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You can read part 1 of the story by clicking here.

Unlike most concours events, the cars competing in the Pebble Beach Concours and the quality of the judges are among the best in the world. The vehicles are flawless, and the judges do not miss a single detail. This means the process of preparing a car for the lawn at Pebble Beach is much more involved and meticulous. In addition, we are competing in the Virgil Exner Class at Pebble, which consists of one-off cars. Getting our 1957 Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400 concept car ready for this event is more than just detailing—it’s a comprehensive process of concours preparation.

The Super Dart actually was on the lawn at Pebble in 2022, winning in the Preservation Class, so we thought it would be an easy job getting it ready for this year’s Concours. Boy, was I wrong! I set up an appointment with my friend Tim McNair, who is probably the finest concours preparation person in the U.S., and we met at the Maine Classic Car Museum several weeks ago.

The key to concours preparation of a true preservation car like ours is not to try to improve it, but rather to simply preserve what is there and give the car a chance to present as well as possible while leaving all the originality alone. This requires more thought than working on a restored car because, at each step of the process, you have to decide how far to go. You do not want to add anything to the car—just clean everything as much as possible. This is tricky with old finishes and requires expertise not only in terms of the products you use, but also in the technique you demonstrate in using those products. Less-aggressive products are the key, which means that everything you do is slow and methodical. Tim is a master of this, which is why I set up the session with him.

The first thing we did was thoroughly clean every single part of the engine compartment. Again, the goal was not to refinish things, but just to make them as clean as possible on our all-original 67-year-old car. This thorough cleaning resulted in hundreds of small improvements, including an engine compartment that looks as nice as possible. Take a look at the photo below and judge how well we did.

The next thing we did was clean the car’s exterior with plenty of Griot’s Garage Speed Shine, a ceramic quick detailer. This took about an hour . . . and then the real work began.

We started on the paintwork, using a number of different products in a number of stages, going from most to least aggressive. This took one entire day. After 12 hours of constant work, we had a car with original paint that was not only clean but also perfectly preserved. The shade of the paint actually darkened a bit after the work was done, with a deeper look than it had at its previous Pebble outing. Thinking we had put in a good day’s work, we went to dinner.

The next day the “dirty work” started: cleaning the chrome and aluminum brightwork, the interior, and finally the leather top.

After showing me the proper technique, Tim had me clean the grille. What’s amazing is that, based on his experience, Tim did not think the grille of our Chrysler had been cleaned to concours-level in decades. Before you think that’s not a big deal, consider that the grille of the Super Dart 400 is constructed of a chrome-plated brass surround with 66 individual grille teeth. These pieces were coated in years of old wax and corrosion, and each one took tons of careful time to clean. This job took over four hours alone to complete, plus it was messy. We also needed to be very careful not to damage anything while cleaning, which is why the process is so slow.

While I was cleaning the grille, Tim worked on the interior. Before he started, it looked to be black and a light Cream color. After four hours of carefully cleaning every part of the interior, from leather to brightwork, the white and black interior it had when new appeared. In addition, the metal bits of the interior now shined like they should.

The next job assigned to me, after Tim demonstrated the process, was to disassemble and carefully clean the original hubcaps. After the pain of cleaning the grille, this was much easier and only took about an hour. Again, seemingly small things that improve the entire car.

Our final projects were the tires and the car’s leather top. Stupidly assuming the tires would be easy, I cleaned them with Griot’s tire conditioner. They looked perfect, and I thought I was done. About 10 minutes later, after finishing the second tire, I looked at the first and discovered the white gunk I had cleaned out of all the nooks on the sidewall was back. I went back to the first tire and started again, this time using a small brush with the tire conditioner. Everything finally looked good, and I went on to the second tire. After that was done, I felt I was finally making progress until I returned to the first tire again—the white film was back. Tim explained what was happening is called mold release. Tire mold release is the chemical used when tires are made to prevent them from sticking to their molds. It can get into the rubber itself and then creep back out.

The solution was a different and very messy product. I slowly and carefully used this on the tires, being careful not to get any on the paint, as it would require going back over that part of the car. After about 90 minutes, the tires looked clean but not shiny, which was okay. Again, the goal is not to make the car look like a fresh restoration—preservation cars should not have a shiny finish.

Conditioning the Super Dart’s leather top was the easiest job of the bunch. This only required a quick cleaning and conditioning, again using a product that made it look nice but not brand-new.

The final tally of man-hours spent for the two of us was around 52, but we now had a car ready for the lawn at Pebble Beach. Also of note: we checked every single system of the car and, after replacing a pair of headlights, had a vehicle that was not only clean but also functioned as it is supposed to—something very important at Pebble Beach, where a half a point can be the difference between getting an award and missing out on one.

Next up, I need to fill the fuel tank with 15 gallons of ethanol-free fuel, replace an incorrect hose clamp, acquire a new vintage-style battery appropriate for the car, and get it on a trailer. That will be covered in the next installment.

