been in a barn for 25 years. It’s a two-owner vehicle that the seller got out of an estate sale along with several other vintage cars and trucks. The compact runs well off a… more»
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30k-Mile Survivor? 1974 AMC Hornet
The boxy American compact had run its course by 1969, so American Motors geared up to replace it in 1970. The Hornet was born (or reborn, depending on how you look at it, as AMC predecessors had used that… more»
• For Sale • 4 Comments
Seller Lost Interest: 1966 Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet had a record sales year in 1965, selling more than a million full-size automobiles. So, it’s not surprising that demand would be off for the similar 1966 editions. Yet Chevy managed to crank out more than 47,000 Impala… more»
• For Sale • 9 Comments
Only 9,800 Miles? 1973 Ford Mustang
By 1973, the leader of the once-hot “pony car” market had become anemic, at least in terms of sales. From a peak of 607,000 units in 1966, the Ford Mustang saw deliveries drop to barely 135,000 copies seven years… more»
• For Sale • 14 Comments
Ran When Parked: 1971 Honda Z600 Project
Who remembers the Honda Z600 of the early 1970s? It may have been the smallest production car sold in the U.S. at the time, with a length of just 123 inches and weighing around 1,300 lbs. It was the… more»
