I purchased my first car a 1966 Pontiac GTO in May of 1968, and never parted with it. After enjoying the car for years, I performed a frame off restoration on the old gal that was completed in 2016. The car was originally built from the factory with a 389 cubic inch engine, 4-bbl carburetor, but now has been upgraded to a period correct factory Tri-Power setup and factory front disc brakes.
When I was younger I used to race, legally and illegally, in the N.Y. / N.J. area. I made some money and won quite a few trophies at the track. About 13 years ago, my youngest son, after asking me about racing and the Muscle car era I grew up in, asked me if we could find something to build together. I naturally said yes! We found a 1981 Malibu 2 door coupe that someone had converted from a 6cyl.
I got into the car hobby in the 80 s with my late brother John. It started by going to local car and cruise nights and elevated from there. John found a 1957 ford retractable from Iowa that needed work and bought it and drove it as is. As for me I never dreamed I would own or could afford a classic car but it all changed one Saturday morning in 1988. In the Boston Globe that morning one 1967 chevy…
This photo is of my 1973 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, taken on Rt. 66 in Oklahoma. She was originally purchased by Vogue Magazine in London and made it to America in 1984 to a banker in Ada, Oklahoma. His estate sold it to an exotic car dealer in Kansas City where I acquired her in 2014. She is Caribbean Blue with tan leather interior and only 67,000 original miles. She has won several car shows and…
One of the most forgotten and overlooked decades of the automotive industry was the 1970s. With the fuel embargo and the fact that automakers had to downsize cars in size and power, the decade didn’t have very many hits overall. For the most part, it wasn’t a very exciting time in automotive design. But there were still quite a few well-known cars that came out of the decade. And some of these hidden gems have come to light recently.
Indeed, car enthusiasts are starting to experience more and more of what the decade had to offer. Cars like the AMC Gremlin that were once considered obsolete have now become classics. Even the Pinto-based Mustang has started to gain a decent following these days. It could even be said that the decade wasn’t as bad as most enthusiasts remember it being. Many of the cars had their own unique style, whether it was the velour interiors or the move toward digital dashboards there was a lot to like about the decade in general. We looked back at some 1970s cars that deserve more credit than they get.
AMC Gremlin
If there’s one car that’s synonymous with cheap ’70s hatchbacks, it was no doubt the Gremlin. The car was designed and sold by cash-strapped AMC in an attempt to jump on the economy car craze of the decade. With stiff new competition from Honda and Toyota, domestic automakers had to come up with a plan. AMC recycled a lot of parts from their existing vehicle line and it showed in the quality of the car (via Motor Trend).
While the Gremlin wasn’t the most technologically advanced car, it did have a unique design. The interior of the Gremlin was a lot larger than other compact cars at the time, and that was one of the best-selling features. The Gremlin had a 304 V8 engine, which was unheard of in a compact. Its body was widely used in NASCAR and dirt track racing. There’s no denying that the Gremlin was one of the most underrated cars of the decade.
The post 1970s Cars That Deserve More Credit Than They Get appeared first on Motor Junkie.
There have been many memorable cars featured on TV shows over the past several decades. From the original Batmobile in the early ’60s to Walter White’s beige Pontiac Aztec on Breaking Bad, many cars have become part of a popular subculture. Along those lines, millions of viewers will immediately recognize the bright red 1974 Ford Gran Torino from the legendary TV show “Starsky and Hutch.” This even includes car fanatics who weren’t born when this show was first on the air.
Even though the show and its plot are easily forgettable as a template of the “buddy cop” genre, the car isn’t. Overall it’s one of the most recognizable cars ever to be featured on television. Building on that recognition, the story of this famous red Gran Torino is an interesting one for car fans to dive into. We dove into the surprising facts about this legendary TV car you probably don’t know, so check them out right here.
“Striped Tomato”
This nickname for the Gran Torino was used throughout the show but wasn’t part of the script. In fact, when producers saw the car, they weren’t very enthusiastic about the model and its color combo so they called it “Striped Tomato.”
However, writers adopted the phrase and used it in dialogue, so the nickname stuck. After all, a big red Ford Gran Torino coupe couldn’t be called any different (via Star Cars). Now, the nickname will go down in auto history just like the car itself.
The post Surprising Facts About The ‘Starsky and Hutch’ Ford Gran Torino appeared first on Motor Junkie.