Please say hello to us on the show field at Pebble if you are there! I will be with our 1957 Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400 concept car all day and will be happy to answer any questions after judging is complete.

Since the all-new, third-generation Toyota Sequoia came out as a 2023 model, we’ve been bringing you updates about it. We reviewed the upscale 2023 Sequoia Platinum and the adventurous 2024 Sequoia TRD Pro. We told you about the Texas-inspired 1794 Edition joining the lineup last year. Now, we have more news for you: Toyota has updated the Sequoia for 2026 with a new color and a variety of interior enhancements.

One of those updates was announced earlier this year, when Toyota revealed that Wave Maker would be the new color for the 2026 TRD Pro versions of the Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, and Sequoia.

That’s about it for exterior changes. The bulk of the new stuff for the ’26 Sequoia is inside its three-row cabin. Instead of SofTex upholstery, Limited models will be available with black leather seats with white stitching or gray leather seats with black stitching. Toyota made a slight change to the Capstone, swapping out the black and white semi-aniline hides for Shale Premium Textured leather.

The 10-way power-adjustable leather front seats in the 1794, Platinum, and Capstone models get upgraded with a new massage function with different intensity levels. All 2026 Sequoia models will come with power-folding third-row seats.

The ClassicCars.com Journal should be scoring a new batch of vehicles to review in the near future. If the 2026 Toyota Sequoia happens to be one of them, we’ll be sure to keep our streak going and tell you all about it here and on the Collector Car Network Media YouTube channel.

My childhood chum Brian Dittmar gave me his Consumer Guide Complete Guide to Used Cars books (one covering 1969-78, the other 1971-80) many years ago. They were a nice complement to one of the first car books I bought when I was a kid (1970-79, which means I bought it when I was seven). We know that American cars had issues with reliability compared to their Japanese competitors back in the day, but how bad were they really? Let’s start this serial looking at American Motors Corporation.

Perhaps due to my age at the time, I wasn’t bored reading Consumer Guide’s opinion on the reliability of my favorite cars, nor was I offended if the writers had bad things to say about the cars that I liked. I simply was a kid into cars; this book had pictures that showed me the vehicles I saw on the street daily.

One thing that Brian’s 1971-80 book had over mine was a table that listed every engine and the fuel mileage of each. Did you know that the 426 Hemi achieved 6.4 miles per gallon? Though written in an era when fuel economy was a primary consideration for many shoppers, this series of books gives insights on other considerations car shoppers may have—especially reliability. Let’s revisit AMC’s roster from the era and see how they fared as used cars. Please note the CG rating scale of 5 being Excellent and 1 being Poor.

American Motors Corporation
“If you’re in the market for an older used car that will get you where you’re going without frills or flashy finery, and at a low price, an automobile from American Motors Corporation may be what you’re looking for.” Yet “AMC’s workmanship was spotty in the early ‘70s …”

• Ambassador: “… was one of the roomiest and most economical cars of the full-size class.” CG rating: 3
• Hornet/Concord: “… is a solid transportation vehicle that can be bought at a decent price. But it is not equal to the totally new Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zephyr.” CG rating: 3-4
• Gremlin: “A clever bit of engineering with too many shortcomings to be an attractive buy.” CG rating: 2-3
• Javelin: “The Javelin has more strong points than most sporty compacts.” CG rating: 2
• Rebel/Matador: “… probably the most practical all-around intermediate on the used-car market today.” CG rating: 3 (Rebel), 4-5 (Matador)
• Pacer: “The car has big windows but still has a side vision problem because of the extra-wide side pillars right where most drivers look when passing in traffic.” CG rating: 2
• Rambler American: “… is no slouch either when it comes to low-speed city driving.” CG rating: 3

The 2025 Bentley Continental GT has an MSRP of $296,950. But that starting price is merely a starting point because one of out every four Bentleys is now configured with options from the Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide. The addition of new textures, colors, fabrics, and patterns has broadened that array of choices for Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga buyers. After all, what’s the point of having a Bentley if it looks like every other one on Rodeo Drive?

Glossy wood trim has long been a common sight in British luxury cars but, in recent years, the look and texture of open pore wood has become more and more popular. Mulliner’s Vavona and Liquid Amber options still have a protective layer over them, but it’s a super-thin matte finish that uses 90 percent less lacquer than a glossy finish.

For a sportier, more technical look, Mulliner offers a range of carbon fiber accents. The standard finish for the lightweight material is gloss black, but now there are four new alternatives: Damson, Kingfisher Blue, Imperial Blue, and Cumbrian Green.

As Bentley puts it, all “veneered surfaces” can be covered in a mirror-finish Piano Gloss that matches any of the leather colors or 100-plus paint choices in the standard, extended, and Mulliner color palettes. Those looking for a subtle yet distinctive accent can opt for a hand-painted pinstripe that runs across the dashboard and onto the door panels, and spec it in the same color as the vehicle or a color of leather he or she chooses.

