mod@tech

ClassicCars.com chatted with Cheston Carson, Product Specialist at Dodge, at Barrett-Jackson and went on a Thrill Ride in both the 797-horsepower Challenger and Charger Hellcat Redeyes. These thrill rides give people the opportunity to experience the dynamic performance of these vehicles in a way you can’t every day. Not only is it an educational experience, it’s fun for the whole family! With a variety of options, from Challenger and Charger Hellcats to Redeyes, the Dodge Thrill Ride is available at every Barrett-Jackson auction and is free to everyone attending the event. If you’re visiting the inaugural New Orleans auction September 28-30, you don’t want to miss this!

Check out the latest 4K video and many others at ClassicCars.com YouTube channel.

ClassicCars.com chatted with Cheston Carson, Product Specialist at Dodge, at Barrett-Jackson and went on a Thrill Ride in both the 797-horsepower Challenger and Charger Hellcat Redeyes. These thrill rides give people the opportunity to experience the dynamic performance of these vehicles in a way you can’t every day. Not only is it an educational experience, it’s fun for the whole family! With a variety of options, from Challenger and Charger Hellcats to Redeyes, the Dodge Thrill Ride is available at every Barrett-Jackson auction and is free to everyone attending the event. If you’re visiting the inaugural New Orleans auction September 28-30, you don’t want to miss this!

Check out the latest 4K video and many others at ClassicCars.com YouTube channel.

The universe works in mysterious ways.

In late June, I needed to pick up a vehicle from the body shop, so I called an Uber from my house. As an Acura enthusiast (or more so, a fanatic) I was pleased to see that my ride was going to be in a TSX. The car arrived and looked great. “How many miles are on it?” I asked as we got the trip underway. The driver, Randy, paused. I thought he might say it had 100,000 or so, but the car had 495,980 miles on the odometer. When the ride finished, I exchanged contact information with Randy so he could stay in touch when he got closer to the big-five.

He followed up with me only a couple of weeks later via text message and said, “Looks like tomorrow is the day.” We met up at a midpoint (I drove my 585,000-mile Legend, of course) to experience the milestone together.

The Rollover

Being mid-July in Arizona, by 10:30 a.m. the temperature had already soared to triple-digit range so we kept our time in the parking lot to a minimum. Randy had 13 miles left to go, so I hopped into the passenger seat and we decided to drive about six miles up the freeway and then loop back.

Our calculations paid off, as the 500,000-mile mark came at almost exactly the location where we originally started – safe inside the parking lot at Tempe Marketplace so we didn’t have to be pulled over on the side of a busy road taking videos and photos. I shook Randy’s hand and welcomed him (and his trusty TSX) to the half-million-mile club.

Randy’s Mileage Accumulation

The staggering thing to me isn’t necessarily Randy’s mileage achievement, because there have been plenty of vehicles reaching the 500,000-mile mark and beyond. I’m particularly intrigued by the speed at which Randy accrued those miles.

To further illustrate this, I pulled a CARFAX report based on his car’s vehicle identification number (VIN). His car was sold new in May 2010 with 10 miles on the odometer. Randy took ownership in January 2017 at 44,993 miles. Within two years, he hit 150,000 miles. The most recent odometer reading on the report was an emissions check in March 2022 at 391,073 miles. And now 16 months later, he hit 500,000.

Working the math on that data: Randy has put 455,007 miles on his car in just a little over six years of ownership. That comes out to 75,834 miles per year. Divide that by 365 days per year, and his car has been driven on average 207 miles every single day day for the last six years. Wow. Uber over-achiever extraordinaire.

Nuts and Bolts

What is the backstory on this seemingly-immortal car, anyway? The TSX model was launched in 2004 as the gateway sedan to the Acura Division of American Honda. Technically, it was introduced in mid-2003 which is why we recently celebrated a 20-year anniversary. The first-generation model was sold as an Accord in Europe.

Randy’s TSX comes from the second generation of the model which launched in 2009 but carried over similar engineering. It is powered by Honda’s popular (and clearly robust) 2.4-liter i-VTEC inline-four powerplant which was rated at 201 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque when new. The engine could be paired with either a five-speed automatic transmission (as in Randy’s case) or a six-speed manual.

Randy’s car is an automatic, and he says that the only major unscheduled replacement during all those miles has been an alternator. The rest has simply consisted of routine fluids, tires, and brakes.

