mod@tech

For many American models, add the name “Brougham” and it’s a sign that it’s a gussied-up version of a familiar model. But from where did this distinction come? And did you know that there have been several models over the years called “Brougham”? It’s an interesting story with several models of which you either were not aware or may not have remembered.

Like many automotive names, “Brougham” came from the carriage trade. In 1838, a British statesman named Lord Brougham commissioned a carriage built to his specifications by the coachbuilder Robinson & Cook. Features specific to the Brougham included:

• Removal of the perch (a connector between the front and rear axles).
• Spring hangers mounted on the body structure, lowering the floor for ease of entry (especially for Victorian ladies).
• One outside step.
• Low weight, requiring only one horse.
• Squared-off roof in the rear.
• Forward-thrusting curve at the base of the cabin.

As you may know, early automobile design was derived from carriage design. The first automotive broughams were town cars, with the chauffeur ahead of the cabin. American broughams began to eschew the chauffeur (and his accommodations) for a formal two-door coupe. Then, in 1916, Cadillac pioneered the use of the Brougham name for a fancy version of its five-passenger sedan, continuing mostly uninterrupted through 1937 with fancier models and body styles. Cadillac brought back the name for the ultra-expensive 1957-60 Eldorado Brougham, but the proliferation of the same appears to have begun with the 1964 Bonneville when Pontiac introduced a fancier Brougham interior package, which ended up having other brands follow in its coattails well into the 1970s and beyond.

We have found three models among several brands throughout the years that were simply called “Brougham.”   

Cadillac
Cadillac returned to the Brougham fold with an interior package for the 1965 Sixty Special. The Fleetwood Brougham replaced the Sixty Special in 1977; this car would be produced through 1986.

For 1987, the Brougham succeeded the Fleetwood Brougham in name, though the vehicle was the same. This was the era of front-wheel-drive Cadillacs, with the Brougham maintaining the classic rear-wheel-drive body. This car was produced through 1992; when the redesigned full-size Cadillac was introduced for 1993, it reverted back to the familiar Fleetwood, with a Brougham package available just like in the past.

Mercury
Mercury had multiple personalities in the 1960s. For some reason, the brand moved down-market in 1961, dropping the Park Lane and Montclair. Then, for 1964, Mercury recovered its position by bringing back the two dropped models.

Starting in 1967, Mercury introduced the Brougham, a Park Lane-based model that was “formal in manner, luxuriously appointed, powered and equipped to perform beautifully.” Available as a four-door sedan and hardtop, the Brougham’s forte was a fancy interior consisting of elegant Chalons or Versailles fabric seat upholstery combined with “fine vinyl” with contour-molded foam front seat cushions, deep-loop nylon-rayon carpeting, and door assist handles. Other standard features included a standard 330-horsepower 410 (an FE-series engine that combined the 390 block with the 428’s crankshaft), Select-Shift Merc-O-Matic or four-speed manual, Flow-Thru Ventilation (hardtop) or Breezeway Ventilation (sedan), power front disc brakes, wood-grain steering wheel and interior trim, automatic parking brake release, “luxury level” body insulation, unique exterior and interior ornamentation, electric clock, vanity mirror, courtesy light group, rear-seat center armrest, wheel-cut moldings, and tailored spare tire cover. The cars carried Park Lane badges on the rear fenders, but the model was marketed as “Brougham.” “In total the Brougham has an aura of accomplishment with all the hallmarks of good taste and refinement,” claimed the brochure.

The Brougham returned slightly decontented (410 discontinued, replaced by a 315-horsepower 390, and Breezeway Ventilation was optional) for 1968, but it was still a super Park Lane of sorts. Again, what distinguished the Brougham from the latter was its cabin, now “the ultimate in interior comfort and luxurious appointments” thanks to the new “Twin-Comfort Lounge Seats.” These were individually adjustable with center armrests for each passenger, perhaps something you’d expect in a fancier Lincoln (and available as an option for the Park Lane and Marquis). Mid-year, a Brougham two-door hardtop (with a fastback roofline) was introduced, but only 114 were built.

When Mercury’s full-size lineup was completely redesigned for 1969, the Park Lane was replaced by the Marquis, which had been a personal luxury coupe for the previous two years but now was expanded to a full-line series; at the top of the series was (wait for it!) the Marquis Brougham.

Holden
General Motors’ Australian brand may be foreign to many North American enthusiasts, but the DNA can often be seen as many of the themes familiar to Americans and Canadians are evident. This was especially true with the Holden HK series that was introduced in the spring of 1968 (cars from Oz tend to go by series and not model year).