This 1929 Ford Model A is a closed-cab pickup that features a steel body mounted over a Brookville Roadster chassis, and it was modified under prior ownership prior to the seller’s purchase in 2020. The truck is finished in blue over tan vinyl, and power is provided by a 327ci V8 linked with a three-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end. Equipment includes an Edelbrock carburetor, Sanderson ceramic-coated headers, staggered-width 15″ American Racing Salt Flat wheels, a four-link rear suspension setup, a front drop axle, and front disc brakes as well as a Rootlieb hood, a maple wood-lined bed, a cloth-upholstered roof panel and windshield visor, a tilt-out windshield, a B&M shifter, a Vintage Air climate control system, and a Pioneer multimedia stereo. This Ford hot rod pickup is now offered with receipts, a hand-written service log, touch-up paint, a wiper arm, a stereo remote and manual, and a clean title in the seller’s name.
The steel body was refinished in blue and mounted on a Brookville Roadster chassis during prior ownership along with a replacement bed, tailgate, cowl, fenders, running boards, and glass. A Rootlieb hood has been installed along with shortened side mirrors, a tilt-out windshield, a rear-facing camera, and a chrome front bumper. A polished stainless steel fuel tank is housed in the bed, which features maple wood slats and stainless steel divider strips on its floor. The seller notes work performed during their ownership consisted of repainting the grille shell, reupholstering the roof panel and windshield visor in blue Hartz cloth, and installing a windshield visor reinforcement along with a front splash pan apron with turn signals.
Staggered-width 15″ American Racing Salt Flat wheels are said to have been installed during current ownership and are wrapped in 175/65 General Altimax RT43 tires up front along with a pair of 235/75 Mastercraft A/S IV tires in back. Braking is handled by front discs and rear drums, and the truck is equipped with a front drop axle with a transverse leaf spring as well as a rear four-link setup with adjustable coilovers.
The cabin features a custom bench upholstered in tan vinyl complemented by matching interior panels and tan square-weave carpets that are noted to have been installed during current ownership. Amenities fitted since the seller acquired the truck include a Vintage Air climate control system and a Pioneer multimedia stereo with custom-mounted speakers located in the footwells and behind the bench. A custom knob is fitted to the B&M Quicksilver shifter, the battery compartment is located under the passenger seating position, and aftermarket sound deadening has been added to the cabin. A thermometer reading from the vents can be viewed in the gallery below.
A Grant steering wheel is wrapped in matching upholstery and mounted to a tilting column. The 1932-style dash panel houses a 120-mph AutoMeter speedometer and auxiliary gauges displaying water temperature, oil pressure, fuel level, and battery voltage. An AutoMeter Sport Comp tachometer is mounted above the dash panel. The digital odometer shows 6k miles, approximately 4k of which were added during current ownership. True mileage is unknown.
The 327ci GM V8 was installed under previous ownership. An oil change was performed in 2022, and the seller notes an intermittent oil leak is present from the rear main seal. The truck is reported to be equipped with the following components:
- COMP Cams camshaft
- Roller rocker arms
- Forged crankshaft
- “Double hump” cylinder heads
- Edelbrock AVS2 650-cfm carburetor
- Electric fuel pump
- Wagner adjustable PCV valve
- Sanderson ceramic-coated long-tube headers
- 2.5″ exhaust system with heat-wrapped glasspack mufflers
- Walker radiator
- Thermostat-operated 16″ electric cooling fan
- MSD ignition coil and distributor
- Polished air cleaner, valve covers, and ignition cable holders
Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a three-speed TH350 automatic transmission and a 9″ rear end with 3.08:1 gearing. Transmission modifications include a shift kit, finned aluminum external coolers, and a 3k-rpm stall converter. Additional underside photos are viewable in the gallery below.
The truck is titled in Arizona using the North Carolina assigned identification number NCS96435.
This Ford hot rod is a highboy roadster that was commissioned by the SplitFire spark plug company as a promotional vehicle for the 1996 Hot Rod Power Tour, and it was previously sold on BaT in July 2018 prior to being acquired by the seller in March 2023. The car was built by Lobeck’s Hot Rod Parts using a Just-A-Hobby fabricated frame, a Gibbon fiberglass body, and Pete & Jakes suspension components. Power is provided by 302ci Ford V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission, and the car is finished in purple and gray over gray upholstery. Additional equipment includes a Vega steering box, a Super Bell front drop axle, Pete & Jakes rear ladder bars, Wilwood front brakes, reverse-hinged doors, 17″ Boyds wheels, and a Kenwood CD stereo. Work under current ownership included repair of the rear valence and seat rails as well as replacement of the carburetor, fan wiring, fan relay, trunk seal, headlight switch, and spark plugs. This hot rod is now offered with a sign board, service records, magazines featuring the car, and a clean California title in the seller’s name describing the car as a 1933 Ford.
