Classic 4x4 fun Classics are cool. Whether you're talking Jeeps, Fords, Toyotas, or whatever, there's something about the lines and design of classic iron that draws the eye and captures the imagination. This is one reason why so many vintage 4x4s survive today. This '72 FJ40 Land Cruiser is a perfect example of a classic.... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 2011 Magnum Roadside Aircraft
One of the most daring hybrid creations of its era My friends often ask me which I prefer, cars or airplanes. My answer is both, and the reason this spot caught my eye while I was visiting the Dallas Car and Toy Museum last week. Born from the hands of architect-turned-aviator Rick Johnson, this remarkable... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 1985 Renault Fuego
"A" for effort, but "D" when it came to dependability I remember my dad talking about the growing partnership that American Motors Corp. had with Renault in the late '70s and early '80s while he was working at the National Parts Distribution Center in Milwaukee. After periods of intermittent independent success, Renault acquired a significant... Continue Reading →
Truck spot: 55 Ford F-100 pickup
A landmark truck, if there ever was one Happy New Year! $30 million bucks is a lot of money today. Still, in the mid-50s, it must have represented a fortune to Ford when it decided to go back to the drawing board to redesign its F-100s using something that had never been done before, an... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 1994 Saab 900 Turbo Convertible
Looking back at the sporty Saab 900 Turbo Convertible, a quirky, but cool car.
Car Spot: 2001 Pontiac Aztek
Tried to please everyone but ended up appealing to almost no one. I've been looking for one of these for the longest time. Not because they're cool, just the opposite. I know, as an owner of a '72 AMC Gremlin and '75 Pacer, what's the saying? Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Well, at... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 67 Ford Ranchero 500 XL
The original hybrid For the most part, compact cars of the '60s were nothing to write home about. Basic transportation was the answer to higher fuel prices and imports. Ford's entry was the Falcon, today almost forgotten, but it was how the Mustang, and this week's spot, a 67 Ford Ranchero, came about. The snazzy... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible
Typical late 60s car with power and style ... I think the mid- to late-60s were the golden age for American automobile manufacturers, mainly because horsepower was king and each company was trying to outdo the others. This week's spot, a 67 Dodge RT Coronet Convertible, is a great example. I found this spot this... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 69 Jaguar E Type
Famously called "the most beautiful car ever made" by Enzo Ferrari When you think of iconic cars from the '60s, the ones I think about are the '63 Split Window Corvette, '64 Pontiac GTO, '65 Mustang, 1966 Lamborghini Miura, and this week's spot, the Jaguar E-Type. Actually, some consider it the greatest sports car of... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: Early 60s VW Transporter Pickup
A twentieth-century Conestoga wagon In some ways VW of the 60s could be compared to Chrysler of 80s utilizing one platform to create so many vehicles. This week's spot, a VW single cab pickup is a great example of the company's ingenuity. Introduced in the early 50s it was one of the most advanced commercial... Continue Reading →