There's nothing smart about this car Known for its massive, and expensive cars, the Smart Car was something really different from Mercedes Benz. It all started in 1972 when they decided to explore what cars of the new millennium would look like. The 1973 oil crisis convinced them that they should move forward with a... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: the Buick Reatta
GM's other two-seater Did you know that with the exception of Oldsmobile, all of GM's passenger-car divisions offered two-seaters during the late 1980s and early 1990s? There was Chevrolet Corvette, Pontiac Fiero, Cadillac Allante, and this week's car spot, the Buick Reatta. I think it's a cool-looking car but America didn't. Introduced in 1988, the Buick Reatta... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: A Bathtub Nash
America's first adventure car before there were SUVs This spot brought back flashbacks for me when I spotted it on a lot/salvage yard because we had one as a kid, a 1950 Bathtub Nash. The pride of Kenosha. In the late 40s and early 50s, the bathtub styling trend was hot and Nash was seen... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: Subaru Sambar
OK, another truck but a really cool one. One of the cool things Mark and I love about going up to Road America is that chances are we are going to discover a really cool vehicle like this week's spot, a Subaru Sambar. This looks to be an early 90s example. The Sumbar began production... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: Studebaker Lark and Pickup
One of the last of the independents that just ran out of cash ... Being a big fan of the cars from American Motors, I can appreciate what Studebaker brought to market and how they tried to challenge the Big Three. Like AMC, at times they were brilliant, but other times, not so much. In... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 61 Rambler Cross Country
A time when wagons roamed the country ... Just in case you couldn't tell, I have a soft spot for the cars and Jeeps made by American Motors Corp. Maybe it was because my dad worked there for 17 years starting in 1963 and ending just after Chrysler bought AMC. Not sure why he did,... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 1997 Dodge Viper GTS
Built when Dodge was in total fun mode ... Bob Lutz is one of my all-time favorite car guys. He brought so much to the automotive world in fun cars like this week's spot, the Dodge Viper. Looking to create a modern-day Cobra, the first prototype was tested in January 1989 and went on sale... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: A Camaro with some extra zip
Better than factory and more fun ... The Chevy Camaro was second on the scene in the pony car era debuting on Sept. 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year a bit after the Ford Mustang. Four distinct generations of the Camaro have been developed before production ended for the first time in 2002. Chevy... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 71 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible
This is one sweet ride The cool thing about an auction is that you will probably see a special car that you've never heard of before. Such is the case of a 71 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible that came up for sale a couple of weeks ago at the Mecum auction in Chicago this week's car... Continue Reading →
Car Spot: 67 Chevy El Camino
Following Ford into a hot market ... Ford has caught Chevy napping more than once in automotive history. Every car person knows about the Mustang, but did you know about the El Camino, the subject of this week's car spot. It was legendary designer Harley J. Earl, who had suggested Chevy make a coupé pick-up... Continue Reading →