The car was assembled in 1996 by Lobeck’s Hot Rod Parts of Cleveland, Ohio and features a Gibbon 1933 Ford-style fiberglass body affixed to a Just-A-Hobby frame. The car is finished in purple and gray and additional exterior features include a chrome grille, an adjustable windshield, reverse-hinged doors, and a Rootlieb three-piece steel hood.
Polished Boyds wheels measure 15″ up front and 17″ out back and are mounted with staggered-width BFGoodrich Comp T/A tires. Braking is handled by Wilwood front discs shielded by finned covers along with rear drums. The car is equipped with a Vega steering box, a polished Super Bell front drop axle with tube shocks, and Pete & Jakes rear ladder bars with adjustable coilovers.
The adjustable bench seat is trimmed in gray and purple upholstery with green piping. Additional appointments include a body-color dashboard, a Lokar floor shifter, a Kenwood CD stereo, a Jensen audio system, and lap belts. The trunk seal and headlight switch were replaced, and the seat rails were repaired under current ownership.
The three-spoke Pete & Jakes steering wheel fronts a column-mounted tachometer, a 120-mph speedometer, and auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 11k miles, a handful of which were added under current ownership.
The Ford Motorsport 302ci V8 features a Holley carburetor, an aluminum intake manifold, and ceramic-coated exhaust headers. The carburetor, fan wiring, fan relay, and spark plugs were replaced, and an oil change was performed in 2023.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a B&M-modified Ford C4 three-speed automatic transmission that is equipped with a 2,200-rpm stall converter, and a Currie 8″ rear axle. A dual exhaust system has been installed. Additional underside images are provided in the gallery below.
Issues of Hot Rod and Rod & Custom magazines containing articles on the car are included in the sale and pictured below.
The reproduced serial number tag reads 1826998907, which corresponds with the VIN listed on the California title listing the car as a 1933 Ford.
This Ford-style roadster was the subject of a custom build completed in 2011 by Steve’s Auto Restorations of Portland, Oregon, and utilizes a Wescott fiberglass body over a custom boxed frame. Power is provided by a 383ci V8 linked to a Tremec five-speed manual transmission and a Kugel Komponents polished Jaguar-style rear end assembly with a Winters quick-change unit housing a limited-slip differential. The engine features a FAST EZ-EFI Eight-Stack fuel injection system, lake-style headers, and a polished stainless steel exhaust system. The car is finished in red over tan leather upholstery, and additional equipment includes a custom windshield frame, a Lion heater, a Hurst shifter, 17″ and 20″ Schott wheels, independent suspension with adjustable coilovers, stainless steel control arms, and four wheel disc brakes with inboard rears. This Ford-style roadster is now offered with a spare oxygen sensor, a wheel lock key, service records, a FAST EZ-EFI programming tool, and a Virginia title in the seller’s name listing the car as a 1932 Ford Roadster.
The Wescott fiberglass body was modified and mounted on a custom boxed frame before being finished in red. The roll pan was modified, the grille surround was smoothed, and additional details include a custom windshield frame, shaved door handles, and blue dot-style taillights. An area of touch up is present on the trunk lid, and paint chips are visible on the driver’s door and hood.
Polished 17″ and 20″ Schott Velocity wheels are wrapped in Goodyear Eagle LS 2 tires that show 2010 production codes and measure 205/70 up front and 275/50 in back. The car rides on Kugel independent suspension components including polished front control arms, a Jaguar-style rear setup, and adjustable coilovers. The steering system utilizes a rack-and-pinion setup, and braking is handled by four-wheel discs with inboard rear rotors and a Wilwood master cylinder.
The cabin features a bench upholstered in tan leather complemented by matching interior panels and tan carpets. Amenities include a refurbished Lion heater, lap belts, storage pockets, a windshield-mounted rearview mirror, a custom center console with cupholders, and a Hurst shifter with a custom knob.
A leather-wrapped banjo-style steering wheel is mounted to a tilting column and fronts a painted dashboard housing Classic Instruments gauges consisting of a 140-mph speedometer, a tachometer, and auxiliary readouts displaying battery voltage, fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure. The six-digit odometer shows 6k miles. The odometer is noted to read inaccurately, and true mileage is unknown.