The mainstream four-door models were called Belmont, Kingswood, and Premiere, with the latter featuring four headlights to distinguish it from lesser trim levels. In the summer of 1968, the Monaro coupe was introduced, as well as a Premiere-based Brougham four-door. The Brougham featured an extended trunk and standard Chevrolet 307 V-8 among other distinctions. Facelifted HT and HG Brougham models were produced through 1971, then the model was discontinued, to be replaced by the Statesman — ironic, considering the statesman that inspired the Brougham name.

Who needs wallpaper, anyway? One of the (questionable) elements of home décor that makes my place unique is a showcase of license plates in the laundry room. For over three decades, I’ve been collecting all sorts of automobilia. Back when eBay got its start in the 1990s, I was buying and selling car brochures, diecast model cars, and other promotional items.

I also had an early affinity for license plates, but my passion for plate collecting wasn’t nearly as deep as it could have been. Founded in New Hampshire in 1954, the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA) is the world’s largest organization for license plate enthusiasts. The group has about 3,000 members from all 50 U.S. states – as well as 18 other countries around the globe.

As the ALPCA website says, the organization is “dedicated to the promotion of license plate collecting, research, the exchange of information and plates, and the benefits of sharing a common interest with people all over the world.”

This summer, ALPCA will host its 71^st convention from July 15 through 18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In addition, the group has regional events happening around the country throughout the year. One of the fun initiatives each year is voting on the “Best Plate of the Year” to recognize outstanding new license plate designs. The most recent award (announced in 2025) went to Rhode Island for its “lighthouse” license plate.

In my own personal collection of over 100 plates, my oldest is a 1950-issue from Utah.

Some of the more recent plates are from cars that I’ve owned and since sold, while others have been given to me by friends. As a way to remember the story behind each one, I’ll usually write a name and a date on the back with a Sharpie. My most prized license plate is a generic “7631 AM” from Utah from the late 1980s. It was the license plate worn by my late grandfather’s black GMC Sierra at the time of his passing in September 1989. Somewhat fittingly, the registration tab expired a month later, in October of that year.

Do you have a collection of license plates? If so, you might want to join the ALPCA. Dues are $46 per year in the United States. Members receive the bi-monthly “PLATES” magazine, access to a discussion board and a searchable encyclopedia of license plates, and more.

You can find one of the finest European sedans on AutoHunter: a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL that is located in Woodland Hills, California. As an added bonus, it also was originally owned by the legendary baseball broadcaster and 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Vin Scully.

In the 1980-90s, the Mercedes S-Class was the absolute top of the heap in the luxury segment. In 1990, when this car was new, it cost a whopping $74,000. To put things in perspective, a top-of-the-line Cadillac Brougham d’Elegance cost only $31,000 at the time. The S-Class was an absolute status symbol of the era.

As you would expect, the 560SEL was nothing short of perfection. The build quality was better than that of any other car of the era, often compared to that of a bank vault. Then you had the best interior materials. To top it all off, under the hood was the final — and what many consider the best — version of the Mercedes M117 SOHC V8 with a displacement of 5,547cc. This engine gave the 560SEL the ability to cover 0-60 in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of more than 120 mph.

The 560SEL presented here is finished in Black paint over a Grey leather interior. Options include heated bucket seats, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, power telescopic steering column, and sunroof. This car has covered 130,200 miles from new.

Both the exterior and interior of this 560SEL look to be in excellent condition. It appears to be a well-preserved, top-of-the-line used Mercedes that comes with all the books and tools it had when it was new.

I think a car like this 560SL really shines as a spring-to-fall daily driver. Today, a new top-of-the-line Mercedes S-Class has a starting price of $130,000. Yes, it is a great car, but the build quality of a new S-Class does not begin to approach that of this 1990 560SEL. In addition, you are driving a car that is literally the measuring stick for excellence. I guarantee that the price of this car will be considerably less, and you can drive it in the knowledge that you are driving a car that is truly the best in the world.

If this car is of interest to you, you should really make a few bids soon as the auction for this 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL ends on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Matching isn’t just something you do with your socks. Many car enthusiasts do it in their own way, whether it’s buying only Craftsman tools, sticking to a single car brand, or making sure their wheels are the same color as their vehicle. Our Pick of the Day is match-matchy in a different way. You can find this restored and upgraded 1955 Chevrolet 3100 and its color-coordinated custom motorcycle trailer listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Fort Worth, Texas. It comes with photos of the restoration process.

