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Known for its “Coke-bottle” styling, the mid-size 1972 Gran Torino Sport was characterized by its long hood, short deck, and available “SportsRoof” fastback roofline. There was also no mistaking its one-year-only grille design (sometimes referred to as the “fishmouth”).

The brochure for 1972 models said, “Each Gran Torino Sport gives you lines that say action and mean it. With emphasis like integral hood scoops, dual racing mirrors, wide-oval white sidewalls, sporty trim rings with hub caps, and a jaunty new oval grille.”

Standard features for the year included a three-speed manual transmission, manual front disc brakes, DirectAire ventilation, high-back bench seat, lower bodyside moldings, concealed windshield wipers, and “Lifeguard” safety equipment. The ’72 Gran Torino Sport could be optioned with engines ranging in size from a 302ci V-8 to a 429ci V-8, with the 351 Cobra Jet offering the most horsepower.

In the late 1980s, my dad bought a 1972 Gran Torino Sport as his carpool car since he commuted about 100 miles per day for work. We named the car after “Slimer,” the green antagonist in the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters.”

Dad’s car had its share of issues. Among them, the heater core was on the fritz, so there was a coolant leak inside the passenger footwell. But that didn’t stop him from driving the car until the engine finally gave up — and by that time, rust was taking over the body anyway (this was in northern Utah, after all).

One of my memories with Slimer involved a time when Dad picked us up from the skating rink and did some donuts in the snow-laden street. My brothers and I laughed our heads off.

We have only a few photos of the Gran Torino Sport, and it always seemed to be lurking in the background. Two of the pics (including the above) show my youngest brother wearing an oversized coat. He’s is now 38 years old, so that may tell you how long ago the pictures were taken.

The below pic shows our family’s freshly-detailed 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix (Mom’s car) with Slimer in the background. That’s me at left in the purple sporting period-correct high-tops.

And here’s a picture of dad’s F-250, again with the Gran Torino Sport hiding out back in the same parking space.

I’ve toyed with the idea of tracking down a Gran Torino Sport like dad’s old car but, for now, I’m content with keeping memories of Slimer tucked away. After all, I still get flashbacks of the interior smell every time I get a whiff of a coolant leak.

Do you have any Gran Torino stories of your own?

SEMA is where brands, builders, and shops roll out their newest parts and builds so wild that you are still talking about them on the flight home. The show started in 1967 and has grown into a massive trade industry-focused event in Las Vegas. This video is all about a resurrected halo car: the first-generation Ford GT, a street car with a Le Mans-inspired shape and attitude built as Ford’s tribute to the GT40 era. At SEMA Show 2025, WD-40 and Throtl had to meet a tough deadline to unveil a secret project. Did they make it in time? Stay tuned to find out!

This video is sponsored by HowToo. Stop digging through forums and YouTube. Orion puts diagnosis, repair instructions, and guided videos in one place, plus exact-fit parts from your favorite brands at distributor-level pricing. It’s 100% free. Try it today at https://howtoo.com/.

TJ Lamb, known under his online profile name, “Magnacars,” has built quite a social media enterprise around sharing other peoples’ car stories — and it’s been a huge success.

He started his YouTube channel around 2023, but he’s been active on social media for over a decade. “I love to interview people and find out why they drive the car they do,” he said in a recent video. “I find it so interesting — whether it’s a million-dollar car, or a thousand-dollar car.” He is all about building a sense of community.

For a time, the focus of TJ’s channel was on buying inexpensive cars and fixing them up. At one point, his personal collection spanned six vehicles. The turning point was when he realized his viewers were more interested in seeing a variety of vehicles from other owners. “I don’t need to buy cars to make content,” he said. His existing videos weren’t paying what his hobby was costing, so he pivoted. “I’d much rather focus on you,” he said in a video. “Even if I get no money, I’ll have fun doing it.”

Today, TJ’s YouTube channel has over half a million subscribers, and he has over 430,000 Instagram followers. His reach is far, wide, and still growing. The videos in recent weeks have spanned everything from a $2 million-plus Lamborghini Sesto to a compact Vespa Jolly microcar.

I connected with TJ during the hustle and bustle of Arizona Auction Week in January. Working with limited remaining daylight and a tight schedule, we filmed a “Why I Drive” with my 1994 Acura Legend. As of the time of this writing, it has over 40,000 views.

Subsequently, TJ came by my place to do a walk-through of my garage with me. That video has amassed over 100,000 views. A large part of TJ’s success is due to his charismatic, outgoing personality. He is engaging to chat with, and he truly takes interest in others.

If you or someone you know would like be featured in a video, you can contact TJ here.

For many, restoring an old car (even one from the 1990s) is a process of combing through junkyards for parts, or going to specialists who remanufacture particular components or make improved versions of them. Bringing certain Honda and Acura vehicles back to their former glory will now be a little easier thanks to the upcoming Honda Heritage Works program.

