Skip to main content

These Dangerous Car Features Somehow Made The Cut

In the automotive industry, technology is always improving and evolving. Yet sometimes, this technology goes overboard and ends up being dangerous. Safety is a major priority when it comes to driving and that’s especially true when it comes to new advances. But there are times when new technology comes into play way too fast. This has been the case in many different instances in the automotive industry where things turned catastrophic. Innovation is great, but automakers often take things too far.

The Ford Pinto was one such instance of a car design that went wrong. The rear fuel tank was prone to failure and explosions. This ended up being one of the costliest lawsuits in automotive history and there were many deaths behind it. The same thing happened when SUV models began to rise in popularity. Isuzu was at the center of controversy when their Trooper and Samurai SUV models were tipping over during average driving situations. Things like these catastrophes put a damper on the automotive industry. To help drivers avoid the same mistakes in the future, we looked at dangerous car features that somehow made the cut.

Photo Credit: Edmunds

The Pinto’s Rear Gas Tank

Perhaps the most notorious mistake that ever happened in the auto industry involved the Ford Pinto. When they designed the car, Ford incorporated a rear fuel tank that exploded upon impact. This flaw in the design was only found later on after the car was involved in dozens of situations where the tank exploded. The situation got to be so dire that Ford had to settle with thousands of drivers, costing the company millions (via Tort Law).

Photo Credit: Bring a Trailer

The flaw made the car susceptible to fires and explosions in the event of a rear-end collision. Tragically, some accidents resulted in injuries and even fatalities. The Pinto explosions sparked widespread concern about product safety and led to important changes in automotive safety standards. These incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of rigorous testing and design scrutiny to ensure the safety of consumers.

The post These Dangerous Car Features Somehow Made The Cut appeared first on Motor Junkie.

Past To Present: Extinct 1980s Features That Shaped Today’s Cars

The 1980s were a time of trial and tribulation in the auto industry. Technology was changing at a rapid pace but regulations were also coming down hard. Cars became lighter weight and the styles changed dramatically in the 1980s, and this was also the period that the minivan rose in popularity. There were cars like the DMC-12 that drew an entirely new generation of drivers to vehicle showrooms. The interesting thing about this decade was the fact that drivers were becoming more in tune with their vehicles. These extinct features disappeared but the technology continued to improve.

Things like electronic dashboards, paneling, and electronic seatbelts were just some of the things that defined the era. Cars like the original Nissan Maxima had interactive dashboards and interiors way before it was even a thing. This was a true decade of innovation for the automotive manufacturers and it’s a lot of the reason that we got the automotive industry that we have today. We looked back at some of the now-extinct features that shaped the modern auto industry we have today.

Photo Credit: Car Domain

Automatic Seatbelts

An automated car interior was always the dream of automotive enthusiasts. But the trouble was just finding the technology to do it. One of the first things that automakers decided to electrify was the seatbelt restraint system. The very first electronic seatbelt system was a very simple thing. It often got stuck in the track and drivers weren’t too fond of it, which is why it didn’t stick around past the latter part of the 1990s (via McCarthy Collison).

Photo Credit: Car Domain

But you’ll notice that a lot of modern cars are started to go back to having some sort of seatbelt reminder system. Modern safety features have been developed because of this failure. The seatbelt systems that we have today wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the innovations of the 1980s.

The post Past To Present: Extinct 1980s Features That Shaped Today’s Cars appeared first on Motor Junkie.

1977 Dodge B100 Tradesman

1977 Dodge B100 Tradesman – Legacy Classic Trucks is famous for expertly modifying rugged Power Wagons, classic Jeep Scramblers, and restoring historic national park buses. Ahead of this year’s Coachella music festival, Legacy Classic Trucks introduced a new van restoration to its vehicle offerings by reviving a retro cool classic with a vintage 1977 Dodge […]

The post 1977 Dodge B100 Tradesman appeared first on CarShowz.com.

Surprising Facts About The Dukes Of Hazzard ‘General Lee’ Dodge Charger

‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ was a classic American sitcom that aired on CBS from January 26, 1979, to February 8, 1985. 147 episodes in total aired during the show’s run. It was one of the most popular shows on television during its height. The show followed the Duke boys and their sister Daisy Duke as they attempted to outrun a bumbling set of villains led by Boss Hogg. But perhaps the real star of the show wasn’t even a person at all. The show featured a wildly popular orange Dodge Charger called the “General Lee”.