The Smelding Performance-built 383ci V8 is fitted with a FAST EZ-EFI Eight-Stack fuel injection system, and the results of a 2011 dynamometer test indicate maximum output of 404 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. The firewall was smoothed during the build, and the most recent oil change was performed six months ago. The car is equipped with the following components:
- MSD digital ignition system
- Aluminum radiator
- Electric cooling fan
- Billet pulley system
- Polished Billet Specialties valve covers
- Electric fuel pump
- Gear reduction starter
- Polished stainless steel exhaust system with a custom finisher
- Lake-style headers
Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a Tremec TKO600 five-speed manual transmission, a body-colored driveshaft, and a Kugel Komponents polished rear end with a Winters quick-change unit housing a limited-slip differential. Additional underside photos are provided in the gallery below.
Records from the assembly process are included in the sale along with a spare oxygen sensor and a wheel lock key.
The car is titled in Virginia using the Idaho assigned identification number ID012834. The title notes the car as a “replica” and indicates a prior Idaho reconstructed brand.
This 1949 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe convertible coupe was acquired by the seller’s late father out of Colorado in 2013 and subsequently refurbished. Work reportedly involved modifying the body, repainting the car in red with matching pinstripes, and refreshing the interior as well as installing an overbored GMC 261ci inline-six, a Chevrolet S-10–sourced five-speed manual transmission, a dual exhaust system, a Mustang II front-end kit, disc brakes, and power steering. Additional equipment includes a power-retractable white soft top, steel 15″ wheels, Cadillac-style polished wheel covers, a custom-painted dashboard, a push-button AM radio, a Clifford intake manifold, a Fenton split exhaust manifold, dual electric cooling fans, and a 12-volt electrical system. This modified Styleline is now offered with extra paint, body-color fender skirts, and a clean Minnesota title in the name of the seller’s father’s trust.
Finished from the factory in Grecian Gray (388), the car was repainted in its current shade of red with coordinating pinstripes in 2015 as part of the aforementioned refurbishment. The words “Satan’s Angels” are painted on each front fender. Modifications include a shaved hood, trunk lid, and door handles as well as a frenched antenna and headlights. Additional equipment includes a replacement power-retractable white soft top, a matching top boot, electric door and trunk latches with remote fobs, LED taillights, and a replacement chrome grille and bumpers. A pair of body-color rear fender skirts is included in the sale, and the seller states that they must be removed before driving to avoid interference with the wheel covers. The seller notes clearcoat spotting on the trunk-lid sides, on the right side of the hood, and on the fender skirts that is visible under fluorescent lighting.
Steel 15″ wheels wear reproduction 1957 Cadillac–style polished covers and are mounted with 670/15 Coker American Classic whitewall tires. Modifications reportedly include front disc brakes with slotted and cross-drilled rotors as well as a Ford Mustang II–style front-end kit, tubular upper and lower control arms, a steering stabilizer, and a UniSteer Performance Products electrically assisted rack-and-pinion power-steering system.
The cabin is said to have been refreshed as part of the refurbishment with work that included reupholstering the front and rear bench seats in white leatherette that extends to the door panels. Appointments include a custom-painted dashboard, a push-button AM radio, a locking glovebox, a cabin heater, replacement black carpets, and a clock.
An American Retro Impala-style steering wheel is mounted on a tilting column and fronts a 100-mph speedometer with inset readouts for coolant temperature, fuel level, battery status, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 1,200 miles, and true chassis mileage is unknown.
The replacement GMC 261ci inline-six is said to be of 1958 vintage and have been overbored, fitted with a replacement camshaft and pistons, and installed during the refurbishment. A Clifford Performance intake manifold features a two-barrel carburetor. Additional equipment includes a Fenton split exhaust manifold, dual electric cooling fans, and a converted 12-volt electrical system. The carburetor reportedly was cleaned and the fuel tank flushed in 2019.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a replacement five-speed manual transmission said to have been sourced from a Chevrolet S-10 pickup and installed during the refurbishment. The dual exhaust system is equipped with Porter mufflers.
Decoding the data tag reveals the following production information:
- 49-1067X – 1949 Styleline Deluxe two-door convertible coupe
- L 6793 – Lansing, Michigan body plant; assembly number
- 161 – Blue leather interior trim (convertible specific)
- 388 – Grecian Gray paint