mod@tech

In the world of American collector cars there is not likely a more popular car than the Ford Mustang. These cars are the best supported collector car for parts, a strong club network and scores of shops that specialize solely in the Mustang.

The reason for this is that the Mustang, especially the 1960s models, have always been popular. Ford has had an uninterrupted production of the Mustang, and they have always been in the public eye. They are also the most identifiable classic car in the world. Ask anyone to identify one, even people not in the car hobby, and they will know what a Mustang is at a glance.

The Mustang is also a fun car to drive, and can be easily upgraded with modern drivetrains, suspension, interiors and brakes, making it a classic car that you can literally drive every day. It’s a V8-powered car that can cruise the highway at speed, get groceries, take you to work and also look great at any local or regional car show you might want to attend. They are usable, comfortable and remarkably modern for a car created in the 1960s and are always my recommendation for someone looking for their first American-made collector car. Every significant car collection always seems to have at least one Mustang.

Our AutoHunter Spotlight car, offered by a private seller in Washington state, is a 1965 Ford Mustang convertible.

If you are looking for a Mustang to drive and enjoy, this is one to seriously consider. This car has been upgraded with a 331ci stroker V8 backed by a five-speed T-5 Tremec manual transmission, an eight-inch 28-spline Eaton Truetrac limited-slip differential with 3.55 gears and an upgraded performance suspension. It was restored years ago and is ready to drive and enjoy. It is not in show condition, but with its many performance mods, looks to be an excellent option if you’re looking to enjoy a classic Mustang. It is a car you could buy to drive and slowly make better; a rolling restoration project if you choose – but also quite satisfactory as is.

This Mustang is finished in Poppy Red paint with a black top. The paint is in its original color and, while not perfect (notice the driver’s-side rocker panel and various chips around the body), appears to be presentable. Yes, there are paint issues, but again, these are things you can get to over time as you enjoy driving the car – or perhaps you’ll enjoy surprising people with what looks like an old Mustang but has impressive performance.

The interior is finished in correct white vinyl and is also presentable, though showing one wear. I personally would replace the seat covers with a set of the optional Mustang Pony interior covers, as they make the interior look so much nicer. I love the embossed horses on the Pony interior, and the kit for this is available from tons of places at a very reasonable price of about $800. It can be installed by any quality interior shop and would make the car immediately seem nicer. I not only love the gauge cluster in this car, which includes a tach and full instrumentation, but also the look of the stock steering wheel.

Under the hood is the original 289ci Ford engine, which has been rebuilt as a 331 stroker. This combination results in a very noticeable increase in both torque and horsepower. The specs of this engine rebuild will prove this, with modifications that include a Summit Racing 600-cfm four-barrel carburetor, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, an Edelbrock Victor water pump, a Comp Cams performance camshaft, Air Flow Research 185 heads, a SCAT crankshaft and rods, Powermaster starter and alternator, Doug’s TRI-Y headers, ARP hardware and a Griffin radiator.

The suspension is more of the same, with modifications that include a front disc brake conversion, Stage 5 front suspension, Bilstein shock absorbers with street valving and 4.5 mid-eye leaf springs. This all works to make this Mustang handle much better than any stock example would.

What I like about this listing is how candid the owner is about the car’s needs. He discloses there are some pinholes in the rear floor pans but is including a proper replacement set. He also states there is a slight engine oil leak that is likely a rear main seal and that the top should be replaced, as the rear window is broken. (I would make this the first thing I would do after buying this car.) This seems to be a seller that will tell you about all the car’s issues – and that is a seller I personally like to buy a car from.

If you’ve been looking for a classic Mustang with thousands of dollars of good-quality performance modifications that still looks stock and can be slowly made a little better each year, this is one I would choose. Place your bid on this 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible before the auction ends on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Spring is on the horizon, which means more of the United States will begin having outdoor car shows. We have compiled some interesting events happening from east to west through the rest of March. If your local event isn’t mentioned, please leave a comment below for your fellow readers.