The year 1978 is known as the “Year of the Three Popes” because Pope Paul VI died, his successor John Paul I passed away a little over a month later, and John Paul II became the third person to fill the revered position in a matter of months. Consider 1955 the “Year of the Two Trucks” for Chevrolet. Partway through the model year, Chevrolet switched from its 1955 First Series of “Advance-Design” trucks to the Second Series pickups in the new “Task-Force” lineup. The Second Series had what Chevy called a “‘load-pulling’ look,” which consisted of a forward lean to the headlights, A-pillars, cabs, and bodies.

As part of an extensive restoration/customization process, the truck half of this combo was refinished in the layered combination tan and “root beer,” which looks more like the perfect shade of bronze to me. Keeping with the theme of matching, the wheels are also the same color as the body below the door handles.

Behind the wrap-around rear window is a bed floor lined with bright wood planks and stainless steel strips. Look just a few feet away and you’ll see more of the same — the same root beer paint, wood planks, and even wheels on the matching motorcycle trailer.

If you check certain key areas, you’ll see two major things about this truck that don’t match: its model year and its hardware. Its 350ci V8 wasn’t a thing back in 1955; neither was its TH400 three-speed auto. A newer fuel tank was installed under the bed. Behind those root beer wheels? Power front disc and rear drum brakes.

There are more (welcome) anachronisms in the cabin, such as custom patterned upholstery on the bench seat and door panels, power steering, AutoMeter gauges, air conditioning, and a custom wood console.

By itself, this 1955 Chevrolet 3100 would be an attraction at any vintage car show. With its matching trailer and a cool classic motorcycle on the back? Expect to make lots of new friends whose interests match yours — after you buy this eye-catching combo for $58,995, of course.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

We’re less than a month out from spring. That means we’re closer to warmer weather and Spring Break road trips. In the middle of March, my family and I will go for a long drive in a Chrysler Pacifica minivan, which will take us from the Phoenix area to Carlsbad, California. I know some of the artists and songs we’ll listen to along the way, which I’ve put below. Which ones will you play on your next road trip? Tell us in the Comments section below.

I’ve been on several road trips with my family when I was a kid, but the only song I recall from one of those journeys is the DNA dance remix of “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega. It’s been decades but, from what I remember, my brother Anthony and I kept chanting “do do do-do do do do-do” (try not to do the same after you listen to the song) as we rode in the back of a blue Ford Aerostar on the way up to Milwaukee. It wasn’t until I met my wife Eli and drove several round trips within Texas that I started noticing which artists and songs I typically listen to during a road trip. Here are some of my must-haves:

Eagles: With fuel/food stops and bathroom breaks, the trip from Austin to El Paso can take close to 10 hours. Eli and I were fortunate to be able complete it several times in press vehicles such as the GMC Yukon XL Denali, Ford F-150 Raptor, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, and Ram 1500 Rebel. However nice and comfortable those may have been, none of them made the way there any less monotonous after hour five. Eli played some of her favorites, such as Taylor Swift and Adele, but we also listened to a lot of SiriusXM satellite radio. One of the artists that we heard frequently (but not too frequently) was the Eagles, particularly their older stuff (although I love their 2007 double album “Long Road Out of Eden.”) I find their more laid-back songs, such as “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Take It Easy,” and “Desperado,” are great for passing mile after mile on the highway in complete calm. “Take It to the Limit,” particularly the 1976 live version recorded at The Forum in California, is one Eagles song I play louder than the others just to better hear more of Randy Meisner’s falsettos.

Jackson Browne: There’s a feeling of loneliness to some of his songs, such as “The Load-Out,” that fits long drives. It makes me envision a man whose most stable, longest-lasting relationship is with the road. The towns he stops in and the faces he meets along the way always change, but the road ahead is always the same, forever leading him toward a horizon that holds no sense of peace or contentment. After being a tourist in melancholia (which requires playing “Call It a Loan” — despite its romantic lyrics), I can always liven things up with Browne’s cover of the Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs song “Stay.”

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: By now, you may be noticing a theme to this list. I like music from many different decades and genres, but my interstate travels have resulted in 1970s music being an important part of them. “Night Moves” is groovy and fun. However, it wouldn’t quite be a road trip without hearing “Against the Wind” at least once. Like many Jackson Browne songs, it’s a bit sad, looking back on youthful days filled with loss and mistakes, but it also has a sense of perseverance that provides a glimmer of hope. It goes well with long drives in which you might literally be driving against the wind, and you’re almost certainly battling highway hypnosis, boredom, and the overwhelming desire to somehow magically teleport to your destination after several hours of passing nothing but seemingly endless fields. I also have to mention “Turn the Page” — the Seger version and the cover by Metallica.