To the Moon (Twice)

The conclusion of our celebration consisted of placing a “LOW MILEAGE” sticker on Randy’s windshield to make things official. We joked about the fact that Randy’s car has driven to the moon and back, and now he’s on his way there again. “I think I left something there, so I have to go back,” he mused.

Thanks, Randy, for sharing your experience with me. I wish you many more happy and safe miles.

Do you have a high-mileage vehicle story to share? Let us know in the comments!

The universe works in mysterious ways.

In late June, I needed to pick up a vehicle from the body shop, so I called an Uber from my house. As an Acura enthusiast (or more so, a fanatic) I was pleased to see that my ride was going to be in a TSX. The car arrived and looked great. “How many miles are on it?” I asked as we got the trip underway. The driver, Randy, paused. I thought he might say it had 100,000 or so, but the car had 495,980 miles on the odometer. When the ride finished, I exchanged contact information with Randy so he could stay in touch when he got closer to the big-five.

He followed up with me only a couple of weeks later via text message and said, “Looks like tomorrow is the day.” We met up at a midpoint (I drove my 585,000-mile Legend, of course) to experience the milestone together.

The Rollover

Being mid-July in Arizona, by 10:30 a.m. the temperature had already soared to triple-digit range so we kept our time in the parking lot to a minimum. Randy had 13 miles left to go, so I hopped into the passenger seat and we decided to drive about six miles up the freeway and then loop back.

Our calculations paid off, as the 500,000-mile mark came at almost exactly the location where we originally started – safe inside the parking lot at Tempe Marketplace so we didn’t have to be pulled over on the side of a busy road taking videos and photos. I shook Randy’s hand and welcomed him (and his trusty TSX) to the half-million-mile club.

Randy’s Mileage Accumulation

The staggering thing to me isn’t necessarily Randy’s mileage achievement, because there have been plenty of vehicles reaching the 500,000-mile mark and beyond. I’m particularly intrigued by the speed at which Randy accrued those miles.

To further illustrate this, I pulled a CARFAX report based on his car’s vehicle identification number (VIN). His car was sold new in May 2010 with 10 miles on the odometer. Randy took ownership in January 2017 at 44,993 miles. Within two years, he hit 150,000 miles. The most recent odometer reading on the report was an emissions check in March 2022 at 391,073 miles. And now 16 months later, he hit 500,000.

Working the math on that data: Randy has put 455,007 miles on his car in just a little over six years of ownership. That comes out to 75,834 miles per year. Divide that by 365 days per year, and his car has been driven on average 207 miles every single day day for the last six years. Wow. Uber over-achiever extraordinaire.

Nuts and Bolts

What is the backstory on this seemingly-immortal car, anyway? The TSX model was launched in 2004 as the gateway sedan to the Acura Division of American Honda. Technically, it was introduced in mid-2003 which is why we recently celebrated a 20-year anniversary. The first-generation model was sold as an Accord in Europe.

Randy’s TSX comes from the second generation of the model which launched in 2009 but carried over similar engineering. It is powered by Honda’s popular (and clearly robust) 2.4-liter i-VTEC inline-four powerplant which was rated at 201 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque when new. The engine could be paired with either a five-speed automatic transmission (as in Randy’s case) or a six-speed manual.

Randy’s car is an automatic, and he says that the only major unscheduled replacement during all those miles has been an alternator. The rest has simply consisted of routine fluids, tires, and brakes.

To the Moon (Twice)

The conclusion of our celebration consisted of placing a “LOW MILEAGE” sticker on Randy’s windshield to make things official. We joked about the fact that Randy’s car has driven to the moon and back, and now he’s on his way there again. “I think I left something there, so I have to go back,” he mused.

Thanks, Randy, for sharing your experience with me. I wish you many more happy and safe miles.

Do you have a high-mileage vehicle story to share? Let us know in the comments!

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe.  

The C3 Corvette is one of my all time favorite U.S. car designs. Sure the C2 cars are a more iconic design, but the C3 is of my generation and I still remember seeing these cars when they were new and thinking how cool they looked, something hard to say about many U.S. cars of the era. The C3 has a real European-like design and if you squint your can easily see how the C3 design was influenced by cars such as the Ferrari 250 GTO. To my eye, the best era for the C3 was from 1969-1972. I leave out the original 1968 editions due to the fact that the car was not fully baked until 1969, when the door buttons were replaced by the slick door handles that incorporated the latch in the handle itself. It is those little things that make a difference to me and that small change made the car perfect.

This 1969 Corvette was also the era where performance was king, and you could get a C3 Corvette with a myriad of engine, gearbox, and rear end options. This made these early C3s the last true high performance Corvettes we would see until the mid-1980s.