March 19-23 Lehigh Valley Auto Show
Lehigh Valley, PA

March 23 The Minutemen Modal A Ford Club 29th Annual Winter Blahs
Maynard, MA

March 28-30 Memphis International Auto Show
Memphis, TN

March 29-30 Goodguys 41st All American Get-Together
Pleasanton, CA

March 29 Petit Jean Bronco Blast 2025
Morrilton, AR

March 30 Kyusha Club March Meetup
Phoenix, AZ

The Pontiac GTO had a strong advantage: it was both a Pontiac and was a first-mover in the market, inspiring competing brands to bring out their own performance models. However, the GTO also was a victim of General Motors’ success, as GM had instituted several edicts to maintain its stature without the roving eye of the federal government. How the GTO managed to compete with its special mix of strengths while developing some new ones is nicely reflected by this 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air IV that will go on the block at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction April 24-26, 2025 at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Being a Pontiac in 1964 was like being the popular guy at school—everyone wants to be like you and be around you. Pontiac had the strongest image and styling, which brought the brand up to #3 in sales. That was quite an achievement for a scrappy company that featured fewer dealerships and a higher market position than Plymouth, the traditional #3. And, when the GTO was introduced, it led to a host of copycats that lasted well into the 1970s (even when high-performance was gasping for breath).

Then, there’s the first-mover effect, which often gives a company market advantages not seen by those who follow. It’s doubtful Pontiac would have been able to predict the me-toos that were to come for 1965, but nonetheless the company was able to establish market dominance with a formula that served as a template.

Combine the two and you had a performance model with strong styling and performance, the latter thanks to optional Tri-Power. However, a hint of the GTO’s disadvantage was becoming apparent, and it was magnified for 1967 when GM removed the availability of Tri-Power, instead using the new Rochester Quadrajet. By the middle of 1968, the disadvantage was even greater. GM had enacted an edict in 1964 that limited the cubic-inches of cars in a certain class, so while that Mopar may have had 426 and 440 engines, and Ford a 427 and 428, Pontiac had to make do with a 400 despite offering a 421 and 428 during the same few years.

The way Pontiac worked around this was to improve engine breathing by evolving its cylinder head design, plus having efficient exhaust manifolds didn’t hurt either. The first of the round-port heads came in April 1968 and was called the Ram Air II; after some tweaks, it was called Ram Air IV for 1969-70. These are considered the fastest-ever GTOs out of the showroom, able to take on larger cubes despite the size handicap.

This numbers-matching, Mayfair Maize 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air IV is one of 700 hardtops built with the Ram Air IV engine (297 of those being Judges). A M21 close-ratio four-speed backed by 4.33 gears is how the first owner spec’d it out, though a subsequent owner has installed a 12-bolt rear with 3.31 gears—easy street, if you will. Features include concealed headlights (with the correct blacked-out grille), Rally II wheels, AM radio, and another fine pioneering item created by Pontiac: the hood-mounted tachometer. Documentation includes the original purchase order, sales contract, window sticker, PHS paperwork, Protect-O-Plate, original California license plate with 1969 registration, engine rebuild invoice, and more.

Sure, it wasn’t until 1970 that Pontiac was allowed to install a larger motor, but the 455 was no match for the fancy engineering dedicated to the 400 Ram Air IV. It’s the little engine that could, and you can become its new owner by having the high bid at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction April 24-26, 2025.

Register to bid at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction by checking out these various options. To sell a vehicle, click here to start the consignment process.

According to a sales database assembled by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the popularity of the 8-track tape peaked in 1978 with $4.4 billion in revenues (about 22.9 percent of total revenue across all formats).

By 1982, the 8-track was largely defunct as sales had dipped to just one percent for the industry. Lincoln was one of many auto manufacturers that contributed to the 8-track craze by putting players into many of its cars in the late 1970s. 

Featured on AutoHunter is this 1977 Lincoln Continental Coupe. It is being offered by a private seller in Brooksville, Florida, and the auction will end on Monday.

And yes, the 8-track audio system already has a tape in it by The Four Seasons, so the road trip soundtrack is ready to rock and roll!

The car’s Light Cordovan paint (code 8P) is complemented by a white vinyl top. Despite being boxy, the body has some sleek aerodynamic features like hideaway headlights and rear wheel skirts. A dealer badge on the decklid shows this car came from Ken John’s Lincoln-Mercury of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Southwest-region ownership is good news for collectors, as cars from that area typically aren’t subjected to the same type of corrosion as cars from The Rust Belt. The listing says that the car has been stored in a climate-controlled facility.

As one would expect, the cabin offers all the creature comforts expected in a luxo-cruiser of the late 1970s. The equipment list includes red leather bench seats, a fold-down center armrest, wood-grain trim, air conditioning, cruise control, power steering, and power windows.

In order to promote the Continental’s highway cruising comfort, a magazine ad for the 1977 Continental said, “Judge any luxury car by this standard. Full-sized, full-luxury, to give you the pleasures of space, of comfort, of superb handling on the highway. That’s because it’s a Continental. Unmistakable from its redesigned front end to its winning Lincoln ride.”

This big-body coupe hails from the fifth generation of the Continental (dubbed the Mark V, accordingly) which was produced from 1970 through 1979. One of the key design updates toward the end of the decade was a waterfall-style grille that replaced the lower, wider version in 1977. That year, there were 27,440 coupes and 68,160 sedans produced.

Power comes from a rebuilt 460ci big-block V8 that was factory-rated at 208 horsepower and 357 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a rebuilt C6 three-speed automatic transmission. According to the listing, the radiator, carburetor, intake manifold, fuel pump, alternator, starter, and spark plug wires have been replaced. The odometer shows 87,112 miles, although the title reads mileage-exempt.

By the way, this won’t come as a surprise to most of our readers, but according to RIAA’s data, the most popular form of modern audio entertainment as of 2023 was via paid streaming online subscriptions – an industry that accounted for $10.1 billion in revenue that year. Are you one of the people who has kept your collection of tapes or CDs after all these years? I did a quick search on eBay and found over 100,000 8-track tapes for sale.

If you can find a tape by a recording artist you like, we have the perfect car for you to enjoy it in. The auction for this 1977 Lincoln Continental Coupe ends Monday, March 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Porsche isn’t done adding new variants to its 992-generation 911.

During its annual general meeting on Wednesday, where Porsche said it will continue to offer gas engines in all of its segments well into the next decade, the automaker also confirmed that two new 911 variants are on the way.

One will be a heritage-style model inspired by a 1970s-era 911. It will be developed by the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur personalization department and offered in limited numbers.

Porsche said this model will be the third of four heritage-style special editions based on the 992-generation 911, as part of what’s known as the Heritage Design Strategy. The first was the 2021 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design, followed by the 2023 911 Sport Classic.

The second new variant in the pipeline will be a new flagship model, which Porsche claims will “raise the bar even further” in the sports car segment. This flagship is likely to be the next-generation 911 GT2 RS, test mules of which have been spotted in public since mid-2024.

The previous GT2 RS produced 700 hp from a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-6. It remains unclear what Porsche has planned for the next generation, but rumors suggest power could be dialed up closer to 1,000 hp, possibly incorporating some form of electrification.

Porsche has not yet announced the timing for the release of these new models.

High-end versions of the 911 and other models are key to Porsche’s strategy for increasing profits without the need to significantly expand sales volumes. This approach is part of Road to 20, a strategy aimed at achieving operating profits of 20% or more in the long term, up from the current target of 15-17%.

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com

The Chevrolet Suburban has been carrying people and their gear since the 1935 model year. It’s been produced longer than the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang and, believe it or not, the last generation of the Toyota 4Runner. Of course, many of the older ones from decades past are no longer roadworthy due to age or other factors, but some of those have received second lives thanks to dedicated owners and capable shops. Our Pick of the Day, a 1977 Chevrolet Suburban K20 Silverado Trailering Special listed for sale by a Florida dealership on ClassicCars.com, is one of those revived rigs.