Honda Heritage Works will officially launch in Japan on April 1, 2026. Consider it the umbrella over two divisions: Honda Heritage Parts and Honda Restoration Service. Honda Heritage Parts will supply two different types of components: The first is Genuine Honda Reproduction Parts made with the same materials and production methods as the original ones; the second is Honda Compatible Parts, which are redeveloped and reproduced to replace OEM hardware.

Which model will be the first to benefit from Honda Heritage Parts? The first-generation Acura NSX (this is a great time to congratulate our very own Tyson Hugie, but I’m sure he already read the news!). Pricing and parts availability will be announced around the time when components begin showing up at Acura dealerships this summer.

Unfortunately, the Honda Restoration Service (formerly known as the NSX Refresh Plan) will have a more limited coverage area. According to Acura, “The Honda Restoration Service will be offered exclusively in Japan for Japan-market first-generation NSX models and will utilize Honda Heritage Parts to restore customer vehicles.”

A Basic Restoration will cover replacing worn-out engine, suspension, and door- and other opening-related parts; a Total Restoration will include those areas as well as a complete disassembly and repaint in addition to an interior overhaul.

For decades, devoted Acura NSX owners have been keeping their cars on the road. Honda Heritage Works will help them maintain that and, at the same time, preserve machines that showed the world that head-turning, mid-engine performance models don’t have to be problematic cars only driven on the weekends.

The clock is ticking for enthusiasts hoping to add a highly decorated mid-year Corvette to their garage. The Classic Corvette Dream Giveaway is nearing its conclusion, and entries to win the grand-prize 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible close on March 24. Click here to enter now!

For collectors, this example represents the type of car that rarely appears outside of major auctions or established private collections. Showing just 19,607 original miles, the Corvette has earned the prestigious National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) Top Flight Award three separate times, a distinction that signals exceptional authenticity and restoration accuracy.

A Big-Block Corvette from the Height of the Sting Ray Era

The 1966 model year sits squarely in the golden age of the Corvette Sting Ray. By this point, Chevrolet had refined the second-generation Corvette into a world-class American sports car, combining dramatic styling with serious big-block performance.

This particular example is powered by a 427-cubic-inch V8 rated at 425 horsepower, paired with a Muncie four-speed manual transmission and Positraction rear axle — a combination that helped define Corvette performance during the muscle car era.

Finished in Silver Pearl, this Corvette features the unmistakable mid-year look that enthusiasts prize: sculpted fenders, hidden headlights, and aggressive side-exit exhaust that announces the presence of Chevrolet’s legendary big-block engine.

Complementing the convertible soft top is a matching auxiliary hardtop, offering owners the ability to enjoy the car as either a classic open-air roadster or a sleek coupe-style Sting Ray. Click here to enter now!

Triple NCRS Top Flight Recognition Plus Two Bonuses

For serious Corvette collectors, the NCRS Top Flight Award is one of the most respected honors in the hobby. Vehicles earning the designation must meet rigorous standards for factory-correct components, finishes, and overall presentation.

Achieving the award once is notable. Earning it three times places this Corvette in rare company and underscores the quality of its restoration and preservation.

Combined with the car’s sub-20,000-mile odometer reading, the result is a mid-year Corvette that represents both authenticity and collector appeal.

Along with the Corvette itself, the grand-prize winner will also receive a Wildfire Lifts automotive lift, allowing the car to be displayed and maintained properly in a home garage.

The prize package also includes $24,000 toward federal prize taxes, helping offset the financial impact for the lucky recipient.

Final Days Before the Giveaway Ends

With the giveaway ending March 24, time is running out for enthusiasts who want a chance to claim the keys to this award-winning Sting Ray.

For Corvette fans, the opportunity to win a low-mile, triple-Top Flight 1966 Corvette convertible with big-block power represents a rare chance to own one of the most desirable American sports cars of the 1960s.

Enter now!

The El Camino was certainly more car than truck but, when it first launched in 1959, Chevrolet marketed it as part of the Task Force truck campaign. Just like with modern-day light-duty pickups, the El Camino “coupe utility” offered plenty of payload for most day-to-day chores. Featured on AutoHunter is a 1966 Chevrolet El Camino Pickup listed by a dealer in Portland, Oregon. If the “EV Camino” that Derek wrote about on Monday didn’t tickle your fancy, maybe a traditional internal-combustion variant will?

The second-generation El Camino launched in model year 1964, and received a facelift for 1966. As was the case since 1964, the El Camino shared a chassis and much of its sheet metal with the mid-size Chevelle. The list of available options was lengthy, spanning two six-cylinder engines, six V-8s, and several different transmissions.

