Ford’s first U.S.-built entry into the subcompact market in the 1970s was the Pinto. It had a 10-year run and saw more than three million copies produced. Though it got a bad rap for gas tank issues (boom!), Ford… more»
Station Wagons
The First SUV? 1984 AMC Eagle 4×4
Quirky or prescient? You could proffer that question about a lot of American Motors vehicles. I’d rate this 1984 AMC Eagle station wagon as a bit of both. And AMC had it all going on in ’84 as they… more»
California Car: 1961 Plymouth Suburban Deluxe
Talk about a unique survivor. Maybe “unique” doesn’t even do the design of the ’61 Plymouth Belvedere and Suburban wagon justice. I think it’s a winner, design-wise, but I like my vehicles a little on the weird side. The… more»
371 Tri-Power Project: 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 Fiesta Wagon
The idea of a muscle Wagon must have seemed like an oxymoron to some potential buyers in the 1950s, but Oldsmobile gave the concept a fair shake with the 1957 Super 88 Fiesta Wagon. The standard 371ci V8 under… more»
327 Equipped: 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad
Detroit was firing on all eight cylinders for the 1955 model year. Especially at Chevrolet, where the popular, all-new ’55 models were breaking sales records. 1,775,952 total Chevys were produced, a whopping 54% increase over 1954, and its top-of-the-line… more»
Low Mileage K-Car: 1988 Dodge Aries America
The second half of the 1970s wasn’t particularly kind to Chrysler in terms of sales. The OPEC oil embargo had caught them off-guard as they continued to peddle large gas guzzlers. And the Dodge Aspen/ Plymouth Volare compacts had… more»
No Reserve: 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park
It can sometimes be challenging to decide when a classic has deteriorated beyond the point of no return. Views differ on the subject, and I expect that to be the case with this 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park…. more»
44k Mile Minivan: 1993 Ford Aerostar
There’s a part of the automotive landscape that has sadly gone away, and no, I’m not going on another sad rant about the demise of the wagon body. Instead, it’s this: the giant domestic van, a genre of vehicles… more»
Put An LS In It Part III: 1976 Chevrolet Vega
I’m thinking of creating an “LS” equipped series as those engines, and your oft proclamation of “Put an LS in it” are reaching critical mass. Today’s recipient and I mean lucky recipient, is a 1976 Chevrolet Vega Kammback wagon,… more»
440 Plus Patina! 1967 Dodge Polara Station Wagon
When loudness is such an issue with your hauler that neighbors get scared when the big block starts followed by your wife not enjoying the attention created by the noise, it’s time to sell, or at least that’s what… more»
Nicest One Left? 1977 Plymouth Volare Wagon
Chrysler introduced the Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen in 1976 to replace the aging Valiant/Dart compacts. The cars had a five-year run, but they were not trouble-free with a host of recalls in the vehicles’ earliest days. This 1977 station wagon… more»