As if Bentleys weren’t opulent enough, a new pinstriped veneer option gives the center console a nautical look inspired by the decks of luxury yachts. It’s available on open pore wood or painted veneer with either a straight or chevron pattern. Continuing the aquatic theme is Wave metal trim comprised of intertwined ribbons that produce “a repeating wave effect, catching the light and creating a stunning focal point for the interior.”

Even the anodized speaker grilles for the Bang & Olufsen audio system can be highlighted with one of eight colors, including three new choices: Kingfisher, Pillar Box Red, and Mandarin. If silver isn’t the right color for the “organ stop” air vent controls, those with especially deep pockets can order them in 18-karat gold.

In addition to all that wood, carbon fiber, and leather, the Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide also contains a range of Tweed door inserts in exclusive yarn colors and five patterns: Cheltenham, Glen Plaid, Charcoal Herringbone, Sand Herringbone, and Damson.

Buyers who want trained eyes to help them in their build process can choose from the set of available Designer Suggestions, specification combos recommended by the Mulliner Design Team, or get assistance from a Mulliner Consultant or Bentley Retail Specialist.

It’s likely that many Bentley buyers—especially first-timers—will use one of the Designer Suggestions because combining so many different shades, finishes, textures, and materials can potentially result in a very expensive hodgepodge of poorly coordinated colors and jarring patterns. A little restraint (and another pair of eyes) can go a long way.

Right now on AutoHunter you can find this 1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV, which is equipped with its reportedly numbers-matching 460ci and a Select-Shift three-speed automatic transmission. It’s finished in Dark Brown Metallic and topped with a White Normandie vinyl roof over a Saddle vinyl and White leather interior. Our latest AutoHunter Spotlight car comes with no reserve price from the private seller in Washington with a clear title.

The Dark Brown Metallic body is accented with chrome bumpers, chrome grille, and contrasting side moldings. Exterior features include concealed headlights, White Normandie vinyl roof, opera windows, faux continental kit, and a hitch receiver.

This big American luxury cruiser rides on a set of 15-inch wheels and 237/75 Antares Comfort A5 tires.

The cabin features the Saddle/White Luxury Group with Saddle vinyl and White leather seating. Amenities include power windows, power-adjustable Twin Comfort Lounge front seats, power steering, cruise control, Cartier clock, and AM/FM/cassette radio.

Instrumentation consists of a 120-mph speedometer, fuel gauge, and warning lights for various systems. The odometer shows 87,705 miles; the title for this vehicle indicates it’s mileage-exempt.

According to the seller, the numbers-matching 460ci V8 and the Select-Shift (C6) three-speed automatic were modified by a previous owner to enhance this car’s towing capability. That big V8 transmits its power through a 2.75 rear end. Power four-wheel disc brakes bring this car—and whatever it happens to be towing—to a stop.

If you liked what you read about this 1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV, don’t stop here—go to AutoHunter.com and bid on it before the no-reserve auction ends on Thursday, August 7 at 12:15 p.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

One of the 2,000-plus vehicles that sold at no reserve during the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona earlier this year was a 1982 Ford Crown Victoria station wagon modeled after the famous “Family Truckster” from the movie “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” The car was offered as part of the Dr. Stewart Berkowitz collection and, throughout the course of “auction week,” it was a huge conversation piece among attendees.

While perhaps not as eye-catching in appearance—it’s missing the quad stacked headlights, after all—this car could make a great candidate for a similar tribute.

The Pick of the Day is a 1990 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Most notably, for those seeking an authentic 1980-90s station-wagon look, the car is adorned with plenty of wood-grain trim. It also comes equipped with a roof rack for maximum cargo-hauling utility. Inside, the cabin is the pinnacle of versatility—check out the optional inboard-facing rear seats that cleverly fold down into the floor. There are eight seat belts in the car, making it possible to haul around an average-sized family along with a friend or two. Creature comforts include power windows, power door locks, cruise control, power driver seat, and air conditioning. The seller says the air blows cold, too.

The full-sized LTD Crown Victoria was produced from 1980 through 1991 and could be ordered as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, or station wagon. Underpinnings came from the rear-wheel drive Ford Panther platform architecture, characterized by a double-wishbone front suspension and a coil-sprung live rear axle. Across the decade-long production run, relatively few aesthetic changes took place with the Crown Victoria, although it did receive a facelift in 1988 to give some of the edges a slightly rounder look.

Power for this big people-mover comes from a 5.0-liter Windsor V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The seller says the car runs and drives great. One thing to note: in advertising, Ford talked about how the Country Squire could be optioned with a heavy-duty trailer towing package that was capable of lugging an extra 5,000 pounds around. The station wagon was without a doubt the king of the hill when it came to capability.

Wally World, here we come! The asking price is $16,500 or best offer.

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