To no surprise, the El Camino was all about versatility. One of the magazine ads for 1966 said, “You can take it with you. Over half a ton of it, if you wish, and that’s only part of the beauty of a Chevrolet El Camino. Along with the capabilities of a light-duty truck, you get sleek ’66 Chevelle styling and a lap-of-luxury interior you can make as lush as you like.”

According to its data tag, this El Camino was assembled the second week of December, 1965 in Kansas City, Missouri. Later in life, it was restored in its original Tuxedo Black, which looks as classy as the name sounds. Exterior features include chrome bumpers, an SS-style hood, dual side mirrors, rocker moldings, tonneau cover, chrome dual exhaust outlets, and 17-inch Center Line aluminum wheels wrapped in Federal tires.

Inside the cabin, the car’s previous bucket-seat arrangement has been replaced with a black vinyl split-bench. Features include power steering, retro-look AM/FM stereo, Bowtie-branded floor mats, and an under-dash 6,000-rpm tachometer. A spare tire is cleverly housed behind the seat.

Under the hood is a 327ci V-8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission and a 10-bolt rear end. The odometer reads 84,884 miles, but the title reads mileage-exempt.

This El Camino is perfect for an enthusiast seeking a “gentleman’s hauler.” It has the look and the ride quality of a passenger car with the added utility of a cargo bed. Get a muscle car that can do it all with confidence!

The auction for this 1966 Chevrolet El Camino Pickup ends Monday, March 16, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

When the muscle car segment began to fracture due to demographic changes, insurance and, arguably, a bit of government overreach, enthusiasts and would-be enthusiasts found other ways to live the automotive lifestyle. Our Pick of the Day is a reflection of one of the trends of the 1970s that can bring as much a smile to your face as horsepower did a few years previously. This 1982 Chevrolet G10 van is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in North East, Pennsylvania.

In the early days of the muscle car era, horsepower was sometimes fudged to get the cars in better racing classes. As a result, NHRA and IHRA refactored vehicles based on the actual output they felt the engines actually produced. However, by 1969, an 800-pound gorilla showed up, wrapped in the sash of the insurance industry. Each insurance company was different, but it was not unheard of to receive a surcharge simply for having a four-speed manual transmission — even if the engine was a two-barrel small-block.

Then, the federal government imposed regulations to phase out leaded fuel. Lead had served as both a lubricant and octane booster, but lead in the atmosphere led to lowered IQ, damage to the brain and nervous system, learning difficulties, slowed growth, hearing problems, and headaches — and that was for children alone. Without lead, high-compression engines would suffer running on fuel with lower octane ratings, so the government implemented a plan to force the industry to use low-lead and unleaded fuel. As a result, manufacturers were required to lower the compression of their engines starting with the 1972 model year. General Motors famously started this in 1971, with Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation waiting for the mandate for most engines (the 351 Cobra Jet and 383, respectively, were notable exceptions).

And then came the custom vans to join the enthusiast world, nicely integrating with the high-performance cars, hot rods and customs, trucks, and more that were already popular. The cover of the August 1973 issue of Hot Rod magazine proclaimed a special section on “Trucks ‘n Vans.” The following February, there was “More Trucks ‘n Vans” including coverage of the first West Coast Van Nationals. Sure, much of the 1970s is often regarded with derision by enthusiasts, but the paradigm shift was in force, and fun continued to be had.

Nonetheless, custom vans were more of a flash in the pan compared to other types of vehicles. By the end of the 1970s, custom vans were less of a thing. Why? Some theories I’ll throw out there include the rising high-performance scene (think Bandit Trans Ams and, several years later, new F-bodies, C4 Corvette, 5.0 Mustangs, and Turbo Buicks), increased collectability of vintage muscle cars, and just a general evolution — the same evolution that happened to bring vans in the consciousness of enthusiasts in the first place.

The custom van spirit is demonstrated by this 1982 Chevrolet G10 van. As the lightest-duty van in the Chevrolet roster, it was available in 110- or 125-inch wheelbase. This one appears to be the former, a Chevy Van for the working man (and woman) versus the consumer-friendly Sport Van suited for families and comfort. In addition, this van features the standard powertrain configuration: a 120-horsepower 4.1-liter V-6 backed by a three-speed on the column. Yet the attraction to this vehicle is a bit more profound because this van has been transformed into the spirit of the 1970s — it’s now the Dawg Pound-bound van dedicated to the Cleveland Browns football team. In case you’re not in-the-know, the Dawg Pound is a fan section of Huntington Bank Field where loyalists wear dog masks and bark in support of the team. In addition, the van has been signed by “hundreds” of Cleveland Brown Hall of Famers and team legends (including Jim Brown, natch!).

However, to the new owner of this chariot, it’s the interior that really stands out as a rolling tribute to the team. Can you dig those orange seats? What about the PA system for generating dog barks? If you’re an Ohioan, Pennsylvanian, New Yorker, or West Virginian in the region (or are a refugee in another state), we have found the perfect tailgating vehicle for $21,991.

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