Our AutoHunter Spotlight is for this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette coupe which is equipped with its original and numbers-matching L68 427cid tri-power V8 with 400HP and 460 ft/lbs of torque backed by a Muncie M20 four-speed manual transmission (you could still get this awesome combination in 1969).

It is a well optioned car and includes power steering and brakes, air conditioning, a tilt and telescoping steering column, rebuilt carburetors, and removable roof panels. The car is painted in Cortez Silver with a black vinyl interior.

There is even more to like about this Corvette as the seller states that the car still has its original factory-applied paint in Cortez Silver (code 986), though they add that some paint touch-up work has been performed at the rear. Being a 1969 Vette, it still features chrome bumpers and the great looking side vents with chrome trim. It also has the iconic C3 hide-away headlights, a big-block hood, color-keyed removable roof panels, dual mirrors, and a rear-mounted antenna. The seller adds that the original luggage rack has been removed and the holes have been filled with black plugs.

Let’s move on to the interior. The seats were recently reupholstered in correct black vinyl and it also has new black carpeting. The selling dealer adds that the windshield wipers do not function and the air conditioning system does not blow cold.

The car features its iconic dash with a 160-mph speedometer, a 7,000-rpm tachometer, a clock, and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and battery located ahead of the driver. The odometer reads 63,136 miles, which the selling dealer reports to be accurate.

As stated earlier, this 1969 Corvette is powered by its original and numbers-matching L68 427cid V8 equipped with tri-power and backed by the numbers-matching Muncie M20 four-speed manual transmission. Features include chrome valve covers and an air cleaner. The selling dealer states that the carburetors were rebuilt, a compression leak-down test was performed, the spark plugs were changed, and the engine mounts were replaced 868 miles ago.

This 1969 Corvette is one to buy as an investment and also make a fast and fun car to drive. Able to be shown or used regularly, the fun to be had with this car is practically limitless.

The auction for this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe ends on Friday, July 21, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe.  

The C3 Corvette is one of my all time favorite U.S. car designs. Sure the C2 cars are a more iconic design, but the C3 is of my generation and I still remember seeing these cars when they were new and thinking how cool they looked, something hard to say about many U.S. cars of the era. The C3 has a real European-like design and if you squint your can easily see how the C3 design was influenced by cars such as the Ferrari 250 GTO. To my eye, the best era for the C3 was from 1969-1972. I leave out the original 1968 editions due to the fact that the car was not fully baked until 1969, when the door buttons were replaced by the slick door handles that incorporated the latch in the handle itself. It is those little things that make a difference to me and that small change made the car perfect.

This 1969 Corvette was also the era where performance was king, and you could get a C3 Corvette with a myriad of engine, gearbox, and rear end options. This made these early C3s the last true high performance Corvettes we would see until the mid-1980s.

Our AutoHunter Spotlight is for this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette coupe which is equipped with its original and numbers-matching L68 427cid tri-power V8 with 400HP and 460 ft/lbs of torque backed by a Muncie M20 four-speed manual transmission (you could still get this awesome combination in 1969).

It is a well optioned car and includes power steering and brakes, air conditioning, a tilt and telescoping steering column, rebuilt carburetors, and removable roof panels. The car is painted in Cortez Silver with a black vinyl interior.

There is even more to like about this Corvette as the seller states that the car still has its original factory-applied paint in Cortez Silver (code 986), though they add that some paint touch-up work has been performed at the rear. Being a 1969 Vette, it still features chrome bumpers and the great looking side vents with chrome trim. It also has the iconic C3 hide-away headlights, a big-block hood, color-keyed removable roof panels, dual mirrors, and a rear-mounted antenna. The seller adds that the original luggage rack has been removed and the holes have been filled with black plugs.

Let’s move on to the interior. The seats were recently reupholstered in correct black vinyl and it also has new black carpeting. The selling dealer adds that the windshield wipers do not function and the air conditioning system does not blow cold.

The car features its iconic dash with a 160-mph speedometer, a 7,000-rpm tachometer, a clock, and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and battery located ahead of the driver. The odometer reads 63,136 miles, which the selling dealer reports to be accurate.

As stated earlier, this 1969 Corvette is powered by its original and numbers-matching L68 427cid V8 equipped with tri-power and backed by the numbers-matching Muncie M20 four-speed manual transmission. Features include chrome valve covers and an air cleaner. The selling dealer states that the carburetors were rebuilt, a compression leak-down test was performed, the spark plugs were changed, and the engine mounts were replaced 868 miles ago.