The Service Parts Identification tag shows this Suburban K20 started life with Colonial Yellow paint and simulated wood-grain exterior trim. It was also set up for pulling heavy loads with a 400 small-block V8, camping mirrors, oil and transmission coolers, four-wheel drive with a locking differential, a trailer weight-distributing hitch platform, a heavy-duty trailer wiring harness, and the Trailering Special package with an 11,000-pound GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).

Despite its capabilities, this Suburban also came from the factory with several comfort and convenience features such as a tilt steering column, power steering, power front disc brakes, dual-zone air conditioning, and power tailgate window.

This Suburban was “a campground vehicle at KOA in Oregon for 40 years,” perhaps used to shuttle people to and from campsites. Whatever the case may be, this classic American SUV reached a point where it needed some updating. As you can see, it received plenty of that: the body was stripped down and repainted its original Colonial Yellow, complete with faux wood trim; inside, sound-damping material was installed, and the three rows of bench seats were reupholstered in tan vinyl. Whoever rides in this vehicle next (you?) should stay nice and cool thanks to the replacement air conditioning compressor, condenser, and accumulator.

As always, this Suburban is ready to pull. In 2021, the 400 was replaced with a 350 crate engine and the Turbo Hydra-matic three-speed auto was rebuilt. The engine is cooled by a replacement radiator and fueled by a replacement gas tank.

If you do happen to see a ’77 Suburban out on the road, it probably won’t look this good. This one will look even better in your driveway or attached to your trailer. You can get this 1977 Chevrolet Suburban K20 Silverado Trailering Special there by paying the asking price of $29,500.

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

Named after Lake Batur in Bali, Indonesia, the Bentley Batur was announced in 2022. It provided a preview of Bentley‘s new design language and, when equipped with a 6.0-liter W12 pumping out more than 730 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque, has been named the “most powerful Bentley in history.” Bentley and its in-house bespoke division Mulliner will be producing only 18 Batur coupes, but only one will be known as “The Black Rose.”

The name “The Black Rose” provides a hint of what to expect, but it doesn’t show the whole picture. Mulliner worked with the car’s owner to develop an exclusive color called—you guessed it—Black Rose. It is used for the lower body, with Beluga black covering the roof, and A- and C-pillars.

A different type of rose, Satin Rose Gold, highlights the grille, “endless bonnet line” that stretches from the bonnet (hood) to the quarter panels, mirror caps, lower body, and 22-inch wheels.

The Beluga leather and charcoal gray tweed right-hand-drive interior features Black Rose painted veneers and even more rose gold—but not just the color. The goldsmiths at Cooksongold recycled jewellery to provide Bentley the raw materials to produce what the automaker calls “an automotive industry first”: 3D-printed 18-karat rose gold accents. Up to 210 grams of the precious metal was used on key touchpoints, such as the the drive mode dial, “Organ Stop” vent controls, and band at the 12 o’clock mark on the steering wheel.

It’s too bad the watchmakers at Breitling and Bentley ended their collaboration in 2021. They could’ve made the perfect accessory—in rose gold, of course—to go with The Black Rose. After all, many car enthusiasts are also watch collectors. Perhaps the client who requested this commission already has the red gold Breitling Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 Bentley Limited Edition.

Does a car that inspires carry more weight than its actual success? The case is often made with music (the Velvet Underground being a popular example), though it’s not an issue with our inspirational car. Can you figure it out based on the below cars that are currently listed for sale on ClassicCars.com or AutoHunter?

That’s not the only answer you should post in the Comments section below—you also need to identify these cars including model year, make, and model. Having trouble? You can click on an image to score a hint.

Click on a photo to reveal each car

You’ll always find a new puzzle at The ClassicCars.com Journal every Tuesday. Click here to play more automotive games.