A hallmark of American Motors from its formation in 1954 to the end of the line in 1988 was building and selling economical automobiles. During the 1960s, the Rambler American was the company’s compact offering, and it was finally… more»
Aug 18, 2023 • For Sale • 25 Comments
Triple Black Project: 1969 Dodge Charger SE
One of the most popular cars that turn up here on Barn Finds is the second-generation Dodge Charger (1968-70). A lot of them were built, at least two had prominent movie/TV roles (hence they became famous), and they did… more»
Aug 18, 2023 • For Sale • 30 Comments
K-Code Drop-Top: 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente
In 1964, the Caliente was the top-of-the-line Mercury Comet (except for the Cyclone performance model). As a convertible, only about 9,000 copies were built that year, so the number that may survive today likely doesn’t number more than a… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 35 Comments
Pint-Size Woodie: 1979 Ford Pinto Country Squire
In 1970-71, three of the U.S. automakers introduced subcompact cars. That included the Chevy Vega, AMC Gremlin, and Ford Pinto. The latter would last the longest (1971-80) and sell the most cars (more than three million units). Interest in… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 23 Comments
What’s It Worth? 1972 Pontiac GTO
My, how quickly things can change in the automotive world. The GTO began life as a mid-size muscle car in 1964, reached 96,000 units in sales in 1966, yet couldn’t break the 6,000 number in 1972. Market saturation had… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 27 Comments
No Reserve 1973 Plymouth Gold Duster V8
The Duster was perhaps Plymouth’s big success story of the 1970s. They took a Valiant compact and grafted on a new fastback body from the cowl back. The result was sales of nearly 1.3 million copies from 1970 to… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 54 Comments
Low-Mile 1978 AMC Matador Barcelona II
American Motors redesigned its Matador product line in 1974 and in the process moved it from an intermediate to a full-size car. They went one step further by giving the 2-door hardtop completely different styling from the sedans and… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 29 Comments
Nomad Alternative: Rare 1956 Pontiac Safari
Based on a 1954 concept car with Corvette styling, General Motors introduced the “Sport Wagon” in 1955. It was a 2-door station wagon that had a separate body from the regular wagons from the cowl back. Chevrolet called theirs… more»
Aug 16, 2023 • For Sale • 20 Comments
Split Window Project: 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet finally redesigned its Corvette sports car in 1963, retiring the first-generation models after a 10-year run. An enclosed coupe was offered in addition to the convertible. It used a split-window layout for the back glass which would become… more»
Aug 16, 2023 • For Sale • 10 Comments
Power Pack V8: 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air
Chevrolet redesigned its automobiles for 1955 and introduced a small-block V8 that would help usher in performance for stock street cars. The stylish Bel Air Sport Coupe would be quite popular, and you could get one with the “Power… more»
Aug 16, 2023 • For Sale • 9 Comments
Limelight Trophy Winner! 1970 Plymouth Road Runner
The Plymouth Road Runner was one of the most successful of the 1960s mid-size muscle cars. Perhaps only the Pontiac GTO eclipsed it in terms of demand. First-generation (1968-70) production exceeded 172,000 copies, not bad for a car that… more»
Aug 16, 2023 • For Sale • 21 Comments
Post-War Compact: 1951 Kaiser Henry J
The small and economical Kaiser Henry J may have been the right car but at the wrong time. The assumption after World War II was that buyers would scoop up thrifty cars in large numbers. Instead, with years of… more»
Aug 15, 2023 • For Sale • 3 Comments
Lost Storage: 1964 Pontiac Bonneville Drop-Top
The Bonneville was a staple in the Pontiac lineup from 1957 to 2005 and was usually the top-of-the-line offering. The cars were redesigned in 1961 through 1964 and the latter editions of the Bonneville rode on a three-inch longer… more»
Aug 15, 2023 • For Sale • 13 Comments
Out of the Barn! 1962 Chevrolet Greenbrier Camper
Based on the new Corvair with its rear-mounted, air-cooled engine, Chevrolet expanded that product line to include a truck/van platform. The delivery version was called the Corvan 95 (for its 95-inch wheelbase) while the passenger version was the Greenbrier…. more»
Aug 15, 2023 • For Sale • 9 Comments
4-Speed Project: 1971 Oldsmobile 442
The 442 or 4-4-2 was Oldsmobile’s mid-size performance car in the 1960s and 1970s. It would be popular enough to warrant becoming a series of its own from 1968 to 1971, but it would be an option on the… more»
Aug 15, 2023 • For Sale • 9 Comments
4-Door Sleeper? 1972 Chevrolet Malibu V8
The Chevy Malibu was in its ninth year of production in 1972 and was still one of the company’s best-selling nameplates. Changes were few from 1971 to 1972 as a whole new Chevelle was due to come out in… more»