This 1969 Corvette is one to buy as an investment and also make a fast and fun car to drive. Able to be shown or used regularly, the fun to be had with this car is practically limitless.

The auction for this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe ends on Friday, July 21, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

Chrysler was on a roll in the design department under the direction of Virgil Exner. He was responsible for many striking automotive shapes of the 1950s and 1960s, and one of his well-known designs was that of the Newport.

The Pick of the Day is a 1961 Chrysler Newport listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Belfair, Washington. (Click the link to view the listing)

“This is a stunning and unique ’61 Chrysler Newport with the rare factory A/C option,” the listing begins. It is a Southern California rust-free and accident-free car. It was treated to a professional paint job plus new upholstery about six years ago.”

The Newport name dates back to 1940 when Chrysler used it on the Newport Phaeton for two model years. It was a unique car for a few reasons but some of the most noteworthy were its lack of a roof system or weather protection, its hideaway headlights, and its dual windshields. Through the 1950s, Newport was used as a sub-model for vehicles like the Windsor, New Yorker, and Saratoga. Finally, in 1961, the Newport became a standalone model.

There’s a lot to love about this Newport. It came as a well-optioned car with power steering, power brakes, a clock, and an AM radio – not to mention that rare air conditioning. The seller states that the car spent about 15 years in a museum. Even the original owner’s manual remains in the plastic wrapper.

Although the peak tailfin era for American cars was the late 1950s, the Newport had prominent fins in 1961. They were toned down shortly thereafter in 1962 and completely gone by 1963. The 1961 and 1962 model years also had unique offset headlights. One of my favorite design elements of the Newport is found in the interior: The “AstraDome” instrument cluster was a futuristic glass dome that extended toward the steering wheel and contained the gauges in a stacked three-dimensional arrangement.

Power comes from a 361cid Firebolt V8 mated to a PowerFlite push-button three-speed automatic transmission. The seller states that the engine is quiet with no smoke, no knocks, and a rebuilt carburetor. Accompanying the car is a folder of receipts and paperwork back to when the car was new.

“You can literally fly in and drive this beauty home – just make sure you add a couple of days to the trip since people will want to ask questions and take pictures. It’s really an attention-getter. I wouldn’t hesitate to drive this anywhere in the country,” the seller states.

The asking price is $25,000 or best offer for this Newport. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Chrysler was on a roll in the design department under the direction of Virgil Exner. He was responsible for many striking automotive shapes of the 1950s and 1960s, and one of his well-known designs was that of the Newport.

The Pick of the Day is a 1961 Chrysler Newport listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Belfair, Washington. (Click the link to view the listing)

“This is a stunning and unique ’61 Chrysler Newport with the rare factory A/C option,” the listing begins. It is a Southern California rust-free and accident-free car. It was treated to a professional paint job plus new upholstery about six years ago.”

The Newport name dates back to 1940 when Chrysler used it on the Newport Phaeton for two model years. It was a unique car for a few reasons but some of the most noteworthy were its lack of a roof system or weather protection, its hideaway headlights, and its dual windshields. Through the 1950s, Newport was used as a sub-model for vehicles like the Windsor, New Yorker, and Saratoga. Finally, in 1961, the Newport became a standalone model.

There’s a lot to love about this Newport. It came as a well-optioned car with power steering, power brakes, a clock, and an AM radio – not to mention that rare air conditioning. The seller states that the car spent about 15 years in a museum. Even the original owner’s manual remains in the plastic wrapper.

Although the peak tailfin era for American cars was the late 1950s, the Newport had prominent fins in 1961. They were toned down shortly thereafter in 1962 and completely gone by 1963. The 1961 and 1962 model years also had unique offset headlights. One of my favorite design elements of the Newport is found in the interior: The “AstraDome” instrument cluster was a futuristic glass dome that extended toward the steering wheel and contained the gauges in a stacked three-dimensional arrangement.

Power comes from a 361cid Firebolt V8 mated to a PowerFlite push-button three-speed automatic transmission. The seller states that the engine is quiet with no smoke, no knocks, and a rebuilt carburetor. Accompanying the car is a folder of receipts and paperwork back to when the car was new.

“You can literally fly in and drive this beauty home – just make sure you add a couple of days to the trip since people will want to ask questions and take pictures. It’s really an attention-getter. I wouldn’t hesitate to drive this anywhere in the country,” the seller states.

The asking price is $25,000 or best offer for this Newport. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.