Counting Crows: I fell in love with this band in high school when its 1999 album “This Desert Life” was the soundtrack for one particularly memorable boating and camping trip with my buddies. The rowdy “Hanginaround” is a great way to get amped up and ready to go. Front man Adam Duritz wrote “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby” about his imaginary version of the actress Monica Potter (you may remember her from the ’90s movies “Con Air” and “Patch Adams,” or the 2010s TV show “Parenthood”). It’s a long song, but its sense of wonder, poetry, sweetness, and adventure makes every minute — and every mile passed in that time — more pleasant. “A Long December,” a bittersweet song about both past regrets and hope for the future from the 1996 album “Recovering the Satellites,” is ideal for winter road trips, but I’ll make sure to work it into the rotation during my family’s upcoming trek to California.

GR Auto Gallery touts itself as “the best way to sell a unique vehicle.” Originating in the western Michigan city of Grand Rapids (hence the GR), the dealership was conceived by three enthusiasts with a “strong passion and desire to create a place where anyone can enjoy and experience a wide array of vehicles.”

Today, GR Auto Gallery boasts three other locations (metro Detroit, Traverse City, and Indianapolis), all providing enthusiasts with a strong showroom and Internet presence. You’ll find an eclectic assortment of specialty vehicles — such as a Buick next to a Bristol next to a late-model Bimmer  — though most inventory tends to reflect current trends within the collector hobby. Glance at GR’s page on ClassicCars.com and you’ll find (at last count) 477 vehicles listed for consignment or for sale.

If you’re more inclined to sell a vehicle, GR Auto Gallery has created a stress-free consignment process as its team handles the paperwork, marketing, money transfers, appointments, and shipping. Once you bring or ship your vehicle to one of the four showrooms, it receives a professional full-service detailing and photography session. Next, the vehicle is marketed on over 50 major websites (including ClassicCars.com) and, once you decide to accept an offer, GR Auto Gallery will finish the transaction and send you a check. That’s all there is to it!

If you are in the market to buy, GR Auto Gallery offers The Gallery Guarantee on select vehicles purchases. “Buying a vehicle should come with complete peace of mind,” so vehicles receive a service contract that provides coverage for essential components, including the powertrain, drivetrain, transfer case, radiator, water pump, and rear end. Coverage is 3 months/500-3,000 miles (whichever comes first) depending on the vehicle’s age. GR Auto Gallery also offers a “Buy Back Guarantee” — talk with the staff to learn more about this added layer of security.

Currently listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com is this quartet of Fords. We’d like you to put your Encyclopedia Brown detective hat on and figure out something that distinguishes these Blue Oval products from others that came from Dearborn.

Post your answer in the Comments section below. While you’re at it, why not tell us the year and model of each? If you need a hint, simply click on an image.

Click on a photo to reveal each car

Tuesday is the day when The ClassicCars.com Journal introduces a new automotive puzzle. Click here to play past car games!

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad, which is powered by a 400ci small-block V8 paired with a TH400 three-speed automatic. Highlights include power steering and front disc brakes. Finished in blue over a blue vinyl and black cloth interior, this updated hardtop wagon is now offered by the selling dealer in Washington with a clear title.

Brightwork accents the blue body in several areas, including the hood, sides, and tailgate. Other exterior features include “Dagmars,” dual mirrors, ribbed roof, lift-up rear window, and dual exhaust outlets.

This Nomad moves from town to town (or car show to car show) on a set of 17-inch Ridler 650 chrome wheels that are wrapped in 235/50 West Lake Foray RP218 radial tires. Behind all those shiny spokes are power front disc and rear drum brakes.

The cabin offers two rows of blue vinyl and black cloth seating. Surrounding features include power steering, column-mounted automatic shifter, AM radio, clock, and rear window louvers.

Instrumentation consists of a 120-mph speedometer, temperature and fuel gauges, and auxiliary gauge under the dash. The odometer shows 2,641 miles, but this vehicle is mileage-exempt, according to its title.

A 400ci V8 gets this Nomad going to its next destination. It comes equipped with an aftermarket intake manifold, four-barrel carburetor, and chrome valve covers. The small-block sends its power to the rear wheels through a TH400 three-speed automatic. According to the selling dealer, the engine was tuned and the oil was changed a month ago. You can hear it idling in the walk-around video below.

To hear that rumble every day as you go to meet fellow car enthusiasts or drive on your favorite roads, bid on this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad right now. The auction ends on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery