Project Cars

See-Thru Roof: 1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley

In 1954 and 1955, FoMoCo offered two products as a hardtop with a transparent roof. In ’54, there were the Ford Crestline Crown Victoria Skyliner and Mercury Monterey Sun Valley (in ’55, the Sun Valley was based on the… more»

Rust-Free Two-Stroke Project: 1967 Saab 95

A French gentleman named Nicholas Cugnot is said to have been the first to have successfully used front-wheel drive on a vehicle – a steam-powered three-wheeler – in 1769, almost 200 years before this 1967 Saab 95 was made…. more»

Half-Buried: 1967 Dodge A-100 Van

The Dodge A-100 (and A-108 with a longer wheelbase) was a “cabover” panel van built by Chrysler from 1964 to 1970. Next to the VW van, it may have been the most popular of its kind in the 1970s… more»

Retro Roadster: Panther Lima Turbo

Before researching this tip sent over by T.J., I had never heard of Panther Westwinds and its predilection for creating retro-classic fiberglass roadsters. The company was founded in Britain in 1972 by Robert Jankel, who trained as an engineer…. more»

Two-Owner Barn Find: 1968 Ford Fairlane 500

While the Ford Fairlane first launched in the 1950s, it was a mid-size car from 1962 to 1970. It was joined by the Torino nameplate in 1968, which would quickly take over the series. This ‘68 Fairlane 500 2-door… more»

Stored 30 Years: 1971 Pontiac Trans Am 455 HO

Muscle car buyers in the sixties and seventies often had to spend time doing some homework before visiting the dealer of their choice, as many models offered a fine variety of engine options to pick from.  However, the only… more»

One-Owner Garage Find: 1953 Studebaker Commander Coupe

I like my neighbors (well, some of them), but none of them have a ’53 Studebaker Commander socked away in their garage; if they did, I’d like them more. The eBay seller of this one casually mentions that it… more»

1968 Plymouth Fury III Convertible Project

I think this is primer, isn’t it? I don’t think this is a faded Mary Kay version of the 1968 Plymouth Fury III Convertible. A beautiful and spot-on-for-the-era Avocado Green color is shown under the hood, so it must… more»

Rare Rusty Oldsmobile Project: 1974 Hurst/Olds

The Hurst/Olds was a collaboration between Oldsmobile and Hurst Performance. They were built sporadically between 1968 and 1984, based on the then-current mid-size Cutlass. The 1974 edition saw only 1,800 copies made and used the Colonnade body design employed… more»

Gold Duster: 1973 Plymouth Slant-Six Barn Find

The Plymouth Duster was one of the most popular compacts of the 1970s. Launched as the 1960s was on the way out, the Duster was a sporty variant of the Valiant with its own sheet metal back of the… more»

Post-War Crossover: 1948 Jeepster

The original Jeepster (1948 to 1950) was an early crossover designed to fill a gap in the Willys Jeep product line. Unlike other Jeeps, it was strictly a 2-wheel-drive, but it borrowed extensively from the existing parts bin to… more»

400 V8 Restomod Project: 1955 Chevrolet 210

One of the most successful generations of automobiles produced by Chevrolet came from 1955 to 1957. They became known as the “Tri-Fives” and sold nearly five million copies due in part to Chevy’s first V8 in 37 years. As… more»

Ambitious Project: 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu

General Motors introduced a third tier of automobiles in 1964, the intermediate. In Chevrolet’s case, it was the mid-size Chevelle that was sandwiched between the compacts Chevy II and Corvair and the full-size Impala, et al. It would quickly… more»

Restore or Restomod? 1971 Pontiac Firebird

Considering its cult status in the late 1970s, it’s hard to believe that the Firebird was in danger of cancellation earlier in the decade. With a long strike at the Norwood plant in Ohio and lukewarm sales, General Motors… more»

Cross-Ram Project: 1962 Chrysler 300H

From 1955 until 1962, Chrysler buyers who wanted performance in a full-size car shopped for the 300 Letter Series. These automobiles had the best that Chrysler offered in terms of muscle mixed with luxury. But in 1962, Chrysler added… more»

El Camino Wannabe: 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

And now for something from the “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” department. The listing is a bit misleading as it describes this Oldsmobile El Camino-like truck as both a ’66 edition and a ’70 – it… more»

Barn Finds