The look of the car was so different that it resonated with an entire generation of baby boomers. The Due brothers’ hijinks made the show extremely popular. But anyone who watched the show knows it was the car that caught everyone’s attention. The orange Dodge Charger was a symbol of American culture at the time. The show ended up becoming an American classic and the car has maintained a special place in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts. We looked at the surprising facts that you might not know about the Dukes of Hazzard ‘General Lee’ right here. Enjoy looking back at a truly iconic vehicle below.

Photo Credit: Wallpaper Up

The Car Was Featured in 175 Episodes

The General Lee wasn’t just some fly-by-night TV car. Instead, it was featured in every episode of the show. The period was instrumental in the birth of the muscle car era, and young people were crazy about these cars. The Dukes of Hazzard is one of the few shows that has ever featured the same vehicle in every episode that was ever aired. There’s not a single episode of the show that didn’t feature the famed Dodge Charger. The great thing about the Charger was that it was a car young people loved during that era (via Esquire).

Photo Credit: Wallpaper Up

The car was an integral part of the success of the show, which is why there are still legions of fans today. The styling was so iconic that there was a remake of the series into a movie in 2005. There was everything to like about the Dukes of Hazzard and the franchise remains popular today. The TV show also helped to popularize the Charger itself. Many enthusiasts remember the Charger solely for its starring role on TV.

The post Surprising Facts About The Dukes Of Hazzard ‘General Lee’ Dodge Charger appeared first on Motor Junkie.

Classic Muscle Cars That Made Carroll Shelby A Legend

Many people in the car industry have been called legendary, but very few actually deserved that recognition. Carroll Shelby is one who does. He’s famous for his line of performance Mustangs and Le Mans-winning Ford GT40 cars. But also he is renowned for his chili products and humanitarian work. Shelby was one of those larger-than-life characters whose life looked like a screenplay for a Hollywood blockbuster. The 2019 movie “Ford vs. Ferrari” is a visualization of Shelby’s fight against Ferrari in Le Mans. Although Carroll Shelby died in April 2012, he still inspires people worldwide.

Shelby started his racing career in the early 50s and soon achieved worldwide success. He even won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 in an Aston Martin. However, behind the triumph and fame, Shelby experienced immense pain. The pain was the result of his worsening heart problems. Shelby often raced under heavy medication. But, in 1960, after a few close calls, his doctors forbade him to race again. So Shelby’s professional career was over. As a retired racer, Carroll decided to fulfill his lifelong dream and built a sports car under his name. Here are the classic muscle cars that made him one of the biggest legends of the car industry.

Photo Credit: Auto Evolution

Scaglietti Corvette

Even before Shelby retired from racing and started building cars under his name, he became a part of a team that produced one of the most exclusive Corvettes Chevy ever made: the Scaglietti Corvette. If Scaglietti name sounds familiar, it is because they are an Italian coachbuilder responsible for some of the finest Ferraris of the ’50s and ’60s. They were an integral part of the Ferrari legend (via Supercars).

Photo Credit: Pinterest

So, Chevrolet wanted to honor the company by naming their four-seater coupe the 612 Scaglietti. However, it is less known that Scaglietti produced three Corvettes in 1959 for Texas millionaire and car enthusiast Gary Laughlin. Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby, both notable racing drivers and constructors from Texas, saw the potential in the 1959 Corvette’s engine and power. Although the Corvette had a light fiberglass body, two of the constructors wanted better aerodynamics. So, they contacted Scaglietti to design and produce a bespoke body on the 1959 Vette chassis. Scaglietti delivered three cars in different colors but with exquisite designs. They looked more like a Ferrari than a Corvette. There were plans to start regular production. But after careful consideration and cost projection, they abandoned those plans.

The post Classic Muscle Cars That Made Carroll Shelby A Legend appeared first on Motor Junkie.

No Reserve: 383-Powered Ford Tudor Sedan Hot Rod

This Ford Tudor sedan was the subject of a custom build following the seller’s acquisition in 2015. Power comes from a 383ci V8 paired with a TH350 three-speed automatic transmission, and the chopped and channeled body is finished in Ruby Metallic over tan upholstery. Additional features include a Ford 9″ rear end, four-wheel disc brakes, a custom-built boxed frame, a front drop axle, 16″ Rocket Racing alloy wheels, dual Holley carburetors, a high-rise intake manifold, Sanderson lake-style exhaust headers equipped with block-out plates, and a fuel cell. The car was reportedly awarded at the 2019 Goodguys West Coast Nationals and is also said to have earned a top 40 spot at SEMA Battle of the Builders. This Ford Tudor hot rod is now offered at no reserve with a clean California title that describes the vehicle as a 1932 Ford.

The 1931 Ford-style steel body is channeled over a custom frame and was repainted in Ruby Metallic during the aforementioned refurbishment. Details include a chopped roofline, a windshield visor, a mesh grille, a billet aluminum fuel filler cap, dual side mirrors, and custom low-mounted LED taillights.

Gray-finished 16″ Rocket Racing alloy wheels feature polished trim rings and are mounted with Firestone front and Coker Classic rear whitewall tires. The car is equipped with a Vega steering box, and the suspension features a front drop axle with radius rods, a custom transverse leaf spring, and tube shocks, while coilovers and a triangulated four-link are utilized out back. Braking is handled by disc brakes at all four corners.

The interior features fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in tan diamond-stitched leather upholstery that extends to the door panels and trim. Appointments include a floor-mounted Lokar shifter, a fire extinguisher, wind-up door windows, and a battery and fuel cell mounted in the rear compartment.

A red three-spoke steering wheel is mounted to a quick-disconnect hub and fronts instrumentation consisting of a 160-mph speedometer and supplementary readouts for coolant temperature, oil pressure, voltage, and fuel level. The digital odometer indicates 108 miles, all of which were added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown.

The 383ci stroker V8 is said to be a BluePrint crate engine and features dual Holley four-barrel carburetors, a Weiand hi-rise intake manifold, Pertronix ignition, a Jegs fuel-pressure regulator, an aluminum radiator, an electric cooling fan, and Sanderson lake-style headers that are equipped with block-out caps and linked to MagnaFlow mufflers.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a TH350 three-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end housing a limited-slip differential.

Photos taken during various stages of refurbishment work are included in the gallery below.

The reproduction identification plate is not attached to the car and displays serial number 3509214, which is listed as the VIN on the California title.

1967 Chevelle SS 396 Owned Since 1971

Chevrolet was granted liberties that other brands within General Motors usually didn’t receive. Take this 1967 Chevelle SS 396 as an example: it was available with a solid-lifter 396 (option code L78) rated at 375 horsepower. The same engine was rated in the 1965 Corvette as 425 horsepower. Even at 375, it broke GM’s rule of no more than 10 pounds per horsepower, something no other GM brand happened to do.

As a result, the engine (which was available 1966-70) was rarely advertised. In fact, it wasn’t even mentioned in the brochure, yet Chevrolet sold thousands of them — in 1966, 3,099 Chevelle SS 396s and El Caminos were built with the L78 and, in 1968, another 4,751. Not bad for word-of-mouth!

But in 1967, only 612 L78s were installed in the Chevelle SS 396 and El Camino. Why such a difference from other years? I can’t explain, but 1967 was a strange year at Chevrolet: L72 427 availability for the big cars disappeared, and only six Chevy IIs were built with the L79 327/350 after several thousand being built in 1966. I have heard the L79 was cancelled for the Chevy II so as not to cannibalize Camaro sales but later reappeared — could the latter have been the same for the Chevelle SS 396? Noted Chevelle expert Dale McIntosh thinks this scenario may be possible with the L78. “From what I’ve gathered from conversations with knowledgeable Chevelle owners, the L78 engine was dropped for 1967 for whatever reason, then reinstated around April/May but with no fanfare or advertisement. As such, only a few dealers and potential buyers even knew it was back on. Hence, only 612 were sold.”

One of those rare 1967 L78s is presented here by Muscle Car Campy. Owned by Frank Oddo, he bought this Chevelle in 1971 after graduating from high school, and he’s kept it ever since. Besides the rare L78, this SS 396 also was built with a red bench seat (code 747), one of 10,074 Chevelles built with this interior and, of those, you can imagine just a handful were SS 396s as buckets seem to be the rule.

If you enjoy this video, you can check out other fine automotive videos from Muscle Car Campy.

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

According to published figures, this four-speed, Ram Air, 428 Cobra Jet-equipped 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 convertible is one rare cat. Combining its color combination with the muscle car’s powertrain options narrows its production number to just one example in existence.

Let’s break it down: Just 66 XR-7 convertibles were built with the 428 CJ engine for the 1970 model year. Only 17 of them, like this one, were equipped with the four-speed manual transmission. That’s not all: The Marti Report reveals that two of those 17 muscle cars were sprayed with Competition Blue paint from the factory, and just one received black leather interior. This is that car.

This rare Q-code Mercury Cobra Jet also received a long list of factory options, including a black power top, center console, power front disc brakes, power steering, intermittent wipers, and more. It received a rotisserie-type restoration in 2015. According to the auction listing details on Hemmings, the car was finished to a concours-level, sticking as closely to factory specs as possible down to its blue paint. It has only seen 200 miles since completion.

The restoration included the installation of a confirmed period-correct (but not numbers-matching) 428-cu.in. Cobra Jet V8. The engine was enhanced with hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel compatibility, and the build included balancing and blueprinting. The mean muscle machine produced 391 horsepower and 485 lb.-ft. of torque during dyno testing.

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Find of the Day: One-Off 428 Cobra Jet-Powered 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

From the factory, the 1969-1970 428 Cobra Jet engines packed 335 horsepower at 5,200 RPM and 440 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,400 RPM. Ford 428 Cobra Jet power was also available in a handful of other models from 1968 to 1970, including the 1968-1970 Ford Mustang, 1968 and ‘69 Ford Fairlane, 1968- ‘69 Ford Torino, 1969 Ford Cobra, the 1968 and ‘69 Mercury Cyclone and CJ, 1969 Mercury Montego, and the 1968 Mercury Comet and Shelby GT500KR. Muscle car enthusiasts will be hard pressed to find such a unique Cobra Jet-equipped car on the market than this 1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible.

What is your favorite Chevelle?

Editor’s Note: this article was originally published March 22, 2022, however we are republishing in honor of Chevelle Day.

Chevrolet produced the Chevelle from 1964-1977 in almost every kind of body type and performance option a consumer could want. With so many choices available, what is your favorite Chevelle?

Let us know in the comments section below what is your favorite Chevelle. Like my high school history always told me, “There are no wrong answers.”

My choice? The 1970 coupe.

Pick of the Day: 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Tribute

There’s a hot example of American muscle for sale just north of the border: In line with our Chevelle Day, I felt it appropriate to highlight a big-block with one of the most powerful motors in Chevelle heritage.

The Pick of the Day is a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle convertible SS tribute listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Sudbury, Ontario. (Click the link to view the listing)

“Full rotisserie restoration with all components rebuilt or replaced,” the listing states. This second-generation Chevelle ragtop has been remodeled as a tribute to a Super Sport, complete with a big-block 454cid V8 installed under the hood. The seller adds some context to the build and its significance:

“Has 454 big-block from a ’73 Chevelle, engine suffix code TOI24CWB, motor rebuilt .030 over, Turbo 400 transmission,” the listing states. “This is a documented Canadian vehicle; only 298 were imported for sale. Comes with GM documentation.”

Specifically, that documentation includes a certificate from General Motors of Canada that outlines some of the vehicle vitals: The car was produced on September 16, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland in Orange Flame over White. It was originally sold through Belisle Automobiles Limited in Ottawa, Ontario, and the installed equipment list included a tinted windshield, front disc brakes, a push-button radio, hydraulic steering, power brakes, and more.

For 1972, the final year of the second-gen Chevelle received subtle design changes, including revisions to the marker lights along with concealed windshield wipers. Otherwise, the car was largely a carry-over from 1971. The 1973 model year would later bring a significant rework, and convertible models were discontinued beginning that year. (Making this 1972 model essentially the last of its kind).

Speaking of convertibles, the seller says that the black cloth top on this SS tribute has been replaced. The interior and carpeting are also new. And best of all, the listing adds that this Chevelle has been driven only 250 miles since restoration, and it is mechanically sound enough to drive anywhere.

“Very hard to try and restore a Chevelle these days for this price,” the paragraph concludes. A five-minute walkaround video is provided in the listing, along with a gallery of over 60 photos.

The asking price is $54,900 or best offer, and the amount is in U.S. dollars.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.